• Our hope-filled future is bound up in sharing the story of Jesus, in discipling others, in bringing those disciples together into communities of believers, and in developing and releasing those believers to create other communities... till Jesus the King comes again!

the Temple

Posted on September 3, 2012 by wtdavid

Today’s post comes from Amy in the Philippines about chapter 13: The Temple

Jesus, King of Kings, enters Jerusalem on a non-consequential donkey.  He is the Lion of Judah and the lamb on the throne.  He enters the courts of the Temple for the Jewish holiday of Passover and his concern is for the nations.  The curtain is torn, and the Temple takes a new role in the lives of God’s people.

Keller tells us that Jesus’ personality, that which is full of “perfect justice yet boundless grace, absolute sovereignty yet utter submission,” is a “complete and beautiful whole.”  And the wholeness of our God’s beautiful personality is passionately concerned for the holiness of his people, including the Gentile nations.

I love that Keller draws our attention to what Jesus is doing.  Honestly, I never noticed the part where Jesus says, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’?”  But Keller draws us to this point because, he says, Jesus is not only overturning tables of money-changers, but overturning the sacrificial system itself.  He’s standing up for those (the nations) who still don’t know that God is fighting for them.

He’s preparing them, and us, for the cross by challenging the system of sacrifice enacted by God.  Keller tells us of the sword that blocked the way for Adam and Eve to re-enter Eden.  And the “sword” that exacts the death sacrifice of animals to atone for sins.  And the sword that Jesus must face to take the penalty for us and bring us into the holy place.  Jesus’ pre-Passover time in the Temple wasn’t filled with traditional worship, but was a last declaration that the Temple the people knew would never suffice again.  There was a new Temple now, known in the Body of Christ, and it was for all people.

But the most challenging part of this chapter for me is the parable of the fig.  Finally I know now, thanks to Keller, that Jesus’ curse on the fig tree was not unjust, but because the tree was meant to be fruitful even when not bearing figs; it was essentially not doing its job.  And neither was the sacrificial system of Israel.  And Keller asks us readers, “…is it clear to the people who know you best that your character is undergoing radical regeneration?”  In other words, are you a fruitless fig?

And that, Keller tells us, is Jesus’ challenge to us all: “Jesus, who unites such apparent extremes of character into such an integrated and balanced whole, demands an extreme response from every one of us…This man who throws open the gates of his kingdom to everyone, then warns the most devout insiders that their standing in the kingdom is in jeopardy without fruitfulness.”

Does your life and ministry show that Jesus is the one who opens the Kingdom? 

Or are you filling the courts of your work with activities or goals or objectives that get in the way of His purpose (i.e. creating a sacrificial system of your own)?

Are you fruitful where it counts? 

And I couldn’t ask it better than Keller: “Is it clear to the people who know you best that your character is undergoing radical regeneration?”

 

Next installment of the King’s Cross blog post will be September 10th, looking at Ch 14 “the Feast”

Filed under: Character, King's Cross | 2 Comments »

Ever learning more

Posted on August 31, 2012 by wtdavid

The “rentrée” is just about upon us.  The “rentrée” is the French equivalent of the start up of the new academic or business year.  I realize that this is a predominantly northern hemisphere phenomenon, but bear with me as there are principles all of us can take away.  The “rentrée” is that time when everyone looks back on the past few months and then begins to anticipate what is ahead.

In most people’s minds, they savor all that they were able to do, but look forward (both excitedly and nervously) to all there is still to learn and experience.

We as workers need to step back and once again prepare our “rentrée”, whether that occurs for you in September or in February.  Sometimes we get so stuck in always looking back, living on what we have learned and experienced already, that we never take the time to assess and anticipate what we ought to learn in the days, weeks and months ahead.

My challenge to each of us is this:

  • Choose one growth area, one area for improvement in your personal, family, spiritual or ministry life;
  • Write a description of the end result you will strive towards and specific activities that will move you towards that end result;
  • Ask someone to be a growth coach or partner with you, praying and encouraging you in this growth area.

The reason we should still learn more is so that “whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God.”  (1 Corinthians 10:31)

 

 

Filed under: Assessment, Lifelong learning | 2 Comments »

Learning from the ‘old’ guys

Posted on August 30, 2012 by wtdavid

J.I. Packer, in his book, A Quest for Godliness, quotes a well known Puritan writer (17th century): “And he that doth not feed on and thrive in the digestion of the food which he  provides for others will scarce make it savoury unto them; yea, he know not but that the food he hath provided may be poison, unless he have really tasted of it himself. If the word do not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.”  A fitting word for us today.

The hardest part of any day is setting aside time to dig into the Word of God for ourselves, to mine its truths and to dialogue with God about what we are learning and how it all applies to us.  The excuses are multiple: I just don’t have time; or doesn’t Bible study preparation count; or there’s no ‘system’ that seems to work for me.

Two small steps might be a beginning towards getting us back into ‘savouring’ the truths of the Word. First, ask someone to pray over the coming week(s) for you to have a desire to be with the Father.  Second, start sharing what you are learning with others, not in a teaching sense, but just sharing how something from the Bible is impacting you and how you desire to work it into your heart.  It sounds so straightforward, but the act of sharing or giving to others in this way creates a thirst for more, more time in His Word.

This is exactly what we want to see in our disciples as well, isn’t it?  To have a thirst and hunger for God’s Word and share it with others?

 

Filed under: Development, Lifelong learning, Prayer, Priorities | Leave a comment »

the Ransom

Posted on August 27, 2012 by wtdavid

Today’s post comes from Lynette in Cambodia about chapter 12: The Ransom

Most of us seek out people who are “easy to love”. . . people who don’t have problems or issues. . . people who don’t require a lot from us. . . people who are just fun to be around.  Yet according to Jesus’ example and Keller’s summary, “all life-changing love is substitutionary sacrifice”.  I tried to think of some incidence, some person, something where that statement was not true.  Sadly, I could not.  To love someone, really love them, requires tremendous sacrifice on our part, maybe not initially, maybe not for a time;  but, there comes a time in every relationship where we face the question, “Am I willing to deny myself for the sake of the other person?” Or put another way, “Am I willing to love this person in a redemptive way?”

Looking at our life and ministry through the eyes of “redemptive love” shades what we do, why we do it, how we do it, and to whom we do it in a completely different light.  Redemptive love enables us to love the unlovely, to be lovely when we feel unlovely, and to seek ultimate good for those that the Lord allows to be in our circle of influence.  Keller brings out the passage, Jeremiah 29:7, which spoke to me specifically when my team moved to a new provincial location.  “Seek peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it, . . .”  During our time in that province, that verse kept coming up in my heart as a basis for why I was there coupled with Matthew 5: 16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus is our example of redemptive love through His life, ransom and resurrection.  So the first challenge I leave with you comes from Keller, “ Be so sacrificially loving  that the people around you, who don’t believe what you believe, will soon be unable to imagine the place without you.”  Does this characterize the place where the Lord has “carried you into exile”? 

The second is how would loving sacrificially (redemptively) change a relationship in which you are currently involved?

 

Next installment of the King’s Cross blog post will be September 3rd, looking at Ch 13 “the Temple”

Filed under: King's Cross, Reflection | Leave a comment »

King’s Cross Speaking to Us

Posted on August 20, 2012 by wtdavid

Reading Henry & Janet’s (WT Singapore) recent prayer letter, I really appreciated the honesty with which they shared what the Lord has been teaching them through the book, King’s Cross.  “Keller is bringing home a lot of things that have been toying around in the back of my brain for the last few years, but he also is introducing so many new things,” Henry wrote.  The following are some excerpts from their letter that I trust will encourage many of us:

“Recently I had the tremendous privilege to speak to about 270 church leaders in Asia. Being given the freedom to develop my messages as I saw fit… and as I felt God’s Spirit leading me, I felt very much at ease talking about God’s awesomeness and His Grace. Often the church tends to focus on what we as Christians are supposed to be doing. Not often enough do we concentrate on what God has done. I am as guilty as anyone. We tend to build our lives on our religious beliefs and guard or guide our lives by the rules we feel are what God wants us to keep. Too seldom do I just allow God to be my vision for life. Too seldom do I look at the world the way He would have me to look at it.

In His Sovereignty, God has allowed Janet and me to live in S.E. Asia for most of the last 33 years. We have been blessed by what God has done, and by whom God has placed in our lives. Yet, I know so little about this amazing God who created the universe. And sadly, it is so easy to get sidetracked by the little things that can cause irritation or disappointment (especially in other people), or by challenges that we were not expecting and lose sight of what God is trying to do in our lives through those things. Lately I have been challenged by a book I am reading … called “King’s Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus” by Timothy Keller. Now, I know that not everyone gets the same sense of impact or satisfaction out of a book or a movie, but I don’t think you could miss on this one. Keller’s insights into scripture and his applications to my life are incredible.

For example, from his comments on Mark 4: 35-41, concerning the reaction of the disciples to the storm on the sea… and to how Jesus then stilled the sea…. “… if I go to Jesus, he’s not under my control either. He lets things happen that I don’t understand. He doesn’t do things according to my plan, or in a way that makes sense to me. But if Jesus is God, then he’s got to be great enough to have some reasons to let you go through things you can’t understand….. He can love somebody and still let bad things happen to them, because He is God – because he knows better than they do.”  I remember the amazing peace I had 10 years ago when Janet was in the critical care ward for eight weeks on life-support. I knew God would do the right thing, but I had no assurance that Janet would still be with us. It was out of my control, but Jesus gave me peace.

Keller’s comments on Mark 5 really hit home: “Right now, is God delaying something in your life? Are you ready to give up? Are you impatient with Him? There may be a crucial factor that you just don’t have access to. The answer, as with Jairus (whose daughter died while he waited for Jesus to talk to a woman who had touched Him in the crowd*), is to trust Jesus.” (*explanation added by me) Just as I was able to trust Jesus with Janet’s life, am I now willing to trust God for my future?  Now that I face the challenge of raising more finances for rent?  Now that my job description is still in the process of being written?  Now, after living out of suitcases for 5 months.. with a possible 5 months of the same on the horizon?”

Henry & Janet leave us with a good question to reflect on this week: how will I express my trust in God with what is in front of me this week?

 

Next Monday, we restart our study by looking at chapter 12: “the Ransom”

Filed under: King's Cross, Trust | 1 Comment »

Can’t Get Away From Going Slow

Posted on August 17, 2012 by wtdavid

Today, I read the following quote from a blog I visit occasionally: “The urgency of slowing down – to find time and space to think – is nothing new, of course, and wiser souls have always reminded us that the more attention we pay to the moment, the less time and energy we have to place it in some larger context.  “Distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries,” the French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote in the 17th century, “and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries.”  He also famously remarked that all of man’s problems come from his inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

It seems I just can’t get away from this idea of ‘going slow’.  In the quote above, I am struck by how often ‘going slow’ is associated with an individual action or decision, and certainly in one sense it is.  We, as individuals, need to step back from the distractions that so easily amuse and satisfy us to take the time to more deeply reflect on the ultimate values we should be pursuing.

However, our individual driven lifestyle must also be addressed by connected relationships or community.  We suffer from “crowded loneliness”, as one writer put it.  We exist, we live, but unconnected, isolated from others and deep relationships.

We need others and they need us.  That’s why so much of the New Testament is about “one another-ing” each other.  Life in Christ is found and experienced in community.  Now we just need to ‘go slow’ to create that community and live out of it.

 

 

Filed under: Community, Reflection | 2 Comments »

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