by RobertCummins | Dec 14, 2014 | 50. Give Your Life Away
Luke 14:1-14
It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely. And there in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy. And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. And He said to them, “Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” And they could make no reply to this.
“Greetings Rabi. Thank you for coming to this reception which we have organized in your honor.” Perhaps the only honest part of the host’s opening sentence was that it had been organized. Whether the man was grateful or intended to honor this so-called teacher is unlikely. We can assume that everyone in attendance had been invited. The invitations had been sent out with an organizational agenda in mind. It wasn’t advertised but this gathering was intended to be a barbecue.
Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all always have an agenda. (This is an aside but it would be healthy for our spiritual formation to acknowledge this and to even know what our agendas are.) It is not improbable that the day (the Sabbath) and at least one guest (the dropsy victim) were invited to further the agenda of the host and his orthodox colleagues which was to expose the interloper as a violator of their sacred commands and their myriad derivatives.
Oh how I love Jesus. Oh how I love Jesus. For many reasons, but this morning I love watching him cut through all the pretense of a gathering (and yes of course, [in case the bible police are watching me closely] I love him as well for the biblically accurate reason….. because He first loved me.) What was Jesus’ agenda anyway? He had been on record since the Nazareth Incident on just this point…..
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.
So how did Jesus advance his agenda in the midst of this trap his enemies had laid for him? To begin with I don’t believe Jesus felt a heavy burden about his agenda; His Father’s burden was light and easy. Knowing that his Father was sovereign and had sent out his own invitations, as always, to further his own kingdom agenda (which was simply to put all things right by way of expanding the rulership of his Son in the hearts of men), Jesus simply watches to see what kind of banquet the Father would spread out before him there in the presence of his enemies.
Jesus, knowing fully well what was in men’s hearts, plied his prophetic-messianic vocation of realizing this moment (and all moments going forward) represented the favorable timing for salvation. Always intuiting God’s heart, Jesus simply wades into the situation (which was a trap on two levels) as the living, active and sharp, two-edged sword of Truth prepared to slice into the the thoughts and intentions (agendas) of his host’s heart. As was often the case, this occasion required exposing the obvious contrast between the letter and the spirit of a matter. And on this occasion, the scalpel, as it often was is in the form of a question…
Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?
But the hosts kept silent. Hopefully that was because the scalpel was doing its work, liberating the organizers from this snare of religion they themselves were unknowingly entangled in. Not one to squander even a single kingdom moment, Jesus healed the man beset with dropsy. Knowing who has sent out the invitations (on earth and in heaven) and their agendas equipped Jesus (and will equip us) to better organize our hearts so that we will be able to ultimately present to him hearts of wisdom.
When God tells us that his ways are higher than ours, he is also saying our agendas are inferior to his. If it is our agenda to give our lives away as a leader, Paul tells us it is a fine work we desire to do. However James would add that not many of you should become teachers since they we will incur a stricter judgment. In light of the higher accountability a powerfully equipping idea for any would-be leader (whatever title they aspire to precede their name) would be to keep in mind that the kingdom of God is an invitational-only affair; that God’s invitations, coming as they always do from a higher agenda, more often than not, go unnoticed or turned down.
Perhaps an even more sobering idea is that that even the most scripturally literate among us, can miss the spirit while flailing about in the letter of some law or principle. Here is reality-based principle that might liberate us into our walk in the Spirit; There is always more going on in the kingdom than we typically perceive. Just understanding the motives of the One who has invited us to the banquet will help us keep our hearts running on the kingdom track and our clay feet out of the snares set to entangle us. Keeping in mind the Father’s comprehensive full-time salvation intentions (which include our bodies, souls and spirits) will go far in giving us eyes to see and ears to hear.
Father, may our hearts receive and ponder the piercing questions that will expose our hearts so that they may be liberated and equipped to see how the banquet table has been laid out before us. Teach us to use the right questions when necessary to silence the religious spirit within and without. Amen
Perhaps today’s post in its consideration of “Invitation” will be a key to better understand the balance of today’s passage…….
Parable of the Guests
And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
by RobertCummins | Dec 13, 2014 | 50. Give Your Life Away
Colossians 1:24-2:5
Scientists and movie makers are attracted to the idea of intelligent life in outer space and making contact with it (or them). The motivation of this quest into the mysterious unknown is often to gain superior knowledge from superior beings that will enhance and perpetuate life on earth. It is interesting, when the imagination and money machine of Hollywood is turned loose on this theme that the beings they conceive are typically super intelligent, large frightening looking combinations of men, reptiles, insects or germs with ravenous appetites for either us or our stuff.
I see a similar theme in our passage today: that of communication between man and intelligent Life from above. But in our story line, the mysterious knowledge that men intuitively hunger for which, at the time this letter was being written, had been hidden from the past ages and generations and was then being delivered through an unlikely vessel of Paul to an unlikely people – saints.
It turns out that the Life from beyond, was not an intelligent ravenous monster with malevolent intent, rather it was an omniscient loving Being with benevolent intentions who revealed the mystery in His own way and in His own timing. God Himself knew that it was not just knowledge we needed. And, He knew we needed more than success in perpetuating life on earth in its progressive state of decay. He knew that what man needed was Life Himself in order to perpetuate, not just more perfect temporal unions, but to inaugurate and build His eternal kingdom. In God’s story, the mystery (aka true knowledge) is “Christ Himself in whom had been hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge“.
The plot of God’s story thickens further in regards to this mystery and it has to do again with the unlikely audience – these people called saints; “to whom God willed to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery“; which turns out to be;
CHRIST IN THEM” – THE HOPE OF GLORY.
If you read all the writings of the unlikely vessel Paul you will discover that much is riding on the eventuality of “glory” being manifested through the collective expression of the “saints”. No one could have invented this plot! It really is scandalous! What is the likelihood of Paul, a Christian hater and persecutor of The Way, inheriting the well-spring itself of The Way and then sharing that sovereign mystery to the unclean and very unlikely Gentiles. A first century Jew would have said, “Are you kidding me!” Yet, how very much like God! (Definitely read; 1 Cor 1:18 – 2:16.)
I have been amazed at how frequently matters return to the issue of identity. Satan, while tempting Jesus, said; “IF you are the son of God……” He is not really very creative because he uses a similar lie aimed at our identities,…”IF you were a saint……” To so many within Christendom, sainthood is an earned status or an advanced level of Christian maturity or even something we only achieve after we die. These are monstrous lies designed by Satan to promote a cosmic-level identity crisis amidst God’s family. A great deal of Satan’s kingdom will be dissolved when these lies are exposed.
The wealth of sainthood was deferred to us and should have been realized at our new birth. Sainthood is not earned. It is our gifted birthright of which we are to have full-assurance and understanding. We are His! The issue of identity was resolved at the Cross. It really is finished as He has proclaimed! The rending of His flesh removed the veil that we could forevermore, by way of this inheritance, come boldly and joyfully into His most holy presence. True sainthood has never had anything to do with maturity, pedigree or resume. It has always had to do with our new hearts and our brand new natures.
It is no longer I who live but Christ lives within me.
Paul is leveraging his revelation of Christ and all his considerable power of communication, pleading with the Colossians;
As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him….I say this in order that no one may delude you with persuasive argument……. See to it that no one take you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
Father, as a race of men, we are bloated in-knowledge and bankrupt in-Mystery. We have accordingly reaped a whirlwind of societal plagues and then wondered at the cause. Forgive us Lord. May Your saints arise in these days, ahead of whatever tumult may await us. In our new identities that are steeped in the wealth of full assurance, may our hearts be knit together in love, providing each other and this world with a revelation of “Christ in-us” so potent that a hope of glory is produced – a new optimism that the kingdom of God is a NOW-kingdom and an ever expanding one, one of which we are NOW-citizen-saints in good standing. May Your saints fulfill their destiny – becoming the unlikely source of fresh wisdom and light, exposing the futility this earth has been subjected to and the underlying spiritual darkness that creates it. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Dec 12, 2014 | 50. Give Your Life Away
Luke 15:1-7 (The Lost Sheep)
“Now all the tax gatherers and sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.” (yet) “….both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble….”
What is going on here? Why is it that society’s losers and outcasts were attracted to God Incarnate and society’s best and most religious kept their distance and complained? Those that knew they were unclean were drawn to Jesus. Those who believed themselves to be clean were not; instead they were offended. Perhaps this Parable of the Lost Sheep will shed more light on our question.
Its a short and simple story of a shepherd who leaves his flock to search for one sheep that has strayed and became lost. We know the outcome. The attention the shepherd has diverted is rewarded as he finds his sheep and his joy spills over among his friends who join him in the celebration.
Verse 7 helps us to understand the nature of the rescue. It involves repentance. It is probably no coincidence that this parable precedes the Parable of the Prodigal Son by just 4 verses. I have been thinking of repentance in the context of that parable. I first think of the younger son and the vile things he had done with his father’s wealth. His life style had been godless and unclean and a total waste. For this boy, the father’s only rescue strategy was to let sin run its course so that the child could be brought to a place of acknowledged poverty. The father was beside himself with joy that spilled over and became a huge celebration. The father did not bring up the boy’s waste and debauchery. His heart melted when he saw his precious son. It seemed it was the distance between them more than the uncleanness and defilement of the boy’s lifestyle that troubled the father. (I wonder if the prodigal went so far out of control as to get a tattoo or a piercing.)
The father had to launch a second rescue mission the same day for another lost sheep. It was his older son, who even though he had lived compliantly, was just as distant and relationally alienated from his father as his brother. For this one, the father’s rescue strategy involved listening to the boy’s heart that was very sick with anger, bitterness and resentment. I think the elder brother was one of the type of persons who perceived they had no need of repentance. I think of this soul as being more deeply lost than the prodigal. Religion is a deeper bondage – a greater stronghold than a mere base lifestyle. Most people living in the gutters of life know they are lost and feel alienated from God. The religious, on the other hand, believe that God is pleased with them because they have stayed home and done their religious chores and held fast to their religious creeds and moral commitments. Deep inside, they believe God owes them a feast.
I am living proof that there is hope for both prodigals and elder brothers. I was saved at 23 as a very lost boy who had squandered some of his earthly father’s money in unrighteous living. I was rescued at 58 years old as an elder brother who had squandered a fair amount of His heavenly Father’s grace. In terms of the burden lifted from my heart, my deliverance from the stronghold of religion was nearly as dramatic as was my initial salvation encounter with the Lord. Much of what I post in middlewithmystery.com is flavored with insights gained since Father has initiated this most recent rescue.
Since my liberation, I am viewing religion as that old wineskin that is unfit for new wine. This propensity of ours toward religion is bound up in our fallen DNA and, just like sin, it distances our hearts from God and misshapes our understanding of Him, ourselves and others. Being a legitimate born-again son of God and somehow having drifted into more of a servant/slave mindset, I can see how, from our old wineskin hearts, we build old wineskin structures that are capable of keeping the Holy Spirit corporately at bay. Having said this about our structures, it is more important that we realize that our primary responsibility is not our structures. Those will likely take care of themselves as we make sure that our own hearts, as new wineskins, are utterly free of elder-brother works-oriented righteousness and are issuing forth the living water of Christ’s very own life within us.
When we become corporately successful at watching over our hearts in this way a new life will issue forth that is empowered by God’s Spirit. Christ in us, the hope of glory will be manifested for all the world to see. The earth will finally see the Bride of Christ radiantly adorned in the very splendor of God’s grace instead of some shabby garb patched together by us elder brother types. I truly wonder if this stronghold of religion very well may be the last and greatest demon between us and that day when He fully receives the reward of His suffering.
Father, as we set our hearts on the the hope of comprehensive deliverance allow us to anticipate and embrace the incremental dividends of freedoms You will impart to us as we rest in You as our Sufficiency. May you grant our hearts the courage to acknowledge where we think our track records merit Your favor. May You grant our hearts the humility to acknowledge our inner poverty that has been glossed over with works and words. May You grant us the perseverance to endure the refining process that will liberate us from the constraints of our old religious wineskins. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Dec 8, 2014 | 50. Give Your Life Away
Ezekiel 34:1-16
Shepherds are central in Ezekiel’s message. These people, whoever they were, had the responsibility and the means to lead, gather, strengthen and heal vulnerable people. They were in deep trouble with God because their abandonment of duty left those entrusted to them vulnerable and exposed to predators. When I think of the pastors that I know, I do not think of people who have abandoned their flock. I don’t see them in deep trouble with God. However, I do believe I see the western church in trouble, vulnerable and exposed to predators.
A friend recently threw me for a bit of a loop when he said, “Rob, I believe I see a pastor in you.” This was a person I respect who was trying to be an encouragement to me. I don’t know if I showed it or not, but my initial thought was “NO WAY!” But, as I have given his statement some thought, I believe that he is right – kind of.
One thing I have discovered is that the word “pastor” does not mean the same thing to everybody. And, I am not sure that word means the same thing today as it did at the time the NT was written. I will try and explain where I am coming from. Before you precede, be warned; the content is lengthy today and to some it will be controversial.
My formative years as a Christian took place in the context of a collegiate discipleship ministry that was spread out over the midwest and Europe. After two decades those people returned to home base and dared to try and live out a New Testament model of Christianity. Note; I am not talking about a western-best practice-version of the NT church. I am talking about the NT’s version of the NT church.
In the community that our relationships formed one of our distinguishing features was how we viewed leadership. As we studied the NT scriptures, we concluded that leadership came primarily from “overseers” (episkopos) and “elders” (presbuteros). So,we did not form a committee and interview people to fill a position called “pastor” (poimen). The reason was that in the NT, the Greek word pastor, (poimen) was used very sparingly. (Note: As a convenient reference, I have copied a greek word study of the 3 words used for new testament leadership into today’s writing.)
Note: It was in this context of our community of believers that I also learned the meaning of the word “cult”. (Institutional Christianity’s definition; Cult – a group of people who are doing church different than us.) This definition was provided to us by those who were faithfully adhering to their particular (what they perceived to be the more biblically-acurate) traditions. Further note; This can be painful, when those faithful ones are your own flesh and blood.
Regardless of our community’s low approval rating, I have never regretted this experience, except that I have had to recently acknowledge that it has ruined me for the traditional 21st century western church experience. The past 20 years have confirmed that I cannot be true to my spiritual DNA and quietly subscribe to the stated and unstated conventions that drive the traditional ways of doing institutional church.
As I try to reconcile the New Testament Church with church as we have learned it, I cannot help but believe that the ancient use of the word pastor is much different than ours. I have further wondered if how we gather in Jesus’ name, with that built-in misunderstanding of this important word, has not unintentionally hamstrung our efforts at making disciples and consequently expanding the kingdom of God. Having lived in two radically different paradigms of church, my observation is that a single pastor (even with a good staff) cannot provide sufficient pastoral care to those entrusted to them. My theory is that many flocks remain vulnerable to predators not because our pastors are not trying, but because the job they are doing was never intended to be the job of a single shepherd or professional team of shepherds.
I believe that one of the reasons the church grew so rapidly and had so much influence on their culture in first few centuries was due, in part, to the tremendous amount of “pastoring” that was actually taking place. But, as I read the NT, I don’t see a “pastor” or a staff of “pastors’ as the delivery agents of that care. I believe it came from each of the members of the Body who had been equipped with the fulness of the Spirit, and 2 ultra radical ideas; 1) The notion that they belonged entirely to Jesus and existed exclusively for His purposes and pleasure. This was the basis of discipleship. And; 2) The notion that they belonged entirely to each other as members of Christ’s body. As members of His Body, they had become each other’s keeper. Here are two great discussion questions; Is the DNA of these 2 notions (which I perceive as “kingdom of God values”) compatible with the DNA of the American dream? Which value system, those of the American dream or those of the “Kingdom of God” are the basis of motivation within western Christianity?
Note; They had some advantages I will have to admit. Their energies were not diverted to the church building or many of the other activities that consume our energies. As near as we can tell by reading the NT, they were spending most of their time just living life and spending their limited resources in caring for each other and those around them. Beyond that they gathered in small safe clusters where they could be seen and heard and cared for. It is my belief that the body of Christ will not regain the influence she once had or attain the influence her destiny calls for without a healthy Body where all the members are engaged with each other and the world in ways yet to be discovered (or rediscovered).
My theory is, that without a staff or an organization, the members of the New Testament Church must have individually and collectively taken ownership of the relationships inside their organic (sovereignly ordained) relational networks. Doing this removed an unrealistic burden on any individual or a few individuals to provide pastoral care to them. It is my guess that the love of God and the “shepherding” life of Christ, who had become their life, was drawn out of them and birthed naturally as needs arose and they were able to respond because of; 1) the Good Shepherd within them and; 2) their relational proximity to each other. Note: The idea of interviewing and hiring an individual or a team to deliver pastoral care to themselves would have probably seemed nonsensical.
There are a few pastors and leaders of the Body of Christ who read these daily digital pamphlets I post. This makes me glad because I love them and I want them to understand that if they see me doing something outside the grid of traditional church, it is not because I am trying to incite rebellion or fuel the ongoing exodus from institutional church that George Barna and others are documenting. It is simply that I am trying to be true to my DNA and stay in relationship with them even in the presence of traditions and beliefs that could divided us.
I am trying to be honest without being a thorn. I want to be an agent of peace and of healing, not a source of division. I believe I am a representative voice of many who are crying out for the life of Christ that is not being reproduced well in a context where the fundamental assumption is that church is something you can attend and discipleship is an optional track for those sovereignly equipped with spiritual afterburners.
I have been crying out now for 20 years in a traditional church context. As I have been fumbling for the right words (and attitude) to express my cries, I have offended and confused people. To keep from inflicting further pain and creating more confusion, I have withdrawn. The question is now, “What’s next?” Do we just walk away (as is the common practice); heap guilt on each other for our failure and perceived rebellion (as is the common practice); and then talk about each other in derogatory ways behind each other’s backs (as is the common practice) – or – shall we talk?
In recent days God has given me more ability and desire to express the longings within me (which this Blue Book dialogue has confirmed are in others as well). My prayer is that we find each other somehow in the Body of Christ and become to each other and to God what He intended, more of a united family – less of a religious organization.
My dear friends, who have the word “pastor” (or some other title) preceding your first name, please do not interpret this as a shot across the bow of your church organization. Rather, this is an invitation to enter into a dialogue with one (who, I know represents many) who have walked away from church (or are about to) because they hungered for family and got a program. They wanted to be invited into our homes and they were given a sign up sheet. They wanted a dialogue and got a monologue. Their God given DNA is crying out to be interconnected to a network of persons with caring shepherding hearts not to attend a meeting presided over by an individual with a title.
I am at a crossroads personally (along with others) in my pilgrimage. I know that the traditional church is providing many with all they desire in their Christian experience. I do not stand in judgement against these contented ones. That is excellent! I just have to be honest with where I am. Traditional western Christianity is not working for me. As your friend, I am looking for your feedback. Should I quietly just walk away so that I do not stir things up and offend people any more than I already have? Or, do you want to sit down and open up a very real and open discussion with me (and others like me) before we give up, give out or walk away? Please advise.
And to my friend with his somewhat backhanded prophetic word that I kind of agree with, I respond to you, “Yes, I do believe their is a pastor in me. I also believe their is a pastor in you.” He is the Good Pastor (or Shepherd). I believe with all my heart that He will be birthed in and expressed through us as we abandon our lives to Him and to each other.
Father, we see that our destiny as Your Bride is to be united, powerful, and radiant in Your love. May you reform our hearts that we may reform our wineskins (organizational structures and paradigms) so that they are large and flexible enough to hold Your Life and Your love. May we become a body who is equipped to lead, gather, strengthen and heal the vulnerable and wounded ones nearest us. May we take ownership of and fill the relational voids around us, creating safe spaces where no one is left vulnerable to predators – where the kingdom of God within us, with its righteousness peace and joy might flourish. Amen.
WORD STUDIES
“Poimen” – This word appears 18 times in the NT, but is used only one time with regard to spiritual leaders in the church (Ephesians 4:11). The meaning of this word is, “shepherd,” although in Ephesians 4:11 it is generally translated “pastor” (which is the Latin word for “shepherd”). The verb form of this word is poimaino, which appears 11 times in the NT. It means, “to shepherd; to perform the duties of a shepherd.” It is used twice to depict the work of the leadership in the church (Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:2).
“Presbuteros” – This word appears a total of 67 times in the pages of the New Covenant documents. It is the primary word used for these men. By transliterating this Greek word into English we get “presbyter.” The meaning is: “One who is old; one who is older than another; elder.” It comes from the word presbutes, which means “an old man” (see Luke 1:18; Titus 2:2; Philemon 9). This word is used a number of different ways in the NT:
“Episkopos” – This word appears only five times within the pages of the NT writings: Once with reference to Jesus Christ (I Peter 2:25), and four times with reference to the spiritual leaders of the church (Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:7). By transliterating this word from Greek into English we get “episcopal.” This word is generally translated “overseer,” “bishop,” or “guardian.” The word literally means “to look over; to watch over.”
by RobertCummins | Dec 14, 2013 | 50. Give Your Life Away
Colossians 1:24-2:5
Scientists and movie makers are attracted to the idea of intelligent life in outer space and making contact with it (or them). The motivation of this quest into the mysterious unknown is often to gain superior knowledge from superior beings that will enhance and perpetuate life on earth. It is interesting, when the imagination and money machine of Hollywood is turned loose on this theme that the beings they conceive are typically super intelligent, large frightening looking combinations of men, reptiles, insects or germs with ravenous appetites for either us or our stuff.
I see a similar theme in our passage today: that of communication between man and intelligent Life from above. But in our story line, the mysterious knowledge that men intuitively hunger for which, at the time this letter was being written, had been hidden from the past ages and generations and was then being delivered through an unlikely vessel of Paul to an unlikely people – saints.
It turns out that the Life from beyond, was not an intelligent ravenous monster with malevolent intent, rather it was an omniscient loving Being with benevolent intentions Who revealed the mystery in His own way and in His own timing. God Himself knew that it was not just knowledge we needed. And, He knew we needed more than just to perpetuate life on earth in its progressive state of decay. He knew that what man needed was Life Himself in order to perpetuate, not just more perfect temporal unions, but to inaugurate and build His eternal kingdom. In God’s story, the mystery (aka true knowledge) is “Christ Himself in whom had been hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge“.
The plot of God’s story thickens further in regards to this mystery and it has to do again with the unlikely audience – these people called saints; “to whom God willed to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery“; which turns out to be;
“CHRIST IN THEM” – THE HOPE OF GLORY.
If you read all the writings of the unlikely vessel Paul you will discover that much is riding on the eventuality of “glory” being manifested through the collective expression of the “saints”. No one could have invented this plot! It really is scandalous! What is the likelihood of Paul, a Christian hater and persecutor of The Way, inheriting the well-spring itself of The Way and then sharing that sovereign mystery to the unclean and very unlikely Gentiles. A first century Jew would have said, “Are you kidding me!” Yet, how very much like God! (Definitely read; 1 Cor 1:18 – 2:16.)
I have been amazed at how frequently matters return to the issue of identity. Satan, while tempting Jesus, said; “IF you are the son of God……” He is not really very creative because he uses a similar lie aimed at our identities,…”IF you were a saint……” To so many within Christendom, sainthood is an earned status or an advanced level of Christian maturity or even something we only achieve after we die. These are monstrous lies designed by Satan to promote a cosmic-level identity crisis within the Church. A great deal of Satan’s kingdom will be dissolved when these lies are exposed.
The wealth of sainthood was deferred to us and should have been realized at our new birth. Sainthood is not earned. It is our gifted birthright of which we are to have full-assurance of and understanding. We are His! The issue of identity was resolved at the Cross. It really is finished as He has proclaimed! The rending of His flesh removed the veil that we could forevermore, by way of this inheritance, come boldly and joyfully into His most holy presence. True sainthood has never had anything to do with maturity, pedigree or resume. It has always had to do with our new hearts and our brand new natures. “It is no longer I who live but Christ lives within me.”
Paul is leveraging his revelation of Christ and his powers of speech, pleading with the Colossians;
“As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him….I say this in order that no one may delude you with persuasive argument……. See to it that no one take you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”
Father, as a race of men, we are bloated in-knowledge and bankrupt in-Mystery. We have accordingly reaped a whirlwind of societal plagues and then wondered at the cause. Forgive us Lord. May Your saints arise in these days, ahead of whatever tumult may await us. In our new identities that are steeped in the wealth of full assurance, may our hearts be knit together in love, providing each other and this world with a revelation of “Christ in-us” so potent that a hope of glory is produced – a new optimism that the kingdom of God is a NOW-kingdom and an ever expanding one; one of which we are NOW-citizen-saints in good standing. May Your saints fulfill their destiny – becoming the unlikely source of fresh wisdom and light, exposing the futility this earth is subject to and the underlying spiritual darkness that creates it. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Dec 13, 2013 | 50. Give Your Life Away
Luke 15:1-7 (The Lost Sheep)
“Now all the tax gatherers and sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.” (yet) “….both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble….”
What is going on here? Why is it that society’s losers and outcasts were attracted to God Incarnate and society’s best and most religious kept their distance and complained? Those that knew they were unclean were drawn to Jesus. Those who believed themselves to be clean were offended. Perhaps this Parable of the Lost Sheep will shed more light on our question.
Its a short and simple story of a shepherd who leaves his flock to search for one sheep that has strayed and became lost. We know the outcome. The attention the shepherd has diverted is rewarded as he finds his sheep and his joy spills over among his friends who join him in the celebration.
Verse 7 helps us to understand the nature of the rescue. It involves repentance. It is probably no coincidence that this parable precedes the Parable of the Prodigal Son by just 4 verses. I have been thinking of repentance in the context of that parable. I first think of the younger son and the vile things he had done with his father’s wealth. His life style had been godless and unclean and a total waste. For this boy, the father’s only rescue strategy was to let sin run its course so that the child could be brought to a place of acknowledged poverty. The father was beside himself with joy that spilled over and became a huge celebration. The father did not bring up the boy’s waste and debauchery. His heart melted when he saw his precious son. It seemed it was the distance between them more than the uncleanness and defilement of the boy’s lifestyle that troubled the father. (I wonder if the prodigal went so far out of control as get a tattoo or a piercing.)
The father had to launch a second rescue mission the same day for another lost sheep. It was his older son, who even though he had lived compliantly, was just as distant and relationally alienated from his father. For this one, the father’s rescue strategy involved listening to the boy’s heart that was very sick with anger, bitterness and resentment. I think the elder brother was one of the type persons who perceived that they had no need of repentance. I think of this soul as being more deeply lost than the prodigal. Religion is a deeper bondage – a greater stronghold than a mere base lifestyle. Most people living in the gutters of life know they are lost and feel alienated from God. The religious, on the other hand, believe that God is pleased with them because they have stayed home and done their religious chores and held fast to their religious creeds and moral commitments. Deep inside, they believe God owes them a feast.
I am living proof that there is hope for both prodigals and elder brothers. I was saved at 23 as a very lost boy who had squandered some of his earthly father’s money in unrighteous living. I was rescued at 58 years old as an elder brother who had squandered a fair amount of His heavenly Father’s grace. In terms of the burden lifted from my heart, my deliverance from the stronghold of religion was nearly as dramatic as was my initial salvation encounter with the Lord. Much of what I post in middlewithmystery.com is flavored with insights gained since Father has initiated this most recent rescue.
Since my liberation, I am viewing religion as that old wineskin that is unfit for new wine. This propensity of ours toward religion is bound up in our fallen DNA and, just like sin, it distances our hearts from God and mishaps our understanding of Him, ourselves and others. Being a legitimate born-again son of God and somehow having drifted into more of a servant/slave mindset, I can see how, from our old wineskin hearts, we build old wineskin structures that are capable of keeping the Holy Spirit corporately at bay. Having said this about our structures, it is more important that we realize that our primary responsibility is not our structures. Those will likely take care of themselves as we make sure that our own hearts, as new wineskins, are utterly free of elder-brother works-oriented righteousness and are issuing forth the living water of Christ’s very own life within us.
When we become corporately successful at watching over our hearts in this way a new life will issue forth that is empowered by God’s Spirit. Christ in us, the hope of glory will be manifested for all the world to see. The earth will finally see the Bride of Christ radiantly adorned in the very splendor of God’s grace instead of some shabby garb patched together by us elder brother types. I truly wonder if this stronghold of religion very well may be the last and greatest demon between us and that day when He fully receives the reward of His suffering.
Father, as we set our hearts on the the hope of comprehensive deliverance allow us to anticipate and embrace the incremental dividends of freedoms You will impart to us as we rest in You as our Sufficiency. May you grant our hearts the courage to acknowledge where we think our track records merit Your favor. May You grant our hearts the humility to acknowledge our inner poverty that has been glossed over with works and words. May You grant us the perseverance to endure the refining process that will liberate us from the constraints of our old religious wineskins. Amen.
