our gift….

the purpose of this advent season at the [living] room is that of celebration and expectancy.  it is the celebration of the coming Messiah, fulfilled prophetically in the past and anticipated in the consummation of all things.   it is a desire to see in a season of blindness…to awaken during a time of slumber…and to break free before being held captive to busyness and consumerism.  our advent purposes on the hope of coming rescue, the peace delivered through reconciliation, the love of the Kingdom of God, and the joy of embodying that Kingdom in our lives today as well as the expectation of final restoration. 

one component of celebrating our season of advent at the [living] room involves giving a gift to some of the most victimized, marginalized, and oppressed peoples in the world.  in a season when we buy and receive many things that we don’t need…only to cram them into our closets until the summer garage sale…or resurrect them for the fall donation to Goodwill…we have an opportunity to take those same resources and use them to give clean water to the thirsty, to provide medical treatment and education for the AIDS victim, to rescue those who have been abducted and sold into the sex slave market, and to provide opportunities and hope for the orphan.

the [living] room has committed through faith to give 100% of all tithes and offerings received in December, in addition to over $5000 we currently have on hand, as a gift to Blood : Water Mission, International Justice Mission, and New Song Mission.  through this pledge alone…we anticipate a gift over $10,000. 

but what if that gift was doubled or tripled….or even quadrupled?  the impact that the body of Christ in the world would make in the name of Jesus during this season would be staggering!  this is possible…and this is how it can become a realization:

1.  we have included a link to the [living] room website describing our gift, who we are supporting, links to those organizations websites, and a donation link.

2.  the donation link is a secure PayPal donation site for the [living] room where ANYONE can give a tax-deductible donation by using a credit or debit card.  YOU DO NOT NEED A PAYPAL ACCOUNT TO GIVE A DONATION.

3.  if anyone has trouble…you may click on the “need help” button for instructions on our site

we hope and pray that God will use this gift for the advancement of His Kingdom this season…and that YOU can be a part of that with us!!!

i did not come to bring peace…but a sword

this past week we spent some time dissecting one line of the beatitudes, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the children of God.”  through the lens of the Old Testament tradition and some rabbinical writings, in addition to studying the original language, we understood that Jesus was giving divine authority or approval for his disciples to, not just abstain from conflict, battle, and war, but was telling them to actively pursue peace and reconciliation in broken and strained relationships.  the foundation of pursuing shalom (oneness, wholeness, completeness in relationships as God intended) is the truth of God through Jesus Christ, who is our reconciliation, and through whom…we become ministers of reconciliation in the world.

several people began asking a question almost immediately after our gathering on sunday…and then subsequently in their house churches…about a very controversial saying of Jesus, in Matthew 10:34, “do not think i have come to bring peace on the earth.  i did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”   here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

on the surface…it seems as if we have a contradiction in the words of Jesus.  how can Jesus, in one breath, say that a characteristic of his discipleship is that of peacemaker (matthew 5:9)…but then in another breath say that, “[he] did not come to bring peace, but a sword”?

this seeming contradiction has caused all sorts of pain and heartache within the Christian community for hundreds of years.  this line has been used and abused by Christian religious zealots and fanatics as evidence that Jesus does, in fact, condone violence. this kind of thinking raises all sorts of questions.  is Jesus condoning violence?  and if he is, then does this give Christians the authority to use the sword against who and what we view as evil? even further, in what instances should the sword be used, and in what instances should the sword be put away?  how do we determine the evil that we use violence against?  does the language Jesus uses imply that instead of seeking peace, it is appropriate to use violence in any form no matter how insignificant or destructive?  how about bombs?  guns?  torture?  is ”using the sword” a black and white issue…or are there gray areas?  if there are gray areas…then how do i know the instances to employ violence and the instances not to?

or maybe it wasn’t meant to be so complicated.  is it possible that this line from Jesus has been misunderstood and taken out of context when measured against the rich language of the old testament prophets in their understanding that God is working for shalom (oneness and wholeness of all things as God originally intended), when measured against Jesus’ own words and actions documented in the Gospel accounts, and when measured against other new testament writings?

Jesus had every opportunity to wield the sword…but did not.  why would he say that he came to bring a sword…yet never use one?  it’s odd.  why did Jesus tell his followers to ”never resist an evil person,” and further, to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”?  why would he come to bring a sword if he was giving instruction to never resist an evil person…and to love ones enemy?  who would he use the sword on?  who would his disciples (who look and act like their Rabbi) use the sword on?  the answer is no one.

unless you are talking about Peter…and the time in the garden of Gethsemane when Judas was about to betray Jesus.  after Judas kissed Jesus…the guards stepped forward to arrest Jesus…and the militant-minded Peter pulls out his sword and cut one of the guards ears off.  was Jesus cheering him on?  why didn’t the other militant disciples join in?  did Jesus tell Peter to keep attacking?  no…he said, “put your sword back in its place.” and further, “do you not think that i cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”  what is Jesus talking about?  a legion was a military term that was used by the Romans to describe a military unit (like 4000 to 5000 troops).  Jesus was making a military statement to describe how he could respond militarily (by calling on the 60,000 strong angel militia to kick some Roman booty)….but then says, “but how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must not happen this way?”  should not happen what way?  by the way of the sword?  exactly.  the way of Jesus was not the way of the sword…it was the way of the towel (of self-sacrificial love).  always loving…always pouring himself out…always giving self-sacrificially…without responding the way the Kingdom of the world responds.

even early in Jesus’ ministry he had the opportunity to use the power of the sword.  for hundreds of years the jews were anticipating the Messiah, the chosen one in the Davidic line who would restore Israel (once and for all) as God’s chosen people…His holy nation.  they were expecting that one would come that would bring peace and justice as a governmental ruler.  with all of this expectation surrounding the Messiah, does it seem odd that when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert after fasting for 40 days, he would not accept Satan’s offer to have all the kingdom’s of the world?  he could rule with the sword….an iron fist…he could enforce peace through legislation and the law (which we know only changes attitudes…not hearts).  this could have been the easiest and fastest way to bring the power of the sword.  no…Jesus said that he was going to do it God’s way.  not by force…not by violence…not by redemptive violence…BUT BY THE WAY OF THE CROSS.  the one act that stops the vicious cycle of violence…and is validated by the resurrection (not death and violence winning…but life through sacrificial love)!  love always wins and triumphs over evil…but not with the sword.  and the way of the sword was not the way of Jesus.

so what was Jesus getting at with his odd statement about not bringing peace, but a sword?  with so much evidence to suggest that Jesus did NOT come with a sword to conquer and rule…how can we understand what he is saying.

here is how i undertand it.  if a sword is what Jesus came to bring…but we do not have any evidence that Jesus ever used a sword violently…then it is possible that it may be symbolic.  are there other instances in the new testament where the word “sword” is used?  yes.

In his right hand he held 7 stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp double-edged sword. (revelation 1:17)

The word of God is active and alive, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to divide soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (hebrews 4:12)

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)

if we are consistent…you get this idea that a sword, symbolically, refers to truth…the word of God.

Jesus did not come to bring peace (for peace’s sake)…he came to bring truth (the word of God).  the word of God is sharp…it divides…even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow, thoughts and attitudes, and even people who are close to each other, “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, your enemies will the members of your own household.”  why?  because the truth is not accepted or pursued by everyone…many stand against the truth.  by Jesus just “being”…he created conflict…because he is truth.  the paradox…as we know…is that the truth of God brings peace (shalom) to those who seek reconciliation through Christ.  peace is founded on the truth of God revealed in Christ.  maybe we could understand it better this way, “ought we ever compromise truth for the sake of peace?”  the answer is no.  Jesus did not come to bring peace (as everyone understands it…giving in…compromising…etc.)…he came to bring the truth of God.  and man…that is not the kind of peace that some people want.

brandon

logos…

how is it that God has chosen to reveal himself through Jesus to His faithful followers…but not to the rest of the world?

maybe that is the question the Church has been asking for too long.

the sad thing is that it is not a new question…and it was answered a little less than 2000 years ago by Jesus himself.  but before we get to this revealing and revolutionary answer…let’s get some context.

after telling his disciples that he was preparing to go to a place where they could not immediately go (he was preparing them for his imminent death) Jesus says in John 14:15, “if you love me, keep my commandment.”  the word commandment is from the greek entole, which means commandment, direction, or instruction. 

again…a few verses later in John 14:21…Jesus says the same thing a different way, “he that has my commandments (entole), and keeps them, is he that loves me.”

Jesus is being very clear here.  those who love me…are those who keep my commandments.  pretty straight forward.

but somehow this must have caused some confusion and questions for the disciples.  how would simply following the commandments of Jesus change the world?  how would the rest of the world come to know God in flesh if he only reveals himself to a small band of nobodies who only keep his commandments?  how will just “keeping my commandments” revolutionize the world? 

HOW WILL THE WORLD KNOW HE IS GOD IF WE ONLY KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS! 

something did not compute with the disciples.  somehow…simply “keeping my commandments” didn’t rise to the level of impact…or magnitude…of what they would expect from the God-man.  maybe they were expecting a celestial celebration with the fanfare of angels for the world to see and know…once and for all…that Jesus is Lord…who knows?

of course…no one said anything.  maybe they were too numb after their Rabbi told them he was leaving.  but there is always one person in the room that has the guts to ask the tough question.  everyone is always looking at that person…just waiting to see if he will ask what everyone else is thinking.  and then he said it…

“how is it that you chose to disclose (or manifest) yourself to us…and not to the whole world?” asked Judas (not Iscariot).  Judas (not Iscariot)…nails the biggest question…that was not only on the minds of the disciples but on the (maybe unconcious) mind of modern day Christians.

let me translate this for the Church today:

Jesus…how is it that God has chosen to reveal himself through you to us…the Church…but not to the rest of the world?

Jesus’ answer is brilliant…and as applicable now as it was then.  remember before…Jesus said, “those who love me keep my commandments.”  NOW Jesus says, “if a man loves me, he will keep my logos.”  the Greek word logos means Word. 

in essence…those who love me will keep my Word.

where is the first time in the gospel of John that the word logos appears?

In the beginning was logos (the Word), and logos (the Word) was with God, and logos (the Word) was God.  John 1:1 KJV

And logos (the Word) was made flesh, and dwelt among us.  John 1:14 KJV

the answer that Jesus gives Judas (not Iscariot) sends shockwaves and a new level of understanding to his disciples…and to us.  in the beginning was the Word.  the Word was with God.  the Word was God.  the Word BECAME FLESH in Jesus.  it is not enough that we keep his commandments if we love him.  if we truly love him…we keep his Word and it becomes flesh in our lives AND JESUS IS REVEALED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD THROUGH US!!!

simply profound.

as Christians…we are a lot better at studying the Word…than embodying it.  we have all the Bible studies, Sunday school classes, teachings, preachings, and devotionals that we want at any one time.  we have a million different translations of the Bible…with every concordance and footnote known to mankind..but we struggle to serve…to embody the Kingdom of Heaven in our lives…and take it to the world.  what good is the knowledge that we study and hear…if we don’t embody it? 

we like to outsource our service of the poor, outcasts, oppressed, marginalized, and victimized to social services agencies, health care organizations, and governments and then we send a check (but only if it is to a Christian agency…right?).  we ought to realize that the Church is not looked at in our society as the one group who specializes in loving, helping, and advocating for the least in the world.  far from it.  we would rather have intellectual debates about whose doctrine is exactly right…than solve world problems.  we would rather “stand against” everything…rather than ”stand for” something or someone.  and that is how society views the Church.  that is not the Church that Jesus died for…and it is tragic.

Jesus died for a Church that destroys the works of Satan by embodying the Kingdom of Heaven…which spreads like wildfire…like a mustard seed.  Jesus died for a Church that finds the Kingdom of Heaven and sells EVERYTHING to have it.  Jesus died for a Church that rushes into the strong man’s house (Satan’s Kingdom) where the strong man has been bound…while gathering and reclaiming for God what is rightfully His.  Jesus died for the Church that is beating down the Gates of Hell…which cannot stand…and is taking Heaven to every dark corner of this planet.  Jesus died for a Church with open tables welcoming the outcasts, sinners, tax-collectors, and the prostitutes with self-sacrificial love.  Jesus died for a Church that gives a home to the homeless…a drink to the thirsty…and a visit to the prisoner.  Jesus died for a Church where logos becomes flesh and the world finally sees Jesus among them healing, loving, and restoring!

brandon