A wolf in sheep’s clothing?
Do you see the young, good looking guy in the picture? No? Well, you do see the guy in the picture, right?
Well, that guy – whether he is young and good looking or not – can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. At times, he can teach and lead in a way that is contrary to God’s will. It’s true. He’s not perfect.
That guy in the picture is one of the reasons that I’m glad that our church has recognized (appointed) several people to be pastors/elders/overseers.
You see, if the church relied on that guy in the picture, they would be headed the wrong way at times. But, the church can now follow the example of several different people. Sometimes, one or more of them may go astray. But, the other elders (and the other brothers and sisters for that matter) are there to say, “Whoa! Wait just a minute. Are you sure that you’re headed in the right direction? I don’t think God wants us to follow you there.”
It’s awesome how the Holy Spirit works through my brothers and sisters to bring me back in line with the will of God when I begin to stray. Again, I’m glad I’m not the head guy… the senior pastor… the guy in charge. I’ll leave all that to Jesus, and keep following him together with my brothers and sisters.
Stained Glass Masquerade
Have you heard the Casting Crowns song “Stained Glass Masquerade”? Here are some of the lyrics:
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so smallCause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belongSo I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see themAre we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
Arthur from “The Voice of One Crying Out in Suburbia” reminded me of this song with his post “Hiding behind our suits and smiles and status updates.” Arthur concludes his post with this:
The way we do church, gathering on schedule for an hour to “worship†leads to people hiding their hurting behind smiling faces and their Sunday best. We are rarely honest with each other because we spend so little time together. We need to get out of the pew and get into the lives and homes and families of other believers. We need to see what is going on behind the smiles because no one I have ever met really has it as together as they seem “in churchâ€. Brothers sharing over a cup of coffee, mothers sharing during a playdate, families spending time with other families. That is fellowship and community. Almost anyone can fake it for an hour and look happy. Those who can’t won’t come because they feel out of place. We need to shed the artificial world of church and get the church out of the building so we can see one another at our worst, not just at our best.
Have you and the people you meet with been able to shed the artificial “stained glass” world that Arthur is writing about? If so, there are hurting people who need to know how you did it. And, there are people out there who have never experienced this kind of openness that need to hear your example.
How did you and those in your fellowship move past artificiality into the messy realm of reality?
Hanging out with friends
You probably know this already, but we like hanging out with friends. And, for the last week or so, I have been struggling with a bad cold, cough, stuff and haven’t been able to hang out with anyone.
So, now that I’m feeling a little better, we’re planning to spend time with our friends all weekend long.
Tonight, a couple has invited us to their house for dinner. We helped them move into their first house several weeks ago, and we’re looking forward to enjoying their hospitality again!
Then, tomorrow – Saturday, we’ll be spending all afternoon and evening with another friend from out of town. But, I’ll tell you more about that tomorrow.
And, Sunday, we’ll be meeting together with alot of friends in our weekly scheduled church meeting. I wasn’t able to join them last Sunday because of my cold/cough. My friend Jim will lead the teaching time as we continue to study through James. We’ll be in James 4 this Sunday.
So, this will be a weekend spent with friends. It should be great fun and very edifying! Are you spending time with any friends this weekend?
Who are my brothers and sisters?
You’ve probably seen by now the brouhaha caused recently by Alabama’s new governor.
You see, just after being sworn into office, Robert Bentley made a speech in which he said that Christians are his brothers and sisters in a way that non-Christians are not.
Here is a portion of what he said:
“Now I will have to say that, if we don’t have the same daddy, we’re not brothers and sisters,” he told parishioners at a Baptist church in Montgomery Monday shortly after being sworn in. “So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I’m telling you, you’re not my brother and you’re not my sister, and I want to be your brother.”
“There may be some people here today who do not have living within them the Holy Spirit,” Bentley also said, according to the Birmingham News. “But if you have been adopted in God’s family like I have, and like you have if you’re a Christian and if you’re saved, and the Holy Spirit lives within you just like the Holy Spirit lives within me, then you know what that makes? It makes you and me brothers. And it makes you and me brother and sister.”
Bentley later apologized to those who were offended or felt disenfranchised by his words:
“The terminology that I used I believe seemed to disenfranchise other religions and it certainly was not meant to do that,” he said. “And what I would like to do is apologize. Anyone who heard those words and felt disenfranchised I want to say that I’m sorry. If you’re not a person who can say that you’re sorry than you’re not a very good leader.”
Now, I actually don’t want to discuss Bentley’s words. He was exactly right. As a child of God (assuming he is, of course), then he does have a different relationship with other believers than with unbelievers.
Here are the questions: Should Christian public officials make this distinction or not? Should Bentley have added something to his message to help those who are not Christians understand his beliefs better?
Implications of the Headship of Christ
Josh at “Called to Rebuild” as written an excellent article called “Christ the Key Ingredient.”
He begins with what he says stands out above everything else: “The absolute centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ as Head over all things.”
Beginning with the headship of Christ, Josh steps through several implications, including love for, fellowship with, and unity with other followers of Jesus.
Concerning that unity, Josh writes:
Once I began to know this kind of unity I knew I could no longer denominate myself from other believers. I became convinced that this experience-this bond of life and fellowship-was the answer to all our questions and all our seeking. So I became hungry for more. And eventually I realized that to know this kind of fellowship on a daily basis-which is what the New Testament envisions-I was gonna have to live close enough to my brothers and sisters that we could see each other as regularly as we wanted. No more driving to “church†thirty minutes away, having a couple hours of fellowship (if I was lucky), then having to return home and try my best to survive the rest of the week all alone as a Christian. No. I would spend all my moments within the community of the redeemed, for this is where the Christian life is meant to be lived.
When we began to consider the implications of the headship of Christ – along with his presence – we truly begin to see the church and others in a different light.
What has changed in the way you view other believers because of the headship and authority of Jesus Christ?
Community and Mission result from doing what Jesus says
The title of this post comes from a great blog post by Felicity at “Simply Church: A House Church Perspective.” Her article is called “Mission versus community? 3 random thoughts.”
Lately, Felicity has been writing about both community and mission from the perspective of simple or organic church, and this article falls within that context.
Her three “thoughts” are all very good, but I want to focus on the third “thought”:
Both community and mission should result from listening to Jesus and doing what he says. Jesus lived in community with his disciples–they shared the ups and downs of everyday life together. Â But Jesus was compelled by love–the heart of the Godhead–to reach out to the world.
When I read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, I can’t help but notice exactly what Felicity points out. Jesus demonstrated both community and mission, and he taught the importance of both mission and community.
When we look at our lives, we should see both community and mission. If not, then we are either not listening to what Jesus says, or we are not living what Jesus taught.
A Day I Saw Jesus
This post is part of the January 2011 synchroblog on the topic “The Manifestation of God.” Now, when I first read about this synchroblog – and the fact that it would fall around the celebration of the Ephiphany – I again thought about not participating.
As most of my readers know, I did not grow up in a liturgical tradition. I mean, obviously, we had our “liturgy,” but it didn’t follow the traditional Christian calendar.
Then, I thought more about the description of this synchroblog topic:
This month’s synchroblog’s theme is inspired by the season of Epiphany which begins on January 6 and ends the day before Ash Wednesday. The word “epiphany” is rich in meaning. Epiphany is derived from the Greek epiphaneia and means manifestation, shining forth, revelation, or appearance. In a religious context, the term describes the appearance of an invisible divine being in a visible form. It can also indicate a sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something. An “epiphany” might refer to those times in life when something becomes manifest, a deep realization, a sudden recognition that changes one’s view of themselves or their social condition and often sparks a reversal or change of heart. In the spirit of Epiphany we invite you to share stories, experiences and/or thoughts about “The Manifestation of God.”
I realized that while I did not celebrate “the season of Ephiphany” annually, the idea of epiphany is central to my understanding of who I am in Jesus Christ.
In fact, it all goes back to Jesus’ statement to Peter upon Peter’s confession that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17 ESV)
I believe that all who are God’s children have such an “epiphany” – that is, such a revelation from God that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that we have salvation, a place in God’s kingdom, and a restored relationship with God through him.
So, I began to ask myself, when have I seen Jesus Christ revealed? Immediately, so many examples popped into my mind. But one episode stood out clearest. So, I decided to share about this one particular day that I saw Jesus revealed.
Rhonna was a friend of ours. We had met her several months before in “the Neighborhood” – a government assisted housing project in our city. She was a single mother with four children who was both working and going to school to try to make a better life for herself and her family. Over those months, Rhonna had begun to share part of her story with my wife, Margaret. She had had a rough past.
Once, when we were out of town, Rhonna called us. She had gotten into some legal trouble when she tried to break up a fight. Now, because of the legal trouble, she was being kicked out of her duplex.
After several weeks of trying to get the decision reversed, the government organization gave Rhonna and her family an eviction notice. She had to move out; there was not further recourse available.
We told some of our friends about Rhonna and her situation. She had to move out of her duplex, and she had to move right away. Could anyone help?
Several of our friends showed up at Rhonna’s duplex with a couple of trucks and willing hearts. Together, we loaded the family’s belongings into the trucks and a few cars and made several trips to a local storage facility. Rhonna had decided to store her belongings and move in with her mother in a nearby city.
That night, I saw Jesus several times. I saw Jesus in the humility of a single mother who was willing to ask for and accept help – even from strangers. I saw Jesus when Rhonna began to weep and share with my wife about her struggles and her past experiences with domestic abuse. I saw Jesus in the faces of my friends who were willing to give up their evening for a complete stranger who could never repay their kindness.
I saw Jesus that night so many times and in so many ways. As our lives intertwined with his, I knew that our Father in heaven was revealing something special to us. That night, the kingdom of heaven was close.
You see, it’s very possible for God to reveal himself to us in the form of dreams or visions. But, God is present with his children every moment of every day. We should look for and expect to see “revelations” from God when his children are following him.
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Here is a list of other posts that are part of the January 2011 synchroblog “The Manifestation of God“:
Beth Patterson – A Robust Universe Includes The Botched and Bungled
Jeff Goins – The Manifestation Of God
Jeremy Myers – Pagan Prophecies Of Christ
Mark Smith – Manifestation Of God
Ellen Haroutunian – Stories of Epiphany
Liz Dyer – God Breaking Through Moments
Josh Morgan – The Manifestation Of God
Steve Hayes – Theophany: the manifestation of God
Sarah Bessey – In which Annie opens the door of her heart
Christine Sine – Eve of Epiphany – We Have Come, We Have Seen, Now We Must Follow
Tammy Carter – Paralysis In His Presence
Peter Walker – Epiphany Outside Theophany (Outside Christianity)
Community or Mission?
There is a natural assumption that building community decreases missional activity or that increasing missional activity decreases the prospects of community.
In Christ, our fellowship with one another must include both community with one another and common acts of service, love, and mercy toward others. Without both mission to others and fellowship with one another, we do not actually have community in Christ.
Fellowship with one another in Christ leads to mission. Missional activities with one another in Christ builds community. The two (community and mission) go together.
The church is both gathered by God (into community) and sent by God (into the world). We can’t have one without the other and still be God’s people in Christ.
So, what should a group of believers do if they realize that they are focusing all (or most) of their energies, resources, and times on themselves and are not reaching out to others? What should a group of Jesus’ disciples do if they realize that they are reaching out to others, but they are not building community among themselves?
I didn’t know something was missing
A few years ago, some friends introduced us to crab rangoon at a local Chinese restaurants. The crab rangoon that we were served was fried dumplings with some cream cheese on the inside served with the standard orange sweet and sour sauce. They were okay, but they were not as great as most people made them out to be.
Then, a few weeks ago, we tried crab rangoon at a new Japanese sushi restaurant in town. This time, the crab rangoon was completely different. Yes, it was still fried dumplings. But instead of cream cheese, this time there was some type of delicious crab salad on the inside. And, the sweet and sour sauce was not the typical orange sticky mess. It was a wonderful sauce with a combination of sweet and chips of peppers for the “sour” part.
We fell in love with this type of crab rangoon, and we realized that we had never truly had crab rangoon before.
Our experience with crab rangoon illustrates something that I’ve learned about Christians and the church, especially when it comes to fellowship, discipleship, edification, community, service, etc.
Often, it turns out, Christians have never really experienced these things before. But, they don’t realized that they’re missing something until they begin experiencing it for the first time.
For too long now, the illustrations, principles, and commands of Scripture have been placed under the hermeneutical (interpretive) pattern of the traditional local church organization, hierarchical leadership, and “worship service.”
As I’ve met more and more people who begin to understand how the patterns and descriptions and instructions of Scripture can and should apply to their entire life and to all of their relationships and time spent with other believers, they also begin to realize that something was missing all along. But, of course, they didn’t realize that something was missing, because they had always been told that everything was great.
When people move away from “fellowship” as a covered dish meal, and their eyes are opened to how they can experience the community of the Holy Spirit with one another, they begin to see what they’ve been missing. When those who are following Jesus Christ step away from “discipleship classes” and truly begin to share life with one another, they also start to understand what they’ve been missing.
And, I have to add, these things that are missing from the lives of many Christians (and were missing from my life for a long time) are much more important than crab salad and good sweet and sour sauce in a crab rangoon.
Jesus Christ has a full, exciting, interesting life awaiting those of his children who leave their old life behind and begin to follow him. It is much, much more than singing a few songs, putting money in an offering plate, and listening to a sermon. It is much, much more than attending a few classes and taking part in some programs.
Don’t misunderstanding me… this full, exciting, interesting life is always packed with struggles, troubles, trials, hard work, sweat, tears, pain, etc. But, you’ll find your life also stuffed with Jesus along with the struggles.
Many of my readers know exactly what I’m talking about, because they’ve tasted the difference. Some of you may not understand what I mean. But, I hope that soon God will allow you to live the life of fellowship, service, love, discipleship, etc. that he has for you, and that you will be able to say, “I didn’t know something was missing.”
Thinking about relationships…
Relationships. When you think about, much of our work as disciples of Jesus Christ depends upon relationships.
Teaching. Encouraging. Edifying. Admonishing. Fellowship. Discipline. They all depend on relationships.
So, we should never underestimate the importance of relationships.
Now, BeckyLynn Black (the wife of my PhD mentor Dave Black) has written a very good post called “10 Principles for Biblical Relationships.”
Here are her “10 Principles”:
- We can never force a relationship.
- We must allow others the freedom to fail…
- [W]e must resist the urge to judge an investment in a person before the time of judgment.
- Our lifestyles should be about investing in others…
- We must give grace & patience for immaturity…
- [W]e must be careful not to confuse the role of people and the role of the Lord in our lives.
- It is OK, even normal, for relationships to involve pain & tears.
- [R]ash venting of emotions is no substitute for the virtue of self-control…
- Never substitute a human being, however nice & godly, for the Lord Jesus.
- As obedient followers of Jesus, we must divide our relationships according to His criteria, not ours.
BeckyLynn discusses each principle in detail. Follow the link and read the rest of the post.