Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Thinking About the Tucson Tragedy...

In light of last weekend's tragic violence in Tuscon, Arizona, I have been praying for the families and churches in their efforts to comfort the grieving. Whenever such an event strikes a community, there are seldom any clear answers for the pain and suffering of those involved.

As I have been following the media coverage, I have noticed some typical trends. First, many on the political left began to insinuate or outright state that the harsh anti-government rhetoric coming from some conservatives was to blame. Then, after more information revealed that such a connection could NOT be made, conservatives struck back by pointing out that according to mounting evidence, it seemed that the shooting suspect was more in line with extreme non-conservative ideology (Communism, atheism, nihilism, etc.).

Of course, the gun-control activists immediately began to shout about the need for tougher gun laws - to which the other side reminded the public that guns cannot be blamed for killing people any more than cars can (a perspective with which I happen to agree). And in the midst of it all, there is a (probably needful) debate now raging about whether our society is addressing issues of mental illness as seriously as we should be.

I'm not able to say anything authoritatively about that last issue, but what this entire tragedy has demonstrated to me above all else is the call for the Body of Christ to be more alert to the struggles of people around us. I believe that Jared Loughner should be held responsible for his actions and punished to the full extent of the Law. At the same time, I am bothered by the increasing evidence which suggests that Tuscon might have been spared of Jared's actions had family, friends, law-enforcement and the Body of Christ taken his unusual temperament more seriously.

It causes me to do a real gut-check and ask myself - are there people in my life that I intentionally avoid because they are too "weird" or "inconvenient" for me? Are there blind-spots in my day-to-day hurriedness which cause me to miss out on opportunities to minister to those who are struggling spiritually or psychologically? I'm almost positive that the answer is at least SOMETIMES yes. What about you? Any thoughts or comments are welcome....

Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Rotten Fruit of Religion

This week I'm preaching on one of the most famous passages in the Bible - Genesis 3. I love this passage for many reasons, not the least of which is because it establishes both our need for AND God's promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the major elements of the passage which is overlooked by some readers is verse 7 - is where Adam and Eve realize they are naked for the very first time and they end up sewing fig leaves together in order to cover themselves.

I've heard many people say that after Adam and Eve rebelled - we immediately see the sin of murder (referring to Genesis 4 and the story of Cain and Abel). While that tragic event is indeed a significant development in the story of the fall of humanity - it is NOT the first sin following the fall. In fact, the first sin after their initial rebellion was NOT more blatant rebellion. Far from it! In reality, it was a sad turning to RELIGION. Yes, that's right, religion!

Rather than running into the loving arms of a forgiving God in the quest for restoration, Adam and Eve tried to cover their own shame by the work of their own hands. This is classic religious legalism in its rawest form. And what was the result of the very first act of religion recorded in the Bible? The same thing legalism creates today, including...

1) Secrecy - Adam knew he had sinned, so he "hid" from God

2) Fear - Adam told God, "I was afraid, so I hid"

3) Judgmentalism - Adam blamed Eve (and he even tried to blame God for giving creating Eve), and Eve blamed the serpent

I'm sure there are more items I could add to the list, but these three illustrate my point very well. Secrecy, fear and judgmentalism are all evidence of the rotten fruit of religion. If you or someone you know is part of a religious movement where these realities exist, perhaps it is time to consider whether Jesus had something better in mind for you when He hung on the cross to forgive ALL of your sins. The Apostle Paul wrote: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

If you are striving to "live for God" by surrendering yourself to rigorous disciplinary techniques, harsh self-denial or other shame-based, guilt-ridden approaches, why not be done with that and instead trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ once and for all? Why wallow in that pit of self-deprecation when Jesus has offered to live His supernatural life through you, rather than you striving to "live for Him"? This subtle but crucial shift in your understanding can make all the difference in the world as you begin to realize that true godliness comes as the result of RESTING in Him rather than WRESTLING against yourself.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Throw Your Resolutions out the Window?

So its been a couple of months since I last posted on Raw and Relevant. Tonight is New Years and I enjoyed the evening celebrating with some close friends and family. One of the things I love about New Years is that it represents new beginnings and fresh starts - things for which every human being longs.

The down side to New Years is that it is only available once every 365 days. In ancient Israel, the Hebrews celebrated Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement - at which time the High Priest would make an elaborate annual sacrifice on behalf of the sins of the entire nation. What a day of celebration following this event - to know and rest assured that sins were atoned for! And yet - the book of Hebrews tells us that this annual event was only a shadow of things to come, when Jesus Christ would offer Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (see Hebrews 10:1-18)!

As wonderful as it is to celebrate the newness of a brand new year - it pales in comparison to the daily celebration we can experience as believers in a God whose mercies are new EVERY single morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)! No longer in need of a human priest to whom we confess our sins - we can rest assured of Christ's complete cleansing from the moment we first believe in Him. When we confess our sins (i.e. become Christians) - He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (past, present and future) and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. How much unrighteousness? That's right - ALL.

If you are into making New Years resolutions (I am not) then how about this one above all others? Resolve to respond to the invitation offered by the author of Hebrews to "struggle to enter into that rest" that Jesus has provided for us through His all-sufficient death, burial and resurrection. Rather than making promises you probably won't keep - or attempting to "turn over a new leaf" - how about committing to learning to REST in the completed work of Christ? He has fulfilled the Law on your behalf, so the pressure to perform is now OFF! Instead of striving to live a righteous life by rigid discipline or self-effort, how about abandoning yourself to the supernatural life of Jesus Christ living through you as the temple of His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)? It's a much more joyous way to live - and its the only real way to begin experiencing lasting peace and holy living.

In essence, I'm saying "Throw your resolutions out the window" in favor of the life-giving Spirit of Christ living HIS otherwise impossible-to-live life through you! Instead of striving to become a "better person" - take Jesus up on His offer to "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-burdened, and you will find rest for your souls"! How ironic that God knows that "resting" in him would be a "struggle" for us (Hebrew 4:11)! How ironic that being a disciple of Jesus is more about giving up than it is about trying harder! Jesus' approach is always unconventional, usually surprising, and NEVER dull or mundane. What do you think? Isn't it about time you tried it HIS way?

Happy New Year 2011!!!