And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly.
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
I find this exchange between Jesus and Peter rather fascinating. Jesus clearly outlined to those close to Him the road on which He was travelling. From the perspective of looking back through history, it seems odd that Peter would rebuke Jesus for embracing the Father's plan. While Jesus spoke of sacrifice, of dying, He also spoke of a miraculous life-giving resurrection.
For some reason Peter apparently never heard the words about resurrection. Why? I think it is because Peter's personal agenda for Jesus did not mesh with Jesus' words. Instead of hearing the voice of the Father in Jesus' words, Peter rejected the plan of God due to his lack of understanding the ways of God. Not only did he reject the plan of God, in his choice to disregard the hand of God, he became a voice for the counsel of Satan.
Unfortunately, the "Peter syndrome" still occurs today. Bev and I have noticed that every time that we have made a dramatic change in our lives in order to follow Jesus, good people have come out of the woodwork to oppose the change. They are not bad people, they simply have no understanding of the work of God. Due to the fact that they interpret life through their own humanistic lens, they can quickly become the accusatory voice of the enemy.
If you are going to follow Jesus, not only in word, but in action, expect this to happen. Look at the words of Jesus - Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
From the perspective of looking back through time, we know that Peter eventually "got it". His mistake was not an eternal mistake. And so it is today. Set your face to follow Jesus. You will be opposed (and sometimes by those close to you) but be of good cheer - resurrection is coming! The opposition by good people does not last forever.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
simplicity
Recently Bev began the process of preparing to move. In the midst of sorting through stuff she came across keepsakes from our wedding. Among the items she found a bulletin from the wedding. As I looked over the format of the wedding service, a song by Don Francisco caught my attention. I had not heard the song in many years. I opened Youtube and typed the song into the search engine. Sure enough I found it.
That song stirred my memory about a number of other songs by Don Francisco. I spent the next 30 minutes or so listening to those songs. There was something innocent and pure in the lyrics and the music. It was refreshing, the simplicity of the words and music spoke of an innocence lost. The songs took me to a place many years ago, a time when I discovered God.
In many ways my journey with God was mirrored in the progression of "Christian" music in the past several decades. The innocence and simplicity got lost in the effort to be "cutting edge". It became more about performance and less about issues of the heart. The clutter and noise of a performance mentality gradually drowned the melody of simplicity from the heart of God.
Fortunately the alive heart can only put up with the external clamor for so long until it longs deeply to be heard. For the past years, I have been on a journey of returning to simplicity. This journey is not about correct theology or about flawless performance of religious duties. It is about something much more basic. Jesus distilled our walk with God into two foundational attitudes - love God and love my neighbor.
As Christ is formed more deeply in our heart, life becomes more simple. There is no longer a need for validation found in being cool or cutting edge. The words and music springing from the heart no longer need anything added to package them into a produced choreography.
Ah yes...it really is that simple!
That song stirred my memory about a number of other songs by Don Francisco. I spent the next 30 minutes or so listening to those songs. There was something innocent and pure in the lyrics and the music. It was refreshing, the simplicity of the words and music spoke of an innocence lost. The songs took me to a place many years ago, a time when I discovered God.
In many ways my journey with God was mirrored in the progression of "Christian" music in the past several decades. The innocence and simplicity got lost in the effort to be "cutting edge". It became more about performance and less about issues of the heart. The clutter and noise of a performance mentality gradually drowned the melody of simplicity from the heart of God.
Fortunately the alive heart can only put up with the external clamor for so long until it longs deeply to be heard. For the past years, I have been on a journey of returning to simplicity. This journey is not about correct theology or about flawless performance of religious duties. It is about something much more basic. Jesus distilled our walk with God into two foundational attitudes - love God and love my neighbor.
As Christ is formed more deeply in our heart, life becomes more simple. There is no longer a need for validation found in being cool or cutting edge. The words and music springing from the heart no longer need anything added to package them into a produced choreography.
Ah yes...it really is that simple!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
life
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
- Jesus Christ
Jesus stated purpose for coming to earth was that we might have life, not just a meager existence but abundant life. The Greek word we translate as "abundant" literally means "excessive, superior in quality, super abundant". In other words, the reason Jesus came was to allow us to experience life far beyond the what we could imagine.
If Jesus came so that we might live life beyond normal, why do so many people live, not in abundant life, but in a dull dreary manner? Why do so many people go to work everyday to a job they despise? Why do people endure boring empty church services? Why do people disregard their God-given dreams, choosing instead the way of safety and boredom?
The Greek word that we translate as "sin" in the scriptures has less to do with a set of actions and more to do with missing the point. In other words, when we choose something other than the abundant life offered by Jesus, we miss the point or mark, we sin.
There are a variety of reasons why we do not embrace abundant life, choosing instead the way of sin. The expectations of people, the fear of stepping beyond our current existance, the need to be in control of our circumstances all contribute to our missing the mark.
I am at the point in my life when I am becoming increasingly aware of my mortality. In all likelihood, I have lived more than half of my life. When a teenager, life stretches before us as a never ending road the disappears over the horizon in the far distant future. For me, the horizon has become much closer. As the last half of my life comes into view, the question of how I shall live my days becomes a very present question.
If I am to experience all that God has for me in the last half of my life, then I must choose life. I am becoming increasingly aware that I really do not have the time to waste on activities and endeavors that do not bring life. "Missing the mark" (sin) always results in death. I don't have the luxury of extra days days to waste in death, in engaging in activities that cause me to miss the mark.
- Jesus Christ
Jesus stated purpose for coming to earth was that we might have life, not just a meager existence but abundant life. The Greek word we translate as "abundant" literally means "excessive, superior in quality, super abundant". In other words, the reason Jesus came was to allow us to experience life far beyond the what we could imagine.
If Jesus came so that we might live life beyond normal, why do so many people live, not in abundant life, but in a dull dreary manner? Why do so many people go to work everyday to a job they despise? Why do people endure boring empty church services? Why do people disregard their God-given dreams, choosing instead the way of safety and boredom?
The Greek word that we translate as "sin" in the scriptures has less to do with a set of actions and more to do with missing the point. In other words, when we choose something other than the abundant life offered by Jesus, we miss the point or mark, we sin.
There are a variety of reasons why we do not embrace abundant life, choosing instead the way of sin. The expectations of people, the fear of stepping beyond our current existance, the need to be in control of our circumstances all contribute to our missing the mark.
I am at the point in my life when I am becoming increasingly aware of my mortality. In all likelihood, I have lived more than half of my life. When a teenager, life stretches before us as a never ending road the disappears over the horizon in the far distant future. For me, the horizon has become much closer. As the last half of my life comes into view, the question of how I shall live my days becomes a very present question.
If I am to experience all that God has for me in the last half of my life, then I must choose life. I am becoming increasingly aware that I really do not have the time to waste on activities and endeavors that do not bring life. "Missing the mark" (sin) always results in death. I don't have the luxury of extra days days to waste in death, in engaging in activities that cause me to miss the mark.
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