I Get It. Finally. In the Summer of 2008, I began the journey of reading the Bible through in a year. I have been a Sunday School teacher or BFG teacher for 20 years and yet I don't know that I had read every word of the Bible. Now after completing the journey, I know that I have now, in fact, read every word (even though it ended up taking me 18 months).
As I read every book from Genesis to Revelation, one theme continued to show up no matter where I was reading. It showed up in the Old and New Testaments. It showed up in the historical books as well as the major and minor prophets. It was obvious in the gospels and ever apparent in the episitles.
The theme keeping beating me over the head. The theme suggested that the call to be a follower of Christ was much more demanding and sacrificial than the life that I had been leading. The follower of Christ looked much different than I thought it was supposed to look. As I read, the words of my wise wife keep ringing in my ears. "Jesus took care of the physical needs before he took care of the spiritual needs" she would say.
Scripture after scripture would seem to read, "what are you doing to take care of the poor, the hungry, the naked, and the widows?" It was everywhere. I could not escape it. It was especially tough to read since the answer was invariably, "Nothing". Don't get me wrong, I have been serving in numerous places in the church. I teach two BFG's, serve on the Finance Committee, serve as Deacon, and participate in the Christmas Journey. Those are all great areas of service. The problem is which of these even remotely impacts the poor, needy, sick, widow, etc? None of them. Where was/is my obedience to Matthew 25:31-46?
Correspondingly, I have been reading a book called the "Soul of Money" by Lynne Twist. While I don't agree with everything she says in the book, it does have a common theme with Scripture. "What are you doing to help those in need?"
Then I started reading (actually listening to) "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. Ouch. I cannot get away. What I have believed to be the Christian life the last 37 years may in fact fall dramatically short of God's desire.
The question remains...What I am going to do about it?
To Be Continued....
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Who is Jesus?
"And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man." others said, "No, he is leading the people astray." John 7:12
"The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?" John 7:15
"Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where he comes from and when the Christ appears, no one will konw where he comes from." John 7:25-27
Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?" John 7:31
When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This really is the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?.... So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. John 7:40-41,43
As you can see, in chapter 7 of the gospel of John, there is great interest and confusion over who Jesus really is. As I read these verses and the questions being asked, I am stuck by how similar these questions are to the ones asked today about Jesus.
"The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?" John 7:15
"Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where he comes from and when the Christ appears, no one will konw where he comes from." John 7:25-27
Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?" John 7:31
When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This really is the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?.... So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. John 7:40-41,43
As you can see, in chapter 7 of the gospel of John, there is great interest and confusion over who Jesus really is. As I read these verses and the questions being asked, I am stuck by how similar these questions are to the ones asked today about Jesus.
- Was he just a good man?
- Was he just a good teacher?
- Was he crazy or mentally unstable?
- Was he the Son of God, Christ, Messiah?
The words and actions of Jesus do not allow us to treat his identity and character casually. He is either a liar, a lunitic or he is Lord. Everyone of us, as believers and even non-believers for that matter, must answer the following questions:
- Who is Jesus?
- Do we believe it?
- Does it show?
As I am now venturing through my second time of reading the Bible through in a year, I seem to be reminded repeatedly as I read that what it means to follow Christ is much different than what I have believed it to be in the past. To follow Christ means to be obedient and in ways that I think we have neglected. God makes it clear throughout his word what he demands of us. We just have to read it to know what that is. I am afraid what I have believed for much of my Christian life to be a Christ-like life falls way short of what it really means to follow him. How about you?
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