Lately I have been thinking again about the Kingdom of God, and the fact that we are citizens of that Kingdom. Jesus came to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God, and demonstrated that His words were true (Matt 4:17,23). The Kingdom of God was a core teaching of Jesus, and Paul continued that teaching in His letters to the Ephesians and Philippians.
This morning I was reading through the later chapters of Acts, and was reminded of Jesus' teaching on our citizenship, by the following story of Paul. He had gone back to Jerusalem and the city was in an uproar about him and the fact that he was converting Jews and gentiles to Christianity. The crowds had grabbed him and were beating him, and then the Roman's stepped in and saved him, carried him back to the barracks, and after another near riot caused by his speech determine that they should flog him and then question him. What follows is included below:
Acts 22:23-29 NIV
[23] "As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, [24] the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.
[25] As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?”
[26] When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
[27] The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
[28] Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
[29] Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains."
The point of these verses is quite simply, citizenship entitles us to rights under the nation or government of which we are a citizen, when in a place where their authority exists. Paul knew this and once he was under the control of the Roman commander, he exerted his rights. It was interesting to see how the others responded to him when he proclaimed himself a Roman citizen, those that were going to flog him and interrogate him left immediately, and the Commander himself was alarmed that he had even placed him in chains. I would assume that based on their responses that Roman citizenship provided very strong protection.
Likewise, as citizens of the Kingdom of God we the have rights of our citizenship. Jesus demonstrated those rights when he proclaimed the Kingdom and then demonstrated the authority He had under that Kingdom. He extended the same authority to the Apostles when He sent them out. Listen to what He said to them when sending them out - Matthew 10:1,7-8,32,40 NIV:
[1] "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
[7] "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
[32] “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven."
[40] “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me."
When I read these verses, I hear Kingdom being proclaimed and demonstrated, and the Authority of the Kingdom and relationship with the King being extended. As citizens we walk under the authority of the King (The Lord) and are acknowledged by Him, and represent Him. We are walking emissaries of the King and under His protection, and able to represent His authority and rule.
Later Jesus said the following about the Kingdom - Luke 17:20-21 KJV:
[20] "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: [21] Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."
So we bear in our bodies the very Kingdom of God. That is really quite remarkable. In Paul's case in Acts 22, as a citizen of Rome, he could claim Rome's protection over his body, and if he was in a Roman controlled location where Rome's authority was established, the army of Rome had to protect him. In the same way, if we carry the Kingdom of God in our bodies, we are always under God's Kingdom protection and authority, and can claim the rights of our citizenship. The rights of our citizenship were demonstrated by Jesus, and again by the Apostles after Jesus' death and resurrection.
When Jesus was asked by the disciples of John if He was the Messiah, the one sent from the Father, Jesus replied as follows - Matthew 11:4-6 NIV:
[4] "Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: [5] The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [6] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
Later in John, Jesus again refers to works that He did as proof that He came from the Father. Here are those verses - John 14:9-14 NIV:
[9] "Jesus answered: “Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10] Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
Again, when I read these verses with a Kingdom and citizenship mindset, I see Jesus describing exactly what Paul exercised in Acts 22. Jesus is proclaiming that He is the Fathers representative, the Father whose Kingdom Jesus was proclaiming, and the proof that He represented the Father is shown in the works themselves.
Taking our citizenship one step further, we are not just citizens, but we are members of God's own household, adopted sons and daughters. Paul wrote the following -
Ephesians 2:19 NIV: "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household,..."
- and -
Romans 8:14-17 NIV:
[14] "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
In summary, we are in relationship with God, we represent Him and carry within us His Kingdom, even the Holy Spirit. As bearers of His Kingdom, we are always under His protection, and have available to us the rights of our citizenship and the rights as sons and daughters. The rights of our relationship with the Father are meant to be seen and demonstrated, so that others may come to know Him and glorify Him. We are never out from under His protection for His Kingdom exists within us, and we carry in us the seal of our relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit present in us (Eph 1:13-14).
Oh Lord, help me to walk in fuller understanding of my relationship with You! Help me to experience the effective demonstration of my citizenship and sonship. Help me to bring glory to You as I proclaim and extend Your kingdom.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Dinosaurs in Heaven??
Yesterday I had an interesting thought about Dinosaurs and other extinct animals and plants. I will start with the assumption that in heaven there are plants and animals. Since these are all included in His creation, why wouldn't He include all of His creation, even those things that are no more in our time?
If heaven is an eternal place, outside of time, then its perspective into time is all encompassing. We tend to think of heaven in terms of our recorded history and provide that type of imagery, but in my opinion, heaven would have an eternal character to its surroundings, assuming, as I did at first, that there are plants and animals there.
Scripture tends to support my first assumption for John in the Book of Revelation wrote - Revelation 5:13 NIV: "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
- and -
Revelation 21:1 NIV: "Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea."
- and -
Revelation 22:1-2 NIV (Titled in the NIV - Eden Restored):
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2] down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."
If heaven is an eternal place, outside of time, then its perspective into time is all encompassing. We tend to think of heaven in terms of our recorded history and provide that type of imagery, but in my opinion, heaven would have an eternal character to its surroundings, assuming, as I did at first, that there are plants and animals there.
Scripture tends to support my first assumption for John in the Book of Revelation wrote - Revelation 5:13 NIV: "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
- and -
Revelation 21:1 NIV: "Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea."
- and -
Revelation 22:1-2 NIV (Titled in the NIV - Eden Restored):
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2] down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."
Thus, in John's writings and revelatory experience, we specifically have all creatures mentioned, and at least one tree (but with imageery that would likely include plants and such in the new earth). So I am thinking that it is possible that we would see in heaven all creatures and this certainly could include those that are presently extinct.
I know this has no real bearing in the greater question of salvation, but I thought it was an intersting topic, and one that made me think, and actually look forward to seeing all God's creation!
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Authority and Demonstration of the Gospel
This morning I have been meditating on the authority that Jesus demonstrated over the earth, both natural and supernatural, physical and spiritual. I was thinking about the fact that He calls us to represent Him, to represent the Kingdom of God through proclamation and then demonstration. When He sends out the twelve (Matt 10:1-10; Luke 9:1-6) , and again when He sends the seventy-two (Luke 10:1-16), and finally when He issues the great commission (Matt 28:18-20), He was speaking of the transfer of authority to His followers. One purpose of this authority was to demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom, here present.
Here is how He sent the Apostles, as recorded in Matthew 10:1,5-8 NIV:
[1] "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
[5] "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. [6] Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
What He gave them (verse 1) was authority. This is what they had freely received, and what they were called to freely give of, the authority they now had to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper and drive out demons. They didn't get this authority on their own, but rather received it from Jesus. This commission comes directly from Jesus' core purpose and message, as seen in Matthew 4:12-13,17,23 NIV:
[12] "When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. [13] Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali---"
[17] "From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
[23] "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."
Clearly Jesus core message had to do with the Kingdom of God being present in their midst and then demonstrating the truth of that statement through His authority to heal every disease and sickness, casting out demons and cleansing lepers! His words, without the authority to demonstrate their truth, would have been easily forgotten, but when He demonstrated the miracles, healings, signs and wonders, the people were forced to take notice, and choose to either believe the validity of His testimony and evidence, or not.
Paul understood this principle and trusted that Jesus' authority, demonstrated through the power of the Holy Spirit, was the key to his success. Paul was fully capable of delivering an exhaustive defense of His faith through his in-depth knowledge of the scriptures and law, but instead He chose to rely on the proclamation of the simple Gospel and demonstrating the truth of what He said through signs and wonders. Here is how he describes His ministry - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NIV:
[1] "And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. [2] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."
Paul understood that experience would allow people to put their faith in God's power, not in the words of man. The purpose of Jesus' message, and Paul's Gospel proclamation was to let people know that they were able to enter the Kingdom and experience its benefits here and now. Paul was so taken by this commission, so embraced the call that he made it his life's mission and pursuit. He could have rested, could have settled comfortably in one of the churches he had founded, but instead he pressed forward, to see his part of the Great Commission completed. He said the following - Philippians 3:12-14 NIV:
[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
He ran his race well, he fulfilled his call and in doing so he represented the Christ Jesus' teaching, His proclamation, and demonstration. Paul embraced his call and his commission. He knew that the path to success was not through long-winded exhortations, although He did give an exhaustive defense on several occasions, when so directed. He knew that the demonstration of the reality of God's Kingdom present and experienced was supposed to be the anchor for people's faith. He didn't want them basing their faith in human wisdom, but rather on God's power. He knew that his authority flowed from the 'author of it' all, from God, whose Kingdom was based on His Word and character.
Finally, my reflection affirms my belief that we too must learn to walk in Jesus' authority, not shying away from the proclamation of the Gospel and the demonstration of the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. If this is how Jesus ministered, if it is how He directed His disciples and Paul, why would we think that our directions would be any different?
So today, I recommit myself to pursuing this Gospel in the fullness in which it was meant to be heard and experienced. This is our call, our purpose, to represent Christ Jesus, to walk in His authority as we proclaim His Kingdom present in our lives, His resurrection and victorious reign, and His ability to deliver us from all that is not from Him.
Amen and Amen!
Here is how He sent the Apostles, as recorded in Matthew 10:1,5-8 NIV:
[1] "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
[5] "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. [6] Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
What He gave them (verse 1) was authority. This is what they had freely received, and what they were called to freely give of, the authority they now had to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper and drive out demons. They didn't get this authority on their own, but rather received it from Jesus. This commission comes directly from Jesus' core purpose and message, as seen in Matthew 4:12-13,17,23 NIV:
[12] "When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. [13] Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali---"
[17] "From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
[23] "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."
Clearly Jesus core message had to do with the Kingdom of God being present in their midst and then demonstrating the truth of that statement through His authority to heal every disease and sickness, casting out demons and cleansing lepers! His words, without the authority to demonstrate their truth, would have been easily forgotten, but when He demonstrated the miracles, healings, signs and wonders, the people were forced to take notice, and choose to either believe the validity of His testimony and evidence, or not.
Paul understood this principle and trusted that Jesus' authority, demonstrated through the power of the Holy Spirit, was the key to his success. Paul was fully capable of delivering an exhaustive defense of His faith through his in-depth knowledge of the scriptures and law, but instead He chose to rely on the proclamation of the simple Gospel and demonstrating the truth of what He said through signs and wonders. Here is how he describes His ministry - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NIV:
[1] "And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. [2] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."
Paul understood that experience would allow people to put their faith in God's power, not in the words of man. The purpose of Jesus' message, and Paul's Gospel proclamation was to let people know that they were able to enter the Kingdom and experience its benefits here and now. Paul was so taken by this commission, so embraced the call that he made it his life's mission and pursuit. He could have rested, could have settled comfortably in one of the churches he had founded, but instead he pressed forward, to see his part of the Great Commission completed. He said the following - Philippians 3:12-14 NIV:
[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
He ran his race well, he fulfilled his call and in doing so he represented the Christ Jesus' teaching, His proclamation, and demonstration. Paul embraced his call and his commission. He knew that the path to success was not through long-winded exhortations, although He did give an exhaustive defense on several occasions, when so directed. He knew that the demonstration of the reality of God's Kingdom present and experienced was supposed to be the anchor for people's faith. He didn't want them basing their faith in human wisdom, but rather on God's power. He knew that his authority flowed from the 'author of it' all, from God, whose Kingdom was based on His Word and character.
Finally, my reflection affirms my belief that we too must learn to walk in Jesus' authority, not shying away from the proclamation of the Gospel and the demonstration of the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. If this is how Jesus ministered, if it is how He directed His disciples and Paul, why would we think that our directions would be any different?
So today, I recommit myself to pursuing this Gospel in the fullness in which it was meant to be heard and experienced. This is our call, our purpose, to represent Christ Jesus, to walk in His authority as we proclaim His Kingdom present in our lives, His resurrection and victorious reign, and His ability to deliver us from all that is not from Him.
Amen and Amen!
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Regarding Mothers
This morning I thought I would reflect on a day appropriate set of verses, since we celebrate Mother's Day today. I was thinking back to Mary's first encounter with God, and His servant Gabriel. Here are the verses - Luke 1:28-30 NIV:
[28] "The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” [29] Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. [30] But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God."
I stopped my quotation at this point, because I think these same words can be spoken over every mother, "You have found favor with God!" What an awesome proclamation over an individual life!
There is absolute truth in those statements, for I believe the Lord has found favor with every woman who has carried a child in her womb, welcoming into existence one that the Lord has loved since before creation (Eph 1:4). Being part of creation, allowing the child to form in one's womb, must be one of the closest places we, as humans, can come to God's creative nature. He loved us so He created us.
In addition to giving birth our Mother's have been the best example of God's nurturing nature. He does not create us and set us adrift, but rather watches over our lives with intimate care. He knows every thought, every deed (Ps 139: 1-5), and sometimes it felt like my mom did too. :-) The constant care, the intimate knowledge of their child, the loving self-sacrifice, the protection, the provision of food and a safe environment to grow and develop, all are part of God's plan for each of our lives, provided most often by our Mothers.
Finally, I felt like my Mom, and my Sweetheart provided an excellent example of God's character as revealed by Him in Exodus 34:6 NIV: "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,..." For many of us, our faith, our relational skills, our understanding of our world and place in it were formed initially by our Mothers. They were faithful and abounding in love. In their example I can see and understand God better.
So, today I am grateful for the ministry of love, compassion, graciousness and kindness that has been showered upon me by my Mom and by my wife. The Lord has looked with favor upon them both! It is right to honor them with our words and appreciation.
[28] "The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” [29] Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. [30] But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God."
I stopped my quotation at this point, because I think these same words can be spoken over every mother, "You have found favor with God!" What an awesome proclamation over an individual life!
There is absolute truth in those statements, for I believe the Lord has found favor with every woman who has carried a child in her womb, welcoming into existence one that the Lord has loved since before creation (Eph 1:4). Being part of creation, allowing the child to form in one's womb, must be one of the closest places we, as humans, can come to God's creative nature. He loved us so He created us.
In addition to giving birth our Mother's have been the best example of God's nurturing nature. He does not create us and set us adrift, but rather watches over our lives with intimate care. He knows every thought, every deed (Ps 139: 1-5), and sometimes it felt like my mom did too. :-) The constant care, the intimate knowledge of their child, the loving self-sacrifice, the protection, the provision of food and a safe environment to grow and develop, all are part of God's plan for each of our lives, provided most often by our Mothers.
Finally, I felt like my Mom, and my Sweetheart provided an excellent example of God's character as revealed by Him in Exodus 34:6 NIV: "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,..." For many of us, our faith, our relational skills, our understanding of our world and place in it were formed initially by our Mothers. They were faithful and abounding in love. In their example I can see and understand God better.
So, today I am grateful for the ministry of love, compassion, graciousness and kindness that has been showered upon me by my Mom and by my wife. The Lord has looked with favor upon them both! It is right to honor them with our words and appreciation.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Wisdom From Heaven
I am reflecting on a few passages from the letter of James. I like James because he seems to be practical in his application of the Word. He lays things out clearly and calls for an actual living out of one's beliefs. In these passages he is speaking about wisdom - James 3:13,17-18 NIV:
[13] "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."
[17] "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness."
Here James is laying a foundation of behavior that is evidence of wisdom, again tying together belief and behavior, thinking and acting. It is not enough to think a certain way but our thinking should be witnessed to through our actions. In other words, if you are wise, show it through your good deeds, and good life! The goal is that others may witness your life and observe your wisdom.
James draws a distinction between earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. I didn't quote his section on earthly wisdom, as I wanted to focus on what he calls heavenly wisdom. Suffice it to say the two are opposites in most ways. Wisdom that comes from heaven could also be described as a renewed mind, or thinking differently.
I want to look at his list of attributes that would be evident in one operating in heavenly wisdom, taking them one at a time.
#1 Pure: The Greek word used here is hagnos - meaning 1) exciting reverence, venerable, sacred; 2) pure from carnality, chaste, modest; 3) pure from every fault; 4) immaculate or clean.
We find here a God-focused, un-tainted by selfishness or sensuality, thinking. Wisdom from heaven is concerned about God's perspective and following His example of life.
#2 Peace-loving: The Greek word here is eirenikos - meaning 1) relating to peace; 2) peaceable, pacific, loving peace; 3) bring peace with it, peaceful, salutary
We find here a thinking that is not based in conflict, not focused on stirring things up, not thinking about one has been wronged. Again this a perspective that comes from God's point of view, and it makes no sense for the Prince of Peace to bring dissension or division.
#3 Considerate: The Greek word is epieikes - meaning 1) seemingly, suitable; 2) equitable, fair, mild, gentle
Other translations use the word gentle rather than considerate. The focus though is on taking a perspective that is not selfish, which relates quite well to being considerate. When we are able to look to others, to see their needs, to consider the situation from their perspective, to be gentle in doing so, to be equitable in our assessment then we are operating in the wisdom that comes from heaven. I like this because that means this is also how God considers me.
#4 Submissive: The Greek word used here is eupeithes - meaning 1) easily obeying, compliant
Other translations use the word reasonable, and this is probably more tolerable to us than submissive. The point is that we are willing to be directed, willing to receive guidance and not obstinate or resistant to such. I definitely struggle with this one, but at its base level, it means we recognize that their is a perspective that is better than ours, and what better one to recognize than God's?!
#5 Full of Mercy: The Greek word used here is eleos - meaning 1) mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them; 2) of men towards men: to exercise the virtue of mercy, show one's self merciful
This is clearly the opposite of selfishness, where one's eyes are focused solely on oneself. Here we are encouraged to look at others, to see their need, their distress, their weakness, their situation and desirous to do something to help them. It is not enough to feel sorry for them, but one must be moved to action. In this case, James said it would cause one to be full of mercy, or never running out of mercy. I know that is definitely the type of person I would want to be around, and that is what God is like, thankfully.
#6 (Full of) Fruitfulness: The Greek word used here is karpos - meaning (I am taking the second meaning) 1) that which originates or comes from something, an effect, result; 2) work, act, deed; 3) advantage, profit, utility; 4) praises, which are presented to God as a thank offering
This brings us back to the original thought in verse thirteen, if one is wise let them show it by their good life. This is bearing fruit, the proof that you have been changed in the way you think and act. Wisdom from heaven directs us towards action, action that produces good fruit. James spends quite a few verses discussing this in more detail earlier in his letter (James 2:14-18).
#7 Impartial: The Greek word used here is adiakritos, which is a negative version of diakrinos, which means that one is not 1) to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to prefer 2) to learn by discrimination, to try, decide; 3) to determine, give judgment, decide a dispute
I think the case that James is making here is that one would not prefer, or have pre-existing ideas or proclivities when dealing with someone. Impartiality generally means one will be fair, and consider all factors, all sides and be consistent in this regard. This is the way God is towards us, and they way He encourages us to be towards each other. It is so easy to judge someone without finding out all the circumstances, or their side of the story. God calls us to embrace His impartiality, recognizing that He does so in our regard.
#8 Sincere: The Greek word used here anupokritos - meaning: 1) unfeigned, undisguised, sincere
This is pretty straight-forward, sincere means real. We are called to be real with everyone, to allow the wisdom of heaven to truly change the way we think and act, so that whether seen of unseen we will be the same person. Our behaivior is not faked, our interest in others is not a show, our desire for each and everyone we meet is their betterment.
As I look at this list, I am definitely encouraged to embrace the wisdom that comes from heaven, for this is the type of person I want to be, and type of people that I want to be surrounded by in my life! Lord help me to recognize the thoughts and perspective sent to me from heaven, that I might live my life in beiing a witness to Your wisdom.
Friday, May 12, 2017
The Narrow Gate - A Relational Context
This morning I have been reflecting on what appears to be one of the more difficult passages in scripture, Jesus' comments about the wide path leading to destruction and narrow path leading to life. I am adding the preceding statements of Jesus as I believe they set the context in which we must understand his comments. Here are the verses - Matthew 7:7-14 NIV:
[7] “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! [12] So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
[13] “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. [14] But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
It is important to note that these statements are made in the greater context of the Sermon on the Mount, what many believe to be the basic foundations of all Jesus' teaching and in a sort of foundation of the Kingdom of God, as established by Jesus. In the preceding discourse Jesus is describing, to the Jews who were familiar with the Law, the heart and motivation required for entrance into the Kingdom of God. Ultimately, He states that entry is through relationship with Him and His Father, and the Kingdom has relational requirements for all of us, a changing of heart and mind, of action and response, of motivation and purpose. He is summing up this whole section in his comments in verses 7-12. We have a loving Father who desires to care for us, and also a call to love others, to treat others as we ourselves would want to be treated, all relationship focused.
I believe that it within this context that He makes the next statements about the wide path and narrow gate. So it is in that context, relationship focused, that I reflect and think about His statement. It is also contextually being delivered to Jews who did not have this paradigm of personal relationship with the Father, but rather had an understanding of religious duty, a works mindset, if you will.
As I was thinking about these statements, I saw again the bulls-eye of a target, similar to that which I think about when understanding the idea of sin, and the Hebrew word that is translated sin. The word is "chata" and it primarily means to miss the mark, or miss the way. If applied to an archery target any arrow not in the middle of the target would be considered to have missed the mark, whether by two inches or two feet. In essence there is a very narrow gate, some would call it a window, that an arrow must pass through, and a narrow path it must fly upon to strike the target.
Taking this understanding and applying it to our life, if the path forward is relationship with the Lord, relationship with the Father, and therein we find life, then in the context of all the relationships available, all the opportunities to choose to pursue relationship with Him, we see a similar picture. There are many things we can give our time, energy and focus too besides relationship with Him and thus the gate and path would seem narrow in the greater context of all opportunities. If we are truly talking about a relational paradigm then it is indeed a personal gate that we each must pass through.
From a historical perspective, there were few in the recorded history of the Jewish people who really understood the relational paradigm Jesus was discussing. David is a great example of one who understood this path. His writing in Psalms and his recorded reign and life in First and Second Samuel provide us a good representation of someone who is walking in relationship, stumbles (several times), and gets back on the path and finishes well. The Jews would ahve known the story of David, but by and large this did not appear to be their personal expereince.
Back to the verses that are my point of reflection, we find that Jesus actually refers to himself as the gate (John 10-7-9), and speaks about entering through the gate. Looking back to His invitation and comments here in the verses from Matthew, we could conclude that the invitation is to relationship with Him. In relationship with Him, we encounter the Father (John 14:23), and are empowered by the Holy Spirit (Eph 3:16). In relationship with Him we find life (1 John 5:20).
At the time that Jesus spoke these words, His assertion was very true, there were few that had relationship with Him, few that were walking down that path. After His resurrection, He was no longer limited by His physical body and able to be with us living in us, as He promised in John 14:20. He sends the Holy Spirit, poured out at Pentecost, to reveal to us Himself, His teaching, and the path forward. The gate is no longer limited by the reality of his physical body and we can all know Him and be in relationship with Him. He is able to reveal Himself to us, to speak to us all, to interact with each and every one of us, and in this context the gate, although still narrow in that it is Him, is now available to each of us. We all have the opportunity to enter into relationship with Him!
My prayer is that more and more people find this narrow path, for it is no longer hidden and found by a few, but it has now been revealed to the world and is available to each of us. My prayer is that many, in their pursuit of truth and life, will find the one who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). My prayer is that the Church learns to express this relational paradigm rather than the rules and right living that is so often the focus in her presentation of what it means to be a Christian. We are supposed to be in relationship with Him, first and foremost. The Body of Christ gets its name and connectivity from our shared relationship with our head, Jesus Christ.
In summary, today I am encouraged to continue to pursue relationship with Jesus, and in this relationship to find my way, the truth and life I am seeking. I am encouraged that Jesus has made Himself available to us all, that He is no longer limited or hidden and that each and every one of us can have relationship with Him. We can know Him and speak with Him and hear from Him, just like we do in any relationship, because He is with us, even to the end of the age (Matt 28:20).
[7] “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! [12] So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
[13] “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. [14] But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
It is important to note that these statements are made in the greater context of the Sermon on the Mount, what many believe to be the basic foundations of all Jesus' teaching and in a sort of foundation of the Kingdom of God, as established by Jesus. In the preceding discourse Jesus is describing, to the Jews who were familiar with the Law, the heart and motivation required for entrance into the Kingdom of God. Ultimately, He states that entry is through relationship with Him and His Father, and the Kingdom has relational requirements for all of us, a changing of heart and mind, of action and response, of motivation and purpose. He is summing up this whole section in his comments in verses 7-12. We have a loving Father who desires to care for us, and also a call to love others, to treat others as we ourselves would want to be treated, all relationship focused.
I believe that it within this context that He makes the next statements about the wide path and narrow gate. So it is in that context, relationship focused, that I reflect and think about His statement. It is also contextually being delivered to Jews who did not have this paradigm of personal relationship with the Father, but rather had an understanding of religious duty, a works mindset, if you will.
As I was thinking about these statements, I saw again the bulls-eye of a target, similar to that which I think about when understanding the idea of sin, and the Hebrew word that is translated sin. The word is "chata" and it primarily means to miss the mark, or miss the way. If applied to an archery target any arrow not in the middle of the target would be considered to have missed the mark, whether by two inches or two feet. In essence there is a very narrow gate, some would call it a window, that an arrow must pass through, and a narrow path it must fly upon to strike the target.
Taking this understanding and applying it to our life, if the path forward is relationship with the Lord, relationship with the Father, and therein we find life, then in the context of all the relationships available, all the opportunities to choose to pursue relationship with Him, we see a similar picture. There are many things we can give our time, energy and focus too besides relationship with Him and thus the gate and path would seem narrow in the greater context of all opportunities. If we are truly talking about a relational paradigm then it is indeed a personal gate that we each must pass through.
From a historical perspective, there were few in the recorded history of the Jewish people who really understood the relational paradigm Jesus was discussing. David is a great example of one who understood this path. His writing in Psalms and his recorded reign and life in First and Second Samuel provide us a good representation of someone who is walking in relationship, stumbles (several times), and gets back on the path and finishes well. The Jews would ahve known the story of David, but by and large this did not appear to be their personal expereince.
Back to the verses that are my point of reflection, we find that Jesus actually refers to himself as the gate (John 10-7-9), and speaks about entering through the gate. Looking back to His invitation and comments here in the verses from Matthew, we could conclude that the invitation is to relationship with Him. In relationship with Him, we encounter the Father (John 14:23), and are empowered by the Holy Spirit (Eph 3:16). In relationship with Him we find life (1 John 5:20).
At the time that Jesus spoke these words, His assertion was very true, there were few that had relationship with Him, few that were walking down that path. After His resurrection, He was no longer limited by His physical body and able to be with us living in us, as He promised in John 14:20. He sends the Holy Spirit, poured out at Pentecost, to reveal to us Himself, His teaching, and the path forward. The gate is no longer limited by the reality of his physical body and we can all know Him and be in relationship with Him. He is able to reveal Himself to us, to speak to us all, to interact with each and every one of us, and in this context the gate, although still narrow in that it is Him, is now available to each of us. We all have the opportunity to enter into relationship with Him!
My prayer is that more and more people find this narrow path, for it is no longer hidden and found by a few, but it has now been revealed to the world and is available to each of us. My prayer is that many, in their pursuit of truth and life, will find the one who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). My prayer is that the Church learns to express this relational paradigm rather than the rules and right living that is so often the focus in her presentation of what it means to be a Christian. We are supposed to be in relationship with Him, first and foremost. The Body of Christ gets its name and connectivity from our shared relationship with our head, Jesus Christ.
In summary, today I am encouraged to continue to pursue relationship with Jesus, and in this relationship to find my way, the truth and life I am seeking. I am encouraged that Jesus has made Himself available to us all, that He is no longer limited or hidden and that each and every one of us can have relationship with Him. We can know Him and speak with Him and hear from Him, just like we do in any relationship, because He is with us, even to the end of the age (Matt 28:20).
Friday, May 5, 2017
I Can Love
This morning I have been reflecting on our fragmenting society. There are really good people on all sides, people I love and think of fondly with very different points of view than I have at present. People are angry, people are rejoicing, people are worried, people are hurting, people are happy, people are ignoring the noise and just moving forward with life. It seems like there is no easy path forward. Anything that is reduced will anger someone, hurt someone, cause an uproar. Its just messy out there.
So this morning, my question was how to steady my heart, how to move forward. I can only think of one strategy, that being to love others. Whether I agree with their politics or not to love them. Whether I agree with their life-style, whether I share the same sexual preference or not, whether the color of their skin is the same as mine or not, I choose to love them. I can steady my heart with love. I can choose to love them, choose to be kind to them, choose to think kindly about them, choose to consider them worthy of my love. Young or old, rich or poor, whatever their race, religion, or culture, I can choose to love them.
I am reminded of Jesus words to His followers, recorded by John. John 15:9-13,17-20 NIV:
[9] “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. [11] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. [12] My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
[17] This is my command: Love each other.
[18] “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. [19] If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. [20] Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.:"
I repeat His command here, because regardless of whether the world hates, or persecutes you, the command stays the same - "Love each other."
I can love. I can choose to love. I can learn to lay down my life for my friends. I can learn to look past the division, disagreements, differences and see the person, see the son or daughter, see the individual worthy of love. I can choose to set my heart on the course of Love, and not let the winds of difficulty, strife and division blow me off course. I can choose to embrace the command of Jesus, that my joy might be complete.
It really is a radical path, but I think it is the right one. My heart is steady and at peace, knowing I can do this one thing. I can love.
So this morning, my question was how to steady my heart, how to move forward. I can only think of one strategy, that being to love others. Whether I agree with their politics or not to love them. Whether I agree with their life-style, whether I share the same sexual preference or not, whether the color of their skin is the same as mine or not, I choose to love them. I can steady my heart with love. I can choose to love them, choose to be kind to them, choose to think kindly about them, choose to consider them worthy of my love. Young or old, rich or poor, whatever their race, religion, or culture, I can choose to love them.
I am reminded of Jesus words to His followers, recorded by John. John 15:9-13,17-20 NIV:
[9] “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. [11] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. [12] My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
[17] This is my command: Love each other.
[18] “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. [19] If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. [20] Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.:"
I repeat His command here, because regardless of whether the world hates, or persecutes you, the command stays the same - "Love each other."
I can love. I can choose to love. I can learn to lay down my life for my friends. I can learn to look past the division, disagreements, differences and see the person, see the son or daughter, see the individual worthy of love. I can choose to set my heart on the course of Love, and not let the winds of difficulty, strife and division blow me off course. I can choose to embrace the command of Jesus, that my joy might be complete.
It really is a radical path, but I think it is the right one. My heart is steady and at peace, knowing I can do this one thing. I can love.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
The Parakletos - The Holy Spirit
This morning I am continuing my reading from John's Gospel. Some morning I read several verses, some mornings one is enough and today is one of those days. I read the following verse and just stopped, knowing it was one to ponder for a bit.
John 15:26 NIV: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father---the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father---he will testify about me."
To be clear, Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit. We have here the best introduction to the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The word John uses to describe the Holy Spirit is the Greek word parakletos. Here is the definition of that word, as provided by the Strong's Concordance:
1) summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid
A) one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate
B) one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor
1) of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins
C) in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant
1) of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the
gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom
Clearly in this instance, the definition seems to be 1.C.1 - speaking of the Holy Spirit taking Jesus' place and leading the Apostles and disciples into deeper truth. However, I don't think we want to focus only on that part of the definition, for the Holy Spirit is sent as our helper, sent as our advocate, sent as our intercessor, sent as our counselor, sent to empower us and strengthen us, sent to guide us.
The Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus from The Father, proceeds or goes out from the Father, arrives on the scene (for Jesus speaks of when He comes), and is clearly called the Spirit of Truth. Jesus earlier had referred to Himself as the Truth (John 14:6) and so we have an equating or equvalency of purpose and role between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sent by the Son, proceeds from the Father and is equivalent to both, for we know that Jesus is the exact representation of the Father (Heb. 1:3). How it all works is a mystery beyond our human capabilities to fully grasp.
We see a second role of the Holy Spirit, in the end of the sentence - He will testify about Jesus. I find this verse very comforting, for clearly I can't meet Jesus personally in the flesh right now. We have the scriptures to help us understand Jesus, to hear His words and see His love and motivation, but I desire more than just reading about Jesus, I want to engage with Him in my life. I want to know more than what is written, I want to know Him fully. This is the stated purpose of the Holy Spirit, according to Jesus. He will testify to us about Jesus. The Greek word John uses here is matureo, and it is defined as follows:
1) to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration
A) to give (not to keep back) testimony
B) to utter honourable testimony, give a good report
C) conjure, implore
Jesus spoke about this role a bit more in John 14:26 NIV: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
The Holy Spirit will teach us all things, and will remind us of everything that Jesus said, for He was present when Jesus said them. We have in scripture a written record of what Jesus said, as remembered by the authors, but we have the Holy Spirit living in us, who was there present and whose job it is to testify to what He has seen and heard, to bear witness to Jesus. Again, as I said earlier, I am very encouraged by this, for that is exactly what I am desiring.
Holy Spirit I ask that You will teach me all things, testify about Jesus and remind me of everything that Jesus said during His ministry. Help me to more fully grasp the mystery that is the Holy Trinity!
Amen!
John 15:26 NIV: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father---the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father---he will testify about me."
To be clear, Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit. We have here the best introduction to the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The word John uses to describe the Holy Spirit is the Greek word parakletos. Here is the definition of that word, as provided by the Strong's Concordance:
1) summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid
A) one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate
B) one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor
1) of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins
C) in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant
1) of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the
gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom
Clearly in this instance, the definition seems to be 1.C.1 - speaking of the Holy Spirit taking Jesus' place and leading the Apostles and disciples into deeper truth. However, I don't think we want to focus only on that part of the definition, for the Holy Spirit is sent as our helper, sent as our advocate, sent as our intercessor, sent as our counselor, sent to empower us and strengthen us, sent to guide us.
The Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus from The Father, proceeds or goes out from the Father, arrives on the scene (for Jesus speaks of when He comes), and is clearly called the Spirit of Truth. Jesus earlier had referred to Himself as the Truth (John 14:6) and so we have an equating or equvalency of purpose and role between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sent by the Son, proceeds from the Father and is equivalent to both, for we know that Jesus is the exact representation of the Father (Heb. 1:3). How it all works is a mystery beyond our human capabilities to fully grasp.
We see a second role of the Holy Spirit, in the end of the sentence - He will testify about Jesus. I find this verse very comforting, for clearly I can't meet Jesus personally in the flesh right now. We have the scriptures to help us understand Jesus, to hear His words and see His love and motivation, but I desire more than just reading about Jesus, I want to engage with Him in my life. I want to know more than what is written, I want to know Him fully. This is the stated purpose of the Holy Spirit, according to Jesus. He will testify to us about Jesus. The Greek word John uses here is matureo, and it is defined as follows:
1) to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration
A) to give (not to keep back) testimony
B) to utter honourable testimony, give a good report
C) conjure, implore
Jesus spoke about this role a bit more in John 14:26 NIV: "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
The Holy Spirit will teach us all things, and will remind us of everything that Jesus said, for He was present when Jesus said them. We have in scripture a written record of what Jesus said, as remembered by the authors, but we have the Holy Spirit living in us, who was there present and whose job it is to testify to what He has seen and heard, to bear witness to Jesus. Again, as I said earlier, I am very encouraged by this, for that is exactly what I am desiring.
Holy Spirit I ask that You will teach me all things, testify about Jesus and remind me of everything that Jesus said during His ministry. Help me to more fully grasp the mystery that is the Holy Trinity!
Amen!
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Remaining In Him and Bearing Much Fruit!
This morning I am continuing my reading of John's Gospel. I am reflecting on one of the most famous sections - Jesus' comment about being the vine. Here are the verses - John 15:1-8 NIV:
[1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. [2] He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. [3] You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. [4] Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
[5] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. [7] If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Like I often do, I am going to start at the end and work my way to the first. The purpose of Jesus comments is to call us to our purpose to bear fruit, for the Father's Glory. At the end of the day, our ability to bear fruit should be pointing directly back to the God. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit, through relationship with Jesus, giving glory to the Father. Any other representation or allusion is incorrect.
It is through remaining in Him, maintaining our relationship with Jesus that we are able to bear fruit. Jesus actually says the same thing "remain in me" 5 times in these verses. A good rule of thumb in reading His words, is if He says it once its important, if He says it twice, Its really important, three times and it is absolutely essential. I have no grid for something that He says five times, except that it is exponentially more important than absolutely essential! If our relationship with Him is not front and center in our life, than I think we need to review our life's priorities based on His continued emphasis of this one point.
Additionally, this is not a one-way relationship, for Jesus indicates that He will remain in us (verse 5). God said multiple times in scripture (Deut. 31:6,8,; Josh 1:5, and Heb. 13:5) that He will never leave us or forsake us, and this is one of His promises to us. I believe that Jesus is effectively making that same promise here. Our part is remaining in Him, treasuring His words in us, and allowing them to affect our lives, living by them.
Jesus says that He is the True vine, and we are to remain in Him, connected to Him, that makes us part of the vine as well. Notice that He does not compare Himself to a tall stately tree, but rather to a vine that grows close to the ground and seems to have just a continuing branching and bearing of fruit all along it, and the vine root never gets massively large. I believe that the church sometimes thinks of itself as a large tree, with all sorts of hierarchy to strengthen and stand strong, with the leaves being the people, and the branches, bows and trunk being the structure of the church.
Jesus, in contrast, uses a vine as His example of the connectedness He desires. I am thinking back to my experience of vines, and the trunk of the vine is never huge, the branches are generally short, or just another arm of the main vine. Fruit is grown very close to the main vine. I once cut a wild grape vine in the spring and was amazed at how much sap poured out of the end of the vine. I think this is also one of the reasons Jesus spoke of the vine, as you are never far removed from the life flowing river that runs through the vine.
Finally, back to the example Jesus used, He says that He is the Vine and the Father is the gardener, discarding unfruitful branches and pruning those that are fruitful. To be clear pruning is not a painless process and certainly seems to make no sense, unless you understand the goal. Pruning, while it is a cutting back for a time, increases both the amount of fruit that a branch will bear, and strengthens the branch.
I have experienced this in ministry where for an initial season it seemed like everything I did was bearing fruit, and then the Lord directed me out of ministry for a season. I was confused as to why the Lord would cut me from the ministry I was doing, as I was bearing fruit. One day I read this verse and it all made sense. The Lord wasn't discarding me, He was pruning me so that later I might be strong enough to bear much fruit, and able to produce much fruit, more than I ever did previously! This was a huge help, and leap in understanding. The Father as the gardener knows exactly what to cut to maximize fruitfulness, and I need to trust Him. The first time I saw someone pruning a plant, I couldn't understand why they were cutting off all the good branches. After a period of time though, as I saw the plant bearing tons of fruit, I understood the benefits of pruning.
So this morning I am reminded of the absolutely essential effort of remaining in Jesus. I am encouraged that it is to His glory that I bear much fruit, and that He has a plan for my fruitfulness that the Father is carefully guiding!
[1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. [2] He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. [3] You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. [4] Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
[5] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. [7] If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Like I often do, I am going to start at the end and work my way to the first. The purpose of Jesus comments is to call us to our purpose to bear fruit, for the Father's Glory. At the end of the day, our ability to bear fruit should be pointing directly back to the God. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit, through relationship with Jesus, giving glory to the Father. Any other representation or allusion is incorrect.
It is through remaining in Him, maintaining our relationship with Jesus that we are able to bear fruit. Jesus actually says the same thing "remain in me" 5 times in these verses. A good rule of thumb in reading His words, is if He says it once its important, if He says it twice, Its really important, three times and it is absolutely essential. I have no grid for something that He says five times, except that it is exponentially more important than absolutely essential! If our relationship with Him is not front and center in our life, than I think we need to review our life's priorities based on His continued emphasis of this one point.
Additionally, this is not a one-way relationship, for Jesus indicates that He will remain in us (verse 5). God said multiple times in scripture (Deut. 31:6,8,; Josh 1:5, and Heb. 13:5) that He will never leave us or forsake us, and this is one of His promises to us. I believe that Jesus is effectively making that same promise here. Our part is remaining in Him, treasuring His words in us, and allowing them to affect our lives, living by them.
Jesus says that He is the True vine, and we are to remain in Him, connected to Him, that makes us part of the vine as well. Notice that He does not compare Himself to a tall stately tree, but rather to a vine that grows close to the ground and seems to have just a continuing branching and bearing of fruit all along it, and the vine root never gets massively large. I believe that the church sometimes thinks of itself as a large tree, with all sorts of hierarchy to strengthen and stand strong, with the leaves being the people, and the branches, bows and trunk being the structure of the church.
Jesus, in contrast, uses a vine as His example of the connectedness He desires. I am thinking back to my experience of vines, and the trunk of the vine is never huge, the branches are generally short, or just another arm of the main vine. Fruit is grown very close to the main vine. I once cut a wild grape vine in the spring and was amazed at how much sap poured out of the end of the vine. I think this is also one of the reasons Jesus spoke of the vine, as you are never far removed from the life flowing river that runs through the vine.
Finally, back to the example Jesus used, He says that He is the Vine and the Father is the gardener, discarding unfruitful branches and pruning those that are fruitful. To be clear pruning is not a painless process and certainly seems to make no sense, unless you understand the goal. Pruning, while it is a cutting back for a time, increases both the amount of fruit that a branch will bear, and strengthens the branch.
I have experienced this in ministry where for an initial season it seemed like everything I did was bearing fruit, and then the Lord directed me out of ministry for a season. I was confused as to why the Lord would cut me from the ministry I was doing, as I was bearing fruit. One day I read this verse and it all made sense. The Lord wasn't discarding me, He was pruning me so that later I might be strong enough to bear much fruit, and able to produce much fruit, more than I ever did previously! This was a huge help, and leap in understanding. The Father as the gardener knows exactly what to cut to maximize fruitfulness, and I need to trust Him. The first time I saw someone pruning a plant, I couldn't understand why they were cutting off all the good branches. After a period of time though, as I saw the plant bearing tons of fruit, I understood the benefits of pruning.
So this morning I am reminded of the absolutely essential effort of remaining in Jesus. I am encouraged that it is to His glory that I bear much fruit, and that He has a plan for my fruitfulness that the Father is carefully guiding!
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