I'm bored at work right now, something that is quite common this semester. Therefore I will ramble a bit. I will ramble what is on my mind.
~ It is ironic that prostitutes, thieves, and tax collectors were more at ease around Jesus than religious people. From this I conclude that a ministry that is truly modeled after the ministry of Jesus is one that makes sinners feel at home and the religious people a little more than slightly uncomfortable. A ministry modeled after the ministry of Jesus should also have a wildly successful healing ministry. Hey, I'm just making observations about Jesus. His theology is more than just a little different than the theology of most Chirstians in America, or Western culture for that matter. Healing and other supernatural things were just a normal part of everyday life for Him. Some like to say it was because He was God. Not true! At least not entirely. He was God, but He started the ministry we are to continue. It's a ministry we can carry out because He is God now and He is in us and empowering us with His Spirit. As Jesus was sent, He sent us. As He is in the world, so are we. It's not complicated really. But our Western mindset has shaped our theology and dissallowed us from experiencing things we cannot explain or understand.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Disease and sin are two sides of the same coin.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.
~ Psalm 103:2-3
Disease and sin are spoken of as equals in this passage. Sin is to the soul what sickness is to the body. When Jesus died on the cross, He purchased our salvation which includes healing (see Isaiah 53:4-5). There is still a struggle with sin, and there is still a struggle with sickness. Neither one has to be the case. Some say, "If healing is for today, why isn't everyone getting healed?" The proper biblical response would be, "If Jesus has given us a new nature, why do we still sin." The truth is that we don't have to sin if we don't want to because Jesus has made us victorious over sin. The same is true with sickness. We don't have to tolerate it if we don't want to because Jesus purchased our healing. We don't have to be afraid to believe.
~ Psalm 103:2-3
Disease and sin are spoken of as equals in this passage. Sin is to the soul what sickness is to the body. When Jesus died on the cross, He purchased our salvation which includes healing (see Isaiah 53:4-5). There is still a struggle with sin, and there is still a struggle with sickness. Neither one has to be the case. Some say, "If healing is for today, why isn't everyone getting healed?" The proper biblical response would be, "If Jesus has given us a new nature, why do we still sin." The truth is that we don't have to sin if we don't want to because Jesus has made us victorious over sin. The same is true with sickness. We don't have to tolerate it if we don't want to because Jesus purchased our healing. We don't have to be afraid to believe.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The God Who Serves
"Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." [John 5:19]
This is brilliant. Jesus just gave us a truth here that opens the door to so much needed revelation in the world today. Jesus only did what He saw Father doing. If Jesus did it, Father did it first. If Jesus did not do it, it was because God did not. Thus Jesus is the perfect, unadulterated display of God’s nature. If you want to know something about the Father, look at Jesus.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." [Mark 10:45]
How is God’s nature revealed in this passage? Jesus did not come to be served. What does this say about the Father? Jesus did come to serve and give His life as a ransom. What does this say about the Father? This is one of those “Selah” passages. If you just sit there and think about what God the Father actually did, it will revolutionize your life. God Himself came to serve humanity and give Himself as a ransom for us. He did this though we are dust. This will take me more than a lifetime to grasp. If this is not enough to wreck you, read the following passage.
"So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”
[John 13:12-17]
So we have established that Jesus did only what He saw the Father doing. Imagine Jesus getting onto His knees and washing your feet. Now imagine God Himself getting on His knees to wash your feet. Jesus only washed their feet because He saw the Father doing it. I hope the disciples appreciate what they got to experience. I appreciate the Holy Spirit putting this in scripture. What does this mean for me?
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children..." [Ephesians 5:1]
God has given us the same responsibility to do what Jesus did. Jesus imitated God. Jesus was a perfect reflection of God’s nature. God would not put an exhortation in scripture without giving us the grace to act on it. Therefore we have been enabled by God to imitate God in the same manner Jesus did. We must do what we see the Father doing. So what is God doing? I do not have a comprehensive answer. What I do know is this: Jesus perfectly displayed the Father’s nature. So we look at Jesus. How did He relate to people? How did He relate to the world? As I read the scriptures, I cannot help but notice that the heathen were attracted to Him and most of the religious leaders were enraged by Him. My point is not that we should enrage religious leaders purposely but that there should be something about us that makes the world come alive when we enter the scene.
When Jesus came to serve humanity, He not only revealed God’s nature, but He also revealed the nature of life as a citizen of His Kingdom. What does being a citizen of His Kingdom mean for us? It means we imitate God’s nature, to serve humanity.
This is brilliant. Jesus just gave us a truth here that opens the door to so much needed revelation in the world today. Jesus only did what He saw Father doing. If Jesus did it, Father did it first. If Jesus did not do it, it was because God did not. Thus Jesus is the perfect, unadulterated display of God’s nature. If you want to know something about the Father, look at Jesus.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." [Mark 10:45]
How is God’s nature revealed in this passage? Jesus did not come to be served. What does this say about the Father? Jesus did come to serve and give His life as a ransom. What does this say about the Father? This is one of those “Selah” passages. If you just sit there and think about what God the Father actually did, it will revolutionize your life. God Himself came to serve humanity and give Himself as a ransom for us. He did this though we are dust. This will take me more than a lifetime to grasp. If this is not enough to wreck you, read the following passage.
"So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”
[John 13:12-17]
So we have established that Jesus did only what He saw the Father doing. Imagine Jesus getting onto His knees and washing your feet. Now imagine God Himself getting on His knees to wash your feet. Jesus only washed their feet because He saw the Father doing it. I hope the disciples appreciate what they got to experience. I appreciate the Holy Spirit putting this in scripture. What does this mean for me?
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children..." [Ephesians 5:1]
God has given us the same responsibility to do what Jesus did. Jesus imitated God. Jesus was a perfect reflection of God’s nature. God would not put an exhortation in scripture without giving us the grace to act on it. Therefore we have been enabled by God to imitate God in the same manner Jesus did. We must do what we see the Father doing. So what is God doing? I do not have a comprehensive answer. What I do know is this: Jesus perfectly displayed the Father’s nature. So we look at Jesus. How did He relate to people? How did He relate to the world? As I read the scriptures, I cannot help but notice that the heathen were attracted to Him and most of the religious leaders were enraged by Him. My point is not that we should enrage religious leaders purposely but that there should be something about us that makes the world come alive when we enter the scene.
When Jesus came to serve humanity, He not only revealed God’s nature, but He also revealed the nature of life as a citizen of His Kingdom. What does being a citizen of His Kingdom mean for us? It means we imitate God’s nature, to serve humanity.
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