I’m not sure what sort of carpentry Jesus did. Since he is the Son of God, you just sort of think about him being born knowing how to do everything, right? You can picture Him walking into Joseph’s shop as a 2-year old saying, “Daddy, I help!” and then building an intricate model house or something.
But Jesus was a man. He had to learn things like everybody else. I’m sure he hit his thumb with a hammer, and I’m sure he didn’t always saw straight lines. Maybe he wasn’t even a very good carpenter, I don’t know.
But he did have one specialty, one thing he was really good at making that he left as a legacy. A table.
The center of our life together as Christians is not a sermon. It is not a song. It is not an altar. The center of our life together is a table. The table of the Lord. Holy Communion. The Eucharist. The body and the blood. The sacrament that was given to us by our Lord Himself, with the gentle command, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
Jesus didn’t want us to remember him at a bloody altar of sacrifice. He wanted us to remember Him at a table.
There is a lot that happens at the table. Family dinners. Business deals. First dates. Old friends catching up. Lives being shared. And hopefully, some really good food.
And as we know, the table of the Lord signifies the profound truth that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
At this table, we remember the One who was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. We remember the One who knew no sin and yet became sin. We remember the body that was broken, and the blood that was shed as a ransom for many. We remember that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. We remember the crucified and resurrected Christ. This table stands as a symbol of the grace that is available to those who are in Christ.
And yet this table is more than just a symbol. Now, I don’t believe that the elements literally become the body and blood of Jesus. But there is a mystery beyond the metaphor.
In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer says it this way – “Ever since Jesus Christ sat at table with his disciples, the table fellowship has been blessed by his presence.”
At this table there is forgiveness. At this table there is a renewed relationship with our Maker. At this table there is shalom. At this table there is mercy. At this table – there is eternal life.
The table is a statement about how we relate to God. There is a vertical dimension to it. But that is not all…
This table has a lot to say about how we relate to each other as human beings, as children of God. This table is the centerpiece of a new way of life, a new fellowship that is IN CHRIST.
So what does it mean for those who find themselves sitting next to each other, and across from each other at this table? How does this table change the way we live?
A couple years ago I went to my church's men's retreat. There were a lot of team activities on the agenda that year, so all the guys were separated into groups. Each team was identified by a color, and each person on the team had a bandana of that color. The games we played and the group discussions we had were great. But I found it interesting how the teams sort of naturally grouped together, even in non-activity times. The red team hung out together, as did the blue and the yellow. And there was of course nothing wrong with this. But it just struck me how quickly people form groups and identify themselves with those groups.
It’s as if we are hard-wired to separate – like there’s something in us that needs to put up walls. And there are a lot of different reasons for that. Some of them aren't all bad. Common experiences, common tastes in music or art, etc. In a sense, these things bring people together, but it is often at the exclusion of others.
And think of all the things that separate human beings from other human beings. Race, color, nationality, language, political views, culture, economic status... The list goes on an on. We identify ourselves with a particular way, and then often give minds over to this notion of US verses THEM.
Philip Yancey says, “Grace dies when it becomes US versus THEM.”
But at the table of the Lord, we find reconciliation. Listen to these words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:
"For Christ himself has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one people. He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us. By his death he ended the whole system of Jewish law that excluded the Gentiles. His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. He has brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and to us Jews who were near. Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family."
The cross, and consequently the table, not only reconciles us to God, but also to each other. Walls come down. In this passage, Paul speaks of the divide between Jews and Gentiles that was abolished in Jesus Christ – that He made us all one people.
I just get this picture of Jesus stretching His arms out on the cross – taking one group with his left hand and the other with his right and bringing them together and saying, “Peace, be still.”
One translation refers to this as the New Humanity. One body. One people. A dwelling place for God.
Rob Bell says it this way: “God is retelling each of our stories in Jesus.” We have a new primary identity. A new “bloodline” – the blood of Jesus. And what we have in common is greater than what separates us.
Later in chapter four, Paul says, “Always keep yourself united in the Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us.”
The table is a place where relationships are mended. In Matthew 5, Jesus said, "So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”
Reconciliation is a big deal to God. He’s in the business of tearing down walls.
And when those walls that separate us come down, what do we find?
There is Greek word that I think best describes it: "koinonia." It means fellowship, where the sharing of lives takes place. At the table, we have true fellowship with each other. Our lives are “redemptively entangled."
Bonhoeffer says, “Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.”
Koinonia is a gift. It does not originate with us. It is granted to us by a loving Father who has poured out His love upon us.
Think of how you have benefited from the blessings of fellowship and community. We all have stories. And these stories remind us of how much we need each other.
This table reminds us of our dependence on each other, and our obligation to each other.
Again, Bonhoeffer – “The table fellowship of Christians implies obligation. It is OUR daily bread that we eat, not my own. We share our bread. Thus we are firmly bound to one another not only in the Spirit but in our whole physical being… Not until one person desires to keep his own bread for himself does hunger ensue.”
Recently, I was thinking about where it says that Jesus had compassion on the multitudes, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then in the scene of Peter’s restoration, Jesus says to him, “Feed my sheep. Feed my lambs.” He knew he was leaving, and he wanted his compassion and care to be lived out through his followers.
We see this even before he was crucified. In John 13, Jesus says, “Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me… So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
The table is a gift of fellowship that was purchased at a great cost to Jesus. It is where we belong. And it is consequently a witness to the world around us…
Now, as we gather around this table, everything is perfect, right? No domestic disputes. No food fights. Just one big happy family, right?
Jesus Christ may have torn down the wall of separation, but we still sometimes have difficulty getting along with each other. Is that a fair assessment?
Everyone is different. Different needs. Different opinions. Different hang-ups.
And here’s the thing – Jesus set this table. And that means we don’t get to decide who belongs and who doesn’t. We don’t even necessarily get to decide who we sit next to and across from.
But remember this: who was Jesus fond of eating with? As Brennan Manning says, “Jesus ate with ragamuffins.” He ate with “sinners.” And that was such a radical thing to do, because to sit down at table with someone signified acceptance and brotherhood.
And what about now, 2000 years later? Who do you think he would eat with today?
Am I willing to eat with “sinners?” And can I enjoy it like he did?
The table is a space for grace. Here we find that God is merciful and gracious to us. We don’t have to be afraid. We confess our sins to God, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And we must also be prepared to confess our sins to each other. And that takes an atmosphere of grace.
In his book What’s So Amazing About Grace, Philip Yancey gives this exhortation:
“All of us need grace-healed eyes to see the potential in others for the same grace that God has so lavishly bestowed on us.”
We can extend grace because we have received it. And if we ever forget how destitute we are – how dependant we are on the mercy of God – we will be lifted up in pride, and look down on others.
Remember the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee and the tax collector? The Pharisee lifted up an eloquent prayer of thanks to God, which included thanks that he wasn't like the tax collector. He was better than such scum. But the tax collector couldn't even lift his face, and prayed, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner." And Jesus said that he was actually the one who went away right with God - not the Pharisee who seemed to have it all together.
Now, perceived sinfulness is not the only reason that people look down on other people. There are all sorts of things that make some people feel superior to others. A lot of these things have to do with social or economic status. Now we’re talking about walls again.
But at the table of the Lord, we find a new, counterintuitive, Kingdom-centered set of social values.
Now, have you ever noticed how the Kingdom of God sometimes just seems upside down and backwards? It’s not at all according to the way the world sees things, and not even necessarily according to common sense. The first shall be last. Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. Become like a child.
The Beatitudes immediately come to mind. Listen to the rearranged priorities in this list in Luke 6:
"Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for the time will come when you will laugh with joy. God blesses you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man. "When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were also treated that way by your ancestors. "What sorrows await you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. What sorrows await you who are satisfied and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger is before you. What sorrows await you who laugh carelessly, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. What sorrows await you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets."
This is completely counterintuitive. In a commentary on this passage, Michael Wilcock says, “In the life of God’s people, it will be seen first of all a remarkable reversal of values. The people of God will prize what the world calls pitiable and suspect what the world thinks desirable.”
I think God likes the underdog. I mean, he is always taking an unlikely hero and doing great things through them. Moses. David. Gideon. Peter. Paul.
And this is because he gets the glory for it. But I think his propensity toward those who are helpless also shows his heart of compassion. The poor, marginalized, oppressed and downtrodden are high on his agenda.
In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning says, “A living God can and does make his presence felt… Such an experience is pure grace to the poor, the children and the sinners, the privileged types in the Gospel of grace.”
You see, at the foot of the cross, and at the table – EVERYONE IS EQUAL. We are all the same. There is no privileged class, no VIPs. If anything, it’s the poor and destitute that are the VIPs.
Listen to the harsh rebuke of James:
"My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than others? For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor" -- well, doesn't this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives? Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? And yet, you insult the poor man! Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord's royal command found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if you pay special attention to the rich, you are committing a sin, for you are guilty of breaking that law."
I read a prayer once from a 10-year old boy in Philadelphia that I found interesting: “Dear God, please make all the poor people rich and all the rich people poor. Then bring us all back to medium so we will take better care of each other. Amen.”
We are commanded to care for each other. And the table reminds us of that.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul says, “It's not the Lord's Supper you are concerned about when you come together. For I am told that some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. What? Is this really true? Don't you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace the church of God and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say about these things? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly do not!”
1 John 3:17 says, “If anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help – how can God’s love be in that person?”
In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Paul says, “Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life.”
God has a lot to say about how we treat the poor.
Now, watching Scrooge give the prize turkey to the Cratchit family in A Christmas Carol can stir up all sorts of warm fuzzies about helping the poor. But as you may know, real life is not necessarily as warm and fuzzy. Any interaction between people, especially where there is money involved, has the potential of going south really quick. It’s hard. It’s messy. It’s life.
But remember the words of Jesus – “Whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done it unto me.”
Bonhoeffer says, “The exclusion of the weak and insignificant, the seemingly useless people, from a Christian community may actually mean the exclusion of Christ; in the poor brother Christ is knocking at the door.”
This table is a place of safety for those who are on the margins, forgotten by society. At this table, everyone is welcome.
In Luke 14, we read of an interesting interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees."
"One Sabbath day Jesus was in the home of a leader of the Pharisees... When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: "If you are invited to a wedding feast, don't always head for the best seat. What if someone more respected than you has also been invited? The host will say, 'Let this person sit here instead.' Then you will be embarrassed and will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! "Do this instead -- sit at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place than this for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored." Then he turned to his host. "When you put on a luncheon or a dinner," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will repay you by inviting you back. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you."
This is the kind of table Jesus has set. This is the kind of party he has planned.
So what does this table mean for those outside the fellowship – for the world outside our windows?
I once heard Tony Campolo say, “The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its non-members.”
Tim Keller says it this way – “The church is a counter-cultural community for the common good.”
You see, this table is not just a place where we gather to receive and share.
It’s not just a “holy huddle.” It is a reminder of what we are called to be and do.
Oswald Chambers has this to say, “Quit praying about yourself and be spent for others as the bondslave of Jesus. That is the meaning of being made broken bread and poured out wine in reality.”
Rob Bell talks about this in his book Jesus Wants to Save Christians. What if when Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” he wasn’t only talking about a ritual? What if the “do this” was a whole way of life?
When we come to this table, we partake of the body of Christ. And we remember that we ARE the body of Christ. And the servant is not greater than his master. His body was broken and his blood was poured out. And like Chambers says, we too are broken and poured out for the world that God so loves, which may not be all that receptive.
And this is the real challenge that we find at the table. We all know the Psalm that says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” What if those enemies are the ones we are called to love? What if Jesus says, “I have prepared a place for them too.”
When Jesus was on the cross, he said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they're doing.”
This is the table of the Lord. A table where there is room for enemies. A table where Paul and Stephen can sit down together as brothers. Where Philemon and Onesimus come as family. Where Irish Catholics and Protestants dine. Where white and black South Africans laugh together. Where Palestinians and Israelis make peace. And maybe some Red Sox fans and some Yankee fans even mend their differences too.
This is the table of the Lord.
And this table is itself a shadow of another table – of a feast – not one of remembrance, but one of celebration. Where people from every tribe, tongue and nation gather together for a party – a wedding. This is the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And Jesus will wipe away every tear. And he will make all things new.
And until then, we come to this table in anticipation of that great day. And we tell the story of Jesus, which has become our story. And we remember that we have been reconciled to God, and we to each other.
And at this table, we share the bread of life.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
U2:10
On this St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be appropriate to pay some tribute to the greatest Irish band of all time, who also happens to be the greatest band of all time (and coincidentally, also my favorite band of all time).
Here are my ten favorite U2 songs. Now, I have to qualify this list by saying that these are my current favorites. Some of them would be on any U2 "best of" list, but some of them are more obscure. And there are certainly some notable songs that are not on the list, like "Beautiful Day," "I Will Follow," and most notably absent is "Pride (In the Name of Love)." So this is not a list of the biggest hits. It is simply a list of my current favorites - the songs that really get me.
And I have to say, choosing my "favorite" U2 songs is hard to do. How do you select a few songs from such an incredible song catalogue? But, nonetheless, I have constructed a list...because that's what I do. I make lists.
I've also posted YouTube videos of each song.
So here we go:
10. Grace
So we start off with a song from "All That You Can't Leave Behind," which had a number of radio hits. I don't think this song was ever released as a single. They didn't even play this song live when I saw them on the Elevation tour.
The reason I picked this song is the lyrics. It gets me every time. It's a song of second chances - of beauty from ashes. I won't list all of the lyrics, but here is a portion of it from the end of the song:
What once was hurt, what once was friction
What left a mark no longer stings
Because grace makes beauty out of ugly things
9. When I Look at the World
Another song from "All That You Can't Leave Behind" that never got airplay. This song gives me chills when I hear it. It's a song of desparation and angst at the condition of things - one that wants to have hope but cannot escape despair. And it is this gut-wrenching honesty that makes so many of U2's resonate.
So I try to be like you
Try to feel it like you do
But without you it's no use
I can't see what you see
When I look at the world
8. Ultraviolet
Now, this is one of the best obscure U2 songs ever. At least it was. They pulled this one out during the encores on the 360 tour and performed it on the late night shows. Bono's jacket was shining lights everywhere and he was singing into this cool retro mic. It was awesome. I was pleased to see that the song finally got some of the glory it deserves.
Baby, baby, baby, light my way!
7. Bad
If you twist and turn away
If you tear yourself in two again
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would let it go
Surrender
Dislocate
This song is originally from "The Unforgettable Fire," but my favorite version is the live version from the "Rattle and Hum" movie. Almost the entire song goes back and forth between two chords. And I guess that mirrors the longing of the lyric - trapped, but yearning to break free - going back and forth. Like "Running to Stand Still" from "The Joshua Tree," it brings you into the desparation of addiction. And yet, it just sounds so hopeful - so heavenly.
Let it go, and so to fade away
I'm wide awake!
6. Sunday Bloody Sunday
This is perhaps one of the most gut-wrenching songs they have ever written. Inspired by the violence in their home country, it is an indictment of the war and violence that steals the lives of the innocent. It is also serves as a wake-up call.
And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and T.V. is reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
It's originally from the "War" album, but again, my favorite version if from the "Rattle and Hum" movie, which includes a passionate speech by Bono, prompted by the bombing of a veterans parade. I get chills just thinking about it.
5. One
From "Achtung Baby," this is one of the first U2 songs I ever heard. It's also one of many U2 songs that my band attempted to cover back in the day. It's a beautiful song of pain and lament. Simply iconic.
Did I ask too much, more than a lot
You gave me nothing now it's all I got
We're one but we're not the same
Well we hurt each other then we do it again
You say love is a temple, love a higher law
Love is a temple, love the higher law
You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on to what you got
When all you got is hurt...
One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other
4. Miracle Drug
So the list so far has had plenty of desperation and angst (and there's more to come). But this song from "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is a song of unabashed hope. It's a countepart to "When I Look at the World." Things can be different. Another world is possible.
Of science and the human heart there is no limit
There is no failure here sweetheart, just when you quit
I am you and you are mine
Love makes nonsense of space and time will disappear
Love and logic keep us clear
Reason is on our side, love
The songs are in your eyes, I see them when you smile
I've had enough of romantic love
I'd give it up, yeah, I'd give it up
For a miracle, a miracle drug
This song gives me hope. I remember listening to it while I was in Ethiopia, and it helped me to remember why I was doing what I was doing.
Beneath the noise, below the din
I hear a voice, it's whispering
In science and in medicine
"I was a stranger, you took me in"
Bono has done so much to raise awareness and inspire action in areas of global poverty and disease, especially in Africa. If you haven't already, you should go to ONE.ORG and join the ONE Campaign, and join the movement to "help make poverty history."
3. With or Without You
Okay, now we're into the top three. And these three songs really can't be separated. They are the first three tracks from "The Joshua Tree" - the greatest album of all time (and also my favorite album).
"With or Without You" is simple but brilliant musically. It has a similar lyrical feel to "One." If ever there was a song that portrayed being torn, this is it.
My hands are tied
My body bruised, she's got me with
Nothing to win and nothing left to lose
And you give yourself away
With or without you
I can't live with or without you
I think there are a lot of layers of meaning in the lyrics. But I won't bore you with my analysis. Just listen to it for yourself, and see what you get!
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
This the quintessential song of searching, of questioning, of wrestling. It's a modern Gospel tune for the wandering seeker.
I have climbed highest mountain, I have run through the fields
Only to be with you, only to be with you
I have run, I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls, only to be with you
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
I've heard people question the honest questioning of this song, and want to give the song a happy ending like "Now that I've found Jesus, I've found what I'm looking for." And maybe I used to think like that. But the power of this song is it's honest yearning. It's a song of fulfillment and unfulfillment at the same time. I can hear David in it. I can hear Paul. And I can hear myself.
I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well yes I'm still running
You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains
Carried the cross and all my shame, All my shame
You know I believed it
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
The original version is great, but the "Rattle and Hum" version, which they perform with a Gospel choir, is great too!
1. Where the Streets Have No Name
Track number one on the best album of all time. It really doesn't get any better than this. I will resist the urge to expound on what the lyrics mean to me, and just led you be impacted by the lyrics themselves:
I want to run, I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside
I want to reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name
I want to feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do
The city's aflood and our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind trampled in dust
I'll show you a place high on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do
Our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind, blown by the wind
Oh, and I see love, see our love turn to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind , blown by the wind
Oh, when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do
My most vivid memory from the first time I saw U2 in concert was this song. The lights were low when they started playing it, and then when the song kicked in, all these bright gold lights came up. And I looked all around the stadium at the thousands of people there singing along. And I thought of the day in the age to come when people of every nation, tribe and tongue will gather around the throne of God to worship. Needless to say, I had a moment.
So there you have it, my current Top Ten list. I would love to have some feedback on your favorite U2 songs, and why you like them. Just leave a quick comment and join the conversation.
Here are my ten favorite U2 songs. Now, I have to qualify this list by saying that these are my current favorites. Some of them would be on any U2 "best of" list, but some of them are more obscure. And there are certainly some notable songs that are not on the list, like "Beautiful Day," "I Will Follow," and most notably absent is "Pride (In the Name of Love)." So this is not a list of the biggest hits. It is simply a list of my current favorites - the songs that really get me.
And I have to say, choosing my "favorite" U2 songs is hard to do. How do you select a few songs from such an incredible song catalogue? But, nonetheless, I have constructed a list...because that's what I do. I make lists.
I've also posted YouTube videos of each song.
So here we go:
10. Grace
So we start off with a song from "All That You Can't Leave Behind," which had a number of radio hits. I don't think this song was ever released as a single. They didn't even play this song live when I saw them on the Elevation tour.
The reason I picked this song is the lyrics. It gets me every time. It's a song of second chances - of beauty from ashes. I won't list all of the lyrics, but here is a portion of it from the end of the song:
What once was hurt, what once was friction
What left a mark no longer stings
Because grace makes beauty out of ugly things
9. When I Look at the World
Another song from "All That You Can't Leave Behind" that never got airplay. This song gives me chills when I hear it. It's a song of desparation and angst at the condition of things - one that wants to have hope but cannot escape despair. And it is this gut-wrenching honesty that makes so many of U2's resonate.
So I try to be like you
Try to feel it like you do
But without you it's no use
I can't see what you see
When I look at the world
8. Ultraviolet
Now, this is one of the best obscure U2 songs ever. At least it was. They pulled this one out during the encores on the 360 tour and performed it on the late night shows. Bono's jacket was shining lights everywhere and he was singing into this cool retro mic. It was awesome. I was pleased to see that the song finally got some of the glory it deserves.
Baby, baby, baby, light my way!
7. Bad
If you twist and turn away
If you tear yourself in two again
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would let it go
Surrender
Dislocate
This song is originally from "The Unforgettable Fire," but my favorite version is the live version from the "Rattle and Hum" movie. Almost the entire song goes back and forth between two chords. And I guess that mirrors the longing of the lyric - trapped, but yearning to break free - going back and forth. Like "Running to Stand Still" from "The Joshua Tree," it brings you into the desparation of addiction. And yet, it just sounds so hopeful - so heavenly.
Let it go, and so to fade away
I'm wide awake!
6. Sunday Bloody Sunday
This is perhaps one of the most gut-wrenching songs they have ever written. Inspired by the violence in their home country, it is an indictment of the war and violence that steals the lives of the innocent. It is also serves as a wake-up call.
And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and T.V. is reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die
It's originally from the "War" album, but again, my favorite version if from the "Rattle and Hum" movie, which includes a passionate speech by Bono, prompted by the bombing of a veterans parade. I get chills just thinking about it.
5. One
From "Achtung Baby," this is one of the first U2 songs I ever heard. It's also one of many U2 songs that my band attempted to cover back in the day. It's a beautiful song of pain and lament. Simply iconic.
Did I ask too much, more than a lot
You gave me nothing now it's all I got
We're one but we're not the same
Well we hurt each other then we do it again
You say love is a temple, love a higher law
Love is a temple, love the higher law
You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on to what you got
When all you got is hurt...
One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other
4. Miracle Drug
So the list so far has had plenty of desperation and angst (and there's more to come). But this song from "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is a song of unabashed hope. It's a countepart to "When I Look at the World." Things can be different. Another world is possible.
Of science and the human heart there is no limit
There is no failure here sweetheart, just when you quit
I am you and you are mine
Love makes nonsense of space and time will disappear
Love and logic keep us clear
Reason is on our side, love
The songs are in your eyes, I see them when you smile
I've had enough of romantic love
I'd give it up, yeah, I'd give it up
For a miracle, a miracle drug
This song gives me hope. I remember listening to it while I was in Ethiopia, and it helped me to remember why I was doing what I was doing.
Beneath the noise, below the din
I hear a voice, it's whispering
In science and in medicine
"I was a stranger, you took me in"
Bono has done so much to raise awareness and inspire action in areas of global poverty and disease, especially in Africa. If you haven't already, you should go to ONE.ORG and join the ONE Campaign, and join the movement to "help make poverty history."
3. With or Without You
Okay, now we're into the top three. And these three songs really can't be separated. They are the first three tracks from "The Joshua Tree" - the greatest album of all time (and also my favorite album).
"With or Without You" is simple but brilliant musically. It has a similar lyrical feel to "One." If ever there was a song that portrayed being torn, this is it.
My hands are tied
My body bruised, she's got me with
Nothing to win and nothing left to lose
And you give yourself away
With or without you
I can't live with or without you
I think there are a lot of layers of meaning in the lyrics. But I won't bore you with my analysis. Just listen to it for yourself, and see what you get!
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
This the quintessential song of searching, of questioning, of wrestling. It's a modern Gospel tune for the wandering seeker.
I have climbed highest mountain, I have run through the fields
Only to be with you, only to be with you
I have run, I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls, only to be with you
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
I've heard people question the honest questioning of this song, and want to give the song a happy ending like "Now that I've found Jesus, I've found what I'm looking for." And maybe I used to think like that. But the power of this song is it's honest yearning. It's a song of fulfillment and unfulfillment at the same time. I can hear David in it. I can hear Paul. And I can hear myself.
I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well yes I'm still running
You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains
Carried the cross and all my shame, All my shame
You know I believed it
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
The original version is great, but the "Rattle and Hum" version, which they perform with a Gospel choir, is great too!
1. Where the Streets Have No Name
Track number one on the best album of all time. It really doesn't get any better than this. I will resist the urge to expound on what the lyrics mean to me, and just led you be impacted by the lyrics themselves:
I want to run, I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside
I want to reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name
I want to feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do
The city's aflood and our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind trampled in dust
I'll show you a place high on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do
Our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind, blown by the wind
Oh, and I see love, see our love turn to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind , blown by the wind
Oh, when I go there, I go there with you
It's all I can do
My most vivid memory from the first time I saw U2 in concert was this song. The lights were low when they started playing it, and then when the song kicked in, all these bright gold lights came up. And I looked all around the stadium at the thousands of people there singing along. And I thought of the day in the age to come when people of every nation, tribe and tongue will gather around the throne of God to worship. Needless to say, I had a moment.
So there you have it, my current Top Ten list. I would love to have some feedback on your favorite U2 songs, and why you like them. Just leave a quick comment and join the conversation.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
How He Loves
I want to ask you a question.
And I want you to answer it in your heart, with complete honesty. Not how you think you should answer it. Not so you look or sound spiritual. Don’t answer out loud. Just let this question sink into your heart, and answer it in the depth of your being.
Here is the question – do you know how much God loves you?
Not the priest or the preacher.
Not the person who has it all together.
Not even the person you wish you could be.
Do you know how much God loves you?
Not just when you’re having a good day, and you feel like you are worth loving.
Not when you do something nice for someone else.
Not tomorrow.
Today.
Right now.
Do you know how much God loves you? Do you know the deep, eternal, compassionate, life-giving, healing, transforming love of the One who would rather die than be without you?
God loves you as you are, not as you should be. God loves you deeply, passionately, desperately.
Isaiah 49 says, Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story about the redeeming love of the Father: A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, "I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die." So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, "At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man.'" So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. FILLED WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION, HE RAN TO HIS SON, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son." But his father said to the servants, "Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found." So the party began.
In Romans 5, Paul says, When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
And in Romans 8, he says, And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So how do we respond to this kind of love?
Jesus told another story of two men who came to pray – a religious leader and a tax collector, a sinner. The religious leader had it all together, and offered these beautiful prayers up to heaven. But the tax collector could not even raise his head, he was so ashamed. The religious leader said, “I thank you God that I am not like this tax collector.” But the tax collector simply said, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus said that it was the tax collector who was right with God that day.
You see, we have to acknowledge how much we need Him – that we are nothing without Him. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What does it mean to be poor in spirit?
Run down. Weary. Broken. Tore up from the floor up. At the end of your rope. Have you been there? God is with you. He is on your side. And His arms are open.
Jesus also said that to enter the kingdom of heaven, we have to become like little children. Now, there are a lot of ways to interpret that, but let me just suggest that a child accepts that she is loved. Can we all be like children? Can we really believe that God loves us as much as He says He does?
The amazing thing is that He promises to meet us where we are. Just like the Father who came running down the road to meet his son, even so our heavenly Father meets us where we are. He’s even been known to show up in the pig sty.
So if you have never received His love, or if you have run away from Him, His promise is: “Whoever comes to me, I will in no way cast them out.”
If you are tired, weary, and thirsty, His promise to you is: “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laiden, and I will give you rest.”
If you just feel broken, there is a verse of Scripture I want you to hear, Isaiah 42:3. This is for you: “A bruised reed He will not crush, and a smoldering wick he will not put out.” What does that mean? It means He’s not gonna kick you when your down.
God knows exactly where you are today.
He knows what hurts you.
He knows your fears.
He knows your past.
He knows everything about you.
And He loves you so.
So if you have made a mess of everything.
If you don’t feel good enough.
If you are at the end of your rope.
If others have turned their back on you.
If you think this is all a bunch of crap.
Even if you say, “God, I hate you. Leave me alone!”
He loves you so.
So right now, just close your eyes, and quiet your heart. Know that Jesus Christ is present at this very moment. He is here right now. And He loves you so.
You don’t have to hide.
You don’t have to pretend.
You don’t have to be afraid.
Be still and know that He is God. And that He loves you so.
May you have the power to understand… how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. (Ephesians 3:18-19)
And I want you to answer it in your heart, with complete honesty. Not how you think you should answer it. Not so you look or sound spiritual. Don’t answer out loud. Just let this question sink into your heart, and answer it in the depth of your being.
Here is the question – do you know how much God loves you?
Not the priest or the preacher.
Not the person who has it all together.
Not even the person you wish you could be.
Do you know how much God loves you?
Not just when you’re having a good day, and you feel like you are worth loving.
Not when you do something nice for someone else.
Not tomorrow.
Today.
Right now.
Do you know how much God loves you? Do you know the deep, eternal, compassionate, life-giving, healing, transforming love of the One who would rather die than be without you?
God loves you as you are, not as you should be. God loves you deeply, passionately, desperately.
Isaiah 49 says, Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story about the redeeming love of the Father: A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, "I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die." So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, "At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man.'" So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. FILLED WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION, HE RAN TO HIS SON, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son." But his father said to the servants, "Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found." So the party began.
In Romans 5, Paul says, When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
And in Romans 8, he says, And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So how do we respond to this kind of love?
Jesus told another story of two men who came to pray – a religious leader and a tax collector, a sinner. The religious leader had it all together, and offered these beautiful prayers up to heaven. But the tax collector could not even raise his head, he was so ashamed. The religious leader said, “I thank you God that I am not like this tax collector.” But the tax collector simply said, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus said that it was the tax collector who was right with God that day.
You see, we have to acknowledge how much we need Him – that we are nothing without Him. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What does it mean to be poor in spirit?
Run down. Weary. Broken. Tore up from the floor up. At the end of your rope. Have you been there? God is with you. He is on your side. And His arms are open.
Jesus also said that to enter the kingdom of heaven, we have to become like little children. Now, there are a lot of ways to interpret that, but let me just suggest that a child accepts that she is loved. Can we all be like children? Can we really believe that God loves us as much as He says He does?
The amazing thing is that He promises to meet us where we are. Just like the Father who came running down the road to meet his son, even so our heavenly Father meets us where we are. He’s even been known to show up in the pig sty.
So if you have never received His love, or if you have run away from Him, His promise is: “Whoever comes to me, I will in no way cast them out.”
If you are tired, weary, and thirsty, His promise to you is: “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laiden, and I will give you rest.”
If you just feel broken, there is a verse of Scripture I want you to hear, Isaiah 42:3. This is for you: “A bruised reed He will not crush, and a smoldering wick he will not put out.” What does that mean? It means He’s not gonna kick you when your down.
God knows exactly where you are today.
He knows what hurts you.
He knows your fears.
He knows your past.
He knows everything about you.
And He loves you so.
So if you have made a mess of everything.
If you don’t feel good enough.
If you are at the end of your rope.
If others have turned their back on you.
If you think this is all a bunch of crap.
Even if you say, “God, I hate you. Leave me alone!”
He loves you so.
So right now, just close your eyes, and quiet your heart. Know that Jesus Christ is present at this very moment. He is here right now. And He loves you so.
You don’t have to hide.
You don’t have to pretend.
You don’t have to be afraid.
Be still and know that He is God. And that He loves you so.
May you have the power to understand… how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. (Ephesians 3:18-19)
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Word, Light, Flesh (Meditations on John 1)
Several months ago, our small group decided to read through the Gospel of John together, and write down any observations about Jesus. So one night I sat down with a Bible and a notebook to read John 1. Now, it’s not as if I’d never read it before. But that night, it was as if I’d never read it before - or as if I had new eyes to see it. I was gripped by those first few verses in a way that is hard to articulate. But I’m going to try anyway.
Remember the time when Jesus spoke to the storm and it stopped. And when he did this His disciples looked at each other in wonder and awe and said, “Who is this?” I want you to have that same sense of wonder. My goal here is to lead you in worship. And my prayer is that this would not just be a transfer of information, but an encounter with the living Christ, who is present here and now.
So may the eyes of your hearts be opened by the true light, as you behold His glory, full of grace and truth...
I think John 1 is one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture. It’s theological poetry. It’s a vivid, expansive description of the One we worship. It reveals so much about who Jesus is, and yet the more you read it, the more you realize He is absolutely beyond our comprehension. So let’s dig in!
“In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
This is basic Christian doctrine. We believe that Jesus Christ is eternally existent. He didn’t just show up in Mary's womb. He is an inseparable part of the mystery of perfect unity that is the Triune God.
Remember the words of Jesus Himself, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” This was a reference to the name that God gave Moses to tell the people of Israel. When Moses asked God, "Who should I say sent me?" And God said, "I AM." This is utterly blasphemous for any man to say – unless He’s God. So before Abraham or Moses - before anything in this universe existed – Christ IS.
Now, John describes Christ here in a very interesting way. He uses the word “Word.”
Words are interesting things. Someone once said that they are the skin around thoughts. Words reveal…or they conceal.
I like watching Meet the Press, but honestly sometimes I have to turn to just turn it off. It seems like people never answer direct questions. They side-step the questions and talk in circles to cover their tracks. And I know what that’s like. I always preferred essay tests in school because I thought I could talk my way out of a question I wasn’t really sure about.
Sometimes when you really don’t know what to say, or want to change the subject, you just use a lot of words.
But the Word of the Lord is not like that. His Word is truth. His Word is alive and powerful. His Word creates. And His Word reveals Who He is.
Now, the actual Greek word that John uses here, “logos,” was used by in Greek philosophy. It held this idea of wisdom, reason, and order. And it’s where we get “logic” or “-ology.” For Aristotle, it was rational discourse or argument. For the Stoic philosophers, it was the active reason pervading the universe and animating it.
So there’s this idea of bringing structure to chaos.
Genesis says that the earth was “formless and empty.” It was chaos. And the Spirit of God, it says, was hovering over the waters.
Remember the time when Jesus walked on the water. It wasn’t the first time. Or when He commanded the storm to cease, and brought order, peace, shalom, into chaos. That wasn’t the first time either. He had done it before.
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
When you get the chance, read through the account of creation in Genesis 1. (And if you really want to have some fun, listen to the first 5 minutes of Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" while you're reading.) And as you read, know that Christ is there. John says that “without him nothing was made that has been made.”
Everything in the universe was created by God through His Word – and that Word is Christ. It was through Christ Himself that God worked His masterpiece of Creation. Every molecule that leapt into existence had its origin in Christ –the eternally existent proceeding, revealing Word of God.
Paul has this to say about Christ in Colossians 1 – “He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see – kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.”
Hebrews 1 says, “He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command.”
So not only were all things made THROUGH the Word, they are sustained BY Him. He holds it all together. He is the Logos of God. Just think about that for a moment. He is present here and everywhere more deeply than we can fathom.
“In him was life.”
Now, in Genesis 2, it says that “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
And here John says “in Him was life.” Christ is the source of all life. Remember, He said this about Himself, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE.” He breathes life into all created things and animates them. Through Him Adam was made from the dust of the earth, and through Him Adam came alive.
In Him we live and move and have our being.
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”
Have you ever been in total darkness, where you can’t even see your hand? It's a bizarre experience. You feel isolated, alone, out of control, and maybe even afraid.
Have you ever been in a place like that emotionally or spiritually - a "dark night of the soul?" A place where all hope seems lost. A place of chaos. A place of darkness...
John not only describes Christ as the Word, but also as the Light – the true Light. The light that shines in the darkness.
So back to Genesis. Christ is the “Word” that was in the beginning. So what was the first Word that God spoke in creation? LET THERE BE LIGHT! And there was light. The darkness that had covered the surface of the deep was dispensed by the Light that came from Christ, the Word of God. "The darkness has not understood it." Now, that phrase can also be translated, “The darkness has not overcome it.” Light always trumps darkness.
So if you have been a place of darkness, have you heard Him say, “Let there be light?” Because He is still speaking.
“There was a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”
Here is where the story really gets going, where the plot thickens, as it were. This is where John begins to speak of the Incarnation. “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”
Think about this. John equates Christ’s coming into the world as the light of mankind with God’s initial Word, “Let there be light.” The Word of God pierced the darkness at the beginning of creation. And John describes Christ’s coming as a light piercing the darkness.
When I was reading this passage that night, I had this crazy thought. Now, we all know that there are many places in the Old Testament that point to Christ. Types and shadows. What are some of them?
Everything points to Christ. It’s all about Him. God’s provision in Eden. Isaac and the sacrificial ram. The serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness. The sacrificial lamb. On and on and on. All the prophets culminating with John the Baptist pointed to Him and heralded Him.
But here is one I missed. Think about it. What if… what if even the first act of the Creation was itself a type and shadow -- of when the One Who was creating would enter the world that He had made?
“Who is this, that even the wind and the waves obey Him?”
He is the Word. He is the Light. Everything was made by Him and through Him, and everything is FOR Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega. And He is the center. In all things He has the pre-eminence. He is Lord of all!
And now that we know Who we are talking about, with all that in mind, let’s jump to verse 14.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
The Incarnation – the Word made flesh – the Word with skin on.
Now, have you ever called UPS or FedEx or somewhere else and had a phone conversation with an automated message system. The recorded voice says, "If you want to track a package, please say, Track a package.” And you say, "Track a package." Not a very deep conversation.
When I call my doctor’s office I almost always get voicemail. And I am the worst at leaving messages. I just want to talk to a real person on the other end.
But you know, even a phone conversation is a poor substitute for a real face-to-face encounter. And so is an email. And so is a text. And so is a wall post on Facebook. And so is a tweet. Nothing can replace real human contact.
And this is the beauty of the Incarnation. In Jesus Christ, the Word became flesh. The eternally existent One became fully human. And He was not only a living, powerful Word spoken at Creation or at the top of Mount Sinai – He was Emmanuel: God with us. God among us. God with skin on. God with hands and feet. God who preaches good news to the poor, and liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind. God who is touched with human compassion. God who weeps. God who bleeds.
Paul says in Philippians 2, “Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.”
In Jesus Christ, the Word and the Light took shape. The “let there be” became.
Paul says it like this in Colossians, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.”
“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Remember when Moses asked God, “Show me Your glory?” And God said, “You can’t see my glory. You can’t bear it.” So He hid Moses behind the rock, covered him, and passed by Him where Moses could only see His “back side” – where He had just been. And God began to reveal Himself to Moses, “I am the Lord. The compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”
What an experience that must have been. What a powerful revelation of God. And yet, it is not the greatest one.
“John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, ‘This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”
The glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 1 says, “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.”
And again in Colossians 1 it says, “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ.”
In John 8, Philip asks Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father.” And Jesus answers, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
It’s all about Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the true revelation of God to us. All of God’s glory, His character, His nature, His power – His very essence – is revealed and embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.
The remainder of Paul’s hymn in Philippians 2 says: “He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus is Lord of ALL! Not just of private spiritual spaces. Not just of the church. But Lord of the entire Kosmos! Lord of heaven and earth! As the old saying goes, “If He’s not Lord of all, he’s not Lord at all.”
Ephesians 1 says “God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth.”
Jesus is Lord of all. And He is making all things new! And one day He will complete the work of New Creation in the new heavens and the new earth. But even now, we see glimpses of it. For if anyone is in Christ, he (or she) is a new creation. And this is the Good News of the Gospel.
Colossians 1 says, “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”
Finally, let’s go back to the part of John 1 we skipped, verses 10-13:
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.”
Moses asked to see the glory of God. And God truly has shown His glory.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. And from the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself.
And that includes us.
Remember the time when Jesus spoke to the storm and it stopped. And when he did this His disciples looked at each other in wonder and awe and said, “Who is this?” I want you to have that same sense of wonder. My goal here is to lead you in worship. And my prayer is that this would not just be a transfer of information, but an encounter with the living Christ, who is present here and now.
So may the eyes of your hearts be opened by the true light, as you behold His glory, full of grace and truth...
I think John 1 is one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture. It’s theological poetry. It’s a vivid, expansive description of the One we worship. It reveals so much about who Jesus is, and yet the more you read it, the more you realize He is absolutely beyond our comprehension. So let’s dig in!
“In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
This is basic Christian doctrine. We believe that Jesus Christ is eternally existent. He didn’t just show up in Mary's womb. He is an inseparable part of the mystery of perfect unity that is the Triune God.
Remember the words of Jesus Himself, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” This was a reference to the name that God gave Moses to tell the people of Israel. When Moses asked God, "Who should I say sent me?" And God said, "I AM." This is utterly blasphemous for any man to say – unless He’s God. So before Abraham or Moses - before anything in this universe existed – Christ IS.
Now, John describes Christ here in a very interesting way. He uses the word “Word.”
Words are interesting things. Someone once said that they are the skin around thoughts. Words reveal…or they conceal.
I like watching Meet the Press, but honestly sometimes I have to turn to just turn it off. It seems like people never answer direct questions. They side-step the questions and talk in circles to cover their tracks. And I know what that’s like. I always preferred essay tests in school because I thought I could talk my way out of a question I wasn’t really sure about.
Sometimes when you really don’t know what to say, or want to change the subject, you just use a lot of words.
But the Word of the Lord is not like that. His Word is truth. His Word is alive and powerful. His Word creates. And His Word reveals Who He is.
Now, the actual Greek word that John uses here, “logos,” was used by in Greek philosophy. It held this idea of wisdom, reason, and order. And it’s where we get “logic” or “-ology.” For Aristotle, it was rational discourse or argument. For the Stoic philosophers, it was the active reason pervading the universe and animating it.
So there’s this idea of bringing structure to chaos.
Genesis says that the earth was “formless and empty.” It was chaos. And the Spirit of God, it says, was hovering over the waters.
Remember the time when Jesus walked on the water. It wasn’t the first time. Or when He commanded the storm to cease, and brought order, peace, shalom, into chaos. That wasn’t the first time either. He had done it before.
“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
When you get the chance, read through the account of creation in Genesis 1. (And if you really want to have some fun, listen to the first 5 minutes of Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" while you're reading.) And as you read, know that Christ is there. John says that “without him nothing was made that has been made.”
Everything in the universe was created by God through His Word – and that Word is Christ. It was through Christ Himself that God worked His masterpiece of Creation. Every molecule that leapt into existence had its origin in Christ –the eternally existent proceeding, revealing Word of God.
Paul has this to say about Christ in Colossians 1 – “He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see – kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.”
Hebrews 1 says, “He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command.”
So not only were all things made THROUGH the Word, they are sustained BY Him. He holds it all together. He is the Logos of God. Just think about that for a moment. He is present here and everywhere more deeply than we can fathom.
“In him was life.”
Now, in Genesis 2, it says that “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
And here John says “in Him was life.” Christ is the source of all life. Remember, He said this about Himself, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE.” He breathes life into all created things and animates them. Through Him Adam was made from the dust of the earth, and through Him Adam came alive.
In Him we live and move and have our being.
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”
Have you ever been in total darkness, where you can’t even see your hand? It's a bizarre experience. You feel isolated, alone, out of control, and maybe even afraid.
Have you ever been in a place like that emotionally or spiritually - a "dark night of the soul?" A place where all hope seems lost. A place of chaos. A place of darkness...
John not only describes Christ as the Word, but also as the Light – the true Light. The light that shines in the darkness.
So back to Genesis. Christ is the “Word” that was in the beginning. So what was the first Word that God spoke in creation? LET THERE BE LIGHT! And there was light. The darkness that had covered the surface of the deep was dispensed by the Light that came from Christ, the Word of God. "The darkness has not understood it." Now, that phrase can also be translated, “The darkness has not overcome it.” Light always trumps darkness.
So if you have been a place of darkness, have you heard Him say, “Let there be light?” Because He is still speaking.
“There was a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”
Here is where the story really gets going, where the plot thickens, as it were. This is where John begins to speak of the Incarnation. “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”
Think about this. John equates Christ’s coming into the world as the light of mankind with God’s initial Word, “Let there be light.” The Word of God pierced the darkness at the beginning of creation. And John describes Christ’s coming as a light piercing the darkness.
When I was reading this passage that night, I had this crazy thought. Now, we all know that there are many places in the Old Testament that point to Christ. Types and shadows. What are some of them?
Everything points to Christ. It’s all about Him. God’s provision in Eden. Isaac and the sacrificial ram. The serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness. The sacrificial lamb. On and on and on. All the prophets culminating with John the Baptist pointed to Him and heralded Him.
But here is one I missed. Think about it. What if… what if even the first act of the Creation was itself a type and shadow -- of when the One Who was creating would enter the world that He had made?
“Who is this, that even the wind and the waves obey Him?”
He is the Word. He is the Light. Everything was made by Him and through Him, and everything is FOR Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega. And He is the center. In all things He has the pre-eminence. He is Lord of all!
And now that we know Who we are talking about, with all that in mind, let’s jump to verse 14.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
The Incarnation – the Word made flesh – the Word with skin on.
Now, have you ever called UPS or FedEx or somewhere else and had a phone conversation with an automated message system. The recorded voice says, "If you want to track a package, please say, Track a package.” And you say, "Track a package." Not a very deep conversation.
When I call my doctor’s office I almost always get voicemail. And I am the worst at leaving messages. I just want to talk to a real person on the other end.
But you know, even a phone conversation is a poor substitute for a real face-to-face encounter. And so is an email. And so is a text. And so is a wall post on Facebook. And so is a tweet. Nothing can replace real human contact.
And this is the beauty of the Incarnation. In Jesus Christ, the Word became flesh. The eternally existent One became fully human. And He was not only a living, powerful Word spoken at Creation or at the top of Mount Sinai – He was Emmanuel: God with us. God among us. God with skin on. God with hands and feet. God who preaches good news to the poor, and liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind. God who is touched with human compassion. God who weeps. God who bleeds.
Paul says in Philippians 2, “Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.”
In Jesus Christ, the Word and the Light took shape. The “let there be” became.
Paul says it like this in Colossians, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.”
“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Remember when Moses asked God, “Show me Your glory?” And God said, “You can’t see my glory. You can’t bear it.” So He hid Moses behind the rock, covered him, and passed by Him where Moses could only see His “back side” – where He had just been. And God began to reveal Himself to Moses, “I am the Lord. The compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”
What an experience that must have been. What a powerful revelation of God. And yet, it is not the greatest one.
“John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, ‘This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”
The glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 1 says, “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.”
And again in Colossians 1 it says, “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ.”
In John 8, Philip asks Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father.” And Jesus answers, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
It’s all about Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the true revelation of God to us. All of God’s glory, His character, His nature, His power – His very essence – is revealed and embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.
The remainder of Paul’s hymn in Philippians 2 says: “He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus is Lord of ALL! Not just of private spiritual spaces. Not just of the church. But Lord of the entire Kosmos! Lord of heaven and earth! As the old saying goes, “If He’s not Lord of all, he’s not Lord at all.”
Ephesians 1 says “God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth.”
Jesus is Lord of all. And He is making all things new! And one day He will complete the work of New Creation in the new heavens and the new earth. But even now, we see glimpses of it. For if anyone is in Christ, he (or she) is a new creation. And this is the Good News of the Gospel.
Colossians 1 says, “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”
Finally, let’s go back to the part of John 1 we skipped, verses 10-13:
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.”
Moses asked to see the glory of God. And God truly has shown His glory.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. And from the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself.
And that includes us.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Our Father
Recently the small group that I am a part of spent some time going through the Lord's Prayer - the "Our Father" - the wonderful prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples. The prayer itself can be found in Matthew 6 and Luke 11. In our group discussion, we talked about the different sections of the prayer in detail, and then as an activity, set out to paraphrase and amplify the prayer in our own words. I want to share the fruit of our discussion with you:
Our Father, Abba Father,
The One above us, to Whom we owe everything.
Your name alone is holy.
You are great and mighty, perfect and holy.
You are merciful and compassionate, faithful and true.
You are worthy of all praise.
Have Your way on the earth
And have Your way in us.
We surrender to Your will, for Your ways are higher than our ways.
We look forward to the day when You will make all things new.
Until that day comes,
Give give us the strength to work with You in the world,
And shine Your light through us.
You are Our Provider, and You know what we need.
Give us what we need for today.
Help us to be content with what You have given us,
And to be generous with those who are in need.
Let us never forget how much we have been forgiven.
May we forgive others as You have forgiven us.
Give us the wisdom and discernment to avoid temptation.
Be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Save us.
You are our only hope.
You are Lord of all creation, and everything belongs to You.
You are the final authority, and Your Word is truth.
All glory and honor and praise to You, Father.
Now and forever.
Amen.
Our Father, Abba Father,
The One above us, to Whom we owe everything.
Your name alone is holy.
You are great and mighty, perfect and holy.
You are merciful and compassionate, faithful and true.
You are worthy of all praise.
Have Your way on the earth
And have Your way in us.
We surrender to Your will, for Your ways are higher than our ways.
We look forward to the day when You will make all things new.
Until that day comes,
Give give us the strength to work with You in the world,
And shine Your light through us.
You are Our Provider, and You know what we need.
Give us what we need for today.
Help us to be content with what You have given us,
And to be generous with those who are in need.
Let us never forget how much we have been forgiven.
May we forgive others as You have forgiven us.
Give us the wisdom and discernment to avoid temptation.
Be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Save us.
You are our only hope.
You are Lord of all creation, and everything belongs to You.
You are the final authority, and Your Word is truth.
All glory and honor and praise to You, Father.
Now and forever.
Amen.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Today
I want to share this video with you. It's from the Nooma series by Rob Bell. I used the only version I could find on You Tube. It is in two parts, and it has subtitles, and the audio track is slightly off. I hope these won't be distractions. Enjoy!
During Lent, my prayer is to be more fully present each day, and that I might be more fully aware of the presence of the risen Christ all around me.
To be fully present.
To be here, not there.
To embrace Today.
Amen.
During Lent, my prayer is to be more fully present each day, and that I might be more fully aware of the presence of the risen Christ all around me.
To be fully present.
To be here, not there.
To embrace Today.
Amen.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Lent
So by now, Christmas has already disappeared on the horizon behind us, and we are fast approaching the Resurrection celebration of Easter. But before celebration, there is preparation. Before consummation, there is anticipation. Before spring, there is winter. Before Easter, there is Lent.
I don't come from a liturgical church background, and I am admittedly not well-versed in the historical season of Lent. And I don't want to just be an evangelical wanna-be looking over the denominational fence thinking, "Man, I wish we had traditions like that."
Life comes from Jesus, not from any religious practice or tradition.
So, what's lent again? It is the season of the Christian calendar that covers the 40 days leading up to Easter (not counting Sundays), in remembrance of Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. It is a time of prayer of penitance, of repentance and reflection, of fasting and faith. It is a time to stop. It is a time to set some things aside that others may come into focus. And people often "fast" something they enjoy during this period of time.
Now, as followers of Jesus, we are certainly not bound to form and ritual for our relationship with God. Even Sabbath, Jesus said, was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. We're talking about tools, not rules. Unfortunately, it is so easy to replace spiritual life with dead religion.
So why bother with any religious traditions? Why not just do our own thing? Why observe something like Lent? Why deny ourselves?
Well, here are seven things for you to consider:
1. The Importance of Confession and Repentance.
How often do we live in a state of guilt and shame? Or perhaps worse, how often do we live in a state of denial about our sin?
Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us."
Sometimes we just have to unload. To come before our Lord with humility and honesty. To take a spiritual inventory of where we are. To confess. To repent. And to turn.
And we know that when we do, as it says in 1 John, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We never get to the point where we no longer need to confess. We never get to the point where we no longer need to repent. We never get to the point where we no long need to turn. And we never get to the point where we no longer need the raw, transforming power of the Gospel to be at work in our lives.
2. The Necessity of Facing the Darkness.
There are some subjects that we try desperately to avoid - things that we don't talk about unless we have to. They are the dark things of life - the suffering that we endure, which is beyond our control. Pain. Sorrow. Death. These are the minor key songs.
But we must have the courage to face the darkness. Though we may be fearful or ashamed, we throw ourselves upon the mercy of God, and we discover that there is no height nor depth that can separate us from the love of Christ. And we obtain grace in our time of need.
We must face the darkness, that we might know deeply that Christ himself has gone before us, that He has been touched with our affliction, and that He is present with us in our darkness. He is Immanuel, God With Us.
3. The Value of Self-Denial.
No one likes being denied what they want, right? We want what we want, when we want it. But the way of Christ is the way of the cross. Jesus commands us to deny ourselves. And that is so hard to do. It's hard enough to cope with being denied something by someone else, but to voluntarily deny ourselves? To pick up our own cross and follow Him? That is almost unthinkable.
When our appetites and our comforts are threatened or removed, what is lurking on the inside of us is often revealed. I'm sure you've had a conversation with a rude person who "hadn't had their coffee yet." When we don't get what we want or what we think we need, we react negatively. And that can be a blessing in disguise - a gift to show us how wicked our hearts can be, and how much we need God's mercy and grace. Like the tax collector in Jesus' story, we bow our heads and say, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner."
4. The Joy of Simplicity.
"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone" (or 'til you set it aside temporarily)
Last summer, I spent two months in Ethiopia. One of the things that struck me was how valuable even the smallest things can be depending on your perspective. We laugh about it now, but even a bag of peanut M&Ms was precious!
When you strip it all away, you realize the delight of simple things that you often don't even recognize. We only had electricity every other night, so there were evenings we spent in the kitchen just talking over candlelight. And it was beautiful.
I came away with a desire to be more fully present of the simple joys all around me, and most importantly, of the people around me.
Intentionally simplifying life, even in small ways, can help us reconnect with the simple gifts that are all around us.
5. The Christ in the Commonplace.
Sometimes our allegiances and affections are divided. And it's often hard to see that, considering how fast-paced our lives get. And Jesus is calling out to us all the while, but we can't hear Him. He bids us come, but we can't see.
Sometimes we have to make ourselves stop, breathe and listen. And when we do, we can become more aware of the presence of Christ all around us, and we begin to hear that still, small voice whisper our name. And sometimes it is in the most mundane places that we begin to see the beauty of God shining through.
6. The Power of Community.
Everything is better when it is experienced together.
And it is important to know that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses - a community of Jesus that is 2,000 years in the making - a people sanctified by God for Himself. And there is something about common practices that transcend culture and unite us. We mark our conversion from death to life in the waters of baptism. We share the body and the blood of Christ at the communion table. These sacraments bind us together in unity. And as we observe and partake, we are joining our stories and experiences together with a multitude of other believers - past, present and future - under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we prepare our hearts together through an intentional season of seeking God - when we enter into the story together - we can experience joy that we would not know if our spiritual pursuits were only private and individual.
Lent certainly isn't baptism or communion. But I think it can serve as something that unifies our hearts in dependence on God ("Give us this day our daily bread"), in confession and repentance ("Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"), and in anticipation of the joy to come.
7. The Satisfaction of Delayed Gratification.
Delayed gratification is hard to sell. Why wait until tomorrow when you can have something today? Why not now?
Well, as any kid at Christmas knows intuitively (though they probably wouldn't say it), it is the waiting that makes Christmas so special. And though the anticipation just drives you crazy sometimes, if you peek in the closet to see what you got, it's just not the same.
When we have to wait for something, it only adds to the celebration. Waiting builds character. And when we finally receive what it is we hoped for, our joy is more fully experienced.
So during the Lenten season, it is not only a time for somber reflection. It can also be a time of preparation and anticipation. Like in Advent, we can enter the story of those who waited for Messiah's deliverance. As we approach Holy Week, we not only look TO the Cross of Christ, but we also look THROUGH it, to Easter. And as we symbolically and literally take up our "cross," we too endure it, despising the shame, for the joy that is set before us. The feast. The party. The time when the Lord will return and make all things new - when we will be resurrected, and the whole creation will be liberated from death and decay in the new heavens and the new earth! Alleluia!
But I'm getting carried away. We are not to Easter yet. But we will be. And it will be worth the wait!
So what am I doing about Lent? That's a good question. I want to do more than just giving up chocolate or meat, or whatever. I thought about giving up television, but I really don't watch much at all, so it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice. I thought about giving up my iPod... but I'm just not ready for that kind of sacrifice!
There are a couple things I am doing, beyond just giving things up. I have taken up a particular Scripture reading schedule, which has been a true joy so far. And I am also taking time out every day to take a walk or sit outside for a while - a time where I can just stop, breathe, and listen.
And my prayer during this season of preparation is that God would help me to be more fully present each day, and also more aware of His presence wherever I am.
And I pray that for you too.
Amen.
I don't come from a liturgical church background, and I am admittedly not well-versed in the historical season of Lent. And I don't want to just be an evangelical wanna-be looking over the denominational fence thinking, "Man, I wish we had traditions like that."
Life comes from Jesus, not from any religious practice or tradition.
So, what's lent again? It is the season of the Christian calendar that covers the 40 days leading up to Easter (not counting Sundays), in remembrance of Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. It is a time of prayer of penitance, of repentance and reflection, of fasting and faith. It is a time to stop. It is a time to set some things aside that others may come into focus. And people often "fast" something they enjoy during this period of time.
Now, as followers of Jesus, we are certainly not bound to form and ritual for our relationship with God. Even Sabbath, Jesus said, was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. We're talking about tools, not rules. Unfortunately, it is so easy to replace spiritual life with dead religion.
So why bother with any religious traditions? Why not just do our own thing? Why observe something like Lent? Why deny ourselves?
Well, here are seven things for you to consider:
1. The Importance of Confession and Repentance.
How often do we live in a state of guilt and shame? Or perhaps worse, how often do we live in a state of denial about our sin?
Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us."
Sometimes we just have to unload. To come before our Lord with humility and honesty. To take a spiritual inventory of where we are. To confess. To repent. And to turn.
And we know that when we do, as it says in 1 John, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We never get to the point where we no longer need to confess. We never get to the point where we no longer need to repent. We never get to the point where we no long need to turn. And we never get to the point where we no longer need the raw, transforming power of the Gospel to be at work in our lives.
2. The Necessity of Facing the Darkness.
There are some subjects that we try desperately to avoid - things that we don't talk about unless we have to. They are the dark things of life - the suffering that we endure, which is beyond our control. Pain. Sorrow. Death. These are the minor key songs.
But we must have the courage to face the darkness. Though we may be fearful or ashamed, we throw ourselves upon the mercy of God, and we discover that there is no height nor depth that can separate us from the love of Christ. And we obtain grace in our time of need.
We must face the darkness, that we might know deeply that Christ himself has gone before us, that He has been touched with our affliction, and that He is present with us in our darkness. He is Immanuel, God With Us.
3. The Value of Self-Denial.
No one likes being denied what they want, right? We want what we want, when we want it. But the way of Christ is the way of the cross. Jesus commands us to deny ourselves. And that is so hard to do. It's hard enough to cope with being denied something by someone else, but to voluntarily deny ourselves? To pick up our own cross and follow Him? That is almost unthinkable.
When our appetites and our comforts are threatened or removed, what is lurking on the inside of us is often revealed. I'm sure you've had a conversation with a rude person who "hadn't had their coffee yet." When we don't get what we want or what we think we need, we react negatively. And that can be a blessing in disguise - a gift to show us how wicked our hearts can be, and how much we need God's mercy and grace. Like the tax collector in Jesus' story, we bow our heads and say, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner."
4. The Joy of Simplicity.
"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone" (or 'til you set it aside temporarily)
Last summer, I spent two months in Ethiopia. One of the things that struck me was how valuable even the smallest things can be depending on your perspective. We laugh about it now, but even a bag of peanut M&Ms was precious!
When you strip it all away, you realize the delight of simple things that you often don't even recognize. We only had electricity every other night, so there were evenings we spent in the kitchen just talking over candlelight. And it was beautiful.
I came away with a desire to be more fully present of the simple joys all around me, and most importantly, of the people around me.
Intentionally simplifying life, even in small ways, can help us reconnect with the simple gifts that are all around us.
5. The Christ in the Commonplace.
Sometimes our allegiances and affections are divided. And it's often hard to see that, considering how fast-paced our lives get. And Jesus is calling out to us all the while, but we can't hear Him. He bids us come, but we can't see.
Sometimes we have to make ourselves stop, breathe and listen. And when we do, we can become more aware of the presence of Christ all around us, and we begin to hear that still, small voice whisper our name. And sometimes it is in the most mundane places that we begin to see the beauty of God shining through.
6. The Power of Community.
Everything is better when it is experienced together.
And it is important to know that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses - a community of Jesus that is 2,000 years in the making - a people sanctified by God for Himself. And there is something about common practices that transcend culture and unite us. We mark our conversion from death to life in the waters of baptism. We share the body and the blood of Christ at the communion table. These sacraments bind us together in unity. And as we observe and partake, we are joining our stories and experiences together with a multitude of other believers - past, present and future - under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we prepare our hearts together through an intentional season of seeking God - when we enter into the story together - we can experience joy that we would not know if our spiritual pursuits were only private and individual.
Lent certainly isn't baptism or communion. But I think it can serve as something that unifies our hearts in dependence on God ("Give us this day our daily bread"), in confession and repentance ("Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"), and in anticipation of the joy to come.
7. The Satisfaction of Delayed Gratification.
Delayed gratification is hard to sell. Why wait until tomorrow when you can have something today? Why not now?
Well, as any kid at Christmas knows intuitively (though they probably wouldn't say it), it is the waiting that makes Christmas so special. And though the anticipation just drives you crazy sometimes, if you peek in the closet to see what you got, it's just not the same.
When we have to wait for something, it only adds to the celebration. Waiting builds character. And when we finally receive what it is we hoped for, our joy is more fully experienced.
So during the Lenten season, it is not only a time for somber reflection. It can also be a time of preparation and anticipation. Like in Advent, we can enter the story of those who waited for Messiah's deliverance. As we approach Holy Week, we not only look TO the Cross of Christ, but we also look THROUGH it, to Easter. And as we symbolically and literally take up our "cross," we too endure it, despising the shame, for the joy that is set before us. The feast. The party. The time when the Lord will return and make all things new - when we will be resurrected, and the whole creation will be liberated from death and decay in the new heavens and the new earth! Alleluia!
But I'm getting carried away. We are not to Easter yet. But we will be. And it will be worth the wait!
So what am I doing about Lent? That's a good question. I want to do more than just giving up chocolate or meat, or whatever. I thought about giving up television, but I really don't watch much at all, so it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice. I thought about giving up my iPod... but I'm just not ready for that kind of sacrifice!
There are a couple things I am doing, beyond just giving things up. I have taken up a particular Scripture reading schedule, which has been a true joy so far. And I am also taking time out every day to take a walk or sit outside for a while - a time where I can just stop, breathe, and listen.
And my prayer during this season of preparation is that God would help me to be more fully present each day, and also more aware of His presence wherever I am.
And I pray that for you too.
Amen.
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