What Jesus preached…

In a recent morning’s read, I came across a scripture that arrested my attention. It is in Luke’s gospel:

 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him….              —Luke 20:1, NKJV

 Luke wrote that Jesus preached the gospel. Now stop and think about that for a moment. What exactly did He preach?

 We tend to think that the gospel is the message that Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification. Was Jesus preaching that? Certainly not, for no one would have listened to that message. Even His own disciples struggled with its implications:

 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”   —Matt. 16:21–23

 If Jesus wasn’t declaring the necessity of and meaning of His own future death and resurrection, what was He preaching? The scripture tells us:

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.   —Matt. 4:23

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”   —Mark 1:14–15

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.   —Luke 8:1

Elsewhere, Jesus tells us explicitly the content of His preaching:

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.”   —Luke 16:16

For Jesus, the good news was that the Kingdom of God had entered the world. But what does that mean? Dallas Willard defines God’s kingdom as “the range of his effective rule, where what he wants done is done” (Willard, Divine Conspiracy, 25). In other words, through Jesus, the power of God is present—in this earth—to meet all manner of human need! Now that is good news, isn’t it!

 Jesus witnessed to the extent of God’s actions and power available to humanity when gave proof of his ministry to the imprisoned John the Baptist:

And [Jesus] answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.”   —Luke 7:22

God has come in Jesus to reinstall His rule in this earth. The power of God is available to all who are within the breadth of His rule. God is available—right now, in Jesus—to meet your every need. Is that real to you? It should be, for it was this teaching that made the gospel initially the good news.

We magnify the truth that Christ died on Calvary to pay the penalty of our sin, and was raised again so that we might live with Him and God forever more. It is right and good that we do so. But in doing that, let us not forget what it means for our life here and now in the earth. God has equipped us to live in His kingdom. As Paul wrote: 

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.                         —Col. 1:11–14 

The fullness of our redemption still lies ahead, when Christ returns and the dead are raised. But even now we can partake of the first fruits of redemption. Our God is not dead or distant; He is alive, and He cares for His people. And His power is still present and available to you in Christ. 

Accept and believe what Jesus preached. Live in the Kingdom of God!  

—Ref: Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering our Hidden Life in God (New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1997).

Uncomfortable Truths…

None of us likes to offend people. Of all people, it may be Christians who like being offensive the least, since we are under command from the Lord to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us and to suffer wrong contentedly. Nevertheless, we also have been commanded to go into the world and preach the gospel. To do that faithfully, we must tell people the truth—the truth about their condition as fallen humanity and the truth about their need of salvation.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…. —Rom. 3:23

 However, we are so intellectually and emotionally immature, so hypersensitive, and so deceived in our understanding of love that we shy away from telling people the truth. Especially sinners. We don’t even want to call them sinners! We invent new euphemisms instead: seekers and those distant from God are currently popular. The New Testament is less polite:

 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. —Eph. 2:1–3

 There is a reason we preach the gospel. Yet it looks as though we have forgotten it. Perhaps because somewhere we decided to minister out of our feelings rather than speak from God’s Word. The Word tells us that there is a standard from which humanity has fallen and all of our best efforts cannot help us:

 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. —James 2:10

 When we break God’s law, we sin. We don’t like that word, so we try to call it other things—problems, challenges, even personal issues. But sin is sin, and it produces death:

 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Rom. 6:23

 There is judgment coming to the sinner. God’s wrath will be poured out on the last day:

 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. —Rom. 2:5

 God’s wrath has been levied against fallen humanity. Unless sinners repent and turn to Jesus in faith, God’s wrath towards them is unavoidable:

 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. —John 3:36

 Sadly, in today’s church evangelism has been made about increasing church attendance—not convicting sinners of their sin and their need of Christ. When will we recover a proper understanding of our need to proclaim the gospel to the lost?

 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. —Rev. 20:15

 I shudder to think of the final destiny of sinners. But I also shudder when I think of the displeasure we might face if we persist in rejecting God’s Word and magnifying our thoughts and feelings over that Word. No matter how we might want to sanitize it, the gospel is an offense to fallen humanity. It contains uncomfortable truths. We must get over ourselves, trust God and preach the Truth.

 

Telling lies in service of the Truth…?

When is it appropriate to lie? More pointedly, when is it right to lie in and as a church? Just yesterday I learned that deception is okay when it is in service of outreach to the modern world.

I was at the meeting of a new para-church ministry established to promote a return to biblical-based thinking. The committee is securing spiritual support from local churches and their pastors. One particularly generous church tied their support to the committee’s mirroring of that church’s own ministry directives. The pastor was particularly concerned about the language we would use outside the church. He wanted to insure that our presentation of the Gospel and the Faith would be in “contemporary American vernacular.” Now on the face of it, that seems an unnecessary injunction. I don’t know where he travels, but I never hear anything other than contemporary American in the churches in which I move! Even in those pesky King-James-only churches, folk still speak American!

But all facetiousness aside, something else lay behind his directive, and sure enough it was immediately revealed. To illustrate speaking “in the vernacular,” he drew a parallel between our efforts and those of missionaries on foreign fields. Missionaries, we were told, learn to preach in the “native [sic] language.” In my missionary experience, where there were so many different languages that English was the default lingua franca, one still had to be on guard against using foreign idioms. In our early days in Botswana, I came to recognize that many of my sermon illustrations and stories consisted of things relevant to American culture. So I had to ‘purify’ my English by finding local illustrations and adopting local nomenclatures (lift rather than elevator; cool drink instead of pop, etc.)

However, when it came to preaching—speaking of God, the Bible, and the actual condition of humanity as dead in sin—there was no need of any linguistic transformation. And that realization revealed the agenda behind the injunction to speak in the “American vernacular.” It is not that we needed to learn a new language; after all, we are in the midst of our own people. Rather, we must abandon our old language—the language of theology, God and the Bible. That language is out of step with contemporary culture. Rather than teach the language of the Judeo-Christian religious tradition, we must abandon it and seek new approximations for it in contemporary culture.

The reason for doing this was conveyed by another illustration. A story was told of a church in New York that purportedly exploited “liberal language” to mask their “conservative philosophy.” They consciously used language to paint pictures of themselves, their purposes and agendas that did not correspond to reality. They designed their language to ingratiate themselves to the surrounding culture, knowing that if they professed their true beliefs, they would likely alienate their neighbors rather than seduce them into attending. In short, they pretended to be something they weren’t in order to achieve their goal. It was a little deception made palatable by a greater good.

Apparently the strategy succeeded: the church grew in the midst of a community not known for conservative religious values. Therefore we were encouraged to adopt the same plan: drop the language of God and faith, and speak the language of contemporary culture. I suppose that means that instead of sin, we might talk about problems; instead of death and separation from God, we could speak about postmodernity and its loneliness; instead of righteousness, we might talk about compassion. Instead of God and His Word, we could speak of each other and our feelings.

So here we were, a group of Christians impanelled to expose other Christians to a biblical world-view, being encouraged by a pastor to drop biblical language and even fudge our public motives lest we offend those “far from God.” To his credit, I’m sure that this pastor did not derive that strategy independently; he probably read it in a book distributed by some megachurch ministry that he finds inspiring. But whatever its origin, I find it to be both loathsome and cynical.

Christianity is not a content-free spirituality; it is about Truth—transcendent, eternal, personal and objective Truth. How can any deception ever serve the Truth? That such deception might even be considered reveals that some in the church are less in pursuit of a people of the Truth than a large number of people. When one is after a crowd, then truth be damned. One need only reflect on the ministry of Jesus as recorded in John’s gospel: great crowds followed Him until he began teaching the Truth (Jn. 6:1–69). And as it was for Jesus, so too will it be for His disciples.

I have been told that my objection is foolish, even over the top; that this is just a matter of marketing, or of encouraging the church to appropriate the mode of political persuasion. “When one controls the language,” I’m told, “one controls the debate.” That adage conjures up visions of 1984 in my head and it echoes the inauthenticity and cynicism of today’s political discourse. What I hear is that language and words are elastic; their meaning can be shaped and moulded to fit the purpose of the moment. Truth then is no longer an objective reality external to all speakers; meaning and truth lie within the purpose of each speaker. As a result, nothing is a lie when everyone speaks his or her own truth.

Yet what does this mean for those who claim to be people of the Word? What does it mean for those of us who hold to the sovereignty of an eternal, omniscient God? Is the Bible the Word of God. Is it inerrant, infallible and perspicacious? Or must it be re-envisioned by each succeeding generation? Do we believe that culture must submit to God—or must we redefine God by culture? I for one believe that culture should be conformed to the Judeo-Christian revelation and not the other way around. However, I do not pine for a theocracy imposing that revelation on all humanity; but neither will I abide the subjection of the Christian faith to the definitions of pagan secularism. Men do not need to change God’s word to make it acceptable to the lost. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to call men and women to Christ, and it is our job to preach the Truth. We do not need to abandon His Truth as articulated in His scripture in order to reach the people of our time. God is not so addled and inept to have left us in a world where His Word is no longer relevant. If the culture no longer recognizes it, it is not the failure of the Word, but of the church which stopped preaching and teaching it.

I am a man of many faults, a sinner saved by the grace and mercy of God. My sins are numerous; I need no pastoral encouragement to abet them. I will not abandon the language of faith to win this world nor deceive the world to achieve a larger congregation. No lie ever served the Truth. May God have mercy on us all.

Follow me…

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.            -Matt. 4:18-20

Could it really be that simple? Is this truly all that is involved? Jesus approaches those He knows to be His disciples and commands them to follow. This account of his calling of Simon Peter and Andrew is more than mere historical record; it contains the principle of Christ’s calling of each one of us. Do you hear Him? “Follow me….”

To follow Jesus we must walk behind Him. We move in the same direction and watch where He is going, with the intention of ending up in the same place as Him. To follow means that we observe His every movement, pay close attention to his manner, and listen intently to every word He says. Following entails conforming our actions to His instructions, mimicking Him in word and deed. It demands being near to Him, hearing Him, keeping Him always in sight.

We may not have the privilege of physically following behind Him today, but then again, we do not have to leave our nets to follow Him either. Instead we stay in His presence each and every day through the Word. He is right there, with you and with me. When can watch the way He moves and interacts with people. We can incline our ears and listen intently to His instructions. And we can stop Him and ask for His help in conforming our ways to His.

It is far simpler than we’ve ever imagined. Just open the Bible and sit before Him. Focus your attention in prayer on a passage in a Gospel. Read attentively, asking the Holy Spirit to ‘show’ you the scene, to take you into the action. Spend time reflecting and meditating on what you’ve seen. Listen for His voice; hear His word to you. Keep that word with you throughout the day. Look for an opportunity to apply that word to your life.

Follow Him. Look up—He is there! Let us follow him today and every day.

The Truth Project…

Last October, the USA Today newspaper reported on the results of a Gallup poll that questioned people about their beliefs concerning the origins of humanity. The paper noted that 66% of those questioned agreed that the statement “the idea that God created humans in their present form within the past 10,000 years” was either definitely or probably true. Yet in the same poll, 53% of those questioned indicated that they believed that “the idea that humans evolved from less-advanced life forms over millions of years” was also either probably or definitely true! Houston—we have a problem! It sounds like America is profoundly confused!

 A recent survey conducted by the Pew Forum found that over 75% of the United States identifies itself as Christian. Yet as this USA Today/Gallup survey indicates, there is an obvious disconnect between what people believe in church and what they believe in society. As one fellow put it, people today have “Christian hearts and pagan heads.” No wonder our society is in the state it is; we seem unable to allow biblical truth to affect our view of the world.

 A variety of ministries are awakening to this issue; recently there has been an explosion of academic and popular treatments on Christian worldview education. One of the most substantial and solid treatments has been produced by Focus on the Family, entitled The Truth Project. This is an excellent discussion of biblical truth and how it relates to life in society.

 The Truth Project is designed for small groups. It would be a tremendous contribution to our churches, schools and neighborhoods, if we could encourage one another to allow the truths that we believe to actually govern the way we think about things in our culture and society. Imagine how our faith would come alive if we genuinely discovered how relevant and applicable Christian beliefs are to the life we live in this earth! We could strengthen our churches immeasurably, and perhaps bring some sanity back to our civil society.

 Focus on the Family is conducting a nationwide training seminar by satellite on September 27, 2008. Registration fees include the day’s instruction plus the complete 12-lesson Truth Project Curriculum on DVD. You will also receive access to Focus’s learning and support site to help you in any area of your presentation of the series.

 I am honored to serve on a committee overseeing the presentation of this seminar in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. If you are interested in helping us administer and execute our seminar, email our director Robert Wallace. For additional information, and to attend the seminar, both in Hampton Roads or elsewhere in America, visit the Truth Project web site and register for the meeting in your locale.

God has laid a burden on my heart for a return to committed discipleship within the Church. He has charged me with teaching not only the theology necessary, but also the practical life habits involved in becoming disciples. One of the greatest needs we have, however, is basic, common sense instruction in how what we believe should affect every area of our life—political, social, financial, and cultural. It does us no good to learn the disciplines of prayer and meditation, and come to understand the theology of redemption and the Christian life, if we persist in living life as practical pagans. Christianity is not about church attendance but about the Kingdom of God in this world. I encourage you to investigate this project and pursue its instruction. May our efforts bring glory and honor to the Almighty!

 

  

 

A response to Deacon Usher…

[On May 31st, “deaconandusher” left an interesting comment to my post entitled Stability. The remarks resonated with me, and provoked these thoughts in response.]

 Dear deaconandusher,

Thank you for your comments. I understand and appreciate your views and I want to affirm you in many of them. I sense a tangible hurt and anger in your words; I recognize those feelings because I too have experienced them. Much of the enterprise that passes for church today—including the charlatans and hirelings leading it—is deeply heartrending. But that is no reason for abandoning the Church. The Church is God’s idea; it exists for His glory, and is intended to mirror His divine image in the earth today. Like all of the gifts of God, it is administered through the agency of human beings, and unfortunately, like all things of humanity, it frequently falls far from perfect.

 I make a distinction between the visible church—the institutions of brick and mortar with the people and leaders within, called or not—and the invisible church, made up of the elect of God, called according to His purpose and destined for final glory. You err if you think me an apologist for the institutional (visible) church, and I erred if I left you with the impression that our only recourse of worship is to be found in an institutional church. My aim was not to magnify the institutional church, but to highlight our tendency to find fault in everybody and every thing other than ourselves. At the end of the day, people drift between churches because everything is about them—about what they like, what they want, what they need. It has little to do with the church itself. Instead, these church migrants are not willing to surrender anything so that another may be blessed; they refuse to tolerate anything that does not satisfy their own desires. They balk at what genuine Christianity demands—the death of one’s own life, necessitating the death of one’s own wants, needs and preferences. The genuine Christian is one raised with Christ to live a new life for others—without thought of self. However, these church-(s)hoppers won’t surrender themselves. Sadly, after wandering from church to church, many ultimately end up alone, rehearsing a litany of complaints against the church to any who are unfortunate enough to have to listen. I fear that one day they will hear the voice of Christ, even as Saul heard it—questioning them with the words, “Why are you persecuting me?” If and when that moment comes, I pray God will have mercy on their souls.

 No matter how corrupt the institutional church may become, we as Christians will never be exempted from the journey of Christian discipleship walked out in submission and in community, in the Church. That does not mean you are confined to the local mega-church, or even the small church down the lane that can be equally as corrupt or misguided. In fact, I would agree with you, Deacon Usher, that the time may well be coming when the last place any true disciple of Christ should find themselves is in an institutional church! Thank God, though, I am persuaded that we are not at that point just yet. So for now we must continue to seek out community, for genuine Christian discipleship will not result from sitting by one’s self in front of the TV or the computer!

 Concomitant with a disciple’s need of community is their need of submission. We delude ourselves if we think Christianity an egalitarian democracy, where we shepherd ourselves and have neither need nor use of ministers. The form in which we worship these days may move away from the institutional church toward small(er) home-groups or house-churches. Yet even there we will require pastors and teachers, prophets and evangelists. We in the body of Christ need to submit to their ministries, even as we submit to one another in love and mutual edification.

 Stop and think for a moment, Deacon Usher, on the many times throughout history when the church has been corrupt and rotten. Yet through it all, God never abandoned His plan to be glorified in His people, the Church. Time and again, God raised up men and women to go and rebuild His church—not “push it into the landfill.” He has never given up on the Church and neither should we.

I wish I could console you in the anguish you feel about the horrible things that men have done to the body of Christ, the Church. They crucified Him when He walked the land, so is it any surprise that they pollute His body today? But be of good cheer—He overcame the world, and He will overcome the mess men are making of the church today. The day is coming when His Church will be seen as His spotless Bride—when the fetid dross of human corruption is removed by a total infusion of the Holy Spirit—and the Church is revealed in the stature of the fullness of Christ. Until that day, we must look upon her with the eyes of faith, and humbly stay in faith.

Given the perverse condition of many institutional churches, we must be sure we are in the place God intends for us. This demands that we take the time to discern God’s calling. He may have me in an established church with a congregation of 1,000; he may have you in a home church of 15. Our task is not to look at each other in judgment, but to look at God in faith where we are.

I don’t know if these thoughts will mitigate the pain and anger you feel, but I pray that you will find a place of peace in your walk with God. Thank you again for reading and commenting.