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Blessing, New Testament

The Invisible Person

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You can’t do what Jesus did until you see what Jesus saw. 

One of my favorite stories about Jesus is how he gave sight to the blind.  This post is the story of how Jesus used coffee to open my eyes.  It might do the same for you. 

Let me paint a picture for you.

You’re in the Fresh Market (fancy grocery store).  It is a visual and olfactory cornucopia.  That is to say…it’s real nice, Verne.  People are in there that look like maybe they drove all the way out from the yacht club.  Some drove in from lesser country clubs, and you can sort of tell which ones those are.  Then, there’s the college students, the ones who are making daddy proud, as they wear “North Face,” tennis skirts, and drive their very own Mercedes.  Then, there’s the people like me who really are shopping above their socio-economic status, but really like premium pork.

Justin's Iphone
Justin’s Iphone

Anyhow, so there I am at the coffee stand…you know, the one where you can get coffee samples.  I was examining the Kona Blend and all the other varieties, and I saw a young woman reach in and refill the one closest to me, the Almond Amaretto.   I thought, “Great, that one is super fresh.  Better get it.”  Then, I realized something.   There was a person behind the counter.   Then,  it hit me.

I had seen the coffee, but not the coffee brewer.  I had missed the person right in front of me.  She was invisible to me. 

So, I spoke to her.  I asked her if she drank coffee…she didn’t, but, that one question lit her up like flipping a switch.   She was a thoughtful person and an excellent coffee brewer, and I am glad that I got to speak to her.  Then, I realized something…Am I the only person who has spoken to her all day?   I think she knew what I had just started to realize:  People didn’t really see her.

How many people are invisible to us?  Brain science tells us that we focus on the things that are important to us.  The things that our brains have said we need to see to survive.

Is it possible that you have missed some really important things, maybe the most important things?

Now, what in the world does this have to do with the gospels? 

Answer:  It has everything to do with them.

Jesus talks about us being judged by the way we treat the least among us.  He says that when you do good things or bad things to the least, you’re really doing it to Jesus.    Somehow he’s there.  His presence is there.

Have you ever known someone who only wanted to focus their energy and enthusiasm the “important people”?  Maybe it was an employee who is super nice to his superiors, but treats his peers and those he manages in a completely different way.  You can think of a student who treats the cool kids with respect, but won’t have anything to do with those on the fringes.  You see it in churches, you see it in rich,  and you see it in poor.  I sometimes see it in me, too.  After all, it took me months to see the person behind the coffee stand.

This brings me to a key point about the gospels.  There are these people in Jesus’ time that didn’t recognize him.  They try to trap Jesus.  They try to trick him into making a stupid mistake.  He, of course, outwits them in ways they couldn’t imagine, but the thing that I keep on thinking about is how these people could be so ignorant, so blind, so foolish that they couldn’t even see Jesus right in front of them.

Oh wait…but I couldn’t see him at the coffee stand. 

But something happened.  I saw the touch of his hand, and I opened my eyes.  I was jarred into the reality of his presence by the simple extending of a hand (yes, to refill the Almond Amaretto…but you get the point).  I didn’t realize it then, but I believe I looked up, and I didn’t just see the coffee brewer lady.  I saw Jesus.  I saw him in a unique, beautiful, valuable, human being.

So, I wrote a post about how you can read the gospels.  We talked about how the best way to read the story of Jesus is to enter the story by doing what Jesus did.

Here’s the thing.  You can’t do what Jesus did until you see what Jesus saw.    So, I ask you,  Have you seen Jesus my Lord?  He’s here in plain view.

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Food for thought/Articles on Invisibility:

On the Invisibility of Black Women and Girls For Harriet                      The Invisible Poor Global Policy Forum

 

Becoming

More than Alone: The Best Door Knocking Partner

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Have you ever been door knocking?  Some of you know what I’m talking about.  It turns out your success at door knocking and your overall experience has a lot to do with your partner.

One young man went door knocking and had this very memorable partner.  We’ll affectionately call her Granny.  It turns out Granny had a particular strategy that was a little brusque.  Here’s what she’d do:

  • Granny knocks on door.
  •  Person opens the door.
  • Granny says, “Did you know that it’s most likely you’re headed to hell?”
  •  Person invites Granny to go first.

You wouldn’t do anything like that, right…

If you think of the gospel as learning the right list of things to do, and making sure we all get them right, then you might be like Granny.

If most of your Jesus sharing looks a lot like an argument or a debate, then you might be a little like Granny.

If you’ve spent more time in worship and studies talking about how to be baptized than how to love like Jesus, then you might be like Granny.

If you’re sure that once saved/always saved is wrong, but you’ve never really felt secure in your own salvation, then you might be like Granny.

Can we do better?

Can you know a way to present the truth of the Jesus in a way that people feel valued, respected, and loved?

Let me tell you another story.

” 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” Philippians 2:5-11

This is a story of a King.  He laid down his crowns.  He laid down the crown of timelessness and was bound in time.  He laid down the crown of boundlessness and entered a breakable human body.  He laid down the crown of holiness and entered a sinful world.  He lived, and he died for us.  Then, he took up his crown again.  He reigns now, and he gives you the opportunity to work with him to build his kingdom in this world.

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We seek to model him.  We model his humility, his sacrifice, and his service, and you know what?  We knock on doors.  We’ll knock on the doors of the heart with our service.  We will knock on the doors of their minds with our integrity.  We will knock on the doors of their souls with the living Word.  And, even if you feel  like you’re alone, it turns out you have the very best door knocking partner of all:

“19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold,I am with you always, to the end of the age,”  Matthew 28:18-20.

So, let’s go knock on some doors.  Now, you know who will be with you.

Do you have a “door knocking” story?

New Testament

There’s a New King in Town (Mark 1:1)

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There’s a hugely popular new TV series on Amazon called The Man in the High Castle.  It’s this very disturbing drama with an alternate view of history, as if the Allies had lost WWII and Japan and Germany took over the U.S.  It’s really a scary thought.  Imagine if the Eastern US states were under the rule of a Hitler, and the Western states were under a Japanese Emperor.  Now, history tells us that the Emperor was said to be the “son of God.”  It’s not surprising that in the series, Bibles were few and far between.  Jews worshiped in secret, and Christians were silent.

It really isn’t that different of a situation than what we see in 1st Century Palestine.  The Jews lived in their Promised Land, but they were a conquered people.  The first Roman Emperor reigned during the time of Jesus’ birth.

So, now it’s important that we take a lesson in numismatics (coin collecting).   Do you know was inscribed on Roman coins?

Well, let’s look at one example (source),

octavius

 

 

 

 

 

The front of the coin has Octavian (Agustus Caesar) with the inscription, “DIVIF,” which stands for “Divini Filiu” meaning “Son of the Divine.”  The back as the words, “DIVOS IVLIVS” or “Divine Julius,” i.e., saying the Julius Caesar was divine.

So, the Roman Empire proclaimed loudly that there was a son of God, and it’s Caesar!  It was a dark world in which God’s people had been conquered and were subjugated and were longing for a Savior, someone who would redeem them and save them from Roman rule.

Well, the earliest gospel is the gospel of Mark.  It seems that it was written to a Roman audience, maybe even the city of Rome.  And, to these Romans, to these subjects of Caesar, Mark opens with words that might not mean a lot to a 21st Century American, but would mean everything to a 1st Century Roman:

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God, ”  Mark 1:1.

Mark’s good news is this:  There’s a new king in town.

This has huge implications for the way we read the rest of the book of Mark.  This post on RadicallyChristian talks about how this affects how we read the whole New Testament.

What does this mean to you that Jesus is the son of God?  What does it mean to say that Jesus is King?

Bendición

MÁS QUE GENIAL: EL LEÑADOR

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Muchas gracias a Ericka Magaly por su traducción.

Max Lucado nos cuenta una gran historia sobre la vida. Es algo parecido a esto,

“Había una vez un anciano que vivía en un pequeño pueblo. Aunque pobre, era envidiado por todos, ya que poseía un hermoso caballo blanco. Incluso el rey codiciaba su tesoro. Un caballo como éste nunca se había visto antes – tal era su esplendor, su majestad, su fuerza.

Mucha gente le ofrecio fabulosos precios por el corcel, pero el anciano siempre se nego. “Este caballo no es un caballo para mí”, les decía. “Es una persona. ¿Cómo podrias vender a una persona? Él es un amigo, no una posesión. ¿Cómo podrias vender un amigo? “El hombre era pobre y la tentación era grande. Pero él nunca vendió el caballo.

Una mañana encontró que el caballo no estaba en el establo. Todo el pueblo fue a verlo. “Usted viejo tonto”, se burlaban, “nosotros le dijimos que alguien robaría su caballo. Le advertimos que sería robado. Eres tan pobre. ¿Cómo pudiste siquiera pensar que podrias proteger a un animal tan valioso? Hubiera sido mejor que lo hubieras vendido. Podrías haber conseguido cualquier precio que hubieras querido. El monto habría sido demasiado alto. Ahora el caballo se ha ido, y haz sido maldecido con la desgracia”.

El anciano respondió: “No hablen demasiado rápido. Digamos solamente Que el caballo no está en el establo. Eso es todo lo que sabemos; el resto son opiniones. Si he sido maldecido o no, ¿cómo puedes saberlo? ¿Cómo puedes juzgar? “

La gente contendio, “No nos haga parecer tontos! Puede que no seamos filósofos, pero no es necesaria una gran filosofía. El simple hecho que su caballo se ha ido es una maldición “.

El anciano volvió a hablar. “Todo lo que sé es que el establo está vacío, y el caballo se ha ido. El resto no lo sé. Ya se trate de una maldición o una bendición, no lo puedo afirmar. Todo lo que podemos ver es una parte. ¿Quién puede decir lo que vendrá después? “

La historia continúa … el caballo regresa, pero no solo. Resulta que una manada de caballos salvajes viene con él.

Las personas decian que era una gran bendición. El anciano dijo, no sabes lo que es. Puede ser una bendición o una maldición, dijo el anciano.

Bueno, un día el único hijo del leñador estába domando uno de los caballos. Él se cae y se lesiona. La misma historia. Las personas dicen que es una maldición. El anciano dice:

“Ustedes están obsesionados con juzgar. No vayan tan lejos. Digamos solamente que mi hijo se fracturo las piernas. ¿Quién sabe si es una bendición o una maldición? Nadie lo sabe. Sólo conocemos un fragmento. La vida viene en fragmentos “.

Luego, hubo una guerra. Los hijos de todos son reclutados a la guerra, y la mayoría de ellos son asesinados. El hijo del leñador no fue reclutado porque está lesionado.

Los aldeanos vienen al hombre y le dicen que tenía razón después de todo, que la lesión fue una bendición porque él consiguió mantener a su hijo con vida.

El anciano volvió a hablar. “Nadie sabe si es una bendición o una maldición. Nadie es lo suficientemente sabio para saber. Sólo Dios lo sabe “.

En cierto modo, el viejo tiene razón. Ciertamente él era genial. Jesús dijo que no nos preocuparamos, pero él también nos dijo el POR QUÉ nosotros no tenemos que preocuparnos. Alguien está cuidando de nosotros.

El anciano dijo: “Nadie sabe si es una bendición o una maldición.”

Bueno, lo puedes saber.

Puedes saber que para ti, todo va a trabajar junto para el bien. No va a ser una maldición. Nada de eso será. Será una bendición.

Podría dolerte tanto que hace que te despiertaras llorando. Pero, todavía va a trabajar para el bien de usted. Será una bendición.

Podría ser algo que te pone en la cima del mundo. Eso, también, será una bendición. Hay contingencias, sin embargo. Esta verdad no es para todos. Es sólo para los que lo recibirá.

Todo esto comienza con conocer una historia. La verdad es que puedes saber la historia que le da al mundo un proposito, el significado y la esperanza de todo lo bueno y lo malo que experimenta en la vida. No sólo podrias conocer la historia, sino que puedes conocer el autor. No sólo eso, sino que puedes trabajar con él para abrir su historia en tu vida y en las vidas de los demás. Y déjenme decirte que cuando hagas eso, sabrás algo, también:

Eres una bendición.

Grace

More Than Performance: Amazing Grace

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There once was a violin.  It was tightly gripped by a frustrated 14 year old, who  was playing Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Minor.  He had practiced this song over and over to get it right.  In his practice, he would play and stop.  Then, he’d look back at the music to find  see his mistakes and try to fix the errors.  He didn’t really like the practice, but by doing this, he had eliminated most all of the mistakes.   If he was careful, he could make it through without any of the feared mess-ups.  Then, the day arrived.  He was to play before an important violin teacher in Birmingham at a special Suzuki meeting.  So, he played.  He didn’t make any mistakes.  Then, just as he was finishing, and as the antique wood still pressed into his meaty shoulder, the instructor said, “You should play this harder.  You’re a strong looking boy.  Why aren’t you playing with more feeling?”  They didn’t really love his playing that day.  This was the last time he would really play much classical violin music for quite some time.

There once was another violin.  It was held lovingly by a plump 8 year old as he played the most free form Alabama improve Japan has ever witnessed.  He had just been told that there was a special program being filmed for the Suzuki organization in Japan.  They were interested in what Americans were doing with their method for learning music.  His teacher, who was a genius with kids, had encouraged him to learn to improvise.   She wanted him to learn to have fun with it.  And, he did.  Sometimes, his parents would have tell him to go to bed at night because he would lose track of time, playing for the sheer joy of it.  Enthusiasm was not lacking, and when he was asked to play for the Japanese TV program, he let fly a version of Amazing Grace that was something you wouldn’t soon forget.   They loved it.   And, he played the violin, and he improvised for many years to come.

What was the difference?

One was done out of fun, the other out of fear.

One was done out of love, the other out of duty.

Let me ask you this one question:  Which one do you want to be? Well, of course, you want to be have joy, fun, and love, right?

 The question, then is, how do I do that?

Think about the little boy.  It’s about really getting into the song, into the music.   It’s about getting into the story that can become the music of our lives.  And, there is a story that you need to hear.  There is a story in which you can live.

It turns out that story is all about Amazing Grace.

Worship

Dynamic Sermons: More than Talk

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A man got up in the middle of a sermon.  The preacher asked him, “Where are you going?”

The man said, “To get a haircut.”

Preacher said, “Why didn’t you do that before the sermon started?”

The man said, “I didn’t need one.”

There are so many preacher jokes.  Seems like people don’t always take the preacher or the preaching seriously.

It doesn’t have to be like that.  Let me tell you 4 things about a dynamic sermon, the kind that you wouldn’t ever want to interrupt….even for a haircut.

1.  More than a Book Report

If it weren’t for that book report, I’d probably be lost.  That book report changed my life.

Truth is, you probably won’t ever hear anyone say that.

How about this?

Knowing that man, the things he did, how he did them, and the things he said…he really changed my life.

The authentic messenger has a life changing message to deliver.   It’s not a good speech about a famous book.  It’s a life changing message about the Word.

2.  More than an Opinion Piece

It’s more than just sharing his opinion.  Somebody said opinions are like…well you know, we all have one.  Here are some things opinions can’t do:

But, guess what?  God’s Word can.

3.  More than Crowd Pleasing

Medicine sometimes tastes like…well…medicine.  But, when you’re sick you don’t need chocolate cake and a Coke.

Paul says this a lot better than I would, so check this out:

 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths  (II Timothy 4:1-4).

4.  More than an Argument

I have won some arguments in my time.  But, you know what, when I did so, I didn’t typically win a friend.   However, when I have served and showed the person the love of Christ, they were much more likely to be open to the message.   One preacher said that before he goes out to preach he prays to God, “Help me show your people how you love them.  Let me show them that I love them.”  Sure, we should be making arguments, but they should be shaped like the cross.

Maybe you’re thinking, I’ve sat through many sermons that were nothing more than the things you’ve mentioned:

  • boring book reports
  • nothing more than opinion pieces
  • just about pleasing the crowd
  • just about winning an argument.

 What is the solution for this?

He is the only perfect preacher.  He’s the model and the material.  He’s the Alpha and the Omega.  He is anything but boring, and he’s a lot more than talk.

His name is Jesus.

And, when a messenger is shaped by him, something happens.  As Landon Saunders put it,

 The nails of reality have been driven through the hands and feet of God’s man.  The sword of the Spirit has pierced his side, and out of him flows the very life of God.

That’s a lot more than talk.
Blessing

Better than Happy: More than a Pig Chaser

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Have you ever seen anyone trying to catch a greased pig?

Well, if you’ll look around, you’ll see many people out there chasing something that just can’t seem to catch..and that’s the greased pig of happiness.  Yes, I said that.  Read it in a very Redneck voice if you’d like..

 5 reasons why chasing happiness is like catching a greased pig:

1.  It’s slippery.

When you focus on trying to catch happiness, it keeps slipping out of your grasp.  Have you ever thought –

  • If I only got this job, I’d be happy.  But, guess what…in a little while, after you’ve got that job…it doesn’t bring you happiness.
  • If I only got this relationship to work, I’d be happy.  But, after you get the relationship going, you find that maybe that didn’t quite make you happy either.
  • ON AND ON

The point is – if you’re seeking happiness…it just keeps slipping away…like a greased pig.

2.  It’s messy.

In fact, when you chase a greased pig, you wind up in a pit with other nasty, messy, poopy animals.  Gross, huh?

Now, what about if you wind up in the rat race.  You wind up chasing money above all else.    You chase the happiness that is found in jumping over your colleagues.   And, you wind up clawing and gnashing out every last ounce of energy you have, and you wind up at the end of the day surrounded by other frustrated, nasty, messy people who are ultimately as unsatisfied as you are.    Sure, it sounds like a fun game, but it turns out badly, and the company is nasty.

3.  The pig kicks.

It turns out the way to catch a greased pig is to grab it by the hind legs.  This is known.  However, there’s a problem…sometimes the pig kicks.  So, instead of a pig catching trophy, you wind up with bloody shins, bruised forearms, and a weird pig infection.  Not fun.

Same with chasing happiness.  Sometimes, you don’t really get happiness, but you get close.  You grab it by the heels…and you get kicked…and it hurts.

4.  It’s lonely.

When you’re so focused on catching a greasy pig, you forget connect with others.  It’s hard to connect deeply with others when you are so focused on the greasy pig.

When you focus on self, you shut others out.  When you shut others out, people don’t like you.  The more you force others out, the less connections you have.  The less connections you have, the lonelier you are.  Thus, you are sad.  This is back by both common sense and studies.

5.  You might just catch the pig.

Let’s say you catch the pig.  Great!  Now, you have a nasty, squirming pig that really all you can do with is fry, roast, or grill.  Oh wait, you might also make some delicious bacon.  And, I love bacon.

But, you know then thing about bacon?  It seems like you always need more.  There’s never enough bacon!

I want to get out of that mess.  I want more than greasy hands and everyday bacon.

Have you ever heard this story?

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family. “You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman. “You should be working rather than lying on the beach!”

The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?”

“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer.

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!”

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said.

“And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”

Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”

The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”

Source: Heinrich Boll

So, the question is, can we find something better than happiness?

Well, it turns out there is, and you can find it.  You might find it where you least expect it (see the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount).

And, what might really surprise you is how you get it.   And, let me tell you something, that story is better than bacon.  

It’s dynamite.

Blessing

More than Cool: The Woodcutter

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Max Lucado tells  a great story about life.  It goes something like this,

“Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.

People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. “This horse is not a horse to me,” he would tell them. “It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. “You old fool,” they scoffed, “we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”

The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?”

The people contested, “Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse.”

The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”

The story goes on…the horse returns, but not alone.  Turns out a pack of wild horses comes with it.

The people say it’s a great blessing.  The old man says you don’t know what it is.  It may be a blessing or a curse, says the old man.

Well, one day the wood cutter’s only son is breaking one of the horses.  He falls off and is injured.  Same story.  The people say it’s a curse.  The old man says,

 “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”

Then, there is a war.  Everyone’s son is drafted into the war, and most all of them are killed.  The wood cutter’s sun isn’t drafted because he is injured.

The villagers come to the man and say that he was right after all, that the injury was a blessing because he got to keep his son alive.

The old man spoke again. “No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”

In a way, the old man is right.  He was certainly cool.  Jesus said not to worry, but he also told us WHY we don’t need to worry.  Someone is taking care of us.

The old man said, “No one knows if it’s a blessing or a curse.”

Well, you can know.

You can know that for you, everything will work together for good.  It won’t be a curse.  None of it will be.  It will be a blessing.

It could hurt so much it makes you wake up crying.  But, it still will work together for good for you.  It will be a blessing.

It could be something that puts you on top of the world.  That, too, will be a blessing.  There are contingencies, though.  This truth is not for everyone.  It’s only for those who will receive it.

It all starts with knowing a story.  Truth is you can know a story that gives the world purpose, meaning, and hope to all of the good and the bad things you experience in life.  Not only can you know the story, but you can know the Author.  Not only that, but you can work with him to unfold his Story in your life and in the lives of others.  And, let me tell you when you do that, you’ll know something, too:

You’re a blessing.

New Testament

More than a Story: 5 Ways to Read the Gospels

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At my home church, Central Church of Christ,  we are starting 2016 with a reading plan that will take us through the New Testament in a year.   We’ll talk about these things together, read them together, and live them together.

When you think of the gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Christian New Testament), what do you think?  What are they all about?  How do you read them?

I believe there is one way to read them that is absolutely the best!  Read on to find out more.

The 5 Ways to Read the Gospels

1.  The Greatest Story Ever Told

I’m writing this on New Year’s Day of 2016.  We are in the second golden age of the Star Wars movies.  The new film, The Force Awakens, has debuted with greater sales than any other film in history.  Now, what’s the Star Wars series all about?  Spoiler Alert (if you haven’t seen the old movies).  The overarching theme of Star Wars mythology is that there is this battle between good and evil.  There is this chosen one who save the people who are in danger, but will do so at great personal cost and sacrifice.  Sound familiar?  Sound a little like the gospel?  I can name countless other movies and stories and even classic literature that sound like they sorta ripped off the Jesus story line.

“Jesus Christ” means “Jesus, the Chosen One.”  As the Chosen One, Jesus came and lived a perfect life, died to save us, and rose again from the grave.  Now, that’s a story…the greatest story ever told, better than Star Wars.

2.  Powerful Apologetic

No doubt one of the reasons for the initial writing of the gospels was prove that Jesus was the Messiah and that people should follow him.  This defense of the gospel, or apologetic, is something that still carries weight today.  Lee Strobel was an agnostic and investigative journalist who set out to dispove the gospels.  The more he dug into the gospels, the more he realized that there were historical facts that could be verified.  The one that caught his attention the most was the resurrection.  Christianity rises or falls on the truth of the resurrection.  Lee Stroble investigated the resurrection claims like a tough journalist, trying to find holes in the story.  He didn’t.  He became a believer.  That’s what has happened to many people when they looked deeply and critically into the gospels.

3.  The Life that Split History In Two

A.D. and B.C.  Or, ACE and BCE.  No matter what you call it, we count time from the birth of Christ.  His life split history in two.  Now, wouldn’t it make sense to know about that person, I mean at least from a historical perspective?

How could a person be educated and not know about the life that split history in two?

What kind of a teacher must he have been to have this kind of influence?

The story of his life has been the all time best seller.

Wouldn’t it make sense to get to know about this man?

4.  The Facts of the Faith

Any person can learn about Jesus simply for the historical facts, but a Christ follower will want to get to know all about the Teacher, the Master, the Lord.

What did he teach?  What was he like?  How did he interact with people?  How did he die?  Who were his friends and followers?   These are facts you’ll want to know, and you can find them in the gospels.

5.  The Story to be Lived

I believe the best way to read the gospel doesn’t really have to do with reading…it has to do with living.    You see, knowing about Christ isn’t enough.

The Pharisees knew the Scripture, but they didn’t know the Savior.

It’s possible to know a passage by heart without taking it to heart.

It isn’t how many Scriptures you’ve committed to memory; it’s how many you’ve committed to life.

And, when you get to know Jesus, you want to walk with him, you want to enter his Story.

John Mark Hicks puts this really well, so take a look at this:

We follow Jesus into the water. We follow him into the wilderness.  We follow him into ministry–to the tables of the marginalized, to the sick and diseased, to the broken and hurting. We follow him to the cross and die with him daily. And, one day, we will follow him into glory where our mortal bodies will be transformed into the likeness of his resurrected body.

The story of Jesus is our story. The Gospels are our narratives. They are not historical artifacts or pieces of mere evidentiary history. They are the story of our lives as disciples of Jesus.

So, I want to invite you to go with me, not only to read the story:  Let’s be the story.

How do you read the gospels?

Worship

Your Worship Will Fail Without This One Thing

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I have no doubt your worship will fail without this one thing.

This isn’t my idea.  It’s Biblical.  Before I tell you want it is, let me tell you what it’s not.

This one thing is not

  • a talented worship leader
  • beautiful four-part harmony
  • great song selection

It doesn’t depend on your money, your talent, nor your performance,  Yet, this one thing will improve your worship more than a $1,000,000 sound system or the best voices in the world.

What is it?  It’s gratitude.

Courtesy of Adobe Stock
Courtesy of Adobe Stock

A Biblical Basis

Here’s how Paul put it

“15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:15-17

It’s very Biblical to say that without gratitude, you’re not doing it right.  Please understand, this is about more than putting on a feeling.  It’s about being real.  The only way you can have real gratitude is to have a reason to be grateful.

There is this big story that makes me grateful.  I believe that I have a purpose in life.  I believe that everything works together for good for me (Romans 8:28).  I believe that the Universe itself is designed in such a way that the end result is to show me a kindness (Ephesians 2:5-10).  I believe that the designer of the Universe is best described by everyone’s deepest longing: love (I John 4:8).   And, I believe that I have a destiny, a purpose, and security.   Not only that, I believe that this isn’t just for me.  It’s something I get to do with others.  We can do this together.  It’s not lonely.  It’s family.  It’s not drudgery.  It’s desire and longing.

If I sing beautifully in 7 different languages, and am not grateful, I am just a noise maker.  If I understand all there is to know about music and lyrics, and even if believe are the words are true and could move you to tears with my voice, but if I don’t have gratitude, it’s not worth anything.  If I give countless hours in prep and would sing even if it meant persecution, if I don’t have gratitude, it won’t do me any good.  

What makes you grateful?