The Cross is the Thing

The apostle Paul rightly made a big deal of the cross of Christ. In 1 Cor.1:18 he said "the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." He said in v.23 "we preach Christ crucified". The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the power and wisdom of God (1 Cor.1:24). He is the crucified, risen and returning One whom we are to adore and depend on for everything. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Glorify Him and enjoy Him today!

Plate Spinning or People Equipping?

Do you ever feel like you are just "spinning plates", trying to keep things going, overloaded with expectations and responsibilities? Ever feel like you are on auto-pilot, just going through the motions, punching the clock, phoning it in? Do you ever resent good things God has enabled you to be a part of because you are just plain worn out by trying to do everything on your own? Do you avoid asking others to help because you don't want to burden them? Do you long to be a fruitful people equipper rather than a lonely plate spinner? If so, I have good news for you. Instead of always being burdened, you could be learning, growing and passing on your expertise to those in need. But in order to do this you need a vision of what could be in the realm of equipping people for ministry.

1. It Starts with a Mindset.
Do you see your ministry responsibilities as a burden or a blessing? Do you "have to" or "get to"? What is the central focus, you or others? Can you stop your plate spinning cycle long enough to think through another way of living? Like Peter walking on water you need to focus on Jesus, not your circumstances. Many of us sink because we over think and tell ourselves untruths. Trust Jesus. Tell yourself the truth. Set your mind on Him. Ask Him to help you clear out the clutter and refocus you.

2. Identify Triggers.
What causes things to narrow and tighten the focus to myopically see only what we are doing rather than what God wants to do in and through us? What causes you to go astray in your thoughts, words and actions? A lack of vision is one suspect. So is exhaustion, lack of exercise and a poor diet. So is not having any viable candidates on the horizon to pass things on to. Overload generates the emergency mode many operate in on a daily basis. Overload generates undo stress and tweaks perspectives. When you find yourself slipping into overload mode, stop and reload.

3. Don't Go Alone.
Bring someone else into your labors. Moses had to learn that the hard way. God had to remind Elijah he wasn't the only one. Plate spinners often have a martyr complex. They think they are the Lone Ranger. I should know. I've slipped into that mode too often to count. That's why you need others around you who will speak truth to you. God is good. He is faithful. He brings encouragement and fresh troops at just the right time. He will supply all your need according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). He will give you like-minded co-workers in Christ. Ask Him.

4. Making the Shift.
The only way to change is to change. Think long and hard about what God has to say about equipping others and sharing the load. Read 2 Timothy 2:2; Ephesians 4:12-16; Acts 6:1-6. In order for things to change you must decide to take humble, bold, prayerful, decisive action. Ask a trusted friend for help. Admit your tendency to spin plates and then resent it. Take a step back from your daily grind, give yourself permission to take a day away to think and pray and search the Scriptures. Allow God to renew your mind and your vision. Jesus restores what sin destroys.

Galatians 6:2 says we are to "bear one another's burdens". Galatians 6:5 says "each will have to bear his own load". Are these in tension? No. A "load" is your normal cargo. A "burden" is an overload. Plate spinners tend to go on overload. Equippers recognize the warning signs and share the load, so that others may know the joy of ministry rather than the lonely pressure of plate spinning. You can become a joyful, fruitful people equipper for Jesus Christ rather than a lonely, frustrated plate spinner!

Soli Deo Gloria.

No Fruit and then one day...Wow!

No fruit and then one day...wow! Sometimes its easy to write someone or a group off as useless and unfruitful. We run the risk of pulling the plug too early. You may say this is all good and well but I am out of gas, been on empty for too long. You may even have all kinds of excuses...er "reasons" why it won't work. The disciples had a very practical reason for doubting, they simply didn't have the resources.

Jesus is not limited by our limitations. In fact, sometimes He chooses to do a miracle and leave no indication as to why, and no instructions for repeating it. Like feeding of 5000. I've had a dwarf lime tree for about 10 years that has given no limes. First year two limes, a glimmer of hope. I love limes and my kids gave it to me for fathers day one year. Ever since that first year no fruit. I almost cut it down several times. Green but fruitless. But I kept hoping, albeit weakly. Then I went out there this past Wednesday, and the tree is full of limes!!! God can make fruit grow when there has been none.

I've seen the crash and burns, but I've also seen new growth and fruit appear where once there was none, I've seen it happen in so many lives, families and churches. And we are left with no explanation why except that He is great and does as He pleases with what is His. God is full of mercy and grace. Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

Responding to Human Need

The only one of Christ's miracles recorded in all 4 Gospels? Jesus feeds 5000. What a headline. Including women and children it was probably 10, 15, 20, maybe 25,000. The point is this: Jesus responds to human need with compassionate action, while we often respond with demanding indifference. Like the disciples told Jesus, "you send them away...so they can buy food for themselves." Let them fend for themselves! Wow. Telling God what to do? I've done it, said it, thought it too many times to count.

Here's another amazing thing Jesus does: He uses gospel-changed people to distribute the provision, primarily the Gospel, the only thing that can meet mankind's spiritual need. The Gospel drives selfishness away and makes us more like Jesus.

Responding to Injustice

It's been nearly ten years since the twin towers were brought down in a focused act of hatred and hostility, when terrorists planned and executed a horrific slaughter of innocent citizens on U.S. soil. We still recoil at the thought. We are still shocked. Back then the immediate response was outrage, anger, hatred, an outcry for retribution, judgment on the guilty. With one accord we called for swift and sudden justice. Our desire for revenge mixed with our grief over such great loss. September 11, 2001 stands as the singular example of injustice in our generation. With it we come face to face with our own sinfulness, fear and lack of justice; and all the things we struggle with in our lives amidst our desire for justice to be served.

How we respond to injustice is a good barometer of our spiritual health (and maturity as well). How we respond to little injustices is a good gauge of how we will respond to bigger ones. Our first inclination is always to fight back with every weapon in our arsenal. Insulted? We grab for a ground-leveling comeback. Cheated? We wait begrudgingly for the score to be tied. Injured? We demand restitution. We want to inflict pain, retaliate. Our knee-jerk reaction is to hate. Many still hold hostage certain ethnicities or types and classes of peole, hating them for what someone who looks like, acts like or speaks like them did. Even now, our country is riddled with ethnic and caste-like inequities.

Matthew 14:1-12 gives us a peek into what depths of depravity sinful man can go and in it we see how to respond in a godly way to injustice. It may be hard for us to take but it is here for us to learn from. Herod the tetrarch, the Roman ruler who happened to be reigning over the territory Jesus ministered in, a ruler over one fourth of his father Herod the Great's kingdom, was guilty of committing great injustice against many: most notably his former wife, half brother, current wife, step-daughter and John the Baptist. He is superstitiously fearful that John, whom he had killed, had come back to life in the person of Jesus Christ. He has heard of Jesus' works and wrongly concludes that Jesus is in fact John risen from the dead. What follows is a flashback account of Herod's fearful, fallen actions in killing John.

Blatantly absent in the biblical record is any word of John's followers retaliating. Missing is any account of them fighting for their fallen comrade's honor. They quietly bury him and then go on with their lives. This speaks volumes to me. I want to even the score on infinitely less. It tells me that the correct response to injustice dovetails with Jesus' Sermon on the Mount teaching of turning the other cheek and non-retaliation. This runs contrary to human nature. Pride makes us cowards and just as guilty as our oppressors. Faith makes us friends of God who do what honors Him most.

Here are a few ideas I have gleaned relating to responding to injustices, both great and small. Instead of desiring revenge,

1. Desire above all to experience God's glory in your life. Force yourself to focus on God's glory rather than the blinding rage that leads to further injustice. When injustice strikes God's mercy flows. He has compassion for the harassed and helpless. He has compassion for the human condition. He empathizes and understands. A clear view of our wretchedness highlights the breathtaking vistas of God's glory, that overshadows the misery brought on by sin. (See Isaiah 6 and Exodus 33:12-33 for examples of Isaiah's and Moses' experience with this. See 2 Corinthians 3 for the gospel tie-in).

2. Desire purity of life. The murder of John the Baptist could have become for his followers an occasion of stumbling in sin, letting unbelief, fear, anxiety, doubt and discouragement rule. But this was not the case. Their silence indicates they kept focused on truth. Herod was bold-faced and hardened to God and proudly proclaimed his guilt in John's murder. True believers tender-heartedly and humbly confess their guilt in Christ's death and thankfully proclaim their faith in His shed blood on their behalf. Because He died we can live. Because He lives, by the Holy Spirit's enabling we can live lives that are pleasing to Him. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 for encouragement to live a life pleasing to God.)

3. Desire for others to enter into life. Stay focused on your mission. Keep doing what God has called you to do. For John the Baptist it was speaking the truth unafraid, in hopes that the lost would repent of their sin and believe. (See Colossians 1:28-29 for Paul's passion in
preaching the gospel so that others might know Christ.)

These things are not new to those of faith. They point to the ancient path of trust in God. The prophet Micah prophesied around 700 B.C. of God's coming judgment on those who perpetrated injustice. In a time of prosperity, the wealthy were oppressing the poor. The prophet spoke God's message of warning mingled with hope. While there is no hope for any apart from God's salvation, there would be a day of peace, brought on by the Prince of Peace, the royal deliverer that would be born in Bethlehem. He would shepherd His people. Protecting them, He Himself would be their peace. All human injustice pales in comparison to our cosmic treason against God. By faith, instead of justice we receive mercy (see Ephesians 2). Micah 6:8 shows what God requires. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (mercy), and to walk humbly with your God?" We know we cannot do this. We are unable. We pronounce woe upon ourselves when we realize our true condition. But there is mercy and forgiveness with Him. (See Micah 7:1-20)

Do we who demand justice really know what we are asking for in light of our own sins? Jesus took all the wrath our sins deserved. The cup He drank, the hour He endured, was not just the pain and agony of crucifixion, but the horrible weight of anti-glory, the burden of all sins ever committed or to be committed. At the cross the bowl full of the wrath of God was poured out unmercifully on Jesus, so that the elect could escapee wrath and experience God's mercy. Because Jesus responded to injustice we can receive His mercy.

Enough

I hear my Savior say to me "Am I enough for you?"
Or do you need something else to prop you up
Do you need applause, do you need to succeed
To feel like you are somebody?

Blood was spilled so that I would not run to false gods
The veil was torn so I would know His love
The fury went on him so I could come to Him
The cost was covered so I could live

My identity is anchored in the crucified One
I've been bought with a price, I'm owned by the Son

But how often I cling to anything but the cross
How frequent are my wanderings
How awful was His passion
How tremendous was His sacrifice

To depths of love I'd never known
Nor could ever know apart from Him
He brings me, His adequacy covers all
The all sufficient Savior is enough

My identity is anchored in the crucified One
I've been bought with a price, I'm owned by the Son