As is typical on a Tuesday morning, our staff team sat in a circle in C1 and (what was not typical) was doing a craft. 750 small wooden crosses needed to be "threaded," so that guests to our Good Friday services could receive a small token from the evening.
After most were threaded, I asked the question, "What does the cross mean to you?" Our team pondered the question and wrote down 2-3 personal thoughts. Sharing those thoughts around the circle was enriching.
Perhaps the most sober moment came when I mentioned what Jesus was facing "in the next 12 hours" after his last supper with his disciples. "He knew he was going to be physically ripped apart. Scripture predicted (cf. Isaiah 53) and describes (the Gospel accounts) the merciless brutalization of Jesus. He knew he was willingly stepping into indescribable pain. Which one of us would willing choose this?"
There were moments of silence and head shaking. For some reason, just saying that ushered in some very holy and sobering moments.
WHAT OF THE SPIRITUAL AGONY?
During last Sunday's teaching, someone texted in this question. Could you speak to the spiritual agony?
In some true sense, it is impossible to plumb the depths of our Savior's spiritual agony. "He who knew no sin became sin for us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21). How does the God-man, with two natures in one holy, human person, "become" sin, the very antithesis of God's character?
What we feel about sin, when we are feeling rightly about it, is what we feel when we walk through a holocaust museum littered with pictures of charred bones and skulls and emaciated faces on stick-line human frames. Or when force ourselves to try to imagine the pain and fear of an abused and tortuously murdered child. Even writing these words makes my insides turn, and yet somehow, God's holy Son, in taking on the likeness of sinful flesh, suffered in his soul the "you are the guilty one" agony of not just a few sinful thoughts or acts, but the totality of guilt and shame for all the sin that has been committed by the billions within the host of humanity.
Not only did he bear the guilt, but he also suffered the misunderstanding of what was happened. Isaiah predicted, "We esteemed him stricken of God." He was thought by many to be, rightly so, under God's curse.
To describe the agony of the Savior's soul is impossible. Words cannot explain, express, or contain it. The hymn tries to capture the wonder, "Jesus paid it all."
THE SACRIFICE OF LOVE
Perhaps most sobering is that God's holy Son chose to suffer physically and spiritually in order to demonstrate the immeasurable love God has for us. "God demonstrated his own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
My request is that if you are reading this--perhaps worshipping in your heart the Savior who took your place -- that you love Him back. Love Jesus. Love Him back. Believe in Him. Worship Him. Thank Him. Follow Him.
If you do, the next time you see Him, you will hear not the agony of"My God, My God, why have you forsake me!!" but rather, "Well done. Welcome home!" He died to bring you home, to God.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
CLARITY: God's Will, My Desires, and Obeying
You're an unashamed follower of Jesus Christ. You love belonging to God through faith. You resonate with Paul's words: We make it our goal to please Him (2 Corinthians 5:9).
And, we understand that MUCH of "God's Will" is revealed in the pages of God's Word. All Scripture is breathed out by God, and is therefore profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man/woman of God may be adequate, thoroughly outfitted to do what God desires (2 Tim 3:16-17).
We get it. When SCRIPTURE gives us a command to obey (e.g., "Share with God's people in need", Romans 12), or a sin to avoid (e.g., "do not show favoritism" James 1), in dependence on the Holy Spirit, we cooperate in obeying, or avoiding.
Obeying Scripture is living in the will of God. Sometimes we may not want to do these things, but we submit to God because we desire to please Him and be a person of God.
BUT WHAT ABOUT...?
Christians also speak about something else which they call "God's Will." God's will in this second sense is not clear Scriptural commands, but something else, something like "what college to attend" or "which major to choose" or "which person to marry" or "what to do with my life (vocationally, or as a career).
Sometimes Christians identify this as a "calling" from God. Jesus followers will say, "I think God has called me to be an overseas missionary," or "I believe God is calling me to serve in the military."
Know this - this second kind of "God's Will" has often been debated by teachers of the Scriptures. Here's why. Scripture is clear that
Certainly, God CAN do this, and I have no doubt He does direct us specifically to a person, or to a job. But discerning this (I have learned over the years) requires more than just concluding that a dominate thought in our own hearts should be identified as God's voice or call.
DISCERNING SPECIFIC CALLINGS FROM GOD
Specific, directional "callings" from God require at least two things: Clarity and Confirmation.
When I was in Junior High School, my home church often has missionary conferences. Missionaries from around the world would spent 7-10 days at our church setting up booths about the countries in which they served, speaking in our worship services, and encouraging young people to consider missionary service. I was particularly compelled by "people in India who had never heard the gospel." When asked to compose a "Career Project" for English class in school, my folder boldly sported on the front cover MY LIFE IN INDIA. I researched India, and I was convinced God was calling me to be "the Billy Graham of India." Even in High School, my girlfriend and I spoke of going overseas together and winning people to Jesus.
As I matured and continued to listen to God, I realized that the sold-out passion I had to serve God and make the gospel clear was indeed His calling, but India was not the place, and "being the next Billy Graham" was not the specific way I would live out God's will. What I learned was that I needed to listen, not only to my own heart, by also to the counsel of godly people around me -- who were full of God's Spirit -- to arrive CLEARLY at where my passion and God's gifting should be expressed.
In other words, I needed help -- beyond what I was feeling in my heart -- about CLARITY when it came to what God wanted me to do, and where. And...with whom. I didn't marry my high school sweetheart, though she was (and still is) a committed Christian.
CONFIRMATION on God's specific calling also required multiple "readings." I knew God was calling me into Christian ministry because (1) there was a green light in Scripture to spend your life for the gospel, (2) there were many other older, godly Christians who were moved by the Holy Spirit to say to me, "Yes, David, you should do this. I sense God's leading you this way," and (3) I had been given a gifting in communication and a passion for speaking about Scripture. In other words, this calling into ministry fit with Scripture, Wisdom, and my Passion.
Conversely, I've often seen Christians conclude that "God wants me to do ------------," but at the same time, this "calling" was badly out-of-alignment with other pieces in their life. They were misreading Scripture, others around them didn't see the "fit," and the "call" didn't along with how God had made them or what He had actually gifted them to do well.
BOTTOM LINE
When it comes to "God's Will," always be ready to obey clear Scriptural commands. The majority of God's will is wrapped up in becoming like Jesus himself through Spirit-dependent obedience to the Word.
And, when it comes to "God's calling" (to a vocation, a spouse, etc.), take the time to allow this calling to be marked by CLARITY and CONFIRMATION. Yes, listen to your heart, but listen also to those around you who have God's Spirit and God's wisdom about you and your future.
And, we understand that MUCH of "God's Will" is revealed in the pages of God's Word. All Scripture is breathed out by God, and is therefore profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man/woman of God may be adequate, thoroughly outfitted to do what God desires (2 Tim 3:16-17).
We get it. When SCRIPTURE gives us a command to obey (e.g., "Share with God's people in need", Romans 12), or a sin to avoid (e.g., "do not show favoritism" James 1), in dependence on the Holy Spirit, we cooperate in obeying, or avoiding.
Obeying Scripture is living in the will of God. Sometimes we may not want to do these things, but we submit to God because we desire to please Him and be a person of God.
BUT WHAT ABOUT...?
Christians also speak about something else which they call "God's Will." God's will in this second sense is not clear Scriptural commands, but something else, something like "what college to attend" or "which major to choose" or "which person to marry" or "what to do with my life (vocationally, or as a career).
Sometimes Christians identify this as a "calling" from God. Jesus followers will say, "I think God has called me to be an overseas missionary," or "I believe God is calling me to serve in the military."
Know this - this second kind of "God's Will" has often been debated by teachers of the Scriptures. Here's why. Scripture is clear that
- God "calls" us to salvation (1 Corinthians 1:26)
- God "calls" us to holy living (i.e., obeying His Word, e.g. 1 Thessalonians 4:2)
- God "calls" us to use our spiritual gifting (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Peter 4:10-11) to advance the kingdom
Certainly, God CAN do this, and I have no doubt He does direct us specifically to a person, or to a job. But discerning this (I have learned over the years) requires more than just concluding that a dominate thought in our own hearts should be identified as God's voice or call.
DISCERNING SPECIFIC CALLINGS FROM GOD
Specific, directional "callings" from God require at least two things: Clarity and Confirmation.
When I was in Junior High School, my home church often has missionary conferences. Missionaries from around the world would spent 7-10 days at our church setting up booths about the countries in which they served, speaking in our worship services, and encouraging young people to consider missionary service. I was particularly compelled by "people in India who had never heard the gospel." When asked to compose a "Career Project" for English class in school, my folder boldly sported on the front cover MY LIFE IN INDIA. I researched India, and I was convinced God was calling me to be "the Billy Graham of India." Even in High School, my girlfriend and I spoke of going overseas together and winning people to Jesus.
As I matured and continued to listen to God, I realized that the sold-out passion I had to serve God and make the gospel clear was indeed His calling, but India was not the place, and "being the next Billy Graham" was not the specific way I would live out God's will. What I learned was that I needed to listen, not only to my own heart, by also to the counsel of godly people around me -- who were full of God's Spirit -- to arrive CLEARLY at where my passion and God's gifting should be expressed.
In other words, I needed help -- beyond what I was feeling in my heart -- about CLARITY when it came to what God wanted me to do, and where. And...with whom. I didn't marry my high school sweetheart, though she was (and still is) a committed Christian.
CONFIRMATION on God's specific calling also required multiple "readings." I knew God was calling me into Christian ministry because (1) there was a green light in Scripture to spend your life for the gospel, (2) there were many other older, godly Christians who were moved by the Holy Spirit to say to me, "Yes, David, you should do this. I sense God's leading you this way," and (3) I had been given a gifting in communication and a passion for speaking about Scripture. In other words, this calling into ministry fit with Scripture, Wisdom, and my Passion.
Conversely, I've often seen Christians conclude that "God wants me to do ------------," but at the same time, this "calling" was badly out-of-alignment with other pieces in their life. They were misreading Scripture, others around them didn't see the "fit," and the "call" didn't along with how God had made them or what He had actually gifted them to do well.
BOTTOM LINE
When it comes to "God's Will," always be ready to obey clear Scriptural commands. The majority of God's will is wrapped up in becoming like Jesus himself through Spirit-dependent obedience to the Word.
And, when it comes to "God's calling" (to a vocation, a spouse, etc.), take the time to allow this calling to be marked by CLARITY and CONFIRMATION. Yes, listen to your heart, but listen also to those around you who have God's Spirit and God's wisdom about you and your future.
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