Gladly overwhelmed by the Gospel
The Thai, Northeastern, Lao Isan of Thailand are listed in the 100 LARGEST(mass numbers of people) unreached people groups over on the Joshua Project website. I read about this on the Joshua Project site last week from a Twitter update and have been trying to process it. We know that we need to be about sharing the gospel here in this area among the people, that has never been a question. However, this type of information verifies the challenges that we face and calls us towards dependence on the gospel and awesomeness of God as the Holy Spirit leads us.
This type of information could make one feel helpless and overwhelmed. Helplessness was my first feeling when I read about this, which soon turned into a faith-filled acknowledgment that Jesus has other sheep that he too must bring in and will do so through his gospel. I was looking over the Joshua Project statistics last week at a coffee shop and was not living in line with truth for a few brief seconds, I was feeling a little hopeless and then Git, a Christian Thai woman walked by with her kids! May the gospel go forth!
This information also calls us away from depending on good methods, good strategies, and ironically even revealing statistics as we use them. We trust in the Name of the Lord our God! Man, what great things to think about during the Christmas season! The Gospel and the mission of the Church!
I am overwhelmed by the Gospel today! It's also my bride's birthday and the day we received our little Sophie Mei from China. Watching this reminds me in some aspects of how God has adopted us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus!
A hike with my daughter and 1 Thessalonians
On an adventure to a dam just north of Khon Kaen, Sophie Mei (my 2 year old) and I walked up some stairs to the top of a little mountain that overlooked a lake. I was impressed at Sophie's endurance to climb the 150+ stairs and encouraged by her desire for adventure. Only the first few stairs could qualify as being equal in their make, the rest were far from uniform making it an eye-foot-body test all the way up. The adventure was not only in walking up the little mountain in the woods, it was also in completing each different step.
We made it to the top, laughed and smiled, looked out at the lake, prayed to the true and living God that made the mountain and the lake and for the thousands that make the same hike up in order to make merit in the temple on the top.
Then we made the trip down. Although they were the same steps we were coming at them from a different direction and experiencing gravity in a different way. I held Sophie's had a little tighter and could feel her momentum overtaking her at times, I would apply the "hand-brake" and she would slow down, smile, and continue on.
Upon reaching the bottom we found Sherry and her folks looking for a spider that Sherry had seen and wanted to take a picture. Sophie and I were both drenched and thirsty. It was fun, adventurous, and exciting, but it was tiring and depleting also. Sophie was tired but wanted to do it again. We walked up about 15 of them just to show the family how much fun stairs can be and get our picture taken. Sherry and the family thought it was nice and good and were even proud, but there was something missing for them that caused them to not be as excited about the journey to the top as we were, the experience itself.
I was reminded of this beautiful moment with my beautiful daughter as I meditated on this verse:
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. Thessalonians 4:1
We are to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 2:12, Colossians 1:10) and we are to walk in a way that pleases him. We are to walk and please the Lord more and more. When it comes to our walking and pleasing God I am reminded of my ability to walk in the first place; he has set me free from the shackles of death so I can run the race marked out for me. He set me free by applying redemption to me through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and the conviction, power, and indwelling of the Holy Spirit along with the gift of faith. Knowing this reminds me of my previous inability to walk and please the Lord. This foundational truth is important and makes a big difference in how I will view the good works that God has called me along with sanctification.
Keith Frye encouraged his twitter folks recently with this:
"All sanctification is constantly returning to the truth of justification!"
I mention this quote from Keith because walking with the Lord is part of becoming more and more like Jesus and less and less like silly fool sinners, which is an aspect of sanctification. The heart of my sanctification is in the galactic truth of my justification. I was saved by grace and I will be changed by grace. I now have the ability to walk with God and strive for a life filled with good works knowing that my reliance on the truth of the Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit will please the Father. I find it humorous when we try to separate God's part and our part, as if my part is totally independent from him and actually contributes in such a way that I could truly boast and keep that crown for myself instead of laying it at the feet of Jesus one day. I desire to work as hard as I can to become more like Jesus. Even my hard work, toil, and struggling is rooted in him! "For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." Colossians 1:29
There are many points of my adventure with Sophie at the dam that have been great teaching moments on sanctification for me as I reflect over our adventure and 1 Thessalonians 4:1. I will mention a few here. As with most illustrations, these have holes in them. Just go with me a little here.
Different steps up the mountain.
Areas of weakness and sin:
There are different areas of our lives that are not fully reflecting the glory of Jesus but require walking with him in surrender. Each area will not be dealt with in exactly the same way but will have similar foundational elements to eradicate the sin and unbelief. Sometimes we face many of these "steps" at one time, other times we don't even see them, where as when we are not moving or walking we tend to stay on the same step. "Spiritual complacency contradicts a believer's confession." (RSB note on 1 Thessalonians 4:1)
Areas of life circumstances:
The different steps also make me think of all the different times or seasons of our lives and how we need to constantly and faithfully walk with Jesus in all of them. Whether we are single, married, working, living in a foreign land, becoming a mom or dad, facing hardships, and even death itself, we must walk and please God more and more. Even as I write I am a Christian, a husband, a father, a son, a brother..etc...a missionary, a campus pastor, a youth pastor, a dreamer..etc. In each of these areas I have the opportunity to walk according to the Spirit in a manner worthy of the Lord or I can be focused on myself and be a selfish man. There are many more stages of life to come for me and my family. What will God have us do in Thailand? How long will we be here? How many more children will we have? Will I finish my masters? Steps...Steps...Steps. Steps not so much in moving up or forward in life, but steps as in areas of life to submit to God and become more like him, different opportunities to be changed into his likeness. Obviously many of these life circumstances we are called to live in all of our lives, so how are we best walking with him more and more in them.
Constant calculations.
Once again, most of these steps for Sophie and me, once we got past the first level of steps, began taking on the life and lay of the mountain causing us to have to recalculate each step. As I write this I am intrigued at how the brain can calculate so fast, a man operated robot would have even the best math wizard flustered. So as we think about each step being different we have to think about how we are going to step on it(or walk in it). We must know God's Word so that we can understand how to follow him in all the different areas of life. We must evaluate our lives constantly with the desire to please him. How can I best please God in this particular situation? Even coming down the mountain, Sophie Mei and I needed to take a different approach to the exact same steps. We had been there before, but not in the same way. Gravity was there going up the mountain slowing us down, and going down the mountain it was speeding us up. Sometimes we think we already know how to walk with God in a certain area of life and we coast, this can lead to disaster. In this world there will always be outside and inside influence telling us we have it under control. Be careful, submit to the Word and Spirit. Know the Spirit's leading and stopping, one of His roles is to be like a hand-brake for us.
Celebrate
We need to celebrate when we see God working in our lives. We celebrated when we reached the top of the mountain. We will celebrate the most when we see Jesus face to face, but he desires for us to celebrate now too. He is working in us! Worship him!
Refresh
Sophie and I were wore out.
We must constantly be refreshed in his Word, by his Spirit and the body of Christ.
There are other lessons here too but I think that is good for now, at least for me.
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means.
Today I was asked to think about Hope. So I did.
How do we use the word hope? How does the bible?
Here are some "hopes" that are really more like maybes, the answer is truly unknown but the possibilities are there.
"Man I hope we get to go to Six Flags four times this week," I said to Tony 25 years ago.
"I hope I pass this test", I would say to my Spanish teacher and do say to Ying my Thai teacher.
"I hope you like what I made for you."
"I hope we have a long cool season here in Thailand this year."
Here are some "hopes" that are really unlikely to happen.
"I hope they have a Outback in the new mall they are building here in Khon Kaen," nobody says to nobody unless they are trying to be funny and make everyone mad.
"I hope tomorrow never comes," says the one in love or the one who is on death row.
"I hope I never see you again," says the mean one.
"I hope no one is in there," Gabe and I say to each other as we check on a light left on in the pump house by the lake at Salem late one night. (this may fit better in the above grouping)
These are the hopes that are most likely to happen but still have an element of the unknown.
I hope Brian Regan is funny on his next comedy routine.
I hope Sherry's Chicken Pot Pie is good tomorrow.
I hope my friends are doing well in the game Farmville or Mafia.
I hope that Ryan Marcum plays around with his blog template this week. (love you brother)
But what about the use of the word hope in the bible? Does our everyday use of "hope" confuse what God wants us to understand about hope?
Just like Inigo Montoya questioning Vizzini's use of the word inconceivable in the movie The Prince's Bride, we need to check ourselves with the use of the word hope.
From what I read and see, when the bible uses hope the meaning is full expectation or anticipation.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-5
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.
The recipients of this letter were down and out because some of their church folks had died before Jesus returned. They were confused leaving them feeling hopeless and afraid of death. Paul needed to teach them about there security in Jesus and their final destination. They were feeling hopeless, Paul helped them to expect great things by understanding gospel benefits.
We hope for the day when we will see Jesus face to face, he is our hope. He is the reason we have hope. Our hopes are based off of his accomplishments and promises; this is an expectant anticipation, not a worrisome works based maybe it will maybe it won't word. This hope is also founded, given, and promised in grace, it is a divine gift.
This is but a tiny thought on great topic. HOPE!
Still thinking on this. Any thoughts? I hope so.
Sherlock Holmes and the Apostle Paul
I was recently intrigued and encouraged as I looked at a few verses about "mystery". These are all points that I am still processing so please feel free to help me.
1. Mystery is imparted as wisdom to the believer by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:6-13
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,nor the heart of man imagined,what God has prepared for those who love him”—10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
2. We are to be trustworthy stewards of the mysteries
1 Corinthians 4:1
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and n stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.
3. We are to declare these mysteries
1 Corinthians 15:51
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:“Death is swallowed up in victory.”55“O death, where is your victory?O death, where is your sting?”56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, a who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Many of these mysteries were hidden for ages but are now brought to light in the unsearchable riches of Christ. Giving us boldness and access with confidence through faith in Christ.
Ephesians 3:4-13
4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
5. Christ is the mystery that we are to pass on!
Colossians. 2:1-4
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being a knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.
6. Christ in you is the glory of this mystery and our hope! We are to toil with all "his" energies for this!
Colossians. 1:26-27
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up l what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
7. We are to pray for open doors and for speaking clearly the mysteries of Christ.
Colossians 4:3-4
At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
In reading through 1 Timothy 3:9 and looking over the notes and other verses and writings I am reminded, amazed and left privileged in thinking how God has revealed many of the mysteries of ages past to us in Christ. I am reminded of the great task at hand for us, that we are to pass these mysteries along. We are to preach Christ crucified, risen and reigning.
Many of the things that Paul would call mysteries he would go on to tell us about them knowing that the Holy Spirit would turn the mystery into simple and difficult revelations. It helps me to think of the time in which Paul was preaching. People were aware of a coming messiah and great things but they were not clear on how it would all work out, there was mystery to them. Much of the problem was and is that they made doctrines and plans without more revelation, they took scriptures and instead of waiting for God to reveal his way and will they designed a plan in their hearts for a powerful earthly King that would bust up the punks that were messing with them. Millions are still waiting for this messiah to come. Then Paul would say to these folks, let me explain to you or tell you a mystery that you can understand now with the help of the Holy Spirit due to the works of Jesus!! This is awesome to me.
This does not take away complex doctrines, but it does help me to see that there are many things that are no longer kept hidden and mysterious, but have been revealed. This also does not mean that all mysteries have been revealed or that there are not super hard passages, but it does mean that we do pass on tangible, teachable, truths that were once hidden. We are to do this as faithful stewards of these "mysteries". Even the angels were not aware of how it was all going to work out. We are now on the inside scoop of many of the mysteries of God, the secret and hidden wisdom God, mainly the gospel of Jesus. And with these revelations we are to "interpret(ing) spiritual truths to those who are spiritual." It is weird language, but I think we are to clearly help our people understand the mysteries that have been revealed to us in Christ through the Word of God by the Spirit of God. This does not mean that there will not be paradoxes, puzzles and difficult passages, but it does mean that we have much clarity that is transferable, especially the gospel and gospel centered living, which is what I believe Paul is stressing.
I think Paul is coming from a more excited point of view than a confused point of view when he talks about mystery, in ways he is letting us know many of the answers to the mysteries of the ages: What will become of us? How will we be saved? How will God make a way for us to be eternally forgiven through the Messiah? Now for the incarnation, Trinity, and man's never ending fixation on sports stats along with other things I think God joyfully keeps between himself within the holy Trinity. But our faith is in a revealed Messiah who has opened up understanding and communication between the Godhead and us in a way that people before Jesus only dreamed of and waited for, a faith that is firm and teachable to believers, a faith that God will call many into.
May we labor to know the things clearly that we should know, and may we rest in knowing God knows all the things he keeps to himself. May we approach the Word of God with the determination and inquisitiveness of Sherlock and the Spirit and Teacher of Paul.
.
