The Sermon on the Mount 23

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Jason

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. — Matthew 6:14-15

On the heels of the Prayer of Example in Matthew 6:9-13, this teaching reveals one of the keys to being delivered from evil: forgiveness. Christ followers embody the counter-cultural way of grace in the world and, in so doing, find salvation. To put it more succinctly, we must give in order to receive. Withhold, and it will be withheld from you. This appears to be a latent corollary to the “Golden Rule”; God dealing with us, doing unto us, as we have done toward others.

Forgiveness is a relinquishing of my right to hold a grudge. In our age of entitlement, releasing our high ground when we’ve been wronged seems counter-intuitive. “Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me.” But the point Jesus seems to be making, both here and elsewhere, is that He calls His disciples to quit counting and start loving. That’s the problem with Peter’s question in Matt. 18.21, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Peter, God bless Him, is hoping to somehow quantify grace, to get a grip on it. Grace-in-a-box. But you can’t put parameters around grace or else it ceases to be grace and becomes something else entirely. Grace is slippery, squirrelly, wiry, elusive.

Sort of like Jesus himself.

Their hate couldn’t break him.

The grave couldn’t hold him.

When the powers flogged him and crucified him, they thought that would shut him up. But the Message he preached — unmerited mercy and unrequited love — endures because it emanates from eternity. The most oft-repeated phrase in scripture is this: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Why do we forgive those who trespass against us in the present? Because forgiveness is the way of eternity, a defiant refusal to live in the past by keeping score of mistakes and missteps.

Quit counting. Start loving.

Posted in Jesus, Love Others, Scripture, Sermon on the Mount | Tagged | 1 Comment

Decommitted

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Jason

Tonight on ESPN, the “bottom line” scrolled across with details about various college football prospects and their commitments to play for NCAA schools. With National Signing Day looming in a few weeks, these kinds of reports are fairly common this time of year. What caught my eye, though, were the reports of several prospects “decommitting” from one school in order to sign with another. This, too, is not uncommon; often times a top prospect will change his mind at the last second or a coaching change will prompt a change of heart or any of a number of other things could happen. But that word — decommitted — struck me tonight. I’m pretty sure that’s a word we’ve had to invent to describe this whole process. “I was once committed to TCU, but when Coach So-and-So left, I decommitted and signed with the Longhorns.” It’s a benign word, like saying you “misremembered” something. Or calling something “inexpensive”.

Decommittment is an epidemic today. It’s actually one of the calling cards of my generation. You could argue that Generation X is pretty much the most shiftless, narcissistic, unmotivated generation of citizens our nation has ever seen. I guess that sounds crass, but I don’t know any other way of saying it. Thankfully the Millenials actually care about God’s projects of love and justice and peace.

There’s a billboard here in town that depicts several different churches, mosques, and synagogues with huge print above them that reads, “YOU KNOW THEY’RE ALL SCAMS.” This ad is paid for by a local atheist group that’s holding some sort of convention or rally next weekend. I know a lot of people look at organized religion with a raised eyebrow these days and if I had to guess, I’d say a lot of their skepticism has to do with a lack of commitment on the part of so-called believers. Most atheists I know pride themselves on living in truth and they characterize people of faith as mindless peons who are being duped by the manipulative charlatans that stand behind pulpits and preach piety while living indulgently. I think it’s a false characterization, but we have to concede that the skeptics at least have a point when it comes to the whole commitment thing. The claims of faith are so great that we cannot easily “decommit” to them as we see fit. On the contrary, these are the moments that require greater commitment on our part. Make no mistake, it’s not about perfection. But, at the very least, isn’t following Jesus about commitment?

In his great new book One.Life, Scot McKnight speaks of discipleship and commitment:

Jesus doesn’t want just your talents. He doesn’t want just your dreams. He doesn’t want just your abilities. He doesn’t want just your mind. He doesn’t want just your job. He doesn’t want only your grades. He doesn’t want just your boyfriend or girlfriend. He doesn’t want just your money. He doesn’t want just your kids or your spouse. He doesn’t want just your gifts.

He wants you.

He doesn’t want something from you, he wants you.

He wants your One.Life.

He wants you to live the Committed.Life.

He isn’t asking you to commit to a system or an idea or an ideal. He isn’t asking you to throw yourself into a religion or a logical system. First and foremost, and without this the whole thing crumbles into a deconstructed myth, he wants you to commit yourself unreservedly to him.

Amen.

Posted in Discipleship, Faith, God, Quotes | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Things I Want to Remember, Vol. 13

Posted on January 11, 2011 by Jason

I just went back and read some of these older posts about “Things I Want to Remember”. (If you’d like to read them, just click on the “Kids” category to the right.) I’m so thankful that I’ve written these little things down over the months. There are always things you think you’ll remember, but without writing them down, you’re toast.

I want to remember how Abby Kate says hot chocolate. Despite being corrected multiple times, she still refers to it as “hot not chocolate”. Pretty catchy, don’t you think?

___________________

Yesterday Joshua told me, “Dad, Jesus is the shepherd and we’re his little sheep. And you’re, like, a medium sized sheep.” At least I wasn’t a “large sized sheep”.

___________________

We got Abby Kate a CD player for Christmas, along with the new Taylor Swift CD. I’ll bet we’ve already listened to that album 20 times here at our house. I’m not a fan, but I love how much Abby Kate loves music. All of our kids love music, actually. Jackson kind of bobs his head and taps his feet when he hears a song he likes (but to be clear, he DOES NOT like Taylor Swift, either). This year was the first year our kids really developed an appreciation for Christmas music. Their favorites? Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas album and Bob Dylan’s version of “Must Be Santa”. I love their eclectic tastes!

Posted in Jesus, Kids, Music | Leave a comment

Recovering From Bibliolatry

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Jason

The decision to open the most recent session of the U.S. House of Representatives with the reading of the Constitution has sparked a national debate regarding the nature of our governing document. Is the Constitution a “living” document, dynamic and flexible in it’s interpretation? Or is it more static, a “says-what-it-means, means-what-it-says” document that should be read as such?

Of course, the truth is that the constitution was written in a particular context to communicate a particular message. The “meaning” of this document has not changed in the 223 years since it was written. Yet, the Constitution itself makes provision for amendment and modification, making it contemporaneous and relevant in the ever-changing American political landscape.

All of this has prompted me to think about the way many Christians interpret scripture. Over the course of my life, I’ve heard Hebrews 4.12 quoted as testimony regarding scripture’s “living” quality: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. But as my friend Brett points out, the context here leaves us wondering if the Hebrew writer is even talking about scripture at all. In the course of a conversation about the eternal Sabbath rest of God and the very real possibility that disobedience might exclude some from that rest, the Hebrew writer then makes his statement. To say the Bible is living and active isn’t saying enough; the Hebrew writer has in mind the utterances of God. This is the source of all life and creative process (see Genesis 1). And it is this key element that gives scripture it’s vibrancy, authority, and relevance for my own life.

And I find all of this very helpful. I was raised to revere the scriptures, almost to an unhealthy degree. In my raising, the Bible was held in hallowed regard as an icon of God Himself. If you’d asked me as a child to identify the Holy Trinity, I’d have probably said, “God, Jesus, and the Bible”. (You think I’m joking. I’m not.) All of this to say, I’ve wrestled for some time with reading scripture properly. Don’t misunderstand; I wouldn’t trade anything for my upbringing and the appreciation my parents and teachers had for the scriptures. But what’s taken a long time to piece together is the final move, to understand that the words on the page only have meaning as conduits for the Living Word, the Word behind the word. To put it differently, the Bible is only relevant insofar as it is the living Word of God, from God. To stop short of this is to commit bibliolatry.

[10] “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
[11] so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. — Isaiah 55:10-11

May God continue to speak His promises to accomplish His purposes. May we have ears to hear.

Posted in Politics, Scripture | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Theatre of Thy Grace

Posted on January 6, 2011 by Jason

Our journey to South Africa was a formative one in many ways and I’m still attempting to process all we experienced.

I suppose the most immediately arresting feature of Cape Town is her natural beauty.

The view of Cape Town from Table Mountain

Surrounded by mountains, flanked by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Cape Town has long been hailed as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We happened to be there during a particularly windy period; thus, clouds were constantly whisking over the tops of the mountains surrounding the City Bowl. We’d heard of the wonder of Table Mountain, but seeing the clouds rolling off like a giant table cloth was simply spellbinding. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place of such natural beauty.

And yet, I leave South Africa with an even greater appreciation for the beautiful spirit of her citizens. We met the most hospitable, friendly, warm people on this trip. After a 66-hour trek filled with weather delays, airline incompetence, misplaced luggage, and 2 all-night flights, we arrived in Cape Town weary and haggard, in need of a shower and a nap. But we were met with precisely what we needed most: encouragement and love from family members we’d not even yet met. Every moment of our 6 day stay in Cape Town was filled with brotherly love and warmth. We already miss the dear brothers and sisters there.

During one of our times of worship, Noel, a brother at Eastridge in Cape Town, led us in a time of corporate prayer. He made a statement that has stayed with me for the past week: “Lord, we thank you for your church, the theatre of thy grace.” This phrase has been igniting my imagination for the past week. What a mighty declaration of God’s mission! We are players in the Grand Drama; our script is mercy and our dance is joy. And the church is the theatre where this is played out, to God’s great glory. For what else is there, but grace? Every movement, every breath, every thought…all the outworking of His grace in our lives. And this too: the relationships in our lives that sustain us and carry us, these are His gracious provisions as well. All we are and ever will be is but for His grace.

All is gift
And grace
And gratitude among beggars
From the fount flowing, the fruit of our lips
Yet quiet still the hallowed halls, the haggard sojourn
Forgotten and dusty
Calloused
Until grace unbidden dawns
Gift of God

I write today with a heart brimming full of thanks for this grace: new brothers and sisters in Christ halfway around the world. And I write with a renewed passion to see the church as theatre of God’s grace.

Our script is mercy.

Posted in Blessings, Poetry, South Africa | 1 Comment

Home

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Jason

Sunny and I are back home from a life-changing week in South Africa. I’ll be blogging here about some of our experiences. We appreciate all the prayers and thoughts on our behalf. We come home with a deep sense of gratitude for the relationships God has blessed us with and for a deeper awareness of the breadth of His vineyard. Blessings to all of you for a happy 2011.

Posted in Blessings, South Africa | Leave a comment

South Africa

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Jason

Merry Christmas.

This will be my last post for a few weeks. At some point in the next couple weeks, I’ll be making a very special trip, a trip I’ve wanted to make for several years. I’ll be going to Cape Town, South Africa as part of a teaching team. There is tremendous potential for the Gospel in a nation so ravaged by apartheid and HIV/AIDS. Over 6 million South Africans are living with HIV, more than the entire population of the state of Alabama. The pall of racism still hangs heavy over South Africa. Yet, beauty also envelopes this land where the human spirit is as indomitable as ever. This is a dream come true for me and I can’t wait to spend time in a different part of the Lord’s vineyard.

Wishing you a safe and prosperous 2011. And if you’re so inclined, say a prayer for me and my travels. See you in a few weeks.

Posted in Faith, Gospel, Ministry, Missiology, Poverty, Social Issues, South Africa | 2 Comments

Rejoinder: Two More Albums

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Jason

I just came into some free eMusic credits, so I decided to take advantage of their expanded catalog and I picked up the latest from The Black Keys and Sufjan Stevens. A buddy of mine is a huge Keys fan and he’s been raving about their album all year. And I’ve been intrigued at the prospect of Sufjan’s electronica album ever since I heard about the concept. So I may be making some modifications to my year-end list before long. I’ll keep you posted.

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An Overlooked Ingredient

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Jason

Among other things, Paul writes the Philippians to encourage unity. He writes in 1.27-28, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.” Paul has a special place in his heart for these Christians who are facing opposition from an adversarial culture.

In ch2, he turns his attention to the danger of dissension from within. He encourages the Philippians to be “like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (2.2)” He notes three essential components to Christian unity:

  1. Being like-minded – be of the same mind
  2. Having the same love – be of the same heart
  3. Being one in spirit and purpose – be of the same purpose

Despite what some would say, becoming “like-minded” doesn’t mean Christian converts are brain washed, instantly becoming card-carrying members of the Republican party or eschewing “secular” music in favor of WAY-FM playlists exclusively. Being unified doesn’t imply uniformity. However, Paul does seem to indicate the importance of mind renewal – which is one of the keys to transformation – in the life of the Christian (Romans 12:2). But more to the point, Paul is saying the same thing in a couple of different ways: to say Christians are of the same mind is akin to saying they are of the same heart and the same purpose. As indicated by the Christological hymn Paul quotes next (2:6-11), the imitation of Christ is to remain at the forefront of Christian thought and behavior and, as such, is critical to Christian unity.

But before Paul moves to this sweeping hymn, he interjects one final word of warning: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (2:3-4)” It seems that humility is the final ingredient for unity according to Paul.

My sister, Tara, is the most gifted cook I know. In addition to being this week’s featured member at Pioneer Woman’s Tasty Kitchen (quite an honor indeed), Tara also maintains her own personal cooking website (taracooks.com) and, most importantly, is always willing to whip up a few select dishes anytime her kid brother happens to roll into town.

I spoke to Tara recently to ask about the importance of following a recipe precisely, of not overlooking a single ingredient. This is a portion of what she shared with me:

Ah, Yeast.  That perfect little fungus that gives us light, fluffy bread.  Typically when people think of a “fungus” they are grossed out.  But they are necessary in many respects, especially in the making of bread.

Yeast and flour make a great marriage because they need each other.  Yeast needs certain enzymes and sugars to successfully perform its duties and make the dough rise.  Flour provides both the enzymes and the sugar to assist yeast in carrying out its mission, which is to produce the perfect chemical reaction.  This chemical reaction is actually a fermentation process that results in gases being released into the dough.  When fermentation takes place, gases are created and released into the dough, causing the dough to rise.  This reaction can only take place when flour and yeast are activated by liquid that has been heated.   However this perfect little chemical reaction all depends upon the proper TEMPERATURE of the liquid.  If the liquid is too cool (below 105 degrees Fahrenheit), no chemical reaction will occur and the dough will fail to rise.  And the yeast can be “killed” if the temperature of the liquid is too hot (above 115 degrees Fahrenheit) and again, the dough would fail to rise.  But if the diligent cook takes the time to monitor the temperature of the liquid as it is heated, perfect results will follow and the yeast, the flour, and the liquid can work in a complimentary way, usually doubling in size, yielding a light fluffy bread that will melt in your mouth.

Humility works in much the same way. Like-mindedness, shared purpose and passion…these are essential for Christian unity. But humility remains the hidden ingredient, the TEMPERAMENT for unity to take hold. It is humility that keeps like-minded individuals from becoming a society of spiritual know-it-alls. It is humility that keeps our passions grounded in light of our purpose. It is the humility of Christ that compels His servanthood, His death, even the Incarnation itself (2:6-8). And it is this humility that we imitate (2:5). Without humility, unity never develops.

Being like-minded has its place.

Being of the same heart is certainly important.

Sharing the same purpose is absolutely essential.

But these qualities must also marinate in humility, an often overlooked ingredient, if Christian unity is to be achieved.

May the church heed God’s recipe.

Posted in Church, Devotional, Faith, Family, Scripture, Tara | Leave a comment

2010 Books of the Year

Posted on December 18, 2010 by Jason

Every year I set myself a goal of reading 52 books, one per week. I’m currently at 44 for the year and although I still probably won’t hit the mark, I do have a lengthy international trip coming up at year’s end (more on that in my next post) so I’m holding out hope that my 18 hours in the air will give me time to at least get to 50.

Anyway, these are the best books I’ve read this year. Whereas I limit my music lists to songs & albums released in 2010, there’s no such restriction here on the book list. Enjoy!

  1. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Doris Kearns Goodwin. I’d been wanting to read this one for a couple of years and it didn’t disappoint. I’ve always had a thing for “mythical” larger-than-life figures like Cash and Lincoln. Amid the myriad Lincoln biographies that are out there, Doris Kearns Goodwin has accomplished the impossible: a fresh look at our 16th President. Highlighting the perpetual balancing act Lincoln had to maintain within his cabinet, this volume is essential reading. A classic.
  2. The Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight. This is one of those rare books that makes me want to begin a re-read as soon as I’ve finished. Rich meditations on “The Jesus Creed” — love God, love others — mix with practical insight and relevant anecdotes to make The Jesus Creed a formational read.
  3. What Good is God?, Philip Yancey. This is perhaps Yancey’s best work in years. The book is structured with 10 chapter-pairings: Yancey highlights 10 of the places he’s been asked to speak over the years (Virginia Tech’s campus days after the ’07 massacre, for instance), giving readers insight into the context and circumstances, followed by Yancey’s manuscript text. What I appreciate most about Yancey is his willingness to confront head-on issues that many Christians are content to ignore: pain, doubt, poverty, sexual abuse victims, senseless violence. What unfolds is a pilgrimage across the globe and Yancey’s realization that God is “out in front”, ahead of us in God’s world, weeping with those who weep, hurting with those who hurt. A great read.
  4. Poets Against the War, edited by Sam Hammill. This grassroots peace movement developed in response to the U.S. War in Iraq earlier this decade. This entire project underscores one of the major problems in our nation today: an absolute intolerance of dissent and civil discourse. The older I get the more I appreciate poetry’s ability to ignite my imagination to God’s possibilities in the world. More than any other text this year, this book blessed me in this way.
  5. Practice Resurrection, Eugene Peterson. Peterson is my favorite. This meditation is a continuation of his series on spiritual theology, this time working out of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as a springboard for his discussion on spiritual maturity and character formation. Peterson’s gift for words and interpreting the Word are profound.
  6. The War for Late Night, Bill Carter. Little known fact: I was kinda obsessed with the whole Jay / Conan late night war earlier this year. This serves as a sequel of sorts to Carter’s examination of the Jay / Dave feud 15 years earlier. Personally, I’m a Conan guy, but this was a fascinating, entertaining read. Highly enjoyable.
  7. After You Believe, N.T. Wright. Similar to Peterson, Wright also released a book on the importance of character to the life of Christian discipleship. And although this one isn’t as immediately arresting as Simply Christian and Surprised By Hope, it’s a helpful text from a trusted guide on an essential topic.
  8. American Lion, Jon Meachem. I guess I was also a little obsessed with Presidential biographies this year. After reading Team of Rivals, I immediately threw myself into this one, a lengthy look at the life of Andrew Jackson, a fellow Tennessean and our 7th President. I’m left with a split decision on the man: some times, you just want to root for the kid who drew the short straw and has to pull himself up by his own bootstraps, which is the story of Jackson’s early coming-of-age years; yet, some of his dogged policies, especially concerning the removal of native Americans from their homes via the Trail of Tears, are nothing less than appalling. But as biographies go, this one is thoroughly engaging and insightful.
  9. The Yankee Years, Tom Verducci & Joe Torre. I always mix in a baseball read or two each summer; this year, I immersed myself in Torre’s autobiographical account of the Yankee dynasty of the late 90′s / early 00′s. I’ve never been a Yankee fan, but Torre’s class and character won me over a long time ago. Even Sox fans can appreciate Torre’s recollection of the bitter postseason showdowns between these rival organizations. A great summer read.
  10. Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott. This was a re-read; I started this one back in ’08 and never finished it. Not sure why. She makes me uncomfortable sometimes, but I love her writing and her sense of insight. I wish we had more like her.
  11. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson. Read this over Thanksgiving and it was really scary. I’m pretty deficient when it comes to the classics, but hopefully I can cross a few more off in the year to come.
  12. Rediscovering Values, Jim Wallis. I’ve always felt Wallis could use an editor, but this book was a bit more concise than his previous works. Yet again, a book on character and values. Kind of a theme this year.
  13. The Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse, Jason Boyett. Hilarious. Brief. Insightful. Loved it.
  14. Stories That Feed the Soul, Tony Campolo. Not only is Campolo a voice for social justice and a tremendous teacher / speaker, I think his greatest gift is as a story teller. These stories are proof positive.
  15. The Justice Project, Brian McLaren. A compendium of essays from an emerging generation of justice-visionaries and leaders. Not sure it’s as accessible as I’d like it to be, but these chapters give imaginative justice a much-needed makeover for the 21st century.
  16. Jesus Feast, Joshua Graves. Graves has written a powerful and clear-eyed meditation on the realities of discipleship in an emerging, post-modern culture. Writing with a prophetic yet authentic voice, Graves articulates the challenges of Jesus’ radical call to follow Him into the world and participate in His mission of reconciliation and healing.
  17. The Vertical Self, Mark Sayers. I reviewed this book back in the spring through Book Sneeze. But this text caught me at just the right time; a good friend and I were in the midst of teaching a class at church exploring God’s mysterious command for Israel and later the Christian church to “be holy as I am holy.” Sayers makes the conversation accessible, relevant, and — best of all — hopeful.
  18. Weezer Changes the World, David McPhail. I read this one to my kids at the library in late summer. I know, I know…it’s a kid book that took all of five minutes to read, so it’s pretty much a cheap way to pad my numbers. But it’s the only “kid” book on the list and, more importantly, another one that has stayed with me. I think there’s much gospel to this little story.
  19. Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos. Mikalatos writes with humor and depth that I find uncommon in this genre. Imaginary Jesus cuts through the veneer of our projections and assumptions and brings the Nazarene Rabbi back to us in a fresh and living way. Good stuff.
  20. The Intimate Mystery, Dan Allender & Tremper Longman III. Maybe the best book on marriage I’ve ever read. Outstanding.
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