For Heaven's Sake … Seriously!

 idiom

Definition of for heaven's sake

—used to make a statement or question more forceful or to express surprise, anger, etc.

S - "And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? … At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. … To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”" (Acts 26:6-8, 13-15, 22-23 ESV)

 

O - Saul of Tarsus was not converted to a new religion; he was transformed by a person … a person who never even said the word Christian. He was not convinced by theological argument but by an experience of presence. He was not called to a cause or worldview but to a person named Jesus whom God raised from the dead. His entire existence, after his encounter with the resurrected Jesus (Acts 9:1-19), revolved around three key realities; realities which filled his life and even his legal defense in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 22:6-16, 23:6), Caesarea (cf. Acts 25:13-19) and Rome. These realities are the name, person and resurrection of Jesus.

 

A - Religion wants converts made by information. Heaven wants children made by the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead. Religion wants its adherents to pursue and follow an "approved" worldview. Heaven wants its citizens to pursue and follow a person. Religion will call the world to a cause and Heaven calls the world to a person … follow me is the call and Jesus is the person. For Heaven's sake and for my own I want to live out loud the realities heaven gives to all people … the name, person and resurrection of Jesus.

 

P - Only True Friend of the Entire World,

Thank you for inviting the whole world to yourself. Thank you for your name, presence and resurrection life made available to all. I welcome you, your presence and irrepressible life to come into me and hope that such will come out of me for your sake and for the sake of all, me included. Thank you that you want us to hold every life in the hope of transformation, especially our own. 

All my love,

Steve

Following? … Verification Specific

S - "I am giving you a new command. You must love each other. Just as I have loved you, you must love each other. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my followers." According to John 13:34-35

 

O - Jesus gives the followers one new commandment.  If engaged, everyone (the world) would be able to validate that they were actually following him. He didn't instruct us to read or memorize Scripture, attend gatherings, pray while assuming a specific posture, commit to certain theological conclusions, fast, wear certain clothing, or follow a specific diet.  None of these activities validate his followers.  The validation comes only, exclusively, if we love each other. 

 

A - The wording of Jesus' new commandment is curious … considering the worldwide impact it carries.  Why didn’t he say if you love everybody the world will know you are my followers?  He wants us to love all but that isn't how he phrased the instruction.  Why not pick up the reality of the second of the two greatest commandments?  After all, he wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves, our equals; but that's not what he said.  Why not really crush it by the assignment to love our enemies?  It's a revolutionary way of thinking and living and he even wants the followers to do it. Yet, that is not the command and not what will validate those who are following him. It is only if we love each other like he's loved us that anyone would know who is actually following Jesus.  

 

P - Well Lord,

The assignment is crystal clear … simple to understand not always easy to engage. Nevertheless, I choose you back, choose to follow and accept your instruction.  

Steve 

Following? … Experiments Required

S - "Jesus replied: I am not teaching something I thought up. What I teach comes from the one who sent me. If you really want to obey God, you will know if what I teach comes from God or from me." According to John 7:16-17

 

O - The way (apparently the only way) to validate the teaching of Jesus as coming from God is by how we live rather than by how we understand scripture. The capacity to recognize the source of his instruction is obtained by doing his words (obey) not just studying them. Following is less about what we’re reading and more about how we’re living. Religion places emphasis on saying words out loud and Jesus invites us to live them out loud. 

 

A - Following consistently inspires and requires me to engage “experiments” in doing the words of Jesus. Since the bulk of his recorded teaching (over 90%) is about life on earth, here and now; there’s a large volume of opportunities to live out experiments on forgiveness, money, neighbors, fruitfulness, stewardship, etc. His instruction is always simple not always easy. For me, these experiments, this doing, not only confirms the source of his teaching but results in a relational beauty he describes as “the light that gives life.” 

 

P - Friend, Shepherd and Teacher,

I welcome you and your words in my life unto ongoing experiments and the light that gives life. Thank you for the invitation to follow, to believe you about earth and not just about heaven; to experiments in living day by day.

Still Amazed,

Steve

Useless Worship

S - "Jesus replied: You are nothing but frauds! The prophet Isaiah was right when he wrote that God had said, “All of you revere me with your words, but your hearts are far from me. It is useless for you to worship me, when you teach rules made up by humans.” You disobey God’s commands in order to obey what humans have taught. … And you ignore God’s commands in order to follow your own teaching. You do many other things just as bad." Mark 7:6-8, 13

 

O - According to Jesus and Isaiah, religion is the leading promoter of useless worship. It inserts itself with attitudes, conclusions and requirements which are polar opposite to God’s person and instruction. The verification of this tragic activity is not found in the method of expressing worship (words, songs, rituals, gatherings etc.) but in the thinking and practice of everyday living. 

 

A - The validation of worship which actually connects with God is not in the words, settings or activities engaged during worship but in the ongoing relational dynamic of daily living. Is my worship useless? Am I giving to the one who asks per the instructions of Jesus or turning away based on the conclusions of human reasoning? Am I learning childlike-living (sheep among wolves) or just trying to be a better version of a wolf?  Am I pursuing the ongoing transformation of my heart or just the calibration of my words in certain settings?  Is my focus on how things look or how they actually are? I am in the hopes to avoid and refuse the practice of useless worship by assessing my daily living and thinking with the help of God’s spirit and my brothers and sisters. 

 

P - Dear God,

Thank you for the gift of worship given to the world for our benefit - not yours. Am so glad to be learning, growing and changing day by day. I want to possess and offer to you a right heart and authentic living - not merely right words. Convinced of your love and help, this is more than possible. I love you back.

Steve