Spend and be spent...

These last few weeks have been life changing, and still have much farther to go on this trip.  Even before leaving my mind has been occupied with words, how we use them, and often times which ones to choose. 

These last 8 months of my have been putting together a “covertly” Christian organization, the Become a Human Project.  While my convictions and direction come from my faith and love for my creator, my heart has been unsettled about how we, or I, often make attempts to point people towards Jesus.  That is what we are called to do right?  Point people towards Jesus, tell them about our God, make disciples? 

I find this topic to be much like a love-hate relationship.  Why, when I tell people about Jesus and often include scripture verses to emails and text messages, do some people not want to hear about my God?  Why do they seem to close me out when I present them with what I call truth? Why don’t they understand that I just want to save them? Can’t they realize that they need Jesus, just like the Bible says?  Why is it that I can’t seem to forget about them either… I mean I've done my job as a good Christ follower, right?

The answer to all these questions can be found within the questions themselves, in a few key words.  Bible.  Need.  Save. Truth.  Sin.  Evil. Convert.  Heaven.  Hell. These words are not icebreakers to those who don’t share my beliefs; in fact, they often keep people from continuing the conversation or prompt them to put up their best defense mechanisms.  I don’t blame them.  There are a lot of people who have been hurt by religion.  But that doesn’t answer my question, how are we supposed to tell them who Jesus is, and how are we supposed to make disciples if people don’t want to listen to our preachy vocabulary?  Doesn’t the Bible tell me that salvation, Jesus, and its message are for everyone?

The beauty is, it is for everyone.  That is why relationship, understanding, and sensitivity are so important when exploring how we truly make disciples.  Someone who has no understanding of the Bible or its terminology are often offended by the fact that we Christians are set out to “save” people.  I want to reach the hearts of those people.  Even though they may not understand me, they should know that is not you, or me, who are doing the “saving”, but God. 

What if being “saved” could be vocalized differently, taking into account the persons cultural and religious background?  Isn’t it the same that those who are saved have found a friend in Jesus and a deeper understanding that we are image bearers of God created to do good works and make Him known?  If we put it that way, might we open up doors for conversation that all people can relate to?  It isn’t that we are hiding who God is, or who Jesus is, it is that we are beginning to understand our call to evangelism is more than saying the name of Jesus or quoting a scripture to those who don’t want to hear it. 

First we must be Jesus, we must be a friend, and we must use our gifts and talents that God has given us to make him known.  For some, that may be presenting the Gospel in culturally sensitive ways giving proper recognition to Jesus and siting scripture the whole way.  For others I think it may be presenting Jesus in a way that breaks cultural barriers and may be non-conventional and at times a little “covert”.  But the truth remains, the charge is there, we are to go and make disciples, but that doesn't mean it will be easy or the same for everyone.

Paul urges us to first be a friend, it is all over his letters and evident in his actions.   “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.  To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.  To those under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law...  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak, I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” (I Cor 9:19-22)  Again, hey says, “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also ourselves, because you had become very dear to us.”  (I Thes 2:8)  “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.  If I love you more, am I to be loved less?”  (II Cor 12:15). 

I hope that in this I have not convinced anyone to present a watered down version of the gospel.  In fact, I hope that you have been encouraged to present the gospel in its entirety.  If we truly wish to make disciples, we have to be willing build lasting relationships with believers and nonbelievers.  It has to be more than bringing our friends to church to let the pastors do all the work; and it has to include pursuing all people, while remaining sensitive and full of love. Leading someone in a prayer of salvation and repentance must always be accompanied with discipleship, what is the point of creating large groups of “converts” and allowing them to all melt away?  That is not the model that Christ, or the apostles, left us.  It was a lifetime investment, founded on relationship, in which they would gladly spend and be spent, so that God would be known. 

First be their friend, and when Christ in you builds a relationship with them… they will listen.

Tiny American Jesus

This week has humbled me.  God continually reminds me how little control I have, and that He will do what He wants if I just let Him.  Between meeting new friends, running into old friends and turning to the right page in the right book, I have been brought back to just how human we are and how much we limit what God can and will do through us… if we are willing.

Friends, be careful that we are not falling into the pattern that Paul warns Timothy about.  We are playing with a fine, and dangerous, line here in America.  We cannot be the church that turns Faith into religion by surrounding ourselves with people who tell us what we want to hear, all the while denying truth (II Timothy 4:3,4).  We cannot become the church that pursues a comfortable way of living if we neglect our brothers in need.  John even challenges those who do this, “How can the love of God be in him?” (I John 3:17).  We cannot become the compromised church culture that is okay with certain sins, but claim righteousness because we are still all around good people (II Timothy 3:1-4).  We cannot put on a form of godliness, but deny His power (II Timothy 3:5).  Brothers and sisters, we cannot remove faith from the equation.

A new friend of mine said it perfectly on Thursday night.  We cannot keep pursuing our “Tiny American Jesus”.  

Catherine Booth warns us how Satan works when we live this way, Many do not recognize the fact as they ought, that Satan has got men fast asleep in sin and that it is his great device to keep them so.  He does not care what we do if he can do that.  We may sing songs about the sweet by and by, preach sermons and say prayers until doomsday, and he will never concern himself about us, if we don't wake anybody up.  But if we awake the sleeping sinner he will gnash on us with his teeth.  This is our work- to wake people up.
(Much gratitude to Jana for this timely message)

Not only do we ourselves need an awakening, people, it is time we started waking others up!

Jesus is so much bigger than this.  Paul says, “Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life,” (I Timothy 2:15,16).  If Christ can take Paul, the worst of sinners, a mass murderer of men, women, and children, and use him for a greater glory, imagine how much more he wants to do with you!    

It’s amazing when God throws the same scripture (II Corinthians 12:9,10) at you day in and day out.  Especially when He is trying to remind me just how weak I am.  Then it turns into an incredible revelation when we realize that even in our weakness, God not only wants to use us, but He is made strong! He didn't design us perfectly that we might depend on our own strength, but that we might depend on Him.

Here is the bottom line, our Jesus is much bigger than the Tiny American Jesus that so many of us pursue.  He has incredible plans and adventures for every one of us, but until we are willing to bring faith back into the equation we will continue to struggle with poor theology, we will continue to surround ourselves with people who tell us what we want to hear, and we will continue to wear a form of godliness while denying His power. 

As Oswald Chambers reminds us, God has chosen you (John 15:16), let Him have His way!
(My Utmost for His Highest, October 25th)

Brothers and sisters, may we stop pursuing a Jesus that is limited to our own cultural values, but may we see Him fully, in His entirety.  May we realize how weak we are, and just how much we desperately need a savior to depend.  May we start waking people up to these truths, and may we let him have His way. 

II Corinthians 12:9,10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.