Jesus as Ideal Man

When Jesus was sent into the world, he was fully God, and he was fully man. He was fully God, so he could bridge the infinite chasm between a perfect God, and sinful people. He was fully man, so he could be the perfect representative of people, and the perfect model for people.

As a man, he lived as all men must. That is, he lived in relationship with the Father. He lived in trust, receiving direction, and enabling. He modeled the way all followers of Jesus should live. He communed with the Father. He listened. He recognized where the Father was moving, and acted in cooperation with the Father in that area.

We need to learn to tune into God’s voice like Jesus did. He quickly and easily connected with the Father. He heard the Father speak quickly and easily. And he acted based on what he heard.

The Father designed people to have the same quality of relationship that he had with Jesus. And he is restoring us to that relationship. He wants us to hear the Father’s voice, to see the Father move, as quickly and easily as Jesus did. He wants us to receive enabling, as thoroughly and as profoundly as Jesus did. So, we can do the works of Jesus. So, we can love like Jesus.

God Gives

Scripture quotes John the Baptist as saying: “No one can receive anything unless God gives it to him.”

All spiritual input originates from God.

• Forgiveness starts with God.
• Transformation starts with God.
• Anointing for service starts with God. (Both the assignment and the enabling come from God.)

God is eternally present. He is intimately, vitally present with each of his children. He gives 100%, focused, intense, passionate attention to each of his children. He is consumed by crime, the environment, modern day slavery, war, terrorism, and that you need a parking place in order to be on time for an appointment. God is 100% totally involved with his children’s greatest desire, and their greatest need.

I will not comment here about why bad stuff happens, and God does not seem to intervene. I can think of a number of reason, and there are probably more others can think of. And probably none of those are the right ones.

I do want to focus on god’s heart, or God’s desire to give. God’s heart is consumed with generosity. He wants to give abundantly. He wants to bless. He wants to restore us to what our original relationship with him should have been without sin. He wants to restore us to our original character, our original behavior, should be. He wants to restore the world to Eden.

So, God is eternally present and unfailingly generous. He initiates our restoration in relationship, our restoration of life, experience, and character, and any service. And what he begins, he continues, may not necessarily coincide with what we think. People look at circumstances and judge whether God’s blessing is on it. There may be two churches. One has 50 people, and the other 5000. People tend to feel that God favors the one with 5000. And that may not be the case. I do not mean to suggest that big is bad. But big may not be good either. If big results in people not serving, not listening to god, not exercising their responsibilities as priest, then big is not good.

God gives. We receive. As we respond to what we receive.

Wedding at Cana

I recently read the story about the wedding at Cana. Weddings in Jesus’ day, and culture were held in two steps. Two families would agree that a man, and a woman, would get married. They would have a betrothal ceremony, in which the agreement was formalized. Unlike engagements today, betrothals had legal standing. It required a divorce to break them.

In the interval between the betrothal and the wedding ceremony, the man began to prepare a home, and to prepare for the celebration, which he and his family were responsible for. And the celebration could last seven days.

[Stop. Rewind. Slow down.]

The man has agreed to take a woman as his wife. He goes home, and begins a building project. Either he begins a whole new house, or he adds a room onto his father’s house. And his father (and probably his father-in-law) will be looking over his shoulder, critiquing, and advising, the whole way.

Simultaneously, the family beings laying in supplies. Modern weddings average around $40,000. Imagine housing, and feeding two extended families for a week. Not counting close friends, and coworkers.

Then, when everything is ready, the man and his close friends go to the brides house, collect the bride, her belongings, and bring them to the new home. Apparently, the marriage was consummated, the couple were officially, and completely married. And they began a weeklong party.

Part way through this celebration, Mary, Jesus’ mother, tells him they are out of wine.

Since, Mary, and Jesus’ brothers, are at the wedding, it is not a very difficult deduction that Jesus is at a family wedding. And, since Mary knows about the supply problem, it is also not a difficult deduction that is Jesus is part of the groom’s family, who are responsible for the food.

When Mary tells Jesus about the wine problem, he basically responds “Yeah! What do you think I should do about it?” I don’t know if Mary expected him to do anything. Maybe she was just looking for sympathy. The groom, and his family, were given time to prepare (build a room, and gather food and wine) sometimes up to a year. And they blew it. Did they not know how much to get? Were they just not able to get it? What’s next? The house will collapse? Starvation?

If there are problems, do you go to the other family “Sorry! We need a little more time!” Do you go to your relatives for help? And does the entire groom’s extended family begin to worry about the family-wide embarrassment? Will the bride’s family become resentful? Will they spread this failure far and wide?

Mary tells the servants to do whatever Jesus says. Jesus considers the situation. The groom‘s family will experience shame. The bride’s family will be worried, fearful, and perhaps, insulted, and angry. So, Jesus tells the servants to fill several tubs with water. Then, he says to take a pitcher of water to the emcee. The servants pour the “water” from the pitcher into a cup for the emcee. And the water is now wine. (When did the water become wine? Right when it was poured into the cup? And what about the rest of the water in the tubs?) And the emcee is grateful to have wine for the next toast. And he is amazed that the wine is of the finest quality.

I think the first miracle of Jesus is a demonstration of his heart for people. Jesus works a miracle to prevent embarrassment and shame for a family.

Jesus is focused on the heart\inner man of people. Shame, guilt, embarrassment do not further the purposes of God. God goes out of his way to communicate his love, compassion, and involvement to erase guilt, and shame. Love and mercy complete God’s purposes.

Jesus Reveals the Father and His Love

The Bible reveals God as Trinity: Father, Son, and Spirit. One thing that is comprised of three things. We don’t really understand this, so we develop “pictures” of what we cannot define. Time is past, present, and future. Space is length, breadth, and depth. Matter is gas, liquid, and solid. One thing comprised of three things.

There are three things, so they are different. But they exist in perfect agreement. So, they are one. (Again, humans do not understand the Trinity. This is another picture, trying to grasp the unknowable.)

We do understand the son. He was born into the world to fulfill the plans of God. We saw him. We heard his worlds, saw his actions. We learned about his motives. We experienced his love.

Although, we have never seen the Father, we do know him. Scripture says that Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father. Father, Son, and Spirit are in perfect agreement. Because we have heard Jesus’ words, we have heard the Father. Because we have seen Jesus’ deeds, we have seen the Father act. Jesus’ motives are the Father’s motives. Jesus’ love is the Father’s love. Because we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father.

Several weeks ago, I wrote how the ingredients of transformation are a restructuring of our hearts\inner man, and an increased understanding of God’s love. Jesus was sent into the world to fulfill the Father’s love, and to show us the Father’s love. Maybe not the only way, but certainly the first way. Getting to know Jesus increases our understanding of God’s love, and advances our restoration to our original design.

Unity, More Than Politics

In the US, the political silly season has arrived. Both major parties have decided on their candidates. Now, everyone will begin talking about why one is better than the other. Why their opponent will destroy civilization, the world, and the ozone layer. Why they are the best thing since sliced bread. And they will all develop selective amnesia.

I read a quote from one candidate from a month ago, when he was still running for a particular office. Candidate A said Candidate B was totally unqualified for the office they were both running for. Now, that he was no long running for that office, Candidate B was the only one qualified for that one office. Ah, politics!!

Wading through the mountains of hyperbole to reach a modicum of wisdom is nearly impossible.

I recognize that politicians will yell, and call each other names. But what concerns me are reactions from the family of God.

Each of us walks with God personally, and individually. Meaning, God speaks to each one, builds into each one, transforming our minds so we see everything the way he does. We will discern all of life, and reality, from his point of view. But we don’t see that way now. We grow into it. So, now we see things differently. We prioritize, rank, and give different values to different things. And these different perspectives seep into our views of political issues. We should not be surprised by this. So, we should not be surprised when political comments are different. We should not be surprised when some hold liberal perspectives, nor that some hold conservative perspectives. We should see these perspectives upheld by Scripture.

And I do see supporters of liberal positions in the body of Christ. And I see supporters of conservative positions in the body of Christ. And I also see language and behavior that is harsh, rejecting, and building walls between these different parts of the body of Christ.

I recently wrote concerning how seriously God views unity. Those who have given allegiance to Jesus are part of God’s family, citizens of his kingdom, his priests and his ambassadors. Our primary loyalty is to the Father, the Son, the Spirit, and the family of God. Our primary focus should be our relationship with God, and with his family. So, we should honor, respect, be kind, and be connected to our brothers and sisters. This includes an open heart, an attitude of listening, to their testimonies. Including their political testimonies.

The world will definitely notice any lack of unity, due to political differences, and they will dishonor the Father, and Creator of all, because of those political differences. We dishonor our Father, if we dishonor our brothers.

I am not saying we cannot have political convictions. I am not saying that we cannot talk about them. I am saying we must pursue these differences in ways that demonstrate mutual honor, love, and unity within the body of Christ.

God's Family Designed to complete God's Purposes

Names in the Bible, in Jewish culture, had a meaning. Names indicated a person’s nature, and character. Names indicated a person’s place in God’s purposes, in God’s family. There are places in the Bible where God gives someone a new name, because they had changed. The Bible also says when he establishes his forever kingdom, he will give his children a new name, their true name.

God designed people. God designed them to take a place in his family, in his purpose. He makes his family fit together perfectly.

His family is his vehicle to complete his purposes. Each part, each member, has a role. Each part builds each other part; they build, and add to the body. New parts included.

The health of a church is directly proportional to the number who have found their place. Not people being busy, doing chores. Not greeter, teachers, ushers, nursery workers, ushers, etc. Not that doing chores is bad. All organizations have chores to do to maintain smooth functioning. All parts of the body need to have servant hearts to do the chores. And teaching children is certainly not bad. God loves children. And there are people who place and anointing is in teaching two year olds. But, so much of church activity is filling empty slots. And God’s plan involves a priesthood of every member of his body. How many of God’s family have taken up their priesthood?

More about all of Christ's body being priests here.

Unity, Not an Option

I have been thinking about someone I know with (what looks like) a relational issue with a friend and a sibling in God’s family. The two are not talking. They seem to be avoiding each other, and situations where they are likely to meet the other person. (And, of course, it might not be “them”. It might just be one of them.)

It seems like a natural solution. Suppose someone has an argument with a friend. Perhaps even a quite heated argument. It is easy to want to crete space, to avoid the other person. One does not have to deal with painful circumstances, the mess, or the possibility that one is wrong. Either in one’s position in the disagreement, or in one’s understanding of the other person’s position.

However, among the followers of Jesus, relationships are the building blocks of the kingdom. We need to take very seriously our relationship with God. We need to take very seriously our relationship with our family, with God’s family, with friends. And we need to take very seriously our relationship with those not in God’s family.

I will mention three things that I hope show how serious and vital relationships in God’s view of things.

First, Jesus prayed that the father would his family as united as he and the Father are united. Unity doesn’t just make life easier. Jesus says unity demonstrates that God sent Jesus into the world. Unity demonstrates that God loves the disciples. Personal arguments that affect interaction among God’s children, bad-mouthing other groups of Christians or other local families of God, all communicate a lack of unity. And disunity says God did not send Jesus. Disunity says the father does not love his children. Unity is vital, pivotal, and strategic.

Second, scripture says to make every effort to remain a connected, whole family. Without a real, demonstrated connection, God’s family demonstrates a pack of lies. The is only one body. “Body” being a metaphor for God’s family. Many different parts joined together, functioning harmoniously as a whole. It is the person by person distinctions that enable the whole to complete its purpose, God’s purpose. It is the distinctions we need to celebrate. And it the distinctions we usually use to bring separation.

[If we consider God’s universal family, all the different groups, we should be able to recognize that groups organize and derive their identity from their distinctive traits. Many assume that embracing unity means they have to suppress, or not prioritize, the things that distinguish them, which then robs or demeans their identity. We need to learn to affirm the common areas that define the whole family, and celebrate those differences. It is the differences which allow each body, and the universal body, to bring glory to God.]

There is not just one “singularity.” Each member of God’s family is:

• In the same body
• Gets life by the same spirit
• Expects the same future
• Follows the same Lord
• Has the same type of relationship
• Declares the same allegiance
• Are created and empowered by the same Father.

Third, God does not call us to promote our distinctions. God calls us to promote Christ. God calls us to live in love. If our distinctions hinder the gospel, or the growth of any of God’s children anywhere, anytime, we are not walking in love. God speaks to us all the time. God’s strategy in each of our lives is unique, because  we are unique. We all wind up at the same destination. We may not necessarily be at the same place on the journey. So, sharing where you are on your journey, may be helpful and encourage others. Insisting others abandon their place, their walk, and their path, may not. It may even short-circuit God’s work in them. Love demands we build into others. Maturity gives wisdom, and discernment in how best to build.

Love Leads to the New Life - 4

To review: The writer prays that on the basis of our allegiance to Jesus:

• God re-structures our hearts with the same power that created the world, that raised Jesus, that calmed seas, that multiplied fish and bread, and that healed the blind and the lame.
• Christ dwells/abides/resides/makes his home with us.
• Our lives are formed around his love. As we are connected to God by that love, as we draw nourishment with that love, we learn to understand the nature and extent of that love. (Even though it is beyond us.

The result is: We have all that God intends to give us. We are full. We are complete. The original says "fills to fullness." God tops of the tank, all the way up to the gas cap.

Power + Presence + Understanding Love = Fullness

So, why does life come up short? God promises his power and his presence when we give Jesus our allegiance. Can anything short-circuit either of these? What about "understanding love"? Is knowing "God loves you" enough? And what is fullness? Total Christ-likeness? Moral perfection?

It is certainly true that sin can break the connection between people and God. That's why personal honesty, and keeping "shorts lists" with God is important. In other words, deal with failures as soon and as completely as possible, so connection can be re-established.

But it seems the most dynamic "factor" in the "equation" is "understanding love." That understanding will affect a person's willingness to approach God after failure. It will color expectations of God's attitudes and actions in light of our failures. Will God reject us? Will God ever run out of patience? Out of kindness?

Many people equate God's love with their love, instead of the Bible's description of love. Many people assign Jesus one kind of love, the Father another kind of love, and the Holy Spirit another kind. Jesus is the perfect representation of God. They have the same heart. Within the God-head, there is perfect agreement. There is not three loves; there is one love. (Or, if you prefer, there are three loves, but they perfectly agree.) The Father does not look at us, or regard us differently, than Jesus does. The Holy Spirit does not look at us, or regard us differently, than the Father does, than Jesus does. There is perfect agreement.

All Things for Good - 4

People are fond of saying “God is in control.” If, by this we mean: “God speaks and stuff happens … and it only happens when God speaks,” then, I have to ask, did God speak my sin?

We know God hates sin. We know if God had his way, there would be know sin at all. But there is sin. So, stuff happens that God does not want. So, is God in control?

If think God has control, but he does not exercise that control. There is a big difference between having a gun, and choosing pulling the trigger.

If God exercises his control, people lose the freedom to choose. And God loses the purpose for which he created the world and people. The world was created, so people, created with the power to choose, would choose allegiance to him, relationship with him, to be his people, to belong to his family, and to follow his way and lifestyle, voluntarily, by their own choice, and for their own reasons.

This freedom should lead to a demonstration that relationship with God is the best, that following his way is the best. More than anything though, it leads to messy situations. Every person who gives his allegiance is a hypocrite. “Hypocrite” meaning “believes one things, but does another.” Followers of Jesus believe they should love everyone, but contrary to acting in love, they are impatient, unkind, boastful, and, even, arrogant. They believe they should display the qualities of the Holy Spirit, but they worry, indulge in sin, and let circumstances rule them. A mess!!

However, just because God chooses not to exercise control, it does not mean he chooses not to act. God blesses his children. He continually gives them good. He continually speaks to them. God takes the mess, and brings good out of it. Flowers from the manure pile. Three-course, gourmet meals from the trash pile. Joy from the worst situations. That takes a considerable amount of authority, skill, finesse, wisdom, and bold confidence.

Love Leads to the New Life - 3

The writer continues his discussion about the primary role of God's love in the transformation process with a "tree" metaphor. Tree health is directly proportional to the development of the root system. So, a human being's spiritual health is directly proportional to the development of his "root" system into the love of God.

If we are convinced that God loves us:

• We can proceed without fear into new areas.

Growth always necessitates change. Change always means new ... new hearts, new thoughts patterns, new speech patterns, and new practices. Some people adapt to change better than others, but no one is comfortable. There is uncertainty about success, about the outcome. Positive? Negative?

Because God loves us, we can be certain any change leads to positive, life enhancing ways. It may go through difficulty. It may go through pain. But it will always lead back to our original design, and will yield joy, peace, and good for us, and those around us.

• We can proceed without fear of fail

How many times does a child fall before he finally succeeds in walking? And how often do they fall after they begin the practice of walking?

No one will begin a new pattern of life smoothly. It will need to be repeated successfully many times before it "sticks." There will be numerous stumbles, lapses of memory, and partially successful attempts.

There are positive practices, like a consistent time of prayer, reading the Bible, and meditation. There are also changes from sin to righteousness. Those also involve a change of life patterns. Perhaps involving carefully crafted defense mechanisms, and obscure motivations that have been built up for years. God wants his children to abandon all such practices. It prevents the intimacy he desires in their relationship. It pollutes their design, hindering real joy and peace.

In situations like these, the person needs to change a practice. He also needs to change motivations, to break agreements he may not even be aware that he has made, and to develop spiritual discernment. Basically, he needs to renew his heart, which is neither a simple nor easy process.

People need God to direct this process. People needs God's patience in the painstakingly slow process. People need God's kindness with the process of revelation, correction, and the establishment of new practices. If God shined a dozen search lights on our lives, we would be able to see every pattern of sin and failure. We would also be so overwhelmed, we would crawl under a rock and never come out. So, God uses a laser pointer instead. And spends more time affirming our few faltering steps, encouraging us, and reminding us of his presence, regard, and support.

• We will never be mystified, or confused, about what God wishes us to be.

He has declared his wishes and intentions for us. He has given us an identity. This identity is who we are in Christ, according to our design. God's heart is to actualize that identity in us. (Please refer to the Identity in Christ series for a hint of what this might look like.)

• We will never lack in resources.

God's love means he is committed to us. He gives each of us 100% focused attention. He tailors each person's "curriculum" according to their personal, unique needs. He speaks into every circumstance -- good, bad, or indifferent -- providing revelation, appropriate resources, and his presence and support, so all circumstances promote the transformation of his children, and the expansion of his kingdom.

It is God's love that motivated Jesus to come and die. It is God's love that guarantees God's continued acceptance of us, and his continued pursuit of our relationship, and transformation. We may not pursue him. But he will pursue us.

Love Leads to the New Life - 2

When we choose allegiance to Jesus, we begin a process of transformation. We can look at it as back to what we were created to be, or toward a re-creation of Christ’s image in us. Either way, the foundation of this transformation is God’s love.

God’s love is the ground we sink into and draw nourishment, and strength from. God’s love provides the raw materials to build from.

God’s love is his motivation, and our motivation, for perseverance in view of our continuing mistakes, failures, re-taking the same class over and over, and general clueless-ness.

If God’s love was not expressed in perfect patience, would we ever dare to pursue Christ’s image? Humanly speaking, there is no hope. There is only hope, because we are covered by unending love.

It could almost be said that we are complete in direct proportion to our understanding of God’s love.

Love Leads to the New Life

We have been discussing the new creation for the last little bit. Part fo the discussion has come from my personal thinking over the last year. Part comes the place in Scripture where I have been reading and meditating.

We saw how new life begins. We saw how there are fundamental changes in life. We saw how God is creating a new people, a new family. We saw how God’s children live and work in, and within, God’s purposes and plans. We saw how God crafts a new identity for each new child.

The writer of the passage says, “I get here and I have to stop.” He amazed, and overwhelmed at God’s outpouring. And he realizes the position that someone, who has just chosen to give his allegiance to Jesus is in. Everything is new. Everything is different.

Many may be tempted to grit their teeth, grab determination with both hands, and strive to live perfectly … and be doomed to failure, frustration and discouragement.

So, the writer is also moved to prayer. He prays for God’s children.

When we chose to follow Jesus, God sent his Spirit to live in our hearts. So, he prays for strength from that Spirit. Strength to choose correctly. The machinery of our lives has us running full-throttle, full-speed, down the tracks of the world. We need God’s strength to slow, stop, and move to a new path in life.

As we move to new paths, Christ fills those areas of change. Christ lays claim to habits, though patterns, and emotional responses. He acts to alter motives and perspectives.

As we continue to make corrections in our life paths, God’s design takes hold, and we prove God correct. God, re-building his design into each person, demonstrates his love … and we learn to cling to that love.

It is God’s love that motivates him to bring us into his family, to inject new spiritual DNA into our hearts, to jump start the rebuilding of our design, to demonstrate his character through us, and to partner with his family in expanding his kingdom. It is his love that is the foundation and the fulcrum. It is his love that is the lever.

Having a complete, detailed, extensive understanding of his love is vital. The goal of human development is Jesus Christ. The Father wants everyone to look like Jesus. And it is how completely, and thoroughly, you grasp his love, that determines how far each human progresses.

So, the writer prayer for people to grow in knowing, understanding, and recognizing God’s love. As that light shines bright in our inner being, we move closer to completeness.

New Life, New Identity

When we were born, we lived away from God, against him, and against our design. The internal combustion engine is designed to have optimal functionality, if it operates with certain parameters, and given certain fuels. The human body is designed to have optimal functionality, if it operates with certain parameters, and fed  certain fuels. The human spirit is designed to have optimal functionality, if it operates with certain parameters, and fed certain fuels.

The main fuel our spirits need is a connection, a link, or a relationship with the Father of All. The parameters are described in Scripture.

Because of sin (life outside of the parameters) we began our lives with no connection, or relationship with the Father. But God works in our world, and on our behalf, to draw us to him, and into this relationship.

When we chose to come to him, when we begin this relationship, he begins to teach us how to return to living as designed, within the parameters. However, the main thrust of many people’s approach to God is: do this, don’t do this. People compile lists of “this’s.” They develop a law mentality. They develop a religious mentality.

Religion is man acting in ways that attempt to achieve God’s approval of man. Christianity is God acting in ways that achieve God’s approval of man.

God told Israel, after leaving Egypt, where it was saturated with laws and religion, that if they obeyed his Law, they would receive his approval. Israel demonstrated, over and over, that it is impossible for people to keep God’s law. Scripture says, over and over, it is impossible for people to keep God’s Law. Scripture also says, over and over, that Jesus came into the world to achieve God’s approval of us, for us.

We cannot achieve God’s approval, so we gave our allegiance to Jesus, and he gained God’s approval for us. Then, people create a new and different set of laws to continue in God’s approval, and to re-create God’s design in us. If we cannot keep the Law God gave us, what makes us think we can keep the law we give ourselves?

God is vitally concerned with how we live our lives. God is vitally concerned with re-creating his design in us. But if we can’t keep the Law, or any law, maybe God does not expect us to base our lives on a list of do’s and don’ts.

When we gave Jesus our allegiance, he gave a new identity. He declared who we are. Scripture says we are dead to the Law, but alive to Christ. Maybe, we should base our lives, not on lists of expected behavior, but on living in agreement with our new identity? Maybe, we should focus our hearts, not on something that God has declared to be dead, but on something God has declared to be new, and true?

New Life and God's Purpose

After Jesus' death and resurrection, God revealed his purpose to specifically chosen messengers. And the messengers began to reveal his purpose to people. Thus began the process of gathering people into God's family.

The messengers:

    ♦ persuaded people to give their allegiance to Jesus, and enter God's family.

    ♦ explained how to live in relationship with God.

    ♦ explained god's design for people.

    ♦ explained how to cooperate with God, and to return to living as designed.

All people are invited to become part of his family. All people are invited to share in this relationship, to share in God's goodness and generosity, and to participate in God's promises, because they belong to Christ, because they are united to Jesus.

God's family is a demonstration of God's nature, God's character, and God's wisdom to all in the heavenly realms, and all those on earth.

We have been given complete and total access to the Father, because we are united with Jesus. And he has complete, and total access. We have all this, because we accepted god's word with trust and faith.

The New Life and God's Family

God chose Abraham to create a nation, Israel. This nation had two purposes. First, Israel was the physical, familial context for Jesus. The Promised One, as God become man, needed a physical, family to become part of. A small, ordinary family in Israel became that family. The writers of the Bible gave the Promised One an “address” so people would know where to find him.

Second, Israel was God’s representatives to the world. Since the Fall, God has worked to demonstrate his nature, his character, and his plan for people through a group of people who would belong to him. Other people would look at his family, see not only an excellent group of people, but see who God was, and what it meant to live with/for him.

Israel only succeeded as a negative example. They said they would follow the Lord, but only succeeded temporarily. Individuals, who chose from their hearts, worked out better.

A person could always choose to become a part of God’s family. Israel ony understood it from their perspective. They never quite made room for the rest of the world.

But Jesus went out of his way to bring the world into his family. Both Jews and Gentiles make up his family, receive his covenant, and his promises. Gentiles have the same access, the same promises, and the same identity as Jews, who follow him. They are God’s family, God’s people, because they are united to Jesus. There is no longer Jew and Gentile. There is only God’s family.

He broke down what separated the two groups. He ended the system of the Law. He made peace with God’s people. He formed one family from all peoples.

He gave to all who came to him, to follow him, the Holy spirit to live with them. Unity with Christ is the only requirement to peace with God, and unity with God’s family.

Starting the New Life

In every person's life, there was a time they gave their allegiance to anyone, or anything, but Jesus and the Father. We surrendered our hearts to other things. And we reaped death.

We were in rebellion, and we reaped the penalty of rebellion. The penalty is separation and alienation from the Father. The Father is the giver, and definer, of life. Alienation from him is death.

Moreover, we also lived contrary to how he designed us. We sought meaning, significance, distraction, and entertainment in things that move against God's life, and word. People were designed to be fueled by walking in agreement with God. Walking outside of God's way is death.

We obeyed the enemy, who seeks to distract from God's glory, and contrary to what he promises people, he seeks to multiply misery. He urges people to live contrary to their design. People starve themselves of proper spiritual fuel.

But, God has abundant love and mercy. His heart, plans, and purposes are to create a family, who will live in relationship with him. So, he built a bridge, so we can go back to him. If we return, we will not suffer the penalty of sin. We will grow in living out our design.

Christ is the core of his love and mercy. One the cross, he received the penalty of sin for all mankind. He died, and the power of Law (the power of condemnation) is broken. Because death cancels the Law.

And the Law is cancelled in our lives, when we are covered by Christ. We cross the bridge, when we give our allegiance to Christ. He covers us. He represents us. He substitutes for us.

We are united with Christ. Our lives are joined to his. He is in us. We are in him. We are a demonstration, a picture, of God's heart and purpose.

This new life is not something we can earn, purchase, or command. We can only unite ourselves to Christ. Trust, and surrender ourselves. Then, he will renew us. He will transform us by rebuilding our spiritual DNA, and rebuilding our hearts. The world will see us as we designed to be. We will live as we were designed to live. We will flourish in life, as he intended. The world will be better as we act.

Love is Foundational

Scripture reveals God’s nature and character to people. He reveals various attributes of his character to us. As people are complex, God is complex. But there are a few attributes which are central. They are the primary, or controlling, aspects of God’s character. One of these is love.

Love is so central, that Scripture says love demonstrates that someone is in God’s family. We don’t have to hear them say anything about Jesus, if we see love, we will know.

“Love” as a word, and a concept, gets tossed about quite a bit. Everyone seems to know what love is, or at least, they say they do; but does what people say agree with God’s definition?

Scripture describes love in a number of places, and in a number of ways. We have discussed several of those here. Primarily, Jesus’ life defines love for us. If people live in love, the way he did, then we know they have a relationship with the Father.

If they live a life that dos not love (or does not agree with God’s definition) they do not necessarily have a relationship with him.

Their relationship with God does not define what our relationship with them should be like. Our relationship with Jesus defines our relationship with them. It is love. Jesus loved no matter what. We love no matter what … relationship with Jesus or no relationship with Jesus.

All Things for Good - 3

When we give our allegiance to Jesus, we become citizens of his Kingdom. As far as God is concerned, we are already there. We are already living in the Kingdom of Heaven.

If we get totally realistic, we live in two kingdoms, with two truths. (Two sets of motivations. Two sets of rules. Two sets of expectations.)

One set of expectations says life is full of pain and misery. The other says there is no pain, no misery. There is only joy and peace. The trick is: we have given ourselves to live according to one set of motivations, rules, and expectations, while surrounded and immersed in the other set of motivations, rules, and expectations.

In God’s Kingdom, there are no negatives. That’s what he says. That’s what we should expect.

In the enemy’s kingdom, he seeks to multiply misery. That’s who he is. That’s what we should expect.

Each day, we can choose which kingdom to live. If we choose to live in the Father’s kingdom, when we encounter something negative, we need to remind ourselves: “There is nothing negative in God’s kingdom.” Then, we need to pay attention for what God says about this situation. Because he speaks good in every situation. We need to be alert for his promise and his provision, because he gives both in every situation: to bring good, to advance his mission and kingdom, and to demonstrate his glory.

Because God speaks and acts to bring his kingdom into reality, we should look at life in its entirety, at each event, and at each situation differently. We tend to grieve, and worry. We ought to wait in anticipation, because God will act.

Signs of New Life

When a person receives and agrees with the gospel, when a person gives his\her allegiance to Jesus, new life flows into the person. New spiritual DNA is injected into the person’s inner being. And changes on the inside result in changes on the outside.

The two primary changes are faith in Christ, and the love of people. These are obviously two large general areas, that have lots of specific practices possible. Results can be giving food, cleaning, comforting, rebuking, becoming a missionary, TV/movie choices, books we read, places we go, and friends we spend intimate, extensive time with. Each area could be the subject of many, many posts.

Other areas grow also. I am going to focus on some secondary areas, which grow from the first two.

Prayer is the first. A natural communication should develop between Father and child. The child should express his honest feelings about his life, his situation … fears, joys, sadness, frustrations, successes, failures. And god will express his expectations, reinforce the identity he has given his child, and give additional revelation. (Clarifying revelation, rather than new revelation.) There is speaking. There is listening. There is open, honest communication.

Experiential knowledge is the second. As we walk in relationship with God, we gain in understanding of who he is, he nature, his character. We learn to see the world as he sees the world. Which changes our thinking. Which changes how we act. Which changes how we experience the world. Which changes how we experience God. And we begin another cycle. In reality, we are all probably in the midst of several cycles.

Understanding leads directly to experience. Many people understand experiential knowledge to pertain to an emotional flood. God did design people to have emotions, and emotional experiences. Joy is in such short supply that people seek it in any way they can. I will not speak against “special events” that people use to fill the empty spaces in their lives. But I do think God wants to fill us with joy. I also think God wants joy to be more regular, more consistent and every day. And I think God wants to give it within the context of our daily walks.

But our knowledge of God goes further. As we act on a promise, we understand God’s faithfulness. As we move to a word whispered in our hearts, we understand God’s intimacy, and his care.

Confident expectations is the third. We learn our identity from our Father. We learn his intentions. From that position, we can stand assured of what the future looks like, what our lives will be like. Because our Father cannot lie. Because we are his family, we are his inheritance.

The last, that I am writing about here, is the power that he has put at our disposal. The passage I am referring to sometimes confuses me. Sometimes, it seems like he has handed us a magic wand. Sometimes, it seems like he is saying, “Look what I have done for you! Image what I can do for you!”

The writer reminds us that God has already exerted tremendous power in executing his plan. That power was demonstrated in the life of Jesus.

- He was with Jesus.

- He raised Jesus from the dead.

- He honored Jesus by putting him at the Father’s right hand.

- Jesus has more authority than anyone else.

The Father has given Jesus all authority. Jesus has the authority to benefit God’s family, and to complete God’s mission. And we are part of both.

Moreover, we are not only part of Christ’s family, we are part of Christ’s body. Jesus completes and fills his body. It represents him. It fills every place with him.

And he goes wherever his family goes. Wherever his family goes, he should be obvious, his effects felt, and people should bow to the King.

God Works His Plan.

Before creation, God established his plan for mankind. He was going to create a family of all mankind. He was going to have an intimate, daily relationship with each of them. He would build into them, and they would reveal who and what he was. They would demonstrate his nature before one another. Their identity would be founded on their relationship with him, and his image that he imprints and builds into them.

Then, he realized that his plan of a perfect world, with perfect people, would fail, because people are not big enough. But the plan did not change.

  • He will build a family.

  • He will have relationship with them.

   • He will build each one through that relationship.

He knew that he could not have relationship with people, because of the failure, because of sin. So, he chose to have Jesus be a substitute and a representative. He chose before creation to have relationship with any and all who chose allegiance to Jesus. For those, Jesus would re-connect people to the Father, because he would solve the problem of sin. Because he was our representative, the Father chose to view us, and treat us, as holy and without fault.

The Father chose pain and sacrifice, because his love, and his vision of close relationship with each one, gave him so much enjoyment. God was, and is, pleased to connect with us. We cannot fathom how much pleasure the Father receives to have complete access to us … and we to him.

So, he provided freedom from the penalty of sin, and from the power of sin. He instructs us, so we grow in wisdom, and understanding. And he reveals his heart and plans to us.

   • He will give all authority on earth to Jesus.

   • Those who gave him allegiance will become his special possession.

   • God marks his people as his, by putting his Spirit, his presence, in their inner beings. His Spirit is God’s guarantee that we are his, and that he will keep his promises.