I've always been facinated by church signs. In a blog long ago and far, far away, I used to make fun of some of the church signs that I came across in my travels (and by travels, I mean from Wilmore to Lexington on my way to work). The primary target of said blogs was the Unitarian Universalists. Mostly because of their "anything goes" attitude towards theology, but also because their signs were just easy pickens'. Today, I embark on a daring adventure to discuss the theological ramifications of another church sign. However, this blog will be a little different. Instead of being laced (or dripping, as the case may be) with sarcasm regarding the content of this particular church sign, I want to seriously reflect on what this sign says and the implications of this sign.
"To be loved, be lovable." Simple sign. Short, to the point, and theologically skewed. What is so wrong with this sign? First some quick background. I'm the associate pastor of a United Methodist Church. The UMC comes from the Anglican Church (aka the Church of England). It was founded by John and Charles Wesley who noticed that religion was having no real impact in 18th century England. They began open-air preaching and organizing new converts into groups that met regularly to hold one another accountable for spiritual growth and living the Christian life. One of the key emphases of Wesleyan theology is grace.
Grace is appropriated in the lives of people in a variety of ways. All grace is the same in the sense that it is from God, but how that grace is applied in people's lives is what differs. Prevenient grace, the grace that comes before salvation, is what prepares a non-Christian to receive the good news of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When prevenient grace is appropriated in the life of a non-Christian, through the work of the Holy Spirit, he/she comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The key component of prevenient grace is the fact that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is universal in the sense that it is available to all people. What is the key point in this part of the discussion? Prevenient grace is grace that comes before salvation. It is grace at work in the life of somebody that is loved by God in spite of the fact that this person failed to acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ.
John 3:16, the often cited and rarely read sign that is found at sporting events, says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Notice it says that God loved the world. It does not say that God loved the lovable. Do you see the difference here? If we are supposed to be loved by being lovable, then what does this say about God? We are supposed to love the unlovable, regardless of the fact that they are unlovable. If we are to live out God's prevenient grace in the lives of other people, then we need to love them inspite of themselves, not because they are lovable.
Just some thoughts from a traveling pilgrim.
Playboys and Abandonment Issues...
A while back, when and where exactly I don't remember, I came across a quote from John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement in the 18th century, which he basically said that not building mature disciples is merely begetting babes for the slaughter. The idea is that if people come to accept Christ, and we fail them by not discipling them into mature disciples, they are defenseless babies in an anti-Christian world. They are ill prepared for the tricks of the Tempter and are easy prey. Did you ever watch one of those nature shows on hyenas? They always go after the littlest wildebeest. Why is that? Because they are a whole lot easier to catch. Did you ever notice what tends to happen when the adults hang around and protect the child? It almost always escapes its fate of being the next filet mignon for the jokers of the animal kingdom.
I'm currently reading Postmodern Youth Ministry by Tony Jones. Now, while the format tends to drive me a little bonkers (it's is the epitome of postmodern literary formats - atypical and slightly weird), the nice thing is that there are occasional quotes from people who clearly read the manuscript and have an opportunity to throw in their thoughts along the way. At one point, Tony talks about going to an evangelism conference and sharing the Four Spiritual Laws with a person at a local mall. The person decided that it made sense and prayed the canned prayer at the end of the booklet. There was a place on the back of the booklet for someone to write down the name and number of a local church. Tony, not being from the area, left that space empty. He did not know of any churches near the mall. He says that he felt guilty for doing that. He has no way of knowing whether or not this person actually went on to live a redeemed Christian life.
Rudy Carrasco has a quote at this point in the book: "In urban ministry, we call this the 'gospel playboy' approach. The gospel playboy makes spiritual babies but then abandons them, leaving them spiritually orphaned. Just as real-life playboys leave children fatherless, gospel playboys also hurt new believers when they fail to connect them to the Body of Christ" (PMYM, 122).
Wow. I mean... wow... What a great analogy though. People are making spiritual babies, then leaving them alone to fend for themselves. We are so driven by the numbers game in today's churches, so obsessed with the idea that everybody has to hear the gospel and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, that we develop these evangelistic tools that eventually do nothing but create spiritual babies, then we abandon them because they are "saved." Even hyenas take care of their young. Sure, they may be scavengers and heartless killers of cute, innocent little wildebeests, but at least they take care of their young. Are we doing that? Are we caring for the spiritual babies that we've produced, or are we leaving them unprotected in a world full of hyenas?
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
I'm currently reading Postmodern Youth Ministry by Tony Jones. Now, while the format tends to drive me a little bonkers (it's is the epitome of postmodern literary formats - atypical and slightly weird), the nice thing is that there are occasional quotes from people who clearly read the manuscript and have an opportunity to throw in their thoughts along the way. At one point, Tony talks about going to an evangelism conference and sharing the Four Spiritual Laws with a person at a local mall. The person decided that it made sense and prayed the canned prayer at the end of the booklet. There was a place on the back of the booklet for someone to write down the name and number of a local church. Tony, not being from the area, left that space empty. He did not know of any churches near the mall. He says that he felt guilty for doing that. He has no way of knowing whether or not this person actually went on to live a redeemed Christian life.
Rudy Carrasco has a quote at this point in the book: "In urban ministry, we call this the 'gospel playboy' approach. The gospel playboy makes spiritual babies but then abandons them, leaving them spiritually orphaned. Just as real-life playboys leave children fatherless, gospel playboys also hurt new believers when they fail to connect them to the Body of Christ" (PMYM, 122).
Wow. I mean... wow... What a great analogy though. People are making spiritual babies, then leaving them alone to fend for themselves. We are so driven by the numbers game in today's churches, so obsessed with the idea that everybody has to hear the gospel and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, that we develop these evangelistic tools that eventually do nothing but create spiritual babies, then we abandon them because they are "saved." Even hyenas take care of their young. Sure, they may be scavengers and heartless killers of cute, innocent little wildebeests, but at least they take care of their young. Are we doing that? Are we caring for the spiritual babies that we've produced, or are we leaving them unprotected in a world full of hyenas?
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
I'm Not Sure I Can Eat Six Pieces...
For whatever reason, today I have been reflecting on worldview. So much of what we do is directly affected by our worldview, but we often fail to acknowledge this simple fact, or presume that we exist outside of our worldview, which is a worldview unto itself. But first things first, what is a worldview?
The American Heritage dictionary refers to a "worldview" as " 1) The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. 2) A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group" (according to http://dictionary.reference.com/). If you want a more drawn out, and potentially incorrect, definition of "worldview" check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_view I can't verify the material there, and, quite frankly, don't feel like reading it myself right now. You're going to have to make the call on that one.
Basically, a worldview is a matrix by which we see all the things that we see, and do all the things that we do. It is the cognitive filter that we have unknowingly placed on our lives through a type of cultural learning that all people go through as they live life in a given culture. Whether we recognize it or not, we have a worldview. But sometimes, if we actually take the time to examine our beliefs (which many people do not), we can sometimes step outside of our worldview, if only for a little while, and that is where the fun begins.
The American Heritage dictionary refers to a "worldview" as " 1) The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. 2) A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group" (according to http://dictionary.reference.com/). If you want a more drawn out, and potentially incorrect, definition of "worldview" check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_view I can't verify the material there, and, quite frankly, don't feel like reading it myself right now. You're going to have to make the call on that one.
Basically, a worldview is a matrix by which we see all the things that we see, and do all the things that we do. It is the cognitive filter that we have unknowingly placed on our lives through a type of cultural learning that all people go through as they live life in a given culture. Whether we recognize it or not, we have a worldview. But sometimes, if we actually take the time to examine our beliefs (which many people do not), we can sometimes step outside of our worldview, if only for a little while, and that is where the fun begins.
I heard a story the other day about a guy who ordered a pizza from the local pizza place. The person behind the counter asked him if he wanted his pizza cut into four pieces or six . The man replied, "I'm not too sure that I could eat six pieces. Better cut it into four." Worldview is a matter of perspective. Six pieces of pizza sound like a lot more than four. It is a matter of perspective. You see, when we can step outside of our own personal biases and begin to see another's point of view, we can offer up a valid critique of the situation. It is only when we have reached the point of seeing beyond the black and white of our own dogmatic positions that we can really step out and grow as people, especially as people of faith.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Looking Ahead...
I came across a quote this morning while I was working on an article for the church’s newsletter. Here it is: People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby. For those that don’t know, Rogers Hornsby (and, yes, his name is Rogers, with an “s” at the end) was a baseball player in the early 20th century. He still holds the record for single season batting average, hitting .424 in 1924 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
I love the spring. The air just seems fresher, the temperature is finally bearable, and the baseball season is getting into the “swing” of things. It’s a great time of the year. But what about winter? Yeah, I don’t like the winter. It’s cold, it’s dark all the time, it snows, but what do we miss when we “stare out the window and wait for spring”? Life is always happening all around us, whether we are paying attention to it or not. Are we staring out the window waiting for something to happen before we start to enjoy life, or are we living in the midst of less than ideal situations?
I must admit that I’ve spent my fair share of time looking out the window. In fact, that pretty much sums up my college experience. I knew in high school that I was going into vocational ministry. College was never anything more than a stepping stone to seminary for me. I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I really didn’t like college all that much. Just this morning Katie (my wife) and I were talking about lunches for the South Indiana Annual Conference, and I honestly have no desire to go to the University of Evansville lunch. That is how little I cared about college. That is how much I spent looking out the window, waiting for the spring of my educational career. I think I made a major mistake.
In John 10, Jesus says that he came so that we can have life and have it abundantly. Through Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection, we can live for all eternity in the presence of our Creator, but it doesn’t start with our death. Eternity starts now. Jesus did not come for the sole purpose of getting us out of hell. If we approach our salvation as a form of “fire insurance,” then we have missed the point. Salvation is about eternity, it is about spending an eternity in relationship with the Triune God, but it is also about how we live our lives now.
I spent so much time looking ahead that I never really lived life to the fullest for three entire years of my life. (I say three years not because it took me only three years to get through college, but because Katie and I got married just before my senior year, and life changes when you are married.) So, if you would indulge me, learn from my mistake. Life live to the fullest right now. Don’t always look ahead, anticipating the future at the cost of the present.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim
I love the spring. The air just seems fresher, the temperature is finally bearable, and the baseball season is getting into the “swing” of things. It’s a great time of the year. But what about winter? Yeah, I don’t like the winter. It’s cold, it’s dark all the time, it snows, but what do we miss when we “stare out the window and wait for spring”? Life is always happening all around us, whether we are paying attention to it or not. Are we staring out the window waiting for something to happen before we start to enjoy life, or are we living in the midst of less than ideal situations?
I must admit that I’ve spent my fair share of time looking out the window. In fact, that pretty much sums up my college experience. I knew in high school that I was going into vocational ministry. College was never anything more than a stepping stone to seminary for me. I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I really didn’t like college all that much. Just this morning Katie (my wife) and I were talking about lunches for the South Indiana Annual Conference, and I honestly have no desire to go to the University of Evansville lunch. That is how little I cared about college. That is how much I spent looking out the window, waiting for the spring of my educational career. I think I made a major mistake.
In John 10, Jesus says that he came so that we can have life and have it abundantly. Through Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection, we can live for all eternity in the presence of our Creator, but it doesn’t start with our death. Eternity starts now. Jesus did not come for the sole purpose of getting us out of hell. If we approach our salvation as a form of “fire insurance,” then we have missed the point. Salvation is about eternity, it is about spending an eternity in relationship with the Triune God, but it is also about how we live our lives now.
I spent so much time looking ahead that I never really lived life to the fullest for three entire years of my life. (I say three years not because it took me only three years to get through college, but because Katie and I got married just before my senior year, and life changes when you are married.) So, if you would indulge me, learn from my mistake. Life live to the fullest right now. Don’t always look ahead, anticipating the future at the cost of the present.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim
Priesthood of All Believers?
The following was preached at Emmanuel UMC on 04/13/08.
Jeremiah 1:4-19
4The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 6"Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." 7But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
9Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." 11The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied. 12The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." 13The word of the LORD came to me again: "What do you see?" "I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north," I answered. 14The LORD said to me, "From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. 15I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms," declares the LORD. "Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. 16I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.
17"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
When I was a senior in high school, I went on a Chrysalis flight in Indianapolis. During one of the talks, the pastor offered us an opportunity to write down any questions that we may have, and he was going to take some time to answer them. At this time I was struggling with whether or not I had been called into full time ministry. So, I wrote down “How do you know if you’ve been called to ministry?” He answered by saying, “Everybody is called to ministry.” As true and insightful as that may be, it was an incredibly unhelpful answer to a very difficult question for a 17 year old. But I can look back at that answer ten years later and really appreciate what it was that he was trying to get across at the time. The focus for the month of April is missions. More specifically, today we are looking at the idea of individual calling. You see, it is not just a select few that are called to ministry, and everybody else goes on with their lives. God calls everyone to ministry, but He doesn’t just call us and leave us on our own. God is with those whom he calls, and God prepares those whom he calls, which brings us to the story of Jeremiah.
The book of Jeremiah was written at the tail end of the 7th century B.C., and into the beginning of the 6th century B.C. This was a difficult time for those living in Judah. Babylon was the big kid on the block now. The time had finally come when the Babylonians were conquering all throughout the Middle East. Jehoiakim was on the throne in Judah, and he was not too concerned with the religious reforms that his father Josiah had implemented, and so Judah was once again falling into a period of idolatry. Jehoiakim was also not too concerned about what the prophet Jeremiah had to say. In fact, in chapter 36, Jehoiakim actually cuts up the scroll of oracles that Jeremiah has written and throws the strips into the fire, then orders the arrest of Jeremiah and Baruch, who is Jeremiah’s scribe. All of this happens because one man was faithful to a call that was placed on his life, and I’d like to spend some time this morning looking at Jeremiah’s call and thinking through what that means for us, as believers in the body of Christ.
Jeremiah jumps right into it in verse 4 and talks about how it was that God called him to his prophetic ministry. “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” (Jer. 1:5). God already had this vocation in mind for Jeremiah before Jeremiah was ever even formed in the womb. Jeremiah’s task was so crucial that he was set apart by God before he was even born. But is Jeremiah alone in this, or does God have a calling for all of us? Paul also writes in Galatians 1:15 that he was set apart from birth for a specific task. In Matthew 28, Jesus’ disciples are called to make disciples, and in obedience to that command, we too are called to share the gospel and make disciples. So, yes, God does have a call for each of us, even if it is the most basic of calls to make disciples. I’m not going to stand here this morning and tell you that God has a roadmap for each one of us to follow, but I will say that God has a calling in each of our lives. We are all gifted for ministry in a particular way. We are all wired for specific tasks that God has prepared for us. Our responsibility is not to wish it away, or ignore it, but to carefully listen to the prompting of the Spirit, and respond out of love and obedience. But all too often, we, like Jeremiah, try to come up with some kind of excuse.
Jeremiah actually gives two excuses, but they are connected. His first excuse is that he does not know how to speak. This is not a new excuse to God. In Exodus 4:10, Moses uses the excuse that he cannot speak eloquently and that he is slow of speech and tongue. Based on Moses’ comments here, most scholars think he had some sort of speech impediment, and he uses it as an excuse to avoid his call. However, I don’t necessarily think that is what Jeremiah is doing. His inability to speak was not a physical limitation, but it was connected to his second excuse - “I am only a child.” The Hebrew word that is translated “child” here is na’ar. Na’ar typically refers to a male of marriageable age who is still single. A Hebrew male was not considered to be a man until the time that he was 30; that is why he refers to himself as a na’ar. Jeremiah was most likely between 17 and 28 when God called him to his task. Jeremiah was a young adult when God called him to his prophetic ministry, but culturally, he wasn’t old enough to speak in such a manner. But God has a way of working things out, even if it goes against the cultural norms of the day. He tells Jeremiah not to use that excuse. Jeremiah is command to simply obey the commands of God and let God take care of the details along the way.
You see, God doesn’t just call Jeremiah to do the work of ministry and check in again in 20 years. In verse 8, God says that He will be with Jeremiah and rescue him. Wait a minute, “rescue him”? What does that mean? What is Jeremiah going to be doing that is going to need him to be rescued? There are two key points that cannot be missed here. First of all, God doesn’t sugarcoat anything. The Lord is pretty blunt with Jeremiah that his task is going to be a difficult one. He is not going to be popular, and people will fight against him. I have some bad news to share today. God does not always call us to sunny days and fields of flowers. Jesus doesn’t say, “Take up your cotton candy and follow me.” He says, “Take up your cross and follow me.” When Jesus said this, a cross wasn’t a piece of silver jewelry that we wear around our necks; a cross was an instrument of death. Jesus tells us from the beginning that this isn’t going to be easy. In the same way, God is not telling Jeremiah that this is going to be easy. He is telling Jeremiah that life is going to be difficult, but he is not alone. That’s the second point. No matter how bleak things may look, we are not alone in our task. Jeremiah is called to bring the message that the time of judgment has come. Judah has been unfaithful. Judah has turned away from God and towards the false gods of the world. The time for judgment has come, and it is Jeremiah’s task to let everyone know. This is no easy task, and not everything that God calls us to will be easy.
In the 2001 movie Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo inherits a magical ring from his uncle Bilbo Baggins. What he does not know at the time is that this ring was forged by Sauron, a Dark Lord, thousands of years before, and the time has come for him to reclaim his ring and conquer all of the land known as Middle Earth. Frodo is asked to take the ring to the home of the elves, where a council has been called to decide what needs to be done with it. There is only one choice: they must take the ring to the place where it was forged in order to destroy it. While the men, elves and dwarves are fighting amongst themselves as to who should take the ring, Frodo stands up and offers to take it. Before long, he is accompanied by eight others, and they set off for the dark land of Mordor. Early in the journey, as they are going through the mine of Moria, Frodo starts to realize just how difficult a task this really is.
[Scene 28 on the DVD; begin following Gandalf’s line, “I have no memory of this place.” End after Gandalf’s line, “Bilbo was meant to find the ring. In which case, you were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.” Approximately 1:49:20 - 1:51:32. This clip can also be found on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYI44izV9iA]
Did you see how Frodo’s demeanor changes in the course of the conversation? At the beginning, the answer was clear. Bilbo should have killed Gollum when he had the chance. By the end of the conversation, Frodo is not so certain of anything anymore. You can almost see the weight of the task fall upon his face in the middle of the conversation. In fact, he wishes that he did not have a part to play at all. He realizes that this is going to be much more difficult than he may have realized.
Sometimes, that is what a call from God is: difficult and dangerous. Here in America, apart from social ostracism in some circles, there is nothing too dangerous about living as a Christian. But in other parts of the world, it is exceedingly dangerous to answer a call from God. According to one site, based on numbers in 2001, more than half of all Christians that have ever been killed for their faith were killed in the 20th century alone. An estimated 45 of the 70 million Christian martyrs since the first century were killed in the 100 years between 1901 and 2001. Answering God’s call is not always easy. But just like the eight others who set out with Frodo, we are not left on our own to fulfill our call. Two times, God says that he will be with Jeremiah and rescue him (vv. 8, 19). God says that he will be watching to ensure that His word is fulfilled.
God does have a calling for each of us. It may be difficult. We may want to run the other way, and we wouldn’t be the first. Do you remember the story of Jonah? Jonah was called to go to Nineveh and preach a message of repentance, and he did run away, but he didn’t get far. God was watching to make sure that his word was fulfilled. It is not very often that God will call us to do something entirely on our own. We do not fulfill our call in a vacuum. We fulfill our call in the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ. I can’t tell you what your specific call to ministry is, nor would I dare to do so. That’s not my place. What I can tell you is that it starts with a servant’s heart. Take just a second and look around you. I firmly believe that God has called each person here today for a reason, and it is only when we individually listen for and obey the call that God has in each of our lives, that we can begin to make a bigger impact alongside those around us. The one thing that I can tell you this morning about the call God has placed on your life is that it is a call to serve - to serve your community, to serve those around you, but above all, to serve Him.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Jeremiah 1:4-19
4The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 6"Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." 7But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
9Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." 11The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied. 12The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." 13The word of the LORD came to me again: "What do you see?" "I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north," I answered. 14The LORD said to me, "From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. 15I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms," declares the LORD. "Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. 16I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.
17"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
When I was a senior in high school, I went on a Chrysalis flight in Indianapolis. During one of the talks, the pastor offered us an opportunity to write down any questions that we may have, and he was going to take some time to answer them. At this time I was struggling with whether or not I had been called into full time ministry. So, I wrote down “How do you know if you’ve been called to ministry?” He answered by saying, “Everybody is called to ministry.” As true and insightful as that may be, it was an incredibly unhelpful answer to a very difficult question for a 17 year old. But I can look back at that answer ten years later and really appreciate what it was that he was trying to get across at the time. The focus for the month of April is missions. More specifically, today we are looking at the idea of individual calling. You see, it is not just a select few that are called to ministry, and everybody else goes on with their lives. God calls everyone to ministry, but He doesn’t just call us and leave us on our own. God is with those whom he calls, and God prepares those whom he calls, which brings us to the story of Jeremiah.
The book of Jeremiah was written at the tail end of the 7th century B.C., and into the beginning of the 6th century B.C. This was a difficult time for those living in Judah. Babylon was the big kid on the block now. The time had finally come when the Babylonians were conquering all throughout the Middle East. Jehoiakim was on the throne in Judah, and he was not too concerned with the religious reforms that his father Josiah had implemented, and so Judah was once again falling into a period of idolatry. Jehoiakim was also not too concerned about what the prophet Jeremiah had to say. In fact, in chapter 36, Jehoiakim actually cuts up the scroll of oracles that Jeremiah has written and throws the strips into the fire, then orders the arrest of Jeremiah and Baruch, who is Jeremiah’s scribe. All of this happens because one man was faithful to a call that was placed on his life, and I’d like to spend some time this morning looking at Jeremiah’s call and thinking through what that means for us, as believers in the body of Christ.
Jeremiah jumps right into it in verse 4 and talks about how it was that God called him to his prophetic ministry. “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” (Jer. 1:5). God already had this vocation in mind for Jeremiah before Jeremiah was ever even formed in the womb. Jeremiah’s task was so crucial that he was set apart by God before he was even born. But is Jeremiah alone in this, or does God have a calling for all of us? Paul also writes in Galatians 1:15 that he was set apart from birth for a specific task. In Matthew 28, Jesus’ disciples are called to make disciples, and in obedience to that command, we too are called to share the gospel and make disciples. So, yes, God does have a call for each of us, even if it is the most basic of calls to make disciples. I’m not going to stand here this morning and tell you that God has a roadmap for each one of us to follow, but I will say that God has a calling in each of our lives. We are all gifted for ministry in a particular way. We are all wired for specific tasks that God has prepared for us. Our responsibility is not to wish it away, or ignore it, but to carefully listen to the prompting of the Spirit, and respond out of love and obedience. But all too often, we, like Jeremiah, try to come up with some kind of excuse.
Jeremiah actually gives two excuses, but they are connected. His first excuse is that he does not know how to speak. This is not a new excuse to God. In Exodus 4:10, Moses uses the excuse that he cannot speak eloquently and that he is slow of speech and tongue. Based on Moses’ comments here, most scholars think he had some sort of speech impediment, and he uses it as an excuse to avoid his call. However, I don’t necessarily think that is what Jeremiah is doing. His inability to speak was not a physical limitation, but it was connected to his second excuse - “I am only a child.” The Hebrew word that is translated “child” here is na’ar. Na’ar typically refers to a male of marriageable age who is still single. A Hebrew male was not considered to be a man until the time that he was 30; that is why he refers to himself as a na’ar. Jeremiah was most likely between 17 and 28 when God called him to his task. Jeremiah was a young adult when God called him to his prophetic ministry, but culturally, he wasn’t old enough to speak in such a manner. But God has a way of working things out, even if it goes against the cultural norms of the day. He tells Jeremiah not to use that excuse. Jeremiah is command to simply obey the commands of God and let God take care of the details along the way.
You see, God doesn’t just call Jeremiah to do the work of ministry and check in again in 20 years. In verse 8, God says that He will be with Jeremiah and rescue him. Wait a minute, “rescue him”? What does that mean? What is Jeremiah going to be doing that is going to need him to be rescued? There are two key points that cannot be missed here. First of all, God doesn’t sugarcoat anything. The Lord is pretty blunt with Jeremiah that his task is going to be a difficult one. He is not going to be popular, and people will fight against him. I have some bad news to share today. God does not always call us to sunny days and fields of flowers. Jesus doesn’t say, “Take up your cotton candy and follow me.” He says, “Take up your cross and follow me.” When Jesus said this, a cross wasn’t a piece of silver jewelry that we wear around our necks; a cross was an instrument of death. Jesus tells us from the beginning that this isn’t going to be easy. In the same way, God is not telling Jeremiah that this is going to be easy. He is telling Jeremiah that life is going to be difficult, but he is not alone. That’s the second point. No matter how bleak things may look, we are not alone in our task. Jeremiah is called to bring the message that the time of judgment has come. Judah has been unfaithful. Judah has turned away from God and towards the false gods of the world. The time for judgment has come, and it is Jeremiah’s task to let everyone know. This is no easy task, and not everything that God calls us to will be easy.
In the 2001 movie Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo inherits a magical ring from his uncle Bilbo Baggins. What he does not know at the time is that this ring was forged by Sauron, a Dark Lord, thousands of years before, and the time has come for him to reclaim his ring and conquer all of the land known as Middle Earth. Frodo is asked to take the ring to the home of the elves, where a council has been called to decide what needs to be done with it. There is only one choice: they must take the ring to the place where it was forged in order to destroy it. While the men, elves and dwarves are fighting amongst themselves as to who should take the ring, Frodo stands up and offers to take it. Before long, he is accompanied by eight others, and they set off for the dark land of Mordor. Early in the journey, as they are going through the mine of Moria, Frodo starts to realize just how difficult a task this really is.
[Scene 28 on the DVD; begin following Gandalf’s line, “I have no memory of this place.” End after Gandalf’s line, “Bilbo was meant to find the ring. In which case, you were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.” Approximately 1:49:20 - 1:51:32. This clip can also be found on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYI44izV9iA]
Did you see how Frodo’s demeanor changes in the course of the conversation? At the beginning, the answer was clear. Bilbo should have killed Gollum when he had the chance. By the end of the conversation, Frodo is not so certain of anything anymore. You can almost see the weight of the task fall upon his face in the middle of the conversation. In fact, he wishes that he did not have a part to play at all. He realizes that this is going to be much more difficult than he may have realized.
Sometimes, that is what a call from God is: difficult and dangerous. Here in America, apart from social ostracism in some circles, there is nothing too dangerous about living as a Christian. But in other parts of the world, it is exceedingly dangerous to answer a call from God. According to one site, based on numbers in 2001, more than half of all Christians that have ever been killed for their faith were killed in the 20th century alone. An estimated 45 of the 70 million Christian martyrs since the first century were killed in the 100 years between 1901 and 2001. Answering God’s call is not always easy. But just like the eight others who set out with Frodo, we are not left on our own to fulfill our call. Two times, God says that he will be with Jeremiah and rescue him (vv. 8, 19). God says that he will be watching to ensure that His word is fulfilled.
God does have a calling for each of us. It may be difficult. We may want to run the other way, and we wouldn’t be the first. Do you remember the story of Jonah? Jonah was called to go to Nineveh and preach a message of repentance, and he did run away, but he didn’t get far. God was watching to make sure that his word was fulfilled. It is not very often that God will call us to do something entirely on our own. We do not fulfill our call in a vacuum. We fulfill our call in the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ. I can’t tell you what your specific call to ministry is, nor would I dare to do so. That’s not my place. What I can tell you is that it starts with a servant’s heart. Take just a second and look around you. I firmly believe that God has called each person here today for a reason, and it is only when we individually listen for and obey the call that God has in each of our lives, that we can begin to make a bigger impact alongside those around us. The one thing that I can tell you this morning about the call God has placed on your life is that it is a call to serve - to serve your community, to serve those around you, but above all, to serve Him.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Finding Nourishment in the Vine
The following was preached at Emmanuel UMC on 3/02/08.
John 15:1-9
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus begins with a bold proclamation, “I am the true vine.” Doesn’t sound very bold does it? I mean, what is the big deal? “I am the true vine.” There’s nothing shocking, or amazing, or controversial about that statement, or is there? What is behind the words that Jesus is saying here that would make it such a bold proclamation?
Here I go again, giving Greek grammar lessons, but a Greek verb includes the subject of that verb. You can look at a Greek verb and know whether it is in the first, second or third person. Now, when a verb is in the first or second person, you pretty well know who the subject is - “I, me, we, us” (first person) or “you, y’all” (second person). And, as a side note, “Y’all” is good Greek grammar. Now, what Jesus does here is include the first person pronoun “I” with the first person verb. In other words, a strict, literal interpretation of what Jesus is saying here would read, “I, I am true vine.” Jesus uses this form in other places in the Gospel of John, perhaps you’ve heard of them - I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I am the good shepherd; I am the resurrection and the life; I am the way, the truth and the life; before Abraham was, I am. After that last statement, people picked up rocks and were getting ready to stone Jesus for his blasphemy. What is so controversial about those two little words that people would be ready to stone Jesus?
We are going to have to go back a few pages to Exodus 3, to understand what is going on here. You see, in Exodus 3, Moses meets Yahweh in the burning bush. And Moses is trying to come up with all sorts of ways to get out of going back to Egypt. Moses anticipates the people not believing him and wants to know who he should say sent him. And God responds by telling Moses to say that I AM has sent him. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this is using those same two words that Jesus uses all throughout John. Ego, which means “I” and eimi, which means “I am.” Jesus knew what he was doing when he put those two words together, and so did everyone else. Now, as if that wasn’t enough, Jesus throws on another major word that carries with it all sorts of baggage - “vine.”
You see, in the Old Testament, Israel is described as a vine. Psalm 80:8-11 talks about how God brought a vine out of Egypt, planted it and cared for it. Hosea 10:1 talks about Israel being a spreading vine that was fruitful at first, but was deceitful and turned away from the Lord. Jeremiah 2:21 talks about how the vine has “turned degenerate and became a wild vine.” And if there was any question whatsoever, Isaiah 5:7 explicitly says that “the vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.” The vine was a symbol of the nation of Israel. It was on coins during the Maccabean period. There was an expensive wire work vine that was made of gold and silver adorning the entrance of the Temple in the first century. Israel was the vine. Everybody knew that! Yet Jesus says, “I am the true vine.”
Jesus then goes on to say that the Father is the vinedresser, or gardener, or farmer, depending on the version that you’re reading. You see, the Father is the one that takes care of the vine and ensures that the branches are producing fruit. The Father, as the vinedresser, does two important functions. First, he takes away the branches that do not produce fruit. Second, he prunes the ones that do produce, so they can bear more fruit. From what I have picked up on vine dressing in the past week, these are both important functions that serve a similar end. In both instances, the cutting is done to facilitate growth. It is done for the improvement of the overall health of the plant. It helps to channel the nourishment to the places that need it the most. Dead and diseased branches hurt the overall health of the plant and need to be appropriately addressed for the betterment of the whole. This is why it is so important for a branch to stay connected to the vine and to produce the fruit of the vine.
If there was any question about what Jesus was talking about here, he clears it up pretty well in verse 5. “I am the vine; you are the branches.” Those who are disciples of Jesus Christ are the branches. Let’s look at the broader context to see what’s really going on here. Just two chapters ago, Jesus washes the disciples’ feet - all twelve disciples. They have their meal and Jesus says that one of them will betray him on that night. By the time, the conversation in John 15 takes places, Judas is gone. Jesus knew what he was doing. Judas is an example of the branch that is not producing fruit. As you probably well know, later on in this night, Judas betrays Jesus and hands him over to the authorities. Jesus knew about the branch that wasn’t producing fruit, and it was only a matter of time before the other disciples knew about it as well.
Now, it’s important to realize that this is not just a one time event. What Jesus has to say here doesn’t end with the disciples. The principle carries on to all of his disciples, even to those who are to be his disciples today. It is a call to live out the Christian life, to show the fruitfulness of a life in Christ, not just on Sunday mornings, but from Sunday afternoon to Saturday night. Living the Christian life is not about showing up for church service, it’s about what you do between church services. So, how do we do it? How do we live the Christian life in the hours that we aren’t in this building for a worship service?
There’s an important word that is used repeatedly in this chapter that is key to understanding how this is done. That word means “to remain, to abide.” Now, I don’t know if you knew this about me, but I am a huge baseball fan, and as with many huge baseball fans, I’m fascinated by the numbers. So bear with me for a minute. The Greek word that is translated as “to remain, to abide” is used 118 times in the New Testament. 68 of those 118 occurrences are in John’s writings (the gospel; 1, 2, 3 John, and Revelation) (58%). 40 of those 68 are in the Gospel of John (59%). 10 of those 40 occurrences are in John 15:1-10. So, yes, right here in John 15, we see one-quarter of the 59% of the 58% of the times that the word is used. What does that mean? Well, besides the fact that I wasted 5 minutes this week, it means that there is a heavy concentration of “remaining” or “abiding” in these very few verses. When there is a heavy concentration of words being used in one place, it’s generally accepted that the writer is trying to make a very important point. And the point is this, it is only by remaining in Christ that we can produce the fruit of the Christian life.
Jesus is pretty clear about this in verse 4. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” You see, a branch has to draw all of it sustenance from the vine. It has to rely on the vine 100% or else. The branch cannot do it on its own, and neither can we. This is what Jesus is saying here, we can’t do it on our own. The only way to live the Christian life is to rely on the true vine 100%. Once a branch is disconnected from the vine, it is practically worthless; the only thing it is good for is kindling the fire. Once we are disconnected from the true vine, we are practically worthless. That’s what Jesus says in verse 5, “apart from me you can do nothing.” That’s some tough words from Jesus; however, they are not hopeless words.
The bar is set high, but we are not left on our own to do it. In fact, when we do try to do it on our own, we begin to find out that we cannot do it at all. It is only in abiding in the true vine that we can begin to produce the fruit of the Christian life. Yes, there will be times that we are being pruned, and it is going to hurt, but in the end we will find out that the pruning was worth it. Because the fruit that we produce will be better than anything we could have done before. You see, that is what is so awesome about the Christian life. It is a dynamic journey in which we are constantly being challenged to grow. We can never be happy with where we are as Christians. There is always room for growth. That’s what we call discipleship. It doesn’t matter if you are a new Christian or if you have been one for fifty years, discipleship is a journey in the Christian life that we all go on. Some people move faster than other, but the important thing is that people are moving. However, like all journeys, there are times when we just stop. Maybe we’re out of gas, maybe we’re just drained from the long miles of the road, or maybe we just don’t feel like going any further.
Those are the times when we are disconnected from the true vine. There will be times in our lives that, indeed, we have withered. But, do you know what is amazing about God? You see, the Father, the Creator, the vinedresser can bring things back to life. Romans 11 talks about those that are grafted in. Those who were once separate from the root, were grafted back in. Nothing is impossible with God. When our situations look hopeless and we are totally disconnected with the vine, do not fear. There is hope because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And that is what we try to do here at Emmanuel – share God’s hope. In sharing the bread and the cup, we remember that hope.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
John 15:1-9
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Jesus begins with a bold proclamation, “I am the true vine.” Doesn’t sound very bold does it? I mean, what is the big deal? “I am the true vine.” There’s nothing shocking, or amazing, or controversial about that statement, or is there? What is behind the words that Jesus is saying here that would make it such a bold proclamation?
Here I go again, giving Greek grammar lessons, but a Greek verb includes the subject of that verb. You can look at a Greek verb and know whether it is in the first, second or third person. Now, when a verb is in the first or second person, you pretty well know who the subject is - “I, me, we, us” (first person) or “you, y’all” (second person). And, as a side note, “Y’all” is good Greek grammar. Now, what Jesus does here is include the first person pronoun “I” with the first person verb. In other words, a strict, literal interpretation of what Jesus is saying here would read, “I, I am true vine.” Jesus uses this form in other places in the Gospel of John, perhaps you’ve heard of them - I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I am the good shepherd; I am the resurrection and the life; I am the way, the truth and the life; before Abraham was, I am. After that last statement, people picked up rocks and were getting ready to stone Jesus for his blasphemy. What is so controversial about those two little words that people would be ready to stone Jesus?
We are going to have to go back a few pages to Exodus 3, to understand what is going on here. You see, in Exodus 3, Moses meets Yahweh in the burning bush. And Moses is trying to come up with all sorts of ways to get out of going back to Egypt. Moses anticipates the people not believing him and wants to know who he should say sent him. And God responds by telling Moses to say that I AM has sent him. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this is using those same two words that Jesus uses all throughout John. Ego, which means “I” and eimi, which means “I am.” Jesus knew what he was doing when he put those two words together, and so did everyone else. Now, as if that wasn’t enough, Jesus throws on another major word that carries with it all sorts of baggage - “vine.”
You see, in the Old Testament, Israel is described as a vine. Psalm 80:8-11 talks about how God brought a vine out of Egypt, planted it and cared for it. Hosea 10:1 talks about Israel being a spreading vine that was fruitful at first, but was deceitful and turned away from the Lord. Jeremiah 2:21 talks about how the vine has “turned degenerate and became a wild vine.” And if there was any question whatsoever, Isaiah 5:7 explicitly says that “the vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.” The vine was a symbol of the nation of Israel. It was on coins during the Maccabean period. There was an expensive wire work vine that was made of gold and silver adorning the entrance of the Temple in the first century. Israel was the vine. Everybody knew that! Yet Jesus says, “I am the true vine.”
Jesus then goes on to say that the Father is the vinedresser, or gardener, or farmer, depending on the version that you’re reading. You see, the Father is the one that takes care of the vine and ensures that the branches are producing fruit. The Father, as the vinedresser, does two important functions. First, he takes away the branches that do not produce fruit. Second, he prunes the ones that do produce, so they can bear more fruit. From what I have picked up on vine dressing in the past week, these are both important functions that serve a similar end. In both instances, the cutting is done to facilitate growth. It is done for the improvement of the overall health of the plant. It helps to channel the nourishment to the places that need it the most. Dead and diseased branches hurt the overall health of the plant and need to be appropriately addressed for the betterment of the whole. This is why it is so important for a branch to stay connected to the vine and to produce the fruit of the vine.
If there was any question about what Jesus was talking about here, he clears it up pretty well in verse 5. “I am the vine; you are the branches.” Those who are disciples of Jesus Christ are the branches. Let’s look at the broader context to see what’s really going on here. Just two chapters ago, Jesus washes the disciples’ feet - all twelve disciples. They have their meal and Jesus says that one of them will betray him on that night. By the time, the conversation in John 15 takes places, Judas is gone. Jesus knew what he was doing. Judas is an example of the branch that is not producing fruit. As you probably well know, later on in this night, Judas betrays Jesus and hands him over to the authorities. Jesus knew about the branch that wasn’t producing fruit, and it was only a matter of time before the other disciples knew about it as well.
Now, it’s important to realize that this is not just a one time event. What Jesus has to say here doesn’t end with the disciples. The principle carries on to all of his disciples, even to those who are to be his disciples today. It is a call to live out the Christian life, to show the fruitfulness of a life in Christ, not just on Sunday mornings, but from Sunday afternoon to Saturday night. Living the Christian life is not about showing up for church service, it’s about what you do between church services. So, how do we do it? How do we live the Christian life in the hours that we aren’t in this building for a worship service?
There’s an important word that is used repeatedly in this chapter that is key to understanding how this is done. That word means “to remain, to abide.” Now, I don’t know if you knew this about me, but I am a huge baseball fan, and as with many huge baseball fans, I’m fascinated by the numbers. So bear with me for a minute. The Greek word that is translated as “to remain, to abide” is used 118 times in the New Testament. 68 of those 118 occurrences are in John’s writings (the gospel; 1, 2, 3 John, and Revelation) (58%). 40 of those 68 are in the Gospel of John (59%). 10 of those 40 occurrences are in John 15:1-10. So, yes, right here in John 15, we see one-quarter of the 59% of the 58% of the times that the word is used. What does that mean? Well, besides the fact that I wasted 5 minutes this week, it means that there is a heavy concentration of “remaining” or “abiding” in these very few verses. When there is a heavy concentration of words being used in one place, it’s generally accepted that the writer is trying to make a very important point. And the point is this, it is only by remaining in Christ that we can produce the fruit of the Christian life.
Jesus is pretty clear about this in verse 4. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” You see, a branch has to draw all of it sustenance from the vine. It has to rely on the vine 100% or else. The branch cannot do it on its own, and neither can we. This is what Jesus is saying here, we can’t do it on our own. The only way to live the Christian life is to rely on the true vine 100%. Once a branch is disconnected from the vine, it is practically worthless; the only thing it is good for is kindling the fire. Once we are disconnected from the true vine, we are practically worthless. That’s what Jesus says in verse 5, “apart from me you can do nothing.” That’s some tough words from Jesus; however, they are not hopeless words.
The bar is set high, but we are not left on our own to do it. In fact, when we do try to do it on our own, we begin to find out that we cannot do it at all. It is only in abiding in the true vine that we can begin to produce the fruit of the Christian life. Yes, there will be times that we are being pruned, and it is going to hurt, but in the end we will find out that the pruning was worth it. Because the fruit that we produce will be better than anything we could have done before. You see, that is what is so awesome about the Christian life. It is a dynamic journey in which we are constantly being challenged to grow. We can never be happy with where we are as Christians. There is always room for growth. That’s what we call discipleship. It doesn’t matter if you are a new Christian or if you have been one for fifty years, discipleship is a journey in the Christian life that we all go on. Some people move faster than other, but the important thing is that people are moving. However, like all journeys, there are times when we just stop. Maybe we’re out of gas, maybe we’re just drained from the long miles of the road, or maybe we just don’t feel like going any further.
Those are the times when we are disconnected from the true vine. There will be times in our lives that, indeed, we have withered. But, do you know what is amazing about God? You see, the Father, the Creator, the vinedresser can bring things back to life. Romans 11 talks about those that are grafted in. Those who were once separate from the root, were grafted back in. Nothing is impossible with God. When our situations look hopeless and we are totally disconnected with the vine, do not fear. There is hope because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And that is what we try to do here at Emmanuel – share God’s hope. In sharing the bread and the cup, we remember that hope.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
"Only Fools are Positive..."
The following was preached at Emmanuel UMC on 02/10/2008.
John 10:22-28
22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
When I was a kid, a movie came out called, “FernGully.” It was a pretty neat movie for an 11 year old. Zak is a human who is working with a logging company. Crysta is a fairy that lives in the rainforest. I forget exactly how it happens, but Crysta ends up accidentally shrinking Zak to her height, about 3 inches. They are joined by Batty Koda, who is voiced by Robin Williams, who is a bat with a radar problem and is a little off his rocker. Zak and Batty are having a conversation at one point in the movie which starts by Batty saying,
Batty Koda: Nobody cares about me.
Zak: I care about you, bat man.
Batty Koda: Really?
Zak: Positive.
Batty Koda: Only fools are positive.
Zak: Are you sure?
Batty Koda: I'm positive...
We live in a time of doubt; a time in which it seems like everything gets called into question. Yet at the same time, one person’s views are just as valid, and just as true, as another’s. It is a bit of a paradox. How, on the one hand, can somebody say that all views are equally valid, yet on the other hand, call into question the views of another? I got a lot of this in some of my classes in college. It’s okay to believe whatever you want, but if you’re a Christian, then your worldview is automatically suspect, and you’re deemed irrational. Be a Christian who is seen as positive about the faith, who is sure of the truth of the gospel message and you’re seen as a fool. This is the world that today’s youth have to deal with, not only once they get to college, but also even now, in high school and middle school.
Perhaps one of the most thought-provoking shows on television when it comes to matters of religion is House. The title character is a strict naturalist, and regards anyone with religious beliefs to be irrational. This past week, there was a woman who had recently converted from a wild lifestyle in the music industry to a very strict form of Judaism. Throughout the entire episode, House said that one of her symptoms was a “change of mental state.” He constantly referred to her onset of “irrationality” throughout the episode as something important to the diagnosis. He firmly believed that people did not change, and to make such a drastic change in lifestyle was a sign of mental instability.
Now, for me, House is not just a character on television. He is the voice of a segment of society that constantly challenges Christians in a negative way. He is so prideful and confident of his own position that he ridicules all others. But what he does do is cause us to take a serious look at our faith. We believe that we can enter into a relationship with God because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do we know the truth of the things we believe? Well, believe it or not, this is not a new question. It is a question that has been plaguing the people of God for centuries.
In the 16th century, a young man was caught in a terrible thunderstorm. He was so scared that he promised God that he would become a monk if he could only survive the storm. He kept his promise and entered a monastery. At the time, it was taught that people had to earn their salvation. While at the monastery, this young man was so determined to earn his salvation that he was extremely hard on himself. As if the life of a monk wasn’t difficult enough, he started working harder than the rest. He would often beat himself and go for days without eating. But this brought him no peace, and it brought him no closer to God. One day he was reading through Paul’s letter to the Romans, and Romans 1:17 jumped off the page to him, “The righteous shall live by faith.” At last, he sensed the peace of God. He went on to challenge the view of the Church that one had to earn one’s salvation, and was the spark that started the Protestant Reformation.
A couple hundred years later, there was another man who was sailing home to England after a brief stint as a missionary in the American colony of Georgia. He was raised by an Anglican pastor. He himself taught Greek at a school in England. Yet, he never had peace about his position before God. Somewhere in the Atlantic, his ship was caught in a terrible storm, and he was terribly afraid. But there was a group of German Moravians who were calmly singing hymns throughout the entire storm. He talked to the leader of the group who asked him, “Do you have faith in Christ?” Sometime after this encounter, the man went to a meeting on Aldersgate Street. He later wrote about this experience in his journal,
In the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation, and John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, both struggled with their faith. It wasn’t because they did not believe in Christ. It wasn’t because they were not in relationship with God. It was because they were unsure of their salvation. They lacked confidence in their position before the Lord. Yet, Jesus tells us in John 10 that indeed there is reason to have confidence.
Jesus refers to those who follow him as sheep. Now, I don’t know much about sheep. There are not exactly a lot of sheep on the south side of Indianapolis where I grew up. But what I have heard is that sheep are pretty dumb. But, as dense as sheep are, Jesus says that they know the voice of their shepherd, and they follow him. But even more important, their shepherd knows them as well. Our shepherd knows who we are, and no matter how dense others may think we are, we can know the voice of our shepherd and follow him.
To those that are a part of Jesus’ flock, he gives eternal life, and they will never perish. The Greek word that is used for “perish” is actually a very violent word. It can also mean “destroy” or “abolish.” It’s the same word that is used in John 3:16. In fact, Jesus is practically saying the same thing to these people in John 10 that he said to Nicodemus in John 3. There are some key similarities between the two passages:
1) Something is given; not earned, not taken, but given. Just as the only Son of God was given for the world, that same Son gives life.
2) And not just life, but eternal life. Jesus isn’t just about making the world a better place. We already know that we aren’t going to live in this world forever. Yet, eternal life is offered for all who believe in him. For those who are a part of his flock, there is eternal life.
3) And eternal life means that those who believe will not perish. They will not be abolished. They will not be destroyed.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes one step further. Those who are in his hand will never be “snatched out” of it. Again, the Greek word that is used is rather violent. The picture that is given is one of something being seized and carried off by force. For those who are a part of the flock, there need not be any fear of being forcibly taken from it. Sheep have to worry about predators. There are always wolves or coyotes, or something worse lurking in the shadows that can seize them and take them off. But this is not the case for the flock of the True Shepherd. While there may be predators lurking in the shadows, there is no fear of being taken. Now, of course, it is important to avoid being lured into the shadows, but perhaps that a message for a different time.
I came across a story of a 3 year old boy who was being held by his father in the middle of a pool. The father started walking towards the deep end of the pool saying, “Deeper and deeper, deeper and deeper.” All the while the water was slowly climbing up the child’s body. He was getting panicked and was holding on tighter to his father, whose feet were still easily touching the bottom of the pool. But if the little boy had taken just a minute to think about the situation, the water at the shallow end would have been over his head, and yet, in the arms of his father, he was not worried. He was just as secure in the deep part of the pool as he was in the shallow part of the pool.
Our story is not much different. No matter how deep the water in the pool of life around us is getting. We are still being held firmly in the arms of our Father. When things are going bad, jobs are terrible, friends are mean, and finances are thin. We are still being held firmly in the arms of our Father, and He will not drop us. None of these things can seize us and take us from Him. Here at Emmanuel, we say that our core vision is to share God’s hope, and there is no greater hope than resting in the arms of the Father.
Is it foolish to be positive? In a world that believes all views are equally valid, how can we say that we are positive about anything? Maybe it is foolish in the eyes of the world to be positive about something, but I’ve never been too concerned about looking like a fool in the eyes of the world. Will there be times of doubt along the road? Of course, but know that our hope is built on much more than anything we could ever accomplish on our own. Our salvation is not dependent upon our feelings. It is not dependent upon the things that we do. It is solely dependent on the work of Jesus Christ, and that is something you can be positive about. Always keep that in your mind and leave here today knowing the truth of Jesus’ words, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (Jn 10:27-28).
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
John 10:22-28
22At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
When I was a kid, a movie came out called, “FernGully.” It was a pretty neat movie for an 11 year old. Zak is a human who is working with a logging company. Crysta is a fairy that lives in the rainforest. I forget exactly how it happens, but Crysta ends up accidentally shrinking Zak to her height, about 3 inches. They are joined by Batty Koda, who is voiced by Robin Williams, who is a bat with a radar problem and is a little off his rocker. Zak and Batty are having a conversation at one point in the movie which starts by Batty saying,
Batty Koda: Nobody cares about me.
Zak: I care about you, bat man.
Batty Koda: Really?
Zak: Positive.
Batty Koda: Only fools are positive.
Zak: Are you sure?
Batty Koda: I'm positive...
We live in a time of doubt; a time in which it seems like everything gets called into question. Yet at the same time, one person’s views are just as valid, and just as true, as another’s. It is a bit of a paradox. How, on the one hand, can somebody say that all views are equally valid, yet on the other hand, call into question the views of another? I got a lot of this in some of my classes in college. It’s okay to believe whatever you want, but if you’re a Christian, then your worldview is automatically suspect, and you’re deemed irrational. Be a Christian who is seen as positive about the faith, who is sure of the truth of the gospel message and you’re seen as a fool. This is the world that today’s youth have to deal with, not only once they get to college, but also even now, in high school and middle school.
Perhaps one of the most thought-provoking shows on television when it comes to matters of religion is House. The title character is a strict naturalist, and regards anyone with religious beliefs to be irrational. This past week, there was a woman who had recently converted from a wild lifestyle in the music industry to a very strict form of Judaism. Throughout the entire episode, House said that one of her symptoms was a “change of mental state.” He constantly referred to her onset of “irrationality” throughout the episode as something important to the diagnosis. He firmly believed that people did not change, and to make such a drastic change in lifestyle was a sign of mental instability.
Now, for me, House is not just a character on television. He is the voice of a segment of society that constantly challenges Christians in a negative way. He is so prideful and confident of his own position that he ridicules all others. But what he does do is cause us to take a serious look at our faith. We believe that we can enter into a relationship with God because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do we know the truth of the things we believe? Well, believe it or not, this is not a new question. It is a question that has been plaguing the people of God for centuries.
In the 16th century, a young man was caught in a terrible thunderstorm. He was so scared that he promised God that he would become a monk if he could only survive the storm. He kept his promise and entered a monastery. At the time, it was taught that people had to earn their salvation. While at the monastery, this young man was so determined to earn his salvation that he was extremely hard on himself. As if the life of a monk wasn’t difficult enough, he started working harder than the rest. He would often beat himself and go for days without eating. But this brought him no peace, and it brought him no closer to God. One day he was reading through Paul’s letter to the Romans, and Romans 1:17 jumped off the page to him, “The righteous shall live by faith.” At last, he sensed the peace of God. He went on to challenge the view of the Church that one had to earn one’s salvation, and was the spark that started the Protestant Reformation.
A couple hundred years later, there was another man who was sailing home to England after a brief stint as a missionary in the American colony of Georgia. He was raised by an Anglican pastor. He himself taught Greek at a school in England. Yet, he never had peace about his position before God. Somewhere in the Atlantic, his ship was caught in a terrible storm, and he was terribly afraid. But there was a group of German Moravians who were calmly singing hymns throughout the entire storm. He talked to the leader of the group who asked him, “Do you have faith in Christ?” Sometime after this encounter, the man went to a meeting on Aldersgate Street. He later wrote about this experience in his journal,
In the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation, and John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, both struggled with their faith. It wasn’t because they did not believe in Christ. It wasn’t because they were not in relationship with God. It was because they were unsure of their salvation. They lacked confidence in their position before the Lord. Yet, Jesus tells us in John 10 that indeed there is reason to have confidence.
Jesus refers to those who follow him as sheep. Now, I don’t know much about sheep. There are not exactly a lot of sheep on the south side of Indianapolis where I grew up. But what I have heard is that sheep are pretty dumb. But, as dense as sheep are, Jesus says that they know the voice of their shepherd, and they follow him. But even more important, their shepherd knows them as well. Our shepherd knows who we are, and no matter how dense others may think we are, we can know the voice of our shepherd and follow him.
To those that are a part of Jesus’ flock, he gives eternal life, and they will never perish. The Greek word that is used for “perish” is actually a very violent word. It can also mean “destroy” or “abolish.” It’s the same word that is used in John 3:16. In fact, Jesus is practically saying the same thing to these people in John 10 that he said to Nicodemus in John 3. There are some key similarities between the two passages:
1) Something is given; not earned, not taken, but given. Just as the only Son of God was given for the world, that same Son gives life.
2) And not just life, but eternal life. Jesus isn’t just about making the world a better place. We already know that we aren’t going to live in this world forever. Yet, eternal life is offered for all who believe in him. For those who are a part of his flock, there is eternal life.
3) And eternal life means that those who believe will not perish. They will not be abolished. They will not be destroyed.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes one step further. Those who are in his hand will never be “snatched out” of it. Again, the Greek word that is used is rather violent. The picture that is given is one of something being seized and carried off by force. For those who are a part of the flock, there need not be any fear of being forcibly taken from it. Sheep have to worry about predators. There are always wolves or coyotes, or something worse lurking in the shadows that can seize them and take them off. But this is not the case for the flock of the True Shepherd. While there may be predators lurking in the shadows, there is no fear of being taken. Now, of course, it is important to avoid being lured into the shadows, but perhaps that a message for a different time.
I came across a story of a 3 year old boy who was being held by his father in the middle of a pool. The father started walking towards the deep end of the pool saying, “Deeper and deeper, deeper and deeper.” All the while the water was slowly climbing up the child’s body. He was getting panicked and was holding on tighter to his father, whose feet were still easily touching the bottom of the pool. But if the little boy had taken just a minute to think about the situation, the water at the shallow end would have been over his head, and yet, in the arms of his father, he was not worried. He was just as secure in the deep part of the pool as he was in the shallow part of the pool.
Our story is not much different. No matter how deep the water in the pool of life around us is getting. We are still being held firmly in the arms of our Father. When things are going bad, jobs are terrible, friends are mean, and finances are thin. We are still being held firmly in the arms of our Father, and He will not drop us. None of these things can seize us and take us from Him. Here at Emmanuel, we say that our core vision is to share God’s hope, and there is no greater hope than resting in the arms of the Father.
Is it foolish to be positive? In a world that believes all views are equally valid, how can we say that we are positive about anything? Maybe it is foolish in the eyes of the world to be positive about something, but I’ve never been too concerned about looking like a fool in the eyes of the world. Will there be times of doubt along the road? Of course, but know that our hope is built on much more than anything we could ever accomplish on our own. Our salvation is not dependent upon our feelings. It is not dependent upon the things that we do. It is solely dependent on the work of Jesus Christ, and that is something you can be positive about. Always keep that in your mind and leave here today knowing the truth of Jesus’ words, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (Jn 10:27-28).
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Living in Expectation
The following was preached at the 12/30/07 combined worship service at Emmanuel UMC. It was also submitted as my sermon for the South Indiana Conference Board of Ordained Ministry interviews, which took place in February of 2008.
At the beginning of Matthew 24, Jesus and the disciples are coming out of the Temple, where Jesus has been teaching. The disciples make a comment marveling about the buildings of the Temple, to which Jesus responds, “Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Mt 24:2). No doubt the disciples were caught off guard by Jesus’ comment. They were simply amazed at the architecture, and Jesus starts talking about the destruction of the Temple. They end up going out of town to the Mount of Olives, which is about 2 miles east of Jerusalem, before the disciples ask for clarification. They want to know when all of this will happen, which sets off 94 verses of teaching and parables. Today’s passage is right in the middle of Jesus’ response.
Matthew 24:36-44
36"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Over the course of history, people have made a lot of bold predictions. There must be something about the future, about the unknown, that causes us some anxiety. We want to be able to get a handle on it, and control it in some way. Or maybe, it is not so much of a control issue, but a pride issue. We are so confident about this unknown future and trust in our abilities so much that we make these predictions. The root issue will vary from person to person, but typically, these predictions fail and leave us wondering and embarrassed. Here are just a few examples from the 20th century:
1. In 1912, one of the most well-known failed predictions took place. An official of the White Star Line declared the Titanic to be unsinkable. Early in the morning of April 15th, the Titanic sunk, killing nearly 1,500 people.
2. In 1939, the New York Times said the problem with TV was that people had to glue their eyes to a screen, and that the average American wouldn’t have time for it. Today, the average American watches around 22 hours of television each week.
3. And one that I was unaware of until recently, “Whatever happens, the U.S. Navy is not going to be caught napping.” Frank Knox, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, December 4, 1941. As you probably know, three days later the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor killing 2,333 and wounding 1,139.
Then there are others who have made predictions of a different sort. They have taken it upon themselves to find out the time when Jesus was going to return. From the Montanists in the second century to present-day groups, every generation seems to have some people who think that they are the last generation before Christ returns, or that they are the ones who know when it will happen. What is wrong with this picture? In Matthew 24, Jesus tells his disciples that no one knows the day or the hour. The exact timing of Jesus’ return is only known by the Father, not by the angels, not even by the Son. Given that Jesus himself admits to not knowing the day and hour of the second coming, isn’t it rather presumptuous to even think that we can try to figure it out? Yet, that is exactly what people have tried to do through the centuries, and time and time again, they have failed. The predicted day has come and gone in every instance. So, here we sit today, waiting for the return of Jesus. What are we to do with this? We just celebrated the birth of Jesus and we believe that one day Jesus will come back, that all creation will be redeemed and that the believers will forever be in the presence of the Almighty God. But what do we do in the meantime? How do we live in the “here and now”? How do we approach each day knowing that Jesus’ return is imminent?
Jesus looks back to the days of Noah to give the disciples an idea of what it will be like when he returns. In the time of Noah, people were going about their daily business. They were “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (Mt 24:38) up until the very day that the rain started to come down. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with eating, drinking and marrying. The point is that life was going on as normal. This is what it will be like when Jesus comes back; life as normal. People will be going to the grocery store, watching the game at BW3’s, sitting in the office at work, and then suddenly, unexpectedly, the Son of Man will return. What will be important is not what we are doing, but what we have done with our lives. It will be important that we are not caught off guard by his coming, but that we are living in expectation.
Now, will you please excuse me while I unleash my inner Greek nerd? When you look at a Greek verb, you will typically see five parts – tense, voice, mood, person and number. In verse 42, for the Greek word that is translated “stay awake,” all I want to focus on right now is the tense and mood. It is a present tense, imperative mood verb. The imperative mood is typically used for commands. This is a command that Jesus is giving. Generally speaking, there are two parts to a Greek tense – time and aspect. The Greek present tense views the action of a verb as continuous, repeated or in progress. It is seen more like a motion picture instead of a snapshot. “Stay awake,” therefore, is not just a one time thing, but an act of continually being alert to what is going on around us. So when Jesus is saying “stay awake” we could easily translate that into “be alert and continue to be alert.” We are commanded to be in a constant state of vigilance.
The people in Noah’s day were not in a state of vigilance. They were so caught up in the daily routine of their own lives, so caught up in the lie that what you see is all there is, that they missed the boat…literally. It was their failure to recognize that there is more to life than what we see that caused them to be swept away in the flood. That is what Jesus was warning the disciples about in this passage. That is what Jesus is warning us about in this passage. That which we do over the course of the week no doubt has some importance, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that what you see is what you get. There is more to this life than the daily routine. Stay awake, be alert, be vigilant, and live in expectation. That’s a pretty strong word from Jesus, but he doesn’t leave the disciples there. He has another strong word for them.
In verse 44, Jesus uses another present imperative. This time it is for the word “to be” and is followed by an adjective meaning “ready.” Now, when I first studied this passage, I must admit that I was a little disappointed that he does not use just one word that means “to be ready.” It seems like it would be cleaner and pack more of a punch if it was only one word. Then I dug a little deeper. There is a word that is very similar to the adjective; in fact, it has the same root. However, it does not mean “to be ready.” It means “to make ready, to prepare.” The difference is subtle, but it’s important. If Jesus had used this verb, he would have been saying, “be getting ready.” However, that is not what he says. He does not say, “Be almost ready.” He does not say, “Be thinking about being ready.” He says, “Be and continue to be ready.”
In Noah’s day, the people had to have seen Noah building the ark. It was a huge boat – 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Noah knew what was coming, but he didn’t know when. When you read Genesis 6, God does not give Noah a timeframe. It’s not until Genesis 7 that God lets Noah know when it is all going to happen, and even then, it was only in seven days. I do not know how long it took Noah to build the ark, but I am pretty sure it took more than seven days. Noah had to have been ready. If he had still been building the ark, if he was still “getting ready” when God gave him that seven day notice, we would probably be reading a different story today.Just like Jesus’ command to “stay awake” reminds us that there is more to life than what we see, his command to “be ready” reminds us that it is not always enough to just be aware of our surroundings. If we lose sight of God in the midst of our busy and crazy daily routine, then we are not awake. If we are not living in expectation of the return of the Son, we are not ready.
In the Church calendar, Advent is a time of preparation and Christmas is a celebration of the incarnated Son of God. So on this day, the first Sunday of Christmas, we remember that the Son has come, but we also cannot lose sight of the fact that the Son will come again. While we celebrate the first coming, we have to live in expectation of the second coming of the Son. So I leave you today with four simple thoughts – nobody knows when the Son will return, therefore, stay awake, be ready and live in expectation.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Come Together
The following is a message that I gave at the Indy East District Men's Lenten Breakfast on March 8, 2008.
John 17:20-23 - 20"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
When I heard this year’s theme for the Lenten breakfasts, the first thought that came to my mind was Aerosmith’s version of “Come Together.” I know, I know, many of you may be wondering why Aerosmith instead of The Beatles. Well, The Beatles haven’t released a new album since about a decade before I was born. And to make myself seem even younger than you think, when I was in high school, the movie Armageddon came out. Its soundtrack included four Aerosmith songs, one of which was “Come Together.” I actually did not know that “Come Together” was originally recorded by The Beatles until about a month ago. Therefore, every time I think of the song, I can hear Steven Tyler singing it in my head, for better or worse, I’ll let you decide. Now all of this brings me to a key point. I looked at the lyrics the other day, and that song makes no sense whatsoever. In fact, it makes so little sense that there is speculation all over the internet as to its actual meaning. Some say that it is total gibberish; others say that each verse is referring to one of the members of the Beatles; still others say that it was written for a political campaign that never materialized; and of course, there are others who argue that it is about drugs and sex. Through all the confusion concerning these lyrics, one thing is perfectly clear. Nobody really knows what this song means. Thankfully, this is not the case when it comes to Scripture. Yes, there are certainly times when Scripture is confusing and doesn’t seem to make any sense, but Scripture is more than random phrases thrown together, which cannot be said for this song.
There is a very clear and direct reason for Scripture. You see, Scripture is the revelation of who God is and what God has done. The Gospel of John is written with a purpose in mind. In fact, John states his purpose very clearly in John 20:30-31. The apostle writes, “30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John writes so that his audience may come to put their trust in Christ. John’s concern is for people to be unified with Christ. Perhaps this concern is clearest in chapter 17.
John 17 is part of the “high priestly prayer,” and it is the culmination of a dialogue that begins after Jesus washes his disciples’ feet in chapter 13. At the beginning of chapter 18, they go to the garden where Jesus will be betrayed by Judas. In other words, this is one of the last times that the disciples are talking to Jesus before his crucifixion. And what is the primary thing on Jesus’ mind? Unity. But not just unity - unity of the believers. And not just unity of the believers, but unity of the believers for the sake of the world.
You see, there’s a reason why we are called to be one in the body Christ. It’s not so that we can all agree on every issue. Unity for the sake of unity is misguided. There are issues in which the body of Christ should agree, and there will be some that deviate from the witness of Scripture. In these cases, unity can do more damage than good. What good is unity when it comes at the expense of the truth of the gospel? Charles Spurgeon, a British preacher in the 19th century, speaks on this subject.
A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune. What they are saying is, "Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless... Unite, unite!" Such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous. Truth alone must determine our alignments. Truth comes before unity. Unity without truth is hazardous. Our Lord's prayer in John 17 must be read in its full context. Look at verse 17: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ. To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel.
Strong words. Very strong words from Spurgeon here. We are not called simply to agree on all issues – that is not unity. We are called to be unified through the truth of the Word. The truth of the gospel, sanctification through the Word, is how unity is accomplished. You see, it is only when we give up our desires, our priorities, our agendas that we can truly be sanctified through the Word. It is a matter of submitting our whole life to Christ. Our spiritual life, our physical life, our intellectual life, our relational life, our political life – every aspect of our lives must be submitted to Christ. If this is not the case, then all the unity in the world is for nought. The world can be unified in a lie. The world can be unified in the inconsequential; however, unity in the truth of the gospel is getting exceedingly difficult in today’s world.
We live in a world in which the prevalent thought is “I’m okay, you’re okay. Let’s believe whatever we want.” It’s a world in which people can believe anything as long as it makes them feel better. And there is certainly no shortage of belief systems out there. In fact, I came across a rough estimate that stated some 4,684 different religious groups in the United States alone. This is the world that is around us every day!
John Wesley is often quoted as saying, “Think and let think.” Too often this has been used to lead us down a cushy path of theological relativism; however, the full quote is “we think and let think except in matters that cut to the root of Christianity.” “Except in matters that cut to the root of Christianity.” There are some basics of the faith that we cannot sacrifice for the sake of unity, and one of those basics is the authority of Scripture when it comes to the Christian life. Scripture is not just a historical anthology that merely covers a few thousand years. It is not something that gives us some neat ideas about how to be better people, but otherwise has no bearing on our personal lives. NO! If that is all there is to Scripture, then how is it any more relevant than any book out there written by people such as Dr. Phil? It can’t be. If Scripture is just about self-improvement, then there are other books that we could substitute – books that may be less challenging and make fewer demands on our lives; books that would be much easier to swallow. Scripture is not just a book.
One of the biggest mistakes that has occurred in Methodism in the past forty years was the advent of the term “Wesleyan Quadrilateral.” The Wesleyan Quadrilateral was a term coined by Albert Outler in the mid-1960’s to discuss Wesley’s means of theological reflection. It is a matrix by which one takes into consideration Scripture, tradition, reason and experience in developing a theological foundation. The way that the term has been interpreted over the years has had a profound influence in certain sectors of the United Methodist Church.
What is a quadrilateral? It’s an object with four sides. People have taken this concept to mean that the four sources for doing theology are equally relevant. In other words, tradition is just as important as reason, which is just as important as experience and all three are just as important as Scripture when it comes to developing a theological understanding of the world. But you see, this is a flawed approached. It is not one that John Wesley used. Nor is it the approach that we are to use as United Methodists. Outler himself has said that he regrets using the term “quadrilateral for “contemporary use because it has been so widely misconstrued”. In Wesley, we see somebody for whom Scripture was primary because Scripture, as the revelation of who God is and what God has done, is the final authority for all things regarding the Christian life. For Wesley, and for us today, Scripture is the primary source of our theological understanding. The other aspects – tradition, reason and experience – are all important, but they cannot superceed what has been revealed through Scripture. In John 17, that is what Jesus is talking about – God’s word is truth, and for us today, in 2008, Scripture is a witness of God’s word. There is no room for theological relativism when we see Scripture as authoritative in our lives – our whole life, every aspect of it.
I heard Jeff Greenway, the former president of Asbury Theological Seminary, say on several occasions that the biggest issue facing the United Methodist Church in the next 20 years is not the political hot topics that keep coming up, but the authority of Scripture. Because if Scripture is authoritative in our lives, and we submit to Scripture, then many of these hot button issues are no longer issues, and we can truly be unified as the body of Christ, which brings me to another key point – unity is not for ourselves, but for the world.
The unity of the body of Christ is necessary to serve as a witness to an unbelieving world that is in desperate need of a Savior. One of the primary complaints that I have heard about the Church is that it is full of hypocrites. Of course, I want to say, “Come join us, you’ll fit right in,” but that is often not the best way to approach the subject. But do you see what the problem is here? People within the local congregations are not living out the Christian life Monday through Saturday. Being a Christian is not just a Sunday morning obligation to attend worship service; it is an entire lifestyle. But when we fail to live out our faith, when all we see in the news is Christians bickering back and forth, when we hear about local congregations dividing and fighting over the color of the carpet, why should the world think otherwise?
We do not exist solely as a local congregation. We do not exist solely as the South Indiana Conference. And we do not exist solely as the United Methodist Church. We exist as the body of Christ. Jesus’ prayer is that we can all be united so the world may know who Jesus is and so that the world may know that it is loved by God. Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter if you are United Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, or Pentecostal. Do we have some theological disagreements with some of our non-United Methodist brothers and sisters? Of course we do. Are those disagreements so wide that we cannot come together with them as representatives of the body of Christ to a hurting world? I don’t think so. So I believe that infants can be baptized and that people do not have to be immersed in their baptism. That doesn’t make me a better representative of Christ than my Baptist brothers and sisters. Sure, it makes for a good, light-hearted theological conversation from time to time. But ultimately, if I were to use that as a point of contention, then I am the one that is going directly against what Jesus is praying for in John 17. And I am adding fuel to the fire that stops us from being representatives of Christ to an unbelieving world.
It is important to recognize that our unity is in Christ and Christ alone. It will not be found in theological systems, it will not be found in denominations, and it will not be found in individual ministries. It is only when we are all looking to Christ, submitting ourselves to the Word that we can truly be the body of Christ and show the love of Christ to the world. I want to close today with a quote. It comes from A.W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God. Tozer was an evangelical pastor, preacher and writer during the first half of the 20th century. Hear now his words,
Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.
When we turn our eyes away from Jesus, we start looking elsewhere for what should be right in front of us. Unity in the body of Christ comes when we all are in Christ, even as the Son was in the Father. So let’s come together. Let’s come together and turn our eyes upon Jesus. It is then and only then that we are truly ready to be witnesses of Christ for the world.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
John 17:20-23 - 20"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
When I heard this year’s theme for the Lenten breakfasts, the first thought that came to my mind was Aerosmith’s version of “Come Together.” I know, I know, many of you may be wondering why Aerosmith instead of The Beatles. Well, The Beatles haven’t released a new album since about a decade before I was born. And to make myself seem even younger than you think, when I was in high school, the movie Armageddon came out. Its soundtrack included four Aerosmith songs, one of which was “Come Together.” I actually did not know that “Come Together” was originally recorded by The Beatles until about a month ago. Therefore, every time I think of the song, I can hear Steven Tyler singing it in my head, for better or worse, I’ll let you decide. Now all of this brings me to a key point. I looked at the lyrics the other day, and that song makes no sense whatsoever. In fact, it makes so little sense that there is speculation all over the internet as to its actual meaning. Some say that it is total gibberish; others say that each verse is referring to one of the members of the Beatles; still others say that it was written for a political campaign that never materialized; and of course, there are others who argue that it is about drugs and sex. Through all the confusion concerning these lyrics, one thing is perfectly clear. Nobody really knows what this song means. Thankfully, this is not the case when it comes to Scripture. Yes, there are certainly times when Scripture is confusing and doesn’t seem to make any sense, but Scripture is more than random phrases thrown together, which cannot be said for this song.
There is a very clear and direct reason for Scripture. You see, Scripture is the revelation of who God is and what God has done. The Gospel of John is written with a purpose in mind. In fact, John states his purpose very clearly in John 20:30-31. The apostle writes, “30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John writes so that his audience may come to put their trust in Christ. John’s concern is for people to be unified with Christ. Perhaps this concern is clearest in chapter 17.
John 17 is part of the “high priestly prayer,” and it is the culmination of a dialogue that begins after Jesus washes his disciples’ feet in chapter 13. At the beginning of chapter 18, they go to the garden where Jesus will be betrayed by Judas. In other words, this is one of the last times that the disciples are talking to Jesus before his crucifixion. And what is the primary thing on Jesus’ mind? Unity. But not just unity - unity of the believers. And not just unity of the believers, but unity of the believers for the sake of the world.
You see, there’s a reason why we are called to be one in the body Christ. It’s not so that we can all agree on every issue. Unity for the sake of unity is misguided. There are issues in which the body of Christ should agree, and there will be some that deviate from the witness of Scripture. In these cases, unity can do more damage than good. What good is unity when it comes at the expense of the truth of the gospel? Charles Spurgeon, a British preacher in the 19th century, speaks on this subject.
A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune. What they are saying is, "Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless... Unite, unite!" Such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous. Truth alone must determine our alignments. Truth comes before unity. Unity without truth is hazardous. Our Lord's prayer in John 17 must be read in its full context. Look at verse 17: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ. To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel.
Strong words. Very strong words from Spurgeon here. We are not called simply to agree on all issues – that is not unity. We are called to be unified through the truth of the Word. The truth of the gospel, sanctification through the Word, is how unity is accomplished. You see, it is only when we give up our desires, our priorities, our agendas that we can truly be sanctified through the Word. It is a matter of submitting our whole life to Christ. Our spiritual life, our physical life, our intellectual life, our relational life, our political life – every aspect of our lives must be submitted to Christ. If this is not the case, then all the unity in the world is for nought. The world can be unified in a lie. The world can be unified in the inconsequential; however, unity in the truth of the gospel is getting exceedingly difficult in today’s world.
We live in a world in which the prevalent thought is “I’m okay, you’re okay. Let’s believe whatever we want.” It’s a world in which people can believe anything as long as it makes them feel better. And there is certainly no shortage of belief systems out there. In fact, I came across a rough estimate that stated some 4,684 different religious groups in the United States alone. This is the world that is around us every day!
John Wesley is often quoted as saying, “Think and let think.” Too often this has been used to lead us down a cushy path of theological relativism; however, the full quote is “we think and let think except in matters that cut to the root of Christianity.” “Except in matters that cut to the root of Christianity.” There are some basics of the faith that we cannot sacrifice for the sake of unity, and one of those basics is the authority of Scripture when it comes to the Christian life. Scripture is not just a historical anthology that merely covers a few thousand years. It is not something that gives us some neat ideas about how to be better people, but otherwise has no bearing on our personal lives. NO! If that is all there is to Scripture, then how is it any more relevant than any book out there written by people such as Dr. Phil? It can’t be. If Scripture is just about self-improvement, then there are other books that we could substitute – books that may be less challenging and make fewer demands on our lives; books that would be much easier to swallow. Scripture is not just a book.
One of the biggest mistakes that has occurred in Methodism in the past forty years was the advent of the term “Wesleyan Quadrilateral.” The Wesleyan Quadrilateral was a term coined by Albert Outler in the mid-1960’s to discuss Wesley’s means of theological reflection. It is a matrix by which one takes into consideration Scripture, tradition, reason and experience in developing a theological foundation. The way that the term has been interpreted over the years has had a profound influence in certain sectors of the United Methodist Church.
What is a quadrilateral? It’s an object with four sides. People have taken this concept to mean that the four sources for doing theology are equally relevant. In other words, tradition is just as important as reason, which is just as important as experience and all three are just as important as Scripture when it comes to developing a theological understanding of the world. But you see, this is a flawed approached. It is not one that John Wesley used. Nor is it the approach that we are to use as United Methodists. Outler himself has said that he regrets using the term “quadrilateral for “contemporary use because it has been so widely misconstrued”. In Wesley, we see somebody for whom Scripture was primary because Scripture, as the revelation of who God is and what God has done, is the final authority for all things regarding the Christian life. For Wesley, and for us today, Scripture is the primary source of our theological understanding. The other aspects – tradition, reason and experience – are all important, but they cannot superceed what has been revealed through Scripture. In John 17, that is what Jesus is talking about – God’s word is truth, and for us today, in 2008, Scripture is a witness of God’s word. There is no room for theological relativism when we see Scripture as authoritative in our lives – our whole life, every aspect of it.
I heard Jeff Greenway, the former president of Asbury Theological Seminary, say on several occasions that the biggest issue facing the United Methodist Church in the next 20 years is not the political hot topics that keep coming up, but the authority of Scripture. Because if Scripture is authoritative in our lives, and we submit to Scripture, then many of these hot button issues are no longer issues, and we can truly be unified as the body of Christ, which brings me to another key point – unity is not for ourselves, but for the world.
The unity of the body of Christ is necessary to serve as a witness to an unbelieving world that is in desperate need of a Savior. One of the primary complaints that I have heard about the Church is that it is full of hypocrites. Of course, I want to say, “Come join us, you’ll fit right in,” but that is often not the best way to approach the subject. But do you see what the problem is here? People within the local congregations are not living out the Christian life Monday through Saturday. Being a Christian is not just a Sunday morning obligation to attend worship service; it is an entire lifestyle. But when we fail to live out our faith, when all we see in the news is Christians bickering back and forth, when we hear about local congregations dividing and fighting over the color of the carpet, why should the world think otherwise?
We do not exist solely as a local congregation. We do not exist solely as the South Indiana Conference. And we do not exist solely as the United Methodist Church. We exist as the body of Christ. Jesus’ prayer is that we can all be united so the world may know who Jesus is and so that the world may know that it is loved by God. Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter if you are United Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, or Pentecostal. Do we have some theological disagreements with some of our non-United Methodist brothers and sisters? Of course we do. Are those disagreements so wide that we cannot come together with them as representatives of the body of Christ to a hurting world? I don’t think so. So I believe that infants can be baptized and that people do not have to be immersed in their baptism. That doesn’t make me a better representative of Christ than my Baptist brothers and sisters. Sure, it makes for a good, light-hearted theological conversation from time to time. But ultimately, if I were to use that as a point of contention, then I am the one that is going directly against what Jesus is praying for in John 17. And I am adding fuel to the fire that stops us from being representatives of Christ to an unbelieving world.
It is important to recognize that our unity is in Christ and Christ alone. It will not be found in theological systems, it will not be found in denominations, and it will not be found in individual ministries. It is only when we are all looking to Christ, submitting ourselves to the Word that we can truly be the body of Christ and show the love of Christ to the world. I want to close today with a quote. It comes from A.W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God. Tozer was an evangelical pastor, preacher and writer during the first half of the 20th century. Hear now his words,
Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.
When we turn our eyes away from Jesus, we start looking elsewhere for what should be right in front of us. Unity in the body of Christ comes when we all are in Christ, even as the Son was in the Father. So let’s come together. Let’s come together and turn our eyes upon Jesus. It is then and only then that we are truly ready to be witnesses of Christ for the world.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Really? It's been that long????
So, I've gotten into reading some blogs lately. Some from seminary friends and others from people whose ministries I respect. Then I thought to myself, "When was the last time I updated my blog?" Well, apparently it was in October. As a friend of mine in college once said, "Time's fun when you're having flies." It has been nearly six months since I've added anything to my blog. For the two people that actually read it, I apologize. For those that are stumbling on it right now, well... you probably don't care all that much.
Things have been going well now that I am back in Indiana. I certainly miss Wilmore from time to time, and definitely miss my friends... and playing softball.... But perhaps what I miss the most is making the time to study and reflect on the Word. I'm trying to pick back up on this, and I have a handful of books that I'm working on right now. So, hopefully, I'll have some more to add in the near future. What I am going to do in the next couple of days is upload some of the sermons that I have preached in my local congregation. I've been preaching monthly since December, so I have about 5 sermons to put on here. If you do read this regularly, be sure to check back in the next couple of days to read these sermons.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Things have been going well now that I am back in Indiana. I certainly miss Wilmore from time to time, and definitely miss my friends... and playing softball.... But perhaps what I miss the most is making the time to study and reflect on the Word. I'm trying to pick back up on this, and I have a handful of books that I'm working on right now. So, hopefully, I'll have some more to add in the near future. What I am going to do in the next couple of days is upload some of the sermons that I have preached in my local congregation. I've been preaching monthly since December, so I have about 5 sermons to put on here. If you do read this regularly, be sure to check back in the next couple of days to read these sermons.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.