Page 3 of 3

Posted on

Book Review: Speaking of Jesus

The subtitle to carl medearis’ book is “the art of not-evangelism”  immediately caught my eye. I wondered, “Is this another book on be like Jesus but don’t talk about him?” Or perhaps I mused, “Is this going to be a book that tries to help us enter into spiritual conversation without the use of bull-horns?”

In some ways it is, and in some ways it is not. What Carl does a great job of is refocusing us on the person of Christ rather than the religion of Christ. There are many books out today that take a big stick to the church for the way it evangelizes, while Carl would definitely love to see the church learn and unleash a radically different approach to the way we share Christ with people, the stick isn’t as big as I thought it might be.

Medearis tips his hat in the introduction story about two competing soccer teams. Both teams grinding it out for their truth and fighting to win with everything they have until the game is stalled because of a man walking through the field. The man’s name is Joshua, and he looks at you as you come to a halt in your game, and his eyes penetrate your soul. Which side is he on? Neither, he replies. If you’re not on either of these two sides, then what is your side? Joshua responds with his own name and the words “Follow Me.”

So, you follow Him, and then Medearis makes this observation:

“As you follow, you begin to learn that this soccer game you’ve been playing-that everyone’s been playing isn’t the way. Joshua is. And that winning doesn’t mean scoring more points than the other team. It’s Joshua. He’s the score. And the strategies your team was using, though well meaning, really missed the whole point. You soon realize that your life will never be the same following this Joshua guy.” p18-19

It seems to me that we have often replaced Jesus with a religiosity that robs us of all that God intends. While I am not all the way through this book yet, it seems to be raising some great question about whether or not our faith will be a bridge or a barrier.

At the heart of what I have read is a plea to get real, wrestle with evangelical formula’s we have bought into, and simply allow our not-evangelism to flow from our relationship with Jesus, rather than a packaged presentation of religion that misses relationship and the reality that Trinity dwells within us.

I’m going to keep reading, you might want to check this out too.

Monty

Posted on

Incongruence

Shutterstock_666105

Incongruence, Isaiah 11:6-11

 

"Life wasn't meant to be like this." I don't know how many times those words have been birthed in pain as they left my mouth. Conversations where that phrase is necessary generally have a dialog attached concerning why God allows such painful realties into our lives.

Sometimes, even though we have done all the right "Christian" things, the bottom of life still falls out, leaving us bewildered, angry and confused.

"Did I do something wrong?" "Is there some sin in my life?" The questions bounce through our minds like a pachinko ball. The reason that we are so desperate for the answer may not be because we want finality, but because we have been divinely wired by God to know that this is wrong and that we were meant to experience something different, something beautiful, something holy.

Isaiah received a glimpse of what was supposed to be, as well as what will be. Through the Messiah, the cosmos would take on a whole different orientation. Instead of a world that is me-centric, and living on the brink of destruction, the plan is for a world immersed in beauty, love and trust of a kind that seems unorthodox to our current reality, but perfectly plausible in God's economy.

In and through the Messiah, natural-born enemies become friends and fellow travelers. Those most innocent and naïve will not have to worry about deceptiveness, as deception has vanished. Here, even a child can lead in safety and trust.

Danger and evil are birthed from sin. Sin obscured the beauty that God intended. It builds walls between people. It produces labels that further separate us from each other, but life wasn't meant to be like this. Deep down we know this, so we long for God's design; yet in Christ, we have already received it.

The Incarnation unmasks the incongruence of life on earth. God shouts through the angelic host and illuminates through the One in Mary's arms that He has not forgotten us. He works among us; His kingdom is working through the cosmos, healing the distortion that sin has caused.

God's kingdom of shalom (peace) is not something we create or manage. The kingdom of shalom that Jesus invites us into exists now and will be fulfilled when He returns. It is infused within the life of Christ-followers, finding its way out to others. We become portals of God's grace by loving people when they least expect it, and least deserve it.

At the end of all conversations then, the hope that is welling up inside of us finds its fulfillment in one Word: Jesus. In Christ alone all the paradoxes of life are held together. In Him the common language of grace reminds us to be incarnational people, as Jesus continues to make his appeal through us.

Gracious God, when our world fails to make sense, we thank you for Your Son, Jesus-who is restoring and redeeming all the broken pieces of life. We come to you in his name. Amen.

Dei Gratia,

MC

Posted on

A.B. Simpson devotional

Days of Heaven on Earth

Monday, May 03, 2010

Here lies the secret of abiding peace-God's
peace. We give ourselves to God and the Holy Spirit takes possession of
our hearts. It is indeed "Peace, peace." But it is at this precise point
that the devil begins to interfere, and he does it through our
thoughts, diverting or distracting them as the occasion requires.

This is the time to prove the sincerity of our consecration and the
singleness of our hearts. If we truly desire His presence more than
anything, we will turn away from every conflicting thought and look
steadily up to Jesus. But if we desire the gratification of our impulses
more than His presence, we will yield to the passionate word, or the
frivolous thought, or the sinful diversion. Then when we come back, our
Shepherd has gone, and we wonder why our peace has departed.

Failure occurs often in some insignificant thing-usually a thought or
word. The soul that would not fear to climb a mountain may actually
stumble over a straw.

The real secret of perfect rest is to be jealously, habitually
occupied with Jesus.

Scripture

My peace I give unto you—John 14:27