Friday, December 19, 2014

Focus: Person not Plan

S - Acts 11:19-21 (ESV): "Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord."

O - The first followers of Jesus to "go into all the world" were not sent out by a religious group or even in some thought out, prayed about or organized way.  They followed the instruction of Jesus regarding persecution: "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next … (Matthew 10:23 ESV)." Their going was not due to a prophetic word or spiritual strategy put together by the Apostles in Jerusalem. They were scattered. The result, however, was spectacular: "a great number believed and turned to the Lord." Those who believed were not confined to the religious culture of the Jews. As intended, the message from heaven was not limited to any one religion/culture. What was this message? The message, the Gospel, was and still, is a person. They presented "the Lord Jesus." They didn't offer creeds or historic events. They weren't trying to convert anyone to or from a particular religion. Instead they spoke to everyone concerning the Lord Jesus. Heaven didn't send a plan to earth. A person was sent who is the message. "“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son … (John 3:16 ESV)." According to Jesus there is only one way to the Father and that is through him (John 14:6); and there are currently 7.2 billion ways to Jesus.

A - I don't think these verses are forbidding us to think or plan or send out. I do think they must cause us to rethink many of the assumptions our own culture has groomed us in (literally to repent, i.e. to pursue and accept an ongoing transformation in our thinking to not be conformed to the pattern of this world). We're not saved by a plan. We're not adopted by God as his dearly loved children by what Jesus said or by what we think he said. The Scriptures do not save anyone and they do not bring us eternal life (John 5:39-40). We receive eternal life from Jesus. We are transformed by Jesus; the person not the concept. I will spend the rest of my life repenting … learning to think, speak, act and love like Jesus.

P - God who loves the whole world,
Thank you for sending Jesus and for calling us all to an ongoing transformation as dearly loved children. I admit there is so much about your ways that I do not understand and many things you allow that I do not like. Nevertheless, I am grateful to know the person of Jesus and that you are literally working everything, even bad things, for good. Thank you that life is a person and that your message, your good news, to the whole world is a person. When I see and hear him I see and hear you! I welcome everything that is already in your heart to do in me and through me. I do love you back.
I am saying this to you in Jesus' name,

Steve

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