The Good News – two parts

June 29, 2011

Maria 1 Peter, Gospel , Leave a comment

How do you share the Gospel?  It’s a very intimidating subject.  Maybe I should ask, “Do you share the Gospel?” and if so, what do you say?  I’ve been obsessed with this question for a while.  I feel both a conviction and desire to be out and about giving real hope in a fragile, fleeting world, yet I am afraid of both rejection and falling on my face.

I grew up in the Episcopal Church.  Their approach to sharing the Gospel, at least during the ‘so called’ Decade of Evangelism (the 1990s) was meant to take away any fear or threat of pushback.  They taught “All you have to do is tell your story – no one can criticize you for telling your story!”

It took me years finally to realize that while one’s story might interest SOME people, that’s actually NOT the gospel.  Your story features and highlights YOU as the main character.  On the other hand, the Gospel is God’s story; His rescue operation of lost sinners unable to save themselves. That’s why it’s good news for everyone. And it’s not just wishful thinking.  We can point to a particular historical event as a basis for this saving operation.

So for the past two years, having studied the content of the good news as objective historical fact – what Christ accomplished on our behalf, I have stayed away from including anything personal.  But recently I’ve been reading that it is perfectly legitimate to add a personal dimension, the details of how that ‘good’ news has changed your life.

These two aspects of the Gospel – the objective side and the affective side seem like they would make for a much more complete presentation.  Taking two weeks, I will first pick up and look at the content of the actual gospel.  And next week, God-willing, I will write about how that event has changed my life.  In doing so, I think that my readiness to share the full story will be honed.  Maybe this will prompt you to practice articulating what the Gospel is.  After all, we are charged to be ready always to give a defense, an apologia for what and why we believe (1 Pet 3:15).

The good news, the Gospel, is an account of something that took place outside of us.  It’s anchored in an historical event, the crucifixion.   God the Son came into our world as a human to reconcile us to God the Father by accomplishing two goals.  The first goal was to pay off our debt against God.  The second goal was to transfer a perfectly obedient life to our account.  By doing both, we are then counted and considered as adopted sons of the Father, having full rights of inheritance with our older brother Jesus.  It’s an incredible accomplishment given our status beforehand.

As always, in order to understand why this is GOOD news, we have to acknowledge reality before Jesus.  Yes, God did create us in His image and He was pleased with His handiwork.  But in the interests of creating us with the capacity to love as free agents, part of our nature included the ability to reject God.  And right from the beginning our Uncle Adam and Aunt Eve did that.

We all know that no man is an island unto himself and that our actions do indeed impact others.  Well Adam and Eve’s desire to be autonomous, to be their own gods and decision makers got transferred to us.  And that default has been wired into our very nature, to our harm.

Every time we decide to make much of ourselves or of something in creation, we rob God of His rightful glory.  Those actions add up to a staggering record against us.  They prevent us from having a peaceable relationship with God our Father.  We are out of sorts with Him because of all this wrongdoing lying between us.  The record is huge, because it keeps accumulating each day, day after day.  It is an insurmountable obstacle to a loving relationship with God.  In fact because of this mountain of sin, we deserve death.

Yet God…..!!! (Great words)  Because He is just and righteous, He doesn’t turn a blind eye to sin. But because His loving-kindness is beyond our imagining, He doesn’t leave us without hope. Instead, He provided a way to pay off that debt forever. He chose to die in our place.  Had WE been writing the story, never in a million years would we have imagined that ending.  But the Trinity in a Holy Plan created this very rescue mission.  God as Father, Holy Spirit and Son decided to save a group of humans to be His children forever.  Jesus, the son, left His privileged place in the family God-head to face the eventual separation when He took on our sins.

All this glorious work and inheritance gets to be ours when we face the fact that without God’s active intervention, we would have no way out. We can’t save ourselves. But oh, what a savior!  We can humbly and gratefully accept His offer of pardon and full restitution. That’s it – we open our hands and accept the gift and our status is immediately changed.  We no longer face eternal condemnation and a horrible future.

Instead we can look forward to a mind-boggling, staggering inheritance, packed with an infinity of implications.  But why do I hesitate to let others in on this amazing plan?   Why do I stall, dreaming up ‘easy’ ways to approach people?   I hold imaginary conversations

  • So, are you a spiritual person?
  • Do you ever feel guilty?
  • What are you going to do with your guilt when you die?
  • Do you ever think about life after death?
  • What do you think happens to people when they die?

I think I have the content down.  I just am afraid to open up, unless someone asks me a leading question.

What about you?  What has your experience been like?  How do you communicate God’s story?

(**Next week, I’ll post about why being rescued by God has changed my life in the here and now.)

Daily C-Rations and Getting the CAR in gear – a metaphor

May 31, 2011

Maria 1 John, 1 Peter, Deuteronomy, Ephesians, Guilt, John , , , , Leave a comment

I like to simplify doctrine down to mnemonic devices I can easily recall.

The other day I was thinking about what I need to remember, to feed on each morning to reorient myself for the day.  There is something perverse about a night’s sleep.  I tend to lose a correct theology somewhere in the wee hours of the night. I can go to bed being thankful to God and conscious of Him and then wake up in the morning a ‘worldling’ again, living as a functional atheist.  So each morning, I have to RECALL deliberately what is true about God and about me.

The other day, as I was walking and reflecting about how to be more automatic in God-thoughts, the picture of C-rations sprang to mind.  These days, the prepared meals for an Army in the field are called something else, but you know what I mean. I thought about how a soldier might draw his daily C-rats, enough calories and nutrition to provide him with energy for his 24 hour duty period.  Jacob prayed for spiritual C-Rats for his son Asher:

As your days — so shall your strength be.” Deuteronomy 33:26

Being consistent with Moses, I imagined what spiritual C-rations we should draw.  For fun, I came up with lots of C-words to illustrate God’s gifts.  As I ran through some of these God-given daily provisions, I was reminded of what Paul says.

The apostle emphasizes in his letter to the Ephesians that we have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ.  What are some of these daily spiritual ‘C-rats’ issued to us and available for our sustenance?   As His covenantal children, we are entitled to help ourselves to gifts such as Charity, Compassion, Courage, Character, Control over self, Companionship of Christ….you get the idea…think of your own C words.  What is key is that God provides what we will need for the trials and tasks of the day, not more, not less, but just what is necessary.  (Remember how the Hebrews tried to stash some away, “just in case”, but it rotted?)

But life is more than drawing food or getting equipped for the day.  As I was ruminating about my C-rats plan, it dawned on me that there were some daily actions I could embark on first thing in the morning and then with God’s help sustain.  I came up with three and they too begin with the letter C J.  Here’s an acronym – CAR.  C stands for CASTING all my CARES on Jesus, not only as an act of humility (so Peter exhorts us) but also so I don’t have to carry them around.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due     time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Pet 5: 6-7

If I heave them onto Jesus, He can handle them, fix them, and imbue them with grace.

The A stands for ABIDE.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15: 4-5

Now I must admit, the How-To of abiding is a challenge.  But I heard Andrée Seu (columnist from World magazine) give a simple tip on how to abide.  She recommends thanking God as a method for keeping one’s mind on Christ.  Now that makes sense.  If all of a sudden I ‘wake up’ and realize I haven’t been abiding in Christ, I can look around and thank Him for something right at hand.

Today, I caught myself not even aware of God while on a walk with my husband.  It was Mike’s birthday AND Memorial Day, so we were out enjoying a 5-mile wooded trail.  When I startled and it dawned on me that I wasn’t abiding in (i.e. thinking about) Christ, I looked at the textured bark on the trees and thanked God for His design and creativity (another C word!)   That one observation led to other delights and all of a sudden I was abiding.  My momentary appreciation and love for God grew.

What about guilt for the hours that had passed without thinking of God?  The 3rd letter of CAR reminds us that we get to REPENT each time we catch ourselves distracted about worldly concerns with no thought toward God.  I’m so grateful for the gift of frequent repentance:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Now applying the CAR metaphor a bit further, I imagine an engine with pistons that operates on a continuous 3 stroke cycle (we have to S-T-R-E-T-C-H the analogy a bit, I know! My husband has explained that cars have either 2 or 4 cycles).  I cast my cares on Christ, I abide in Him and when I FORGET about Him I come to my senses. Then I get to repent and thank Him for gently bringing me back to my senses. And so it goes.  The car engine won’t function unless the pistons are moving up and down.  Neither will I function well as a Christian unless I am continually Casting, Abiding, and Repenting.

So what’s the plan when you wake up tomorrow morning? We’ll draw our C-Rats for the day and put the CAR in gear.  Let me know what other C blessings make a difference in your day.

The blessing of guilt

May 19, 2011

Maria 1 Peter, Sin, Witnessing Leave a comment

I just heard, via my French news podcast, the sad tale of a mid-wife trainee who administered the medication for a D&C to the wrong patient.  A baby died because of this error.  The reporter talked about the mother’s shock and grief.  But my heart wrenched not only for her but also for the poor young mid-wife trainee whose mistake cost the baby’s life.  What does she do with her guilt?  How can she live with herself?

A day later, the political world was rocked with the public accusation of sexual assault.  The French head of the International Monetary Fund apparently forced himself on his hotel maid.  Barely 48 hours after this news we learned of a child, fathered (outside of his marriage) by movie icon and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

What do these three people have in common?  They are burdened with guilt.  They, like us, have to face the question:  What do you do with your guilt? That is a question that has both eternal significance as well as a day-to-day impact on the quality of our life here on Earth.  In their circumstances as well as in ours Jesus is the only answer that can bring healing, justice and freedom for both victim and victimizer.

Guilt is part of the human condition ever since we turned our backs on God in the Garden.  There are two aspects to guilt and I think we fixate on one more than the other.  There is objective guilt – we fail to meet a standard, we are judged lacking.  (That is actually easier to address).  But there is the affective side of guilt, the feelings that plague us even after our objective guilt has been handled.

If I were the midwife, my instincts would kick in and I would be saying to myself, “What can I EVER due to make up for the life I took?”  Without the knowledge that Jesus paid for her culpability in that baby’s death, no matter what or how much she does , she will be haunted until she dies.  The French justice system will evaluate how much she should ‘pay’ given the circumstances and motives.   But unless she has a way to handle her feelings of guilt, she will be miserable.  The fact that Jesus took on all our punishment & guilt, the fact that he died means that we don’t have to be punished more than the State deems.  A forgiven, redeemed Christian lives in the land of “No Condemnation!” Sweet words!

And Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the Frenchman?  And Arnold?  I pray that God uses the publicity of these egregious & wicked actions to bring them face to face with their need for a Savior.  Pride goes before a fall.  It is a temptation to be rich, famous and powerful.  Those people need our prayers.  But God is sovereign.  As they say, if we don’t humble ourselves, God will.  The two women who are victims (and everyone else caught in the webs of pain these men have generated) need Jesus.   They need to know that perfect justice will be had: both Arnold and Dominique will pay for their crimes when they face God as their judge, OR, the punishment has already been borne by Jesus on the cross (if they accept the gift of Jesus as a stand-in for them by repenting and putting their trust in Christ).  In this latter case Jesus has been declared ‘guilty’ and has suffered for the crime.  Either way, perfect justice is guaranteed.  The crimes do not go unpunished in the cosmic court.  God knows and sees everything.

Two ‘take-aways’:

(1)  – instead of gloating when the haughty proud fall, instead of hopelessly lamenting the loss of a baby, we need to pray that this severe mercy bear fruit and all involved come to a saving faith in Jesus.

(2)  – remember that we have an opening with which we can share the Gospel.  A question that pertains to everyone we meet, “What do YOU do with your guilt?” might just be the words to cause your neighbor to think about God and to ‘fear’ Him properly.

Implication?  Let us always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have!  (1 Peter 3:15b)

When faith is feeble

February 21, 2011

Maria 1 Peter, Ephesians, Faith, Hebrews , , Leave a comment

It’s not your faith! And that is good news.  If it were, then you might have cause to worry.  For if faith were all up to you, it might not be enough for the job.  We live as though we are the ones who have to generate our faith.  We fret and deconstruct his words, when Jesus claims that all we need is a tiny bit of faith, no more than a miniscule mustard seed.

Here is why we don’t have to worry.  Who or what is the source of your faith?  Certainly not you.  You don’t have to muster up faith and hope that it is enough.  You didn’t have any to begin with.  If you or I have saving faith in any amount, it is because we have been given it.  Consider the following texts:

  • Ephesians 2: 8-9  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
  • Hebrews 12: 2 …let us “…fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…”
  • And a long passage from 1 Peter 1:  …we are
    “protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last times. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while,  if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,  so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at )the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

I read this passage the other day and was astonished by what God revealed after a 2nd glance.  At first I panicked, “I don’t think I can be truly protected by God, because my faith is weak”.  But then the Holy Spirit reminded me that I am not the source or creator or originator of my faith.  If I have any faith in God it is because it has been given to me.  And God says that whatever size his gift of faith is, it is enough.  The trials Peter refers to are not to make me look bad, but to prove TO ME, that this blessing of faith is not only adequate and reliable but sufficient as well for whatever life throws at me.

Now when we go back and look at all the texts which talk about faith, we see it in a different light:  ‘the righteous shall live by faith”.  Who is that verse talking about?   It is those who have been awakened from the dead (i.e. born again), thanks to God. Once they have been enabled to see, they then realize, and with eyes wide open, the choices of life and death before them. They gratefully accept the gift of both a clean slate and imputed righteousness as well as a storehouse of faith.  They can NOW live by this faith that God has put into them.  So it is the born again (aka the ‘righteous’), who live by faith: faith in God’s character, in his past actions and in his future promises.  They don’t look to their abilities, gifting and experience.

Now we we can surrender the lament that sounds ‘oh, so modest’, but is truly a sign of pride and unbelief, “Woe is me, for my lack of faith!”  If you are a believer, you have been given sufficient faith.  Step out, rely on God.  You won’t fall – and if you do, his strong arms are there to catch you.  Promise!  (God’s word cannot lie).   Encourage yourself with the truth that this gift of faith will not leak out.  You might feel weak, but you just have to realign your thoughts with God’s word and trust this faith. If it is from God, it is adequate.  It’s like manna for the day. Remind yourself that as a new creation, you have new resources to go with your new nature.  The faith is now a fact, if you are believer.  And it can never leave you!

Now what was it that you are afraid to do?  What have you let yourself off the hook about?  Repent and ‘drive on all the way’, as my Infantry father used to say.  With God’s faith residing in you, it’s all good.

 

Trust the method – It’s not all up to me!

January 18, 2011

Maria 1 Peter, Acts, Matthew, Trust 3 Comments

Exodus 4:12 – Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you shall say

This week I’m reflecting on a parallel between

  • The ‘success/results’ of my French students whom I teach with an acquisition/input based (non-text book) method
  • and the ‘success/results’ of those with whom I tell the Good News about what Jesus has done

Last Friday as I was reading one particular French 2 student’s homework story I was impressed with her level of writing.  Granted, she is bright and highly motivated.  But the system I use to teach French to her and others is so powerful, that even if I’m not super skilled at it, learners will achieve.  Here was more evidence that the results have little to do with my skill as a teacher, but with the method!  So why the stress?

My husband Mike and I were walking on Saturday, and I was sharing with him how pleased I was at this girl’s ability and how it is due to this fantastic way of teaching foreign languages.  He reminded me that I ‘angst’ all the time about being ‘good enough/ skilled enough’ with the method and that I need NOT play that anxious game anymore.  All of a sudden, I saw the application to my anxiety about sharing the Gospel.  If I truly believe that the power of God is in the Gospel, then why should I worry about ‘doing it’ right?  It’s not all up to me.  Just like teaching French via this input method is not all up to me.  The method works. I just have to use it and trust it.

This is exciting; because the immediate implication is that I don’t have to be PERFECT.  I just have to be willing to DO it.  I’m ashamed to say that often pride gets in the way of this truth and I WANT to do it well. Here’s what happens:

I am a blog-lurker.  I read blogs every day whose content is either Christianity (doctrine, practice, defending/ presenting the faith) or French (content, culture, current events, methodology).  Many days I come away feeling inadequate, that I’m not as good as other Christians or other language teachers who use the method of TPRS® (teaching proficiency through reading & storytelling). Yet I should know better about my profession because at the summer conferences I attend, one of the mantras is:  “Poor TPRS is better than NO TPRS”

To be logical I should tell myself, “Exalting Jesus in some way is better than keeping my mouth shut”.  So why don’t I exalt Jesus every day?”  The truth is, I can get away with not opening my mouth about Jesus.  I’m paid and held accountable for teaching French each day.  There are immediate consequences if I simply conduct a study hall in each class, day after day.  What are the consequences if I don’t open my mouth about Jesus?

I don’t have to list them for you…they are actually far more serious.  So why am I reluctant?  Expectations!  My school kids expect me to teach them French.  What is the expectation of those people whose paths I cross each day?  Well, I actually don’t know.  Who’s not to say that they were prepared by God to meet someone who would tell them some good news?   After all, there is precedence in the Bible.  Cornelius (Acts 10) was told by an angel in a vision to send a message to Peter.  Likewise Peter while praying was prompted to let go of certain food rituals.  These two unlikely people met (because they were obedient) and it made a HUGE difference in their lives and in the Kingdom.

In conclusion….pray that you and I be obedient to God’s commands. As ordinary Christians, our daily duty falls SOMEWHERE between these two expectations:

  • Matt 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
  • 1 Pet 3:15  But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.

 

 

 

Jumping for Joy

January 11, 2011

Maria 1 Peter, Joy , 2 Comments

1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now, for a little while, you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

‘Agalliao’ literally means to jump for joy.  Translators have drained off the very enthusiasm, sucked the brimming delight out of the original Greek.

What makes you deliriously happy?  Sometimes I glance at the gym’s TVs when I’m on the treadmill.  If I’m working out around 4 pm, Oprah used to be on.  Have you ever caught that show on one of her ‘goodie-give-away days’?  You’d think the women had just been told that a tumor is benign or something a little more significant.  But it’s just stuff that has them stirred up.

Or how about Superbowl Sunday in America?  An unpredictable upset can send the winning team’s fans into orbit.  I’ve never witnessed a Mega-Lottery winner’s initial reaction at the news of his change of fortune, but I can picture it.  They say the giddiness of the good news wears off as greedy distant relatives emerge and concrete decisions overwhelm the winner.

So why should you & I as believers, as God’s chosen children, jump for joy every day?  For starters, let’s consider some facts:

  • We have been permanently saved from the fiery grip of Hell’s demons
  • We have a guaranteed inheritance that is waiting for us in heaven. (I really can’t imagine all that might entail, but I am assured by God’s word that it is beyond human imagination.  And it must be VERY good, if Christ were willing to die so we could share in it.)
  • Remarkable  accounting transactions.  As a believer, Jesus’ righteousness counts for me and my sins have been transferred to him. What a deal!
  • God’s supernatural presence, power, protection, provision and all his possessions are mine in this present life -1 Cor 3:21b – ‘for all things belong to you (believers).’
  • God also gives me purpose for living in this present life (we were created to enjoy bringing Him glory) and guaranteed work/purpose in the Kingdom of God that is beyond this worldly concept of TIME.  We won’t float around in unending boredom strumming harps and polishing our halos – we’ll be busy with significant work.
  • God brings meaning to suffering and promises justice for wrongs done us.
  • God promises to work/weave the ‘all things’ (the suffering and injustices done us and our loved ones) into the fabric of our story that will bring Him glory and us eventual joy.

Dear Lord, the next time someone asks, “Maria, how are you doing?” may I remember to let them in on a little secret…that I’m turning cartwheels when I think what awaits me.  Let me NOT be afraid to share the good news that is available to them as well.  There are plenty of invites left for those who want to receive God’s enduring ‘goodies’.  And the joy will not fade within minutes/ hours or days from receiving this blood-stained invitation.  Don’t forget to ‘RSVP’!

 

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