Loving Others

I woke up yesterday with a strange thought about people who are willing to die for what they believe. I don't know why this came to mind and I'm not sure I can put it into words accurately but I'll give it a try.

The thought was that a martyr doesn't die out of stubborn, self-determination about what he believes. He is willing to die because of his love for others. His desire to get the message to others is so important that he will not deny that message. If the message and his beliefs were for his own sake, he could avoid physical pain and suffering by keeping his beliefs to himself.

There's a lot to ponder in that thought. Beyond "dying for my sins," why did Jesus die? What am I doing with the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

Mark 4:10, 14, 22, 24
"the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you..."
"the farmer sows the word..."
"For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open"
"Consider carefully what you hear..."
"With the measure you use...
             it will be measured to you"

Be careful, that last statement may not be a pleasant experience. With the measure, comes love for others and a strong sense of responsibility. It would be rather foolish to put a fire under a bed (v21).

Feeling ineffective?

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 2 Peter 1:8

The adventure of life comes from knowing that we are participating with God. He provides everything. So why do we sometimes feel ineffective and unproductive?

Second Peter 1:5-7 lists eight qualities that will keep us from being ineffective if we continue to grow in them throughout life.

• Faith (what God reveals) - God reveals things to us, not necessarily unique to us but things that are to be shared.


• Goodness (the stuff we do because of what we believe is true) - Faith without goodness is just a dream that goes nowhere.


• Knowledge (more than an opinion) - God provides resources to learn. Without adding knowledge, faith becomes weak fiction of our imagination.


• Self-control (thinking before acting) - God must lead. I must follow otherwise the things God reveals take the path of human reasoning.


• Perseverance (sticking with it) - Our own determination won't keep us going. It's easy to quit if its just about me and what I want. To be effective, we must accept the struggle of self-control.


• Godliness (all the characteristics of God) - It's God's character that makes any effort productive. Self-control and perseverance bring about godliness. We can't impress others with who we are for very long. Godliness draws people to God.


• Brotherly Kindness (working as a family) - This is the natural mentoring that happens between siblings. Appreciation, respect, care and working together for the sake of the family name.


• Love (considering the best for others) - Love draws people to each other and is the source of strength for every other quality in this list: love of God, love for God, and love for others.

Basically, being effective in work and life comes down to this: God reveals, we respond and draw closer to him - causing others to experience faith.

What if...

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. ~ Luke 4:1-2

Jesus had just experienced the Holy Spirit descending on him in bodily form and the voice of God (possibly audible) proclaiming his relationship, love and feelings towards his Son.

How would our life as followers of Christ be different if we went away for 40 days after a believer's baptism to attempt to grasp the relationship, love and feelings of God. What if this were a normal part of our culture? What if employers expected this and had learned that those who do this return to work more productive?

How might this look in your life today? Maybe it's not a desert. Maybe it's not solitude for you. How might the Holy Spirit want to lead you in conditioning yourself to live not on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord? (Luke 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3)

What if this generation paved the way for this to be normal?

What should we do?

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

"What should we do then?" the crowd asked. John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay." ~ Luke 3:7-14

John was speaking to the Jewish people: God's people chosen to reveal Christ to the world. It is interesting that John doesn't tell them to go out baptizing others for the forgiveness of their sins - which is what he is doing (v 3). But he very strongly instructs them to "produce fruit."

There is a lot in these few verse but here's a bit of what I got excited about:

Being a child of God...

1. is up to God (v8 God can raise up children out of stones if he wants)
2. is an active role, not a seat or position (v8 being able to say "I'm a child of God" is not the point)
3. indicates that we produce fruit or get out of the way (v9 trees w/o fruit will be cut down and burned up)
4. is a natural part of everyday living (vv10-14 crowd - share basic necessities of life; tax collectors - be fair, not greedy in your work; soldiers - don't use your position inappropriately, be honest, be content with your pay)

So, what should we do to reveal Christ to the world?

What are you doing to prepare the way for the Lord to draw people to himself? What paths are you helping to straighten? What valley in another person's life can you fill in?

As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.'" ~ Luke 3:4-6

I think baptizing and discipling those who don't yet know Christ will follow naturally when we, as children of God, follow John's advice.

First, seek the Kingdom

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ... your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ~ Matthew 6:31-33

This verse came to mind recently after praying for physical healing using the Vineyard Prayer Model.

Through Vineyard teaching, I have discovered the fascinating truth that Jesus taught us to pray for God's kingdom to come right now, for his will to be done right now just as it is in the heavenly realm right now. For whatever reason beyond my human comprehension, God chooses to make that happen through his people.

I used to think praying for healing was like asking God for a favor. Then I progressed into the determination that God heals so that people will see he is God. I'm now seeing how bringing his kingdom to earth is the ultimate desire of his heart.

In God's kingdom there is no sickness, no hunger, no sorrow. When we pray and seek to bring God's kingdom into our current circumstances, all these things are a natural part of that kingdom.

Are you seeking the kingdom when you pray? It's much more exciting than asking for a favor.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4

Operation Freedom

I wait for your salvation, O Lord, and I follow your commands. Psalm 119:166

My husband has inspired me to watch his favorite series, Band of Brothers. Earlier this week I attended a deployment ceremony for the 16th Engineer Brigade, Ohio Army National Guard. Perhaps these activities are why the verse above created a picture of a military unit in battle, ready to engage at the word of the commanding officer.

According to New Bible Dictionary (3rd edition, IVP), salvation's "basic meaning is 'bring into a spacious environment' but it carries from the beginning the metaphorical sense of 'freedom from limitations' and the means to that; i.e. deliverance from factors which constrain and confine."

One of the speakers at the deployment ceremony pointed out that every one of those men and women who were headed for Iraq had chosen to enlist or re-enlist since 9-11. Their goal is Operation Iraqi Freedom. Most likely none of them were born in Iraq or have any natural relationship to those who are suffering there. Yet they have volunteered to limit their own freedom for the purpose of providing "freedom from limitation" to the people of Iraq and ultimately the world.

I can't help but picture Jesus in the same way.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8

Thank you to all soldiers - current, past, and future - who being in very nature a US citizen, did not consider your liberty here something to cling to, but made yourself soldiers and being found in appearance as such, subjected yourself to a potentially brutal death for the sake of freedom for all.

Thank you, Jesus, for choosing to be our commanding officer in Operation Humanity Freedom. May we each do our part to bring justice - freedom from limitations - both in the natural and supernatural world we live in today.

Don't throw away your confidence!

Last weekend's message at Vineyard Columbus was "Who May Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?" Today's follow-up study on that message is from Hebrews 10:19:39. Powerful!!

There are so many things I assume I understand more than I actually do. Over the past few years God has been revealing amazing stuff. Very little of it is totally new but it brings about a newness in me that I can't fully express.

The Hebrews passage was very exciting to me this morning. I've lived with the idea that "we are hidden in Christ." Some have explained that as "When God looks at us, he sees Jesus, not us because we are so sinful." That's not true! God sees us! He sees me! He sees you!

That "hidden" teaching is based on Colossians 3:3: "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

Why do we chop up scripture so much? The first part of that verse says "you died." The verse right after it says "When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." It doesn't say we'll be standing behind Christ. That life died like the sacrificial lamb of the Old Testament. It's gone!

Hebrews 10 tells us that the blood of Christ cleansed us. In the Old Testament, the blood of the sacrificed animal was only a representation of what was to come. It reminded the people of how serious their sin was to God but the curtain remained which protected the sinful people from the wrath of a Holy God.

That curtain which separated the Holy of Holies from the sinful lives of God's people is gone! That is a literal fact. It tore in two when Jesus died on the cross. Think on that a bit. We can now approach God without fear. Why? Because Jesus died for us yes but there is more.

If we accept Jesus as our sacrifice - our payment for the self-centered, God-denying life we were born with - then we must also be willing to let that life be buried with Christ in the tomb. But wait there's more!

Christ came back to life but it wasn't the same life he had before - the physical body was very much the same but his new life was very different. This is the foundation of our hope which we experience in part as soon as we allow our old sinful nature to be buried with Christ! We are a new creation now (2 Cor 5:17).

A child who hides behind a stronger person lives in fear and/or shame. Jesus doesn't block God's view of "who we really are" as some might think. Jesus opened up a new and living way for us to stand in God's presence. We can approach God, the Creator, the Almighty. Think on that!! You can approach God with the confidence that his holiness will not destroy you. But you can't approach him with the life of sin. Leave it buried. Approach God with the new life you received from Christ.

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. ~Heb 10:26-27

If you aren't excited about this stuff, then I haven't explained it very well. Go read Hebrews 10 (especially verses 19-39). Picture each segment in your mind. Picture the temple of the Old Testament, the area designated as the Holy of Holies, the huge curtain that separated God's holy presence from the unholiness of his chosen people, the Priest who entered this area with a rope tied around him in case he died in the presence of God's holiness. Now picture yourself freely and confidently approaching God.

So don't throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ~Heb 10:35-36

If you are a follower of Christ who has not experienced water baptism by immersion, I challenge you to pray about being baptized. It might help you understand the significance of being buried with Christ and raised to new life.

Which "one man" influences you most?

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. ~ Romans 5:19

So, when you say "I'm only human" are you saying the first man has more influence in your life than the second man?

Read all of Romans 5 and 6. I don't think God sent his son to die for us to continue following the first man. What do you think?

For more of my thoughts on this subject: Read Hope in Ignoring the Law.

Pray, As Usual

"'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.'" ~ Luke 22:46

Looking at this segment of scripture usually leads me to focus on Jesus' prayer. Beth Crawford's study on Luke 22:39-62 placed my focus more on the mental and physical circumstances of the disciples in this scene.

Jesus warned them many times that things were going to get rough. But the disciples didn't understand what he was talking about. And they certainly didn't understand how quickly things would happen.

Verse 39 says "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives." The disciples may have followed him other times. He was only a "stone's throw" away from them. Did they sleep through this learning session every time?

What are you learning in the peaceful times? Do you wait until the difficult stuff hits to start praying?

If we want to be true followers of Christ, our "as usuals" should be like Christ. Do you think that he knew what was about to happen only because he was fully God? I don't. I think he knew because he talked to God often in the very same way we can.

Temptation and crisis will come, there's no doubt about it. We are not given the privilege of a warning from Satan as to when he will strike. The best way to be prepared for the difficult times is to have conversation with God when things seem to be going as usual.

Asking for Blessings - God with Us

While walking this morning I was praying for the school in our neighborhood. The typical stuff, God bless the students and teachers; protect them, yada, yada, yada.... Then God interrupted me. I love it when he does that.

Insight - God doesn't want to just bless us with good things or safe circumstances. He wants to be with us. He wants his presence to be real.

Just as Jesus was Emmanuel - "God with Us", we who have the Spirit of Christ are also Emmanuel - "God with Us." Sounds a bit bold, doesn't it? Almost scary. But I think it's true. It is up to us to bring the presence of God in the flesh to the world today. Jesus meant it when he said in John 14:12 "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

If we are asking for God's will, God's greatest blessing, we must also offer up ourselves to be Emmanuel for those we are praying for. Ah, so many more thoughts on this but I'll stop here for now.

This is the ultimate blessing:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." ~ Revelation 21:3-4

They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ~ 2 Peter 3:4,9

Are you running aimlessly?

Run in such a way as to get the prize.... I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 1 Corinthians 9:24, 26

Have you noticed how much more easier it is to obtain a goal when you know what the goal is? Maybe that's why parenting is so frustrating, I'm not sure what the finish line looks like or where it is.

As for the Christ follower, what is the finish line? Is it just tallying up how many people we tagged for Christ before we die? Is it being a good person - whatever good means to me?

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:22 "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." If the goal were to save people or be good, I think he might consider going in circles if necessary to save all.

He gives the goal in verse 23: "I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessing." 

Is he looking for a reward just for running the race? Well, yes but not the kind we think of - not something presented for effort. The goal is the finish line of the gospel - the kingdom of God. And I don't think he is just talking about some invisible place that is out there somewhere after he dies. We can see this finish line in the resurrected Jesus Christ and anywhere else the power of the Holy Spirit overpowers evil.

The gospel - good news - is fantastic for everyone. It is the reign of an all loving, all powerful God without the interference of obstacles. Imagine that! That reign is here now in part so that we know what the finish line looks like. 

There are others in the race with us running aimlessly. They may seem like an obstacle but when we help them see the finish line, they help us get to the finish line sooner. When we bring the power of God's rule to someone through healing or setting them free from stuff that is not of God's kingdom (depression, poverty, physical or mental illness, injustice, etc.), we are relaying the gospel.

Those who we relay the gospel to, pick up the same goal - we give them sight of the finish line. The exciting thing is that all who pick up the baton are headed for the same finish line and we will all share in its blessing. 

Those who don't pick up the baton are running aimlessly. They think they are getting rewards but they don't have their sight on the real finish line and so the thrill of the reward earned along the way diminishes.

The goal is not for me to make it to the finish line so that I get the reward. The finish line is not the end of my life on earth. The finish line is the end of the evil age and the perfection of God's reign over eternity.

And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then, finally, the end will come. ~ Matthew 24:14 (NLT)

Hope in Ignoring the Law

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ~ Romans 7:15

This is one of the many segments of Paul's writing that has puzzled me. Is he saying he can't help but sin? Therefore, we also must face the fact that we cannot be without sin ourselves? That's what I've always thought, but I don't think that is exactly what he is saying.

When this scripture is read in context (at minimum all of chapters 7 and 8) there is much greater hope in this passage. 

Paul tells us that we know what sin is because of the law. When we try to follow the law on our own strength, we quickly find that we can't do it - "for what I want to do I do not do."

I think he is saying that when I rely on myself, I will sin. However, the good news is that we have been rescued from having to rely on ourself! Think about that! It's great news. 

Personal example. Several years ago, I battled an addiction which I knew was not good. In my prayers I focused on the stuff I didn't want to do. I was losing each battle until I finally responded to God's call to quit looking at the "law" and put my focus on him. This is impossible to do on our own strength. Only the Spirit can show us the mind of God.

Paul is saying, if I try to be a good moral person or if I try to live according to the law given to Moses, if that is my focus in life, I'm doomed. I can't do it. But, if I focus on the Spirit given to me through Jesus Christ, then I live and everything falls into place as it should.

More typical example. My child responds inappropriately to my instructions. The sinful self wants that kid to obey God's law - Honor your parents! By focusing on that law, I generally lose it - "mama volcano blows." But if I give up my control and focus on the Spirit of God within me, amazing life and peace appear in the midst of the battle. It may not be void of struggle but the stench of being imprisoned by death is overpowered by the sweetness of life.

Paul is not giving us justification for the bad things we do. This passage is a declaration of freedom from the bondage to that sinful life. Yes, for now, the battle continues. But the good news is that we are not prisoners of this war. We have been rescued to fight not on our own strength which always brings death but by the very same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.

May God add the exhilarating blessing of understanding as you read his Word today.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

~ Romans 8:5-11

Submission and Fear

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15

"How fully have you welcomed what God has offered through Jesus (Heb. 9:15)?" (Beth Crawford, Bible Studies as a Follow-Up to this Week's Sermon May 30-31, 2009, Vineyard Church of Columbus)

I'm praying about volunteering just a little time with a ministry I believe strongly in. However, my past in similar experiences creates a fear in doing so. Can you relate?

Rich Nathan made this statement last night:

Receiving Jesus as Lord is not a true/false test. It is a yes/no test.

In other words, proclaiming to have Christ in me is not about whether I believe Jesus is Lord. Proclaiming to have received Christ is about whether I have submitted my life fully to Him as my Lord.

What does that have to do with my struggle of volunteering? Christ in me means I have been set free from past sins. The past experiences that created this fear came from attempting to do the right thing with my own knowledge rather than acknowledging the presence, power, and counsel of my Lord in the midst of that experience. 

I realized I'm having a hard time hearing his will in this decision because I'm holding on to the fear. 

The question is not so much do I believe I should volunteer? The question is will I submit fully to God in the process - the entire process from decision through involvement. Will I welcome what God has offered through Jesus - a clear conscience so that I can hear and serve with clarity.

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14

Christian Life - Boasting in Weakness

Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

"Which of these might have discouraged you from serving Christ any more?" (Beth Crawford, Bible Studies as a Follow-Up to this Week's Sermon May 23-24, 2009, Vineyard Church of Columbus)

Why is it that I so desperately want to think the Christian Life is easy if I do it right?

Paul warns about false teachers in 2 Corinthians 11. These false teachers weren't teaching stuff that was easily recognized as bad. They were masquerading as "apostles of Christ" and were perceived as "servants of righteousness." 

Paul calls them "super-apostles" which makes me laugh. Have you ever praised the messenger more than God who empowers the messenger? Some of us err on the side of wanting to learn how to be like that person. Others err on the side of thinking they could never be like that person. Few praise with the desire to be like the one they know has suffered greatly to be who they are.

I once idolized a person in my church - I'll call her Sandy. Every time she got up to speak, I thought, wow, I'd like to be like her. She was always smiling and positive. Her voice was perfect for a speaker. Her style of speaking was warm and inviting. She seemed to have so much wisdom. I wanted to be a speaker just like her.

The true servant of righteousness knows that his righteousness comes only from Christ - it is absolutely nothing that can be earned by human efforts. Therefore, the true servant of Christ boasts only in Jesus Christ whose life consists of great suffering from beginning to the end of this evil age.

I took Sandy out to lunch. I wanted to find out all I could about her so I could be like Sandy. Again, she impressed me by always turning the conversation back to me. She found out much more about me that day than I found out about her. She quieted every attempt to praise her by turning the conversation back to who God wanted me to be.

Right now, we are between two worlds. We are in an evil age with the power of the "age to come" available through Christ in us. The problem is that most of us want to live as if we are in the fullness of the age to come - no pain or suffering. Sometimes we attempt to smooth over the edges of this evil age hoping to make the two ages blend. They are not going to "blend."

Sandy spoke at a women's event - gave her personal testimony. I listened intently about the pain and suffering she had endured at the hands of others. I realized if I wanted to be like Sandy, I was going to have to be open to suffering.

"We suffer to show that the world continues to be hostile to Christ. It's not us they are against. It's Christ." (Rich Nathan, Vision for life: Seeing the Big Picture (Colossians) Series - Portrait of a Pastor, May 23-24, 2009, Vineyard Church of Columbus)

Sandy's suffering had little if anything to do with being a follower of Christ. But her suffering led her to the wisdom of Christ's suffering. She learned to trust and depend fully on God regardless of her circumstances.

Are you discouraged by suffering? Sit down with the written history of Jesus Christ. Read through the book of Mark (or one of the other Gospels) in one sitting. Then check out Acts. Warning: you may discover your life is too easy to claim to have Christ in you.

Suffering, boasting in weakness. I'm not sure I'm there yet. But I want to be. 

Knowing the suffering of others who shine with Christ gives me hope. The hope of knowing that Christ in me - including his suffering - is the hope of glory, the hope of God's presence here and now in this evil age.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Good according to who?

Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord. Psalm 119:65

Hmm, ever been frustrated or angry at God because he wasn't being "good" according to your perspective. Been there, done that. Really helps to check out life according to HIS Word.

Mark in "one sitting" - What Crime Has He Committed

One last thought from my "one sitting" reading.

When Pilate was asking the crowd what to do with Jesus, they shouted, "Crucify him!" To which Pilate responded "Why? What crime has he committed?" (Mark 15:14)

Celebrating (lifting up) Christ responds to all the problems of this world. Why do we fear speaking of Jesus Christ in our increasingly diverse religious marketplace as if the truth of Jesus would be offensive?

I want to be bold not for my glory but for the glory of God. I want to be bold not for my comfort but for the peace available to every person who lives in fear or who questions the purpose of living. When I step out to share who Jesus Christ is to me there will be some who argue. They can disagree with my perspective but when they take offense to Jesus, I want to be bold enough to ask "Why? What crime has he committed against you?"

The image of Christ during his "trial" is of one who does not attempt to argue, persuade, or sell an idea to anyone. There are some who are searching for truth and others who just want to stir up trouble. Jesus responds to sincere questions with truth in very few words and allows the other person to accept it or reject it. 

That certainly goes against the norms of our image saturated culture. Wouldn't it be nice if businesses gave us the simple truth and then allowed us to accept or reject their product or service instead of trying to persuade us with flashy ads repeated over and over?

Now, the challenge is on you. Go read through the Gospel of Mark in "one sitting." Notice the flow of the life of Jesus. You might be surprised at what you find. 

Visit www.VineyardColumbus.org to hear Rich Nathan's sermon from May 2/3, 2009, 

titled "How Do We Respond To So Much Religious Diversity?" 

(online sermons usually posted by Thursday).

Mark in "one sitting" - Passing Time with Pain

This is the second in a series of interesting connections revealed from attempting to read the Gospel of Mark in one sitting.

Mark 14:35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.

Mark 15:23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.

The New Scofield Study Bible footnote states: "Wine and myrrh mixed together composed a stupefying drink which was sometimes given to those who were in great pain in suffering such as must be endured in crucifixion."

When I want to avoid something, I'm more likely to pray the hour won't come at all. When I know I must do something uncomfortable, I pray that the hour will come and pass quickly.

This reminded me of my son's birth. The nurses were telling me mid-morning that it looked like he would be born before lunch. As the pain increased I chose to have an epidural (pain killer). My son was born after 7:30pm.

In reading about Jesus refusing the pain killer, I wondered how often I pray for God to relieve my pain at the cost of extending my suffering. Yes, it is in suffering that we develop perseverance (Romans 5:3), but suffering itself is not the goal. Christ was wise enough not to ask for pain relief. He was willing to get it over with so that he could get to the purpose of the suffering.

The image of Christ I'm getting here is that he did not intend to wait for a more comfortable solution. Accomplishing God's work was a greater motivator than avoiding the pain.

Mark in "one sitting" - The Other Side of Suffering

We live in a visual information culture. In no other time in history has there been such an explosion of visual images. And yet we seem to pay little attention to them, we do not always "understand" them, and most of us are largely unaware of the power they have in our lives, in society, and how they function to provide most of our information about the world. (Jonathan E. Schroeder, Visual Consumption, Routledge Interpretive Marketing Research)

This weekend, Rich Nathan addressed the issue of living in an image saturated world by challenging us to read through the gospels, replacing the images of the world with the image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15)

I took on his challenge and read through Mark. I wasn't able to do it in "one sitting" but I was amazed at what I saw by reading with the intent to get through the book in as few sittings as possible. 

Over the next few days I'll share a some things I wouldn't have noticed in reading smaller segments over a long period of time. 

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

Mark 9:23 "If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

Mark 14:36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

It is often taught that Jesus was asking God if there was an easier way. In this teaching we assume that Jesus thinks like many of us that would like to avoid pain at all cost.

I wonder if Jesus was simply acknowledging the Father's ability to do what was to come. Was Jesus saying "take this cup" - I'm giving you all that I have left. "Yet not what I will, but what you will" - I'm not doing this for me and my glory, Father, it's all for you.

You see, one of the last life lessons from Jesus is in Mark 12:43. He tells his disciples that the poor widow, "out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on." 

Jesus knows that everything is possible for him who believes. He only does what he sees the Father doing (John 5:19). He instructed his disciples to ask and it would be given to them (Luke 11:9).

The image I'm getting of Jesus is to seek God's will above all else and don't avoid the pain because the goal is on the other side of suffering.

Get Up - You are a Living Sacrifice!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices... Romans 12:1

I've heard the comment that the difficult part about being a living sacrifice is staying on the altar.  

This morning, while pondering Beth Crawford's Bible study on this passage, I saw something different. 

WE ARE TO GET UP OFF THE ALTAR!

Read on.

... holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

"Holy and pleasing to God... act of worship" - the act is not laying still on the altar. The self we have to sacrifice is not holy and pleasing. But we can be holy and pleasing to God when we exchange our self-directed life for the Spirit-directed life. By doing so, we will be transformed and we will not conform to the patterns of this world. Then, not in our dead sacrifice but in our living, holy, pleasing, transformed self, we will be able to know God's will. 

Beth references Hebrews 9:14 which tells us that it is the unblemished sacrifice of Christ that cleanses us so that (I love the "so that's" in scripture)... "so that we may serve the living God!"

I have noted in my margin Colossians 3:1 which says "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above." And Galatians 5:16 - "live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

Yes, we put to death the old self. But much more importantly, we live as Christ lived.

I just think that's cool - focus on life, not death. Don't take my word for it. Go study the passage for yourself. Romans 12:1-2

It’s heartbreaking that the Good News of Jesus Christ is so often reduced to answering a question about where we’d go if we died today. Our Lord was resurrected from the dead! He is about life, not death. ~  Colin J. Tuggle Living in His Grip

To be or not to be like Jesus

I have no conclusions on whether Hell is eternal or not. Honestly, I haven't been looking into it too much. I've been busy posting quotes on prayer at my other blog Grow2Sow.

Another question has come up, though. Perhaps you'd like to ponder this one with me. Ready?

Can we truly be like Jesus?

Some would say no because he was "fully God" even when he was "fully man."

This question has caused my heart to ache more than "Is Hell Eternal?" If Jesus came to earth to take on the form of man so that we can see how to live in relationship with God as a man, then it is extremely discouraging for me to think that I can't be like Jesus. It's as though those who believe we cannot be like Jesus are saying He set a standard for us but there is no way we can achieve that standard. What a bummer? Why try, then?

Reminds me of the quote my son shared with me this morning: 

"Do or do not. Don't try." ~ Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back

To me, Jesus showed us how to live by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Christ, made himself human - with all the limitations of humanness - so that he could 1) be the representative for man's earned justice; 2) experience created life just like we do; so that 3) he could help us as one who has been in our shoes. (Hebrews 2:9-18)

No, I was not born of a virgin but I have been reborn by the Holy Spirit. That's not just a goofy spiritual expression. There is no doubt in my mind that I am not the person I used to be. I am a new creation. I'm not perfect. Just as a baby transforms into an adult, I'm being transformed into a mature creation of the Holy Spirit, like Jesus did.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52

In much the same way that Jesus gave up his divine abilities to be human (Philippians 2:6-8), I have given up my God-given right to be only human so that I may experience the divine. Jesus showed us how to take part in the divine nature as a human - by living every minute fully dependent on the Holy Spirit.

I don't do that as perfectly as Jesus did but in those moments when I do, I am just like Jesus. And that gives me hope that I can be like him more today than I was yesterday.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4