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Loving The Way Jesus Loves?

Loving The Way Jesus Loves?

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Mat 9:35-38)

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Mat 25:40)

 

On Sunday, Craig brought such a great message to Harvest Pointe Fellowship in Chris’s absence. God truly used Craig to challenge and inspire us from Romans chapter 12. As Craig asked us to consider how the coming of Christ has affected my everyday, I couldn’t help but to also ask myself another question. Am I loving the way Jesus loves? Would those who know me say that love characterizes me at all times?

When Jesus began his ministry, he read his mission statement from Isaiah 61. Jesus didn’t come to rule like an earthy king.  His kingdom is one where those without hope find hope, those imprisoned are released, and those who grieve find comfort and healing.  He came to minister to those at the bottom – sinners and tax collectors, prostitutes, blind beggars, the lame, the demon-possessed, widows, and children.  His heart and his focus where on the lost, the least, and the last. As we engage with those on the bottom of the social and economic scale and minister to people’s needs as Jesus did, we have to literally rub shoulders with people who are often very different from us. We suddenly find that we must “get dirty” by getting up-close and personal with people whose lives are not like our own. If we are to really exemplify the love of Jesus, we must ask ourselves a very serious question: Are we loving the way Jesus loves? 

Let’s face it; Jesus loves the poor, captives, oppressed, gentiles, tax collectors, and prostitutes. Before we ask ourselves, “Do we love them too?” there is more fundamental question we must ask ourselves. Do we belong with them? Are we reaching “down” to them or is Christ in His mercy reaching down to us all.

Jesus literally made people angry by loving the “least of these” because His love said something about humanity in general. The political and religious leaders of Jesus’ day heard what He said very clearly and they were insulted and disgusted. Far from being moved to compassion, they were offended because they did not believe themselves to be “like” whom Jesus loved and, therefore, they did not “like” whom Jesus loved.

We must see that we are not only one in the Gospel, but we are also one in our need for the Gospel. We all stand in the same line of seeking grace. If this offends us, then we will never be able to love the way Jesus loves in two senses of the word “love.”

First, we will not think of ourselves as similar to or as bad as the “least of these” that Jesus so dearly loves. We will begin to think that we only needed a redemption-lite.

Second, we will resent those who Jesus loves because they are “embarrassing” or they somehow “discredit” the caliber of the organization of which we are a part.

If we are going to love as Jesus loves, we must rid our mind of similar moral classifications of humanity. There are no first-class and second-class people at the foot of the cross of Christ. Socio-economic status, education, talent, charisma, morality, humor, technical skill, and loyalty do not “set us a apart” (the core meaning of holiness) in the way we are prone to think they do.

These worldly attributes may have social, financial, relational, or emotional benefits and they can contribute to the ease and enjoyment of life. However, they do not make us different kinds of people and they do not change the substance of our nature. We all need the same Jesus regardless of where we fit on any of these spectrums. A Russian novelist captured it this way:

“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.  And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?“  Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in The Gulag Archipelago.

Can we truly say?

“I see my own reflection in every person Jesus loves.”

Until you can, you will not understand and you will not grasp the rage that Jesus elicited in His earthly ministry. When we are gripped by this understanding we will no longer be embarrassed to reach out to someone “beneath” us and no longer be intimidated to reach out to someone “above” us. In fact, those terms and classifications will cease to have meaning for us.

Take a moment to consider how many of our emotions and dispositions stem from the same mindset that infuriated Jesus’ opponents: insecurity, offense, condescension, avoidance, intimidation, prejudice, and every form of anger. How many times does it slip into your daily thought or conversation?

Use these reflections to more closely connect with the Gospel of Christ. See yourself in those Jesus loves and those who oppose Jesus, so that you can see your world and yourself through the lens of the life of Christ.

Deeper In God’s Word

Tom Renew

Resources:

JD Greear of The Summit Church in NC sermon series.

Philip Graham Ryken, Love the way Jesus loves

 

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Possessing The Very Best: Joshua 18

images“How long will you put off entering the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? – Joshua 18:3b NASB

 God had promised the land. Now all they had to do was take possession of all that had been given to them. Without taking full possession of the Promise Land, the inheritance would remain unrealized. It had to be received, possessed, and appreciated. But seven of the 12 stalled and stood around waiting to take what had been already been given to them by God. The land had been subdued (Joshua 18:1), but remained unoccupied. So Joshua confronts the remaining tribes and asks them a very uncomfortable question: “How long will you put off entering the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? (Joshua 18:3b). “What are you waiting for?” he seems to ask them. “Why are you procrastinating?” “What’s keeping you from enjoying what God has already given you?

We may be frustrated with these seven tribes but those same questions could be asked of you and me today. Like the Israelites, we have incredible promises given to us by God. Think about it. We are heirs of God with access to everything from peace and joy to abundant life and contentment. We have the promise of His constant presence through the indwelling Spirit. We have the promise of His limitless power. We have the promise of His all-sufficient provision. Yet we often fail to take advantage of all the promises of God. We live like paupers instead of princes in the land we have been given. There is so much waiting for us, yet we seem content to settle for so much less. We have learned to accept a weak and powerless brand of Christianity which does not closely resemble what God has promised. That may be why so many of our lost friends, neighbors, and co-workers are turned off by what we offer up as the “good news” to them. There is far more at our disposal than we are taking advantage of. We have become satisfied with a steady diet of beans and weenies when we have a sumptuous banquet right at our fingertips. We too have chosen not to fully entering the land.

It’s interesting that right in the midst of all this drama, we read about the tent of meeting or tabernacle being set up in Shiloh. The name literally means, “place of rest.” God had given His people the promise of His abiding presence. And His presence was to dwell wherever the tabernacle was erected. So when they set it up in Shiloh, the place of rest, there seems to be a not-so-subtle reminder that God’s presence and God’s rest go hand in hand. The sanctuary of God was to be right in the middle of the people of God. So they set up the tabernacle in the central hill country – smack dab in the middle of the land allotments to the various tribes. The presence of God should bring the peace and rest of God. He is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is there to empower us.

When we fail to “possess the land” we fail to enjoy the full extent of His presence and peace. We live in various shades of weakness and fear. We fall prey to the powers and the worries of this world. He is there, but we do not sense or see Him. He is with us, but instead of the peace of His presence, we suffer from a feeling of aloneness and emptiness. Both of these we attempt to fill with other things. But God is offering us a matchless place of rest. He is offering us the power of His presence. He is offering us joy in the midst of the battle. But we must take possession of what He has given us – in faith.

Prayer:

Father, forgive us for failing to take possession of what You have already provided. We often don’t enjoy Your peace. We fail to live with a sense of contentment and joy.

Father, I don’t recognize and utilize the power You have made available to me through the Holy Spirit. I live too often like a pauper instead of a prince. I act like a squatter in the land instead of an heir of the king with the full rights and privileges that come as one of Your children. Help me to step out in faith and take hold of all that You have put at my disposal. Let it begin today. Amen

Resources:

Enduring Word – enduringword.come

Gene Gregory – River of Life Baptist Church – Time for Advance, Christian Growth

Chad Young – Joshua 18-19 Abundance – findingauthenticchristianity.com

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Circumcision at Gilgal Joshua 5

 

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Circumcision at Gilgal

Joshua 5

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.”  So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeah Haaraloth.

 Now this is why he did so:  All those who came out of Egypt–all the men of military age died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt.  All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not…

And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were encamped until they were healed.  Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.”  So this place has been called Gilgal to this day.        Joshua 5:2-5; 8-9

 

 Although the children of Israel had miraculously crossed through the flooded Jordan River, they still had one final major action to accomplish before they began their conquest of the Promised Land. As Chris taught us on Sunday, out of the thousands of babies born in the wilderness, not one of them had been circumcised.  This was important, because like our baptism, circumcision was the visible sign of being part of God’s family. Whether out of neglect or disobedience, the nation had failed to keep the practice that was the sign of the covenant relationship with God. Before they could step out in faith, they must be both outwardly and inwardly identified with God.

The Lord’s orders to Joshua had been clear. He commanded Joshua to make flint knives in order to circumcise every male baby born in the wilderness.  As mothers turned their eyes and babies cried and screamed, Joshua and the priests slowly but methodically undertook their grim task. For those older, it must have been even worse because every male under the age of forty had to be circumcised. Scripture indicates that at the time, there were six hundred thousand males who were twenty years old and above. These six hundred thousand men had not been circumcised before. Despite the inevitable pain, they all obeyed the Lord and underwent circumcision. There were more than six hundred thousand foreskins removed from more than six hundred thousand men, boys and children that day. Those foreskins literally piled up to make a hill, which is why the place was called the hill of foreskins. This is a sign of their full obedience to the Lord.

What lessons can you and I learn from this story of mass obedience at Gilgal?

First, our entrance into our Promised Land is normally followed by an intense period of God’s dealings. Our response to these dealings is critical because they will determine our ability to prosper in the new place God has given us.

Second, like the children of Israel who were born in the wilderness, many Christians have been born outside the ways and teachings of the church and God’s Kingdom.  Unlike children born into a Christian home, many of these children and adults have no real concept of God or His ways. If they are ever to become productive citizens of God’s Kingdom, it is vital that they receive what was lacking from their childhood through discipleship and mentoring.  Discipleship may be the greatest challenge for the Church today.

Third, even as the uncircumcised males had to allow other men to work in the most private areas of their lives, so spiritually you and I must do the same.  We must allow godly men and women, depending on our gender, to apply the Word of God to our most sensitive and private areas.

Whether these areas are financial, sexual, emotional, or relational, it is important to remember part of discipleship is the willingness to give other mature Christians access to your life.

Fourth, many times the process of spiritual circumcision can be as painful as it is necessary.  Even as the children of Israel stayed in the camp until they were healed, so it may take time for you to recover from an intense period of God’s dealing.

Finally, in the NT the same ritual takes place on a different level.  God is more interested in our internal, spiritual condition.  So the apostle Paul talks about a “circumcision of the heart”, one that isn’t merely “outward and physical” (Romans 2:28-29).  This circumcision involves God cutting away everything in our lives that doesn’t bring glory to him.  Stripping away our pride and self-reliance. Removing our rebellion and tendency to choose our own preferences over His ways.  Teaching us to trust in Him alone.

Before we can claim the territory for God that He has promised us – before we can live out our call to the absolute fullest, our hearts will have to be circumcised.  We have to go under the knife.  We have to choose to take some costly steps of obedience to really follow Christ in real living active authentic faith.

Resources:

  • I Am Consecrated – OnePassionOneDevotion.com
  • Rev. Jeremiah Cheung – Have You Been Circumcised, Joshua 5
  • Terry Tunder – POSSESSING THE LAND STEP BY STEP – NewLife.org

Tom Renew

Deeper In God’s Word

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Stones of Remembrance!

Stones of Remembrance

Stonesofremebrance

Stones of Remembrance – Joshua 4
DIGW
We are travelers. Since the beginning of our marriage, Margaret and I have chosen to make travel one of our extravagances. When we had our children, we continued to travel the world with them. Our adventures were a time of challenge, excitement and bonding as a family. From the very beginning, Margaret started a tradition related to our travels. Everywhere we went, we would take great care to find and bring back a special stone. Once home, this stone would be placed on a shelf in our library as a reminder of a special place and time. You can see those stones in our library today. To you they most likely look common but to us they are a reminder of some amazing event. When I see those stones of remembrance, I see a testimony of what we experienced together.
On Sunday, Chris shared two very powerful sermons and a moving ceremony about the stones of remembrance. In fact in chapter 4, we can see two piles of stones. Each pile is composed of 12 pieces of stones; one pile smooth stone and one pile rough. God had commanded Joshua, when they crossed the Jordan River that twelve men chosen from each of the twelve tribes were to take up twelve stones from the river and put them down at the place where they were to stay that night. The second pile of stones was set up in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had stood. These two piles of stones had the same purpose, they were both a testimony to the power and faithfulness of God – how the Lord cut off the flow of the Jordan and allowed the Israelites to cross the river on dry ground. The only difference is that one is under the river and cannot be seen, the other pile is on dry ground and can be seen.
The pile on the dry ground is a testimony that can be seen. Which pile of stones is more important? The pile under the Jordan River is more important, because without the one under the river, the one on the ground would be a false testimony. This reminds us that the real testimony is often unseen. In other words, it’s not the external but the internal that really matters. The unseen pile of stones testifies to the pile that can be seen. 2Cor 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
In obedience, Joshua set up two piles of stones. In the pile of 12 stones established in the middle of the Jordan River (the pile not seen) we can identify 3 important truths. The stones are a testimony to:
1.       The Unity of the Twelve Tribes
Twelve men picked the twelve stones. These twelve men represented the twelve tribes of Israel. These 12 stones are a testimony to the unity of the 12 tribes. But remember, the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh had decided not to cross the Jordan River. They wanted to reside east of the river, so, in reality; only 9 tribes crossed the Jordan River. But verses 12-13 tell us ‘The men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, armed, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.’ These two and a half tribes sent out forty thousand warriors to help the 9 tribes in battle.
The Book of Numbers, chapter 26, records that the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh together numbered approximately a hundred thousand warriors. Now they had sent forty thousand to help in the fighting. That number would be 40% of their fighting men and 60 percent had remained to protect the women and the children. Imagine a nation sending 40% of its troops to help another nation fight a battle. This is not an easy thing to do. But if the two and a half-tribes did not go, Joshua would not have set up 12 stones, he would have only set up 9 and a half stones and this would not be a testimony of unity, it would be a testimony of disunity.
We live in a generation of disunity. People and nations alike find it hard to cooperate with each other. Even churches find it hard to cooperate with each other. But the Lord wants us to establish a testimony of unity. Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” In an age of disunity, we can learn an important principle for cooperation from the pile of stones. We must be committed to maintaining unity in principle.
2.       God’s Faithfulness
Four hundred years before, God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan. Four hundred years later, because of unbelief, the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. After 40 years, Joshua led them across the Jordan River and they stepped on to the Promised Land. As they stacked that pile of 12 stones in Canaan, they established a testimony of God’s faithfulness. The Lord is faithful! He will never fail us. Four hundred years ago, the Lord promised them the land of Canaan, four hundred years after, God’s promise came true.
God is faithful but men are not. There are three reasons why men are unfaithful:
Ø  Forgetfulness. Sometimes, we promised to do something, but we forget.
Ø  Unwillingness. Sometimes it is not because we forget, but because we are unwilling; maybe, because it is difficult or inconvenient, so we fail to do what we promised to do.
Ø Powerlessness. Maybe, at the start, we did not know that the task would be so difficult, so we make promises; but when we find ourselves unable to complete the task, we have no recourse but to apologize and beg off.
But our God is faithful. He is omniscient. He will never forget. He is omnipotent; He will not be powerless to accomplish anything. He can never be unfaithful. He will forever be faithful.
3.    The Power Of God
Verses 21- 24 “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”
The Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the Israelites then, this was a great miracle because that generation of Israelites was born in the wilderness. They had never seen a vast river and do not know how they will cross. So for them, crossing the Jordan River was a huge problem. They likely knew of the miracle of the Red Sea but had not witnessed God’s awesome power in this way. When the Lord divided the Jordan River, their hearts and voices must have shouted, “God, how great you are!” Isaiah 43:2 promised, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Can this be possible?
The Lord divided the Red Sea and the Jordan River, so that the Israelites could cross over. When they pass through the waters, the waters did not sweep over them. Scripture also declares that Daniel and his three friends were thrown into the fiery furnace because they refused to bow down to the gold image set up by Babylon’s king. Yet, they walked around in the fire and were not burned. In fact, there was a fourth man in that furnace. Jesus Himself was with the three Hebrew men. When you go through fiery trials, do not forget the Lord is with you; he is beside you. He goes through the waters with you and he goes through the fire with you. As long as we acknowledge God’s power, we can face all difficulties with faith and confidence. The Lord causes us to know Him through many different situations and His goal is that we may revere Him.
The twelve stones Joshua set up is a testimony to the unity of the 12 tribes of Israel; it also testified of God’s faithfulness and power. Like this pile of stones, may our lives hold such beautiful testimonies to the trustworthiness and power of God.
Resources:
Brance Gillihan – “Joshua – A Pile of Stone” – BranceGillihan.com
Ron Moore – “Stones of Remembrance” – RonMoore.com
Anne Graham Lotz – “The Stones of Remembrance” – BillyGraham.org
Tom Renew

Deeper In God’s Word