“Lord, save us from your followers” — UHD 14:6

“Lord, save us from your followers” is a culturally popular video title that confuses me. “They like Jesus but not the Church” is a popular Christian book title that disturbs me. Pray for me. I’m confused and disturbed by Christians who find these attractive. I thought that the Bible teaches that a true follower of the Jesus of the Bible tells us how to be saved from sin, not saved from God’s people. I thought a Jesus follower was a lover of Jesus and other true followers. I thought that if someone loves Jesus they love brothers and sisters in the Church. I thought the Church is Jesus’ body. If the second title refers to the unsaved world, I thought Jesus said, “Don’t be surprised if the world hate you. It hated Me before it hated you.”

Why would lies be popular among young Christians? These titles open the door to do some word-play:

Lord save us from your followers who……
….like Jesus, the Head but not the Church, His Body.
….like the Jesus they like, but reject the Christians they don’t like.
….Like the earth and the things they see but not the spiritual and the things they don’t see.
….Like the conversation about the Truth, but not the Truth.
….Like group community with other people but not individual accountability before God.
….like the Jesus of the first advent but not the second advent.
….like to bow down to tolerance but not the tolerance of conservative fundamentalists
….like to get a hold of the Bible for their earthly purposes but not for spiritual purposes
….like to reject the wisdom of their elders but accept the wisdom of their peers
….like to question propositional truth in God’s Word, but welcome the question, “Has God said?”
…like a favorable presentation of homosexuality, but not the Bible’s condemnation of it as sin.
…like no references to what God says, but celebrate human opinion.

Lord, save us from these followers!

Memory of Dr. Joe

8 years older than me, Joe was my leader. He became one of Mitchell’s boys. Dr. Mitchell was my pastor too. As a camper at Trout Creek Bible Camp, I remember the skits he did with Wil Jensen, like “Honey and the Bee.” As Junior Class President at MSB in 1968-1969, everyone reported to me that Joe Aldrich raised an extraordinary amount of money as a fundraiser when he was Junior Class President. Joe went to DTS, got his doctorate, then taught classes as I began studies at DTS. Dr. Joe was pastor of a large church in CA and then he followed his father to be President of Multnomah School of the Bible. I served as pastor of a small church in Texas, then was called by Multnomah in 1988 to be a Professor at the new seminary started by Dr. Joe.

What a creative, unseminary-like curriculum! Two plus two courses, 12 hours of credit earned in local church internships, management, leadership, conflict resolution, family ministry, all designed by Dr. Joe. He and Terry Dirks welcomed me to Prayer Summits, invited me to speak to pastors, elders and deacons. His vision for washing the feet of churches in the Pacific NW was contagious.

Dr. Joe would call faculty meetings where nothing was on the agenda except a concert of prayer where deep prayers mingled with acapella songs of worship. A Day of Faculty Prayer at his dad’s house on Livingston Mountain would be punctuated by shouting to the fading hearing of Dr. Mitchell, who sat on the couch, “Do you have anything to say, uncle John?” Dr. Mitchell would humbly begin and then wax eloquent on the faithfulness of God while tears were streaming down my cheeks.

One Prayer Summit at Cannon Beach, Dr. Joe was leading. He invited me to come after I finished classes. The circle of 40 pastors sang, prayed, and waited on the Lord…..It was one of those cherished moments when the Lord’s presence was palpable… no one moved or spoke for several minutes until one said, “Lord, we don’t want to leave. Your presence is wonderful.” And we stayed in silence longer…then went to dinner. Dr. Joe Aldrich experienced his final commencement, and he enjoys the Lord’s presence now and forever.

Wish I could have attended the memorial service … I had a class in Daniel/Revelation to teach that day (Dan. 12:2-3).

Extreme Makeover in Race Relations — UHD 14:6

Racist attitudes in North American churches persist. Sometimes blacks and whites are suspicious of each other.  Skin-color or physical appearance is not the only factor that puts up walls between ethnic groups. The language barrier makes some Americans feel like they’re living in a foreign country.  Some Koreans and Hispanics have their own churches.  The pain of feeling uncomfortable at church seems to be the main barrier for most people of any nationality.

Highly charged racial tension existed in NT times too, between Jews & Gentiles.  Herod’s Temple compound in Jerusalem had an outer court that was referred to as the Court of the Gentiles. Gentiles were excluded from entering into any of the inner courts by signs in Greek and Latin that warned that the penalty for trespassing by any Gentile was death.  Jews avoided Gentiles.

The Jews’ attitude to Gentiles was based on misuse of God’s Mosaic law.  God did make a clear distinction between Israel and the Gentiles in his OT instructions.  God favors one ethnic group, Israel, more than others.  When Jesus began his ministry he instructed his disciples, “Don’t go to the Gentiles, go to lost sheep of Israel…”

Ephesians 2:11-22 teaches that God temporarily suspended his racial preference when he formed the Church.  Though God still has a future for ethnic Israel after the rapture of the Church, right now God put aside those racial preferences to create unity ethnically. This is not God’s eternal intention, however. The Church does not replace Israel. God made promises to the nation of Israel that included land and descendants forever that are not yet fulfilled.  God will keep his promises made to Israel in the future, but for now, God set up racial equality in the Church.

The fact of racial equality in the Church does not mean that everyone in the Church is equal.  We tend to believe that Abraham Lincoln was right to say “all men are created equal.” This statement by Lincoln was designed to recognize that any human being from any race is created by God in the image of God.  His intent was not to say everyone is equal in position or roles.  That would contradict his position of authority as President of the United States.  Perhaps Lincoln’s words fuel broad egalitarian philosophy for Christian thinking today.  Equality in Jesus Christ does not mean that everyone is equally mature or wise.  Equality in Christ does not require that official positions of leadership or authority be eliminated.

What God did was temporarily break down the barrier between Jews and Gentiles to build a racially unified Church.

At this point in history, God set aside or temporarily removed His racial preference for Israel to create ethnic unity in the Church.  God now includes Gentiles with Jews to build a racially unified Church in an extreme relational makeover.

Where are we looking? — UHD 14:6

We need a balance. Showing tangible expressions of Jesus’ love helps people to see Jesus’ love. It is my opinion that Christians should be among the best stewards of God’s creation and should show compassion for the poor, oppressed, and homeless. I would by all means become all things to whatever audience in order that by any means possible, someone would come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. But the goal of these earthly pursuits is clear in Scripture. What does it profit the people of this world to have their house rebuilt or their bank accounts balanced if they lose their own soul for all eternity? On the other hand, how can I say that my faith is real if I close my pocketbook or become stingy with my time?

When the church puts too much emphasis on the things of this earth, they lose their unique purpose in this earth. If we are more impressed by the things that we can see with our physical eyes than we are by the things that we do not see that are eternal, then we look like any humanitarian philanthropist rather than someone who is “called out” of this world.

Putting too much of our time, money, energy and resources into material or financial things is a bad investment. Everything that we see with our physical eyes is temporary. What we do not see is spiritual and eternal. We are told by God to focus on the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, not on the things of this earth. At the same time, a season of service to help someone put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ makes the investment worth it.

In my opinion, when these pursuits are out of balance, another vital element of our Christian life is lost. When we become earthbound to tangible things we see, we undermine the importance of faith in Christian living. Faith looks at things that cannot be seen and is certain of those things. When we turn our attention to creation care and building houses we tend to ignore heavenly things that we cannot see and as an unintended result we diminish the importance of faith.

^NIV Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

^NAU 2 Corinthians 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

^NAU 1 Peter 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

^NAU Colossians 3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Ambassadors charged with interference with the internal affairs of the host country

Jesus said “my kingdom is not of this world.” Instead, Jesus has commissioned every Christian to be an ambassador of his heavenly kingdom, to serve as an official representative of the Lord Jesus Christ to the “foreign culture” found on this earth. An ambassador is a citizen of the sending country, not the host country. As ambassadors of Christ, our job is to take the message of the gospel to every person in the host country, not to change its laws or social structures.

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is an international treaty adopted on 18 April 1961 by the United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities held in Vienna, Austria, from 2 March to 14 April. Article 41 of the Vienna Convention states that it is the job of an ambassador to “respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.”

When Jesus came into the world, people wanted Jesus to take over the earth and make it His kingdom and enforce His laws on the culture. But that was not his appointed mission, nor is it the Church’s appointed mission. Jesus did not seek to change one social structure, one civil or criminal system, or even organize to reach the poor and disenfranchised of the world. Since God made us ambassadors, we have no authority from God to change governments, social structures or laws, or to interfere in the internal political affairs of the receiving country of this world.

Let’s be faithful to maintain the priority of our appointed task as ambassadors who are citizens of heaven, not earth.

John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

18:37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Will the Church Transform the World? — UHD 14:6

Jesus suggests a negative answer.  “Narrow is the way, and few there be who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). According to Jesus, “narrow is the way.” Most people will reject the Truth, and Jesus Christ is the Truth. They will also reject His Body, the Church (John 15:19). For that reason, the Church will never bring in the kingdom or transform the whole world. Jesus Christ will do that himself when He returns.

When Jesus said “narrow is the way,” He knew that He is the only way to heaven (Acts 4:12) and to the presence of the Father (John 14:6 processor of this UHD blog). This is the nature of truth. Truth is very narrow. For example, to reach this blog you entered the true address that led you to this blog. If you deviate, differ, swerve away, add to, change, or say that the truth of the address of this blog doesn’t matter is to miss everything in the blog. If you deviate, differ, swerve away, add to, change, or say that the truth of Jesus as the only way doesn’t matter, it will lead only to destruction (Matt.7:13).

Any so-called church or Christian who leaves out Jesus Christ is missing everything. God did not give us many roads to heaven and His presence. He gave us one way. Jesus is not one option among many. He is not one of the electives that might be chosen along with other viable choices. Jesus Christ is the narrow way because He is the truth, and Jesus said that few will find this narrow way. The impact of this minority on a world stage that rejected Jesus Christ might not be very great.

What does this mean for the ultimate effectiveness of the Church to change the world or to bring social, structural change? The minority Church should not assume that it will be able to transform the whole world, nor should that structural approach toward evil consume the majority of any local church’s mission, goals, or time. The Church’s mission is to reach people with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only way, and leave the results to God. Only when people are transformed from the inside out will the change be lasting and effective.

No Tolerance for Intolerant Inspectors — UHD 14:6

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to find a flaw in this thing.”

“A flaw?  Who cares?  This structure serves a greater purpose.  You are too picky.  Nothing is perfect. You need to loosen up and be more tolerant of flaws.”

 

So they left the primary support for the huge bridge like it was.  Traffic was heavy on the bridge because it worked.   After all, this bridge was doing something useful and helpful, such as connecting people.

 

This kind of thinking that produces sloppy inspection of a physical bridge that puts lives in physical danger would not be tolerated.

 

How much more should we be careful of the ways we carry the precious cargo of the gospel to reach out and connect with people’s souls and eternal destinies?

Careful inspection of a personal bridge that might put souls in eternal danger should not only be tolerated, but encouraged.

 

Gal. 1:6-9;  Acts 20:29-31; 1 Cor. 6:13; 1 Pet. 5:8

The Emerging Asceticism — UHD 14:6

Why, as if we are living in an earth-bound world, do we submit to decrees such as “Creation care, ending poverty, and health care?”  All of these are destined to perish with use. 

God says, “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ²¹ “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” ²² (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)– in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? ²³ These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence”  (Col. 2:20-23).

 

 

Does Green Trump Business? — UHD 14:6

The young man went to his usual supplier and discovered that the cost of materials rose so high that his family’s small business could no longer be viable in the market.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Wood is becoming more and more scarce” his supplier said. “It is in very high demand right now. The world is going green, laws were passed, and now cutting down trees is severely restricted and regulated. You know, mother earth and all that.”

The young man and his dad probably made the chairs and the table where the lawmakers made the decision.

Jesus left the store empty-handed, wondering what his dad, Joseph, would do next. The lawmakers did find enough wood to eventually nail Jesus to a tree.

The Gospel According to Jeans ‘R Us — UHD 14:6

“Nobody’s listening. They’ve lost touch with reality.”

“They don’t even care about God’s creation, they disengage from culture, they talk as if they know it all, and they run over people with their hierarchal attitudes. They don’t even agree among themselves to the point where there’s no unity.”

 

“They think it’s enough to tell people how Jesus died on the cross, rose again from the dead, and how He will forgive their sin. I mean, is that all? C’mon, we see the gospel as being about conforming this world to heaven in a holistic way.”

 

“Let’s plant a church that focuses on the whole message of Christ, and emphasize creation care and stewardship of the environment.”

 

Great idea. We’ll have unity in the church then too.”