I am the Resurrection and the Life

There is a story in the Bible about some friends of Jesus: a man, and his two sisters.

Word came to Jesus that this man was very sick, close to death. And Jesus, the compassionate one, the healer, the true friend, stayed where he was for two days. And then it took two more days to get to the house of his friend. So, by the time Jesus got there, the man had been dead for four days. He was dead, buried, and rotting in the grave. (Orin his case, in a cave with a big rock in front of it.)

The sisters approached Jesus separately, but their response to Jesus was essentially the same. “Our brother is dead. You have healed the sick. You have given sight to the blind, and the crippled can walk. If you were here on time our brother would still be alive.”

And Jesus’ response was essentially the same to each. “I am the resurrection and the life.”

The sisters believed God would raise the dead at the end of the age. At that time, he would judge everyone, those still alive and those who had died. The wicked would go to eternal punishment. The righteous would go into God’s presence, and eternal reward. Both were judged by how well, how completely, they obeyed the Law. The righteous obtained reward by obeying the law. The wicked obtained punishment by its disobedience of the Law.

And Jesus know that it was impossible, because no one could keep the Law. And God sent him to be a bridge. Jesus had power over life and death. Jesus had authority to bring the dead into God’s presence. It all goes through him.

And to show that that was true, he went to the grave of his friend, dead four days, already decaying, and called him out of the grace. Life was restored. His physical body was restored. And he walked out of the grave.

I am the Good Shepherd

But then he continued on using the same scenario: a flock of sheep, a shepherd, and a sheep pen. And he tells us: “I am the good shepherd.”

Sheep are put into a pen at night for their protection. Thieves will try to steal them. Predators will try to kill and eat them. Only the shepherd stands between them and those dangers.

Sometimes, someone is hired to watch the flock, so the shepherd can sleep. And in those cases, if a lion or a bear attacks the flock, this hired person has no motivation to defend the flock. On the other hand, the shepherd is motivated to take on a lion or a bear.

The shepherd knows his sheep. He speaks to them. They follow. He protects them. He provides for them. He places them in situations that bring the best to them.

This parable can be applied to our relationship to Jesus in many ways.

• Those who follow Jesus are like sheep. Sheep’s herding instinct is strong enough that they will follow one another right over the edge of the cliff. We all know people who get with the wrong people, and them into all sorts of trouble.
• Jesus loves all people. His heart is to gather all people to himself, and lead them – toward the completion of their design, toward greater joy and fulfillment. And, for those who give him their allegiance, he is actively pursuing this goal.
• Jesus demonstrates he is supremely trustworthy of our faith, when he died to re-establish a relationship with people. He honors his promises, he relationship with people, and his Father’s purposes – to gather a people to be his new family.
• Sheep learn to follow the shepherd. We can learn to follow Jesus. We can hear his voice; we can discern it from all the other voices; we can successfully follow the path that he is leading us on.
• Jesus’ purpose is to create a family, build it strong in love, to love, and to increase it. Scripture says that all peoples, all languages, and all the ends of the earth will be represented in his family. Our purpose is to embrace Jesus’ purpose.

I am the Gate

Many people in Jesus’ day owned sheep. It seems that a common practice was to put the flock in a pen at night, and let them out to graze during the day. So, it was really important to the sheep, when the shepherd arrived, and led the sheep out of the pen to the pasture. The pasture meant food, water, and life. The gate was the bridge to the pasture. That’s why Jesus said, “I am the gate.”

We all need “fuels” to live. We need physical fuels: food, water, and air. (Or you could use more resolution and say: Protein, iron, zinc. Vitamin C, vitamin D, etc.) We need spiritual fuels: love, purpose, beauty, etc.

Our primary spiritual fuel is a relationship with our Father. Everyone needs this sort of relationship to thrive. No just to exist, but to have what Jesus called “abundant life.”

And Jesus is the bridge to that life. Or, as the gate to the sheep pen, the way out to food and water for the sheep. Jesus is the gate that opens up, allowing people to escape the prison of sin, and experience life. Jesus is our means, our vehicle, for connecting with the Father.

I am the Light of the World

One thing people agree on: life is less than optimal. What people don’t agree on: the causes, the solutions, and even, what the final result should look like. And this was just as true in Jesus’ day as is today.

Jesus was different. He lived without sin. Even the Quran say Jesus was the only sinless person. Moreover, Jesus practiced authentic love towards all people. He had a lifestyle that showed he was the only person to have it together. He had unique qualifications to answer questions about the world’s problems, solutions, and direction.

Jesus said the world walked in darkness. That meant more than merely its practices were evil. That also meant it was lost, wandering in circles, and unable to see the path at its feet. It pursued the wrong goals. It valued the wrong things. It was going in the wrong direction entirely.

Jesus said “I am the light of the world.” He was not lost. He did not wander in circles. He pursued the right goals. He had the right values. And because he was light, if we walked with him, we could finally see. We wouldn’t be lost. We could fully, truly evaluate what is right, true, and valuable. We could do this, because we could see what Jesus did.

Jesus gave several “assessments” about people and the world. The first was that people did not have a correct relationship with God. People were designed to have a love relationship with the Father of All Creation. Some pursue this relationship moralistically. Meaning: striving to do good and not do bad. But the Bible says that God’s standard is perfection. Any bad will break the relationship. One bad thing is one too many.

Some pursue the relationship religiously. Meaning: the strive to faithfully observe certain forms, norms, and practices. God commanded the Jews to sacrifice animals, a religious form that was intended to handle the sin they committed. But animal sacrifice could never be the final solution to sin. And God never intended it to be. It was a temporary solution, pointing people to God’s final solution, Jesus’ death.

Second, people do not treat people as they should. People should treat all people with love. (All people! Think of the current American political scene.) We have considered love, what it means, and how to practice it, numerous times, so we will not expand on it extensively at this time. But imagine what kindness, patience, and complete communication (as much as possible) would mean on the interstate highway system. Imagine what putting others first would mean in that context. There are numerous everyday situations that love would revolutionize.

We could discuss a number of facets of the world system, but love of God and love of people completely cover all aspects of the present age. Jesus said those two loves completely obey all of God’s commands; the completely pursue all of God’s purposes. Walking in those two loves means we are fully situated in his light. These loves speak louder than worlds. These loves speak louder than signs and wonders. These loves fully complete God’s purpose in the world. These loves shine the same light Jesus did.

I am the Bread of Life

Jesus made a number of terse, succinct statements about his identity, and his mission. One such statement was “I am the bread of life.”

These statements, like when Jesus told parables, are not literal. Jesus is using figurative language to express spiritual truth. Bread, of course, is a basic food staple. In some cultures, it was eaten in some form at every meal. It was a primary part of their diet.

Jesus was, of course, referring to our relationship with the Father, and Jesus being the necessary, primary ingredient in that relationship. People cannot enter into a relationship with the Father without Jesus. A person is born a slave to sin. He is held captive to it, and its consequences. To live the life God designed, to live in relationship with the Father, we need to break our relationship with sin and the world. So, Jesus died … and he created a bridge back to God. We choose allegiance with God. We walked across the bridge into relationship with God, and into the life we were designed to live. (Of course, transformation is necessary to actually live, practice, and experience that relationship.)

Bread is the means to sustaining life. Without it, life cannot exist; it dies. And since, Jesus calls us to a new kind of life – a life we were designed to live from the beginning, but which only Jesus ever really lived – we need a new and different kind of “bread.” A “bread” that Jesus supplid. And when we make “bread” our own, we we consume it, we make it a part of us. And the life in it is injected into us. The physical benefits of bread are not delivered until we consume it. Neither will the benefits of this new “bread.”

Part of what Jesus was trying to do was show that people’s conceptions of what was important, of what constituted a true relationship with God, of what constituted true living, were flawed. These figures Jesus used were not theological position statements, with well-defined, precise and exhaustive language. They were attempts to bump people out of their mental ruts, which were engraved in stone, and as deep as the Grand Canyon. Every time Jesus gave one of these statements, it was a clarion call from revelation. It was a call for changes of allegiance, and changes into a revelutionary lifestyle.

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.