A More Supreme Truth

Jesus lived in a time when all kinds of things He didn't like were perfectly legal. In fact, He was crucified under Roman and Jewish laws there were completely against His will.

And yet, what did He say to government leaders when He had the chance?

• "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here" (Jn 18:36).
• "For this reason I was born, and for this reason I have come into the world: in order that I can testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice" (Jn 18:37).
• "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above" (Jn 19:11).
• And sometimes, Jesus just said nothing at all to defend Himself.

Jesus never tried to overthrow the government. His was not a political movement. His movement was to transform the world through transforming people with the Gospel. He handpicked and trained ordinary people He called His "disciples" to send out just as He was sent (Jn 20:21), to carry on the same mission in the same manner.

Paul, who was one of the Apostles who followed Jesus after His death, was a most prolific emissary throughout the Roman world. He was a full citizen of the empire and saw the atrocities firsthand. Even so, his campaign was not to change the empire's rules, but to change people within the empire with the Gospel. Some of those folks even lived in the very heart of Rome (see the entire book of Romans). When he closed out his letter to the church in Philippi, he said "All the saints greet you, and especially those of Caesar’s household" (Php 4:22). Apparently, some within Caesar's own household were followers of Christ. They weren't there to take over - they were folks holding down their "government jobs" in the center of it all ... as followers of Jesus.

Luke wrote two long volumes to his friend Theophilus (cf. Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-5). There is strong speculation among scholars that Theophilus, a follower of Jesus, was well-placed in government. But the accounts Luke writes to Theophilus are not stories of overthrowing the Roman government, but rather stories of the world being turned "upside down" (Acts 17:6) by people sharing and living the truth about Jesus.

In light of recent events, I want to encourage you no matter what your view is of how Christians should be involved in the affairs of government. Some of you don't care one lick about politics, some of you intentionally withdraw from it, some of you talk about it and vote and maybe dabble here and there, and some of you dive right into the heart of it. I want to encourage all of you: 

No matter how you choose to engage the affairs of government, Jesus' primary means of changing the world has always been through His followers telling others about Him, and loving and living like He did.

That's it. That simple, that relational, that normal, that daily. Not just one or the other - not just talking about Him and not just living like He did and not even just being really loving, but all three. There may be all kinds of secondary means (which we can debate). But the primary means never changed. Therefore, it must remain the modern Christian's primary means, too, no matter what.

This neither precludes nor prescribes any particular approach to being involved in the political process. Some followers of Jesus were from the very beginning well-placed in government. Paul's bacon was saved several times because he had good relations with government leaders (and he was threatened by the bad relations!). Others had their noses down, focused on the families and work. But even in the context of a government far worse than most modern Western nations, the strategy never wavered. Followers of Jesus talking about Him, and loving and living like He did.

To rely more on any other method is to claim we have a better strategy than He did. To expect any other method to be more effective is to claim His way wasn't timeless.

Did you hear what happened to Jenny? I can't believe it! It's awful, and we really need to pray for her. Don't tell anyone, but...

Well, this is kind of typical of David. You know how he is. This time, he...

We all do it, often without thinking about it. Gossip, rumors, and accusations. It's one part genuine concern and three parts being the one "in the know." The only way that others will know that you are in the know is to let them know what you know. That's a long sentence that means "gossip." We do care for others, but sometimes we have a funny way of showing it. No ... not "funny." "Terrible." Sometimes we have a terrible way of showing it.

Paul mentions gossiping a few times:

Romans 1:29-31: They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. (http://ref.ly/Rom1.29-31)

1 Corinthians 12:20: I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. 

(http://ref.ly/1Cor12.20)

What strikes me about these two lists is what Paul puts gossiping on par with. Wickedness! Malice! Envy! Murder! Deceit! Intense anger! Hating God! Gossip! That's some seriously bad company gossip keeps. When we gossip, no matter how concerned we are for someone else's well-being, we are participating in a very ugly list of offenses, on the same level as insolence, hostility, and murder. Gossip is not a little thing to God.

Sometimes we are told in confidence, and then gossip has the double offense of violating a  trust and confidence. Other times, we're not told in confidence. But that doesn't excuse gossip one little bit. But we still do it, often with the idea that generally speaking, people shouldn't be talking this way, but this is just one little time, and to just one other person. What? "It's bad for everyone, but it's OK in this case ... because it's me, and I'm not a gossip. And I care." Ruthless!

There can also be a sick little pleasure in talking about someone who is more messed up than we are. It's a little vacation from our own faults. At least I'm not guilty of ... that! Jesus says that before we remove the speck out of our brother's eye, we should remove the log from our own. That also applies to gossip and the sick vacation it can be. If I gossip about your speck, then I can ignore my log for a while.

Even if you can substantiate what is being said, if you don't have permission to say it, don't say it (except under the rarest of extenuating circumstances, such as physical danger). Even if you do have permission to say it and can substantiate it, don't say it to anyone who has no business hearing about it.

Examine yourself. I would guess most of us have done this recently. Gossip is a villain who keeps bad company, according to God's Word. Repent of it. Flee from the temptation to be in the know or take a mini-vacation from your other faults and sin. If you have concern that a brother or sister is in sin, then Matthew 18:15-17 (http://ref.ly/Mat18.15-17) provides a great framework on how to deal with it without gossip.

But mainly, just shut up.

And I mean that lovingly.

Why Does God Allow Life to Stink?

Giorgia is a young woman who lives in a suburb of Rome who we've known since she was a little girl. She is as sweet as gelato. She has cystic fibrosis, and is waiting for a lung transplant. She will die a young woman without it. Her mother, a good friend and dear sister in Christ, died suddenly some years ago from an aneurism. Parts of Giorgia's life stink, although I think she would say her life overall doesn't stink.

This week, I visited David, and elderly, wonderful, godly man who is dying from cancer. He wept telling us how good God is. He's in constant, but managed, pain. Parts of David's life stink, but he'll tell you honestly that he's rejoicing.

I could add to this list. You could add to this list. We most likely have mutual friends who belong on this list. Wonderful people with profoundly unwonderful aspects of their lives.

There are some famous authors who address the suffering of decent people, some unhelpful (such as Kushner) and some quite helpful (such as Lewis). I won't try to improve on them. My point here is shorter and simpler.

Whatever reasons God has for allowing suffering, even among the most decent of people, one thing that happens through the suffering is the revelation of how much God is God.

We want to ask, "Where was God when Giorgia's mom had an aneurism or when the typhoon killed hundreds?" Perhaps we should ask instead, "If God is only around when life doesn't stink, how much of a God is He really?" If He's only the God of good times, then he's not a very extensive God.

The god-ness of God is not affected by man's circumstance. But man's perception of God often is. If there is any God of good times, then He must also be God of bad times, or He's not God at all. He is so much God that His reign remains secure even when life stinks. Suffering reveals the breadth of God's god-ness.

He is still with us being God in the bad times. He must in order to be God. Some people, like David, have keen enough insight to weep at His greatness even when ebbing away toward death. And He promises to one day restore all things through His Son.

Kingdom Passion for the World

In last Sunday's message, I asked what your "Kingdom passion for the world" is. Put another way, what is something about the Kingdom of God that stirs you emotionally enough to bring it to this world? The Kingdom of God is marked by complete shalom, a complete wellness and peace in every aspect. The Kingdom of God is holy and just and good. Our destiny in the Kingdom is to be fully restored. What jazzes you about the Kingdom in a way that you want to bring that something to others here and now?

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." In praying that, if we really mean that prayer, we are opening ourselves up to God for Him to perhaps answer the prayer through us. We will never bring the fullness of the Kingdom to this world, but at the core of how Jesus wants us to pray and to orient ourselves is this idea of continually bringing aspects of the Kingdom of God to those around us.

Since there are a myriad of perfect attributes of the Kingdom, there are plenty to go around for followers of Jesus to be passionate about. Your passion doesn't have to be my passion, and we can work in harmony in making the Kingdom tangible for others. I feel quite certain that every follower of Jesus can have His passion for at least one aspect of the Kingdom for this world.

What is yours? I'd love to hear what it is.

If you don't have an idea what it might be, would you be willing to seek the Lord's face about it in prayer, to ask Him and listen to see if perhaps He's waiting to unleash such a passion in you? Not just a five minute prayer, but a long-range pursuit until God answers!

Furthermore, how can we, the people who are called "church," help you pursue that passion? What encouragement, equipping, networking, and companionship might we offer to help you passionately do on earth as it is in heaven?

Please email me any thoughts, questions, or ideas you have. Let's talk.

You're Not Able

I was recently talking with a friend who has a special needs child. In the last year, they have also decided to foster another special needs child who is 19 years old biologically, but not as old emotionally and psychologically. This young woman has been bounced around the foster system because few people are equipped to help her as she needs. She has been repeatedly told, "You can't, you're not able, you're not smart enough, you're disabled, someone else ... someone more capable ... must do that for you." Not surprisingly, she has come to believe what she has been repeatedly told about herself. My friend and his wife are committed to the slow process of showing her she's capable of so much more, that she doesn't need to use the "disabled" label to excuse her from flourishing as she's capable. They know this will take years and the Lord's longsuffering to be manifest in their lives.

I believe that too often in the recent history of the Western church, the same thing has occurred. Followers of Jesus have been told that they can't, they aren't able, and that someone better than they are must do it for them - the missionaries, the pastors, and maybe a few elders ... they are the ones who can do ministry, and must do it for you, because quite frankly, you don't have the training or maturity. You've been a believer for 19 years, but you're not able to perform at that level, so we'll do it for you. And not surprisingly, the Christ followers have believed to some degree what they have been told about themselves and have adopted the "spiritually disabled" label as an excuse to not engage in the ministry of the Gospel.

Just as it will take this young woman time to believe something new about herself, the same is true for any Christ follower who has bought into these untruths about himself or herself. My friend can't just tell their foster child, "You're capable" and expect her to suddenly change her self identity. Likewise, friends and church leaders can't just write an article or teach a class or preach a sermon to say, "You're capable" and expect an errant self identity to change. Patience is required to "unbelieve" a long-held untruth.

Have you been told that you are not capable, and that you need "more capable" people handle the church's mission for you? Have you bought into that untruth, even a little? Remember that the power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you, and that Christ is our sufficiency and qualificiation. And then embrace that it may take a while for you to shake these untruths. Look forward and see that our self-identity can change toward the truth that we are not disabled, but enabled by the Holy Spirit. And have patience for others as they embrace the same truth about themselves.

I Would Never Do That

There is one thing for sure that God tells us to do that He would never do Himself.

That just sounds wrong, but it's true. We criticize parents, for example, who do the very things they tell their kids not to do, like swear or lose one's temper. "Do as I say, not as I do" is widely criticized as a terrible way to lead. Instead, many leadership books today remind leaders that they must lead by example or they won't lead effectively. And yet, there's at least one thing God tell us to do that He absolutely will never do.

Any guesses? Maybe it's something like, "worship God." However, Jesus demonstrated worshipfulness by example many times while on earth. Related things like "glorify God" are certainly things the incarnate Jesus did. Maybe it's something that God would never, ever do, like "sin." But God would never command us to do that. How about something very human, like "get married"? That's a possible answer, but I'm not sure that's something the incarnate Jesus could not have done. Contrary to all these, the whole idea of following Jesus means to do what He did and be as He is. That's generally how discipleship works. How can He tell us to do something He'd never do?

God has two kinds of attributes. The first kind is called His communicable attributes, which are those attributes that we can and should have, such as mercy, compassion, love, boldness, truthtelling, generosity, etc. The second kind is called His incommunicable attributes - those attributes that we cannot have and should not strive for, such as sovereignty, autonomous glory, eternality, and so on. It was precisely the sin of Adam and Eve to seek the attributes of God that they were not supposed to have.

One thing for certain that God commands us to do, but He Himself will never do (indeed cannot ever do) is to change. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will not change. He cannot change. He is perfectly perfect, so He cannot become smarter, faster, stronger, more merciful, or more experienced. He cannot become less in any way, either. He is outside of time, and therefore cannot change (since change requires time). Changelessness is one of his incommunicable attributes - He is as much God as God will ever be.

Change. He can't; we must. We are less than, we are imperfect, we are unlike Christ in many ways. But our destiny in Christ is to become like Him. We are commanded to change, and in fact, the whole idea of discipleship is change - changes in our beliefs, actions, attitudes, hopes, and worldview - all toward more and more Christlikeness.

Therefore, we should never settle for where we are in our faith, our habits, our relationships, our knowledge, or our character. We should persistently pursue change, rather than rest on "good enough, better than most." Change stands out as one thing we're absolutely commanded and expected to do, but something that our God will never do.

In this one way, technically speaking, we can't follow Jesus' example - but it's what we must do in order to follow Him more.

D) Not as many of the above as it used to be

The last several weeks have been primarily dedicated to getting my folks moved. They were renting a home in Lawrence and now are enjoying "independent living with services" in Olathe. In nearly every respect, it has been a fantastic transition.

In helping them with this, I have had to face new questions - questions about our own future, but also questions about the aging process in general. Downsizing (which is a nice term for "letting go of things we really have enjoyed") is more than a process of deciding what to keep or even what memories to hold onto. There's a larger question, and it is about more than downsizing - it's about getting older.

The bigger question is about options.

The aging process is a slow reduction in options - options of activities, travel, diet, endurance, hobbies, and even expressing one's giftedness. Our years growing up are all about adding options, and the sunset years include the dismissal of options. Some options are dismissed involuntarily. Some are dismissed voluntarily, but not joyfully. And there are a few that are just pure relief to be rid of.

I think about the things my folks knew they needed to part with, but really didn't want to. I think about the things I will one day have to make the same decision for. It's not just the thing itself. And it's not always the memories and stories that are attached to the thing. It's that the thing represents another option, something I could do, and if I give up the thing, I am giving up an option. Chances are, giving up an option in later years means never getting it back.

To their credit, my folks did a great job letting go of things, memories, and even options. And to our pleasure, new options have opened up for them, because they now have a situation far better suited for their lives. (Dad, for example, didn't used to have free ice cream available every day at 3pm!)

Some of their items are now in our basement - too precious to let leave the family, but too bulky to move into their new space. As I was stacking those items this week, I mentally ticked through all the stuff in our house that belongs to us. How many of those things represent true, meaningful options? More importantly, how many of those things are merely burdensome, stealing away better options because of the maintenance and attention they require? How many of my things that I don't want to part with are actually thieves of my options?

What new options would I have if I shed myself of these thieves? What future options do I hinder because I demand these things now?

I want to sort through the entire house, now, and make a decision to keep or not keep items based on just one question - not based on value, not based on memories, not based on anything else other than options. True, meaningful options (lest I fall into the "just in case" trap!).

On an unrelated note, watch this space for a garage sale notice sometime soon. You'll need those options ... just in case.