Why the Why Matters

S - "The next morning Jesus went out to a place where he could be alone, and crowds came looking for him. When they found him, they tried to stop him from leaving. But Jesus said, “People in other towns must hear the good news of God’s kingdom. This is why I was sent.” So he kept on speaking in the synagogues in Judea. According to Luke 4:42-44

O - This exchange between Jesus and the crowds of people looking for him is one of the many times he will state the purpose for his coming to earth. It is simply and directly identified. Jesus is sent by the Father to clarify his person and purposes. He is God's message to the world and he brings the exact representation of God's person and Kingdom. He tells the people "This is why I was sent." As will be stated all through the accounts, something greater than Solomon, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Jonah, David, the Sabbath, the Temple and the Twelve is here.

A - Whenever the religious and religions of our world lay their claim to Jesus of Nazareth they all present a reason, the why, of his appearing. Though there are many wonderful dynamics in the coming, living and teaching of Jesus, the priority he gives for being sent is to clarify God's person and purposes. This singular and consistent affirmation is the one reality all religious teaching and practice ignores and resists. This tragic response was true of the religions of the first century and is just as true of those of the twenty-first century. Jesus is not merely a very important part of God's plan; not a necessary actor to embellish the world's information base of God. He is the exact expression sent to the entire world. He says: "When a person believes in me, they do not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When they look at me, they see the one who sent me." What I am accepting as the why of Jesus' coming directly affects my response to God, his Kingdom and my fellow human beings. I accept Jesus' explanation of himself.

P - God of all and God of me,
Thank you for the crystal-clear picture given to all through Jesus. Whenever my picture of you and/or your kingdom is not identical to him, I admit I have the wrong picture and will actively recalibrate my thinking, living and loving … but will need your help. I am confident I will receive such help because of him.

Steve

Plain as Day

S - "One day he was walking in the part of the temple known as Solomon’s Porch, and the Jews gathered all around him. They said, “How long are you going to keep us guessing? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly!” Jesus answered: I have told you, and you refused to believe me. The things I do in my Father’s name show who I am. But since you are not my sheep, you don’t believe me. My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They follow me, and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father gave them to me, and he is greater than all. No one can snatch them from his hands, and I am one with the Father." According to John 10:23-30

 

O - This exchange between Jesus and the religious of his day exposes one of the beautiful dynamics of God's Kingdom.  Jesus isn't just speaking with words but with his actions and interface with people and circumstances.  His sheep know his voice and his voice is more than words.  It is his activity, unmistakable and unending, in the lives of people.  One last note: the Jews didn't "miss" they "refused".  Religion is always scaring people with the thought that they will unintentionally miss God, his voice and his desires.  Jesus consistently clarifies this issue.  He and his Father are constantly working, communicating, loving the world.  Humans don't miss - they refuse.  

 

A - Theological training teaches that if you're not hearing words you're not hearing God. Why should it surprise any that heaven communicates with us the way we were made?  We humans communicate with each other on the basic 90/10 pattern (90% nonverbal and 10% words).  The beauty for me in being a follower, one of the sheep of his flock, is experiencing this type of communication again and again.  The result is life for today and forever … the irrepressible and vibrant eternal life which is Jesus.   

 

P - Lord who is forever life,

Am so very grateful for your active, ongoing love for all people of the world.  I accept your invitation to follow, to be one of your flock and the telling of who you are and what you're thinking.  For sheep and for children, the issue is always their proximity to another - the shepherd or their parents. Am glad to be consistently choosing to be near you … the experience of your person and presence.

Glad to be in your fold,

Steve  

Quiet Please!

S - "Peter and John answered, “Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard.” Acts of Ambassadors 4:19-20 TJB

 

O - Under the threat of death two of the first followers of Jesus of Nazareth give a very clear signal on speaking out.  What is often missed in their reply is the source and inspiration for their refusal to be quiet. It is from their personal interaction with Jesus not their well-intended opinions and observations from the Scriptures. It is that which they have personally experienced and been witnesses to in this regard.  John will later write: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard … .” 1 John 1:1-3 NIV 

 

A - Religion wants its adherents to do witnessing and heaven wants us to be witnesses (cf. Acts 1:22). The Scriptures' intent is not to give its readers information to debate, argue about or develop systematic theologies. Jesus clearly identified the purpose of Scripture. He said to the Scripture experts of his day: "You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures testify of me, but you refuse to come to me for life." John 5:39-40 TJB. It is our direct, personal interface with his person and his spirit that is to be the basis for our talking.  Jesus is the ultimate material witness (John 3:11-12) and we are to be like him; material witnesses not the purveyors of scripturally inspired theories and hearsay. While I am welcome to my opinions on other matters, apart from my place with him as a material witness he insists: Steve, quiet please! 

 

P - Lord of life,

Am so very grateful to be experiencing you, knowing you, not just knowing about you.  I accept the limitation you want me to live and speak by.  I am not only willing to speak; I am willing to be quiet … just like you.  

I love you back,

Steve

Hometown Surprise

S - "Jesus left and returned to his hometown with his followers. …The people were upset because of what he was doing. But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their relatives and their own family.” Jesus could not work any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people by placing his hands on them. He was surprised that the people did not have any faith." According to Mark 6:1, 3-6

O - This hometown heartbreak highlights a tragic misdirection religion perpetuates.  There is a critical difference between one's theology and one's actual faith.  The people of Jesus' hometown had a truckload of theology and no faith.  How is this so?  Religion's emphasis is on what is perceives to be informational accuracy and God's kingdom emphasis is on relational authenticity with the one sent by heaven. As it turns out, faith is not primarily a theological term but a relational one.  The original term means to have confidence in and to rely on. Specifically, to have confidence in and rely on Jesus of Nazareth; something Jesus' hometown would not do.  Surprise: accurate theology does not equate to faith. 

 

A - All the religions promote the idea that God's greatest gift to humans and the world is actually a book. Torah for Judaism, Quran for Islam, Bible for Christianity, the Vedas for Hinduism and the Tipitaka (also called the Pali Canon) for Buddhism, etc. However, heaven’s greatest gift is a person; Jesus of Nazareth. He is heaven's message to the world.  He clarifies the person and purposes of God. God has never made a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim … humans have made all these.  He's making a family, dearly loved children, brothers and sisters together from every culture, nation and ethnicity. I am very grateful to have confidence in Jesus and to be relying on him; not a concept, principle or plan … Jesus himself; and to be doing so with brothers and sisters from all over the world.

 

P - Our Father,

Thank you for sending Jesus and for your dream for all the world - a family, not a religion, institution or organization. Am so grateful that you can be known not just known about.  You have loved us (the world) first, and most and refuse to change your mind.  Am so glad to be experiencing you and your love in confidence and reliance on Jesus.  

Amazed,

Steve

Clear Vision or Self-deception?

S - "Jesus told him, “For judgment I came into this world, so that the blind would see and those who see would become blind.” When the Religious Experts heard Jesus say this, they asked, “Are we blind?” Jesus answered, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But now that you claim to see, you will keep on being guilty.”" According to John 9:39-41 TJB

O - What was the basis used by the Religious Experts to conclude they possessed their sight? How did they affirm and validate their "seeing"; a seeing which leaves them guilty in the most tragic way? While the story does not go on to answer these questions directly, we can identify some of the claims, validations and causes for their self-deception and blindness.  They were experts in scripture, knowledgeable and well-trained.  They were the inheritors of an unbroken tradition from Moses and leaders in the dynamics which shaped the culture/religion of the day. How could they not be sighted? So profuse is their self-deceived and self-imposed blindness (which they considered to be clear sighted reality) they will go on to refuse and reject the Messiah, condemn and demand his death.  In truth, they rejected the one who fulfilled all of the markers and prophecies given by the scriptures they used to validate themselves. How blind and sad is that?  And yet, are these not the same claims and validations used by the spiritual and religious leaders of our day?  They all, regardless of religion, use these to claim sight, validation, vindication; the very thing which is blindness and unrelenting guilt, according to Jesus. He says: “Your eyes are the lamp for your body. When your eyes are good, you have all the light you need. But when your eyes are bad, everything is dark. So be sure your light isn’t darkness. If you have light, and nothing is dark, then light will be everywhere, as when a lamp shines brightly on you." [Luke 11:34-36 TJB]  

 

A - Whoa!  I am a leader, one fairly well skilled and trained in scripture.  How am I assessing my "seeing" and what is the metric of such for validation in my life? How do I avoid the self-deception which inspired the tragic thinking and actions of the Religious Experts; and which ends in a self-imposed blind-guilt?  Just like the man born blind, safety and seeing will not come through my interface with the scriptures, religion or culture.  It is obtained exclusively by interface with the person of Jesus.  Ongoing interface with his person, presence and spirit gives sight; not the culture, religion or even the verses of one's best known passages of scripture. Light, not information, is required for us to be able to see.  "Once again Jesus spoke to the people saying, “I am the light of the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”" [John 8:12 TJB] Sight, light, freedom, life is in a person not a principle, religious practice or a scripture.  Seeing is from him and in him … and he is validation enough for all who follow.  

 

P - Lord,

I admit that without you darkness, self-deception and blindness will be my status; even if I hold scriptural insights or principles. You are life and light and I rely on you to enable my seeing, following, living and loving. 

You really are validation enough,

Steve

No Scripture Required

S - "And when he was raised from death, his followers remembered what he had told them. Then they believed the Scriptures and the words of Jesus." According to John 2:22 TJB

 

O - Those following Jesus and who were closest to him did not believe because of anything recorded in the Scriptures.  They'd even forgotten much of what he told them. They did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus because the Scriptures foretold it. The catalyst for their belief did not come from theological information or religious practice. It came, and it comes, from only one source: personal encounters with the resurrected Jesus. Religion wants people to believe in the Scripture so they will believe in Jesus. Heaven wants people to meet Jesus and then the Scriptures will have their intended place.      

 

A - The life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth highlight and emphasize the reality that God's Kingdom and all religions are diametrically opposed to each other.  The polarized differences are the differences between mere human culture and God's Kingdom. Religion uses Scriptures to come to conclusions it thinks are accurate.  It builds, creates a Savior, a Jesus in its own understanding.  These two are so intensely opposed to each other that the best religion of Jesus' day will insist on and insure his unjust trial and underserved execution. Ultimately, religion will use the words of Scripture and then refuse or change the meaning.  Jesus clearly and repeatedly warns his followers of this sad reality. He invites me and the world (7.7 billion) to follow himself not a principle, plan or concept. Faith in Jesus does not come from accurate theological conclusions but from the reliance and confidence one has in his person in ongoing relationship. Jesus is to be known not just known about. Once we meet him … resurrection is a foregone conclusion.  No Scriptures required.  

 

P - God of all and God of me,

Am so very grateful that your great love for us is fully expressed and confirmed in the person of Jesus and his invitation to know you not just know about you. Am glad to be following him and loving you back.

Steve  

Relational Ease

S - "Jesus was teaching in a synagogue in Capernaum when he said these things. Many of Jesus’ followers heard him and said, “This is too hard for anyone to understand.” … Then Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless it is given to them by the Father. That is why I have told these things to all of you.” As a result, many of his followers turned back and stopped following him." According to John 6:59-60, 65-66

 

O - Religion promotes the misconception that accurate information is the critical piece God requires.  The result is that one's understanding becomes the primary dynamic and determining factor in all things related to God.  Jesus consistently refutes this idea.  God's desire and God's kingdom is a relational reality not a theological one. Information isn't unimportant it is just not most important.  Relational authenticity always trumps informational accuracy (e.g. Jesus' consistent silencing of demons saying true things about him).  The beauty in this is that being near relationally is more important than understanding a truth, plan or concept.  Presence of and interface with a person triumphs over intellectual understanding (e.g. the sisters of Lazarus). This is true for all children and Jesus promises the world (7.7billion): "People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God. I promise you that you cannot get into God’s kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does."    

 

A - As a child I was encouraged to memorize Proverbs 3:5-6.  It says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Then, over the years, I was encouraged in and believed the lie of religion: to rely on my understanding of Scripture; the very thing the Scripture tells us to not do.  Heaven invites me and all to trust a person, to rely on and have confidence in him rather than in our understanding. Children rely on being near/with their parents not their understanding, resources, information or skill sets. They rely on another for direction, protection and provision. Jesus' solitary invitation remains and I am very keen on accepting and living it out loud -- "Follow me."  

 

P - Lord,

I will trust in you with all my heart, not in my current read of the Scriptures or in my understanding of concepts or principles. Am so very grateful to know you and your presence not just know about you.  You lead and I'll follow.

I do love you back,

Steve