BEING ONE PERSON IN A BIG WORLD

By the time I was born my parents were Christians and growing in their new faith.  I am blessed beyond belief to have been raised in a Christian home.  It was a simple home, and my parents were simple people.  They were ordinary folks, unpretentious, middle class, and hard workers.  With God at the center of their story, He became the Center of who we were as a family, making our way in the world.

Early on in my Christian journey I began to realize that, like my parents before me, I would most likely live a simple, yet faithful, life.  I had no insatiable desire to master the world and live as a mover and shaker for God.  My insatiable desire was to be obedient and faithful to God, leaving anything and everything to God.  Like my parents before me, and probably because of them I came to realize that if God were really in my life He would lead and guide and direct.  Where He took me was His business, not mine.  Faithfulness to Him was my business.

Somewhere in the formative years of my faith journey Jesus convinced me that His role for me was to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the world.  I know this sounds pretty arrogant and self exalting but before you write me off as a narcissistic lunatic may I gently share with you that, if you are a follower of Jesus, He has called you to be the "salt of the earth and the "light of the world," too (See Matthew 5:13-16).  It sounds like you and I are stuck with the same job description -- to be salt-and-light followers of Jesus.

            There is not a day that goes by when I don't wonder about how to impact my world for Christ.  My influence is so narrow, and the world is so wide, I often wonder what difference in the world it all makes, after all.  I give it my best-shot everyday and the world is still falling apart.  Christian advertising inundates the Church every minute of every hour of every day, telling us of the incredible impact we are making around the world.  Yet, the world is still falling apart, and I wonder about what it means to make an "incredible impact." Are we just singing our own praises or is the Church really getting down into the muck and mire of the world's realities, and raising the banner of the cross there, so that the influence of Jesus isn't just scattered here and there but really powerful for the making of disciples around the world?

I was praying about these things one day; probably fretting about them more than praying (praying just sounds more spiritual, though), and it occurred to me that results and impact and outcomes are not on God's agenda for any one of us who believe in Him.  His agenda for us is to live in Christ, to be faithful to what a relationship with Jesus looks like, and to abide in Him (See John 15:1-11).  When we abide in Christ it is as though we are connected to His DNA.  He is the Vine and we are the branches.  When we abide in Him, whatever it means for Him to be who He is flows into and through our lives.  We bear the fruit of the Vine, Jesus.  We bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul says that the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control" (Galatians 5:22-23).  He doesn't call us to change the world.  He calls us to live in Christ knowing that if there is any changing of the world to be done, God will work in redemptive and healing and compassionate and merciful ways.  As Jesus lives in us, He will then live through us and touch the world as we live and move and have our being in God.

I think the adversary would have us to be overwhelmed by the bigness of things.  It's a big, big, world and we're only one person in a sea of some seven billion persons.  What difference could we possibly make? 

The famous British pastor-preacher, John Henry Jowett, (1864-1923), gives us these helpful comments:

We are deceived by mass, and we are forgetful of spirit. Mere size affrights us. We are dismayed by numbers. We forget the quiet, pervasive, all-powerful ministry of the Spirit of God.

We are overwhelmed by the phenomena of tempest and earthquake and fire, and we forget that almightiness hides in the “still, small voice,” in “the sound of a gentle stillness.”

God’s breath is more than the fierce threatenings of embattled hosts.

“If God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).

I will hide myself in His holy fellowship, and “none shall make me afraid.”

(My Daily Meditation, November 17)

            That's helpful, isn't it?  "If God before us, who can be against us?"  Don't be deceived by the bigness of things.  Just live your life in Jesus.  Be vitally connected to His life, and then go out and live your life of faith.  Be faithful.  Leave results to God.  Trust the Holy Spirit to do what you in the wildest stretches of your imagination couldn't see yourself doing.  Be faithful in this moment, in that act, with this person, in that undertaking.  God has countless numbers of braches all throughout the world, and in the end, God will get what God wants. 

            The old Gospel song written by John H. Sammis in 1887 says it best for those of us who really do want to live our lives for Jesus.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

A TRIBUTE TO GRANDMA MARY

Between 1979 and 1993 I pastored a church in Vista, California.  In that congregation there was an older woman that my family came to love.  Her name was Mary and to everyone in the congregation she was Grandma Mary.  She loved the children and became surrogate grandmother for many of them, including my children, Alison and Scott.  They loved her, and she loved them.

One day while visiting in her home I asked, “Grandma Mary, what is your story?  How did you come to know Christ?”  She said, “Pastor, do you really want to know?”  I said yes, and then sat back and soaked in the awe and wonder of grace.

She told me that she was a runner for bootleggers in the 1920s in West Virginia.  She was responsible for getting information from location to location, so she had a lot of knowledge of the illegal activity.

She was pretty wild and tough.  One night she angered some woman over something and the woman started chasing her down to kill her.  In a desperate act to escape the woman, Mary ran into a church that happened to have an evangelistic service under way, and the woman chased her in but backed off when she lost her in the crowd.  Mary said that before she could collect herself some usher seated her near the front where she felt trapped.

She told me that as the service progressed she began to feel a peace she had never known before.  The evangelist gave an altar call and Mary went forward.  The young pastor of the church prayed with her and told her that she needed to give everything in her life to God.  So, she put her purse on the altar, opened it up and took out a switchblade knife and laid it on the altar.  She then took out a pistol and put it on the altar.  She put some cigarettes and chewing tobacco on the altar, along with the other items, and told the pastor that was all she had.

They prayed and Mary said that’s the moment she came to Jesus.  I’m not sure all that happen in her life that night but I know Jesus showed up, changed her life, and captivated her imagination.

When the bootleggers found out about her conversion, they challenged her on it.  She told them she would have to give up the bootleg business because Jesus had changed her life.  When they found out about her decision they put a contract out on her life.  Somehow she found out about the contract and left West Virginia immediately, telling no one where she was going, and headed for as far away from there as she could get – California. 

Whatever happened that night in that little church took hold of Grandma Mary’s life, and she never turned back.  For the rest of her life she would say, “I want to stay near the spout where God’s glory pours out.”  She did, and once in a while I got pretty wet just hanging out with her.

TAKE THE ADVENTURE THAT IS SENT US

In his Chronicles of Narnia book, The Silver Chair, C. S. Lewis has Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, and Puddleglum at a place of great decision.  A man whom we know only as “the Knight,” is tied to a silver chair.  He had been placed under a spell, what he referred to as an “enchantment.”  It held him in bondage.  He would vacillate between sanity and insanity. At night he became sane so his enemy saw to it that he was tied to the chair, trapped in an “enchantment” that for him was a prison.

            The knight begs Jill and Eustace and Puddleglum to cut him loose and set him free.  They are fearful because they don’t know whether or not he is telling them the truth, that should he be set free at night he would break the “enchantment.”

            As they ponder the matter they are reminded that they are on a mission from Aslan to find the lost prince, Rilian, and that on the mission they would encounter four signs that they were to act upon. The last of the signs was to be a moment when a prince would ask them to do something in the name of Aslan.  Now, the mad man in a silver chair is saying to them, “I adjure you to set me free.  By all fears and all loves, by the bright skies of Overland, by the great Lion, Aslan himself, I charge you.”  They are stunned.  Could this be the fourth sign? Is the man in the silver chair tricking them to set him free by using the words of the sign?  The question became a dilemma.  The dilemma because a choice.  What shall they do?  If they cut him loose and his trick works, they know he will kill them.  If they don’t cut him loose and it is the fourth sign, they will have failed on their mission for Aslan.

            Jill expresses her deep concern when she says, “Oh, if only we knew.”  Then Puddleglum speaks up and says, “I think we know.”  Eustace then asks, “Do you mean you think everything will come right if we do untie him?”  Puddleglum replies, “I don’t know about that. You see Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen.  He only told her what to do.  That fellow will be the death of us once he’s up, I shouldn’t wonder.  But that doesn’t let us off following the sign.”

            Lewis then shares this narrative,

They all stood looking at one another with bright eyes.  It was a sickening moment. “All right!” said Jill suddenly, “Let’s get it over.  Goodbye everyone…!” They all shook hands.  The Knight was screaming by now, there was foam on his cheeks. 

“Come on, Scrubb,” said Puddleglum.  He and Scrubb drew their swords and went over to the captive. 

“In the name of Aslan,” they said and began methodically cutting the cords. (From p. 145-146).

            Puddleglum had a great understand of faithfulness, faithfulness in light of uncertain outcomes.  His words are powerful, “Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen.  He only told her what to do.  That fellow will be the death of us once he’s up, I shouldn’t wonder.  But that doesn’t let us off following the sign.”

            Wow seems to be a childish and shallow thing to say here, but it’s all I got.  WOW!  Lewis brings the meaning of faith and obedience right down into the story of our own lives.  Do we have to be guaranteed good outcomes before we will follow God’s directions?  Do we have to be assured of success before we take action in the name of our God?  Is our survival the number one task of our lives? 

            Rilian’s freedom was not the last battle for Jill and Eustace and Puddleglum.  Together with Rilian they would immediately move into another battle for their lives, with outcomes unknown.  As they realize their fight wasn’t over Puddleglum asked Rilian to put on his armour, but Rilian would have nothing to do with it because, he said, “I rode in it as a movable dungeon, and it stinks of magic and slavery.  But I will take the shield.”  Lewis continues the story

He [Rilian] left the room and returned with a strange light in his eyes a moment later.

“Look, friends,” he said, holding out the shield toward them.  “An hour ago it was black and without device; and now, this.”  The shield had turned bright as silver, and on it, redder than blood or cherries, was the figure of the Lion

            “Doubtless,” said the Prince.  “This signifies that Aslan will be our good lord, whether he means us to live or die.  And all’s one, for that.  Now, by my counsel, we shall all kneel and kiss his likeness, and than all shake hands one with another, as true friends that may shortly be parted.  And then, let us descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.”  (167-168)

“Aslan will be our good lord, whether he means us to live or die…let us descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.”  No guaranteed outcomes, no promises of success, no hints at survival, just, “let us descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.” 

           

            In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (NASB).  Jesus calls us to empty ourselves of selfish ambitions and self-centered living and to come within the full embrace of His abundant life.  Alive in His life he then calls us to “descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.”  “The City” may mean different things to each of us.  Our “adventure” may not be the same.  It doesn’t matter because we have been embraced by grace, taken up our cross, and are caught up in whatever it might mean for us to be citizens of His kingdom. 

            What is the “adventure” sent you?  Where is Jesus taking you?  What is the name of your “City?”  Descend into it, and in the name of God take your stand and live your faith.   And, it wouldn’t hurt to remember Puddleglum’s counsel,  “You see Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen.  He only told her what to do.  That fellow will be the death of us once he’s up, I shouldn’t wonder.  But that doesn’t let us off following the sign.” 

Various and sundry outcomes don’t let us off following the sign.  Our adventure may take us to great heights.  It might take us to deep valleys.  It doesn’t matter because we have taken up our cross and are bent on following Jesus.  Now, caught up in the amazing grace of Almighty God, we entrust outcomes to Him. 

            In 1780 John Wesley presented what he called a Covenant Prayer. In that

prayer he challenged the people to pray:

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt,

rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

           

            In his prayer Wesley was taking up the call of Christ to follow Him no matter what it meant.  To paraphrase Lewis, he was indicating that he was willing to descend into the City and take the adventure that was sent him.  Outcomes didn’t matter.  Success wasn’t on his agenda. “I am no longer my own, but thine,” was the prayer and commitment of his life. 

            May the prayer of our lives be “I am no longer my own, but thine.”  May it be said of us that we descended into the city and took the adventure that was sent us.”  May our prayer be, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling” (from the song, “Rock of Ages,” 1776).

Forward still

BEAUTIFULLY DIFFERENT

I haven’t figured it out yet but last weekend pastor Dave Roberts got me to either thinking or dreaming. I haven’t decided which yet, maybe both. At any rate, he took us back a couple of thousand years ago to the city of Corinth where the apostle Paul decided to plant a church.  If ever there was a difficult place to plant a church it was Corinth.  Pastor reminded us that “Corinth was every bit as diverse as the city of Los Angeles, but the diversity went well beyond where you were born or what language you spoke.  There were incredible economic differences even including slaves and free, rich and poor and everything in between.  There was a diversity of power, position, status, prestige.” 

If Las Vegas is sin city today, Corinth was then. In was secular in every sense of the word. Pastor Dave shared with us that

Corinth was unbelievably wealthy and her residents were people of great pride, independence and diversity.  With wealth comes enterprise and Corinth was a city that drew entrepreneurs from every corner of the earth.  Business boomed in Corinth and that applied to businesses built around the lower human appetites. Corinth was the original Sin City.  Overlooking the city was a temple in honor of Aphrodite.  It housed 1000 priestesses who were in Greek culture considered sacred prostitutes.  It was a city of indulgence.  Throw in the sophisticated nuances of Greek Philosophy and in Corinth almost any behavior could be celebrated or at the very least, rationalized.

In this city the church of Jesus Christ was planted.  Why would Paul choose this city?  I think he chose it because no matter the wealth or education or economic status or hedonistic passions of people, these could not speak into the deepest needs of the human heart.  People can party till they drop, but the deepest needs of the human heart go unanswered.

         In a culture defined by everything other than God, Paul plants a church and invites people of great diversity and background to gather at one table and be one family.  Around that table is great love, acceptance, forgiveness, grace, mercy, hope, laughter, purpose, and life.  Jesus invited people to partake of a new and different food, a new and different reality. The world was offering one way to live. Jesus came and offered another way to live. 

            The more I think about it the more I think Pastor Dave got me to dreaming about some things.   Wouldn’t it be great if into the chaos of life there could come peace?  Wouldn’t it be great if there could be a community where, in the midst of diversity, there could be a sense that we are in this thing called life together; that each of us matters in a special and unique way, that though we are many, because of Jesus we are one?  Wouldn’t it be great if there could be a community where the things that make for wholeness and healing and mental, spiritual, and physical health would dominate the atmosphere?  And, if that kind of community could actually exist how would those in the community reach out into the lives of those who are not in the community inviting them into the place and people of new beginnings and God-stirred possibilities?

As the community of Jesus we have Good News for our world and for our spheres of influence.  But we live in Corinth of the 21^st century.  People are busy and active and on the go.  They work hard and play hard.  They are tuned into their world, and gaining an audience with them is a most difficult thing to do.  They are distracted by a thousand voices calling out to them each and every day.  They are occupied with entertainment and sports and vacations and get-a-ways.  In our Corinth the world never sleeps.  It is on the go 24/7. How do we gain an audience with these busy people and share the Good News?

            For the apostle Paul the answer to the question was simple, yet grounded in selflessness, self-giving, and humility.  He was an intelligent man and he knew that ministry for Christ in Corinth would not be easy.  He didn’t expect it to be.  So, he went to work with a guiding principle leading the effort.  He explained it this way in 1 Corinthians 9:19–23.

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (NIV) 

            This makes me think that maybe the way to people’s hearts these days is relational, relational, and relational.  Get into their world. Identify with them.  Build relationships.  Get to know them.  Show up on their turf and love them there. Find out what interests them and become interested in it, too.   Saturate your relationship with prayer for them.  Earn the right and then find ways to share the Gospel.  The Message says, “Proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple” (2 Tim. 4:2).  As the New International Version says, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”  In other words, just go out and be Christian.

Be the message before you speak the message. Isn’t that what Paul is saying?   “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”  Why this approach?    Because we live in a Biblically uninformed age, and many people don’t have the vocabulary of the Church or the Bible at their disposal.  We are living in an age where in many cases we have to start at ground zero and earn our way into the lives of people who do desperately need God but don’t know that it is God they need.  For some, there is a built-in resistance and hostility to the Gospel.  This is a whole new set of challenges.  Rushing into their lives with lots of words can do more damage than good. 

How do we be the church in our Corinth?  I’m sure there are as many answers to that question as there are Christians asking them.  I am also sure that God is more interested in reaching lost and broken people then you and I are.  In that light I would say that the most important things you and I can do in an effort to become all things to all people so that by all possible means we might save some, is to

1.    Get ourselves into the throne room of grace, and pray the Holy Spirit will find ways to break into the lives of people in ways that will draw them to life in Jesus.  This assignment is bigger than you or me.  We need God.

2.    Saturate our lives in the Word of God because “the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews. 4:12, NIV).

3.    Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus “the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2, NIV).  He is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6, NIV).  Stay close to Jesus, trust Him, keep your eyes fixed on Him. 

4.    Trust that God is more interested in reaching people than you and me.  Trust His love.  Trust His heart.  Trust His compassion.  Trust His work on the cross.  It is not about you and me.  It is about God loving the world so much that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life and have it to the full (John 3:16 and 10:10).

5.    Live the message before you try to articulate it. As someone once said, “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  It might just come down to this.  CARE. 

6.    Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you.  Live an attractive life for God.  Be a fragrant aroma of Christ (Ephesians 5:2, 2 Corinthians 2:15).

7.    Let God be God.  Only God can draw people to Himself.  Live the life of one embraced by grace. Leave results to God.

“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some…. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”

-- I Cor. 9:22, Romans 1:16