We were talking about my friend [Fhqwhgads] at lunch, and someone asked how Fhqwhgads was doing, and someone else said, "Fhqwhgads is hanging on right now," and it was generally remarked upon that Fhqwhgads is the sort of person who always seems to be hanging on to life.
Fhqwhgads is very needy, emotionally and spiritually. A lot of the times, when you can classify your friends into people who invest and pour themselves into other people and people who need to be invested and poured into, Fhqwhgads falls squarely in the latter category. Fhqwhgads always ends up precariously balanced on razor-thin ice over a terrifying, rushing river of emotional and spiritual meltdown -- the world ends easily and often for Fhqwhgads. Fhqwhgads often seems unable to figure out the trick to living life. Fhqwhgads cries a lot.
According to Jesus, Fhqwhgads should be considered blessed because Fhqwhgads is poor in spirit and is one who mourns and therefore will have the Kingdom of Heaven and be comforted. Fhqwhgads should be considered like the Woman at the Well, whom Jesus meets directly and promises living water. Fhqwhgads should be considered like the tax collector who prayed with downcast eyes and went home justified instead of the righteous Pharisee. Fhqwhgads is the sort of broken that God can love the best.
If you don't know anyone like Fhqwhgads, then you don't know how hard it is to be Fhqwhgads's friend. It is a never-ending endeavor of forgiveness, humility, service, sacrifice, vulnerability, hardship, and love. It is difficult. Sometimes I fail and I think that Fhqwhgads is just a drain, not a giver or a source, someone who just needs and needs when all you do is give and give. God help us all when we think like that because it's hard not to sometimes. If I can't figure out why Fhqwhgads is blessed, and sometimes I really can't, then I'm no better off than Fhqwhgads.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Great Commission
The most recognizable rendition of the Great Commission comes from Matthew 28:
"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'"
In essence, Jesus says, "Hey guys, this one is from Me, and I have authority everywhere now. Go, Make disciples, Baptize, and Teach them."
If you look online, you'll find a lot of very strong statements on TGC, including "It's not the Great Suggestion," and "It goes without saying that ALL Christians have a responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission." It does go with saying that "The Great Commission" is not a term ascribed to this passage by the Bible, kind of like the term "Trinity." How can we determine whether this specific command from Jesus is to the eleven disciples He was directly addressing or to every Christian in every generation? I don't believe it goes without saying at all, so here are some thoughts:
1. Some would say that based on Mark 16:20 and Romans 16:25-26, the gospel has already been taken to "all nations." Which clearly, at this time period, wouldn't really mean all the nations of the world, but when The Great Commission uses the words "all nations," and those other two verses talk about the gospel having "been made known to all nations," it would seem like a fulfillment of a specific, finite command.
It reminds me of the case where Jesus cries out, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones the ones sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate, for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!'" And after reading that, you have to balance whether salvation will return to the Jewish people only after they have turned from evil and sought His face (2 Chronicles 7:14), or whether that Scripture had more specific tie-ins to the fact that, in Matthew 21, the Jewish masses in Jerusalem had welcomed Jesus into the city shouting, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!" The broader viewpoint is often more compelling and convicting, but the latter has enough Scriptural basis to make you wonder if this prophecy of Jesus is a more finite, specific case.
2. It's pretty clear that we are supposed to serve as the means of God's gospel going to the nations. Romans 10 makes the case, "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" If believers are supposed to be the means of God's salvation reaching the world, then the Great Commission certainly supports that end.
3. The idea that Jesus uses the phrase "to the very end of the age" suggests that His command covers a larger time frame than the lifetimes of the eleven disciples. It's not immediately apparent what "the very end of the age" means, but it's probably longer than one generation.
4. If the eleven disciples were supposed to teach people to "observe all that Jesus commanded," then they should probably teach their disciples to observe this last command of Jesus to "go and make disciples." So the Great Commission, by including this "teach" command, is self-perpetuating, like a "Go To" function. That's just good, solid algorithmic logic.
5. The kicker for me is that my faith and probably yours is a direct result of Christians being obedient to the Great Commission. Even if it's not clear from Scripture that the Great Commission is intended for all Christians, the fact that you and I are believers in Christ is a testament to many Christians in many generations taking this command to heart and making disciples. That seems like pretty strong evidence that they were doing what they were supposed to be doing.
I think most people would agree with me that we are supposed to follow the Great Commission, that we are sent with a mission ("commission" -- "with a mission") by the highest Authority to Go, to Make disciples, to Baptize them in His name, and to Teach them everything Jesus said.
So we shouldn't be, but we probably will be, challenged by the following queries:
Is the directive "of all nations" for every single believer to take to heart, or a directive to the body of Christ at large? In other words, does every believer have an obligation to be nation-minded, or should the body of Christ as a whole be targeting to all nations?
How many disciples have you made? Who are they?
Where have you Gone? How are you Making disciples? How have you Baptized them? What have you Taught them?
"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'"
In essence, Jesus says, "Hey guys, this one is from Me, and I have authority everywhere now. Go, Make disciples, Baptize, and Teach them."
If you look online, you'll find a lot of very strong statements on TGC, including "It's not the Great Suggestion," and "It goes without saying that ALL Christians have a responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission." It does go with saying that "The Great Commission" is not a term ascribed to this passage by the Bible, kind of like the term "Trinity." How can we determine whether this specific command from Jesus is to the eleven disciples He was directly addressing or to every Christian in every generation? I don't believe it goes without saying at all, so here are some thoughts:
1. Some would say that based on Mark 16:20 and Romans 16:25-26, the gospel has already been taken to "all nations." Which clearly, at this time period, wouldn't really mean all the nations of the world, but when The Great Commission uses the words "all nations," and those other two verses talk about the gospel having "been made known to all nations," it would seem like a fulfillment of a specific, finite command.
It reminds me of the case where Jesus cries out, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones the ones sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate, for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!'" And after reading that, you have to balance whether salvation will return to the Jewish people only after they have turned from evil and sought His face (2 Chronicles 7:14), or whether that Scripture had more specific tie-ins to the fact that, in Matthew 21, the Jewish masses in Jerusalem had welcomed Jesus into the city shouting, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!" The broader viewpoint is often more compelling and convicting, but the latter has enough Scriptural basis to make you wonder if this prophecy of Jesus is a more finite, specific case.
2. It's pretty clear that we are supposed to serve as the means of God's gospel going to the nations. Romans 10 makes the case, "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" If believers are supposed to be the means of God's salvation reaching the world, then the Great Commission certainly supports that end.
3. The idea that Jesus uses the phrase "to the very end of the age" suggests that His command covers a larger time frame than the lifetimes of the eleven disciples. It's not immediately apparent what "the very end of the age" means, but it's probably longer than one generation.
4. If the eleven disciples were supposed to teach people to "observe all that Jesus commanded," then they should probably teach their disciples to observe this last command of Jesus to "go and make disciples." So the Great Commission, by including this "teach" command, is self-perpetuating, like a "Go To" function. That's just good, solid algorithmic logic.
5. The kicker for me is that my faith and probably yours is a direct result of Christians being obedient to the Great Commission. Even if it's not clear from Scripture that the Great Commission is intended for all Christians, the fact that you and I are believers in Christ is a testament to many Christians in many generations taking this command to heart and making disciples. That seems like pretty strong evidence that they were doing what they were supposed to be doing.
I think most people would agree with me that we are supposed to follow the Great Commission, that we are sent with a mission ("commission" -- "with a mission") by the highest Authority to Go, to Make disciples, to Baptize them in His name, and to Teach them everything Jesus said.
So we shouldn't be, but we probably will be, challenged by the following queries:
Is the directive "of all nations" for every single believer to take to heart, or a directive to the body of Christ at large? In other words, does every believer have an obligation to be nation-minded, or should the body of Christ as a whole be targeting to all nations?
How many disciples have you made? Who are they?
Where have you Gone? How are you Making disciples? How have you Baptized them? What have you Taught them?
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Redeeming Love
On recommendation from two girls at CSU, I read Francine Rivers's novel, Redeeming Love. The book basically re-tells the story of Hosea from the perspective of a godly farmer named Michael Hosea whom God commands to marry a prostitute, who then leaves him and hurts him over and over again, as they both learn and experience redeeming love.
If you're a Christian girl who is infatuated with Mr. Darcy, you will probably love this book.
What I appreciated about this book is that for the first time, I considered the perspective of Gomer, the prostitute Hosea is commanded to marry. It's pretty explicitly stated in the book of Hosea that God wants Hosea to experience and struggle with the infidelity of his wife, as an allegory for God's tempestuous relationship with Israel, a nation that has betrayed Him for other idols. And I always thought, man, it really speaks something amazing about God, that He chooses to love and forgive and pursue Israel (and us!) after they spurn and reject Him again and again. Seventy times seven, right? Here was a story where I identified a lot with Hosea, and the seemingly impossible challenge of forgiving and loving and giving people second chances and making yourself vulnerable again and again. I learned a lot from Hosea this way.
But I never thought of Gomer's experience. How she would feel born without purpose, trapped in her sin, obligated by her guilt, and unworthy of God's unconditional love. Accepting grace is no easy thing for a lot of people, especially if we keep screwing up over and over again. And the experience of redemption is an awesome one that we can't overestimate. So Redeeming Love was a good read for me because it helped me realize that perspective. A lot of people feel trapped by their past and their sin, and for a lot of people, accepting the depth of God's love and the completeness of His redemption and restoration for them is a long and rocky process.
What I didn't enjoy about the book: it reads like a trashy romance novel.
"His hand rested comfortingly on her thigh. Even that light touch made her melt inside. 'What do you feel now that I'm soft clay in your hands, Michael?' 'Joy,' he said. 'Pure joy.' He saw how the pulse raced in her throat and pressed a kiss to it. He heard her soft intake of breath and felt the answering warmth spread swiftly through him. He wanted her. He would always want her."
The whole book is like that. Seriously. I felt like I needed to eat some red meat and grunt and break some concrete with my forearms after reading 464 pages of that maudlin writing. And I think in a lot of ways, especially in the presentation of the character Michael Hosea, it is almost emotionally pornographic for women. I honestly consider that a serious concern in some social circles.
So if you are a man, and you want to understand better the heart of a woman and the story of Hosea, then you can read Redeeming Love. Just make sure you have your woman fetch you a beer and a steak after you're done to replenish your Y-chromosomes.
If you're a Christian girl who is infatuated with Mr. Darcy, you will probably love this book.
What I appreciated about this book is that for the first time, I considered the perspective of Gomer, the prostitute Hosea is commanded to marry. It's pretty explicitly stated in the book of Hosea that God wants Hosea to experience and struggle with the infidelity of his wife, as an allegory for God's tempestuous relationship with Israel, a nation that has betrayed Him for other idols. And I always thought, man, it really speaks something amazing about God, that He chooses to love and forgive and pursue Israel (and us!) after they spurn and reject Him again and again. Seventy times seven, right? Here was a story where I identified a lot with Hosea, and the seemingly impossible challenge of forgiving and loving and giving people second chances and making yourself vulnerable again and again. I learned a lot from Hosea this way.
But I never thought of Gomer's experience. How she would feel born without purpose, trapped in her sin, obligated by her guilt, and unworthy of God's unconditional love. Accepting grace is no easy thing for a lot of people, especially if we keep screwing up over and over again. And the experience of redemption is an awesome one that we can't overestimate. So Redeeming Love was a good read for me because it helped me realize that perspective. A lot of people feel trapped by their past and their sin, and for a lot of people, accepting the depth of God's love and the completeness of His redemption and restoration for them is a long and rocky process.
What I didn't enjoy about the book: it reads like a trashy romance novel.
"His hand rested comfortingly on her thigh. Even that light touch made her melt inside. 'What do you feel now that I'm soft clay in your hands, Michael?' 'Joy,' he said. 'Pure joy.' He saw how the pulse raced in her throat and pressed a kiss to it. He heard her soft intake of breath and felt the answering warmth spread swiftly through him. He wanted her. He would always want her."
The whole book is like that. Seriously. I felt like I needed to eat some red meat and grunt and break some concrete with my forearms after reading 464 pages of that maudlin writing. And I think in a lot of ways, especially in the presentation of the character Michael Hosea, it is almost emotionally pornographic for women. I honestly consider that a serious concern in some social circles.
So if you are a man, and you want to understand better the heart of a woman and the story of Hosea, then you can read Redeeming Love. Just make sure you have your woman fetch you a beer and a steak after you're done to replenish your Y-chromosomes.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Right Now, You Like Me
When Sally Field won the Oscar for Best Actress in 1985, she gushed out a heartfelt and earnest acceptance speech, where she spilled to the Academy, "...and I can't deny the fact that you like me! Right now, you like me!" People have made fun of that speech for decades, but when you look at her bubbling those words out in unbridled catharsis, what strikes you is how excited and energized she seems at the reality that right now, she is liked.
I've said before that my new perspective is that the worst thing in the world is to be alone. And I think that I've always believed that God loves me, but only recently have I considered that He likes me. In the recesses of my head, I guess I'd always accepted that Christ died for us sinners because He loved us, which meant because God is love and because it was the right thing to do. God loves me? Of course He does -- that's the awesome thing about God, He saved a wretch like me, He can love people who are as messed up as you and me! But the idea that God would enjoy my company, that He would look at me and see the best in me and think that what happened in my life was actually important? Big Idea, the type that shifts your paradigm with a clutch.
But it is definitely true that to love someone best, you have to learn to like them. It's been true in my relationship with my girlfriend, with my family, with my other friends -- I haven't begun to love them well until I begin to see the best about them. And it's not that I have to deny that they have flaws or undesirable attributes, but I think that if I love them, then I will focus on the most beautiful aspects about them. You can only love out of principle for so long, and even though it is sometimes difficult and sometimes a sacrifice, you can't wake up every day and think that you are going to love an ugly person because God said to. At a certain point, if you really love them, you will begin to consider them beautiful. You will find a way.
At the top of this post are two versions of a photograph of the swamp at Cypress Gardens in South Carolina. When I take photos these days, I edit them slightly using Microsoft Picture Manager, which is like the Microsoft Paint of photo-editing. The one on bottom is the one that my camera captured initially; the one on top is the one where I took the time to highlight what I considered its best attributes, particularly the contrast between the light and dark lines in the image. I helped create that photo by seeing a particularly striking image in my mind and capturing it. I saw something worthwhile and beautiful in that picture, and I took the time and effort to highlight its beauty, to make it as significant as I could. If that pattern sounds familiar, it's because you already know that God created us in His image, that He saw that we were good, and that the closer we come to God's perspective of love, the more we see the best and most beautiful attributes in the people around us. It's not that I'm distorting the images from their true form; I'm simply pointing out the best that they have to offer.
In Searching for God Knows What, Don Miller observes, "I kept wondering about the people who met Christ who were losers in the lifeboat, the crippled and the blind, the woman at the well, Mary Magdalene and Zacchaeus. Entire communities shunned them and told them they were no good, but God, the King of the universe, comes walking down the street and looks them in the eye, holds their hand, embraces them, eats at their tables, in their homes, for all the world to see. That must have been the greatest moment of their lives."
When God came and died for us, He did it because He so loved the world. We shouldn't take it to mean that we did anything to deserve it. But if we believe that God isn't an idiot, then we should really be struck with the devastating truth that God likes us enough to think that we're worth it.
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