"Comfort, comfort my people," says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
-Isaiah 40:1-5
What a beautiful passage! I really want to hone in the "prepare the way of the LORD" part, but we will get to that. Take a minute to take it all in. Not only has God forgiven the sins of those who believe, thus giving everyone a fair chance at redemption, He even went through the trouble of predicting it centuries beforehand! Truly, God's glory is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and the beauty of his Word!
Luke quotes this passage in his account of the gospel immediately preceding the baptism of Jesus, which signifies the beginning of Jesus' ministry. John the Baptist ( a.k.a. the "voice in the wilderness") preaches baptism and repentance. In doing this, he "prepares the way" for the ministry of Jesus. With that in mind, how do we prepare the way for the Lord to work in our hearts, break down our pride, and send us out on the greatest adventure imaginable? We repent! Repentance is the only means by which we can obtain the necessary levels of brokenness, humility, and selflessness to be faithful agents of the kingdom of God. Repentance (along with baptism) is the first step that each of us must take on this Great Adventure that God is calling us to. It's fitting really. Earthly adventures are about people, and thus are dependent on the strength, courage, and goodness of an earthly leader. But heavenly adventures don't work that way. They are first and foremost about God, and thus begin with sons and daughters of the Most High humbling themselves before Almighty God and trusting in his strength.
The Bible is clear that repentance is more than merely "feeling sorry." 2 Corinthians 7:14 says, "...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Fundamentally, repentance is a turning of the heart from sin and toward God. Like just about every other aspect of the Christian faith, it has more to do with God than with us. In fact, the apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:25 that God grants repentance. We make the initial "turning" so to speak, but God Himself is the one who gives us true repentance. Lastly, repentance is not a one time deal. Revelation 2 and 3 calls Christians all over the world to repentance. John the Baptist preaches that we ought to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance." (Luke 3:8)
Why is this so important? Why can't we just apologize to God and be done with it? As much as it pains me to say this, it isn't that simple. True repentance always results in a changed lifestyle: one that more closely resembles that of Jesus. If you haven't changed the way you live your life, you haven't really repented. Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 7:21, stating, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." When we truly repent, we are saved, and then we do the Father's will. Simple as that. Sounds easy enough, right? The problem is that we don't want to be saved. We like sin. Are you willing to give it up? Are you willing to be changed? Are you willing to be stretched well beyond your comfort zone? Because that is exactly what He demands of us. "Then [Jesus] said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'" When we do that, we will inevitably become like Jesus.
To summarize, repentance is a gift from God, requires a conscious decision from us, and results in righteous living. Perhaps the most poignant explanation of repentance in scripture is found in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. I'm sure most of you know the general story, but I'll give a quick summary just in case :) A reckless young man asks for his inheritance early (which is blatantly disrespectful), then goes on to waste it on wild living. Only after he loses everything and is stuck feeding pigs just to get by, does he remember his father's faithfulness. He makes the decision to go back to his father's house and request to be a servant; quite a courageous decision, really. As he is heading back, something beautiful happens: the father sees him at a distance and runs out to embrace the son. What? Seriously? He's not even going to scold him? Instead, he rejoices at the return of his son, and even throws a huge party for him! What extravagant love our heavenly Father has for his children!
This reconciliation would never have been able to take place had the son not chosen to turn from his wicked lifestyle and go back to his father. While God's relentless love makes reconciliation possible, He waits patiently for us to make the decision to turn from sin. Indeed, it is only by remembering his Father's goodness, that the son musters up the strength to return. Upon returning though, one can imagine that the son no longer has the freedom (or the desire for that matter) to purchase lavish earthly pleasures. He has surrendered his old lifestyle for something infinitely better. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, this option is available to each and every person right this very moment. When we repent, we are released from our self-centeredness and released into God-centeredness, becoming agents of peace, love, and reconciliation wherever we go. If this idea interests you whatsoever at all, but you find yourself unable to make a committment, its quite ok. Ask that God woud grant you repentance, and start looking for authentic Christian community. It will change your life. Do it! If you are already a Christian, remember these things the next time you fall into sin or want to draw nearer to God (cough...every day...cough).
Sorry if this one was more scatterbrained, there was a lot to cover. Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Great Adventure
Ahhhh, summer. Baseball, sunshine, barbecues, and beaches. It truly is a wonderful time of year. The slumber of winter is now a distant memory as nature shakes of the last remnants of spring sleepiness. School is out, jobs have started, and life is altogether different than it was just a few short months ago. With so much more time on my hands, I find myself constantly falling back into my old habit of isolating myself from the world and escaping into various virtual realities. From the world's perspective, there isn't anything wrong with this lifestyle. In fact, advertisements often encourage it. No need to worry about real problems, just spend your life immersed in manufactured romances, adventures, and conflicts. One of the great lies of this generation is that all these things are worth our time our affection, and our worship.
This got me thinking, why do sports and video games appeal to me so much? With these, there is an artificial sense of adventure, courage, dedication, and sacrifice involved. The possibility of success and failure, the worthy cause, the steadfast advance in the face of danger; these stir up a sense of excitement inside of me. After finishing a game or watching my favorite team win a championship, I feel a brief sense of accomplishment. A lot of these things aren't inherently evil, and when used appropriately, they can be effective means of building community. However, all too often they become idols used to avoid reality.
Here's the crazy part: these emotions and feelings of accomplishment that we get? They are gifts from God. God's gifts are good. Always. But He has far more in store for us than merely mastering a jump shot or completing the Legend of Zelda twelve times. He calls us to live a life of real adventure, risk, and uncertainty here and now, for the advancement of his Kingdom. I have been reading through Acts recently and I am struck by how exciting Peter, Paul, and others lives are. It's got everything a good adventure needs: courageous heroes, a worthy cause, severe hardship, timely miracles, even shipwrecks. True Christianity is not boring! Why do we search for the fulfillment of our desires in petty, earthly things when God offers of fullness of life here and now?
We settle for so little, my friends. Especially us Christians. We claim to believe in a God that can heal the sick, stop the sun, and conquer evil, yet we rarely bother to ask Him to do such things today. I don't want to settle for "safe" Christianity. You know the deal. Private school/homeschool through high school, church activities are main social outlet, go to a Christian college and find a spouse, get a steady job, and raise a bunch of kids to repeat the process. These things are great, and God calls many to marriage and "ordinary" jobs, but look at the lives of early Christians! Even those who continued to work full time led lives that could hardly be considered normal. They experienced miraculous signs and wonders, saw people added to the church daily, and got the opportunity to provide financial support for the radical evangelists. Friends, regardless of what my role is, I want to be part of a church like this!
Perhaps part of the problem is the "Christianese" language we have adopted. Believe it or not, the phrase "personal relationship with Jesus" doesn't ever appear in scripture. I don’t know about you, but that phrase strikes me as a little feminine. I understand that it often helps people dispose of the notion that we have to earn our way to heaven, and it is probably a great metaphor for women who have experienced broken relationships in the past. But let's not try to reduce Almighty God to some kind of cosmic significant other. What if we instead asked men and women to "enlist in the spiritual army of the most high God"? Job description: “overcome the powers of darkness with relentless love, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the living word of God.” I recognize that metaphors are incomplete and that one is not necessarily better than all others in all circumstances. My point is that Christianity is more like an epic quest than a sentimental dating relationship. It is rarely safe, easy, or comforting. It involves danger, risk, and pain, but also immeasurable reward. Will you embark on the journey?
This got me thinking, why do sports and video games appeal to me so much? With these, there is an artificial sense of adventure, courage, dedication, and sacrifice involved. The possibility of success and failure, the worthy cause, the steadfast advance in the face of danger; these stir up a sense of excitement inside of me. After finishing a game or watching my favorite team win a championship, I feel a brief sense of accomplishment. A lot of these things aren't inherently evil, and when used appropriately, they can be effective means of building community. However, all too often they become idols used to avoid reality.
Here's the crazy part: these emotions and feelings of accomplishment that we get? They are gifts from God. God's gifts are good. Always. But He has far more in store for us than merely mastering a jump shot or completing the Legend of Zelda twelve times. He calls us to live a life of real adventure, risk, and uncertainty here and now, for the advancement of his Kingdom. I have been reading through Acts recently and I am struck by how exciting Peter, Paul, and others lives are. It's got everything a good adventure needs: courageous heroes, a worthy cause, severe hardship, timely miracles, even shipwrecks. True Christianity is not boring! Why do we search for the fulfillment of our desires in petty, earthly things when God offers of fullness of life here and now?
We settle for so little, my friends. Especially us Christians. We claim to believe in a God that can heal the sick, stop the sun, and conquer evil, yet we rarely bother to ask Him to do such things today. I don't want to settle for "safe" Christianity. You know the deal. Private school/homeschool through high school, church activities are main social outlet, go to a Christian college and find a spouse, get a steady job, and raise a bunch of kids to repeat the process. These things are great, and God calls many to marriage and "ordinary" jobs, but look at the lives of early Christians! Even those who continued to work full time led lives that could hardly be considered normal. They experienced miraculous signs and wonders, saw people added to the church daily, and got the opportunity to provide financial support for the radical evangelists. Friends, regardless of what my role is, I want to be part of a church like this!
Perhaps part of the problem is the "Christianese" language we have adopted. Believe it or not, the phrase "personal relationship with Jesus" doesn't ever appear in scripture. I don’t know about you, but that phrase strikes me as a little feminine. I understand that it often helps people dispose of the notion that we have to earn our way to heaven, and it is probably a great metaphor for women who have experienced broken relationships in the past. But let's not try to reduce Almighty God to some kind of cosmic significant other. What if we instead asked men and women to "enlist in the spiritual army of the most high God"? Job description: “overcome the powers of darkness with relentless love, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the living word of God.” I recognize that metaphors are incomplete and that one is not necessarily better than all others in all circumstances. My point is that Christianity is more like an epic quest than a sentimental dating relationship. It is rarely safe, easy, or comforting. It involves danger, risk, and pain, but also immeasurable reward. Will you embark on the journey?
Saturday, June 4, 2011
New Blog!
Hello Friends,
I finally took the plunge and decided to start something a little more "official" and organized than my random facebook notes. My goal is to post at least once a week about what God is teaching me through His Word, Spirit, and the lives of those around me. I am no scholar, but I am a firm believer that God can and does use ordinary people who are dedicated to the cause of the Gospel to reveal truth, so this is what I will be attempting to do here. Though I trust the Spirit's ability to work through me, I am human and thus prone to favoring preconceived notions, propogating misunderstandings, and the like. For that reason, I would love for this blog to become a conversation of sorts, where I can be free to throw out bold ideas and wrestle with difficult issues. So if you ever disagree with what I say, PLEASE post comments and concerns. I won't be offended in the slightest. As members of the Christian church, we are united by our faith in Jesus, regardless of any theological, political, or philosophical disagreements we may have. I plan to write boldly, and will hope for bold responses.
The name for this blog comes from an observation that has been mulling around in my head for quite some time now. Being at Hope College affords one the privelege of being exposed to a large number of Christians. In my interactions with other Christians, I have noticed one particular attribute that all mature Christians have in common. It isn't joy, peace, or love, but rather is something that inevitably produces all three. What I am talking about here, ironically enough, is weakness. Every human being is weak. People just don't always realize it. The single most common characteristic of a mature follower of Christ is a strange fragility, a deep sense of humility, a profound self-awareness of one's own brokenness.
As I read through the Old Testament for the first time last year, the story of David and Saul in 1 Samuel. Israel's first two kings were both chosen by God and anointed by Samuel, the high preist. This is important in that it shows us that Saul was not doomed from the start. He had his chance, but as it turned out, his heart was not in the right place. Both Saul and David sin against God, and at first glance, David's sin seems to be a lot more severe. Most people would consider deception, murder, and adultery greater crimes than conducting a hasty and improper sacrifice. After all, Saul's sin didn't even directly effect the lives of other people! But beyond showing us that God's ways our not our ways, this story shows us the importance of a repentant heart. Read Psalm 51. There is a reason that David is described as a man after God's own heart. What a beautiful model of brokenness for us to follow! God can deal with our sin. In fact, He already has through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What He can't deal with is a prideful, unrepentant heart like that of Saul.
Sadly, I was never taught this growing up. I didn't know that sanctification comes through weakness and that good works are done through faith. Romans 1:5 calls us to "obedience that comes faith." The evangelical church failed me in this, and consequently stunted my spiritual growth significantly. I say this not out of bitterness, but as a warning to anyone who thinks they are a Christian but still tries to do things on their own. It doesn't work. It never has, and it never will. Thankfully, God in His infinite mercy, is teaching me to abide in Him, to sit humbly at His feet and worship Him like Mary in Luke 7. It is only in this state of being that I can bear witness to the Gospel, encourage fellow believers, and keep from destroying myself altogether. Will you join me in becoming broken vessels of love to this dying world?
"For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."
~2 Corinthians 4:5-7
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
~2 Corinthians 12:9
I finally took the plunge and decided to start something a little more "official" and organized than my random facebook notes. My goal is to post at least once a week about what God is teaching me through His Word, Spirit, and the lives of those around me. I am no scholar, but I am a firm believer that God can and does use ordinary people who are dedicated to the cause of the Gospel to reveal truth, so this is what I will be attempting to do here. Though I trust the Spirit's ability to work through me, I am human and thus prone to favoring preconceived notions, propogating misunderstandings, and the like. For that reason, I would love for this blog to become a conversation of sorts, where I can be free to throw out bold ideas and wrestle with difficult issues. So if you ever disagree with what I say, PLEASE post comments and concerns. I won't be offended in the slightest. As members of the Christian church, we are united by our faith in Jesus, regardless of any theological, political, or philosophical disagreements we may have. I plan to write boldly, and will hope for bold responses.
The name for this blog comes from an observation that has been mulling around in my head for quite some time now. Being at Hope College affords one the privelege of being exposed to a large number of Christians. In my interactions with other Christians, I have noticed one particular attribute that all mature Christians have in common. It isn't joy, peace, or love, but rather is something that inevitably produces all three. What I am talking about here, ironically enough, is weakness. Every human being is weak. People just don't always realize it. The single most common characteristic of a mature follower of Christ is a strange fragility, a deep sense of humility, a profound self-awareness of one's own brokenness.
As I read through the Old Testament for the first time last year, the story of David and Saul in 1 Samuel. Israel's first two kings were both chosen by God and anointed by Samuel, the high preist. This is important in that it shows us that Saul was not doomed from the start. He had his chance, but as it turned out, his heart was not in the right place. Both Saul and David sin against God, and at first glance, David's sin seems to be a lot more severe. Most people would consider deception, murder, and adultery greater crimes than conducting a hasty and improper sacrifice. After all, Saul's sin didn't even directly effect the lives of other people! But beyond showing us that God's ways our not our ways, this story shows us the importance of a repentant heart. Read Psalm 51. There is a reason that David is described as a man after God's own heart. What a beautiful model of brokenness for us to follow! God can deal with our sin. In fact, He already has through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What He can't deal with is a prideful, unrepentant heart like that of Saul.
Sadly, I was never taught this growing up. I didn't know that sanctification comes through weakness and that good works are done through faith. Romans 1:5 calls us to "obedience that comes faith." The evangelical church failed me in this, and consequently stunted my spiritual growth significantly. I say this not out of bitterness, but as a warning to anyone who thinks they are a Christian but still tries to do things on their own. It doesn't work. It never has, and it never will. Thankfully, God in His infinite mercy, is teaching me to abide in Him, to sit humbly at His feet and worship Him like Mary in Luke 7. It is only in this state of being that I can bear witness to the Gospel, encourage fellow believers, and keep from destroying myself altogether. Will you join me in becoming broken vessels of love to this dying world?
"For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."
~2 Corinthians 4:5-7
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
~2 Corinthians 12:9
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)