I have my doubts

Have you ever listened to a vision-casting speech given by a CEO or political candidate?  They lay out their plans and expect us to jump on board and give support via our resources – our time, our effort, and, especially in politics, our money.  How often have you heard a speech like that and thought, “Yeah, I don’t think that’s possible.  I’m not so sure you can actually pull off what you are saying you can do.”?

We have our doubts, and that’s understandable.  We’re hesitant to hitch our time, efforts, or money to anyone who promises great things, but…if they fail…would bring us down with them.  We don’t want to look foolish for wasting our resources because we got caught up in someone else’s failed ideas.

Jesus’ disciples felt the same way, but at a time we might not have expected.  After Jesus rose from the dead, He instructed the disciples to meet Him in Galilee.

Matthew 28:16-17
The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted.

Even in this moment, doubts lingered.  Jesus was back from the dead, but some of the disciples still had their concerns.  It would be easy for us to be hard on them, questioning how they could be so hard-headed.  I mean, they followed this guy for three years and then watched Him die horrifically on a cross…now He has come back to life, standing before them and He’s talking with them!  What other “proof” could they need to erase any doubts about Jesus’ authority and ability?  But let’s look at the scene – the eleven remaining disciples are on a mountain in rural Galilee with the risen Messiah…but no one else is there.  Wouldn’t this be the time to take over?  Wouldn’t you expect bigger crowds and bigger fanfare?

What I find very interesting is that the Greek word Matthew used for doubted is the same one that Jesus used previously with Peter in front of the other disciples.  At that time, they were in the middle of a nasty storm on the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus came to them by walking on top of the crashing waves.  You can read more about this moment in a previous blog series (Part 1 and Part 2).  Jesus had called Peter to join Him, to walk out to Him on the water.  Peter did walk out on top of the still-churning waters, but at one point, he had to be rescued by Jesus as he began to sink.  When Peter called out to Jesus, here’s what happened:

Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

As we learned in the previous blog posts, Peter wasn’t doubting Jesus – Peter was doubting himself.  He doubted that he could do what Jesus called him to do.  The strength of the wind and crashing of the waves made him question why he was even out there.  But Jesus didn’t abandon His disciples then, and He wasn’t going to do so now on this mountain in Galilee.  I love the next sentence Matthew writes, immediately after admitting that among the disciples, they worshiped, but some doubted:

Matthew 28:18
Jesus came near and said to them…

Doubt creates distance, but Jesus makes the move to close that gap.  When the disciples’ minds started to drift and their hearts began to pull away, Jesus came near and spoke directly to them.  But what did He say?  How could He reassure them that He had them on the best path, the right way for them to go? 

Jesus spoke to their fears by reminding them of who He is:

Matthew 28:18
…“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

They had watched Him walk on the stormy waters, calm the raging winds, and perform many miraculous wonders here on earth…but now, He tells them, all authority is His.  He is greater than their worries, bigger than their doubts, and in charge of everything.  Next, he does not use His authority to cut them out, instead He invites them to partner with Him:

Matthew 28:19-20
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.  And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Jesus is inviting them on the greatest mission they have ever known, to imitate their teacher and make disciples like He did with them.  There are no boundaries for where they could go and no limitations on whom they could talk to.  It would be understandable, too, if their feelings moved from doubt to overwhelmed.  But Jesus’ answer for being overwhelmed is the same that He had for their doubts and fears – He gave them Himself:

And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

This mission is for us, as well.  Circumstances and people’s response to Jesus’ message may cause feelings of doubt in us.  We may feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the mission.  But as we learn our part and participate in the mission, the antidote to our concerns is that we have Jesus’ word – I am with you always.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The yokes on you (part 2)

As the Jewish people were drowning under the rules enforced by the religious leaders of the day, Jesus made this offer:

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take up my yoke and learn from Me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Jesus uses an analogy here that would have made total sense to his audience, but could easily be lost on us modern readers.  As we saw last time, a Rabbi’s teaching was referred to as his “yoke” that was passed down to his disciples.  It consisted of his interpretation and application of the Jewish law, which was also combined with the traditions and teachings of previous rabbis.  However, there was another common use of the term “yoke”, and it’s one that has lasted much longer through the centuries.

From the Tony Evans Bible Commentary:
A yoke is a wooden bar harnessed to the necks of a pair of oxen to bring them under submission and enable them to do the work that the farmer has for them.  To train younger oxen, farmers would yoke them to older, experienced oxen.  It provided maturation and development.

Hooking to Jesus’ “yoke” enables you to learn how to live.  Therein you will find rest.  When you come to Jesus, he gives you rest in terms of your salvation.  When you accept the yoke of discipleship you find rest and experience it in your daily life.

Rest for your souls…that sounds really nice.  Physical rest is helpful.  Mental rest often escapes us.  But rest for our soul?  To be finally at that place where our deepest weariness is satisfied, that sounds almost too good to be true!

To find that soul-deep level of rest, Jesus says we need to take up His yoke and learn from Him.  This passage is often taught where Jesus is the strong, veteran ox and we are to assume the position of the younger ox.  In this example, we learn the rhythms of life and grace from Jesus by letting Him do the heavy lifting – and as we mature, develop, and grow stronger, we are able to take on a heavier load.  In this, we are told, we find the rest for our souls because we’ve grown into the person God designed us to be. 

But recently I’ve been wondering if the typical oxen-training example takes the analogy a bit too far.  Jesus doesn’t call Himself the strong ox, instead He simply claims that it is “His yoke”.  The oxen do not own the yoke…but the farmer does.  The farmer is the one whom the oxen have submitted to.  The farmer is the one who plots the course of work.  The farmer is the one steering and guiding the oxen.

So, if Jesus is the yoke-owner, who then is the stronger ox?  This is where mentorship within the church family comes in.  When we first come to Jesus, when we believe in Him for eternal life, we’re adopted into His forever family.  When we submit to His yoke, to learn from Him, we could read our Bibles and pray all by ourselves.  But how much better would it be if we submitted to being yoked together with a veteran Christian?  How much easier would it be to understand God’s guidance and training if a more mature believer was walking beside us?

In my mid-20s, Joe was willing to yoke up with me.  He lent his strength as God plowed the ground of my life and my character.  Joe helped me understand the guidance and direction God was giving me.  Joe walked with me and worked with me through muddy patches, hard ground, and growth-ready pastures.

In today’s church we desperately need veteran believers to be willing to yoke up with new believers.  You don’t have to be perfect to do this.  If you’ve had a spiritual mentor – imitate them.  If you never had a spiritual mentor – just be the mentor you wish you had.

If you are a new believer, have the humility to ask for help.  Seek guidance from someone who has lived for Christ and knows how to listen to Him better than you do.

Take up [Jesus’] yoke and learn from Him.  The rest you will find is the confidence in His guidance and that He knows the direction you need to go.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light – especially when we plow together.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The yokes on you (part 1)

I hate the “bait-and-switch”.  You are promised one thing, and then when the time comes, what you get turns out to be nothing like what you were expecting.  Our family has seen this recently on college brochures.  A campus looks great – it’s open, well designed, looks appealing…and then you get there and realize that all their pictures were taken from the same location, just at different angles to make the campus look bigger than it is in real life.  Another example would be when the “small project” that was assigned to you at work turns into a massive undertaking because no one thought through the consequences of making that supposedly simple change. 

Where the “bait-and-switch” really bugs me is in the church.  You attend a worship service on Sunday morning, and eventually you feel pressured to be there on Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening, and for all special events.  You volunteer for one event, and suddenly you get invites from multiple church ministries to “join our team”, each with a different target audience and a special cry for help.  But the one that really gets to me is a phrase that is tossed out to non-Christians like it’s a fishing lure:

“God has a wonderful plan for your life.”

I’m not irritated by the statement itself, because it is true – God does have a wonderful plan for our lives.  But the issue I have is that the statement is usually presented with the impression that the Christian life is one of sunshine and roses.  Instead, once a person believes in Jesus for eternal life, what is often found in the church are a long list of “Thou shall’s” and “Thou shall not’s” – else your level of faith, or even salvation status, will be questioned.  That level of pressure and constantly wondering if God accepts you…that doesn’t strike me as a “wonderful plan for your life”.

Back in Jesus’ day, the Rabbi would pass along his teaching and understanding of the Jewish law to his students – this was referred to as the Rabbi’s yoke.  Their yoke consisted of the accumulated teaching he had received from his rabbi, and his rabbi’s rabbi, and on and on back in time to (supposedly) Moses himself.  Rabbinical teachings did not replace a previous rabbi’s instruction, instead it was cumulative, building upon the previous generations’ interpretations.  You can imagine how deep the traditions went back and how difficult it would be to keep track of everything that everyone had previously said.

The Pharisees then acted as the “religious police” enforcing their expectations for adherence to the Jewish law.  For your average, every-day person, the yoke imposed on them by the Pharisees was an extremely heavy burden.  Trying to keep track of their cultural responsibilities, managing their day-to-day tasks, and avoiding issues with their Roman rulers – all while wondering if God accepts them – wore them down.  In the midst of all this religious and guilted weight, Jesus offered the following:

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take up my yoke and learn from Me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

From the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary:
Jesus’ easy yoke is in stark contrast to the burden of Pharisaic Judaism.  The Pharisees spoke of 613 commandments, and their halakot (binding interpretations) produced an overwhelmingly complicated approach to life.  In our quest to know God’s Word it is good to remember that we can turn Jesus’ yoke into an equally unbearable burden unless we consciously recognize that discipleship to Jesus is not essentially a religious obligation.  Rather, ours is an intimate relationship with the One who calls, “Come to Me” and “Learn from Me”.  As complicated as life may become, discipleship at heart simply means walking with Jesus in the real world and having Him teach us moment by moment how to live life His way.

God does have a wonderful plan for your life – but it’s not to make your life perfectly comfortable or to pile on rules and obligations.  God’s wonderful plan is to make you like Jesus, to build you into the woman or man you were created to be.  The only way we get there is by coming to Jesus, accepting His rest, and learning from Him.  Jesus says it’s easier than you might think.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

My favorite recipe

A long time ago, my family was given a “4 ingredient” recipe book, and out of everything we tried, one recipe has stuck with our family throughout the years.  You wouldn’t think that just four ingredients and two spices would make such a lasting impression, but it’s an any-time favorite, a fall-time must-have, and something I have confidently brought to many social gatherings.  Here’s the simple recipe:

2 cans great northern beans (drain one of them)
1 Hillshire Farm sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch thick circles
2/3 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp black pepper

Place in a slow cooker for 7 hours on low.  Stir in 1 tsp of marjoram just before serving.

Super simple, right?  And it scales just fine – we often make a double batch.

The key to the entire recipe is the time in the slow cooker.  The original recipe states 6-8 hours, but I can tell you from experience, hitting the 7 hour mark is when the flavor magic happens.  It takes time for the ingredients to fuse and the flavors to mesh into a meal that is both filling and tasty.  It’s not something you can rush, either.  I’ve tried the recipe on high for half the time, but the end result is just not the same as cooking on low for 7 hours. 

In our instant-everything world, a recipe like this can seem a little out of place…but no one will argue with the results.  It takes a little planning ahead of dinnertime, but overall it’s less effort and clean up than most homecooked meals.  Certainly cheaper on the budget and longer-lasting than going out to have someone else make you food!

While we feed our body by what we put in our mouth, we feed our spirit by what we put in our mind.  Often times, the best meals for our mind are the ones that we slow cook, allowing ourselves time to mull over ideas and thoughts.  This is how Biblical meditation works.  God expects us to consider His Scriptures – we need space to think about, reflect on, and wrestle with what God has said.

Meditation and renewing your mind are recurrent themes in both the Old and New Testaments.  Meditating on God’s laws, character, actions, and promises are the focus of many of the Psalms.  In the following examples, look for what God says are the benefits to meditating on His Word:

Joshua 1:8
This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Psalm 119:97-99
How I love your instruction!
It is my meditation all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation.

Matthew 4:4
[Jesus] answered, “It is written: ‘Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Prosperity…success…wisdom…insight…life…knowing God’s will in a given situation – those are impressive benefits!

But feeding your spirit with Biblical meditation takes a little planning ahead.  You’ll need to intentionally set aside some time (even just 15 minutes!) to be in God’s Word.  Then, if you’re like me, you’ll need to have reminders throughout the day to bring what you read back to your mind.  A sticky note at your desk, setting a reminder alarm on your phone, or the password to an account can help you remember God’s truth.  What are we thinking about as we wash our hands, ride an elevator, or wait at a red light?  All those small moments are great opportunities to renew our minds and refresh our spirits with God’s words.

In our instant-everything world, taking time for Biblical Meditation can seem a little out of place.  It’s certainly better than running to a commentary or expecting our pastor to have all the answers for us.  Home cooked meals are always the best and when you take the time to mull over God’s Word, you’ll never argue with the results.

I’ll let the Apostle Paul have the last word on this one:

Philippians 4:8-9
Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.  Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Who is responsible for peace?

Let’s begin by stating the obvious: Relationships are hard.

Why are they hard?  Because people are flawed, biased toward their own wants and desires.

Even the most introverted of us will admit that eventually they need some person-to-person interaction.  In contrast, our extroverts can’t imagine going more than an hour without interacting with another person.  But engaging in those interactions means that we risk dealing with pain, arguments, uncomfortable silence, offense, hurt feelings, unmet expectations, and plenty of other things we’d like to avoid.

We were made for relationship.  God created humans so that He could have a relationship with us.  We’re also made to connect with each other.  Although sin and selfishness have corrupted these bonds between “us and God” and “us and others”, they have not thwarted our desire for our original design.  But just because we want something, doesn’t mean that we’re necessarily good at it.  We need some guidance if we’re going to make these relationships grow and thrive.

So it comes to no surprise that in his letter to the believers in Rome, the Apostle Paul tells them:

Romans 12:18
If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

When we read that verse, it’s easy to nod in agreement.  Being at peace with others is a two-way street, and I can only be responsible for my side.  I can’t force anyone to be at peace with me.  And, let’s be honest, I have a lot of work to do in order to fully apply this verse, long before I expect it from others.

But I like to be practical.  I want to find ways to put the Word of God into practice.  It’s not enough to nod along.  As much as I agree that it’s better for me to live at peace with everyone and that I recognize how it depends on [me]…exactly how can I make this peace happen?

Fortunately, Jesus talked a lot about our relationships with each other.  There are many verses we could look at, but I want to focus in on two of them.

During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this:

Matthew 5:23-24
So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Jesus is quite clear here – if you are the offender, if you caused a rift between you and your brother or sister, then He expects you to go make it right.  Before doing anything else, go fix the relationship.  Even before interacting with God through your gifts, go address the offense. 

A little later, Jesus also taught this to His disciples:

Matthew 18:15
If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother.

Now Jesus is saying if I’m the victim of my brother’s actions, I need to go work it out with him.  Maybe he didn’t realize that he sinned against me.  Maybe he knew exactly what he was doing.  Jesus doesn’t give that kind of qualifier here.  The direction is for me to provide correction and be hopeful that he listens.

When I put these two teachings side-by-side, this is what we end up with:

If I wronged my brother, I need to go work it out with him.
If my brother wronged me, I need to go work it out with him.

To be honest, this doesn’t sit well with me.  It feels like it should be an either/or situation.  So, which one is the right way to deal with conflict between me and my brother?

The answer: they’re both right.

As far as it depends on [me], live at peace with everyone.

There’s this two letter word tucked inside Jesus’ directions, regardless if we’re the offender or the offended – we are to go.  Go to them and work it out.  Go and reconcile.  Go and ask forgiveness.  Go extend the love that God has shown you.  Go and make peace.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Flashback Favorite - How to be rich and live richly

Now that we know we’re rich…what are we to do with our wealth?

How to be rich and live richly

Originally posted on April 06, 2017

We discovered last time that we’re rich.  Richly rich.  That if we make over $32,400 per year ($15.59/hour)…we’re in the top 1% of the world.  But we also found out that no matter what our income amounts to, we shouldn’t feel guilty that we have wealth, because God richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 

God gives good gifts, and gifts are given for the enjoyment of the one receiving it.  Maybe someone got a better gift than you, and it doesn’t seem fair…however, our jealousy tends to evaporate once we expand our comparison circle to include the rest of the world.

So now that we know we’re rich, what do we do?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught:

Matthew 6:19-21
Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A few observations:
·        Jesus gave no indication that being wealthy in this life (or the next) is wrong.
·        What is considered valuable now is not going to be what is considered valuable in the next life.
·        How we obtain wealth in this life is not how we store up treasures for the next life.

During his ministry, Jesus met many rich folks who didn’t handle their wealth very well in light of eternity.  A few examples include the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22), also the Pharisees and their scribes (Luke 5:29-31).  The rich were also featured in Jesus’ parables as bad examples of how to live life in the present age (Luke 12:13-21, Luke 16:19-31, and Luke 18:9-14).

So, what should us rich 1%ers do?  What does God consider the right way to handle the wealth He’s given us?

Paul addressed that topic in his instructions to Timothy:

1 Timothy 6:17-19
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real.

Being rich in the age to come means being other-focused in the present age.  Whether we make $15,000 a year or $1,500,000 a year – what we do with what God has given us will determine the foundation of our lives in the next life.

That thought just blows me away, so dwell on it for just a moment with me.  Everything in this life is building *only* the foundation for our lives in eternity.  What we build, the work we do, the experiences we will have in the next life…are going to be based upon the choices we make in the present age.

My mentor, Joe, would tell me often “This life is just boot camp for the next.”  C.S. Lewis wrote that our present lives are simply the cover and the title page…when we enter Eternity future, we will begin Chapter 1 of the Great Story that never ends, where each chapter is better than the one before.

Partnering with God now affects how we can partner with God in Eternity.  We should absolutely enjoy the gifts God has given us, but don’t enjoy them selfishly.  Do good.  Be rich in good works.  Be generous.  Be willing to share.

Lay a good foundation for the age to come.  Find and take hold of life that is real.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Flashback Favorite - Dance floors and lampstands

We represent Jesus to the world, for better or worse…but we can’t be preoccupied with how others respond.

Dance floors and lampstands
Originally posted on January 17, 2019

On a busy Monday afternoon, a second shift co-worker walked into the open office the four of us shared, looked right at me, and with an accusing tone she said, “I saw you.”

My confused look didn’t deter her.  She said it again, but this time with more emphasis: “I saw you!”  And then, it hit me.  I knew exactly what she was talking about. 

The previous Saturday evening had been the company’s annual Holiday party.  Most years, our family’s schedule had prevented my wife and I from going.  However, this year we had decided to get dressed up and attend.  This was no small event, either – there were fancy drinks, several buffets of rich foods, and lots of dancing.

I have to admit, I felt a pang of self-consciousness when we decided to hit the dance floor.  Not because I was afraid to dance with my wife – we always have a great time, and her dance moves make mine look good – but I was fully aware that almost none of my co-workers had ever seen me in this type of setting.  At work, I was the reliable answer-guy you brought your investigations to, a professional to help you figure out your industry-regulated best next step – not exactly the type of person you would expect to groove through the songs of the decades.  I wasn’t so much worried that they would think less of me, but I was certainly curious as to what their reaction would be.

As we made our way to the floor, I had an important realization.  Under no circumstances should I look around for people’s reactions.  As much as I was either self-conscious or curious, focusing on anyone else while dancing with my wife would give the complete wrong impression.  So as we started to move with the music, my attention was focused solely on enjoying the moment with my bride.  We danced the night away, had a blast, and I completely forgot my curiosity surrounding my co-workers’ potential reactions.

Apparently, we were noticed.  And talked about.  Even to the point where a co-worker was excited to point out, two days later, that she had been a witness to the event.  But what, exactly, did they see?  They saw a couple totally focused on each other and enjoying the moment at hand.  It stood out from what they expected.  Watching it unfold was attractive.  Seeing it first-hand was something they thought about, and even talked about days later.

But I think there’s an even bigger lesson here, one that pertains to how we, as Christians, actually show others that we are Christ-followers.  It seems that every ten years or so, there’s a new witnessing technique or life-story-sharing strategy that comes out.  But “witnessing” is much simpler than we make it out to be, because we tend to forget what Jesus said near the beginning of His ‘Sermon on the Mount’, when He looked at disciples and said:

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world.  A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

The disciples would best represent Christ – shine their light – through the lives they would lead and the choices they would make.  Jesus said that their good works would be what would stand out to and attract others to their Father in heaven.

It can be hard to wrap our heads around how doing good works makes that much of a “witnessing” impact; however, demonstrations of patience, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are not things the world is used to seeing.  Imitating Jesus will cause others to take notice…but we cannot be concerned if anyone has noticed our light.  Instead, our focus should be solely on the fuel for our light – our relationship with Jesus.  As we spend time with Jesus through prayer and studying the Scripture, our good works will be naturally fueled so they shine brightly from the lampstand location we find ourselves in.

In order for Christians to tell others about Jesus, the world doesn’t need us to be schooled in the latest witnessing techniques or debate programs.  We don’t have to have all the answers to the tough theological questions people will ask.  But in order for others to come to the point where they give glory to your Father in heaven, they need to see us Christians doing good works from the platform of our day-to-day lives.

So make sure you spend time with Jesus so you can shine your light today.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

A make or break moment

Have you ever sensed that you were in a critical moment…and that your next words or actions were going to be hugely impactful for everyone going forward?  It’s in those moments you realize the potential damage that could be caused by the powder keg of emotions and authority.  We most commonly see these situations arise between parents and children, bosses and employees, and political leaders and citizens. 

Ancient Israel’s newest king, Rehoboam, found himself in this kind of situation soon after he succeeded his father Solomon.  While we mostly know of King Solomon’s reputation for wisdom and wealth, he also led massive building and upgrade projects across the nation of Israel, both for development and fortification.  To achieve these large-scale projects, Solomon had worked the people hard for decades.  After Rehoboam became king, the weary people wanted to know if he was going to bring more of the same or if the new king was willing to provide some relief.

1 Kings 12:3-6
the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam: “Your father made our yoke harsh.  You, therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”  Rehoboam replied, “Go away for three days and then return to me.”  So the people left.

Rehoboam knew that this was going to be a pivotal moment so early in his kingship.  He needed time and advice to determine how to respond.  First, he went to the elders who had served his father.  They would have personally known the history of King Solomon’s projects and the effort the people made over the years. 

1 Kings 12:7
They replied, “Today if you will be a servant to this people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

Not liking what he heard, King Rehoboam asked for advice from the young men he had grown up with.  Their advice was in line with the bravado of youth.  During their lifetime, they had only observed the hard leadership style of King Solomon.  This was their response:

1 Kings 12:10-11
This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!  Although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with barbed whips.’

Can you guess which advice he took?

In this make-or-break moment, Rehoboam chose the brashness of inexperienced leadership and, as a result, the people rebelled.  The 10 northern tribes formed their own country of Israel, and Rehoboam was left to rule over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.  The 12 tribes never fully recovered from this…eventually, both Israel and Judah were defeated and exiled from the land.

Look back at what the people were asking Rehoboam to provide – a lightening of their work load.  They needed relief, and although the king had the authority to grant it, he chose not to.  Instead, he piled even more burdens on them.

This isn’t the first time I’ve read this story from Israel’s history.  It’s not the first time I’ve mentioned it in a blog post, either.  However, when reading through it this time, my mind jumped ahead to something Jesus said.  The people of the first century were worn down, both politically and spiritually.  Every new generation of rabbi had their own teaching and additions to a Jew’s religious responsibility…and the politicians were selfishly corrupt.  In the midst of this cultural climate, Jesus made the following offer:

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Jesus’ offer was in stark contrast to how the nation’s leaders treated the people, but it was exactly what the people needed.  Ultimately, Jesus’ offer was what the Israelites were asking for from Rehoboam.

From here, my mind jumped ahead to today’s world.  People are still weary.  Life weighs heavy on us.  The events of our time, as seen through the non-stop news cycle, are always in front of us.  Burdens don’t seem to be getting any easier, and our political leaders aren’t providing relief. 

And what of Christianity’s reputation?  Don’t do this, you must do that.  You won’t be accepted until you promise to stop screwing up.  Thou shalt not.  Thou should do.  Repent.  Commit.  Give things up.  More.  And.  More.  Rules.  And.  Conditions.

But Jesus had no such qualifiers for His offer.  His rest is available, if we take Him up on His offer…just as we are.  Throughout the centuries, people have sought relief – Jesus is the only one who can both offer it and come through on His offer.

We need to make sure that we’re not making it harder to find Him because we burden others in ways that Jesus would not.  Learn from Him and then display the same grace to others.  You never know – it could be a make or break moment for them.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The purpose of church leadership

From meeting in homes or coffee shops, to tiny 10-seater buildings, even to auditoriums that seat thousands…church congregations come in all shapes and sizes.  Despite the size or location, God has desired both order and direction in the local gathering of believers.

Throughout his letter to the believers in Ephesus, Paul unpacks God’s design and purpose for the church.  Paul begins the letter by talking about the church “corporately” as the body of Christ, discussing the blessings we have as the group of people unified in Christ.  He ends the letter discussing how God defines and helps us obtain success within the individual relationships we have in the church body.  The part I want to look at is in the middle, when Paul mentions a few church leadership positions and their role within the body:

Ephesians 4:11-12
And [Jesus] Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,

Apostles and prophets were foundational, first-century gifts; whereas, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are gifts that have persisted since the founding of the first churches.  However, all of these church-body leadership roles had the same aim – equipping the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ.

The Greek word translated as equipping (katartismos) was used in several different ways in the ancient world.  Firstly, it was used to describe the action of preparing a ship for a journey.  You won’t find a Walmart floating around in the Mediterranean Sea, so whatever you pack is all you have.  They would equip the ship with everything they needed to survive the journey.  Another common use of katartismos was to describe fishermen who were repairing their nets.  During a day’s work, their nets would become ripped, torn, and develop holes from repeatedly bringing in fish and being dragged across the bottom of the lake.  The fishermen would end their days mending these issues.  In doing so, they were said to be equipping the nets, preparing them for use the next day.  For a Biblical example of the word being used this way, refer to Matthew 4:21.  Thirdly, katartismos was used as a medical term.  When a doctor would reset a patient’s broken bone, he would put the two parts back together and bind the wound.  He was equipping the bone to promote healing.

Because of these common uses for katartismos, I absolutely love Paul’s use of the word in Ephesians 4:12.  Each use shines a light on what church leaders should do: 

While ships go on journeys with what they have, at some point they need to restock supplies.  People should be leaving church gatherings equipped for their journey into the world, but also be able to come back and be re-supplied.

Let’s be honest, the world can beat us up.  Just day-to-day life can leave us feeling ripped/torn/frayed when we’re doing what we need to do…but especially when life drags us across the rocks.  We need our church leadership to help mend us, so we’re equipped to go back out again.

Sometimes, life just breaks us.  There are situations that are too much for one person to bear alone.  When that happens, we need help to be reset.  We need a place where we are equipped to promote healing.

After Paul gives the Ephesian believers (and us!) such a rich metaphor, he goes on to tell them what the end goal is for those who lead.  They are to build up the body of Christ…

Ephesians 4:13
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.

The aim for a church family is to be unified and growing into maturity – which sounds great, but note that it’s not just in a general sense, the way we often hear the world talk about both subjects.  Both our unity and maturity are based upon and measured against Jesus and the example He has set.  It is the responsibility of church leaders that these are constantly in focus, from the way they treat others to the messages they teach.

And if you’re not in a leadership position, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.  As you are being equipped, it’s now your turn to go out into the world and fulfill the work of ministry God has given you.

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Pause on prayers and regrets

There’s a running joke in Christianity that says you should never ask God for patience, because if you do, you’ll hit every red light, you’ll be late for everything, and no one will behave like you expect them to.  “Ask God for patience,” you’re warned, “and you’ll regret it!”

But have you ever asked God for something and later regretted asking Him?  Maybe you asked God for something, but you never received it, so you felt guilty for asking in the first place.  It could have been a relationship with who you thought was “The One”, that “perfect” job opportunity, or public recognition…and they didn’t turn out the way you wanted. 

There’s a flip side to this also – what if God answers your request, but not in the way you were expecting? 

My wife is a good example.  When our boys were young, rambunctious, and not yet in school, my wife was struggling.  She knew that she needed to carve out time for herself.  She wanted to spend that time with God.  But little boys do not make it easy to schedule quiet time.  So she prayed about it, asking God to help her find/make/squirrel away some time where she could read the Bible, pray, and just breathe for 15 or 30 minutes.   

God answered her prayer…but He did it in a way that neither of us anticipated.  During one doctor appointment, she described her struggles and how she was feeling – and, based on their discussion, the doc diagnosed her with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  At the time, we lived in a very cloudy city that didn’t get much sun throughout the winter months.  So her doctor prescribed blue light therapy, meaning that she had to sit with a blue light to help with her mood and sleeping patterns.  Suddenly, she had 30 minutes to kill every morning as a blue light box shined across her face.  She got the result she asked God for, but certainly not delivered in a manner she would have chosen.

The moment in Scripture that we’re going to pause on was filled with tension and sorrow.  Jesus was slowly dying as His naked, beaten body hung from the cross.  For the handful of followers who watched, it must have been gut-wrenching to see Him like that.  Among those who were brave enough to risk being seen there, Matthew noted the following:

Matthew 27:55-56
Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after Him were there, watching from a distance.  Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

This may seem like an odd moment to pause on, but we need to focus in on the unnamed woman who is listed last: the mother of Zebedee’s sons.  Both of her boys – James and John – were Jesus’ disciples.  And not just any disciples, but they were also part of Jesus’ inner circle, typically mentioned as Peter, James, and John.  Yeah, those were her boys.  They were among the first disciples chosen and they had followed Him everywhere.  Their mother also believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  But as she watched her Messiah slowly die on that cross, how could her mind not flashback to this recent scene?

Matthew 20:20-23
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached [Jesus] with her sons.  She knelt down to ask Him for something.  “What do you want?” He asked her.

“Promise,” she said to Him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.”

Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking.  Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”

“We are able,” they said to Him

He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

Whoever sat at a ruler’s right hand held the top position, while the ruler’s second in command would sit at his left.  In effect, the mother was asking Jesus to ensure that her boys were placed in the top spots in His kingdom.  Notice that Jesus did not rebuke her for asking, nor did he reprimand James and John for desiring those positions.  However, all three of them were unaware of what such lofty positions would cost.

In Scripture, to drink from a “cup” is figurative for following a divinely appointed path or outcome, in the form of a blessing, wrath, punishment, or, in Jesus’ case, His upcoming suffering.  While Jesus could not promise the top positions, He warned the brothers that to have an opportunity for that honor, they must be prepared to suffer as He would soon suffer.

After their meeting, the other disciples found out and were not happy about the mother’s request:

Matthew 20:24-28
When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers.  Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them.  It must not be like that among you.  On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

The path to greatness is paved with service to others.  Jesus will rightfully rule in His kingdom because He suffered the most and served the most.  The seats at His right and His left have been prepared for those who similarly serve.  There is nothing wrong with desiring the high positions in Jesus’ kingdom, but those seats come at a high price – a “cup” of suffering service.

Back at the cross, what was James’ and John’s mother thinking about?  How did she feel, watching Jesus die, knowing that after her petition, Jesus said her boys would drink from the same cup?

Did she regret her request?
Did she desire to somehow protect her boys from the same horrific path?
Did she still trust Jesus when He said that being great actually means sacrificially serving others?

Those are good questions for us to wrestle with, as well.

Keep Pressing,
Ken