Do not harden your hearts as in the Rebellion

With Christmas almost here and the big movie Star Wars coming out on Friday I thought I would role out this gem. As in Star Wars, the Rebel Alliance fights against the Empire and their rule over the Galaxy. They raise up X-wings Y-wings to battle the Tie fighters. War is at hand. Jedi are needed. But what's everybody so upset about?

15 As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

I have always pictured Darth Vader saying this line to the rebel alliance, calling them to return to the Galactic Empire, but alas it was not so. The author of Hebrews is of course talking about the Israelites who grumbled and complained about life on the road. But God was saying you don't have to live like a refugee.

The Israeli rebellion was all about losing their way. It was about looking at the accommodations on the journey and musing if it was better in first class. The rebellion was about people grumbling. Isn't that where it always starts, with discontentment?

I have had to start asking myself this question. What causes you to complain? What causes you to complain to God? Does being a Christian mean that our lives should reflect the American dream? What comforts are essential to you and yours?

How does God fit into the picture? When I spoke in Tucson at my vetting I was discussing this very issue. I realized that even though I escaped the name it and claim it theology of my youth I still had expectations of God that put stress on our relationship. I expected him to fulfill certain needs, wants, and desires in my life. I expected his grace to look a certain way. When after long enough, it didn't, or they went unmet, I started to to wonder at some other promises from God. It started to affect my relationship with God. 

You know like a relationship with a friend or family member who you feel cheated you or let you down and it still affects the way you think about them. In person you are cordial enough but you always come back to the wrong or the disappointment. In the end the relationship becomes of toleration, or perhaps you depart it.

I realized I expected certain comforts especially since I was pursuing ministry. Since I was pursuing God. A certain amount of wealth, health, protection and provision? What expectations of God do you have? 

As I have gone on in my Christian I keep coming back to the Exodus story and the wilderness journey. The longer I live my life I have become convinced that the Torah is a picture of our lives. The first five books of the Bible I believe represent our faith walk. Just like in the Exodus, for us Jesus raises himself up and delivers us from the bondage of sin. He does miraculous works and so why wouldn't we follow him? But as we travel together and we start to learn some of his truth and his ways we can get a little overwhelmed. We continue to walk and we start to realize that this journey is actually hard. We walk and start to think that life perhaps was a bit easier when I wan't out in this wilderness but safe back in the city as they did. 

We are warned in scripture that those who desire to live a righteous life will suffer persecution. We are reminded that we will have trouble in this world. Jesus warns that we will hated as he was. This doesn't mean all is bad of course but it does mean the accommodations may not always make us feel like we are in that 5 star place of rest. Perhaps sometimes we get to stay in the stable. There will be times of challenge but what do we do? Do we grumble at the pillar of fire or drag our feet at the leading cloud?

I think the Exodus is a picture our lives with God. God wants us to continue on to the promised land, but some fall in the desert or give up, or harden their hearts and rebel, as this verse was referring to. Some raise up for themselves new leaders who will tell them what they want to hear. They look for leaders who will lead them how they want to be led, and feed them how they want to be fed. So does Jesus like Darth Vader find your lack of faith disturbing? Are we grumblers or are we committed to the walk, the journey, to the destination? That classic question are you a Caleb or a "nay-sayer"?

This is what happened with Korah's rebellion as well. They were tired of Moses' lead, one that dragged on through the desert. They grew tired of him saying that he spoke for God and brought to them the words of God. The grew tired of the mana. They wanted their own leaders who would be nicer to them. They wanted their own representative, their own relationship with God. Their own meals. But God was Kingdom building and was not interested in an insurrection.

I feel the pull of not only a society that wants a specific kind of freedom but a growing sect of churches who want a certain kind of savior. A kind of savior that only possess one attribute. Unadulterated acceptance. We can continue to say the words of God after him. Or we can grumble depart and raise up teachers who teach a form of religion that pays service to God and Jesus but denies his harder side. His side that cares about conduct. His side that calls to repentance. His side that says if you desire to live a righteous life you will be persecuted. His side that says you will hated as I was hated because I call people's deeds evil. His side that makes whips. I don't say this because I prefer Jesus when we said those harsher things and not when he communicated grace, but to honestly follow him I have to come to terms with everything he taught. He is interested in my obedience as well as my love. Jesus is more complex than he simply loved people and accepted them. His message also said go and sin no more. His love looked like sacrifice because our lives of sin are repulsive. His love looks like taking sin very seriously. He taught his disciples this as well and they continued to write about it the rest of the New Testament . 

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 

God is concerned about his Kingdom not yours and what you want to bring into it. 

So do we grumble and attempt to follow new leaders back to Egypt? Back where we were still on good terms with the Egyptians? We wouldn't want to upset  anybody. We wouldn't want to make the Egyptians feel bad about worshiping false gods. We wouldn't want the Egyptians to feel bad about their sin so perhaps we should go back and join them? This is that wide road that many go, the highway to hell that doesn't upset the status quo. That road that is paved with smiling leaders that say "peace, peace" when there is no peace, only capitulation. As the writer of Hebrews again reminds.

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.

We have walked through history and we are starting to feel the squeeze of what persecution feels like, of what being uncomfortable for our beliefs is.

This is my squeeze because I know as Jesus said that holding to his truth would not make friends. Jesus even says woe to you when people speak good of you. Our message is so upsetting that Jesus encourages us to check our walks when   people are liking the things we have to say.  Because the kinds of things we are supposed to say sound like death, death to ourselves, death to our vices, death to our idols and life to the King.

I am not tempted to grumble against God so much. But I see my temptation of one feeling sad that the Gospel is no longer good news to our culture. I feel the squeeze of trying to say God's words after him while others are raising up new gospels that itch ears. People raise up rebellions and we who want to be disciples of Jesus are made to look like bigots and fundys and the worse charge yet? Unloving. Well all I can say is I love God and I love his people and so we continue through the wilderness at his leading. Some may grumble and some may rebel but we must continue onto the promise land. So please rebels but down your pitchforks and blaster rifles, soften your hearts and come back to mountain of God.

thanks

I can't see your Faith Brother (brothers part 1)

Commenting on someone's faith, no I would rather not do it.  This becomes the inevitable conclusion of trying to minister in categories and ministering in categories is the inevitable conclusion focusing on sheep and goats. This is why election discussion are nor truly helpful from a pastoral perspective. We can only approach people as potential followers or potential followers. This is why my last blog about the learners is really more philosophical than practical. It is good to know for own sanity but it shouldn't set policy. We can understand that some fail to launch but apart from trying to help all we can do is give it to God. We can't really minister as such without creating different levels of believers.

This is too easy to do. It is easy to look at someone's life and declare they either look like me or they don't. This is hard because I know that we are instructed to look at the fruit. But what conclusions are we allowed to come to? Am I as a Christian allowed to look at a fellow believer and say that they are not on the path or that they are?

Whenever I hear this type of speak I am reminded about Romans 14:4

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Here is the current problem in the church, this "hey man don't judge me" mantra has infiltrated the church.  But the verse is for the judges not to judge, not for the judged to not repent. Those in need of repentance must repent and be made whole. But the speck finders also need an inspection. 

The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts of sin.  

 8And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Their ultimate problem is belief in him and the Holy Spirit will bring this conviction albeit perhaps in response to preaching the Gospel. They will be convicted of righteousness in that their own fails in comparison to Christ and he is vindicated as the standard because he was welcomed by the Father. Finally the ruler of this world that they are still under is judged so they have nothing to which to hold onto or stand on.  

 So God does the judging not I. This also makes me think of the prodigal's son parable.

¹¹ And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to^[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’^{[b] 22} But the father said to his servants,^[c] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, ²⁹ but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

I don't want to be the older brother in the parable, it is too easy to do. It is too easy for the church to be the older brother. When it comes to someone else's walk. There are two brothers with two sins here. The younger flaunts it and the older with pride hides it. But they both are in danger of destroying their relationship with the Father if they do not return. 

The problem is the younger recognizes his faults and the older does not. Only God can come along and clearly say where the person is at on their journey to, from, back or away from him. I think as a real brother would have chased after the younger as Jesus explains that a good shepherd does. He leaves the 99 in search of the one. What good does it do for some of the 99 still comfortable in the pin to comment about how much of a sinner number 100 is?  But in order for the shepherd or good brother to chases the wayward soul down, he must have words about the need to return. 

This is the hard part we need to encourage our brothers to return, not write them off as sinners without hope. Brothers come home, but does our home welcome and do our hearts welcome?

It is easy to point out sinners, but brothers should treat each other differently. It is our treatment of each other that speaks of being Christ's disciples. Christ disciples are each others keepers. When we are tempted to act like Cain remember: Cain was bad. 

He was jealous of his brother's offering being accepted by God just like the prodigal's brother was jealous and angry that his brother received forgiveness for his behavior. This brother is similar to Jonah who knows God's forgiving nature and decides that these people should not receive it. 

The Law's purpose is is to illumine our need.  Paul says its purpose was not to make righteous because only God can do that. It's purpose was for us to understand that we need help and that help is available. The question really is are we willing to admit that we are a damsel in distress or not?

We must never communicate the world's sin problem in a way that is more than a mirror to show them their need for a savior. It is never to discourage them away from a relationship with God. They are prisoners who can't see the bars. The message is always to return. So when your brother is in need say "Brother please, come let us return unto the Lord."

Brothers are there for each other even when they are different and on different paths. Just like Jake and Elwood Blues, we are on a mission from God, let's stay the course. 

thanks

Wrestling with 1 Corinthians 5

Where is the grace Paul?!

1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

3For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

So we judge the person inside the church who claims brotherhood not those who do not. Why? Because we lack grace? No because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Addressing sin in the church is not about legalism it is about maintaining the witness to the world of salt and light. The witness that does not openly condemn the world with words but by our deeds are the unrighteous put to shame. If we allow our good deeds to be clouded by prevailing sin then our message is totally silenced. This is why sin in the church needs to be addressed not because we are loosing our salvation or because we have a poor balance of works and grace but because our testimony is tainted. 

But doesn't Paul like, talk about grace, like, all the time?  Grace is what this man needs from God in order to address his sin. If this man believes that he can change on his own then he misses the point. Paul's point is not to get this man to fix himself but to recognize what he is doing needs correction and that he needs to reach out for grace. This guy is already trying it his own way and he needs the grace of God to help him change, if he will only lift his head. This is Paul saying you have started looking elsewhere and you need to rely on God. 

But doesn't grace mean being nice, why is Paul yelling? He sounds upset.

See we have to let the Bible define grace for us. Jesus actually talks very little of it. Paul gives us most of the information about grace. In Titus 2 he explains that grace enables us to have salvation for sure, but what it does it teach. It teaches us obedience and self-control. It informs out behavior, it enables and teaches us to be Godly. It is not blanket favor that means God looks the other way. 

The problem is we can't see the heart. For someone lost in sin trying to come to God and actively needing grace, he is granted it, but we do not see it when we see someone lost in sin saying they want God but not changing. 

Let's be honest Grace is hard to spot when someone is walking through it and forgiveness is hard to grant. We can't see people's heart but we can see their deeds. It is deeds that spread and influence in the church. Paul is concerned because the atmosphere is one where the people are arrogant and not instead grieved over the sin. The leaven had spread and the testimony was silenced. "Why go to the church? The people there are involved in more vile sin that we are." In other words the Gospel is ineffective. The message is undermined the mission is pointless and we are all wasting our time. At least that was probably what Paul was thinking. 

Thankfully Paul wasn't content to leave it there. He wanted change because there is more grace to go around. There is favor from God that enables salvation and teaches his people Godliness.

Paul absolutely does not want the Gospel of Jesus undermined by the behavior of the church. This is something that we need to take very seriously. This is why it is a big deal when a very prominent Christian leader or any leader falls into moral sin. Their sin has ramifications, their behavior has influence. Their sin speaks about the condition of the church and the condition of the Gospel. Paul is all about about grace, but grace is never supposed to undermine the message. 

Our good deeds are to put the world to shame, not that our sinfulness seems inviting. Because frankly it is not, it is off-putting. Church sin is only appealing to the nominal and hypocritical it is never appealing to the outside world. At least in the sense we think, In fact they love it because it silences us.

Paul speaks about this again in Titus.

 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Peter says it as well.

16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Paul is all about grace. Christianity is all about grace, but do not undermine the movement. Do not undermine the message. Do not undermine the Gospel. Let God's grace teach you. 

So where is the grace? It flows down to under-gird his people and the gospel. It does not flow down to help keep the leaven alive to spread throughout the body. The little book of I John is all about this. He is faithful and just to forgive all our sins, so don't for a moment claim that you are without them. 

So Paul has grace for the repentant and harsh words for the hard of heart, but all are forgiven when we humbly come to the mercy seat of God. Grace teaches and enables salvation. 

thanks