As Christ loved us...

Tonight I'll be officiating at a friend's wedding.

I love weddings. It's one of those times when you really get to share in the joy of others as they are entering in to a new chapter of their lives.

I've done numerous weddings over the years-- so many, I've lost count long ago. At every wedding I've done, I've used the same Gospel reading... and given basically the same homily... since I think it's one of the most powerful messages contained in the Gospel.

John 13:34.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,
so you must love one another."

The command given-- so appropriate for a couple getting married... is to love one another as Christ loved us. And how did He love us? He loved us so much that He gave everything He was, everything He is, for us. He lay down His very life for us... not just in His death on the cross, but in His everyday life of living as an example for us.

And we are to then live in the light of that. We are to lay down our lives for one another... not just in some grand gesture, but in the day to day interactions we have with one another.

From house to house breaking bread...

I reconnected with another old friend this week. Someone I haven't seen in 15 years or so. We went to lunch together today and had a good time catching up on old times, filling each other in on what's happened in our lives, and discussing a bit of theology along the way.

Nothing extra special took place... just friends chatting over food. Yet, it was incredibly refreshing-- physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Maybe that's why the scriptures so frequently show Jesus sharing a meal with others. Not only with his disciples but also with sinners, with prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. In fact, the "religious folks" often criticized him for that very reason.

In Acts, it is said that those in the early church "went from house to house breaking bread" and rehearsing the things the Lord had done... and new converts were added to the church daily.

Today, I think sometimes we lose sight of just how powerful sharing a meal can be. It is a time of sharing... not just of food but of oneself. And in that sharing, relationship is built. And through relationships, the simplicity of the gospel is lived out.

Maybe it's time that we had the same kind of reputation as Jesus... a reputation for going out to eat with "unsavory types". Maybe we would see the kind of results the early church saw if we did so...

He who is forgiven much loves much

I'd like to sound completely original, but the truth is that one of my favorite stories in the gospels is one that Jesus himself said would be told whereever the gospel is preached... that is the story of "the woman with the alabaster box".

For those who may not know the story, it goes like this: Jesus was having dinner with a bunch of his disciples, when a woman-- who had quite a 'reputation' as a sinner-- came in with an alabaster box full of precious fragrant oils, broke the box open and poured the oils over Jesus' head, then as her tears fell on his feet she bent down and dried his feet with her hair.

In those days, one of the currencies of the day was precious oils. This alabaster box was basically the woman's life savings. It was everything she had.

So... here comes this woman, the biblical equivalent of a crack whore, who didn't have a lot but when she somehow heard that there was a hope of forgiveness for all those mistakes she had made, all the wrong choices, all the sin, all the junk... she came and brought everything she had with her. She recklessly poured out all she had in the hope that even she could find peace. She wept in His presence, then embarrassed by getting Him wet she used the only thing she had to dry Him.

All the people around-- the "good Christians"-- ridiculed her and tried to protect Jesus from "the likes of her". They just knew that if Jesus knew just what kind of person she was, He wouldn't want to have His name sullied by association with that type of person.

And in the middle of this situation, Jesus makes one of the most beautiful statements of grace and forgiveness found anywhere in scripture. A statement that actually brings tears to my eyes even now as I think of it.

Jesus looks at this woman, the one that everyone else viewed with disdain, and says:

" Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved
much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

But before making that statement, Jesus actually stops to tell a parable. Summarized, that parable asks who will love more, the person who owes $50 dollars and has the debt forgiven or the person who owes $500 and has the debt forgiven?

Jesus went on to say that this story would be told whereever the gospel is preached. Think of that... the only passage we find in scripture that we are specifically advised will be told everywhere the gospel goes is that of this woman. The one story that will be told everywhere is one the says where there is greater debt, there is greater forgivenness...

And the one story that goes out is that those who have to be forgiven more are not "lesser" Christians ... but actually greater in their love for our Savior.

He who is forgiven much loves much.

And can you imagine what it must have been like after? For days, everywhere Jesus went all those around Him would have smelled the beautiful aroma of those precious oils. The perfume of forgiveness surrounded Him...the fragrance of grace reaching out to all those still searching...

Grace is a highway not a tightrope

Ya' gotta love the internet!

I ran into an old friend from college on line last night-- someone I haven't seen in probably 15 years or so. We were catching up a bit, discussing where we are now in life... all the usual stuff when you catch up after so many years.

In the process, he made a rather profound statement: "I see grace more as a highway, not a tightrope."

While that may seem cute and pithy, that really is a profound statement.

So many times I've heard people, genuinely sincere in seeking after God, add so many rules and regulations to the simplicity of the gospel message-- turning God's grace into a tightrope to be walked. "Behave just so or risk offending God."

Yes, it is true that 'straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leads to salvation'. Yes, we are to seek to live a life that pleases God. But we also have to recognize that every "way"... every road... can have ditches on both sides of it. And to stay on the road, you have to stay out of the ditches on either side.

On one side, there is the ditch of "sloppy agape"-- the ditch that says, "just do anything you want and don't worry about it". Some take the work of Christ so lightly that they just scream "I've got grace" and not take into account the price paid for that grace and show no respect for what Christ endured for us. They take no account of the impact of Christ's sacrifice to change our lives, since they are only looking for "fire insurance"-- that is they want a quick ticket to avoid hell, but are missing the real issue which is a life transformed by Christ.

On the other side are those who go to the other extreme... so emphasizing the need for "holiness" (often interpretted to mean following a specific code of actions) and someone make their salvation dependent more on their own ability to follow certain legalistic guidelines than on resting in the completed work of Christ. The opposite "ditch".

And both ditches are off the road.

So, we need to stay on the highway... avoiding the "ditch" of licentiousness. And equally avoiding the "tightrope" of legalism.

But rather, enjoying the life and freedom that is found ONLY in true relationship with Christ.

God doesn't have self-esteem issues

I love reading the Psalms, because they are so real.

You can really see what was going on in the heart of the various psalmists. You can see when they are angry... when they are sad... when they are hurt... as well as when they are "on top of the mountain". And the beautiful thing is that all of them are equally scripture. Not just the "Alleluia's" but also the "where the heck are you, God?" passages.

You see... God isn't like us. He doesn't have insecurities. He doesn't need to read self-help books on how to build one's self-esteem. Quite the opposite. He is secure enough that He doesn't get offended when we have doubts, fears, or concerns. He realizes that we, as humans, have weakness and faults. He knows that our failures don't change His faithfulness. And so, He is comfortable allowing us to see the reality that even the great "heroes of the faith" weren't perfect. In fact, most of them were quite far from perfection.

Kind of comforting, isn't it...

When I was young and first pursuing ministry, I liked to envision myself one day as a Jeremiah. Jeremiah was only about 16 when God called him as a prophet and he served an incredible role in bringing the nation of Israel to repentance... in calling them back to God. God's promise to Jeremiah, from the very beginning of his call, was:

"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command
you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land--against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1:17-19

Wow! That just sounds so exciting when you're young! Then you look at Moses, getting in Pharoah's face demanding "Let my people go!". You see Elijah calling down fire from heaven. You think of Paul and Silas singing in the jail and an angel coming to open the door. You look at all of these great "heroes" (and they truly are role models) and you think "I'm going to be this great 'man of God' and just be so powerfully used by Him!!"

Today, however, I have a very different view.

Yes, I do seek to be used by God. Yes, I do want to be powerfully used by Him. But my view of what's important has changed so much. No longer is it that important to me if God ever does anything grand or dramatic. I love it when He touches people... when He uses me as a vessel of Him to see His life, love, and healing extended to others. But more and more, I look at King David.

Of all the great "heroes" only David was known as a man "after God's own heart". David was far from perfect. And scripture doesn't gloss over that fact. In fact, scripture shows very clearly David's sins-- lying, adultery, even murder. Scripture also shows how David suffered the consequences of his sin and how they cost him dearly.

But scripture also shows David being real with God. Of all the "heroes" in scripture, there is none that we see so transparent as David. In the psalms, we see him pour out his heart to God. We see him rejoice in triumphs... and we see him broken and humbled. We see his fears, his doubts, his questions... and we see his faith that God is faithful in spite of all those things.

An interesting fact is that during David's reign as king is the only time in the Old Testament when the Ark of the Covenant was housed so that it could be seen by all. At all the other times in scripture, it was hidden away-- either in the Tabernacle in the wilderness or in the Temple once it was built by Solomon. But during David's reign it was housed in a "sukkot"-- a temporary structure that was open on one side (very much like the creche's we see for nativity scenes at Christmas). But King David, in spite of all his faults, was allowed to bring the Ark, representing the presence of God, to the people.

God didn't feel the need to wait for a perfect man to reveal Himself in the Old Testament. He knew that His glory was sufficient in spite of man's weakness.

And today, it's the same.

God is secure enough in who He is to let His glory be known. He knows that we will make mistakes. He knows that we will fail. He knows that we will fall flat on our faces at times.

Yet, though we are faithless still He is faithful.

Worship...

So what exactly is worship?



Just the word conjures up all kinds of images in people's minds.



For some people, it's dancing and singing. For others it's silence and candles. For still others, it's chanting and incense.



So... what is worship? And who gets to decide what is the right way to worship?



One thing I think that we miss so often is the fact that only the One being worshipped has the right to determine how He should be worshipped. We don't get to decide what is right or wrong... He does.



I've heard people make the comment (referring to worship) "well, that's just not my personality". I'm just a quiet person.. or I'm just a loud person.. etc. It seems that we are deciding on our own what pleases God, rather than going to God to see what pleases Him and then submitting ourselves to that.



As I'm thinking about this, the story of Cain and Abel comes to mind. One wanted to worship God his own way... one was obedient. And the one who wanted to do it "on his own" became furious... so much so that he would do anything, including kill his brother, so that he would be "right". After all, if there's no one doing anything else-- then our way is the "only way", right?



So... what does God say is the right way to come to Him? Or is there only one way? (I'm starting here with the assumption that the only way to God is through His Son, Jesus Christ). But... in that coming to the Father, how should we approach Him in worship?



I did a study many years ago specifically on expressions of worship in scripture. Maybe I'll post that here soon.



But first... before even trying to look at techniques, I think we have to look at the bigger issue. Are we trying to come to Him on our terms, or on His? Are we trying to do things our way, or His way?



Maybe it's not really Him we're worshipping. If we're insisting on doing things our own way, then maybe it's really ourselves we're worshipping and we just don't know the difference.