I don’t need a theology degree to figure out what the New Testament is all about. In fact, I only need a little 4th grade math to do the job. The New Testament mentions Jesus’ name 990 times (that’s just “Jesus,” not including the other names used for our Lord). On average, from Matthew chapter 1 to Revelation chapter 21 every 8th verse contains the name of Jesus. Funny, I didn’t find my name once. So often we come to the New Testament for answers, comfort, direction, confirmation, what to believe, how to act, and on and on. Don’t get me wrong – we’ll find all those things there, but that’s not what it’s about. We easily slip into what comedian Brian Reagan describes as the “me monster,” a state of self-absorption in which I attribute to my self sun-like gravity that everyone else succumbs to. But, it’s not about me, it’s about Jesus. If it's all about Jesus, we ought to read it with any towards the question "who is Jesus?" The gospels are a great place to start.
I typical fashion, Mark (considered the first of the four evangalists) doesn’t hold back and starts with “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Quick answer to our question – Jesus is the Son of God. However, the answer is much bigger than we think and we need to look at how Jesus interacted with those around Him to begin putting it together. In Mark 4:11 Jesus tells His disciples “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables.” The outsiders saw Jesus, listened to Jesus, became the benefactors of His miracles, but had a relationship to Jesus separate from what He shared with His disciples.
Commentators often note the active nature of Mark’s gospel: everything happens immediately (39 times) and people are constantly amazed (11 times) or astonished (5 times). By the 14th verse in chapter 1, Jesus had alredady begun “preaching the gospel of God.” But often, those who heard had a fuzzy understanding of what Jesus talked of. They knew they had encountered something important, but couldn’t quite put a finger on it. To some, Jesus was Lord (a respectful address like “sir”), Son of David (in hope of a messiah-king who might free them from the oppression of Rome), or Teacher. The combination of His public ministry of healing and miracles with His astonishing teaching caused many others to cast Him as a prophet. Most of the general audiences probably saw Jesus this way – a man with the special ability to apply the power of God to certain situations, but only a man.
To these Jesus spoke in parables, declaring the gospel of the God, but without the private explanation reserved for the disciples. He almost appears to be searching for people like those who came to John the Baptist with repentant hearts, expecting something more from God. People who could see more than a big event or a free meal or an opportunity to have themselves or relatives or friends healed. Jesus found such a man on one occasion, a Scribe who hearing Jesus answer the Sadducees and their disingenuous question about marriage in the afterlife (they did not even believe in the afterlife, but sought to trick Jesus). When this scribe acknowledged that the double law of love – loving God and loving neighbor – exceeded the importance of burnt offerings and sacrifices, Jesus responded that “you are not far off from the kingdom of God.”
But even to those who were still left scratching their heads, Jesus spoke in a context they could, if they would, understand. Though the Hebrew Scriptures do not use the phrase “Kingdom of God,” they clearly communicate ideas about God’s rule. Spend but a few moments in the Psalms and you know that God is King. “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” Yet, first century Jews would have interpreted God’s Kingdom as a literal rule of His people Israel, mirroring their history. Though He veiled His teaching in parable, Jesus and those who heard Him had a common understanding to work with. However, just as the Passover lamb provided only a historical representation of the timeless and boundless work of Jesus , so too, the historical idea of the Kingdom of God familiar to Jesus hearers only provided a glimpse of His announcement of the Kingdom of God.
Next, Jesus will address two other groups of outsiders and His combined treatment of these three groups will begin to give us part of the answer to our question, "who is Jesus?"
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Working From the Outside In
I last wrote of the inward-out transformation that Jesus wants to work in our lives. Like everything else in the partnership that God has established with man, we also have our part. We never have the ability to achieve God's desire, but He expects us to walk side-by-side with Him in the process. In a moment, we’ll discus activities like solitude, silence, prayer, journaling, study, meditation, memorization, fasting, chastity, secrecy, confession, fellowship, submission, simplicity, stewardship, sacrifice, worship, celebration, service, and witness, all of which we commonly refer to as spiritual disciplines. But first we must understand how our part, the outside in approach works.
God has put us together as unifed persons – inner man and body – in His image[1] and intends that we exist now and for eternity in physical form. Francis Schaeffer notes in True Spirituality that a wholly biblical view of spirituality involves a connection between the inward and outward aspects of humanness: “sweeping out of the inward positive reality, there is to be a positive manifestation externally.”
From a more direct point of view, Dallas Willard says it in The Spirit of the Disciplines “Human personality is not separable in our consciousness from the human body. And that fact is expressed by asserting the IDENTITY of the person as his or her body.” This fact is what makes it necessary for us to make our bodies, through the disciplines for spiritual life, the primary focus of our effort in our part in the process of redemption. Philippians 2:12-13 confirms the sentiments of both Shaeffer and Willard. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” I’m wholly dependant upon God to work in me towards sanctification, but connected all the way back to continuing God’s creative activity after He rested, I have my part to do.
Spiritual disciplines like those I rattled off earlier generally fall into two groups. The disciplines of abstinence include the likes of solitude, silence, and fasting and disciplines of engagement include reading, meditation, and journaling – we’ll begin with those three here.
If you’ve taken the time to read this post, you can probably also list several good reasons why reading God’s revelation of Himself to man sits atop the charts of spiritual disciplines. We’re here to become disciples or apprentices of Jesus. We set out to become like Him in every way. The only full picture of who Jesus is lies between the “in the beginning” of Genesis 1:1 and “the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people” of Revelation 22:21.
The multi-faceted nature of Scripture, along with the ever expanding illumination of the Holy Spirit make discovering Jesus a life long journey. If I live to 110 years old and spend each day basking in God’s story of His Son, I will not have gotten to the bottom of it. The issue is not whether God’s Word is enough, but whether I engage it enough. First, you must have a plan and that plan must include the entire Bible cover to cover. Reading the Bible straight through in a year might be your plan but cover to cover isn’t the only way to read. Some find it helpful to alternate between sections of the New and Old Testaments. Others augment they’re regular reading of other passages with a chapter of Psalms or Proverbs each day. You might find it helpful to park in one book for while, reading slowly or rereading certain passages. I know of only two necessities – read it all and read it daily.
Reading alone won’t accelerate knowing Jesus to extent we want. The depth of Scripture requires us to chew on it, mull it over, look at it from different angles, and wring it to extract every last bit the Holy Spirit has for us this day. We must read and meditate on what we read. As you read, pick out a verse or short passage that catches the attention of your heart, begin to ponder each word and phrase. Use your imagination to visualize the ideas expressed. Consider how these ideas fit into the bigger picture of the story of Jesus. Ask how they agree or disagree with your current condition. You might write down a verse that catches your attention and carry it with you for the day, taking time to reread it and ponder a little more. At times, you’ll have important “ah-ha” moments where the Holy Spirit takes what He has for you and holds it in front of your face. Other times, you might feel like you’ve accomplished nothing at all. This might require times of prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to reveal specific aspects of the passage or to assist your understanding. It might also require plain old perseverance.
The object of meditation is to make Scripture a part of you – to hide it in your heart, to let it richly dwell within you. During times of meditations the Holy Spirit will bring ideas, connect concepts, apply portions of Scripture to specific circumstances, use it to uncover hidden problems, and give us a broader idea of who Jesus is. Some of these events will develop over time and others will occur quite suddenly.
Spiritual disciplines are much like training in any other area of life. A hockey player who only works on a slap shot will never develop a sniper-like wrist shot. A golfer who spends all day in practicing with her driver will suffer when it’s time to put. We need to have a full quiver of discipline arrows. Since humans seem to have a knack for forgetting even the biggest insights the Holy Spirit reveals during meditation, Journaling provides a ready compliment to reading and meditation. Your journal becomes a safe place to store the daily treasures the Holy Spirit shares with you. I’m not talking about writing a treatise on some deep theological topic. A couple of short notes will do. Just enough to refresh your memory when you look back to your journal. Of course, nothing stands in the way of writing as much as you want. Much of what I post on this blog site began in my journal. However, mainly we want to create a record, a history of our spiritual development that will help us remember not only what we learn through reading and meditating, but how far down the pilgrim’s path we’ve come.
[1] This does not suggest that God has a body. God gives us bodies in order that we, like He, have a means of expressing the thoughts of our minds and emotions and carrying out the desires of our wills. Where God creates by imagining and speaking it into existence, we imagine and use our eyes, ears, mouths, hands, and feet to create.
God has put us together as unifed persons – inner man and body – in His image[1] and intends that we exist now and for eternity in physical form. Francis Schaeffer notes in True Spirituality that a wholly biblical view of spirituality involves a connection between the inward and outward aspects of humanness: “sweeping out of the inward positive reality, there is to be a positive manifestation externally.”
From a more direct point of view, Dallas Willard says it in The Spirit of the Disciplines “Human personality is not separable in our consciousness from the human body. And that fact is expressed by asserting the IDENTITY of the person as his or her body.” This fact is what makes it necessary for us to make our bodies, through the disciplines for spiritual life, the primary focus of our effort in our part in the process of redemption. Philippians 2:12-13 confirms the sentiments of both Shaeffer and Willard. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” I’m wholly dependant upon God to work in me towards sanctification, but connected all the way back to continuing God’s creative activity after He rested, I have my part to do.
Spiritual disciplines like those I rattled off earlier generally fall into two groups. The disciplines of abstinence include the likes of solitude, silence, and fasting and disciplines of engagement include reading, meditation, and journaling – we’ll begin with those three here.
If you’ve taken the time to read this post, you can probably also list several good reasons why reading God’s revelation of Himself to man sits atop the charts of spiritual disciplines. We’re here to become disciples or apprentices of Jesus. We set out to become like Him in every way. The only full picture of who Jesus is lies between the “in the beginning” of Genesis 1:1 and “the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people” of Revelation 22:21.
The multi-faceted nature of Scripture, along with the ever expanding illumination of the Holy Spirit make discovering Jesus a life long journey. If I live to 110 years old and spend each day basking in God’s story of His Son, I will not have gotten to the bottom of it. The issue is not whether God’s Word is enough, but whether I engage it enough. First, you must have a plan and that plan must include the entire Bible cover to cover. Reading the Bible straight through in a year might be your plan but cover to cover isn’t the only way to read. Some find it helpful to alternate between sections of the New and Old Testaments. Others augment they’re regular reading of other passages with a chapter of Psalms or Proverbs each day. You might find it helpful to park in one book for while, reading slowly or rereading certain passages. I know of only two necessities – read it all and read it daily.
Reading alone won’t accelerate knowing Jesus to extent we want. The depth of Scripture requires us to chew on it, mull it over, look at it from different angles, and wring it to extract every last bit the Holy Spirit has for us this day. We must read and meditate on what we read. As you read, pick out a verse or short passage that catches the attention of your heart, begin to ponder each word and phrase. Use your imagination to visualize the ideas expressed. Consider how these ideas fit into the bigger picture of the story of Jesus. Ask how they agree or disagree with your current condition. You might write down a verse that catches your attention and carry it with you for the day, taking time to reread it and ponder a little more. At times, you’ll have important “ah-ha” moments where the Holy Spirit takes what He has for you and holds it in front of your face. Other times, you might feel like you’ve accomplished nothing at all. This might require times of prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to reveal specific aspects of the passage or to assist your understanding. It might also require plain old perseverance.
The object of meditation is to make Scripture a part of you – to hide it in your heart, to let it richly dwell within you. During times of meditations the Holy Spirit will bring ideas, connect concepts, apply portions of Scripture to specific circumstances, use it to uncover hidden problems, and give us a broader idea of who Jesus is. Some of these events will develop over time and others will occur quite suddenly.
Spiritual disciplines are much like training in any other area of life. A hockey player who only works on a slap shot will never develop a sniper-like wrist shot. A golfer who spends all day in practicing with her driver will suffer when it’s time to put. We need to have a full quiver of discipline arrows. Since humans seem to have a knack for forgetting even the biggest insights the Holy Spirit reveals during meditation, Journaling provides a ready compliment to reading and meditation. Your journal becomes a safe place to store the daily treasures the Holy Spirit shares with you. I’m not talking about writing a treatise on some deep theological topic. A couple of short notes will do. Just enough to refresh your memory when you look back to your journal. Of course, nothing stands in the way of writing as much as you want. Much of what I post on this blog site began in my journal. However, mainly we want to create a record, a history of our spiritual development that will help us remember not only what we learn through reading and meditating, but how far down the pilgrim’s path we’ve come.
[1] This does not suggest that God has a body. God gives us bodies in order that we, like He, have a means of expressing the thoughts of our minds and emotions and carrying out the desires of our wills. Where God creates by imagining and speaking it into existence, we imagine and use our eyes, ears, mouths, hands, and feet to create.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Inner Person & Outer Person
Watchman Nee comments on the connection between spirit, soul, and body in his classic book The Release of the Spirit. No matter how one classifies the inner fperson (soul, or soul and spirit as Nee does), Nee’s observations are enlightening. He pictures God's Spirit residing in the inner person, specifically in one's spirit, a separate part of the inner person where one connects with God. God intends His Spirit, joined with a person's spirit to govern the soul – the seat of our thoughts, emotions, and will. The soul then uses the body as its form of expression. For this to happen, God must break a soul still tuned to the call of sin so that the spirit, along with God's Spirit, might rule.
Similarly, in the soul-body make up of humans, the Holy Spirit makes its home in the inner part of a person, the soul, which God regenerates at conversion to Christ. A fundamental change takes place in our souls and we experience a break from the absolute controlling force of sin at regeneration. We become dead to sin, but sin does not completely die. Paul acknowledges that even though we become alive to Christ and dead to sin, we must not let sin reign in our mortal bodies so that we obey its evil desires.[1] Like the soul to Nee that must be broken, we must be made dead to sin that still rests in us.
Though the exact makeup of the inner person remains the subject of some debate, the Bible makes clear: (1) the Holy Spirit takes up residency in the inner man at conversion to Christ; (2) we become new creatures in Christ; (3) we gain not only this newness, but justification for the legal penalty for our sins and adoption into the family of God. However, complete redemption remains a future event. At present, we still battle with sin and must devote ourselves in concert with God in the process of sanctification. We must act to treat sin as it now deserves - dead and without power. Likewise, we must treat the Holy Spirit as He deserves - the power of God in us to live holy, obedient lives in worship to the Lord.
Romans 7:21-23 paints a dismal picture of one on the loosing side of sin’s attempt to reign: “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.” The inner person has broken away from the grips of sin and desires to conform to God’s law, but doesn’t have the developed machinery to put it to work. This person cries in despair “what a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
In contrast Romans 8 tells the story on one dead to sin. The righteous requirements of the Lord are fully met in those who do not live according the sinful nature, but who live according to the Spirit (vs. 4). In verses 5 and 6 Paul continues with a contrast of the person who agrees with the law of God in the inner person and the one not only agrees, but walks by the Spirit. “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Nee describes the breaking of the outer person as the discipline of the Spirit. Through life we will inevitably experience events that wound us. The Spirit knows the strongholds of sin that He must destroy. He knows how to use the circumstances of life that exhaust our cleverness. With a love that we might not immediately comprehend, He wields the events in life intended for our harm and that cause us to inwardly groan and we realize our desperate need for God’s redemptive work, that we can no longer live by ourselves or for ourselves, and uses them bring us to a Jesus commitment of previously unknown severity.
For our part, we must recognize the discipline of the Spirit, yield to it, and begin to live in Romans chapter 8 - setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, living by Him, in His strength which will make sin dead to us.[2]
[1] Romans 6:12-13
[2] Romans 8:4.
Similarly, in the soul-body make up of humans, the Holy Spirit makes its home in the inner part of a person, the soul, which God regenerates at conversion to Christ. A fundamental change takes place in our souls and we experience a break from the absolute controlling force of sin at regeneration. We become dead to sin, but sin does not completely die. Paul acknowledges that even though we become alive to Christ and dead to sin, we must not let sin reign in our mortal bodies so that we obey its evil desires.[1] Like the soul to Nee that must be broken, we must be made dead to sin that still rests in us.
Though the exact makeup of the inner person remains the subject of some debate, the Bible makes clear: (1) the Holy Spirit takes up residency in the inner man at conversion to Christ; (2) we become new creatures in Christ; (3) we gain not only this newness, but justification for the legal penalty for our sins and adoption into the family of God. However, complete redemption remains a future event. At present, we still battle with sin and must devote ourselves in concert with God in the process of sanctification. We must act to treat sin as it now deserves - dead and without power. Likewise, we must treat the Holy Spirit as He deserves - the power of God in us to live holy, obedient lives in worship to the Lord.
Romans 7:21-23 paints a dismal picture of one on the loosing side of sin’s attempt to reign: “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.” The inner person has broken away from the grips of sin and desires to conform to God’s law, but doesn’t have the developed machinery to put it to work. This person cries in despair “what a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
In contrast Romans 8 tells the story on one dead to sin. The righteous requirements of the Lord are fully met in those who do not live according the sinful nature, but who live according to the Spirit (vs. 4). In verses 5 and 6 Paul continues with a contrast of the person who agrees with the law of God in the inner person and the one not only agrees, but walks by the Spirit. “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Nee describes the breaking of the outer person as the discipline of the Spirit. Through life we will inevitably experience events that wound us. The Spirit knows the strongholds of sin that He must destroy. He knows how to use the circumstances of life that exhaust our cleverness. With a love that we might not immediately comprehend, He wields the events in life intended for our harm and that cause us to inwardly groan and we realize our desperate need for God’s redemptive work, that we can no longer live by ourselves or for ourselves, and uses them bring us to a Jesus commitment of previously unknown severity.
For our part, we must recognize the discipline of the Spirit, yield to it, and begin to live in Romans chapter 8 - setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, living by Him, in His strength which will make sin dead to us.[2]
[1] Romans 6:12-13
[2] Romans 8:4.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Becoming Disciples
Associating with Jesus, consecrating ourselves to relationship with Him, and receiving Him as He imparts Himself to us make it possible for Jesus to demonstrate what He can really do. It’s here that the rubber meets the road and we put our faith to action, a kind of on the job training that prepares us to take over His kingdom work. Our faith will grow step by step with each interaction with the power of Jesus building on those before it. Without even knowing it we’ll be on to doing kingdom work, almost like that first bike ride without training wheels. I remember feeling pretty safe knowing that my Dad had his hands firmly on the back of my bike seat. I wondered if he was getting tired running behind me and when I looked, I saw him stand one hundred or so feet behind me, smiling and waiving as I, me, all by myself rode my bike - without training wheels.
Don’t confuse this process with a destination. Disciples of Jesus will constantly and repeatedly work through the elements of association, consecration, impartation, demonstration, delegation, supervision, and reproduction. These elements will ebb and flow with the direction of the Holy Spirit and sometimes with our own drifting away from the safe mooring of Jesus. Through this process, apprenticing with Jesus and learning to be like Him.
How do we become disciples? In The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard says it requires a certain condition of the soul illustrated by two of Jesus’ parables. First, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”[1] Second, “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”[2] In both instances, the actors recognize an opportunity that they must not miss – treasure and pearls, theirs for the taking. Love of the value of the find compelled them to action, selling all they had to secure the prize. Exuberance and joy covered the process of discovery, actions, and possession from start to finish. When we open our eyes and see the opportunity, what Jesus can do with us in apprenticeship under His lead, when love for Him begins to impel us forward, then we have positioned ourselves to become disciples. We might not start with “sell all I have” intensity, but we need a least a glimmer, a slight flutter of excitement at the prospect of becoming like Jesus. Now, we’re ready.
How do I get from ready to running the race? I must decide to do so. All the preparation and training that best coaches and facilities can offer will mean nothing if when the starting gun sounds I do not choose to run. In preparing to become Jesus’ apprentice, I recommend several steps. First pray. Ask Him to open your eyes so that you might gaze on the treasure. Ask Him to reveal the treasure’s glory, to allow it to steal your breath in amazement. Ask Him to stir love and joy as the response of your heart. Then, ask Him for the will to decide, to choose the path of the apprentice. At the end of the day, Jesus leaves that choice to you and only you can decide.
[1] Matthew 13:44
[2] Matthew 13:45-46
Don’t confuse this process with a destination. Disciples of Jesus will constantly and repeatedly work through the elements of association, consecration, impartation, demonstration, delegation, supervision, and reproduction. These elements will ebb and flow with the direction of the Holy Spirit and sometimes with our own drifting away from the safe mooring of Jesus. Through this process, apprenticing with Jesus and learning to be like Him.
How do we become disciples? In The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard says it requires a certain condition of the soul illustrated by two of Jesus’ parables. First, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”[1] Second, “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”[2] In both instances, the actors recognize an opportunity that they must not miss – treasure and pearls, theirs for the taking. Love of the value of the find compelled them to action, selling all they had to secure the prize. Exuberance and joy covered the process of discovery, actions, and possession from start to finish. When we open our eyes and see the opportunity, what Jesus can do with us in apprenticeship under His lead, when love for Him begins to impel us forward, then we have positioned ourselves to become disciples. We might not start with “sell all I have” intensity, but we need a least a glimmer, a slight flutter of excitement at the prospect of becoming like Jesus. Now, we’re ready.
How do I get from ready to running the race? I must decide to do so. All the preparation and training that best coaches and facilities can offer will mean nothing if when the starting gun sounds I do not choose to run. In preparing to become Jesus’ apprentice, I recommend several steps. First pray. Ask Him to open your eyes so that you might gaze on the treasure. Ask Him to reveal the treasure’s glory, to allow it to steal your breath in amazement. Ask Him to stir love and joy as the response of your heart. Then, ask Him for the will to decide, to choose the path of the apprentice. At the end of the day, Jesus leaves that choice to you and only you can decide.
[1] Matthew 13:44
[2] Matthew 13:45-46
Saturday, June 20, 2009
What does it mean to be a Disciple of Jesus?
First off, what's a “disciple”? Do we use the dictionary definition: “a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another?”[1] I think looking to Jesus’ expectations provides more distinction. In his classic The Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert Coleman lays out Jesus’ plan for implementing the Great Commission, making disciples as we go, teaching them all that Jesus taught.[2] Though he approaches the subject from the perspective of one planning to mentor others, his thoughts will help we who intend to be Jesus’ disciples.
After selecting His disciples, Jesus used a combination of association, consecration, impartation, and demonstration to prepare them for delegation, supervision, and reproduction. In this picture, delegation, supervision, and reproduction comprise the goal – we ultimately do the kingdom work of Jesus and help others do the same – and the balance consists of preparation.
In order to prepare ourselves for the Jesus’ work, we need to associate with Him, be with Him. Being with Him will give us something much bigger than knowledge about God. “With Him” will impart experience that begins to mold our hearts. “With Him” will allow us to understand how He thinks about every facet of life we encounter. “With Him” will help us understand where we’ve come from, what ails the world, and how to apply Jesus’ healing touch.
Next, we must consecrate ourselves to Jesus. At the start, Jesus seemed to have only one rule for His disciples – follow, obey. The church had not come and no creed had been penned. They had only the obligation of loyalty. Parables, sermons, journeys, and encounters became the places of Jesus’ yoke from whence they learned. Nine times in the gospels, Jesus uttered a rather emphatic “follow me.” On one occasion, He says “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”[3] Crosses had one and only one purpose at the time, to make someone dead. And, we can count on it. If a cross comes into play, the executioner will extract a cost and someone will die. I may pay with my fear, my pride, my self-directed decisions, my comfort, or my time, but if I want to follow Jesus, I will pay. I must, as Paul says, be willing to put to death the deeds of the body.[4] We must clearly understand the details of our agreement with Jesus if we expect to become His disciples.
For Jesus to impart Himself to us, we must want to receive Him. He wants to give Himself to us, but never barges in. He waits for the invitation, something I find a mystery. The Creator God who imagined the cosmos and spoke it into existence waits for our nod. Preparing ourselves by being with Him and setting ourselves aside for Him will indicate our willingness to receive Him. Then, Jesus will proceed to interact with our spirits through His Spirit – confirming our relationship,[5] interceding to the Father,[6] and loving us,[7] actually giving Himself to us.
[1] disciple. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.classic.reference.com/browse/disciple (accessed: June 07, 2009).
[2] Matthew 28:19-20a.
[3] Mark 9:23
[4] Romans 8:13
[5] 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15
[6] Romans 8:26
[7] Romans 5:5
After selecting His disciples, Jesus used a combination of association, consecration, impartation, and demonstration to prepare them for delegation, supervision, and reproduction. In this picture, delegation, supervision, and reproduction comprise the goal – we ultimately do the kingdom work of Jesus and help others do the same – and the balance consists of preparation.
In order to prepare ourselves for the Jesus’ work, we need to associate with Him, be with Him. Being with Him will give us something much bigger than knowledge about God. “With Him” will impart experience that begins to mold our hearts. “With Him” will allow us to understand how He thinks about every facet of life we encounter. “With Him” will help us understand where we’ve come from, what ails the world, and how to apply Jesus’ healing touch.
Next, we must consecrate ourselves to Jesus. At the start, Jesus seemed to have only one rule for His disciples – follow, obey. The church had not come and no creed had been penned. They had only the obligation of loyalty. Parables, sermons, journeys, and encounters became the places of Jesus’ yoke from whence they learned. Nine times in the gospels, Jesus uttered a rather emphatic “follow me.” On one occasion, He says “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”[3] Crosses had one and only one purpose at the time, to make someone dead. And, we can count on it. If a cross comes into play, the executioner will extract a cost and someone will die. I may pay with my fear, my pride, my self-directed decisions, my comfort, or my time, but if I want to follow Jesus, I will pay. I must, as Paul says, be willing to put to death the deeds of the body.[4] We must clearly understand the details of our agreement with Jesus if we expect to become His disciples.
For Jesus to impart Himself to us, we must want to receive Him. He wants to give Himself to us, but never barges in. He waits for the invitation, something I find a mystery. The Creator God who imagined the cosmos and spoke it into existence waits for our nod. Preparing ourselves by being with Him and setting ourselves aside for Him will indicate our willingness to receive Him. Then, Jesus will proceed to interact with our spirits through His Spirit – confirming our relationship,[5] interceding to the Father,[6] and loving us,[7] actually giving Himself to us.
[1] disciple. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.classic.reference.com/browse/disciple (accessed: June 07, 2009).
[2] Matthew 28:19-20a.
[3] Mark 9:23
[4] Romans 8:13
[5] 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15
[6] Romans 8:26
[7] Romans 5:5
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Transforming Discipleship
In the previous post, we discussed the process of transforming discipleship based on the five pillars of ministry in Ephesian 4:11. What does life look like if I engage this process? Well, Paul continues in Ephesians chapter 4 to paint the picture. Not just any picture, but one of those masterpieces that you’ll come back to over and over because the depth, nuance, and detail of the artist continue to communicate enlarged meaning. Listen to how Paul describes the results of the five pillars of ministry in our lives. The transformed disciple will:
- Stand prepared for the great privilege and work of service (Eph. 4:12)
- Contribute to the potential of the body of Christ to build itself up (Eph. 4:12)
- Press forward toward unity of faith with other believers (Eph. 4:13)
- Reach maturity in the knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:13)
- Attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13)
- Grow up intellectually, refusing to remain undeveloped in thought (Eph. 4:14)
- Gain confidence in Christianity as a worldview and withstand the strong wind and heavy waves of false worldviews (Eph. 4:14)
- Speak the truth in love (and as a prerequisite, know the truth) (Eph. 4:15)
- Grow up into Jesus in every aspect of life (Eph. 4:15)
- Find her place in the body of Christ and participate in its growth, in building it up (Eph. 4:16)
- Engage a mode of thinking that banishes futility and results in prosperous living (Eph. 4:17)
- Acquire an enlightened understanding of how the world works (Eph. 4:18)
- Become literate in the ways of Jesus (Eph. 4:18)
- Obtain a softened heart that is attuned to the word and touch of God (Eph. 4:18)
- Put off the old self, the former way of life (Eph. 4:22)
- Experience newness in the attitudes of his mind, in his heart (Eph. 4:23)
- Put on the new self that God created to be like Himself, full of true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24)
- Become an imitator of God in the way a small child puts on his father’s hat and shoes (Eph. 5:1)
- Live a life of love, an imitation of Jesus, becoming a fragrant sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:2)
Does this sound enticing? Did you feel a flutter of excitement as you read it?
If you desire such a transformed life, I urge you to participate with two or three others in a long-term covenant discipleship group. Certainly, you can work growth in your relationship with Jesus on your own. But, if you intend walk away from the frustration of Romans chapter 7 (“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do”) to the full life of Romans chapter 8 (“through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death”), you need to engage engage Jesus in the context of several transparent relationships. Only then will the deep transformation we long for become ours.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
True Righteousness and Holiness
“He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-12 (The Message)
Over a decade ago, I listened to a series of sermons on Ephesians 4:11-12 which characterized the “gifts” described as the five pillars of ministry in the church: apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching. Jesus certainly gives these discrete gifts to specific individuals, but they also describe a full pallet of activity Jesus intends for each of us.
We should share in the creative activity of establishing beachheads for kingdom work (apostles). We must tirelessly speak the Truth into our spheres of influence (prophets). Our lives ought to be characterized by relationships which provide natural opportunities for gospel conversation (evangelists). Loving others as ourselves requires that we care for each other and tend to our collective needs (pastors). We can’t know Jesus the living Word without encountering the written Word (teachers).
I have gifts that differ from yours and God calls each of us to various ministry activities. However, not having the gift of evangelism does not allow me to ignore developing relationships with those in my sphere of influence, praying for those folks, and having gospel colored conversations. In this sense, Jesus calls each of us to apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching work.
Discipleship efforts that combine these five pillars of ministry will create a solid, stable, secure foundation on which the ministry of the entire Body can rest. Doing so will renew our minds, transform our hearts, and result in sincere lives. We’ll “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). When the fruit of this type of transforming discipleship fills the Body, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers will abound. The ministry of the Body will explode beyond the church walls and begin taking new ground, expanding the boundaries of the Kingdom of God among us. Discipling as we go in this manner fulfills Jesus’ commission to the church.
Transforming discipleship requires that we know about God, but knowledge about Him differs from knowing Him. Knowing more about who God is will expose our hearts to that knowledge through the gate of the mind. However, only renewing our minds will result in transformation. We must do more than know Truth. We must use it to renew our thinking, to begin thinking Christianly. This will allow us the shift gears and begin experiencing heart transformation. That change will drive a new way of living, in “true righteousness and holiness.”
Can we find a fast lane to transformation? Not really, change takes time. But, God has made us a certain way and only methods that recognize how He put us together will flourish. Created in His image, He created us for relationship – relationship with Him and with the people around us. Embarking on the journey towards transformation with two or three others in a covenantal and transparent relationship agrees with the DNA of our souls. Engaging Truth in the right context will have lasting, transformational effects.
Ephesians 4:11-12 (The Message)
Over a decade ago, I listened to a series of sermons on Ephesians 4:11-12 which characterized the “gifts” described as the five pillars of ministry in the church: apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching. Jesus certainly gives these discrete gifts to specific individuals, but they also describe a full pallet of activity Jesus intends for each of us.
We should share in the creative activity of establishing beachheads for kingdom work (apostles). We must tirelessly speak the Truth into our spheres of influence (prophets). Our lives ought to be characterized by relationships which provide natural opportunities for gospel conversation (evangelists). Loving others as ourselves requires that we care for each other and tend to our collective needs (pastors). We can’t know Jesus the living Word without encountering the written Word (teachers).
I have gifts that differ from yours and God calls each of us to various ministry activities. However, not having the gift of evangelism does not allow me to ignore developing relationships with those in my sphere of influence, praying for those folks, and having gospel colored conversations. In this sense, Jesus calls each of us to apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching work.
Discipleship efforts that combine these five pillars of ministry will create a solid, stable, secure foundation on which the ministry of the entire Body can rest. Doing so will renew our minds, transform our hearts, and result in sincere lives. We’ll “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). When the fruit of this type of transforming discipleship fills the Body, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers will abound. The ministry of the Body will explode beyond the church walls and begin taking new ground, expanding the boundaries of the Kingdom of God among us. Discipling as we go in this manner fulfills Jesus’ commission to the church.
Transforming discipleship requires that we know about God, but knowledge about Him differs from knowing Him. Knowing more about who God is will expose our hearts to that knowledge through the gate of the mind. However, only renewing our minds will result in transformation. We must do more than know Truth. We must use it to renew our thinking, to begin thinking Christianly. This will allow us the shift gears and begin experiencing heart transformation. That change will drive a new way of living, in “true righteousness and holiness.”
Can we find a fast lane to transformation? Not really, change takes time. But, God has made us a certain way and only methods that recognize how He put us together will flourish. Created in His image, He created us for relationship – relationship with Him and with the people around us. Embarking on the journey towards transformation with two or three others in a covenantal and transparent relationship agrees with the DNA of our souls. Engaging Truth in the right context will have lasting, transformational effects.
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