Dan Brown's best-seller, The DaVinci Code, is a subtle piece of indoctrination, anti-Christian at its core. Woven into a compelling story are assertions about the doctrines of Christianity- which if true - would rewrite the Bible. I read the book over the weekend and have to agree that it is a fun to read book that kept me turning the pages with a fast paced storyline. But, the premises on which Brown builds his story will, if believed to be true, destroy the Gospel of Christ! A key character in the story is one Leigh Teabing, an English scholar, knight of the realm, and raconteur par excellence. Teabing claims that the Bible is a construct of a few men under the influence of Constantine to erase nature worship and the 'divine feminine.' Teabing claims that until 325 AD, "Jesus was viewed by his followers as a mortal prophet . . . a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal." "Jesus establishment as the 'Son of God' was officially proposed and voted by the Council of Nicea." "Christ as Messiah was critical to the functioning of Church and state... the early Church literally stole Jesus from his original followers, hijacking his human message...." (all quotes from page 233)
Because the novel is packaged by its author as a fictional story that is written around real historical facts, there are millions who swallow the assertions about the Bible's origins, about the 'real' identity of Jesus, uncritically. But, the scholarship that underlies the story is wrong; a reconstruction of select facts and total fabrications arranged to fit a set of assumptions that ignore the supernatural claims of the New Testament, that dismiss long-standing facts about the authenticity of the Bible, and that want to make Jesus into a great Teacher while taking away His claim to be 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' If Jesus is not God come to Earth, a unique God/Man; then he simply takes his place among other spiritual teachers of history and we are free to pick and choose from his words, mixing and matching them with those of the Buddha, of Mohammed, of Confucius, and our Grandpa! If He is not a person unique in history and 'full of grace and truth,' why are we not free to create our own eclectic religion of self-made rules, freely bent and shaped to fit our particular life choices? The troubling issue of "Truth" is gone, replaced by "preference" which allows each one of do whatever is right in our own eyes! How convenient for a society that worships autonomy and choice!
I would be the first to admit that the Truth which Jesus said would set us free has been turned into a cruel set of rules used by various groups down through history to protect their preferred status, to enrich those in power, to enslave, and as an excuse to wage war and kill. The claim to hold the "Truth" has been twisted in our own time by local pastors and congregations to hurt, ostracize, and marginalize people out of favor ! That is tragic, evil, and indefensible. But the answer is not to try to erase the identity of Jesus Christ to make Him more 'people friendly.' Instead, we do well to reclaim the Jesus that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John presented to the world - as witnesses to the Truth- just a few decades after He walked the pathways of Palestine.
They present us with a Man who brought words of life, who demonstrated His uniqueness, His authority, and His love with acts of caring, with incredible wisdom, and with miracles. To me, the majesty of His claim to be the Judge of all the earth lies in His willingness to be the Servant Savior of all. He is the Man of the Cross as well as the Lord of the Universe. I have no qualms about submitting myself to One who would leave Heaven, endure scorn and rejection, who would challenge people intent on using power to oppress, and ultimately die for the very people who rejected His message. Such a Man has demonstrated so great a love that I willingly accept His judgment, willingly bow myself before His Truth - because that which He demands of me is not designed for His good, but rather to give me life! He said, "It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63, NLT)
Don't be duped by those who, in the name of truth, would rob you of the Truth. Yes, they may well have confused the religion of men, which is the letter of the law that kills, with the Gospel that liberates and gives life. They may even believe that they are doing you and me a service by freeing us from 'silly superstitions.'
Here's Jesus' prayer for you and me.
Meditate on it today and feel the power of the Spirit and Truth!
"Now I’m returning to you. I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn’t join the world’s ways,
Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth." (John 17:13-17, The Message)
_____________
Come and see the beauty of the Lord,
Come and know the wonder of His grace,
Come and seehow much He cares for you,
Gaze at the compassion on His face.
Come and touch the nail prints in His hands,
Find the Friend who truly understands,
Come and stand beneaththe blood-stained Cross,
Proof of His unchanging love for us.
He is worthy,worthy of our praise,
He is worthy,worthy of our praise,
He is glorious,He is wonderful,
He is everything to me!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Apathy - who cares?
Remember that irritating phrase - "whatever?" that was part of the American conversation for a few years? It was a way to casually sidestep commitment or opinion, "whatever, dude." It was the catch phrase of the stereo-typical detached young adult, intent on but one thing - having fun. Anything that asked for engagement, that required thought or effort, that would be costly was met with "Whatever!" I reacted viscerally to the whole thing. I couldn't be blasé in the company of such apathy. Curiously, it aroused something akin to rage in me! The phrase had faded from usage but not the attitude of apathy it represented. For many people, there is a studied indifference to life, to human need; yes, to God Himself.
Apathy comes to us from Latin roots - 'a' which means without; and "pathos" which means, feeling or emotion. There are multiple causes for the development of detachment. Depression is one common cause. Fatigue is another. Some people go at life or some problem full speed ahead, giving their all, and they burn out! When their expectations are frustrated, others do not respond with similar passion for the 'cause,' or their efforts make little difference, they are spent, disillusioned, and apathy results. I'd suggest that there is an even more common cause of apathy than any of the above - Self-absorption! We fall in love with ourselves, our comfort, our TV's, our diversions and games, and our exercise regimes. Our focus in life shifts from purposeful living in the service of Christ and others to ourselves. Because we are so 'busy' we live with the illusion that our lives are full and rich when, in fact, many of us are accomplishing little or nothing of value - frittering away the precious moments of life on worthless, empty activities that feed our self-centeredness!
The call of God is that we are passionate people, who care deeply. When asked how to please God, Jesus did not say, "Live a balanced life - making sure to get 8 hours of sleep each night, taking your exercise regularly, getting your manicure and massage, and scheduled vacations." The kind of life He requires is wildly passionate, engaged - "...love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” Luke 10:27-29 (The Message) Love of this quality is the very opposite of the apathy that marks the lives of so many people.
Jesus went on in that same passage to tell a story that illustrates the kind of love He is looking for in us. It's a familiar parable and many of you will be tempted to skim it, but I want to urge you to slow down and savor the words of the Master. He said,
“A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a Jewish priest came along; but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man. ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Luke 10:30-37 (NLT)
Two morally upright, religious, but self-absorbed men saw the bloody, beaten man by the road, but felt that their agenda was more important than loving another. With studied indifference they walked on by. I wonder if they said a quick prayer to soothe their consciences? But another, a person from a group that was felt to be morally and religiously inferior, let his heart be touched by the plight of another human being. He set aside his own plans and, at significant cost to himself, got involved! Jesus command? Go and do the same!
Think you can't make a difference, that your efforts are like a drop in the bucket?
Serve where you have opportunity. Make the difference for one, or two. Leave the rest to God and those He calls to serve alongside of you.
When we appear before Jesus to give an accounting of the way we used our resources and opportunities - He won't ask if we changed the world. He'll ask, "were you faithful?"
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ -- Matthew 25:34-40 (The Message)
Apathy comes to us from Latin roots - 'a' which means without; and "pathos" which means, feeling or emotion. There are multiple causes for the development of detachment. Depression is one common cause. Fatigue is another. Some people go at life or some problem full speed ahead, giving their all, and they burn out! When their expectations are frustrated, others do not respond with similar passion for the 'cause,' or their efforts make little difference, they are spent, disillusioned, and apathy results. I'd suggest that there is an even more common cause of apathy than any of the above - Self-absorption! We fall in love with ourselves, our comfort, our TV's, our diversions and games, and our exercise regimes. Our focus in life shifts from purposeful living in the service of Christ and others to ourselves. Because we are so 'busy' we live with the illusion that our lives are full and rich when, in fact, many of us are accomplishing little or nothing of value - frittering away the precious moments of life on worthless, empty activities that feed our self-centeredness!
The call of God is that we are passionate people, who care deeply. When asked how to please God, Jesus did not say, "Live a balanced life - making sure to get 8 hours of sleep each night, taking your exercise regularly, getting your manicure and massage, and scheduled vacations." The kind of life He requires is wildly passionate, engaged - "...love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” Luke 10:27-29 (The Message) Love of this quality is the very opposite of the apathy that marks the lives of so many people.
Jesus went on in that same passage to tell a story that illustrates the kind of love He is looking for in us. It's a familiar parable and many of you will be tempted to skim it, but I want to urge you to slow down and savor the words of the Master. He said,
“A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a Jewish priest came along; but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man. ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Luke 10:30-37 (NLT)
Two morally upright, religious, but self-absorbed men saw the bloody, beaten man by the road, but felt that their agenda was more important than loving another. With studied indifference they walked on by. I wonder if they said a quick prayer to soothe their consciences? But another, a person from a group that was felt to be morally and religiously inferior, let his heart be touched by the plight of another human being. He set aside his own plans and, at significant cost to himself, got involved! Jesus command? Go and do the same!
Think you can't make a difference, that your efforts are like a drop in the bucket?
Serve where you have opportunity. Make the difference for one, or two. Leave the rest to God and those He calls to serve alongside of you.
When we appear before Jesus to give an accounting of the way we used our resources and opportunities - He won't ask if we changed the world. He'll ask, "were you faithful?"
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ -- Matthew 25:34-40 (The Message)
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Now, patiently wait for Him!
My daughter and I chatted on the phone yesterday about my dislike of 'loose ends' in life, I shared with her some of the ways in which I have recently observed God's plans working out- and I laughed as I said, "He really does love me!" How could I have ever thought otherwise, given my years of walking with the Lord? I haven't doubted His love, but like most people who He puts in His waiting room, leaving them in a situation that to all appearances isn't going well, I had been tempted to conclude that God had forgotten me or shelved me. Then, the knots started to unravel, the pieces started to fall into place, and I realized, anew, how He's been at work all along.
Habakkuk, the prophet, was tempted to conclude that God had stopped working. He went to prayer and heard these words from the Spirit: "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith." (Habakkuk 2:2-4, NLT)
In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul talks about the purposes of God working out in life, differently than he had planned, but ultimately for the greater good. He is under house arrest in Rome, kept from his preaching travels in the Empire. Those who looked at his life's situation could have concluded that God had sidelined the apostle in a dead-end place. But it wasn't true! God was allowing him to multiply his effectiveness by putting him among the 'movers and shakers' of the Roman world. He wrote, "everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ." (Philippians 1:12-14, NLT) He was evangelizing the soldiers of the palace guard, the elite young men of the realm! Everyday they stood in the room where he prayed, wrote, counseled, and taught. They learned about the living Lord. Some were converted and took the message back to their homes and families.
Be patient. Pray for faith. Ask God to steady you until you're able to grasp the 'what, why, and when' of His purposes. That's not an easy assignment. Some will mock you as you profess your trust in God. Like Job's not so wonderful wife who saw his plight, they will advise you to "Curse God and die!" (Job 2.9) But, like Job, hang onto your trust in Him. It's just fine to cry when it hurts. God sees your tears and weeps along with you. It's just fine to pray, "how long, Lord, before this night breaks into day?" He, too, is waiting for the day when His kingdom comes!
But, never doubt His love or His ability to accomplish His purposes!
Take this promise with you today. Meditate on it and let the eternal Word strengthen your faithful resolve to serve the Lord.
"So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed.They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause." (Isaiah 55:11-12, The Message)
Habakkuk, the prophet, was tempted to conclude that God had stopped working. He went to prayer and heard these words from the Spirit: "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith." (Habakkuk 2:2-4, NLT)
In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul talks about the purposes of God working out in life, differently than he had planned, but ultimately for the greater good. He is under house arrest in Rome, kept from his preaching travels in the Empire. Those who looked at his life's situation could have concluded that God had sidelined the apostle in a dead-end place. But it wasn't true! God was allowing him to multiply his effectiveness by putting him among the 'movers and shakers' of the Roman world. He wrote, "everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ." (Philippians 1:12-14, NLT) He was evangelizing the soldiers of the palace guard, the elite young men of the realm! Everyday they stood in the room where he prayed, wrote, counseled, and taught. They learned about the living Lord. Some were converted and took the message back to their homes and families.
Be patient. Pray for faith. Ask God to steady you until you're able to grasp the 'what, why, and when' of His purposes. That's not an easy assignment. Some will mock you as you profess your trust in God. Like Job's not so wonderful wife who saw his plight, they will advise you to "Curse God and die!" (Job 2.9) But, like Job, hang onto your trust in Him. It's just fine to cry when it hurts. God sees your tears and weeps along with you. It's just fine to pray, "how long, Lord, before this night breaks into day?" He, too, is waiting for the day when His kingdom comes!
But, never doubt His love or His ability to accomplish His purposes!
Take this promise with you today. Meditate on it and let the eternal Word strengthen your faithful resolve to serve the Lord.
"So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed.They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause." (Isaiah 55:11-12, The Message)
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Can you see the Promised Land?
Some of you can probably remember when Bush I, ran for the Presidency of the U.S. against Bill Clinton. Much was made of "the vision thing," as the media dubbed it. It was claimed that President George H. W. Bush was a manager who led the nation without a clear leadership vision. Though he was a good and decent man, he failed to inspire the nation. Did he actually lack vision or was this accusation simply an invention of the press? I don't know, but what I do know is that the Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18, KJV) Vision is what causes us to sacrifice, to reach higher, to achieve great things. Without it, people give themselves over to fighting, to selfishness, to indulgence of sensual whims.
Vision is an incredibly important part of reaching God's goals - for our personal life, our family, our church, our local community, or our nation! My life is pulled along by a God-given vision of being a man whose words and actions honors the Lord- as a good and loving husband and father, and as a person who provides solid leadership to the local church that God has called me to shepherd. When that vision is sharp and clear, it makes saying "no" to certain things much easier. For example, when greed creeps up on me and whispers in my ear... if I start to look around and compare my pile of things with what others have... I am tempted by other more lucrative opportunities. But, if I look up and renew the vision, the voice of greed falls silent and I remain faithful to God's calling.
In the organization that I lead, I know that my greatest challenge, my most important work, is to impart vision, to help people see the 'Promised Land.' By that I don't just mean Heaven! God has charged me to help people see who they can be by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He has charged me to help people see the world as God desires it to be, not as it is. Am I always good at that? Nope, 'cause like Bush I, sometimes I fall into management instead of leadership. I get so taken with making sure that the system is running smoothly, that I don't see the 'big picture' as clearly as I should.
Visions are powerful, yet fragile. They motivate people to change, but they die without constant tending. Naturally, we are not visionary. It takes effort and inspiration to lift our eyes to see past our appetites, our comfort, our attachment to the present, to begin to love the vision of a new future! God calls on us to have faith and reminds us that without faith that 'sees' His vision for life, we will never please Him. To understand that, consider the story of the Exodus. When Moses led the Israeli people out of Egypt, they followed him with excitement- for a short while. When things got rough and they grew tired, the vision of the Promised Land faded and they started to whine: “We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” (Numbers 11:5-6, NLT) They forgot that those foods came to them at the cost of their freedom, at the cost of the lives of their sons and daughters. They forgot that they were slaves and remembered only the stuff that they put in their bellies!
What vision has God given to you?
Are you keeping it sharp, tending it, renewing it by regular times when you re-connect with the Spirit who gave it to you?
Memory is deceptive and selective! Yesterday's victories and defeats must be left behind as we pursue the calling that God has given to us. If we look back, a rosy glow will come over our vision causing us to long for what we can never have again. We will fall into sin as our vision is clouded with reminisce. If we look forward, God will show us the "Promised Land" of His provision,drawing us to become holy people that honor His Name.
Here's the promise - “I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike." (Joel 2:28-29, NLT) _______________________
Father, give me spiritual eyes that see the promise,
the possible, not just the probable.
Renew Your dream in me, causing me to see the Promised Land.
When I start to love my food, my TV, my comfort -
more than I love You, Your callings -
forgive me and send me messengers that renew the vision.
Pour out the Spirit on me, like a refreshing rain that causes
new life to burst out.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Vision is an incredibly important part of reaching God's goals - for our personal life, our family, our church, our local community, or our nation! My life is pulled along by a God-given vision of being a man whose words and actions honors the Lord- as a good and loving husband and father, and as a person who provides solid leadership to the local church that God has called me to shepherd. When that vision is sharp and clear, it makes saying "no" to certain things much easier. For example, when greed creeps up on me and whispers in my ear... if I start to look around and compare my pile of things with what others have... I am tempted by other more lucrative opportunities. But, if I look up and renew the vision, the voice of greed falls silent and I remain faithful to God's calling.
In the organization that I lead, I know that my greatest challenge, my most important work, is to impart vision, to help people see the 'Promised Land.' By that I don't just mean Heaven! God has charged me to help people see who they can be by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He has charged me to help people see the world as God desires it to be, not as it is. Am I always good at that? Nope, 'cause like Bush I, sometimes I fall into management instead of leadership. I get so taken with making sure that the system is running smoothly, that I don't see the 'big picture' as clearly as I should.
Visions are powerful, yet fragile. They motivate people to change, but they die without constant tending. Naturally, we are not visionary. It takes effort and inspiration to lift our eyes to see past our appetites, our comfort, our attachment to the present, to begin to love the vision of a new future! God calls on us to have faith and reminds us that without faith that 'sees' His vision for life, we will never please Him. To understand that, consider the story of the Exodus. When Moses led the Israeli people out of Egypt, they followed him with excitement- for a short while. When things got rough and they grew tired, the vision of the Promised Land faded and they started to whine: “We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” (Numbers 11:5-6, NLT) They forgot that those foods came to them at the cost of their freedom, at the cost of the lives of their sons and daughters. They forgot that they were slaves and remembered only the stuff that they put in their bellies!
What vision has God given to you?
Are you keeping it sharp, tending it, renewing it by regular times when you re-connect with the Spirit who gave it to you?
Memory is deceptive and selective! Yesterday's victories and defeats must be left behind as we pursue the calling that God has given to us. If we look back, a rosy glow will come over our vision causing us to long for what we can never have again. We will fall into sin as our vision is clouded with reminisce. If we look forward, God will show us the "Promised Land" of His provision,drawing us to become holy people that honor His Name.
Here's the promise - “I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike." (Joel 2:28-29, NLT) _______________________
Father, give me spiritual eyes that see the promise,
the possible, not just the probable.
Renew Your dream in me, causing me to see the Promised Land.
When I start to love my food, my TV, my comfort -
more than I love You, Your callings -
forgive me and send me messengers that renew the vision.
Pour out the Spirit on me, like a refreshing rain that causes
new life to burst out.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Monday, May 08, 2006
"I know the truth!" Really?
When I was a younger man, I lived with the illusion that all questions had easy answers, that all problems had simple solutions! I made a fool of myself more than once by suggesting that I understood things that I didn't 'get' at all. I ignored the mysteries of life, preferring 'black and white' to gray. I'm still an action-oriented guy, who pushes for solutions and results. However I've also learned that seldom, if ever, is a situation exactly what it appears to be on the surface because life is multi-faceted with overlapping issues and competing needs; and people are complex- a mix of good and evil, of high and low motives. Thus, I now conclude that the best solutions and answers to the challenges that we encounter in life will emerge from rich dialogue involving diverse perspectives.
These days there are few things get under my skin as much as labels that lead to simplistic, jingoistic jargon and avoidance of real interaction. Sticking a pejorative label on another person makes it easy to ignore everything he has to say.
Why would a 'liberal' listen to a 'conservative?'
What can a "Presbyterian" learn from a "Pentecostal"? (or vice versa!)
Why would a "Bible-believing" Christian engage in dialogue with a "neo-orthodox" Christian?
Can those of "free will" Arminian and "sovereignty of God" Reformed persuasions come together in the cause of the Kingdom?
Is there common ground to be found between those committed to "contemporary" and "traditional" worship styles?
Yes, I know that these labels help us to identify our positions on various issues. I am not suggesting that having convictions or doctrinal persuasions is a terrible thing. What I'm advocating is listening without immediate judgment! It's amazing what we can learn from a person with a very different point of view when we take time to really talk with them, to draw them out from behind their defenses. But, given our human pride, active and engaged listening is a skill that is most difficult to learn well!
Listen to this appeal from the Scripture - "I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. I bring this up because some from Chloe’s family brought a most disturbing report to my attention—that you’re fighting among yourselves! I’ll tell you exactly what I was told: You’re all picking sides, going around saying, “I’m on Paul’s side,” or “I’m for Apollos,” or “Peter is my man,” or “I’m in the Messiah group.” I ask you, “Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, The Message)
If you and I hope to reach our world with the Good News about Jesus Christ we must learn to listen! We cannot offer answer until we understand the questions. I know that I've been guilty too often of offering people answers for questions they aren't asking, because I only half-listened to them, only half-understood their situation, and then presented them with a solution that fit my pre-conceived notions about their need. Francis Schaeffer was a prophetic voice whose writings had wide influence on Christianity a generation ago. Though he was a man of keen intellect and sharp insight, a person who had clearly defined theology and strong convictions, he was also very effective in sharing the Christian message with those most resistant to evangelism. He did it by listening! He took time to understand the culture, to learn the language and philosophy of the time, and then to wisely allow the Spirit to form his words into new ways of presenting the unchanging truth of the Gospel. In the late 70's and early 80's Dr. Schaeffer was a leading prophetic voice whose influence is still felt throughout the Church today.
Are you listening? Are building walls around or bridges to other people?
These days there are few things get under my skin as much as labels that lead to simplistic, jingoistic jargon and avoidance of real interaction. Sticking a pejorative label on another person makes it easy to ignore everything he has to say.
Why would a 'liberal' listen to a 'conservative?'
What can a "Presbyterian" learn from a "Pentecostal"? (or vice versa!)
Why would a "Bible-believing" Christian engage in dialogue with a "neo-orthodox" Christian?
Can those of "free will" Arminian and "sovereignty of God" Reformed persuasions come together in the cause of the Kingdom?
Is there common ground to be found between those committed to "contemporary" and "traditional" worship styles?
Yes, I know that these labels help us to identify our positions on various issues. I am not suggesting that having convictions or doctrinal persuasions is a terrible thing. What I'm advocating is listening without immediate judgment! It's amazing what we can learn from a person with a very different point of view when we take time to really talk with them, to draw them out from behind their defenses. But, given our human pride, active and engaged listening is a skill that is most difficult to learn well!
Listen to this appeal from the Scripture - "I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. I bring this up because some from Chloe’s family brought a most disturbing report to my attention—that you’re fighting among yourselves! I’ll tell you exactly what I was told: You’re all picking sides, going around saying, “I’m on Paul’s side,” or “I’m for Apollos,” or “Peter is my man,” or “I’m in the Messiah group.” I ask you, “Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, The Message)
If you and I hope to reach our world with the Good News about Jesus Christ we must learn to listen! We cannot offer answer until we understand the questions. I know that I've been guilty too often of offering people answers for questions they aren't asking, because I only half-listened to them, only half-understood their situation, and then presented them with a solution that fit my pre-conceived notions about their need. Francis Schaeffer was a prophetic voice whose writings had wide influence on Christianity a generation ago. Though he was a man of keen intellect and sharp insight, a person who had clearly defined theology and strong convictions, he was also very effective in sharing the Christian message with those most resistant to evangelism. He did it by listening! He took time to understand the culture, to learn the language and philosophy of the time, and then to wisely allow the Spirit to form his words into new ways of presenting the unchanging truth of the Gospel. In the late 70's and early 80's Dr. Schaeffer was a leading prophetic voice whose influence is still felt throughout the Church today.
Are you listening? Are building walls around or bridges to other people?
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