Tag Archives: Christianity

Jesus’s Example; preaching the Gospel

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“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 (ESV)

All through the Gospels, Jesus gives us examples of how we are to be his followers, treat our neighbors, who our neighbors are, and how to minister to the world around us. Mark 1:14 is about the very beginning of Jesus’s public ministry. The first thing he does is tell his audience of Jews the time is fulfilled. Without going into an Old Testament history lecture, Jesus’s listeners would have known he was talking about the prophesies of the Messiah. Saying the “kingdom of God is at hand” probably got them thinking the wrong thing, namely that we was the military leader type Messiah that would throw out the Roman Empire and sit as king on the throne in Jerusalem. Yes, he was beginning to build the kingdom of God if that’s what you’re thinking; I also think he’s announcing the kingdom of God is close to them, close at hand, as in himself. Jesus is the way into the kingdom of God, so in a sense, the kingdom of God was within arm’s reach of the people listening. Then it gets really good. Continue reading →

Sowing Gospel seeds

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I’ve written before about gardening, and I’m getting excited because it’s almost that time. I enjoyed the hours last summer I put in, but reaping the harvest was also nice. Ministry is not always like that. There are times we see immediate results, or perhaps see results of our efforts at length, but not always. I teach at a Christian school, and some of our students will leave us soon and never return. Many will graduate, and keep in touch for a while. After a year or two of college they get busy with new friends and activities, and that’s the normal way it should be. Some of our students will simply not return to us next year, either enrolling in public school or in some cases, a different private school. At any rate, in most cases we will not see the end result of our work in ministry. I am definately not the same person I was in high school, and realize that our students today are not the mature adults that (we hope) they will grow into. Paul said that he plants, another waters, but it is God who gives the increase. Our job is to sow the seeds of the Gospel, then let nature take it’s course. Sometimes we will see immediate fruit from our labor. Other times the “fruit” doesn’t come about until years later. We’ve all heard stories of an adult, perhaps with children of their own, introducing themselves as Sunday school or youth group members from decades past. In Jesus’s parable of the sower, he talks a lot about the type of soil, but seems to automatically assume that good seed is being sown. In his example, good seed is a given. When we sow good seeds of the Gospel message (and live the life that bears witness of the Gospel) it is not up to us to make the seeds grow. We can’t artificially speed up the maturation process. In my garden, I know the number of days each fruit or vegetable is expected to take to reach maturity. God’s time table often does not follow our guidelines, so instead of making demands, we really need to just move on planting seeds. The Bible teaches that the Word will not return void. We sow in the faith that the one who created seeds, soil, sun and rain knows what he’s doing.

Christ as foolishness

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Is it logical/illogical to believe/not believe in God?

The Bible itself, ladies and gentlemen, says that based on logic, reason and science, it is foolishness to believe in the cross of Christ. Is it logical to believe that one man dying on a Roman cross as thousands of others did can make a bit of difference what happens to me when I die 2,000+ years later? No. Do I believe it makes a difference? I’m betting my afterlife on it.

Paul’s letter we call I Corinthians says that the preaching of the cross is foolishness.  That’s a little KJVish, but it still comes out “folly” in the ESV.  It’s okay, it means foolish.  It actually says in Chp 1 v. 18 “…folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  We know that it sounds a little foolish to believe in the power of the cross; it’s because God designed his plan of salvation that way.  To “confound the wise of the world.”  Verse 21 says “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”  Saving knowledge of Christ requires a faith outside of reasoning and logic.  If we could prove through geometric proofs and scientific findings that God is real, exists, created and maintains the universe, then anyone open to reason would have to believe it.  Never gonna’ happen, folks.  Because in God’s plan, he’s looking for the faithful; people faithful to Him no matter what, including when having faith doesn’t make sense.  Verse 27: “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”  Christ’s death on the cross looks like defeat to the world; logic tells you that Christ’s work is done, his ministry cut short on Calvary.  But in Christ’s weakness, the plan of God for salvation was carried out.  If Jesus had appeared to Pilate with a fanfare of trumpets and flashes of lightning and said to his face “I told you so,” he would have had no choice but to believe.  God never leaves us with no choice.  He will save those of faith, and the unfaithful who rely on their own understanding will perish.

I think it’s reasonable to believe that God might exist, and based on my own research and experience, I believe the Christian God of the Bible is the right one (thanks internet monk).  It is illogical to say that no god could possibly exist.  But at some point the debate over reason and logic no longer applies, as the God of the universe exists beyond our ability to reason or even imagine.

Jesus’s Example: Washing Feet

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“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

The above scripture is John 13:15. I am going to start a new category of blog posts called Jesus’s Example. The first one is going to be Jesus washing the disciples feet, as recorded in John 13. It’s one of those Holy Week events that I just didn’t have time to squeeze in. All scriptures are taken from the English Standard Version (ESV).

This particular lesson took place before the Passover was observed. Jesus and his disciples were gathered together, and had eaten supper. Jesus then takes off his outer robe, ties a towel around his waist, and begins washing the disciples feet. Washing feet was a normal part of first century culture. If you’ve ever worn sandals on the beach, or even just around your house in the summer, you know that feet get dirty quickly. Not just dirty, but ground into the skin, hard to scrub off dirt. Ordinarily it was the servants who washed the feet of your guest if you were hosting an event. There were people who washed feet, that part of the story shouldn’t be surprising. Keep the culture of the time period in mind. But Jesus was the disciples master, their rabbi. It was not his place to wash feet. Beginning in verse 12, he begins to teach his lesson. “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also would do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

Jesus had already humbled himself by leaving Heaven and taking on the likeness of man. Philippians tells us that he did not think equality with God a thing to be grasped, and was obedient even to the point of death on a cross. Washing their feet, though, was a solid, concrete, tangible illustration that the disciples could see and feel. He was their leader, and also humble servant. If we follow Christ’s example, their isn’t much that we are too good to do. I’ve mentioned this briefly before. It’s hard to make excuses with Jesus standing there saying “You know, I washed feet.” The Apostle Paul testified before heads of state, and after being imprisoned was an ambassador in chains. Any one of us would accept an invitation to the governor’s mansion, but would we accept as quickly the invitation to a trailer park? Are there people you don’t invite to church because you’re afraid they would actually come? We are instructed in scripture not to think too highly of ourselves, and given an example by Jesus that’s hard to ignore. Jesus talked to Samarian women, whores, lepers, tax collectors, and even one of the thieves hanging by him on the cross. By his own admission, he was a criminal that deserved his punishment. But Jesus told him he would spend that day with him in paradise. Is there a job in the church we’re too good to take, or a person in need of Christ that we’re better than? Not if we follow Jesus’s example.