What will it take for us to work together as Christians?

When the British and French were fighting in Canada in Octorber of 1690, Sir William Phips of Massachusetts, commander of the British fleet, was to anchor outside Quebec. He was to wait for the British land forces to arrive, and then support them when they attacked the city. Contrary to the plan Phipps’ navy arrived early. As Phips waited, he became annoyed by the statues of the saints that adorned the towers of a nearby cathedral, so he commanded his men to shoot at them with the ships’ cannons. No one knows how many rounds were fired or how many statues were knocked out, but when the land forces arrived and the signal was given to attack, the fleet was of no help. They had used up most of the ammunition shooting at the "saints." (Daily Bread, October 6).

Are we ever guilty of “shooting the saints?” Do become critical when another Christian church or group outside of ours expresses the truth we are teaching about Jesus in a different fashion, with a different style of music, or form of worship, or style of preaching or teaching, or a different emphasis in the community?

In my last two posts I looked at Luke 9:49-50 to see what it teaches us about people who serve Jesus who are not a part of my group. The passage reads:

49  Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."

50  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

So what is the point of Jesus’ lesson here? Jesus has a variety of servants. Those who are living and working in the name of Christ (by His authority) are not to be forbidden, even if they are unknown to us.

The twelve were not the only faithful disciples of Jesus! In addition to the apostles, many who heard Him were receptive, noble listeners.  "The multitudes pressed about Him to hear the word of God," and in the response of some to Him, Jesus "saw their faith," (Luke 5:1,20). "And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John," (Luke 7:29). The notion that the apostles were the only faithful disciples is not only assumption; it is error. Those "with'' Him were not the only faithful disciples. This unidentified man, based on every indication we have, was a faithful disciple of Christ, though he was not in the company of the apostles.

It’s so easy for us to criticize or minimize other Christians because they are “not one of us.” We can be guilty of the same spiritual bigotry that infected John.

When we look at v. 50 and its parallels, it brings up an interesting dilemma. Compare the following verses:

    *    “For who is not against us, is for us” (Mk 9:40 NASB)

    *    "Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you." (Lk 9:50 NASB)

    *    "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” (Lk 11:23a)

    *    "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” (Mt 12:30a)

Which is it? Are they for us or against us? These statements of Jesus almost seem to contradict one another don’t they? I believe the resolution is to notice that the first two are concerned with "us," or “you,” while the second two are concerned with "me," in other words, Jesus himself. The conclusion I draw is this: Being with or against Jesus is not always the same as being with or against us. Just because another Christian is different from me does not mean that they do not belong to Jesus.

The key to this lesson is that John pointed out this stranger was casting out demons in the name of Jesus.

I realize some people and groups use the name of Jesus in a way that is not legitimate. Not everyone who claims the name of Jesus really honors who Jesus is. What a group believes about Jesus is absolutely essential for us to cooperate and fellowship with them, that’s what it means to honor the name of Jesus. I’m not advocating some kind of universalism that says any religion is okay. There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus—and Jesus alone. Jesus is not just one of the ways to God. He is not even the best way to God: He is the only way!

But within those parameters we need to be inclusive. We need to realize those who don’t do it the way we do it are our friends, if they honor the same Jesus we honor. In fact they are more than our friends—they are our brothers and sisters!

Did you know in heaven, God is not going to corral us into different areas? St. Peter is not going to have a loudspeaker saying, “Okay, let’s have all the Catholics over here, Baptists in this area, Methodists over here, Church of God folks in this corral, Church of Christ folks, to that side … ”

Did you notice how these this lesson is connected to Jesus’ lesson about greatness and welcoming the child in His name (Luke 9:46-48)? When you become like a humble little child, you will be less exclusive of others. Long before blacks and whites started getting together in the South as friends, little black kids and little white kids played together without any qualms. It was only as they grew up they learned blacks and whites didn’t socialize. I think they had it right as children, don’t you?

Think about the attitudes of little children. They get out on the playground and have such fun with each other. They don’t ask each other which country club their parents belong to. They don’t inquire about where their parents graduated from college, or where they work, or how much money they have. They don’t ask what denomination they are. They just play together. That’s the kind of childlike spirit Jesus was talking about.

What will it take for us to work together as Christians?

How do I tell if someone is truly acting Jesus name?

In my last post I looked at Luke 9:49-50 to see what it teaches us about people who serve Jesus who are not a part of my group. The passage reads:

49  Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."

50  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

From this I concluded that Jesus has a variety of servants and many of them do not belong to my group. In the scripture story John’s complaint against this unknown exorcist is that "he does not follow with us." They knew the man was acting in Jesus' name. In fact John says to Jesus, “we saw someone casting out demons in Your name.” The problem was that he didn't belong to their group. He’s not in the “in-crowd” so he is an “outsider,” not one of the gang. We don’t know him, he isn’t one of us.

So the work of God gets shut down. Jesus, who has been breaking boundaries all over the place so that people could be free, now confronts His closest disciples who are, instead of following Jesus’ example and breaking down boundaries, are actually putting up new boundaries; finding new ways to keep people out, and restrict the Kingdom of God.

Now we do need to be careful in this area because not everyone who uses the name of Jesus has Jesus’ authority or His Spirit. There are a lot of things that have been done in Jesus’ name that He has nothing to do with. Think about the abuses of Jim Jones, David Koresh...and many others who have used the name of Jesus to lead people astray.

Also think of some of the actions of churches and church people. Not all church splits, policies, attitudes, or spirits glorify God. In these cases Jesus’ name is used, but He is not authorizing or empowering what they are doing.

Take for instance the interesting account of the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19. They were going around trying to invoke the name of Jesus over those who were demon possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." (Acts 19:13 NIV). One day these guys tried this, “And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’” (Acts 19:15 NKJV). And Luke tells us the result of that encounter was, “Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:16).

Another reason to be careful about how we apply these words of Jesus is that in our day many have made an idol out of tolerance. If we as Christians or as a church dare to confront false teaching or immorality in our midst we can be accused of being “intolerant.”

Here's the kind of argument you might hear: "The Lord said: 'Do not forbid him.' therefore, even though someone may not be with us; even if they happen to be teaching some things that are wrong; even though they approve of immoral practices, so long as they are not against us, and so long as they ascribe the name of Christ to their work, we should not forbid or criticize them.” This is the "practical lesson" some have derived from this text.

But John didn't say this man was guilty of some wrong. He didn't say the unidentified man was teaching false doctrine. The only thing John said was, "he does not follow with us!"

And consider what Jesus says about the man. Jesus said of this man, he is "not against us." In Mark's account, Jesus said of this man, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me," (Mark 9:39). It is clear, this man was not a false teacher! Had this he been a false teacher, what do you think Jesus would have said about him? Likely, as Jesus did with the scribes and Pharisees, He probably would have called him a "ravenous wolf," and compared him to a bad tree that bears bad fruit; a tree worthy of being "cut down and thrown into the fire," (see Matt. 7:15-20).

So, whatever this passage means, we can be certain it doesn't mean we must refrain from exposing false teachers and immoral practices. The text affords no ground for that whatever. Gospel preachers are to charge false teachers ''that they teach no other doctrine," (1 Tim. 1:3). Our duty is to "rebuke" and "exhort," (2 Tim. 4:2). Jesus never endorsed tolerance of anything morally or doctrinally wrong.

In my next post I will discuss more how to tell if someone is truly acting in Jesus’ name.

What other dangers do you see from people who claim to be doing things in Jesus’ name?

How do I interact with followers of Jesus who are not like me?

How do I interact with followers of Jesus who are not like me? What if they being to a different group? What if their worship style is different than ours? What if they spread the gospel using a different method than my church? What if they have a different emphasis in the community?

Here is a truth I learned from Luke 9:49-50: Jesus has many servants and most do not look like me.

49  Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."

50  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

What is Jesus teaching us here? The context is always important. What had been going on before John made this statement? Did he just make this remark "out of the blue?" No. John's statement is connected to what had been just going on. John and the other disciples had been fussing among themselves about who was the greatest (see: Luke 9:46-48 and Mark 9:33-37). John says this in answer to what Jesus had just said in verse 48: "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."

Don’t you see two great ironies in this statement of John? First, Jesus had just told His disciples about receiving, or welcoming, the child in His name and that by welcoming someone in Jesus’ name they would be welcoming Jesus and His Father. Now the disciples are doing the opposite of that. Instead of receiving and welcoming, they are forbidding and excluding.

Another irony is that this unnamed man is casting out demons in Jesus' name -- something that earlier in this chapter, the disciples were unable to do. This man was not part of their group, but he was out there doing ministry, casting out demons, apparently successfully. So John tells Jesus, “we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”

One day a lady criticized D. L. Moody for his methods of evangelism in attempting to win people to the Lord. Moody's reply was "I agree with you. I don't like the way I do it either. Tell me, how do you do it?" The lady replied, "I don't do it." Moody retorted, "Then I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it."

John probably expected Jesus to commend him for his action, but instead, Jesus uses it to teach a lesson. Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.” It’s like Jesus is saying, “I like the way he’s doing it better than how you’re not doing it.”

Jesus has a variety of servants and most do not serve in the same way as me.

When Bible Reading Becomes Dry

There are times when I study the Bible that the very words seem to jump off the page and breath life into my weary soul. I rejoice at every verse, each story, and devour chapter upon chapter. God feeds my soul and revives my spirit.

But every now and then there are times when the Bible seems as inspiring as the New York City Area phone book. Every Christian has experienced them – dry times in their Bible study. Times it is a drudgery rather than a joy to pick up God’s word and read it.

What do you do at times like that? Here’s what I have found:

First, don’t ignore it. This is no small problem. It is a serious spiritual issue. Second, ask God. In other words, PRAY.

Prayer and the word of God go hand in hand. “Praying before the throne of God and meditating on the Word of God are like parallel rails that enable the train of our souls to stay on the track that leads to holiness and heaven.” –Piper.

How should I pray as I approach God’s word? Psalm 119 gives me some really good clues:

Pray for God’s Grace (119:17) “Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.” The Psalmist is asking that God would deal with him according to God’s goodness, not according to his own merit. That is grace. There is bountiful riches in God’s grace toward us. Always go to the Bible humbly, dependently, asking for the abundant grace of Jesus Christ to fill you with understanding and mature you to do His word. Admit you can’t do it on your own.

Pray for Illumination (119:18) “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.” There are wonderful things in God's teaching to us. But no one can see these wonderful things for what they really are without God's supernatural help. It is God through His Holy Spirit that enables us to comprehend His word. Again, you can’t—He can.

Pray as a Stranger on Earth (119:19) “I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me.” The earth is not my home. I am traveling in a foreign land and I need a road map. The Bible is that guide. It is our roadmap through this sinful world to the bright land of eternity with the Father. Remember, the Bible speaks the language of heaven, and my citizenship is there.

Pray with Passion for God’s Word (119:20) “My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times.”  The Psalmist prayed with passion. He felt a crushing burden to read and ponder God’s ordinances. He said, “My soul breaks with longing.” When I go to study God’s word, I do not pray simply as a duty, I am desperate to know God and His word to me. And not just sometimes, “at all times.”

Pray Because of Opposition (119:21-23) ”You rebuke the proud; the cursed” those who “speak against me.” Few things cause believers to hide their faith more than fear of scorn or ridicule. Ask God to “Remove” that burden from you. Pray that in the midst of this sinful world, as you face opposition, that God would keep you faithful as you meditate on His word.

The Fruit of Prayerful Study of God’s Word (119:24) “Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors.” God gives us joy and pleasure through His word when we come to it prayerfully.

Have you experienced dry times in your Bible Study? What helped?

What If You Saw Jesus Today?

What would you do if you saw Jesus today? I read some true news stories about people who claimed to see images of the Lord:

A few years ago a woman in New Mexico was frying tortillas. One of the tortillas burned and the result was an image that looked like a face; she thought it looked like Jesus. She took the tortilla to her priest and he agreed it looked like Jesus, so he blessed it. The woman and her husband took the blessed tortilla back home and placed it in a box surrounded by cotton to make it appear as if it was floating on air. They built an altar around it and started praying there. Word began to spread about the holy tortilla and soon thousands of people visited their home to pray before the holy tortilla. People are desperate to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

Another lady in Arkansas turned on the kitchen light in her mobile home. The reflection of the light on the mobile home beside her looked like a man’s face. She turned the light off and the image disappeared. When she turned the light back on, the image reappeared. She was certain it was a miracle—she could see the face of Jesus! News soon spread and hundreds of people were visiting her trailer to walk into her kitchen and flip on the light. Because of the crowds, she started charging a dollar a person. A local television station interviewed one of the men who had paid his dollar to see the image. He was pretty skeptical. He said, “I want my dollar back, it looked more like Willie Nelson to me.”

Do you want to see Jesus? Don’t go to a tortilla or a trailer—go to the Word of God. Go read the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Gaze upon Him who healed the sick and raised the dead. Hear the voice of Him who taught as no one ever did. Behold the Son of God dying on the cross for our sins. Wonder at the risen Savior. Study the book of Acts and the Epistles and see Jesus at work through His church, turning the world upside down. Turn to Revelation 1 and see what Jesus looks like now in His majesty and authority. John saw Him and wrote “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow and his eyes were like blazing fire. ... His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” (Rev. 1:14, 16).

Have you seen Jesus lately?

How to Keep Your Life Clean

I have been studying Psalm 119 over the last few days. The BIG IDEA in this psalm is that God blesses us when we are devoted to Him and His word. At the end of the first section in verse 8, the psalmist makes the bold promise, “I will keep your statutes.”

Next he asks the obvious question, “How can I do that?”

In verse 9 he asks, “How can a young man cleanse his way?” He wants to know: How can I live a more holy life?   How can I sin less and have victory more?  How can I live to glorify God?  How can I keep my ways pure?

Good question. But why is the answer to that question important for us?

Because: Only a pure life is a life that pleases God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8). 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’" Purity and holiness are essential. So he asks, “How do I get there?”

The answer? How can I keep my ways pure? “By taking heed according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:9).

The "cleansing" is through God's Word. The Scripture is purifying in its effect.  We must depend on God’s word, on His promises, on the gospel of what He has accomplished through Jesus Christ. See, it is not our promise to the Lord, but His promises to us that will give us victory over sin. It is only by His grace in us through Jesus Christ that we can have this victory. And the way that Jesus works in us is through His word, His promises in the Bible. We must live according to God’s word.

It is the Gospel message from the word of God that truly cleanses.  Paul says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor 7:1 NKJV)  John agrees: "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (1 John 3:3). Peter sums it up, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever," (1 Pet. 1:22-23).

So it is Jesus who purifies, cleanses us from sin. But how do we continue in that cleansing? How do we keep from sin? How do we live according to this gospel?

In the next few verses the psalmist shows us what it looks like to “take heed” or “live according to” His word.

To Live According to God’s Word Means:

A. I seek the Lord with my whole heart. (119:10) If our whole heart is seeking God our feet will not stray from God.

10  With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!

B. I hide God’s word in my heart (119:11) What would happen if you treasured His Word above everything else?

11  Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!

C. I praise the Lord with His word (119:12). When God's Word is hidden in your heart praises come out of your mouth.

12  Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes!

D. I declare God’s word (119:13). Speak the Word of God. Speak it to yourself, and declare it to others.

13  With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.

E. I rejoice in following God’s word (119:14). Following God’s word is not a drudgery it is a joy!

14  I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.

F. I mediate on God’s word (119:15). Make it a part of you.

15  I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.

G. I delight in God’s word (119:16). When was the last time you had an old fashioned, Holy Spirit, joy-filled time in God’s Word?

16  I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

As disciples of Jesus who are in the world, we are daily exposed to "the pollutions of the world." So daily we need cleansing.  We need deep and regular washings.  God has provided a detergent in His Word.  It will make us "whiter than any fuller can whiten".  But it, like other soaps, will do us no good unless applied to the stain.  Are we willing to rub the His word into the grimy parts of our lives?  If we do--under the blessing of God--they'll come clean.

Will I take the steps necessary to cleanse my way with God’s word?

WHERE ARE YOU IN THE PROCESS?

There are at least five different levels of spiritual commitment. Take a look and see where you might fit.

Are you:

1. Uninterested?  This would be a person who is not a Christian, someone who has no desire to know God. They are so controlled by Self and sin they don’t really want to follow Jesus. Some may be hostile to Christianity, others my just be indifferent. This person sees no need for Jesus and doesn’t care to.

2. Seeker?  This would be a person who is not yet a Christian but is really interested in knowing God. This person is interested in spiritual things; is open to the truth of the Bible; and may know some believers who have shown a winsome testimony. These people are on the right path to meet Jesus and be saved.

3. Believer?  You are at this level if you have repented of your sins and received Christ. You believe the truth of the Gospel that Jesus died for you and was raised to give you life. You have a desire to love God and follow Jesus. However, you may still at times be controlled by Self.

4. Disciple?  A disciple is one who is denying Self, taking up his cross daily and following Jesus. His main desire is to please and follow his Master, Jesus Christ. You have found that loving Jesus and serving Him by loving others is the great joy of your life. You feed upon God’s word. You commune with God in prayer. You fellowship with God’s people.

5. Disciple-maker? There is at least one level beyond a simple disciple. Jesus didn’t call us just to be disciples but to be disciple-makers. In other words, a real disciple is someone who has led someone to Christ and has nurtured and mentored him or her to become a real disciple as well.

Jesus said, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48).

Where are you? Where would you like to be? If it is not your obsession to become a disciple and a disciple-maker, you may need to examine whether you are even a believer.

Ungreat Expectations

George had attended church since he was a boy and now he was 60 years old. Everyone knew who George was, there wasn’t a Sunday that went by that George wasn’t in church. The truth however is no one really knew George at all. George had difficulty loving his wife. His children could not speak freely with him and felt no affection for him. George was not concerned about the poor and had little tolerance for those outside the church. George also tended to judge those in the church rather harshly. "Those kids shouldn’t be running around in the church; Look at what he is wearing to church; Why, I always liked the green carpeting, why change it? If it isn’t broke don’t try to fix it."

One day someone in the church asked George, “Are you happy, George?

Never changing his unpleasant frown, George replied, “Yes, Why?”

The church member then responded, “Well then George, you need to tell your face!”

You see George’s exterior mirrored his interior. The problem was George was not changing. He was stuck in his well practiced ways. But the most remarkable part of it all was, that if you brought this to the congregation's attention, they would have simply said, “So? That’s George, it’s just the way he is.”

No one seemed to care that George remained unchanged. No one called a special church meeting to consider this strange occurrence of a person who was not changing. No one really expected George to change, and therefore they were not surprised when that change did not happen.

They did have other expectations of George. Everyone expected that each Sunday morning George would be at church. He would sit there, right were he always sat. They trusted that George would take communion like he always did. They knew that George would read the scriptures, and give his offering faithfully. Whenever called upon George would help with moving the tables and chairs or volunteer on church work days. George was a faithful member of his church.

But people did not expect that day by day, month by month, decade by decade, George would be more transformed into the likeness of Jesus. People did not expect that he would become progressively more loving, more joyful, and more holy. So they were not shocked when it did not happen.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17).

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18)

“that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24).

What is the expectation in your church?

(I adapted this story from a sermon I heard by Chip Ingram).

Whole Hearted

“Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! … I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands." (Psalm 119:2,10). Seek the Lord with my whole heart. Now what exactly does that mean? Does it mean going to church every Sunday? Does it mean putting some money in the offering plate? Is that what being a Christian is all about?

Some people would say, "Yes! That’s good enough for me! I come to church. I give money. What else is there?"

What if I came home to see my wife only once a week on Sunday? What if I said, "Hi honey! I’m home! For a whole hour! And guess what? This time, I brought you some money! I was going to spend it at McDonald’s. But I wanted you to have it so you would know how much I really love you and what a good husband I am! I have to go now so I won’t be late for the game. But I’m sure I’ll be back next week. Bye sweetheart!"

I’m sure you’re thinking, "What kind of a loser is that? What kind of a creep spends only an hour a week with his wife?"

But this is how some people treat God. They give him an hour a week on Sunday; a couple of bucks in the plate. And they think that everything’s Ok. Well, guess what? It’s not ok. Jeremiah 29:13 says "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with ALL OF YOUR HEART!"

It’s like God is saying, “I’m not looking for a 1 hour a week relationship! I don’t want a casual courtship! I want something more than that! I want all your heart! I want a commitment. I want to hear your voice in prayer every day. I want you to read my Bible. I want you to share the good news about my Son with others. I want you to visit the elderly. I want you to be compassionate on those who are less fortunate. I want you to represent Jesus Christ in all that you do."

The true evidence of seeking the Lord with my whole heart is I “keep His testimonies” and do not “stray from your commands.” (Psalm 119:2,10). Jesus said it this way, “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me,” and "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.” (John 14:15,21,23).

Am I whole hearted for God?

Lose to Win

Many of you recall the movie Chariots of Fire. It was about Scotsman Eric Liddell running in the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Liddell was a committed Christian and refused to run on Sunday (which he felt was the Christian Sabbath). The consequence was that he was forced to withdraw from the 100 meters race, his best event. Instead he entered the 400 meter race. The day of the race as Liddell went to the starting blocks, an American masseur slipped a piece of paper into Liddell's hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, "Those who honor me I will honor." He not only won the race, but broke the existing world record  with a time of 47.6 seconds.

Liddell gave up his chance to race for the gold in the 100 meters. But he held true to his Lord and his convictions.

Jesus said, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:24). I don’t think this just means to lose your life in the way that a soldier might lose his life in battle. It means to become so immersed in something that you “lose yourself” in the task. Eric Liddell said, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure."

What is the glorious obsession of a disciple? What brings you God's pleasure? Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. All you need in order to have a kingdom is a king: That’s Jesus. He said, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33).

There are two aspects to the Kingdom of God. There is the present kingdom of God: Jesus said, “the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21); “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17).  There is also a future Kingdom. In Luke 9:26 Jesus speaks about coming in the glory of the Father and the angels—that’s what we call the Second Coming. Jesus is coming again and will one day set up a literal Kingdom. Don’t you want to be a part of that kingdom? I do, but you must lose your life in the Kingdom of God now in order to find your life in the Kingdom of God to come.

Is Jesus Christ and His Kingdom my obsession? Do I live to be a disciple and a disciple-maker?

The best part of Eric Liddell’s life occurred after his Olympic medal. He didn’t return to Scotland to have his picture on a box of Wheaties and to live off his endorsements. In 1925 Liddell accepted God’s call to serve as a missionary in China as his parents had earlier done. During the Japanese invasion, Liddell was arrested along with many Chinese Christians and placed in a prison camp. Even in the camp, he led many Chinese to Christ and discipled them.

In 2008 it was revealed by the Chinese authorities that Liddell had given up an opportunity to leave the camp and instead gave his place to a pregnant woman. Apparently, the Japanese made a deal with the British, with Churchill's approval, for prisoner exchange. This information was released near the time of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by the Chinese government and apparently news of this great act of sacrifice came as a surprise even to his family members.

Eric Liddell died at the camp on 21 February 1945, five months before China was liberated. At the young age of 43 He met his Master. He had run another kind of race, for another kind of prize and he received another kind of medal—more priceless than gold. Liddell is quoted as saying, “We are all missionaries. Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ.”

Are you a missionary, a disciple? Are you running the right race? Jesus isn’t after attenders or spectators. He doesn’t just want 10,000 well-dressed carnal believers to gather in church every Sunday. He is still calling people to be disciples and to be disciple-makers.

Follow Me

Over the last few posts I have written about being a disciple as we focused on Jesus’ challenge to His disciples in Luke 9. After telling His disciples what it meant for Him to be the Messiah, He told them what it meant for them to be His disciples. Jesus has said that if we would come after him (be His disciple), we must deny self, take up our cross daily, and follow Him.

Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23).

FOLLOW ME. That means to walk the way Jesus walked. I remember a few years ago when my son was just about five, we went to Florida for a few days of vacation. One day when we were walking on the beach I looked back and Ricky was intentionally stepping in the footprints I left in the sand. So, I started taking giant steps and going around in circles. He laughed as He tried to copy my crazy movements.

Following Jesus means to walk in His footsteps. Now this doesn’t mean you have to live a perfect life to be a disciple—that’s impossible. But you must make a conscious decision to follow Jesus. It means you choose to obey God in every area.

Sometimes following Jesus involves leaving some things. When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John they were fishermen. He challenged them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." (Mark 1:17). They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

In I Kings 19 there is a great illustration of discipleship. Elijah, the national prophet, was coming to the end of his ministry. God told him to choose Elisha to be his disciple and his replacement. Elijah found Elisha hard at work on the family farm, plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. Elisha probably came from a wealthy family with a large farm because we see him supervising eleven other men as he plowed with the last pair (for you farmers, it’s like having a tractor that will pull a 12 bottom plow—that’s no small tractor!).

The prophet Elijah walked up to this farmer and threw his prophet’s mantle over him.  Elisha ran after Elijah to follow him. But before he agreed to be Elijah’s disciple he first did something very important. He had a barbeque for his family. He slaughtered his oxen and used the wooden yoke and plow as fuel to cook the beef. Do you see what Elisha was doing? When you burn your plow and eat your ox you don’t ever intend to go back to farming. He was cutting ties with his past so he wouldn’t be tempted to go back to that life. It was his way of showing he was totally committed to following his new master. That’s discipleship.

I can’t follow Jesus and blaze my own trail at the same time.

You have probably heard of Florence Nightingale. Although she was raised in great wealth and privilege in England, at age 17 she experienced the call of God to help suffering people. She became known as the founder of modern nursing. While serving during the bloody Crimean War, she treated the wounded even after she contracted a deadly illness herself. She was the first female to be awarded the British Order of Merit. What made her life so exceptional?

She was a serious disciple of Jesus Christ. She wrote in her diary, “I am 30 years of age, the age at which Christ began His mission. Now no more childish things, no more vain things.” Late in her life she was asked to explain how she had accomplished so much, she said, “I can give only one explanation and that is this: I have kept nothing back from God.”

Are you holding back anything from God?

Death to Self!

Jim Elliot is one of my spiritual heroes. On January 8, 1956, he and three other men were attacked and killed by the Auca Indians in the jungles of Ecuador. Elliot and a few others went to take the gospel to these primitive people. The story about their deaths captivated the nation because of a story in Life Magazine. Jim’s wife, Elizabeth Elliot, wrote about the event in her book, Through Gates of Splendor. Although it was a tragedy, Jim was ready to die. In his journal, Jim Elliot wrote: “God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life that I may burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God for it is Thine. I seek not a long life but a full one like You, Lord Jesus.” … “He is no fool to give up that which he cannot keep in order to gain that which he can never lose.”

Yesterday we saw that Jesus said to be His follower, His disciple, we must deny ourselves. Next, Jesus says we must take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23). For you to take up your cross doesn’t mean you carry a little cross in your pocket or wear one around your neck. It doesn’t mean you carry around a large wooden beam down the road. Some people think their “cross to bear” is some kind of physical ailment. I’ve heard people complain about their ingrown toenail or migraine headache and say, “But I guess it’s just my cross that I’ll just have to bear.”

Jesus isn’t talking about ingrown toenails or migraines. The meaning is so simple that many have missed it. He is talking about dying. A person carrying a cross had only one destination: Death. It was always a one-way trip. It isn’t physical death but death to self. The disciple’s cross demands death to self-will, self-interest, and self-seeking. In the words of Jesus, it requires denying self (Luke 9:23). The “way of the cross” is the way of death to our own will and interests. As our Lord set aside His glory and prerogatives as God in order to come to earth and “bear His cross,” so the disciple of Christ must do likewise (cf. Philippians 2:1-8). The cross means that we must also “put to death” the old nature and its practices:

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5).

After you have denied Self, you must constantly subject your Self to death. Actually, since all our sins were nailed to Jesus on the cross and since our ego is the essence of our sin problem, our Self was already crucified with Jesus; we just need to acknowledge it daily.

One of my all-time favorite verses which I recite almost daily is found in Galatians 2:20. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

In other words, my Self was put to death when I identified with the death of Jesus. But here is the real problem: our Self has more lives than a lucky cat. Crucified self keeps wanting to jump down from the cross and step up on the throne of your life. That’s why Jesus said taking up your cross was a daily discipline. I usually have to quote and claim Galatians 2:20 several times a day and sometimes even several times an hour!

Being dead has its advantages. For instance, you can’t really bother a dead person. Go down to the funeral home sometime and walk into a room where a body is lying in rest and try this. Wait until the room is empty and walk up to the corpse. Compliment him. “You look wonderful today!” He isn’t moved by flattery or the praise of men. Try criticizing him. “That tie looks awful.” Does it bother him? That’s a good thing about being dead, compliments or criticism don’t affect you. Try to bribe him. “Here’s a hundred dollar bill, do you want it?” I bet he won’t even glance at your money, much less take it. Try to tempt him. Pull out some illegal drugs, “Here do you want some?” Get the point? When you are dead to Self, then flattery, criticism, money and temptation have no appeal to you. That’s what it means to take up your cross.

When the Auca Indians killed Jim Elliot, it was not a tragedy, because Jim Elliott was already dead before he got to South America. He had lost his life in order to save it.

The only way you can truly experience life is by dying to Self. A real disciple is a dead man walking.

Have you experienced the difficulty of dying to self daily?

Who's On the Throne?

Luke 9:23 is one of the most important verses in the New Testament because it contains the essence of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Jesus said you can never be a disciple unless you “deny yourself.” That doesn’t simply mean you have to deny yourself something like sweets, sleep or food. It means you deny your Self. Think of your “self” as your “ego” or the “Big I.” Because we are sinners, our human nature makes us self-centered. We put the “Big I” at the center of our own little universe and everything revolves around “me”.

I can’t help but remember the final lines to the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley. It reflects the attitude of a life separated from God. The day Timothy McVeigh was executed he left this poem to be read as his final statement. Although they would never consider killing 168 people, many people share McVeigh’s attitude. The poem ends, “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.”

Contrast that with the unselfish life Jesus taught.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor in Germany during the horror of Hitler. Because of his opposition to Nazi tactics, he was put into prison and later hanged as a traitor. He understood something about the cost of following Jesus. In his book, The Cost of Discipleship, he wrote, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” And to explain that further he wrote, “Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only who goes before us and no more the road which is too hard for us.”

Denying your Self is not thinking harshly of your “self” or hating your “self.” It is just not thinking of your Self at all. Look at these three graphics. They are from a Campus Crusade for Christ booklet entitled “Have you made the wonderful discovery of the Spirit-filled life?”

         Natural Man                       Carnal Man                     Spiritual Man

The first circle represents a Natural Man or a person without Christ. Self, represented by a big S on the throne. The cross, or Christ, is outside the person’s life. The smaller black circles represent different interests like family, work and hobbies. See how unbalanced they are? That’s a self-centered life.

The second circle represents a Christian but he is a Carnal Man. The cross (Christ) is in his life but “self” is still trying to be on the throne. He is still self-directed because he hasn’t “denied” himself as Jesus instructed. He is basically miserable. See how the interests are still unbalanced?

The third circle represents a Spiritual Man or a Spirit-filled person. Self has been dethroned and Jesus is on the throne. This person has made Jesus Lord by denying Self. See how balanced his life is? Think of it this way: As long as Self is on the cross, Jesus is on the throne. Whenever Self climbs back up on the throne, we put Jesus back on the cross. You see, the throne of your life is a single-seater; there’s only room for one at a time.

Many people want Jesus in their lives so they won’t burn in hell, but they still want to call the shots. They want to maintain control. But Jesus insists that we deny and dethrone self.

Which circle represents your life right now?

Who is the Messiah?

Yesterday in my post, Jesus on the Buffet, I wrote about the most important question in the world: Who do you say Jesus is?

Jesus had asked this question of His disciples. And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20). Peter was correct in his confession. But he was incomplete in his understanding. He knew Jesus was the Messiah, but he did not know what it meant for Jesus to be the Messiah.

Peter’s “messiah” was surely not a suffering messiah. As Jesus began to explain His mission, to suffer, be killed, and rise again, Peter has a violent negative reaction, "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" (Matt. 16:22). The very same Peter who rejoiced in identifying Jesus as Messiah, rejected the possibility of Him being a suffering Savior. Peter’s idea of “messiah” was a distorted picture, a messiah of his own hopes and aspirations.

Peter believed that stopping Jesus was the loving thing to do. No doubt, Peter thought that this would be the greatest display of love to the Savior that could ever be expressed. But, Jesus knew the most loving thing would be to follow God’s plan that would take Him to the cross of Calvary. Peter’s version of love would have stopped salvations plan. God’s version of love made salvation available to all who will believe.

At this point Jesus clues them in to their future travel itinerary. He said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."(9:22).

Who is the Messiah?

(1) The one who must suffer. The cross of the Christ was mandatory. Notice how Jesus uses the word “MUST.” In other words, this thing wasn’t up for a vote. It wasn’t just some proposal that He was throwing on the table for a committee to think about it. This was His divine mission. He had to go to Jerusalem to suffer.

(2) The one who must be rejected. The cross of Christ involved more than the physical wooden cross, the instrument of His death. Jesus had to suffer the rejection of His people and their leaders. The Lord had to suffer not only the rejection of men, and death on that cross, with all its physical pain, but He had to suffer the alienation from God while bearing the sins of the world. The extent of His suffering is infinitely beyond our ability to grasp.

(3) The one who must die. Jesus’ death was God’s plan for our salvation. It was no accident, or coincidence, it was His whole mission. Leave out the death of Jesus, and you have no Messiah. The Christ had to suffer death on our behalf.

(4) The one who would be raised to life. The good news is that Jesus did not stay dead, but destroyed sin and death by His resurrection. The third day He came back from the grave. And now He gives life to all who come to Him in faith.

Tomorrow we will examine what kind of disciples we are to be if Jesus is this mind of Messiah.

Jesus on the Buffet

Twice a month after Sunday morning worship our church shares a fellowship meal together. Many of us bring food and we lay it all out on the table buffet style. Don’t you just love buffets? You can pick and choose between many scrumptious dishes. Some restaurants like the Golden Corral or Ryan’s have that kind of set up. If you go with a group of people everyone can get what they want. They can go down the line and pick and choose … Mexican food, Seafood, Chinese, Italian, good old American. You can try something new, and if you don’t like it … set it aside and go back for something else…

That’s great when you’re eating out (except that you may over-eat trying to get your money’s worth). It doesn’t work so well when you take the buffet approach to your faith. A lot of people think of “religion” as a kind of smorgasbord. They take a little of what Buddha said over here and try out some of what Moses said over there with a little Jesus sprinkled over it and some Scientology sauce on the side. And for dessert they try some Dr. Phil and Dr. Laura with a big dollop of Oprah on top. If it all tastes good, they keep it … and they’ve put together their own buffet of life. If they lose their taste for any part of it, they can set it aside and try something else.

The only problem is: although the Bible is nourishing to our souls, it doesn’t offer a buffet. God isn’t a buffet kind of God. The Bible presents ONE God and ONE way to be saved. Some people accept that as truth. Others don’t like it. They want to set it aside and find something else on the buffet table that looks better to them.

Ravi Zacharias in his book, JESUS AMONG OTHER GODS, says, “We are living in a time when sensitivities are at the surface, often vented with cutting words. Philosophically, you can believe anything, so long as you do not claim it to be true. Morally, you can practice anything, as long as you do not claim that it is a ‘better’ way. Religiously, you can hold to anything, as long as you do not bring Jesus Christ into it.”

Once when Jesus was alone with His disciples He asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" (Luke 9:18). They all began to suggest answers that they had heard. You see, everyone was talking about Jesus. It seems that everyone had an opinion about Jesus. Even King Herod heard about all that was going on and what people were saying about Jesus. The disciples gave the very same report that Herod heard, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again." (9:19).

If we were to go around today and ask people who Jesus is we would probably get even more answers than the disciples had heard. Muslims will say that He was a prophet, but that He did not die on the cross nor was He raised from the dead. Buddhists will gladly call Jesus a “guru” and one of the incarnations of Buddha. Mormons say that Jesus is “a son of God” along with many others. Philosophers may acknowledge Jesus as one of the great minds of the ages. Historians point to him as one of the most influential people that has ever lived. Jesus has been called a first rate teacher, a political activist, and a worker of miracles.

Then Jesus asks the more important question, "But who do you say that I am?" (Luke 9:20).

That is the most important question any man or woman will ever answer. The difference between salvation and condemnation, between heaven and hell is bound up in the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?”

This question is an individual matter, to be answered by every person. Frankly, the view of the masses will never be the right view of Jesus. We must stand apart from the crowds who may think of Jesus fondly but reject Jesus as the Christ of God. The world may want to just add Jesus to everything else on the buffet, but He will not have it. He calls people to make a choice, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered for the group, "The Christ of God." (Luke 9:20).

At this point Jesus “strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one.” (Luke 9:21). Jesus is the Christ of God. But before they start spreading the word, the disciples need to know what it means for Jesus to be the Christ, the Messiah.  

Tomorrow we will examine from His own words what it meant for Jesus to be the Christ.

How to Make Much from Little

Jesus took five small barley loafs and two little fish. He looked up to heaven. He blessed them. He broke them and gave to His disciples. They fed five thousand people so everyone had enough. They picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. Seems impossible doesn’t it?

The story is found in all four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. It’s the only miracle besides Jesus’ resurrection that is recorded in all four accounts. Maybe that gives us a clue as to its importance.

The equation was simple: Jesus’ supernatural power added to a little boy’s lunch equals plenty of food for all. Looking closely at the story I believe we can find four practical steps we can take so Jesus can make little become plenty.

YOUR LITTLE CAN BECOME PLENTY WHEN YOU:

1. Look up to heaven for your help.  When Jesus took the food, the first thing He did was to look up to heaven. When you face a need, don’t look at the problem and don’t look at your meager resources. Lift up your eyes and look to heaven. Here’s great advice from Psalm 121:1-2: “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” It may be you feel overwhelmed right now with your marriage problem, your financial problem, your family problem or your physical problem because you are looking in the wrong direction? Like the song says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim; in the light of His glory and grace.”

2. Thank God for the little that you already have.  The next thing Jesus did was to thank God for the food. It was only a tiny amount, but Jesus blessed it. Too often we spend much of our time asking God for more rather than thanking Him for what we already have.

3. See the value of brokenness.  Brokenness is an important spiritual concept. After Jesus looked to heaven and thanked God for the food, He broke it. It was in this act of breaking the bread that it began to multiply. God truly values broken things. David, a broken man, prayed this prayer in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” In our materialistic culture, a broken object becomes less valuable, but in God’s economy, brokenness only increases the value. The bread had to be broken before it could be multiplied; the alabaster box Mary brought had to be broken before the perfume could be poured out; the clay pots of Gideon and his 300 soldiers had to be broken before the light could spill out; the roof above Jesus had to be broken up before the friends could lower the paralyzed man to Jesus; and the body of Jesus had to be broken before our sins could be forgiven.

4. Serve others before you serve yourself.  Jesus instructed His disciples to serve all the people first. I’m sure every time the disciples returned for more they just knew they would be out by the time they could eat. Here’s an important lesson. If you are most concerned about meeting your own needs first, you will suffer through a pretty miserable existence. Be willing to help other people FIRST and you’ll find your needs and problems don’t seem quite as severe after serving others.

Five Loaves and Two Fishes

God uses
what you have
to fill a need which
you never could have filled.

God uses
where you are
to take you where
you never could have gone.

God uses
what you can do
to accomplish what
you never could have done.

God uses
who you are
to let you become who
you never could have been.

--Philip Clarke Brewer

Have you seen Jesus take your little and do much with it?

Does God Ever Ask Us To Do the Impossible?

Would God ever put you in an impossible situation? I’ve heard people say, “God will never ask me to do something I can’t do.” But I have seen that God allows His people to be in situations that are impossible so that we will learn to trust Him, to believe Him, to have faith in Him, to make Him known.

In Luke 9, as Jesus was teaching and healing, the disciples began to get nervous because they saw a huge problem developing. It was getting close to dinnertime and they were in a remote area with over 5000 hungry people. So they say to Jesus in verse 12, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” But Jesus refused to send the crowd away. Jesus wants to teach a lesson.

I love Jesus’ statement in verse 13. He says, “You give them something to eat.” Can’t you just hear the disbelief of the disciples as they complained to each other, “What? US feed them? That’s impossible.” Exactly.

JESUS ASKS HIS DISCIPLES TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE—TO TEST THEM

There were two big problems they faced that afternoon. One was obviously the lack of food. There were hungry people and no food to feed them. They said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people." They saw the problem as a lack of food, but there was another problem present that day, and it was a lack of faith.

In John’s Gospel, we are told Jesus knew exactly what He was going to do all along. He only said this to test the disciples. Didn’t you just love those school teachers who would start class by announcing, “Everyone clear off your desk except for one blank sheet of paper.” We all knew what was coming next: pop quiz. Jesus does the same thing for us today. When you face the very hardest times of your lives, it’s like God is saying, “Take out a blank sheet of paper. This is a test.”

The only question on God’s test is: DO YOU TRUST ME? The score on God’s test is not for His information; He already knows about our faith. It’s to show us our faith. God will allow your faith to be tested, not to shame you but to strengthen you. In James 1:2-3 we read: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the TESTING OF YOUR FAITH develops perseverance.”

Jesus was creating for His disciples what Henry Blackaby in His book "Experiencing God" calls a crisis of belief. Now there is no question that this was a God-sized assignment. This was way beyond their capability to accomplish and if the Lord did not intervene, they would fail and fall flat on their faces. The crisis of belief is a turning point, a fork in the road that demands a decision. You must decide what you believe about God and how you will respond to Him.

God uses these tests to develop our character, to make us more like Jesus. When you encounter a problem—whether it’s how to feed 5,000 people or how to deal with a difficult boss—Jesus wants you to respond in faith.

God gives me tasks and assignments that are far beyond my abilities and power in order to not only reveal Himself to me, but demonstrate His nature, His strength, His kindness and His provision to a watching world. People today need to see the super-naturally visible hand of God working in and through His disciples, so that when something happens there is no question that God had done it.

What impossible thing has God asked you to do?