Come and See

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. (John 1:35-39a)

As we consider the mission of the church, which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, it's time to think about how the church make disciples. By what method or process does a church form persons into Christ-followers?

In the gospels we learn how Jesus formed disciples. He called them. He taught them, He prayed with them and for them. He ate with them. He worked in ministry together with them.  He empowered them. He sent them. 

In the above passage from John's gospel we witness the calling of disciples. It doesn't happen the way the other gospels portray it. Instead of Jesus calling to potential disciples, those who are curious about Jesus come to Him. John first shared his enthusiasm about Jesus with some who are following John.

“Look, here is the Lamb of God!” (Jn 1:36b)

A couple who heard John's testimony went and followed after Jesus. They asked Jesus where He was staying. Jesus replied, "Come and see." They did.

This simple meeting is loaded with meaning. "Come and see" isn't just about where Jesus was staying. It was about these men learning that the Messiah had come among them. As they followed Jesus, they soon learned that Jesus was the Christ. Even the question "Where are you staying?" is loaded. Jesus is God in the flesh. God is dwelling among His people in Jesus. God dwells among the people in the body of Christ, the church. The question, "Where are you staying?" in John 1:38, could also be read as "Where are you abiding or remaining?" The Greek word translated as "staying" is the same word used in John 15:4.

Abide in me as I abide in you. (John 15:4)

You could read it as, "Stay in me and I stay in you." The point is that Jesus dwells in the hearts of those who love Him and keep His commandments. This is what followers of Jesus do. They love Jesus because He has chosen them and loved them. He gave His life as a ransom for them, so that they might have life. They follow His teachings and commands because they long to please the One they love and worship. By doing so they become like the One they lovingly worship and follow.

The first step in any church's disciple making process is telling others about Jesus. Now if I went around today and spoke to a stranger and said, "Look, I know Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," I doubt I'd get very far with that person. 

Consider the context in which John tells those near him about Jesus. They were John's disciples. John had influence over them as their teacher. They had given themselves to John's authority. We too have influence. It's called relationship, friendship, and association. We all have a web of relationships through friends, relatives, associates at work or community organizations, and neighbors who live close by. Some are closer than others, but through these relationships a disciple can plan to deepen ties. 

First ask God to give you ten names from your network of relationships whom He would have you pray for. List the names that come to mind and begin praying for them. Pray for them everyday for forty days and see what happens. Pray for them to come to know the saving love of God. Pray for an opportunity to share why Jesus is important to you.

Prepare yourself to do what John the Baptist did. Prepare how you will tell others about Jesus. One method is to answer three questions in brief paragraphs. Your witness should be short and concise, but from the heart. It needs to be real, based  on your personal experience of Jesus. The three questions are:

1. What was my life like before Jesus became my Lord and Savior?
2. What happened when Jesus came into my heart?
3. How has my life changed now that Jesus is my Lord?

For those who were raised in the church, the first question may be difficult. I was raised in the church. I've never known life without believing in Jesus. So I cannot easily say what life was like before Jesus became my Lord and Savior. But here's the truth. Though I trusted that God loved me and forgave my sins, I did not follow Jesus completely, nor was I living by His power through the Holy Spirit. I had felt the love of God a number of times as a child during worship, but warm fuzzies isn't discipleship. Following Jesus obediently as Lord is discipleship. That takes grace.

The first question might be restated, "What was my life like before I began to seriously follow Jesus as my Lord?" 

We all go through the motions of faith. We read the bible once in a while. We pray some, at least over a meal or during worship. We might even serve on a committee or ministry through church. While these habits are helpful, an infrequent and undisciplined approach does not necessarily keep us abiding in Jesus. Our attitudes have much to do with the effectiveness of these activities. Have you ever worshiped, but your mind was somewhere else, or you wanted to be someplace other than worship? Have you ever prayed, but found your mind going over your to do list? Have you ever read your bible, but found you cannot remember what you just read? Our attentiveness fluctuates and our attitudes drive our true intentions. The heart that seeks God is the heart that will be rewarded, when we seek with our whole heart.

The other questions can also be difficult if you have not had a memorable experience of the risen Jesus. Warm feelings, overwhelming love, heat, tingling, light, buoyancy, touch, weight and wind: these are all common experiences when being filled with the Holy Spirit. But not every Christian has had such experiences. Bishop Emerson Colaw once wrote that only one of six Christians can point to a conversion experience. Five out of six report a slow dawning over time. It can be decades before faith comes into a robust fire of passion. They look back and say with a certain level of wonder, "I really do believe!"

I wonder if those reports are based on the church's lack of a clear disciple making process. I fully recognize that personality also affects one's experiences. But I will say this: Any disciple ought to be able to point to a turning point that marks conversion. By looking back we might be able to see when and where we began to change. If there's no change then, how has Jesus saved you at all?

The apostle Peter encouraged early disciples to prepare themselves to share the reason for their hope.

Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. (1st Peter 3:14b-16a)

What is your reason for hope in Christ? 

Telling others is the first part of any disciple-making mission. 

Are you prepared to tell someone? 

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Belief, Faith, Trust

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:1-2, 6)

When I was a boy we always stood in worship each Sunday and recited the Apostles Creed. The creed began with the words, "I believe..." Webster define the verb "believe" as the following:

1. to accept or regard (something) as true
2. to accept the truth of what is said by (someone)
3. to have (a specified opinion)

Another dictionary source says to believe is to "feel sure of the truth of." That is a bit more bold than Webster's definition and gets after the biblical idea shared by the author of Hebrews. Faith is assurance. Belief is conviction. It has to do with trust. To believe is to trust the proclamation that God loves the world and sent His Son to save it. Belief is to feel sure that, through the biblical witness, you have the correct understanding of yourself in the world before God.

A disciple of Jesus Christ believes. She feels sure that what she knows of God through faith in Christ is adequate enough for the saving of her soul. She trusts that she is free from sin through the cross of Christ and empowered through His resurrection to pursue a Christ-like life. As she pursues perfection in Christ, she experiences assurance that she is indeed on the right path, a path that leads to life. 

Life is in her because she knows Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6) John Wesley, founder of the Methodist tradition within Christianity, spoke of the assurance of faith that is the privilege of every believer. At some point in the journey of pursuing Christ, one might enjoy the inner witness of the Spirit which gives personal assurance that one is a beloved child of God.

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God..." (Romans 8:14-16)

The love-born cry of a child to her Father in heaven is a Spirit enabled cry of worship. And the Spirit replies with the Father's loving embrace of His beloved children who cry out to Him. This is all part of faith. Experiencing divine love within ourselves is part of the journey that believing began. For everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, cross over from death to life.  (John 5:24)

My wife's uncle, Rev. Willie Lucas, is a Baptist preacher. He often preaches revivals around different parts of the country. I once heard him tell a great illustration for belief.

There was a high wire artist, an acrobat, who decided to string a wire between two 30 story buildings in a busy downtown section of a major city. During the lunch hour, when the streets were bustling with people, he began his performance. High above the street he crossed over the wire with no net to catch him should he slip and fall. A crowd soon gathered in amazement as they watch him carry out death defying feats of skill and bravery on the high wire. He even did a hand stand on the wire! The crowd cheered and shouted as they watched. 

Finally the acrobat placed a wheelbarrow up to the edge of the high wire. We shouted down to the gathered crowd, "Who believes I can wheel a man across this wire in a wheelbarrow?" 

Down below one of the spectator shouted back enthusiastically, "I believe! I believe, Mister! I believe you can do anything!"

The acrobat shouted back, "Great! Get in!"

Belief is feeling sure of what we hope for, being convicted of the truth. Faith is a trusting relationship with the One you believe. Disciples learn to "get in" the gospel wheelbarrow and trust Jesus to guide you through all of life's risks and rewards. 

Are you ready to get in?

Repent

Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:14-15)

Mark 1:15 are the first words of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. Mark is the oldest of all the gospels. His account of the good news about the kingdom coming through Jesus Messiah is short and fast paced. There are more miracle stories in Mark's gospel than the others. These miracles support Jesus' claim that the kingdom of God is near. God's reign has come in the person of Jesus who was completely submissive to God's rule over His heart. Therefore He was a citizen of heaven right in our midst.

Jesus' presence among us led others to be reconnected to God and they too became a citizen of heaven, filled with the Spirit of Christ, and submissive to God.

Jesus' proclamation was that the promised kingdom of the Messiah, a government under the leadership of a divinely anointed king from the line of King David, had come near to Israel. His announcement came when all the evidence would contradict His claim. The Romans oppressed the people with high taxes and brutality. Most people lived in poverty while kings and merchants and tax collectors lived in luxury. People suffered in sickness, paralysis, blindness, deafness, muteness, and demon possession. The reign of God means blessing, not the feeling of abandonment in a hellish world.

How many times have you heard people say this world is hell. If that's true, we're the ones who made God's good creation into a sort of hell. The good news is still good news. The kingdom of God is here. And the world is still oppressive, abusive, brutal and diseased. All evidence would stand to the contrary, that God's good and righteous government has come to us.

The kingdom of God is a kingdom of the heart at first. The kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a mighty tree that overshadows all the other plants in the garden. God's government begins in the heart first, before the kingdom of God can bee seen in the world. What the world sees is steeples, church signs and slogans, and reports on the news of bad Christian behavior. They sometimes hear Christians badmouthing, talking trash and complaining about people. They even complain about their churches. What a witness!

If we disciples of Jesus are going to show the world the possibilities of God's reign, God must truly rule our hearts. That begins with repentance. To repent means to turn around. Do a 180 degree about face toward God.

Repentance is more than not doing the things we know are wrong. Sin is more than bad deeds or criminal activity. Sin is an infection in our very souls. We judge others in our sinful minds. Sin causes us to place ourselves first above others. Sin is that thing in us that causes us to rebel against God. Sin causes us to hide from God, neglect prayer, ignore our bibles and make worship an infrequent option. Sin provides us many happy diversions that have nothing to do with our mission to build the kingdom of God on earth. Repentance means to drop all the diversions and seek to do God’s will. God’s will is for us is to make disciples of Jesus.

Peter and Andrew were fishermen. Jesus called to them and they immediately dropped everything and followed Jesus into ministry. When you think of how you spend your days, how are you fishing for people? Not all are called to professional ministry, but all of us are called to this mission to make disciples. If Peter was a fisherman and Jesus taught him to fish for people by sharing the gospel, what might Jesus do with your skills?

If you are a teacher, how might Jesus use you to teach others about Him? If you are in management, how can Jesus use your skills to organize and guide a ministry team? If you work with your hands, how can Jesus use you to reach others for Christ? To repent means to give all of your life to Christ. You are a disciple in the workplace, at home, in the mall, and at play. While you work, fish for people. While you shop, fish for people. While you play, fish for people.

Repent. Put God be in control. Repent. Surrender your will and seek to do God’s will. Repent. Drop whatever you are doing and begin doing ministry with Jesus. This does not require a career change. It does require a change in focus. It does require a change of heart. It does require submitting to God's written word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Turn around and come under God's loving and righteous influence. Give your heart in obedience to Him and you will begin to see the kingdom, for you will be one of His beloved citizens of heaven.

What is Love?

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1st Corinthians 13:13)

We talk a lot about love. Why is love so hard to keep up? Aren't we humans basically good. We are created in the image of God and God is love. We ought to be able to love one another naturally. So what's the problem? Why is love so hard?

People are wonderful, filled with amazing capacity for love, altruism, bravery, compassion and honor. People are also animalistic, following the urges of the body. Fear drives the body. Hunger and thirst drive the body. Stress drives the body. Lust drives the body, an impulse to mate. Other motivations beyond fear include greed, self-protection, anger and sadness. Are we victims of our own flesh? Are we foolish to try and bridle our bodily urges? 

And what about the heart, the center of our being? Some say, "The heart wants what the heart wants," as if that gives us a pass to do whatever our heart desires. They say, "Follow your heart and you can't go wrong." Really?

The heart is devious above all else;
it is perverse—
who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

The apostle Paul describes our human condition. We know what's right, but don't seem to have the power to do it.

I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:14-24)

Classic Christian theology maintains that we are corrupted by sin from birth and we cannot change our condition. We are enslaved by the infestation of that which causes us to rebel against our higher selves. We are not able to free ourselves. we are not able to consistently love others. There's always strings attached to our need for self-protection and self-aggrandizement. We often devalue ourselves so we don't live up to our potential, or we overcompensate for our insecurities by over-blowing our importance. 

This is why we need salvation. This is why we need a Savior. If we are to love as God loves, our hearts need to be set free. That is what God does for those who trust in Christ. The heart is set free from sin through forgiveness and the heart is filled with grace, a power greater than sin. The death of Christ on the cross is His victory over sin. His victory is ours, too. Since Christ defeated sin in His perfection and His death, sin is conquered by God for us all. The resurrection of Christ is victory over death. That same power is at work in us who trust in Christ. (See Ephesians 1:19-20)

Paul asked who will save him from his body of death. Here's his answer.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom 7:25) God gave us victory...freedom. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, God's love empowers us to resist sin's influence, for grace is greater than sin. With our hearts set free through forgiveness, our task is to grow in grace, to mature in love so that we become like Jesus.

If we are to transform the world through love, we are to be continually transformed by love. 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think... (Romans 12:1-3)

Love is hard work, but it is God who is at work in us. So love God and let His love grow your capacity to love.

Blessed to Be A Blessing

"...in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Genesis 12:3b

When God called Abram (His name had not yet been changed through covenant to Abraham), God promised to make him a father of many nations. God promised that through Abram all nation will be blessed (or will bless themselves by association with Israel). Here's the promise from scripture.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen 12-1-3)

Obeying God leads to blessing. God called Abram to follow Him to a land He would show Abram. Abram left everything and followed God's leading. It wasn't easy. It was a difficult decision. Abram trusted the voice of the One who called. His heart desired to obey God more than to cling to his family. And because Abram followed God's leading, we are blessed with the knowledge of God through Israel and Israel's kingly line of David. We are blessed because through Moses and the prophets, through the obedience of Mary and Joseph, we know Jesus. And to know Jesus is to know God.

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9b)

John's gospel has two words that seem to come up constantly: Belief and Love. There are many other themes, but belief and love seem to be most prevalent. In fact John mentions them in his first letter. John writes extensively about how God is love and that those who profess to love God will also love the brothers and sisters in the church. If they have means to help a brother or sister in need and do not, how can the love of God be in them? John says that belief in Jesus as the Son of God brings us close to God such that God and His love abides in us and we in Him. (See 1st John 4:7-5:5)

Has God's love blessed your life? Have you felt the very real presence of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of God that come through Him? John says that to know God is to have life. To believe in Jesus is to have everlasting life. 

And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

There's something about God's love in us that is unbeatable, undying, undiminishable. Love is everlasting. Love never fails. (1st Corinthians 13:8a) If we are truly in a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, we will know this love. And we will become a living expression of God's love.

We are blessed with the knowledge of God through countless saints who have desired to obey God's leading more than any other allegiance. Because they obeyed God, we are blessed. And as you obey God, you will be a blessing. God will bless all who come to Him in humble obedience and love. As Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Jesus' commands are simple. They are all an expression of love. But love is more than a kindly  affection. God's love is exemplified in the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down His life for us. If we love like Jesus, we live sacrificially, placing others above ourselves. Love focuses on the interests of others and not only upon oneself. When you begin living other-focused, God's love grows in you. Make it your ambition to grow in love more and more and you will distinguish yourself as a disciple of Jesus Christ who is a blessing to the world.

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. (John 14:12-14)

Belief, leads to love. Love leads to blessing. Blessing from God makes you a blessing to the world. So trust in Christ. Be loved. Love others.

The Blessed

The opening words to Jesus' famous Sermon on The Mount are a parallel to the giving of the Law of Moses. Just as the Ten Commandments mark the character of God's holy people, Israel, the Beatitudes mark the character of Christ's new kingdom, the church.

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:3-16)

The disciple of Jesus is blessed with an abundance of life within through the love of God and the grace of Jesus. The Beatitudes name many of the kind of followers of Jesus who are blessed. We are the poor in spirit, those who acknowledge how impoverished we are in our hearts compared to the riches of Christ. We are the comforted, the merciful, the meek, those hungry for God right ways, pure in heart, the persecuted and the peacemakers. Blessing from God comes to disciples in ways mysterious and bold, in ways subtle and yet powerful.

From this wealth of spiritual blessing, the disciple's life is empowered to live in remarkable ways. the Sermon on the Mount is considered to be a code of conduct for the Christ follower. Reading through Matthew chapters 5-7, you will soon discover great difficulty in imagining yourself living fully according to this teaching.

John Wesley remarked that if a person aspired to be a true Christian they would reflect the teachings on the Sermon on the Mount and embody love as described in 1st Corinthians 13.

Reportedly, a communist leader once remarked, "The only problem with Christianity is nobody has ever tried it."

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried” – G. K. Chesterton

As we struggle with Christ's claim on our life we are reminded that He is not simply our savior, He is our Master and Lord. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commands." (Jn 14:15) Keeping these commands in Matthew 5-7 seems impossible and maybe even foolish. It requires an incredible generosity of spirit and a tremendous trust in God to provide for our every need. It requires a changed heart, by the work of God's grace through our faith in Christ. It takes a heart that knows it is blessed beyond compare to any earthly prize or pleasure. Only through Christ's love and power at work in us can we even hope to live out all of His teachings.

Love your enemies.

Pray for those who persecute you. 

Give to those who beg from you and expect nothing in return. 

Turn the other cheek to your abusers. 

Give more to the one who steals from you and the one who forces you to do their will.

These commands are difficult and feel unnatural. They make us vulnerable. Faith calls us to trust that God is with us and He will protect and provide. Faith makes us courageous lovers of God and of everyone else.

Allow me to end with some thoughts from Rev. Steven Manskar of the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship. This quotation is from an article he published called, Opening Ourselves To Grace: The Basics of Christian Discipleship.

Christian faith is more than agreeing with a set of doctrines or creeds. It is
more than outward appearances, signs, and symbols. It’s more than saying “I’m a Christian.”

Christian faith is ultimately about what is happening on the inside. It
is a matter of the heart. It is a heart changed by an encounter with the living God
who comes to us in Jesus Christ. The changed heart makes a difference in the
way we live our lives in the world. This life begins with forgiveness of our sins.
When we acknowledge who we are (sinners in need of forgiveness), we can
begin living into the lives God desires for us as his beloved children. With
forgiveness comes freedom – from sin and death – so that we can love God with
all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love those whom God loves; as God
loves them, in Christ. All this is God’s gift to the world – grace.

As we live this life, we become channels of grace for the world. As we walk
with Christ in the world, he gradually removes the blockages to grace we have
built up. As the barriers come down, his grace can flow through us for the world.
Walking with Christ in the world changes us from the inside out into the human
beings God created us to be. He forms our character into a reflection of his. The
goal of this life is to “have the mind of Christ” (Philippians 2:5). God does this in
us as we “work out our salvation” (Philippians 2:13).

A Child's Heart

Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15)

I'm pouring over notes form bible study classes during Lent last spring. Each class studied a different gospel account. One class studied 1st Corinthians. As they read each passage they asked themselves, "What does this passage tell us about being a disciple of Jesus?" The study leaders were kind enough to catalog their thoughts.

One of the responses this morning really grabbed me. In response to the verse above the class studying the gospel of Mark, the group offered,

"Disciples know that to enter the kingdom of God, we must be trustful like little children."

I think perhaps this is one of the most under utilized verses in Jesus' teachings. I am glad to be reminded. After studying the bible for many years, I have gravitated toward interest in the canonical themes that help me interpret the scriptures. I'm a student of historical backgrounds to the scripture which often helps me get a sense of what it was like to hear the words in the original context. I also respect literary analysis, to grasp the themes and objectives of the authors of the scriptures. I understand literary techniques and devices that are intended to make an emotional impact on the hearers of their words. The emotional impact of Jesus and the little children can't be missed.

Mark is the oldest of the gospel accounts. His account has more miracle stories than all the others. Mark shares the following story of Jesus and little children.

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. (Mk 10:13-16)

By this point in the narrative, the disciples know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. They know He is the promised king, the divinely appointed sovereign for Israel. That means these close disciples of Jesus' are in line for positions of power when Jesus takes the throne. The material in this section of Mark deals with the temptation to no longer serve the people, but to rather to protect the interests of the King and His close companions. 

Following the transfiguration of Jesus, the disciples argue about who is the greatest in Jesus' kingdom. Jesus told them, whoever wants to be first must be last and servant to all. (Mk 9:35) On another occasion the disciples wish to bar a person from doing ministry in Jesus' name, because "he was not one of us." (Mk 9:38) Jesus warns them not to be the cause of sin to one of these little ones, which likely refers to persons relatively new in following Jesus.

We must care for new believers with extra special attentiveness, like we would a toddler. They need guidance and lots of encouragement. They need to be surrounded by love, acceptance and appreciation.

On another occasion Jesus is approached by a rich young man who wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and follow him. The rich man could not do it. Jesus said a camel can pass through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man can enter the kingdom of heaven. The disciples are astounded. Wealth meant God's favor in their understanding. The disciples were often ordinary and poor. Most people were. There was no middle class. If a rich man who obviously has the favor of God can't enter the kingdom, then who can be saved? Jesus tells them it's impossible for humans, but with God all things are possible. (Mk 10:13-27)

James and John ask to set on the right and left of Jesus, the two most favored seats in relation to the host or the king. Again Jesus has to remind His disciples that jostling for positions of power and influence is not the way of His kingdom. Instead disciples must know that those who wish to be great in His kingdom, must be a servant, a slave to all.

They still don't get it and try to keep a blind man from bothering Jesus when they enter Jericho. (SIGH!)

It's in this context that we hear the story of Jesus and the little children. Jesus doesn't mean we are to become infants physically speaking. He means the attitudes of our hearts must return to childlike innocence.

Think of what a child is like, especially in relationship to their parents. They are utterly dependent upon them. They are naturally trusting. They carry a sense of wonder. Everything is new to them. They aren't bored, yet. They enjoy life naturally. They cry a lot, yes, but that's their way of expressing need and dissatisfaction. Doesn't the scriptures model the people of God crying out to the Lord in their need?

In the same way, we need to drop the adult way of muscling our way to the top of whatever ladder we are climbing, and realize our relationship with our Father in heaven has already topped us above any and all ladders. We are chosen and adopted children of God! We are inheriting a kingdom beyond imagining. The Spirit of Christ fills us with hope in our future with our God. The grace and glory given to us fulfills the deepest needs of the humans soul.

One comment from our Lenten studies said this of disciples:

"Disciples need a strong foundation, perseverance, and growth. Disciples not only listen to the word of God, they understand, follow, apply the principles, and absorb the meaning behind Jesus' parables."

Imagine yourself a child of God kneeling at your Heavenly Parent's feet and listening to His/Her instruction. The children came to Jesus that He might touch them and by touching them, they might be blessed. They came to Him trusting. They came to Him utterly dependent upon His grace. They came to Him with a sense of wonder.

 Be childlike in your relationship with God.

Restore a sense of wonder in God's goodness and glory. Read Psalm 8.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,    
mortals that you care for them? (Psalms 8:3-4)

Acknowledge the truth. You are utterly dependent upon God.

When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
    when you take away their breath, they die
    and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created;    and you renew the face of the ground. (Psalms 104:29-30)

And trust God to provide, just as a child must trust their parents to care for their needs.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,    and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Disciples are the adopted and chosen children of God.

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God... (John 1:12)

May your hearts be made childlike again through the Spirit of Him who is making all things new.

What Is A Methodist?

I just completed a webinar on the question, "What Is A Methodist?" The answer is simple.

A Methodist is one who loves God and loves others as themselves. 

There are several of John Wesley quotes about what is a Methodist.  The one used tonight said basically that Methodists pursue holiness in heart and life. The way our speaker, Steve Manskar, explained this is that holiness is the character of God, which is love. Understanding holiness as the love of God means that a Methodist is in training to fully love God (holiness of heart) and love others (holiness in life).

Wesley directed the early Methodist societies to practice the means of grace through works of piety and works of mercy. These cultivate and grow our us in our ability o love God and others.

The works of piety include worship, bible study (both in groups and personally), The Lord's Supper, prayer, fasting and Christian conversation.

The works of mercy include doing no harm and doing good.

Doing no harm means just what it says, but we don't perhaps think of how we participate in systems that are doing harm. As consumers we drive the wheels of industry. When we buy shirts made in some far away country at the discount store, we may be support sweat shops that treat their employees like slaves. When we buy chocolate from the major suppliers like Hershey and Mars, we are supporting child slavery in the Ivory Coast on cocoa plantations. Our carbon footprint and what we throw away in the trash has an impact on the environment we all must share. When we respond to sexualized advertising, we send a message to marketers that the sexual objectification of women and men is what the American consumer wants.

Doing good is feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, welcoming the stranger, etc. Doing good is to advocate for the marginalized and oppressed in our society. Doing good is working for justice for those who suffer under oppressive systems, individuals or ideas.

You can think of holiness in heart (loving God) in two categories, public and private. Works of piety in the public sphere are worship, the Lord's Supper, small group studies, prayer groups, etc. Works of piety in the private sphere are prayer, searching the scripture, fasting etc.

You can think of holiness of life (loving others) in the same two categories, public and private. Works of mercy in the public sphere include acts of justice to liberate others from oppressive situations or habits. Helping people learn to live free of addictions is an act of mercy. Works of mercy in the private sphere have to do with charitable giving, helping others, not with others, but by yourself as your own ministry. I heard of a saint recently who always brought flowers to people when she heard they needed encouragement. She planted and harvested flowers and made her own arrangements. This was her personal ministry, her act of charity, a work of mercy.

By regularly practicing acts of devotion in our private life, and acts of worship in our public life, we grow in our ability to love God. By regularly practicing acts of compassion in our private life and acts of justice in our public life, we grow in our ability to love others.

My definition for a Methodist is "one who has the love of God filling their heart through the Holy Spirit such that every thought, word, and deed comes from God's love." One of the other participants wrote this definition:

"A Methodist is a follower of Jesus Christ who is working toward perfection in loving God and all people."

Practicing the means of grace fills us with love and grows us in love until we love like Jesus loved us.

Whatever the definition for a Methodist, a Methodist is disciplined about growing toward a Christ-like life. Both their inner life and their outward life reflects the love of God.

How is this definition different from other Christian traditions? It isn't really. Wesley always said, Methodists were seeking to be true Christians in heart and life.

I pray that you all will take the opportunities given to pursue holiness in heart and life through worship, devotion, compassion and justice. The love of Christ compels us.

Celebrate Love

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. (Ephesians 1:3-4)

The first chapter of Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a powerful one, praising God for His many blessings to the church. This opening doxology reveals how God had chosen the church as part of His plan of salvation for the world from before creation. You and I are part of a tremendous cosmic plan which God, in His eternal wisdom, foreknew. Jesus is the culmination of a long history. Paul, the former Pharisee, had his eyes opened by the Holy Spirit and he connected the dots from Adam and Eve, through Abraham and Moses, to the Christ. You can sense Paul's joy in his writing.

Grab your bible and take a moment to read the whole of the chapter. (Or click this link https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph+1&version=NRSV)

Here's a summary of the kind of blessings for which Paul praises God.

• We are chosen to be holy and blameless.
• God chose us as a result of His love.
• We are adopted as God's children through Jesus
• God freely bestowed glorious grace upon us.
• Through Christ we have redemption (set free from sin an death) and forgiveness.
• Revelation of God's plan of salvation
• We've obtained an inheritance in Christ 
• We are set aside to live for God's praise and glory
• We are marked in the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance.

Paul prays that the church might grow in love and wisdom, to have our eyes opened to understand God's many blessings. 

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places... (Eph 1:17-20)

With all these many blessings and more, God adds to it great power through our hope in Christ. That power is power over the grave. It's resurrection power. It's death defying power. That power working in us is grace, which God loving lavished upon us.

Don't you just love the way Paul characterizes God, our Father, with such joy. Paul uses phrases and words like "lavish," "according to the good pleasure of his will," "according to the riches of his grace," and "freely bestowed." I get the image of a happy and generous father handing out gifts, with a twinkle in his eye, as he watches his children's excitement and enthusiasm. We can certainly sense Paul's enthusiasm.

Celebrating the love of God is at the heart of Christian worship. Thanksgiving and praise are expressions of our celebration. Worship is more than one hour on a Sunday. Worship is a lifestyle. We are chosen to be holy as God is holy, and to live according to God's goodness so that we might be blameless before Him. A heart that seeks to glorify God is one that desires to please God. Cultivate a heart of praise that continually celebrates God's love and His many blessings.

Cultivate a heart that celebrates and you will know joy more fully and frequently. Reading Paul's words reminds me of of amazing blessings we often don't think about in our ordinary day. There's always reason to be thankful and joyful. God is good all the time. God dotes on us as a loving Father. Jesus fills us with His perfect love and the Holy Spirit reminds us that this great love will be ours forever. How can we not celebrate every day at every moment?!

Paul ends His section on revealing God's plan with a prayer for the church to grow in our comprehension of God's love.

I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Eph 3:18-19)

Our knowledge of God's love leads to being filled with God, who is love. Our knowing moves beyond the head into the heart. The love of Christ is beyond our ability to fully understand, but with the help of the Spirit we will have adequate knowledge of the One who deserves all our praise and glory. We are set aside as God's own children for the sake of His praise and glory. We are made in Christ to celebrate love at all times, and by doing so, to be a vessel of divine love blessing the world.

God is Love

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. (1Jn 4:15b)

God’s love was revealed among us in this way:
God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:9

I once heard an elderly retired pastor say to me with tears in his eyes, "The most important theological statement in the New Testament is 'God is love.' It's simple, powerful, and says everything. I don't know why we feel the need to complicate things and have all these arguments and debates in  the church. Just love."

Clearly, his words have stuck with me. He told me that at a Marriage Encounter retreat at the Sisters of St. Joseph's Convent in Tipton, Indiana as we were loading up our vehicles to go home. I don't remember his name. His face I can't recall. I can't remember if there's anything else we ever talked about, but those words have always remained in my consciousness.

It's true, the church has the propensity to tear itself apart with our efforts to strain gnats and miss that we are swallowing a camels. (See Matthew 23:24) In other words while we are focused on social issues like prayer in school, homosexuality, abortion, stem cells, etc, we are ignoring the great commandment to make disciples. While we are diverted to many worthwhile causes, we commit the great sin of omission, neglecting to love others as fully as God has loved us by giving up His Son for us.

I don't want to spend a lot of time focusing on what the church is doing wrong. There are plenty other people who are spinning that yarn. Instead I want to turn my thoughts to God, who is the very definition of love. For as we discipline our minds and hearts to continually praise God and glory in Him, His love pours into us and transforms us. With God's love at work in us who seek the Lord, we find ourselves less concerned with the worries of the world and the latest issues or causes thrown us before us. We know love and we know that love reigns. Love never fails. Love is eternal. (1st Corinthians 13:8a)

One might say that I am sticking my head in the sand or that I'm too other-worldly to be of an earthly good. On the contrary, the discipline of seeking the Lord's face and being filled with His love is exactly how Jesus changed the world and is changing the world and will ultimately save the world. We must act on social ills. We must speak out for the disadvantaged. We must speak against oppression and evil. Those acts of justice must come from love or they accomplish nothing in terms of establishing God's reign.

Paul wrote to the church in Rome:

God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)
I've spoken in a previous blog about Jesus inhabiting our lives through the Holy Spirit. Here it is again. God's love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. So how does one receive the Holy Spirit?

If you read the preceding verses to Romans 5:5 you will see a progression. First, God has justified us before Him through faith in Jesus Christ. If we accept the gospel that God loves us and sent His son to die for us as an atoning sacrifice, then we are made right in God's eyes. (See 1st John 4:10) Forgiveness begins to make a difference as our estranged relationship with God is healed. Second, through our healed or reconciled relationship with God through faith in Christ, we have access to grace. What is grace?

I come from a tradition that has very powerful ideas about grace. According to the founder of the Methodist tradition, John Wesley, grace is the work of the Holy Spirit restoring us to the image of God in which we were created. Another way to look at grace is to understand it as God's love in action making us more and more like Jesus.

The goal of the Christian disciple is to become like Christ. The word Christian may be defined as "Little Christ." The One we worship and serve is the One we are becoming. Unity with Christ is the goal. Becoming intimately united with Jesus in heart, mind, soul, and body, is the promise of perfection. In fact, it is our destiny.

For those whom God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son... (Romans 8:29)
When I consider the goal of my life, I hope, like my elderly retired pastor friend, I might be forgotten and only remembered as someone who loved Jesus and shared His love and the knowledge of Him with everyone I could. On my tombstone etch the words, "He loved Jesus."

The love of Jesus compels the disciple to persevere in this love, this grace. Becoming like Jesus is to pursue perfection. It will be a life long journey. It will take discipline, but remember you have access to amazing grace that is at work in you. Therefore Paul confesses the experience of the Christian as one of suffering, perseverance, and hope.

we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit... (Romans 5:3-5)
How do we receive love from God, such that divine love abides in us? Persevere, with the strength of faith and the grace in which you stand. Through all of life's ups and downs, trust that God is good all the time, and that His love is making new the world and you.

The social ills of this world will change for the better as every heart pursues the love of God in Jesus Christ. There is no other mediator between God and humanity, than Jesus. There is no other savior. There is no other God. Jesus is God. God is love. Jesus is love incarnate in you.

What is A Disciple?

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher
Matthew 23:8

As I continue my reflections on the mission of the church I ask myself, "What is a disciple?" The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Disciples are students. They follow the teachings and example of their teacher. Jesus was called Rabbi by some of his followers. Even some of the religious leaders referred to Jesus as Rabbi.

On definition for the word Rabbi is "my great one or my honorable sir." It is a term of honor bestowed on a revered teacher given by their students. It's not a term that should be used lightly.

Jesus once warned Hos disciples about seeking to be honored with such titles, for He saw the hypocrisy of the scribes and pharisees of His day.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:1-12)

Two things are clear from this teaching. First, disciples of Jesus have only one teacher, and that is Jesus Christ. All too often we make our pastors or youth leaders or other personalities in the church to become the one we praise and give honor. Church can become a cult of personality, rather than followers of Jesus alone. Second, when being honored by others, true disciples will always divert the honor to Jesus. The disciple who humbles himself is closer to Christ than the disciple who seeks the applause of others. Remember the Christ hymn from Philippians 2.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross. (Php 2:5-8)

I sometimes cannot believe the sense of entitlement we bring to the church. We've been catered to by our consumerist culture so much, we think we can stand int he house of the Lord and make demands about what we want. Rarely have I ever heard a complaint linked to a word from the Lord. Instead, like consumers, we are used to having our buying power give us what we want. As members of a church we give financially to the organization. A consumer expects to get satisfaction, a fair exchange for their dollars. But a disciple gives for very different reasons. Disciples give out of gratitude for what God has done, is doing, and will do. They give, not to feel good or know their dollars are doing something they can feel good about, but as a loving response to God. Giving is an act of worship, not a means of control.

Are you beginning to see how humility before our Teacher works out in practical ways?

A disciple is marked by the humility we know in Jesus. He left heaven and the radiance of God to come to our broken world. He was laid in a farm animal's food trough at his birth. He was covered in blood and the tissue of afterbirth, something we do not find very beautiful. He went to relieve himself, just as you and I frequent the restroom. Again, not a very warm thought. The point is Jesus left perfection to enter our filth and brokenness. 

A disciple learns to get into the filth and brokenness of each other's lives and seek the Perfect One for healing and transformation.

Lord, lead us to follow you in humble service. Change our hearts that we might stop living like religious consumers and truly become your disciples.

A Disciple Loves

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)

I reduce all the do's and don'ts in the New Testament down to one word...Love. I'm not unique in this. Jesus and Paul and John all point to love as the driving force behind the Christian life. Love for God is expressed in a life lived desiring to please God and glorify God. We wish to be united with God in heart, mind and body. We are promised to share in His holy nature. Love for God leads to a pursuit of holiness.

Peter said we are promised to share in God's nature. (2Pt 1:3-4) God is love. (1Jn 4:8)

Therefore sharing in the divine nature means to love as God loves, for God is the very definition of love. God is holy and we are called to share in His holy nature. His ways are higher than our ways. His love reaches to the heavens and stretches as far as the east is to the west. Our pursuit of holiness is a lifelong journey of growing in God's love.

Love for neighbor leads us to forgive. We love others more readily when we have accepted the gospel that we have offended God with our fallen sinful nature and are in need of salvation. When we realize all of us people are in the same condition, we are less judgmental. We begin to see others as those for whom Christ died. We love by sharing words of hope from our faith, life giving words that build up. We love by lifting burdens as we are able. We bring others healing and health through prayer and resources. We love by helping, serving, and giving with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

We love ourselves by continuing to feed on the bread of heaven, Jesus Christ, through a variety of devotional habits that keep us grounded in love and growing in love. We admit that we need others in our journey of faith and connect through fellowship groups and mentoring relationships, both giving and receiving love as we journey together. We love ourselves by caring for our bodies through healthy choices, knowing our bodies are God’s temple.

This is why I think of discipleship in terms of love. We are called to become a place where love is. Love is celebrated in worship and daily life. Love is experienced in our fellowship, in worship gatherings, in devotional circles, in small groups and friendships and in the joy of grateful living. Love is experienced in the giving and receiving of love in all our relationships, especially the fellowship of the body of Christ. Love is shared as we serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. Love is shared as we work in outward reaching mission and generous giving. Love is shared in our efforts to invite and welcome those who do not yet belong to the church.

These are the thoughts I have about discipleship.

Do you feel this way of thinking about disciples fits Christianity?

Zacchaeus

He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not (Luke 19:3)

When I was a little boy in Sunday School I loved singing about Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus was a wee little man
and a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in a sycamore tree
for the Lord he wanted to see.

Did you know the sycamore fig tree has a symbolic meaning to Jews in Jesus' day? The sycamore fig was a symbol of hope in the messianic kingdom. The fig represented hope in a future when Israel would be restored to prosperity and peace under the righteous and just rule of a divinely anointed king.

The high water mark for Israel's monarchy was under King Solomon. God blessed Solomon with such wealth that Jesus referenced His splendor in His sermon on the mount. The wealth and wisdom of Solomon, the son of David, was known far and wide. The Queen of Sheba came to see Solomon for herself because of the stories she had heard of this glorious king.

According to 1 Kings 4:25, "During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all of them under their vines and fig trees."

The prophet Micah prophecies a time with Jerusalem will be restored and the gentiles will long to come tot he temple of the God of Israel. Again one of the marks of this restoration of prosperity and peace is the sign of the sycamore fig.

they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,
    and no one shall make them afraid;    for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. (Mic 4:4)

Interestingly the fig tree was a poor man's source of food. Figs were a ready meal for the wandering shepherd. Jesus and His disciples were poor. They gleaned wheat from fields they passed through, trusting the generosity of their fellow Jews. On one occasion Jesus went to a fig tree outside the temple and found it had no figs. So Jesus cursed the tree. It shriveled and died. (Mark 11:12-14)

The symbol of the sycamore fig is about hope in Messiah and His kingdom of peace and posterity, justice and righteousness for all. The cursing of the fig tree was a way of saying that the blessings of the Messiah will not come to Jerusalem and its temple because the religious leadership reject Jesus, who is the Messiah. Jesus had much to say about the religious leadership's failure to be in accord with God's love. The temple system was not bearing fruit as God desired.

What might it mean that Zacchaeus climbs up a sycamore fig tree?

One thought is that Zacchaeus took advantage of his neighbors by taxing them above the required amount in order that he might live an easy life of wealth. The Romans didn't care how much tax collectors took as long as Rome got its required amount. The rest was salary for the tax collector. Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore might point to his climbing to the heights of wealth on the shoulders of the poor.

More likely Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore fig tree is a sign that he too longed for the Messiah to come and establish His kingdom. Many were saying that Jesus was the prophet to come. Others called out to Him as the son of David, a messianic title. Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man, another title for the Christ. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, for he hoped in the Messiah like his neighbors. Perhaps even more so because of his guilt for robbing his neighbors. Perhaps he learned his wealth didn't give him happiness. Perhaps Zacchaeus realized he needed God's blessing within which comes through a right relationship with God.

There's one more thought about the sycamore. Zacchaeus climbed it because he was too short to see past the crowd. That's the plain meaning. But what I find intriguing is why Zacchaeus could not get to Jesus. The crowd was in the way.

The crowd in the gospels follow Jesus around hoping for a miracle, a word of hope, a blessing, or even something to eat. But is that discipleship? Is following around a spiritual celebrity the nature of discipleship? I think not. While the crowd lauded Jesus at His entry to Jerusalem, a week later the crowd called for His crucifixion. The crowd is fickle and self-seeking.

Jesus once confronted the crowd, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." (John 6:26-27a)

No, discipleship is not being a part of the Jesus fan club. A disciple doesn't follow Jesus around. A disciple steps out of the crowd and follows Jesus into ministry ,going where Jesus sends him or her.

Zacchaeus could not get to Jesus because the spectators were in the way. In what ways is the church today more of a fan club filled with religious spectators? How is our blindness to the "lost sheep" around us an obstacle to those who, like Zacchaeus, are trying to see Jesus?

The mission of the church means to turn our gaze to the lost, those who do not yet know The Lord.

Go and make disciples... or get out of the way. Step out of the crowd and follow Jesus into a rewarding ministry that saves lives and betters our world.

Work Out

"work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12b-13)

Working out is hard, but rewarding. Your body responds with more energy as you expend energy. In the same way working out your spirit yields spiritual results.

Jesus inhabits the lives of His disciples. How does that happen? It happens by becoming familiar with the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit. All Christians are given the Holy Spirit as guide and counselor. The presence of the Holy Spirit puts us in touch with the living Lord Jesus and our Father God. All three persons of the trinity live within the Christian through the Holy Spirit.

I like to think of the Holy Spirit sort of like RAM on a computer. Your brain is the hard drive where all the data is stored. Your conscious mind is like the monitor screen to your computer. In order for you to access data on your hard drive, it require RAM (Random Access Memory) to gather the data, present the data to the program application, so that you can work with the data on your screen.

In the same way the Spirit presents to you that which you have stored in your brain from the word of God, something you need to be reminded of. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would remind the church of everything Jesus had taught and said. As counselor, the Spirit is an inner guide to the Christian, leading them in the way of Christ.

We cultivate our ability to listen to the Spirit through prayer and meditation. We study the scriptures to input the word of God into our minds. The Spirit helps the word come alive in our hearts to guide us.

Beyond guidance from the scriptures as the Spirit enable us to understand and remember, is the emotions of the heart of God. Because God live in us, through the Spirit, we have the mind and heart of God in us.

My head holds other voices besides the Lord's. There's my own voice. There's the voice of my parents. There's voices from past friends. There's voices from musicians I listen to. There's tons of movie quotes. There's all kinds of commercial jingles and slogans running around in my head. How can I discern the true voice of God?

Working out our salvation is growing in our ability to allow Christ to inhabit our lives and give Him full compliance. We are not puppets or robots controlled by an alien spirit. We are united with Christ and each other and we willingly cooperate with His leadership.

Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Disciples obey. Obeying the voice of Jesus begins by learning to discern His voice over all others. Your knowledge of scripture is crucial. The Spirit will never contradict what God has already revealed in His word. Instead the Spirit will always lead you in ways consistent with the will of God revealed in scripture.

Working out your salvation is hard work, but it leads to Christlike lives. We often would rather not follow Jesus or obey His commands. We'd much rather enjoy His forgiveness and keep living however we want. The good news is that God works in us to change our hearts. God's grace at work in us will bring us to want to do God's will. His grace in us will lead us to want to please God. And God's grace at work in us gives us the power to do God's will. 

May you work up a sweat as you work out your salvation through study and prayer and listening and learning. 

Inhabit

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)


These words Jesus shared with his disciples in the upper room the night He surrendered his life for the world. Jesus told His fledgling church that they would do much more than He had done. In order for this to occur Jesus had to return to the Father in heaven. His way there was through the cross, the tomb and His resurrection and exaltation. Jesus promised another like Him would come, the Holy Spirit, the advocate and counselor and comforter. The Spirit will remind the church of all Jesus has taught and lead us into all truth.


It is through the indwelling Holy Spirit that the living Lord Jesus is made present to the church. It is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus abides in us and we in Him.


I ended my reflection yesterday questioning how our many good works in health ministries, justice and advocacy, and teaching hope, was transforming the world.


The mission of the church has both task and objective. The task of the church is to make disciples. The objective is to transform the world. Jesus' teaching in John 15:4-5 tells me that there is no real world transformation apart from an abiding in Christ. As Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing."


I was at a ministerial association meeting recently. A suggestion was made to join in doing some fundraising for an obvious human need. It's a good thing to do. But none of us thought to seek the Lord and ask whether we should do that good thing, or some other good thing. Doing good is good, but doing God's will with the authority of the Lord of heaven and earth is life changing and world shaping. We can do all kinds of good, but without Christ, we really aren't accomplishing much for the transformation of the world.


In order to transform the world, we must first transform our own lives. Making disciples is about connecting people to the living God through faith in Jesus Christ. I sat and visited with an elderly man who shared about his spiritual life with Christ. His face was filled with joy, peace and light as he talked of spending time with the Lord each day. Then he told me as he talks to others in the church, he sometimes wonders if they've ever met Jesus.


Didn't Jesus say, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)


Just because we do good works, doesn't mean we know Jesus. Just because we busy ourselves serving the church and other worthy causes, doesn't mean we are disciples of Jesus. The central characteristic of a disciple is one who has Jesus Christ inhabiting their hearts and ruling over their lives.




The apostle Paul wrote, "To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." (Romans 8:6-9)


Note the very last sentence. "Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." The reason Paul says this is because all humanity is fallen from the grace of God in whose holy image we were created. All sin, therefore all die in their trespasses. As Adam and Eve were cast from Eden because of their sin, we all are separated from God because of our sin. There is no way out of this condition of sinfulness. While we may do much good, and consider ourselves good, we are still fallen and unable to be anything other than sinful.


Scholars debate over the inherent goodness of humanity and the irreparable sinfulness of the human heart. Often when we say we are good people, we are comparing ourselves to criminals and perverts. But when we compare ourselves to Jesus, to the holy nature of God, we begin to see just how far we are from perfect love. That is why the Bible speaks of humans in bondage to sin and death. And that is why the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news! God acted in Jesus Christ, His only begotten, to heal the rift. Jesus served as a holy sacrifice which brings holiness to all who participate in Him holiness. God doesn't count our sins against us. God has bridged the gap caused by human sin. Through Christ all can return to Eden, that intimate walk with God where all our needs are met. Through Christ all can stand before our Maker naked and unashamed.


Transforming the world begins with my transformation. And it's an ongoing journey. I'm not perfect, but I pursue the Perfect One. Some days I pursue Him more intentionally than others. But regardless of my failures, weaknesses, my laziness and self-protection, Christ Jesus is faithful and He is able to sanctify my life.


May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. (1st Thessalonians 5:23-24)


So tomorrow I'll reflect on Paul's direction to continue to work out our salvation. (Philippians 2:12b-13)

A Time of Preparation

Today, Chesterton United Methodist Church begins its 40 Day Sabbath. The purpose of this special time is to unite hearts and minds in support of the mission of the church. What is the mission of the church?

What the church has come to call the Great Commission, can be found at the very end of Matthew's account of the Gospel.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

The United Methodist Church has formed a mission statement from Jesus' directive.

"The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

Jesus trained apostles to go and make disciples of all nations. (Mark 16:15) He sent out His church just as God the Father sent Jesus from heaven to earth in order to save the world. (John 20:21) Jesus told His disciples to wait for power from heaven, which the church received through the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:49)

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The church is to be the divinely empowered witnesses to Jesus Christ in the world. How are we to be witnesses? The Acts of the Apostles reveal that the church, in the authority of the name of Jesus, continued His ministry. Jesus' ministry was marked by three areas of activity: Teaching, Healing and Liberation.

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. ¹⁸ They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. (Luke 6:17-19)

Luke 6:17-18 says the people from all over had come to hear Jesus. They came to hear Jesus teach them about the kingdom of God and to be healed of disease and set free from demonic oppression.

They came to hear Him - Teaching
To be healed of their diseases - Healing
Those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured - Liberation

The Acts of the Apostles reveals stories where the disciples are providing such ministry. They proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord and the reign of God has come in Him. They announce forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God through the cross of Christ. They announce new life by sharing in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The church teaches hope, life-giving words, and Spirit-breathed good news. They perform signs of healing and exorcism as proof that the kingdom of heaven is here. Under the authority of the name of Jesus, the Lord, disciples healed the sick, resuscitated the dead, and freed people tormented by evil spirits.

Expressions of this kind of ministry in the United Methodist Church can be found in our commitment to evangelism, health ministries, and justice and advocacy ministries. While we may not perform exorcisms with biblical mythic drama, we do work to free people from whatever oppresses them, be it spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, or societal. Our General Commission on Church and Society is an expression of justice and liberation ministry. Our commitment to parish nursing is an extension of healing ministry. We try to connect people to the healing presence of a loving God. We work to connect people to health education and resources. In the third world we build clinics and fund low cost doctors and nurses.

Much of what we do in ministry is driven by a desire to lift lives.

But how does all this good ministry make disciples of Jesus Christ? How does our ministry transform the world?

More on that tomorrow.