Monday, June 17, 2013

Upside-Down Kingdom (Sifting ) - V

Jesus, as God, is Lord and Inventor of all of life ... including culture. The Spirit can enter and reveal himself through each and every culture. And he does. Each and every culture has aspects that point to the creator God. Don Richardson has written several books ("Peace Child", "Eternity in their hearts", etc.) demonstrating that fact. Each and every culture can make room for Jesus, and serve and honor him, in contextual ways.

However, as we are born into our culture, and wear it like a second skin, we often interpret Truth in terms of our culture. And our culture becomes, in our eyes, the best -- and maybe only -- way to live out the teachings of Jesus.

One of the reasons, perhaps the main reason, God allows sifting in the lives of his children is the work it does in their hearts.

If sifting breaks through the walls that block our hearts from his grace, move us to greater dependence, greater humility, more listening and learning, then we become a better servant, bearing more fruit, and giving God greater glory. We look at our life, our church and our culture as things that reveal God's nature and grace. And we can grow to see other lives, other churches and other cultures as God-given masterpieces. They become teachers and partners.

It's almost like we ought to be thankful for our weaknesses.

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