Of the Essence

Each first friday of the month I have the more serious youth over to the house for what we have called The Journey. I started walking them through various Spiritual Disciplines as found in Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline. If you haven’t read it I highly encourage you to grab a copy (it has become a classic).

So, think about this…I am talking about disciplines in Twenty-Eleven to a group of inner-city youth. This topic would be hard enough to keep the attention of adults, but this group has surprised me. They have enjoyed Lectio Divina (Divine Reading), and opened up and shared each week. We have covered Meditation, How to Study God’s Word, and hit on a few others. This week, though, I am especially stoked. I am talking about Prayer.

Richard Foster says (33):

Of all the Spiritual Disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father. Meditation introduces us to the inner life, fasting is an accompanying means, study transforms our minds, but it is the Discipline of prayer that brings us into the deepest and highest work of the human spirit.

There is nothing more central to our spiritual life than the communication we have with our Creator. I hope, like the youth I meet with tonight, that you will endeavor on this journey to have a life more fulfilling by making prayer more important. The conversations we have with God are just that, conversations. While I will discuss various types of prayer (i.e. adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, and intercession), what it boils down to is a life led by the Spirit in constant communication with God. Join us on The Journey!

It Only Happens in Prayer (and Fasting)

Destiny was found, some might even say—launched. Paradigms shifted. Perspectives changed. Mountains moved. Faith found.

I am reminded of St. Augustine’s words (354-430), “Pray as though everything depended on God and act as if everything depended on you.” Jesus told His disciples that some only come out by prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29; speaking of casting out demons). There’s an alignment that occurs in prayer (and magnified by fasting). Our will begins to align with God’s, and this is the most elementary form of heaven coming to earth, of His Kingdom coming, His will being done. God delights in using us, His earthen vessels. He actually gets satisfaction from empowering His creation. Through genuine prayer (and there are a lot of forms of prayer that are anything but) faith is infused and boldness obtained.

Many times over I have tried to manipulate a situation, change an outcome, even change myself, but to no avail because I was relying upon my own strength and abilities. Prayer, however, utters our dependence upon God, and allows our trust in Him to take us further faster.

 

Measure in Love

Did you watch the movie ‘Rent’? Even if you didn’t, you might have heard its most popular soundtrack song: Seasons of Love. Here is a snippet from that song:

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand journeys to plan
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?

Simply put, the song is asking us how we measure life. It is more than minutes, moments so dear. It is more than sunsets, midnights, even cups of coffee. Then the song suggests measuring life by its love. What if we all measured in love? How would our life measure up? Let’s not measure it by influence, fortune, or fame, but measure life by love.

Using love as a measuring stick reminds me of the Apostle Paul’s epic love chapter in I Corinthians 13. Paul pines the essence of the Christian life down to the same measure: love. I could have exhibited great spiritual gifts, confounded crowds, even sold all I posses and given to the poor, but if I lack love the Scripture says, “I am nothing.”

The measure is all or nothing. We either measure up to a life birthed from love or we don’t. To Paul there is no middle of the road: love or no love. How do we measure? That is the question.

How Far Is Too Far

I want your thoughts today. Driving home from work yesterday, this thought went through my head, “Contextualization can be compromise for someone else, but what is our standard?!?” What do I even mean by this randomness?

I’m talking about contextualization, which for our purpose will consist of Paul’s motto to become all things to all people for the purpose of winning them. What I do might be considered compromise for the guy/gal down the street, but God has called me to be-friend and reach out to them. Here’s the conundrum. Without a standard to measure by we could find ourselves doing things Jesus would never condone, our purpose so blurred we can’t even see our own light at the end of the tunnel, and worst case scenario our life ends up in addiction and shambles because we lost our way. These might be extreme scenarios but a possible reality. Some say, “Don’t offend your brother.” Others will say, “Why even flirt with the lines?” I guess Jesus could have become a drunkard, maybe even a pimp since he hung around prostitutes.

But, I am not Jesus, and you’re not a pimp, so what does any of this have to do with us contextualizing the Gospel in our lives so that we can reach the lost?

Well, I couldn’t have Jesus’ reputation of being a friend of sinners & drunkards and be employed by most churches these days. So, what is our standard for contextualizing the message in our lives, in our outreaches. Jesus? Other Scripture? Your traditions? My culture?  

Ok, the pot is stirred; now what are your thoughts?

God’s Estate Sale

Have you ever inherited something from someone still alive? Maybe an heirloom with intrinsic value. The trophy engagement ring. Granddad’s war paraphernalia. If you received these items before they passed, I hate to break it to you, but that really isn’t an inheritance. A gift maybe, but not an inheritance. To be a true inheritance, you see, requires that you received this upon their death. Death is necessary for inheritance. Inheritance implies death.

Can you see where I am heading? Christ, the only Son, was sole heir of God’s inheritance. But, God has allowed us to share in His (the Son’s) inheritance.

The concept of inheritance has deep roots running throughout the Old Covenant. God called Israel His inheritance on numerous occasions. It only makes sense for this theme to have carried over. Once again, the inheritance is bigger and better under the New Covenant, and the inheritance is rightfully Jesus’. He is the Son and sole heir to all the promises. But, we are able to share in these promises as joint-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). What was promised to the Jew has been widely offered. Anyone can join with Christ, and experience this inheritance now, in this life. The idea of inheritance is ultimately fulfilled in the future, but we would shortchange ourselves if restricted completely from the present.

[Indulge a bunny trail. The Spirit of God within us is closely tied to our understanding of the inheritance we have in Christ. Paul describes the Spirit as a down payment of what’s to come, as “a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession (Eph 1:14).” The Spirit points to the fact that we too are sons, God’s children. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:16-17a)”.]

Now, death was still necessary to make this a legitimate inheritance. Christ had to die so that we could share in the promises of God. Paul says we are qualified “to share in the inheritance of the saints”. There is no distinction in Jew, Gentile, or even Christ when it comes to sharing in the inheritance of God. The cross has qualified us all.

What is this inheritance?

It is Christ, and in Christ.

Christ has left the building (or the West)

While this title could go a number of ways, I want to navigate it toward the global shift of Christianity. So, let me say first, “The West is no longer leading the way.” This includes Europe, this includes North America, and sadly this includes you and me. At the beginning of the 20th century Europe was reporting to be 71% Christian. That number has plummeted to a whopping 21% by 2000. Africa, however, experienced quite the opposite during the same time period, going from 10% to nearly 50% of the continent’s occupants adhering to Christianity. Similar shifts are being reported in Asia and Latin America.

So, what point do I want to make? For now, I want to say, “What do our brothers and sisters in these other areas have to say?” I don’t think we have heard their voice, but we are going to and we need to. You say, “I still don’t get your point.”

I am being too vague; I admit.

The theological landscape of Christianity has been dominated by the West. Our mind has shaped it, our voice has been its proponent, and it is about to take on a new flavor. One of spice, seasoned with a different perspective and context. I don’t want to carry it to extremes such as Liberation Theology, but a theological voice is emerging from Asia, from Africa, and from Latin America. We need to hear it in the West with “ears to hear.” It needs to direct our Pentecostal-Charismatic perspective.

So, what does it sound like? Can you hear it? What does it look like? Can you hear it?

Bonhoeffer still speaks

I am re-reading what I consider to be a Christian classic @ this point. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of the greatest 20th century German theologians, paints vivid portraits of the true Christian’s call in The Cost of Discipleship. While smacking of liberalism in its under-tones, I believe a message can be taken and applied in various context via his same words. With that understanding of both his and my meanings (whatever that really is) I quote:

Is it not possible that we cling too closely to our own favorite presentation of the gospel, and to a type of preaching which was all very well in its own time and place and for the social set-up for which it was originally intended? Is there not after all an element of truth in the contention that our preaching is too dogmatic, and hopelessly irrelevant to life? Are we not constantly harping on certain ideas at the expense of others which are just as important? Does not our preaching contain too much of our own opinions and convictions, and too little of Jesus Christ? Jesus invites all those that labour and are heavy laden, and nothing could be so contrary to our best intentions, and so fatal to our proclamation, as to drive men away from him by forcing upon them man-made dogmas. If we did so, we should make the love of Jesus Christ a laughing-stock to Christian and pagans alike. It is no use taking refuge in abstract discussion, or trying to make excuses, so let us get back to the Scriptures, to the Word and call of Jesus Christ himself. Let us try to get away from the poverty and pettiness of our own little convictions and problems, and seek the wealth and splendor which are vouchsafed to us in Jesus Christ.

Seems we could say this just the same today. I know I heard it with great relevancy and specific application.
What about you?