The Margins

"34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' " (Matt 25 TNIV)

Concern for the marginalized is the criterion for judgment in the mind of Jesus.

We had a good discussion about this text last night and I thought I would share some of it with you.

Does Jesus really judge us based on how we treat the marginalized? What about grace? What about the cross? How could Jesus base our eternal fate on "works"?

I can't ignore the words of Jesus here, so my goal is to find a way to fit this teaching in with the teaching of grace and forgiveness.

What if Jesus is calling us to not just be forgiven, but to be transformed? What if when we are transformed by forgiveness we end up treating people differently. What if Jesus is not judging people by their treatment of the marginalized, but pointing out the transformation that must happen when someone is forgiven and filled with the Spirit?

What do you think?

At a Fork in the Road

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:13-14

Have you ever noticed that a fork in the road only ever has two possible directions? One can choose to go this way or that. Right or left. But to continue one must choose a direction. Most of the time these are figurative forks in the road. One must choose not right or left, but right or wrong. Truth or lie. Give or keep. Sober or drunk. Child or... not. Sleep or church. To speak up or keep silent. Put out or keep sacred. Forgive or hold a grudge.

The LORD says that there are two paths. One can choose the narrow road or the broad one. But he never says that once you are on one road that you will or have to stay on it. Only a few find the narrow way. Surely there are people along that path who are bound to encourage and guide the way. But it may not always be easy. There are turns in life that are hard to navigate. It's easier to find your way around when the path is wider... when you have a little wiggle room. But salvation waits there.

He says there are many people on the broad path. But there is destruction there; hard times and hard consequences. But I wonder if it is broad so that there is room to turn around... and find the forgiveness He offers.

that they may be one

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23 TNIV)

I thought we had agreed to get rid of all the difficult stuff . . . no, oh well.

Looking at the fragmented, frustrating, mess of Christian denominations it is difficult to see any unity. Looking at the infighting and bickering in the Restoration movement is is nearly impossible to glimpse Christian love. So what happened to Jesus' prayer?

Last weekend I attended the Converge conference in Bellevue, and learned about the Alpha course. In short, Alpha is an introduction to the basics of the Christian faith. I think you should look into it, it has some really great things to offer, but that's not the point of this post.

Alpha was developed by the Anglican church in London, it has been experienced by 11 million people around the world. I saw Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Church of Christ-ians, Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, etc. all in one room working toward one end worshiping as one body. I heard a Lutheran pastor emphasize to the group that in the New Testament adult baptism was the primary way which people expressed their conversion to faith. I saw an Anglican pastor talk about the powerful work of the Holy Spirit transforming people's lives. I saw a Baptist emphasize the need for free will in the relationship between humanity and God.

If you don't know, pretty much all of those things are way out of character for those denominations.

Last weekend I saw the answer to Jesus' prayer. I saw Christians from around the world and from across the denominational spectrum unite around the issue of sharing the good news of the kingdom. I wish it weren't so amazing - I wish it were common.

Your Kingdom Come

Matthew 6:10 - Jesus teaches us to pray:
"your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven"

Today I have to think about what this really means. I have heard Christians praying that John McCain win the election with the assumption that he is God's preferred candidate. I have heard of vile e-mails being sent that portray Barack Obama as evil. I have also heard Christians praying that Obama win and statements vilifying McCain.

I will pray for these men that they hold up well under stress today, that they will be loving and faithful husbands, that they will be strong fathers. But I don't think that Jesus would pray for one person to be elected over another. Jesus isn't thinking about one party versus another or one person versus another. Jesus is desperate to show people the in-breaking of the kingdom of God into a hurting world.

Jesus wants us to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth.

I don't think it really matters who rules the 'kingdom' of this country. What matters is if the kingdom of God is being made manifest.

Perfection

Matt. 5:48 – “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

Talk about Wham-O!! He sticks it straight to us here- no qualifications, no room for justification, no conditions- just “be perfect.”

My impression of myself is that I’m pretty low key and rarely goes out to ‘rock the boat.’ However, I have a side of me that really appreciates things that are in your face, things that hit you head on and force you to deal with them. So I love this command of Jesus for that reason. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

So this verse popped in my head when I was invited to participate in this blog. Looking it up I wanted to check out the almighty Context and see if I can ‘qualify’ it so that my brain can wrap itself around it a bit easier. (Disclaimer: I am fully admitting that any qualifications from context are my own- ie., that of a limited, mortal, finite being- even though I’m approaching something regarding an unlimited, immortal, infinite entity. Proceed with the appropriate grain of salt.)

Low and behold- the context fits in nicely with my ruminations on ‘pure behavior’ that I’ve been exploring on my blog! In other words, it is behaving toward someone not based on who you are or who they are (ie.- our ‘platforms’). Jesus has drawn distinctions between how humans act toward each other (even pagans like their friends!) and how God acts toward others (causing the sun to rise on the evil and the good.)

So I’m seeing the crucial phrase in this verse as being the word ‘as’- how is your Heavenly Father perfect? In what way are we to be perfect ‘as’ He is perfect? Based on the context-in our treatment of others. We should treat everyone with the same love and mercy, regardless of their standing in relation to ours.

Perhaps we can think of it this way: it takes two to Tango. If we have a problem with somebody – or, taking the good and the bad, if we are friends with someone- it is as much a reflection of us as it is of them. Using this analogy, it seems that God acts as the dance itself rather than a participant on one or the other side. When taken with the idea of ‘dying to ourselves’ (ie.,- getting rid of our ‘platform’) I see Jesus as commanding us to be the same- to be the dance.

And Who Exactly is My Neighbor?

Luke 10.25-29

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your strength and with all you mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

“Who is my neighbor?” I’ve spent a lot of time trying to answer that question, and I pride myself on the fact that my definition is broader than most. I’ve really embraced the idea of a global neighbor—that because of a global economy everything I consume affects some other person positively or negatively. So I don’t shop at Wal-mart, buy most things used, don’t eat meat, sponsor a child, lobby for fair governmental practices and increased giving, and generally attempt to live as simply as I can.

But then, Jesus re-enters the conversation: A man gets mugged traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. A really godly guy, a really smart guy and an average guy who nobody thinks a whole lot of pass by, but the average guy is the only one to stop and help. And Jesus asks which of the three was neighborly? The expert in the law answers correctly, “the one who had mercy on him” (v30-37).

But did you notice that Jesus didn’t answer the man’s question: “Who is my neighbor?” You see, the man had asked the wrong question. The question is not “who is my neighbor?” the question is “what kind of neighbor am I?” The Good Samaritan was a merciful neighbor, and Jesus put him forward as a great example to follow.

Being a good neighbor is not influenced by who your neighbor is or isn’t. Being a good neighbor is being willing to go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, show mercy, offer forgiveness, suffer persecution, take a little less so some one else can have a little more. Being a good neighbor is about learning to live like Jesus lived and to love like Jesus loved. Bottom line? Loving your neighbor as yourself is ultimately about you and the kind of neighbor you choose to be.

New Mexico Woman Falls in Well

"10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4

If a woman’s concept of God determines the depth of her prayer life, then it’s important for me to ‘Know the Gift of God.’ Like the Woman at the Well, I, don’t realize that I’m thirsty. I think that I am satisfied and have everything I need – AND - I know where the well is when I need to draw more. I don’t realize that I am thirsty, what’s more, that I’m thirsty for Christ. I keep drawing and drinking from the well of earthly possessions, needs, and desires. It barely wets my whistle and merely curbs my thirst.

And, just like the Woman at the Well, I am never truly satisfied. I desire a deeper relationship with Christ. I desire a deeper prayer life. For this to happen, I must first recognize that I AM THIRSTY…….for Jesus. I need the Living Water more than I need my next breath! So, I’m praying for a parched throat, one that aches for, and can only be quenched by the Living Water that is Christ.

Fast on this...

Mark 2:18-22

John's disciples and the Pharisees sometimes fasted. One day some people came to Jesus and asked, "Why do John's disciples and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?" Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can't fast while they are with the groom. But someday he will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. And who would patch an old garment with unshrunk cloth? For the new patch shrinks and pulls away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger hole than before. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine needs new wineskins."

I have not fasted well. It's not just that I can't keep a fast but I can't remember to fast when I tell my self I will. There seems to be some sort of mental disconnect for me, I am not motivated to fast like I am to love the poor. Maybe it's because Jesus didn't command me to fast. Either way Jesus understood fasting better than any other rabbi. He said that is would be foolish for the disciples to fast. Just like it would be foolish to postpone celebrating at a wedding, sew a new patch onto old clothing, and pour new wine into old wineskins. If you were a well seasoned seamstress or wine maker you would know these things, but if you had not practiced sewing or making wine you would need the wisdom of others in order to not make those mistakes. It seems that Jesus was worried that the disciples had not had enough practice with fasting, nor that they were ready to listen to his wisdom. So in their case fasting was an unwise choice to make at this point along their journey. 

I will continue to wrestle with how and why to fast, practice, and listen for Jesus and others to share their wisdom. 

Discipleship White Out

I think this is a great idea and would love to contribute, however, I must insist that the following teachings from Jesus be removed from Scripture because........well…. I just don’t like them.

#1 – “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

#2 – “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….” Matthew 5:43-44

*Actually, just remove ALL of Matthew Chapter 5.

#3 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

#4 - "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:24

*Okay, let’s remove Matthew Chapter 6……….

#5 - "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

……….and Chapter 7 as well.

Furthermore, for personal reasons, I request that any teachings that contain the phrase, “sell your possessions” or “deny himself and take up his cross daily” be removed. I think that about covers it, now I’m ready to obey ALL that Jesus commanded!

Cheryl

Keepin' It Real

On Sunday during our worship time at church I found myself asking God to forgive me for being a fraud. I think that I desire to be what God wants me to be, at least that's what I tell myself. But really, I am selfish. I don't really want to put in the effort it will take to be obedient. I know that will mean giving up some habits that I am comfortable in, and in the process, people might get to know me for who I really am. And so I feel like a fraud when I sing and pray and talk to people about things because sometimes I don't really want to do those things. So what do I do? Stop singing, praying and talking to people? Nope. I don't think that's the answer. But to me, being fake is the same thing as lying to someone and being truthful is a virtue I hold tightly to.

So I find myself in a bit of a quandary and in social situations where I want to figuratively cover my ears and start rocking back and forth, mumbling to myself and pretend it's not there. 

At this point I need to make a disclaimer. This is not the situation I find myself in all of the time. But it has happened enough in the recent past that I feel compelled to... be real about it.

Feeling the tension

I am feeling a tension within myself between two ideas regarding this venture, and I want to tell you about it.

The first idea: Jesus is telling us to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." So if we're supposed to teach people to obey everything Christ commands, and not just the highlights but truly "everything," then we better know what those commands are. And we better be obeying them ourselves before we try to teach anybody else how to do so. Right? Therefore, the organized, checklist-y part of me wants to embark on a project of systematically going through all the Gospels and making a numbered list of each of Christ's separate commands. Once I have each command on an index card, I want to shuffle and organize them into a highly ordered outline with a few major categories which contain subsets which contain further subsets. Then I want to memorize my outline and meditate on it. Then I want to make a big chart for myself and put a star sticker in a box next to each command as I have success obeying it. This is how I like to attack a project--in a highly systematic, ordered, duckies-in-a-row kind of way.

The second idea: the Pharisees were a very duckies-in-a-row kind of people. They had systems and order coming out their ears. I'm afraid that if I did Idea #1, that I would just take the life-giving words of Jesus and turn them into a life-killing law. I'd be turning the New Covenant back into the Old one. Idea #2, therefore, makes me despair of doing anything like #1 before I even start it.

So does anyone have any ideas about how we can be serious, organized, and disciplined about identifying and pursuing Christ's commands without turning them into a new Leviticus?

Thanks,

Heath

Economic Crisis

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matt. 6.1-4 NIV)

I love the idea of this blog. I pray that God will empower our conversations and make us all better disciples.

I wanted to start off sharing about giving for a couple reasons. First, it's a discipline that my wife and I have embraced; second, it is a discipline that is very necessary right now.

It is so easy to let giving go when money is tight. In this economy we are all faced with having to cut back on the money that goes out, our giving can't be on the chopping block.

Giving is close to the heart of God. When we give, we look like God. Here Jesus teaches us to give in secret. I've struggled with how to interpret this - do we give only in cash so that no one knows? Do we claim our giving on our tax return?

I honestly don't know, but what I do know is that giving is an expression of the heart of God and that when we give we are to not expect any credit or praise from people.

Network Rendering

When I'm making a video with my cheap video editing software every single frame has to be rendered, which is to say that the computer has to individually paint every frame of the video (about 30 frames per second). Depending on how long your video is, all of this painting can take awhile. Think about it: 10 minutes of video = 600 seconds = 18,000 frames. In order to make things go faster the software can render "over the network," which is to say if the computer is connected to a network of computers, the software will delegate to other computers to use their painting skills, kind of like a cyber-painting party, only you don't have to buy pizza for everyone.

I've been thinking that as disciples of Jesus, this is what the church ought to be. We are all trying to learn to obey the teaching of Jesus; that's a lot of frames to paint! But if you are thinking about one teaching, and he's thinking about a different teaching, and she's thinking about a different teaching, and I'm thinking about a different teaching, then when we get together we can benefit from each other's painting.

This blog is a rough draft of that church. This is your invitation to choose a teaching of Jesus, reflect on it, experiment with it, write a post and send it to me, and I will add you as a contributor to the blog. (I'm retaining the right of editorial privilege initially, but I doubt I will ever need to use it.) This blog is not a university; we are not looking to be impressed by scholarly aptitude. This blog is not a magazine; we are not looking to be dazzled by glossy word pictures. This blog is a church; we are looking for testimony, confession, prophecy, dreams and visions, humanness and messiness.

And everyone is welcome.