And On The Fourth Day...

On Monday a friend of mine posted this on facebook: "And on the fourth day the disciples had some swagger."
BRILLIANT!

The last few days were a whirlwind. On the first day, their Master had fallen. Betrayed by a disciple. Killed by his own countrymen. Buried in a borrowed tomb. On the second day, the silence was deafening. The questions were swirling. What could they have done differently? All hope seemed lost. On the third day...RESURRECTION! He's ALIVE! They had encountered the risen Lord. On the fourth day...?

I want you to imagine the boldness these men and women now possessed.
Their Rabbi, their Master, their LORD had overcome death and the grave.
What's next?

Over the next few weeks (40 days), Jesus would continue to unveil truth. He would remind them of coming Holy Spirit. He would continue to speak into their lives. He would tell them of His plan: "Go and make disciples of all nations..." In 10 days the Feast of Pentecost would be upon them. That is when the Spirit will come. That is when they would be endued with power. That is when they will know that He is in the Father, they are in Him, and He is in them.

The resurrection of Jesus changed everything. EVERYTHING! The tomb became a womb that would birth new life. Jesus unleashed His disciples to walk in His power, to share of His Good News, and to teach the world what it means to walk with Him. For years I believed that the only way that we could fulfill the Great Commission was by preaching and evangelism. However, here's how the Lord has been teaching me recently. I pray that it will enable you to walk in the same boldness as these great men and women.

"Go and make disciples of all nations and teach them what I have given to you...
Teach them Love for the Father and One Another.
Teach them Forgiveness, Compassion, and Mercy.
Teach them how to walk in Abundant Life, Peace, and Joy."

How do we do that?

"Wherever men receive you, allow your peace to remain. Share your life with them. Give of yourself fully. Bless them - don't curse them. Freely you have received, freely give. Testify of my goodness in your life. Walk with them in the Fruit of the Spirit. It won't be easy, but I am with you. My Spirit goes before you. They are my inheritance. Whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto Me."

Does this sound too simple? YES! Is this attainable? ABSOLUTELY!
As we begin to see the Father's love for all humanity, begin to understand the finished work of Christ, then fulfilling the Great Commission doesn't mean I have to stand on a soap box in the middle of town, knock on all the doors in the neighborhood, or necessarily get on a place to an impoverished country. I can do those things. They are definitely within the realm of possibility. In fact, I've done most of them. But the reality of the Gospel also means that I can live out my faith through love, through acts of service to my fellow man, and by walking in my identity every day of my life. I can fulfill the Great Commission during a cookout. I can share of His goodness in any conversation. I can walk in extreme confidence that Jesus got what He paid for and I get to awaken people to that reality.

The disciples of Jesus began fulfilling the Great Commission in Jerusalem. The message caught fire. It wasn't easy but it was happening. Eventually they left home and went into the neighboring places. Turning the world upside down. Thousands upon thousands would come to the faith. In the wake of this amazing move of God, families began opening their homes. Communities would come together. They would pray, share, laugh, cry, eat, and worship together. They began sharing all their possessions. Meeting the needs of everyone they could. They had all things in common. It's a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God. It's life full of love, full of joy, and full of remarkable peace. Sure, they had their issues, but they overcame with Him.

This is the confidence of the Lord among us. Starting with our very own community, the church, we spread out in our neighborhoods. We extend the same grace and love that was extended to us. We speak of the reality of His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. We minister to the broken and the needy among us. We are not content to keep this life to ourselves. We have experienced the abundant life that Jesus promised, and we see that it is the right of every human being to experience it as well.

Fulfilling the Great Commission meant death for all of the disciples except John, but they never wavered. They walked like Abraham, fully convinced that Jesus was able to do what He promised. They believed that all He accomplished would change everything. EVERYTHING. And it did. We are here today, professing faith in Jesus, because they were willing to walk in this confidence. They had seen the Risen and Ascended Lord. What could He not do through them? To quote C.S. Lewis, "He's not safe - but He's good."

Statements, Questions, & Declarations (Good Friday)

Good Friday.
Good Friday?
Good Friday!
Punctuation makes all the difference doesn't it? Good Friday can be a statement, a question, and/or a declaration. From what I understand of the Gospels, and church history, it is all of the above. The interesting thing about Good Friday is that it hinges upon what happened on the following Sunday. Sunday changed everything. What could have been seen as just another martyr dying for a religious cause, another rebel dying because of a failed insurrection, or another fool dying for an unworthy cause; Jesus' death left a mark on all of humanity.

While the death of Jesus adequately demonstrated the love of God for humanity, it also demonstrated man's complete ignorance and utter blindness towards the Father. Who could have ever conceived that our betrayal would lead to our deliverance? That our misplaced anger would shed light upon the Father's goodness? That the worst of humanity would showcase the beauty of our God? Little did we know that Jesus' death would be wrapped up in the predetermined purpose of God. That all of our misunderstanding, our fear, our shame, and our sin was wrapped up in the Father's plan. That Jesus would absorb every last drop and carry it with Him to the tomb. This is the "hidden wisdom" to our glory.

The Statements
What does the crucifixion of Jesus really say?
It says that Jesus was right. Men truly loved the darkness rather than the Light.
It says that the Father was unmoved by our ignorance. That His love would endure.
It says that religion can bring out the worst in us.
It says that, more often than not, we have no clue to what the Father is doing.
It says that God's purposes are greater than our plans.

The Questions
What does the crucifixion of Jesus bring into question?
It brings into question our understanding of G-O-D.
It brings into question our understanding of the Scriptures.
It brings into question our understanding of ourselves.
It brings into question our religious practices (ALL OF THEM).
It brings into question our sense of justice, mercy, grace, and vengeance.

The Declarations
What does the crucifixion of Jesus declare?
It declares that we are loved!
It declares that "IT IS FINISHED!"
It declares that humanity will never be the same!
It declares that history was forever changed!
It declares that God is Good!

Of course, the death of Jesus makes more statements, creates more questions, and offers many more declarations than what I have listed. But the reality is that we struggle with just these few. Here we are 2,000 years later still wrestling with the implications. Still arguing over theology. Still missing out on the abundant life that was provided. Jesus' death marked the end of Adam's race as we knew it. His resurrection would signal a rebirth - a new creation - a humanity where He was known as the firstborn among many brethren. Oh, the mystery of the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul penned these words: "None of the rulers of this age understood it, for IF they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." They missed it! No one saw this coming. No one imagined the reward of the suffering servant of Isaiah. No one could see past the tip of their religious noses. No one understood the implications of this one day in history. "He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us..." Did anybody see that coming? "...that we might become the righteousness of God." How could we? This sounds nothing like the God who needed appeasement. This sounds nothing like the God of wrath, judgment, and utter displeasure that we had grown accustomed to. This is not the God who cannot wait to condemn the masses. This sounds more and more like the Abba of Jesus:
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."
"I did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom."

Are you beginning to understand? Do you now see why I wrote yesterday that the main question for Paul was not "How can an individual be saved?" but that it was more about "How is this possible?"
How did the Father wrap up all of humanity in Jesus?
How were we included in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension?
What does all of this mean as we move forward?
Jew and Gentile, Slave and Free, Male and Female - all divisions are gone. All are one in Christ. Not by our faith but by His. Not by our trust in the Father's plan but by His trust. Humanity for a moment became pawns in the hands of the purpose of God. In their ignorance, they partnered with the Father. Once again we would find a Tree at the center of the story. Once again we would hear the words of a deceiver. Once again we would find ourselves on the wrong side of a decision. The difference? The fruit of the latter tree versus the fruit of the former. Where one tree led to death and destruction, another tree led to life and glory. Where the fruit of one tree plunged humanity into darkness, the fruit of another pulled us into the Light. Where the First Adam fell, the Last Adam triumphed. This is the beautiful Gospel!!!

Good Friday? Only when you consider the goodness of God.

May we never forget.

Isaiah 53 - A Gentile Perspective

As the Western Church approaches its celebration of Easter (a time when we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus), I cannot help but to be in awe of the foreknowledge of God. I have always believed that the thrust of Paul's Gospel was the inclusion of the Gentiles within Christ's finished work. It is against this backdrop that I found myself reading Isaiah 53. What a beautiful Gospel!

The Apostle Paul argues that the inclusion of the Gentiles is at the heart of the gospel. Often calling it the "mystery of the gospel" (Eph. 6:19), he explains that it was something not previously revealed (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:3-9; Col. 1:27). But now, through the teaching of the apostles, it's being make known. Much of the church has typically thought that the main question for Paul was "How can the individual be saved?," but it seems to me that the more pressing question is, "How is it that the Gentiles are included in the New Covenant?" This is what I call the tension of the New Testament. There is an individual aspect of salvation along with the belief of universal redemption. Which begs the question: "Whose iniquities (the ALL OUR of Isaiah) were laid upon HIM (the Messiah)?"

This question, along with many others, goes to the heart of the matter. How are we to interpret Isaiah 53, as well as the many other texts that give reference to the finished work of Christ? What are we to believe about God so loving the world? How do we apply what Paul refers to as the predetermination of the Father in Ephesians 1? Even more important than our answers to these questions would be our communication of these truths.

Isaiah 53 begins with this question: "Who has believed our report?" I often wonder if Isaiah could see the mystery of the Gospel in what would follow. Did He understand the inclusion of the Gentiles when he spoke of the iniquity of us all? Could he see the reward of the suffering servant including ALL nations/ALL people?

See this text through the eyes of a Gentile:
"Surely He carried the griefs of ALL; even though we considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted of God. But He was pierced through for the transgressions of JEWS AND GENTILE, He was crushed for the the iniquities of EVERYONE; the chastening of the peace and well being of HUMANITY fell upon Him, and by His stripes WE WERE ALL HEALED." (verses 4-5) *paraphrased based upon the mystery of the Gospel.

We can no longer view Isaiah 53 based upon a purely Jewish perspective.
We also cannot translate the finished work of Christ simply based upon the experience of the Church.
The "One New Man" that the Apostle Paul speaks of has been established in Christ. Jew and Gentile are finally together in Him. Our part in history, in this story, is the unfolding of that revelation.

As we approach Good Friday and our celebration of the resurrection of Christ, I pray that our eyes would be opened. May we see ALL PEOPLE in Him. May we rescue the mystery of the Gospel from all of our schisms. May we determine in our hearts to see the love of the Father for THE WHOLE WORLD.

YOU ARE INCLUDED!!!

Authentic Me Awaits

I've seen Him
The man that I am to become.
He doesn't wrestle with destiny.
He doesn't argue with identity.
Confident. Secure. Empowered.
EMBRACED.

There is no room for doubt in His thinking.
There is no hidden agenda to consume.
There is only rest.
Powerful. Peaceful. Plentiful. REST.

I've seen Him.
He calls to me in my failures.
He cheers for me in my struggles.
He beckons me forward into the everlasting.
Weights come crashing to the ground.

The journey continues.
Not who I was, but not content with who I am.
Determined towards transformation.
Renewing the mind once again.
I take in the moment.

Laughter? Of course.
Pain? There is some.
Discomfort? More than I want to admit.
Elation? More than I can express.
He will not let me settle. There is SO MUCH MORE!

My being is awash with reality.
My heart explodes within me.
Can I really fathom to believe?
Can I truly begin to live?
What could possibly hold me back?

Then there's that other voice.
His name changes but his vices still the same.
Pride. Arrogance. Safety. Uniformity. Religion. Etc.
He pulls. He scratches and claws. He gnashes his teeth.
Doubt shrouds him in the darkness where we once dwelt together.
He will not let go, and yet he cannot hold on.

The Awakening has happened.
The LIGHT has flooded in.
Authenticity breaths life to image and likeness.
Fear has no place here.
Steadfast Love and Faithfulness Meet.
Righteousness and Peace Kiss Each Other.
I am Undone. Redone. All in one fell swoop.

I see the Lord.
Laughing. Rejoicing. Anticipating the next step.
He is consumed with patience for me.
He has been more than willing to wait.
Encouraging. Speaking. Breathing New Life.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE...
KEEP COMING...

Is this Solid Ground?
I feel the surety beneath me.
The mire is gone.
No more sinking. No more struggling.
Look at the gait in my step.
Can this be happening?

He calls to me again.
The man that I am becoming.
Seated in Heavenly Places, he reminds me of the view.
He challenges the smallness of my thinking.
He is so full of sight. My faith increases.

What changed you ask?
How did the journey become easier?
Grace. Faith. Love.
Incredible companions.
They never give up. They never look back. They are never disillusioned.
I am anchored within the veil.

There is more to come.
The Author and Finisher of Faith is still conforming me.
Authentic ME is being realized.
There was BLOOD. There was BREATH. Now there is BECOMING.
Full of Abundance. Full of Refreshment. Full of Life.

Enjoy the journey!

Where is Our Focus?

A close friend of mine made an incredible statement: "The Bible becomes the central focus of our church gatherings when a vibrant connection with the True and Living Word - the person of Jesus - is lost. The central them of Scripture is not Scripture itself. It is the Lord. Our gathering should center on the same." ~ Mark Durniak

We need to allow those words to sink in. We need to ask ourselves, "Where is Our Focus?" I realize that I do not speak for everyone. However, I have experienced the Worship Services of many, many, churches. Here's what I have gathered about the focus of many of them: Teaching, Singing, Giving, The Individual, and the list goes on. Just look at the "order of service" or what they spend much of their time focusing on. By the way, the fact that we call them services shows how far removed we have come in our understanding of Worship.

The purpose of the Body of Christ coming together is so the Head (Jesus) can be revealed. When Paul wrote the Corinthians about the proper use of Spiritual Graces (gifts), do you remember what he said about the prophetic? Look at 1 Corinthians 14:25, "falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is REALLY AMONG YOU." (emphasis mine). Who doesn't want this type of encounter? Who doesn't want to experience the person of Jesus in our midst? You may be surprised by some of the answers.

I have been around people who think that personal (and corporate) encounters are too subjective. It's this mentality that leads people to focus primarily upon the Bible and the teaching of it. As if that cannot be subjective! The reality is that many people (especially the leaders) are uncomfortable with encounters. It's much easier to control things in a service. You know...to ensure that everything is done "decently and in order." Which brings me to use of the word "service." As I looked up the word (which is used primarily as a noun) this is one of the definitions I came across: "public religious worship according to prescribed form and order. A ritual or form prescribed for public worship or for some particular occasion." Think about it.

The central them of Scripture is the Lord. Why would our gathering be any different? Imagine a worship gathering centered around the person of Jesus. Imagine our songs AND our singing. Imagine our encounters with Him AND with One Another. Imagine ALL of it right now - the way it is - with Him in the center. What would change? What would our experience look like? I'm not saying that the Lord would just wreck everything and make us start over. I'm simply saying that it would be VERY DIFFERENT.

I've been in this environment. I've seen this culture in worship. A moment is never wasted. Any sense of what the Lord is doing among us is shared. I've been a part of large and small gatherings of these people. They are very sensitive to the Lord in them and in others. They speak to this reality. They have a strong admiration and reverence for the Bible. They still preach and teach the Scriptures. But their focus is upon the person of Jesus. The Bible is just one of the ways in which He is revealed. The work of the Holy Spirit is honored. The love of the Father is as real as the people you are standing among. There is so much life.

I cannot point you to the time that everything changed. I've read books about the many changes in Christianity over the centuries, but to point to one thing isn't fair in my opinion. The point is that we have lost some things along the way. We've moved from the vibrant faith that we read about in the book of Acts. The sense of true community is not quite the same. It's understandable. We've left the homes in favor of big buildings. Those of us in the West don't understand the need for a faith family the way our persecuted Brothers and Sisters do. But I think the biggest change, probably the most destructive change in our approach to the faith, was moving towards the lone leader/speaker. I say this as a Pastor. Life within the church looks very different when multiple people share their experience in the Lord.

How do we change all of this? What is the cure? How can we move from the idea that the preaching is so central, that singing is the most important thing, or that the individual walking in the door needs to be taken care of first?
The Sunday School Answer: Jesus.
The Application: We Change Our Focus.
We determine in our hearts as leaders that Jesus will be the main attraction. Our songs will center upon Him. All that we do is way to magnify who He is among us. We make worship an encounter rather than a religious service. We keep Jesus the main thing.
As members of the Body we determine in our hearts that we gather to see Him, to experience Him, to love Him and one another. All that we do is a way to magnify who He is among us. We share in the encounter. We participate in Him.

The Holy Spirit will guide us in this endeavor. It's what He does. Guiding us into all Truth. Convincing us of the reality of all that Jesus did for us. Reminding us of the reality of His presence within. Highlighting the Lord's activity among us. Imagine the difference.