A spirit of reconciliation

How often do we let unresolved conflict with another person keep us from doing things, going places, or being ourselves? Instead of dealing with things quickly, we let them simmer. Or talk to everyone else except the individual involves?

In Matthew 18, Jesus enumerates 4 steps to dealing with strained relationships.

1) If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.….. MATT 18:15
2) … if he will not listen, take one or two others along… MATT 18:16
3) … if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church … MATT 18:17a
4) … if he refuses to listen to them, treat him as you would (an unbeliever).… MATT 18:17b

But have you noticed how people can walk through these steps while, at the same time, violate the spirit behind the process? Many people see the above steps as permission to blast someone or be self-vindicating. For me, it is important to realize that there are several timeless principles behind the process.


· Approach with humility

The family language of brothers and sisters assumes a note of personal care. Remember to approach each other as peers who are journeying side by side.

· Keep it limited

Limit the exposure. Reduce the fallout. Avoid unnecessary rumors, the misunderstandings, and slander from multiplying. When we gossip to others instead of deal with the individual, it is always destructive.

· Aim reconciliation

Remember that the win in all this is a restored relationship. Our attitudes should not be that of a policeman out to arrest a criminal, but rather a physician seeking to heal a wound.

.

Check out Video of our Recent Baptism

The Easy Life. Really?

Jesus offers to make our spiritual journey easy and light. Sounds pretty unrealistic, huh? To be honest, I’m usually skeptical whenever someone tells me that the Christian life is easy. I usually write that off as novice arrogance. How could the Christian life be light and easy? That sounds more like an oldies radio station than the spiritual journey I know. But that is, in fact, what Jesus said:

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:29-30

A yoke was a farming implement used to work the ground. Jesus uses it as a symbol for the demands and burdens of the true spiritual journey. It helps me to picture a modern backpack. Still how can He say it is easy or light? It turns out that the word “easy” does not imply that life will be smooth and trouble-free. The word “easy” is best translated well-fitted, or well-suited. That’s why The Message paraphrases this verse as “I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.” And the phrase “light burden” isn't meant to imply the believers somehow float through life lighter than air. The light burden is contrasted with the unrealistic burdens of religious leaders who loaded down their followers without any regard for their purpose or the journey they were meant to take.

Here are a few takeaways for me.

· Jesus’ yoke is easy and light because it is perfectly fitted for us. Unlike an ill-fitted backpack, it doesn’t chaff or rub. It is uniquely designed for our frame.

· Jesus’ yoke is easy and light because it is just what we need for our journey. He equips us with all we need.

· Jesus’ yoke is easy and light because it is transforming. As we wear it, we discover it not only fits it, but over time we are shaped by it as well. As we wear it, we become more like the One who gave it to us. We become more like Christ.

Jesus is willing

I love this simple request of Jesus:

A man with leprosy came and knelt before Jesus and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Matt 8:2

Having heard of Jesus’ wonder working power, the man basically said, “Jesus, I know you can heal me, but will you?”

Now, in some ways, this is the most honest prayer we will ever pray. Isn't that all we can ever say in our suffering? When we come to Jesus with our problems, our illnesses, our concerns, “Lord, I know you can, I just don’t know if it is your will.”

But at a deeper level this request was tainted with the man’s own experience and cultural baggage. It grew out of a world that forced him to feel estranged from God and isolated from community. He must have worried that Jesus wouldn't have the time, or interest, to enter his world. In other words, he didn’t question Jesus’ ability, but his willingness. He knew Jesus was able, he just didn’t know if he was available.

Sometimes it is easier to believe in God's power than in his mercy.

It was then that Jesus did something absolutely startling. Those who were close enough to see would have been horrified. He touched the man. He probably hadn’t been touched in years. And Jesus said, “I am willing.”

Never doubt that Jesus is willing. Jesus is ready to touch your life today.

The Only Question on Life’s Final Exam

It seems to me that there are a lot of endeavors that people pour their energy into, work on, and get consumed by, that won’t really matter a whole lot from Heaven’s hindsight. It is as if we are cramming for the wrong question on life’s final exam. For example, none of these questions will be on it:

· How hard did you work?
· How much money did you make?
· What was your GPA?
· How many people did you impress?
· How high did you climb up the corporate ladder?
· How many friends did you have on Facebook?

But there is one question. One question that matters supremely. And Jesus poses that question in Matt 16:15.

“What about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?” (Matt 16:15)

Now, if you’ve ever been to Sunday School, probably somewhere rattling around your brain is Peter’s concise and profound answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt 16:16). And because of that, many people feel like they are well prepared to nail that question, if it is ever posed at heaven’s gate.

But here’s a different twist on it. What if the final exam is an essay question?

Here’s what I mean. Some people treat Jesus’ query as if it were a fill-in-the-blank question. As if an intellectual endorsement of Jesus’ true identity is all that is required. But what if what Jesus really longs for is a growing, daily experience of learning who He is? And discovering all He wants to be to you every day?

Now, gratefully, I am convinced that the person who embraces Jesus, even on his deathbed, with just a glimpse of who Jesus is as Savior and Lord, will be welcomed into Heaven. But how much better to spend a lifetime getting to know Him? How much better to resist pursuing answers to question that don’t matter, and to daily seek to answer life’s most important question, “Who do you say that I am … today?”

How does God work through me?

The Bible clearly says that God works through His people, but how? How exactly does He do that? Do I just “Let go, and let God”? Or do I sweat it out hoping the Lord is somehow going to bless my efforts?

I had a catamaran for a few years during college. I worked hard on that boat, painting it, varnishing the wooden mast, getting it ready to sail. Here is something that all sailors know. They know that they don’t make the sailboat move through the water. Unless the wind blows, they are not going anywhere. They clearly understand that all they do is harness the wind.

But they also know that the harder the wind blows, the harder they work, trimming the sails, holding firm the rudder. Get this: it is not their energy that moves the sailboat, nevertheless their labor is required.

To be honest, something in me wishes being used by God was meant to be easy. There’s a part of me that hopes having God work through me would be effortless. Then I remember what Paul said:

To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. -- Col 1.29

Notice how Paul understood the blend between his labor and God’s. Paul said, “I labor” but it is with “God’s energy.” He also added, “I struggle” but it is “God who powerfully works.” And the terms Paul chooses to describe his own efforts referred to the kind of work that left a person weary, beat, and even to the point of exhaustion.

In other words, Paul did not teach a “light-switch” theology that believes we just flip some switch and let God shine through us. Paul didn’t teach we should be passive and let God takes over. No, he poured all his energy into the lives of others, knowing that through his endeavors God was at work.

When the wind of the Spirit blows in your life, get on board and give it all you’ve got. God will work through you.

If I am weary and burdened I probably need to be more of a child

This afternoon, I was reflecting on the great message that Geoff Horn gave at our church today. It spurred these further thoughts:

The passage was Jesus' words in Matt 11:28-30.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

I was helped by reading two verses earlier:

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

I take the weary and burdened of vs 27 to be the self-deceived "wise and learned" of verse 25. Or those who were trying so hard to meet the religious demands of those who claimed to be the religious elite.

Jesus invites them (us) to become child-like and learn and rest. In other words, God invites us to see ourselves as we really are - children in need of a leader and father.

If I am weary and burdened it is probably an indicator that I have been leaning too hard on my own sense of wisdom and learning or complicating my walk with God into rules and duties. I probably need to be more of a child.

Still Jesus says come.

Lion-proof

My daughter must have been about three when we visited a zoo and there was this mountain lion in a cage. Of course, there was a fence between us and the lion. A double fence actually. But they had done a great job making it almost transparent. And as we walked by this lion locked eyes on our daughter and started to stalk in her direction. It was creepy.

Of course, I knew the lion couldn’t get her. I knew she was protected. I knew all he could do was roar. But the prowling, and the stalking, and locked eyes; it was still frightening.

You see, in this life, we have an enemy. The Bible compares him to a lying lion. The Bible puts it this way:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Here’s the good news about our spiritual enemy, the lion. We are protected. God has placed a wall between us and him. For the believer, he can no longer bite.

But here’s the bad news. He still roars. And when he roars, he lies. Intimidating lies, loud lies, terrifying lies, lies that devour.

Don’t listen to the lion’s lies. Tune into the Spirit’s whisper instead.

If you don’t listen to your wife, God won’t listen to you.

At least that’s what Peter says: Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect… so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Peter 3:7

Many husbands have dreams and plans, yet wonder why achieving them is so frustrating. One of the reasons may be that they have neglected the most important relationship in their lives. God says that only as a husband considers his wife will He consider him. A husband’s ear with God is at risk if he doesn’t take his marriage seriously.

Why would God be so harsh about this?

Because God says that marriage and family are meant to be reflections of God’s relationship with us. Somehow the way a husband relates to his wife is supposed to mirror Jesus’ love for His bride, the church. More than that, what kids experience with their dads at home is supposed to be a helpful analogy of how God the Father wants to relate to them. That is, if a child grows up with an aggressive father they are often falsely inclined to think of God as a cop in sky. Or if a child grows up with an absent father often they are inclined to think of God as indifferent to their lives.

We will never reflect God perfectly, nevertheless a husband and dad can either make this heavenly transfer natural or difficult. No wonder God makes it such a high priority. Why would God honor a man’s other ambitions while the most important relationships remain neglected?

Wives & Husbands

I love the healthy example Peter gives us for marriage. Speaking of wives (next week I’ll cover husbands) Peter says they are to be like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master… (1 Peter 3:6).

Now let me just state for the record, that Cindy has never called me Master in all the years we've been married. So I’m wondering what is behind this allusion to Sarah calling Abraham her master.

It turns out it is from Genesis 18, where God appears to Abraham, apparently disguised as a traveler. As Sarah eavesdrops on their conversation, the traveler (God) predicts that Sarah, even though she is quite elderly, will have a baby within a year. Sarah bursts into laughter and says something very similar to, “Are you kidding me? Me and my master?” (Go ahead, look it up).

And this became a hallmark story in their family. How Sarah laughed. So much that when their son was born they called him Isaac, which means laughter. Three things stand out for me.

1. They had a relatable marriage. Abraham and Sarah exhibited both trust and doubt. They were real people trusting God when His plans weren’t all that clear.

2. Sarah was finally at the point to believe that God could work through her imperfect husband. Earlier she had tried to manipulate things by suggesting Abraham bear a son through her maidservant. That was a disaster.

3. Finally, and this is so important, they were light-hearted. I love that there was laughter. As I said, this became cherished family lore. Submission, when it works well in a marriage, is always light-hearted. Not some sober salute, but a joyful partnership of following the Lord’s unpredictable lead.

Taste and See

There is an old Hasidic tradition. The first time a Jewish child opens the scripture to read and study it, his parents or the Rabbi will place a large drop of honey on the first page. The child is instructed to lick the honey from the page, forever imprinting the mind of the child that God and His Word are sweet.

The Bible says, Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:3

God longs for us to not only taste, but that we crave the pleasurable goodness of His word. Just as infants instinctively, eagerly, and incessantly hunger for their mother’s milk, so we are to long for God and His goodness.

Go into Grace

Most of the time when we think of grace, if we think of it at all, we think of past grace. But the Bible also speaks of future grace.

1 Peter 1:13 says, …set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. We forget that grace not only initiates our relationship with God, but carries it every step of the way.

A lot of people live with the idea that they probably needed a whole lot of grace when they first became believers. For them, that was their big grace moment. They also adopt the myth that as time goes on they need less and less grace. And they conclude that if they live long enough, they will get this Christian-thing wired. Therefore when they meet Jesus, there will be no grace required.

Let me give you an example of how this really messes you up. Let’s say you accepted Christ as a four year old in Sunday School. You know, somewhere between the craft and the snack. And then, as you grew up, you were taught that you got all your grace at the front end of your journey with God. And I’m not saying that it doesn’t take a lot of grace for a four year old to be saved. We know it does. But c’mon! On a practical level, if I got all my grace when my biggest sin problem involved cookies …and calling my brother a booger … and ever since I’m just getting more and more like Jesus …it doesn’t leave a lot of room to experience and appreciate grace. A lot of people live that way. A lot of Christians believe that we get grace at the beginning, but from then on we need to “cowboy up” the rest of the way.

But if grace is something that is not only poured out on the front end, but if grace is something we enter into everyday, if grace is something we passionately look forward to receiving in abundance at the end of our lives, if that’s what grace is all about, then that is an incredible hope.

Go into grace.

.

The Trinity of God

I admit the Trinity is a difficult concept to grasp. I don’t expect, in this life, to fully understand it. But one of the things that helps me is to think of each member of the Triune God in relation to their role in my life. Peter hinted at this when he said that we, as follower of Jesus Christ, have been …

… “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood” … 1 Peter 1:2

Notice each member of the Trinity is referenced:

• “the foreknowledge of God the Father” -- God the Father as the One who created us and knows us.
• “the sanctifying work of the Spirit” -- God the Spirit as the One who sanctifies and empowers us.
• “Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood” -- God the Son as the One who died for us and redeems us.

Think of it this way. One day a guy was eating his sack lunch on a park bench across street from a beautiful mansion. During that hour, he overheard three different men claiming that mansion was theirs. It turned out, each was telling the truth. The first man was the architect - the one who designed the house. The second was the owner - the one who bought it. The third was the tenant - the one who lived in the house and cared for it.

The Triune God has each of these roles in your life as well. God the Father created you and knows you inside out. Jesus bought you with His precious blood. And the Holy Spirit resides in you, empowering you to live according to the way you were designed and redeemed. God is with us every step of the way.

New website at church!

Check out our new website www.greenvalleychurch.com with some great new videos and features. Just launched today.

The Beatitiudes Backwards

I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on the Beatitudes lately and this morning it struck me that they also work backwards. This has been a transforming discovery for me. Here’s what I mean:

• If we really appreciate how amazing it is that we have been welcomed into the kingdom of heaven, it makes us poor in spirit (humble and empty of ourselves).
• If we know that God’s redeeming comfort is available, it allows us the therapeutic freedom to mourn.
• When we ponder how remarkable it is that we will one day inherit the earth, it produces a healthy meekness in us.
• When we experience God’s ability to satisfy us, it only makes us hungry and thirsty for more.
• If we have really know God’s mercy, we will show God’s mercy.
• When we take the time to gaze upon God, it purifies our heart.
• If we realize that we truly are God’s children, we will look for ways to promote peace around us.
• And if we are secure as citizens of heaven, we will even be able to face persecution, knowing that eternity is on our side.

This was so helpful for me. What do you think?