That’s right – I used one of the “P” words.
Exod 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
I have had a number of conversations recently about folks in transition from one stage of their life into another. I have a son going from Junior High to High School. I have a daughter who is in her final year of High School. I have another daughter who is just starting her career as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and about to pursue her nursing degree. My lovely bride is also looking at long term changes to her career as our nest empties.
I am even contemplating at what my career might look like two presidential terms from now; I will be eligible for retirement. That freaks me out to think in those terms. The Florida recount doesn’t seem that long ago. It’s just plain scary thinking about that transition. It sucks to the high heavens. Well sort of.
If we were meant to stay the same, this creation wouldn’t have seasons, cycles, and cyclones. I thank God for August in February and vice verse. I’m thankful that He didn’t create Stepford communities, but instead revealed diversity in His creation long before it was ever a politically correct corporate buzz word or illegitimate employment model. He utilizes it out of love. We do it seeking justice in the name of mercy while extending neither in our trendy ways.
Speaking of trends, I see one at work in the world that is troubling to me. I suspect it has been this way all along, but it is just now affecting me; so now it counts, now it’s important, now it’s time to fix it. The problem is the “perishable” label we have started to put on men of certain hair color and skin type – namely grey and wrinkled.
What a poignant revelation to see that so many in our society have suffered such labeling prejudice for so long, such as the poor, the minority, the gender, or the disabled. We have tagged so many people as rejects because we haven’t felt their pain. Bill Clinton’s famous campaign line is the mantra the church should now adopt.
As my oldest daughter Whitney was going through her CNA training classes, they had to do their “clinicals” at a nursing home. Part of that training was to help feed and bathe the residents. It also included changing adult diapers of both genders. As she relayed these experiences to me I was so proud of her for loving on those people and encouraging them through such a difficult time in their life, and reinforcing their dignity with grace.
Many have families that never come see them at all. The ones that do must be terribly conflicted knowing that their visitors remind the others of the pain their own families inflict. My heart broke thinking about the disposable mentality our society has placed on people. Grab that thought and hang on to it for a while. This is what Donald Miller referred to as seeing others as extras in our own personal play.
Ladies, forgive the gender specific comments here for a moment. This in no way is intended to slight what you all go through as the seasons of your lives change.
As I observe men around me and relate to those close to my age, I see the fear in their eyes that they are being left behind or forgotten. They see the young men steal the hearts of their daughters and take them away. This may be why some men want boys – revenge. They see younger bucks come into the workplace with energy, ideology, and virility. They talk down to them like grumpy old drill sergeants, but are really just boys inside afraid of the coming change. I suddenly want to go throw a football or baseball around. I should have seen this season coming long before I ran into the metabolic brick wall.
When I was in my late thirties the young men at church gave me the nick-name “pappy.” This was a result of me requiring a substitute during a break in a pick-up basketball game at our men’s retreat. We had just run the full court on about a half-dozen times on “fast-breaks,” approximately 3 of which I watched from center court as they went whizzing by.
As I motioned for a sub, the others asked “what’s the matter ‘pappy’ need some oxygen?” to which I responded some period of time later, “And a walker.” I did get revenge at our last men’s retreat by being part of the 3-on-3 championship team. When asked to join them I said, “Ill pass.” That apparently meant something different to them. In fairness to my other two teammates, they could shoot and it was half-court matches.
I also played softball well into my forties and was not bad. Second-base was the last position I played, but when my inside-the-park home runs became doubles, and when my making a play to first base started requiring a “relay” throw, I knew my time on the diamond was up. I moved on to more age appropriate activities like reading, napping and eating ice cream. With a name like Pappy following me around, I wouldn’t want to pull a hammy doing something too strenuous like walking the dog.
So as guys like me get older, we tend to look back at what we thought were more productive times – our “prime” if you will. This is often where we find our identity and tie it directly to our performance in the work place, on the ballfield, or in the bed. We do this because the world does this, but the instruction of scripture is to not be conformed to the pattern of this world.
C.S. Lewis had a nice admonishment for being dismissive of others in his essay Men without Chests. It was in a little different context, but a portion of it certainly applies here: He said, “…And all the time - such is the tragi-comedy of our situation - we continue to clamor for those very qualities we are rendering impossible. You can hardly open a periodical without coming across the statement that what our civilization needs is more 'drive', or dynamism, or self-sacrifice, or 'creativity'.
In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful."
Is it any wonder there is a whole line of pharmaceuticals designed to bring back the function? They know in so doing they restore the soul and lift the spirit (among other things), making one feel fruitful. So the natural or carnal tendency is to sacrifice the valuable on the altar of expedience, or to place value on activity and energy over wisdom.
Let it not be so in the Body of Christ. I’m reminded of the young stud bull who says to the older, “Let’s run down there and have our way with a couple of those heifers!” To which the sage responds, “Let’s walk down there and have our way with ALL of them.” That kind of wisdom is born of experience. That kind of experience is priceless - just ask the heifers.
That may not be as funny as the joke our Creator has played on us all by giving us the energy in our youth to do the stupid things that come to mind, while possessing our wisdom during a season we can no longer physically perform it (unless you are a freak like Old Testament Caleb or George Blanda). Fear not fellas, God ordains destiny and this is His genius on display. His word indicates He is always about trans-generational relationships.
In His infinite wisdom, he has made the two groups codependent on one another. The young ones are taught in scripture to Honor their fathers and mothers which is the first commandment with a promise. The promised-land is found in the wisdom of those who journey before us. Their successes are worthy to repeat as foundations upon which to build, while their failures serve as bridges across troubled waters.
It is the responsibility of the youngsters to listen to instruction and allow themselves to be mentored. This often manifests much later than we hope, but the one yielding to God, will in the end yield to His word. “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (1 Pet 5:5) It is so humbling to get older and sense that time is passing you by.
However, I'm starting to warm to the idea of destiny and legacy, and investing even more in the generation coming up behind us. As they jog by with a pace I cannot match, I turn from sadness to exhortation and encouragement. So let us embrace our role to embrace their time to shine as a city on a hill. Also let us pass the torch to them and fan into flame the passion of their giftings and callings in life. Let us also dispatch with the notion that our calling is any less important than theirs. The one who brings the evangelist to Christ, brings those whom He brings to Christ as well.
Live on. Love on. Journey on.
Tim
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Slap Some Mustard On It
Luke 17:1-6 (NIV) Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him." The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.
“Increase my faith!” is the eternal cry of the disciple. Who among us could use some more of that? I know I could. Speaking in terms of faith, we often look to appropriate it in times of crisis management, but taken in context here it is about relationship. The King James Version refers to the “things that cause people to sin” in this passage as “offenses.” How often are we “offended” and respond with sin? How many times has that middle finger shot up in traffic (or at least the thought of it) exalting itself above all grace? How many times has our response to someone’s snippy comment been short, terse or even hateful? Or, how many times are we frustrated with another’s sin to the point of our own failure? Dam the pain. Damn that hurts. These days, instead of saying “that’s gonna leave a mark,” I’ve started saying “that’s gonna leave a Luke (17).”
Jesus revealed something to me in these few verses that I think may help in my struggle to deal with others when offended. I have a love hate thing going on with this revelation. I love that the Holy Spirit responded to my request for communion. I hate what it may cost to respond to that revelation appropriately. I thought He said His burden was light? I am amused and amazed at what scripture refers to as “light” here and here. Matters of the spirit are often heavy to the flesh.
So what I learned from this small passage is a large enterprise, a project that took me from the comfort zone to the danger zone. My first thought is that I don’t want to be the person with a millstone around my neck. More importantly, yet selfishly secondarily, I don’t want to be an offense to others, well, most of the time. So the admonition is to watch myself. What I love about Jesus is his tendency toward grace. Notice that in his next breath he encourages us to rebuke, then forgive the one who repents and do so repeatedly.
I literally laughed out loud when I read the disciples’ response. It was as if they were saying, “if you’re going to require me to do that (rebuke and/or forgive), then I’m going to need some more of that (faith). I really understand that there is this hesitancy to do either. We are uncomfortable with rebuke because we know our need for grace. We are disinclined to grace because we know others “need” for judgment. I’m uncomfortable with both, but grace seems easier for some in light of the truth of James 3:2 which says, “We ALL stumble in MANY ways.” So who can stand under that sort of scrutiny? Well, me. I have this unwavering conviction that who better to tell a drunk to quit drinking than say, a drunk? If a crack whore is screaming at her kids to stay off crack she might have perspective on that, hypocrisy notwithstanding.
The most difficult offense for me to bear is the one that is inflicted on those closest to me. My friend Greg, whom I love dearly, says that people don’t offend us we simply choose to pick up the offense and super-glue it to our shoulders. I don’t disagree wholeheartedly, but I also think the offense can creep up on us unsuspectingly and attach itself like leech on Humphrey Bogart. As we slog through the swamps of society’s murky waters, inevitably the life-sucking offense will show up looking for blood. Hopefully we can offer up some of His blood as recipients of His transfusion in our lives. This is not my strength.
Because I tend toward the rebuke Greg has referred to me as the Holy Spirit’s side-kick in the Justice League. This was part of an ongoing discussion which drew out of me what I see as the difference between “offense” and “cause.” I said that I think others feel I’m taking up someone else’s offense when in reality I’m taking up their cause. My example: If a woman is raped, that is the offense. Bringing the rapist to justice becomes the cause. It will take flawed individuals to bring this flawed person to justice for “offending” the flawed victim. The biggest flaw of all would be not pursuing the rapist because of some misguided “judge not” principle and all of the other flaws in the equation. To suspend the activities of the Justice League because of a snag in their spandex would be a travesty in my world. Tim powers activate!
The offense will come, and some will take root just like the mulberry tree. There are some very interesting points to note regarding that type of tree. In my home state of Texas the “fruitless” mulberry is common. Not pleasing to the eye, it can be invasive crowding out lawn grasses, and is known as an undesirable “volunteer.” So many of those qualities apply to the offense, but Jesus said if we have faith as a mustard seed, we can speak to it, uproot it and have it planted (phuteuo derived from phuo) in the sea. What the original language here implies in the term “planted” is for the tree to return to its original seed form from which it germinated. What a lovely picture of the Kingdom of Grace.
Another interesting point is the “speaking” to the tree; isn’t that how most offenses are delivered, via the spoken word? So now we can take the offense that has grown from a seed to a fully matured plant that is deeply rooted in our hearts, and apply our faith by speaking to it (faith comes by hearing). We can uproot the thing that has been blown out of proportion by allowing our faith to grow in its place, and then we transplant the now seed-form offense into an environment in which it cannot grow (the salty sea).
Beloved, we are spoken of in scripture as salt (Matt 5:13) and water/sea (The Revelation 4:6; 19:6). If we submit our offenses to brothers and sisters in the Lord so they can help us get perspective of anything blown out of proportion, then we can put it in its proper place. But, as my buddy Chad puts it “don’t let your meeting become the ‘fellowship of the offended’ or the reason you come together.” We must find the redemptive place and dive deep. The salt of the earth friends input can be the pre-emergent to keep an offense from re-emerging. Sowing the wrong seed in the right salt can bear good fruit from the Son. Then - just add a little mustard to it.
“Increase my faith!” is the eternal cry of the disciple. Who among us could use some more of that? I know I could. Speaking in terms of faith, we often look to appropriate it in times of crisis management, but taken in context here it is about relationship. The King James Version refers to the “things that cause people to sin” in this passage as “offenses.” How often are we “offended” and respond with sin? How many times has that middle finger shot up in traffic (or at least the thought of it) exalting itself above all grace? How many times has our response to someone’s snippy comment been short, terse or even hateful? Or, how many times are we frustrated with another’s sin to the point of our own failure? Dam the pain. Damn that hurts. These days, instead of saying “that’s gonna leave a mark,” I’ve started saying “that’s gonna leave a Luke (17).”
Jesus revealed something to me in these few verses that I think may help in my struggle to deal with others when offended. I have a love hate thing going on with this revelation. I love that the Holy Spirit responded to my request for communion. I hate what it may cost to respond to that revelation appropriately. I thought He said His burden was light? I am amused and amazed at what scripture refers to as “light” here and here. Matters of the spirit are often heavy to the flesh.
So what I learned from this small passage is a large enterprise, a project that took me from the comfort zone to the danger zone. My first thought is that I don’t want to be the person with a millstone around my neck. More importantly, yet selfishly secondarily, I don’t want to be an offense to others, well, most of the time. So the admonition is to watch myself. What I love about Jesus is his tendency toward grace. Notice that in his next breath he encourages us to rebuke, then forgive the one who repents and do so repeatedly.
I literally laughed out loud when I read the disciples’ response. It was as if they were saying, “if you’re going to require me to do that (rebuke and/or forgive), then I’m going to need some more of that (faith). I really understand that there is this hesitancy to do either. We are uncomfortable with rebuke because we know our need for grace. We are disinclined to grace because we know others “need” for judgment. I’m uncomfortable with both, but grace seems easier for some in light of the truth of James 3:2 which says, “We ALL stumble in MANY ways.” So who can stand under that sort of scrutiny? Well, me. I have this unwavering conviction that who better to tell a drunk to quit drinking than say, a drunk? If a crack whore is screaming at her kids to stay off crack she might have perspective on that, hypocrisy notwithstanding.
The most difficult offense for me to bear is the one that is inflicted on those closest to me. My friend Greg, whom I love dearly, says that people don’t offend us we simply choose to pick up the offense and super-glue it to our shoulders. I don’t disagree wholeheartedly, but I also think the offense can creep up on us unsuspectingly and attach itself like leech on Humphrey Bogart. As we slog through the swamps of society’s murky waters, inevitably the life-sucking offense will show up looking for blood. Hopefully we can offer up some of His blood as recipients of His transfusion in our lives. This is not my strength.
Because I tend toward the rebuke Greg has referred to me as the Holy Spirit’s side-kick in the Justice League. This was part of an ongoing discussion which drew out of me what I see as the difference between “offense” and “cause.” I said that I think others feel I’m taking up someone else’s offense when in reality I’m taking up their cause. My example: If a woman is raped, that is the offense. Bringing the rapist to justice becomes the cause. It will take flawed individuals to bring this flawed person to justice for “offending” the flawed victim. The biggest flaw of all would be not pursuing the rapist because of some misguided “judge not” principle and all of the other flaws in the equation. To suspend the activities of the Justice League because of a snag in their spandex would be a travesty in my world. Tim powers activate!
The offense will come, and some will take root just like the mulberry tree. There are some very interesting points to note regarding that type of tree. In my home state of Texas the “fruitless” mulberry is common. Not pleasing to the eye, it can be invasive crowding out lawn grasses, and is known as an undesirable “volunteer.” So many of those qualities apply to the offense, but Jesus said if we have faith as a mustard seed, we can speak to it, uproot it and have it planted (phuteuo derived from phuo) in the sea. What the original language here implies in the term “planted” is for the tree to return to its original seed form from which it germinated. What a lovely picture of the Kingdom of Grace.
Another interesting point is the “speaking” to the tree; isn’t that how most offenses are delivered, via the spoken word? So now we can take the offense that has grown from a seed to a fully matured plant that is deeply rooted in our hearts, and apply our faith by speaking to it (faith comes by hearing). We can uproot the thing that has been blown out of proportion by allowing our faith to grow in its place, and then we transplant the now seed-form offense into an environment in which it cannot grow (the salty sea).
Beloved, we are spoken of in scripture as salt (Matt 5:13) and water/sea (The Revelation 4:6; 19:6). If we submit our offenses to brothers and sisters in the Lord so they can help us get perspective of anything blown out of proportion, then we can put it in its proper place. But, as my buddy Chad puts it “don’t let your meeting become the ‘fellowship of the offended’ or the reason you come together.” We must find the redemptive place and dive deep. The salt of the earth friends input can be the pre-emergent to keep an offense from re-emerging. Sowing the wrong seed in the right salt can bear good fruit from the Son. Then - just add a little mustard to it.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Wedding Planner
In his contribution to our continuing conversation about our Savior and the sipping sauce, my buddy Chad made a point about the miracle at the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee when Jesus turned water into wine. That passage is very near and dear to me. The story ranks about #2 on my top-ten list of favorites, right behind Elijah taunting and subsequently beheading the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).
It is the first passage of which I remember receiving revelation, or a deeper understanding while eating scripture communion with the Lord. So as I share those thoughts, please pardon the 1990’s “faith movement” style of exegesis. These are the things I felt the Lord revealed to me regarding this passage and additional commentary:
John 2:1-11
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, [3rd day = Day of Resurrection which is when our bridal gown was bought.]
2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. Jesus will come into any circumstance or setting when invited.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
This was not an “invitation” but a declaration of a need. Moms seem to always worry about how something will look, or if someone will be “exposed” or embarrassed. My buddy Greg would shrug his shoulders and send everyone home. I would have gotten some buds together and taken up a collection and went to the market. I see the validity of all of those reactions, but - What would Jesus do? Let’s see…
4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
Jesus is not obligated to fix the messes we make, but His grace applied usually does. Jesus “timing” is not necessarily tied to our schedule or agendas.
5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
I see this as an act of faith (surrender) by Mary. Did He honor his mother? Was He responding to her faith? Since He only does that which He sees the Father do, perhaps He “saw” the Father doing this at His wedding feast. Something prompted Him to act after implying it wasn’t HIS problem.
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Six is the number that often represents man or flesh in scripture, and stone the condition of his heart. Earthen vessel is also a depiction of us, dirty and filthy inside with much sediment settled in our hearts from religious traditions/ceremonies, and often we are “used” by others for their benefit, depleting but never giving back.
7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
They weren’t full, so Jesus said, “just add water.” He will fill us with His living water, and does so fully, which literally changes the properties within us to transform us. That is His new covenant in action.
8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
I love this picture here of one servant drawing out the goodness of another and taking it to yet a third. That is the beautiful picture of relationship and making disciples. Oh that we would draw out the wine of other storehouses and drink in life from others. He gathers the water of the seas into jars and puts the deep into storehouses. Psalms 33:7; Deep calls to deep…Psalms 42:7; The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out. Proverbs 20:5.
9-11 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Have you ever seen the mischief of this miracle? How about the snickering of the servants as they handed it over to the wedding planner; or the “eew gross” comments of the disciples as they looked on; or the “don’t tell mom, but watch this!” coming from Jesus himself; or the guffaws turning to shock as the master of the banquet sips and praises the wine the servants just handed him? Another interesting conclusion is the implication that the guests drank ‘em dry and had already “had too much” yet Jesus made more???? The earthly bridegroom will get depleted and fall short. The husband of heaven never will.
I think we miss the mark if we consider this miracle about provision instead of transformation. We love the miracles of provision when God meets us in our moment of our need, right? Often the need is a result of a self-inflicted crisis. What Jesus did was to see a need that initially He chose not to address. Who knows why He changed His mind, whether honoring mom or Dad or both? Regardless, it is a beautiful picture of redemption: Taking a religious ceremonial tradition and transforming it into a tool of relational communion and life - covenant.
As I was getting some more input from Rabbi Chad he shared this:
What is wine? It's the "fruit" of the fruit. It's what's produced from the fruit. And wine often symbolizes joy and fullness in the scriptures. Does it make sense that perhaps our wine (joy) comes as a product of Jesus' fruit being produced in our life? Our joy is a byproduct of his fruit in us. Of course the wine comes when the fruit is squeezed. The squeezing is not fun, but there's no wine without it. God never produces fruit in us for the fruit's sake. Fruit is not a trophy or plaque we hang on the wall to be admired..."Look at my fruit."
But as for John 2, there was no squeezing of the fruit to make wine. Just this miraculous wine POOF! Which I think was a "sign" that the kingdom of God was now on the earth. How? Well it usually takes a long, long, long process to make wine...years. A whole lot of work to produce a little bit of wine, but in the kingdom economy a little bit of work produces a whole lot of wine. It's a reversal of Eden's curse where you toil at work and the ground is contrary. In the kingdom, work is fruitful and productive and easy. If it ain't easy it ain't kingdom.
Jesus took the filth, mud, and muck, added His portion to it and turned it into something that can get one drunk, not with the wine of man that can leave you hung-over, but the fullness of the Holy Spirit to help you crossover to life in His Kingdom of Light and Life. He makes all things new. He loves to be invited to our parties and gatherings, and what He brings will always be better than our best. Hopefully we’re not too full of our own stuff to miss out on His contribution.
It is the first passage of which I remember receiving revelation, or a deeper understanding while eating scripture communion with the Lord. So as I share those thoughts, please pardon the 1990’s “faith movement” style of exegesis. These are the things I felt the Lord revealed to me regarding this passage and additional commentary:
John 2:1-11
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, [3rd day = Day of Resurrection which is when our bridal gown was bought.]
2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. Jesus will come into any circumstance or setting when invited.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
This was not an “invitation” but a declaration of a need. Moms seem to always worry about how something will look, or if someone will be “exposed” or embarrassed. My buddy Greg would shrug his shoulders and send everyone home. I would have gotten some buds together and taken up a collection and went to the market. I see the validity of all of those reactions, but - What would Jesus do? Let’s see…
4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
Jesus is not obligated to fix the messes we make, but His grace applied usually does. Jesus “timing” is not necessarily tied to our schedule or agendas.
5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
I see this as an act of faith (surrender) by Mary. Did He honor his mother? Was He responding to her faith? Since He only does that which He sees the Father do, perhaps He “saw” the Father doing this at His wedding feast. Something prompted Him to act after implying it wasn’t HIS problem.
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Six is the number that often represents man or flesh in scripture, and stone the condition of his heart. Earthen vessel is also a depiction of us, dirty and filthy inside with much sediment settled in our hearts from religious traditions/ceremonies, and often we are “used” by others for their benefit, depleting but never giving back.
7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
They weren’t full, so Jesus said, “just add water.” He will fill us with His living water, and does so fully, which literally changes the properties within us to transform us. That is His new covenant in action.
8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
I love this picture here of one servant drawing out the goodness of another and taking it to yet a third. That is the beautiful picture of relationship and making disciples. Oh that we would draw out the wine of other storehouses and drink in life from others. He gathers the water of the seas into jars and puts the deep into storehouses. Psalms 33:7; Deep calls to deep…Psalms 42:7; The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out. Proverbs 20:5.
9-11 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Have you ever seen the mischief of this miracle? How about the snickering of the servants as they handed it over to the wedding planner; or the “eew gross” comments of the disciples as they looked on; or the “don’t tell mom, but watch this!” coming from Jesus himself; or the guffaws turning to shock as the master of the banquet sips and praises the wine the servants just handed him? Another interesting conclusion is the implication that the guests drank ‘em dry and had already “had too much” yet Jesus made more???? The earthly bridegroom will get depleted and fall short. The husband of heaven never will.
I think we miss the mark if we consider this miracle about provision instead of transformation. We love the miracles of provision when God meets us in our moment of our need, right? Often the need is a result of a self-inflicted crisis. What Jesus did was to see a need that initially He chose not to address. Who knows why He changed His mind, whether honoring mom or Dad or both? Regardless, it is a beautiful picture of redemption: Taking a religious ceremonial tradition and transforming it into a tool of relational communion and life - covenant.
As I was getting some more input from Rabbi Chad he shared this:
What is wine? It's the "fruit" of the fruit. It's what's produced from the fruit. And wine often symbolizes joy and fullness in the scriptures. Does it make sense that perhaps our wine (joy) comes as a product of Jesus' fruit being produced in our life? Our joy is a byproduct of his fruit in us. Of course the wine comes when the fruit is squeezed. The squeezing is not fun, but there's no wine without it. God never produces fruit in us for the fruit's sake. Fruit is not a trophy or plaque we hang on the wall to be admired..."Look at my fruit."
But as for John 2, there was no squeezing of the fruit to make wine. Just this miraculous wine POOF! Which I think was a "sign" that the kingdom of God was now on the earth. How? Well it usually takes a long, long, long process to make wine...years. A whole lot of work to produce a little bit of wine, but in the kingdom economy a little bit of work produces a whole lot of wine. It's a reversal of Eden's curse where you toil at work and the ground is contrary. In the kingdom, work is fruitful and productive and easy. If it ain't easy it ain't kingdom.
Jesus took the filth, mud, and muck, added His portion to it and turned it into something that can get one drunk, not with the wine of man that can leave you hung-over, but the fullness of the Holy Spirit to help you crossover to life in His Kingdom of Light and Life. He makes all things new. He loves to be invited to our parties and gatherings, and what He brings will always be better than our best. Hopefully we’re not too full of our own stuff to miss out on His contribution.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
I'll Have Whatever He's Having...JC
My bro Chad responded to my WWJDrink blog post with some great wisdom that I knew needed to be shared. Below is the email he sent me in response to the blog. I share these nuggets of GOLD with you all with his blessing. TM
I thought I would chime in to the current discussion. I have this tendency to see scripture as being wholly about Jesus and how he fulfilled all things. I interpret everything accordingly. I believe in "fulfillment theology." For instance: Jesus fulfilled the law; therefore it's no longer necessary. He fulfilled the Sabbath; again no longer necessary. Jesus fulfilled Israel; bada bing! Jesus fulfilled the priesthood; no more need. Temple, ark of the covenant, etc, etc, etc.
Now that being said, I ask the question: Why did Jesus drink wine? And yes of course he drank fully fermented, get-you-drunk wine. And he also apparently drank it quite often...at least enough to garner a reputation. But why did he drink wine? Because he enjoyed it? Possibly, but I don't think that's the reason. I think Jesus drank wine as another sign of fulfillment. He was proving (in yet another way) that he was the fulfillment of Moses.
Moses remember produced "water" for Israel. Jesus came producing something better...wine. No wonder his first recorded miracle is turning water to wine. Also, throughout Scripture, wine was used to describe God's fulness and blessing. What better tool for Jesus to use in order to demonstrate that in him God's fulness was fully and finally revealed? So obviously Jesus didn't find his identity in being a wine drinker (or a miracle worker, or a healer, or a prophet, or a teacher, or a savior). He found his identity in being in relationship with his father.
My point is we often find our identity in our liberties or our restrictions. Unfortunately we try to find our self worth in what we are allowed to do or in what we aren't allowed to do. Whole denominations and religious institutions have been founded on that crap. Paul said he had all the liberty in the world but he didn't find his identity in it. I love liberty, but it doesn't define me. Neither do restrictions. I'm defined by my relationship with Dad. Dad loves me no matter what I do. Which is cool, cause I DO a lot. Which also causes me to hate the whole WWJD idea of godly ethics. Trying to imitate Jesus puts me back on a performance treadmill and out of focus on just "being" with Dad.
But anyway...I'm off track. Jesus found his purpose in doing the will of his father at the perfect time. He didn't do anything of his own accord. Including drink wine. He only drink it at the precise time it would do the most to glorify Dad. Other times he was so caught up doing Dad's will that when they tried to offer him something to eat (and I guess drink) he refused it saying, "my food is to do the will of him who sent me." And that, my dear brother, is where I wish we could get to as the church. Just be a group of broken people who join Dad in being what he's being and doing what he's doing.
We must must must stop finding our identities in externals. Stop living outside to inside. That's a post fall Garden of Eden mentality that says if I eat this fruit (external) I will be fulfilled (internal). Jesus made it possible to live the opposite. If I'm fulfilled (internal) it doesn't make or break me when I enjoy this fruit (external). The fruit/wine/whatever is now put in proper perspective.
So. Should I have a drink cause Jesus did? I don't think so. I CAN have a drink as long as my liberty in drinking it doesn't violate my relationship with Dad. Not simply because Jesus did it. I can eat meat sacrificed to idols (Paul said) because it doesn't violate my relationship with Dad. Some couldn't allow themselves that liberty. But relationships are very subjective aren't they? What would Jesus drink? Whatever glorifies Dad. That's what I think anyway.
Chad
Thursday, May 1, 2008
WWJDrink?
Gal 5:1-6 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
My last post talked about having a beer with Jesus. Again I have no doubt he would sit and sip a draw and talk Dallas Stars with me. I know this to be true because He did so last Monday night. I’m sure a lot of you wonder what He looked like and what He was wearing. On this particular night he ranged from 6-3 to 5-7, 250 to175 pounds; dark brown, red, “dirty blonde,” and grey hair with a shaved head; with and without glasses, wearing jeans, shorts, tee-shirts, flip-flops, sneakers, and boots; and that night, a caucasoid with a variety of facial hair patterns. Something I never knew about him though, is he apparently likes a good cigar. Besides Dr. Gene Scott – whooda thunk it?
On this occasion I was honored to be a part of a gathering of some “salt of the earth” gentlemen at a local tavern. Their recurring event is called Stogies and Stories which is an “element group” from a small church in Bedford , Texas called Fusion-Church. These guys, including the pastor and worship leader, meet to smoke cigars and have a couple of drinks while discussing all things life. It was so refreshing to see Jesus lifted up in a smoke-filled bar; one I was helping fill with said smoke. Look, I don’t smoke, normally. However I couldn’t resist the “temptation” to fire up a stogie and have some friendly fellowship with my salty cigar smokin’ sojourners. I got some great advice from the tobacconist at the cigar shop next door to the tavern, and I was quite pleased with the one I acquired. I will confess I felt really strange buying a lighter, but once the log was lit and our conversation with the King began in earnest, I settled right into the whole scene.
We ordered adult beverages and drank them responsibly. I had one beer – a Miller High Life. It seemed appropriate for the experience and setting. One of the guys had nachos – an order large enough to feed the 5,000. Some others had “crown royal” which I also thought to be quite appropriate. We talked about reaching the lost. We talked about loving people. We talked about spiritual abuse. We talked about an agnostic Christian of all things. We talked about the Dallas Cowboys, Stars, and Mavs. We talked about marriage, divorce, pastoring, teaching, evangelizing, praise and worship, song writing, business partners and cigars. I could sense no topic was off-limits. Then we talked about Him – the 800 pound gorilla in the room named Jesus.
What a specimen! He took over the place like a bowl of salsa at a party – everyone gravitated to Him to get a taste – double-dipping allowed. Yes, even encouraged. We talked about the different ways He manifests. We talked about God doing a new thing in a new generation and how the 20th century model probably won’t look like the 21st century move of God. I’m hopeful it won’t, but He’s God and can do what He wants. We talked about my heartburn with the templates of church and the dead agendas. They let me vent about current crises in my life, and boast of building blocks of the past.
I told them how my wonderful mom with a Nazarene background had not liked a line in I wrote about my believing “Jesus would sit and have a brew with me,” and how I referred to him as my “Suds Sucking Savior.” Disrespectful and dishonoring she thinks, and He too pure to drink alcohol. I have another friend who believes one cannot receive the Holy Spirit if consuming alcohol because of Gabriel’s instructions to Zechariah regarding John the Baptist. I’m pretty sure Jesus had the Holy Spirit and a responsible division of the Word of Truth reveals He drank fermented drink. I am an enigma to my buddy because he knows I am full of the Holy Spirit, and beer, and wine, and margaritas. I hope that his freedom in Christ expands to – well – more freedom in Christ.
I also lamented to them about my experience with religion and denominations that color way inside the lines of the picture of our Savior, who by the way, lived so far outside the lines it offended the laws of nature. I’m so over religion and so in love with Jesus – the Jesus many people refuse to embrace because they traded him for a lower round draft choice. My wife says she is tired of trading one set of chains for another. I love that woman; she could preach. For those of you concerned about those view, please take comfort in the knowledge that the One who began a good work in me WILL carry it on to completion. He’s bigger than your need for others to follow your limited view of Him, and bigger than my need to follow a limitless one.
So onto the debate that leads me to ask this question for today – “What Would Jesus Drink?” I would love to have your responses to that question, whether you think Iced Tea or Tequila, and please tell me why you think He would drink what you are suggesting. And the next time you step into a smoke filled bar, look around and see if there are some strange guys smoking cigars, and laughing or crying in their beer. And remember, that smoke may just be the Glory of the Lord in that place, which can smell offensive to some.
Isa 6:3-4 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
So..what would Jesus drink?
My last post talked about having a beer with Jesus. Again I have no doubt he would sit and sip a draw and talk Dallas Stars with me. I know this to be true because He did so last Monday night. I’m sure a lot of you wonder what He looked like and what He was wearing. On this particular night he ranged from 6-3 to 5-7, 250 to175 pounds; dark brown, red, “dirty blonde,” and grey hair with a shaved head; with and without glasses, wearing jeans, shorts, tee-shirts, flip-flops, sneakers, and boots; and that night, a caucasoid with a variety of facial hair patterns. Something I never knew about him though, is he apparently likes a good cigar. Besides Dr. Gene Scott – whooda thunk it?
On this occasion I was honored to be a part of a gathering of some “salt of the earth” gentlemen at a local tavern. Their recurring event is called Stogies and Stories which is an “element group” from a small church in Bedford , Texas called Fusion-Church. These guys, including the pastor and worship leader, meet to smoke cigars and have a couple of drinks while discussing all things life. It was so refreshing to see Jesus lifted up in a smoke-filled bar; one I was helping fill with said smoke. Look, I don’t smoke, normally. However I couldn’t resist the “temptation” to fire up a stogie and have some friendly fellowship with my salty cigar smokin’ sojourners. I got some great advice from the tobacconist at the cigar shop next door to the tavern, and I was quite pleased with the one I acquired. I will confess I felt really strange buying a lighter, but once the log was lit and our conversation with the King began in earnest, I settled right into the whole scene.
We ordered adult beverages and drank them responsibly. I had one beer – a Miller High Life. It seemed appropriate for the experience and setting. One of the guys had nachos – an order large enough to feed the 5,000. Some others had “crown royal” which I also thought to be quite appropriate. We talked about reaching the lost. We talked about loving people. We talked about spiritual abuse. We talked about an agnostic Christian of all things. We talked about the Dallas Cowboys, Stars, and Mavs. We talked about marriage, divorce, pastoring, teaching, evangelizing, praise and worship, song writing, business partners and cigars. I could sense no topic was off-limits. Then we talked about Him – the 800 pound gorilla in the room named Jesus.
What a specimen! He took over the place like a bowl of salsa at a party – everyone gravitated to Him to get a taste – double-dipping allowed. Yes, even encouraged. We talked about the different ways He manifests. We talked about God doing a new thing in a new generation and how the 20th century model probably won’t look like the 21st century move of God. I’m hopeful it won’t, but He’s God and can do what He wants. We talked about my heartburn with the templates of church and the dead agendas. They let me vent about current crises in my life, and boast of building blocks of the past.
I told them how my wonderful mom with a Nazarene background had not liked a line in I wrote about my believing “Jesus would sit and have a brew with me,” and how I referred to him as my “Suds Sucking Savior.” Disrespectful and dishonoring she thinks, and He too pure to drink alcohol. I have another friend who believes one cannot receive the Holy Spirit if consuming alcohol because of Gabriel’s instructions to Zechariah regarding John the Baptist. I’m pretty sure Jesus had the Holy Spirit and a responsible division of the Word of Truth reveals He drank fermented drink. I am an enigma to my buddy because he knows I am full of the Holy Spirit, and beer, and wine, and margaritas. I hope that his freedom in Christ expands to – well – more freedom in Christ.
I also lamented to them about my experience with religion and denominations that color way inside the lines of the picture of our Savior, who by the way, lived so far outside the lines it offended the laws of nature. I’m so over religion and so in love with Jesus – the Jesus many people refuse to embrace because they traded him for a lower round draft choice. My wife says she is tired of trading one set of chains for another. I love that woman; she could preach. For those of you concerned about those view, please take comfort in the knowledge that the One who began a good work in me WILL carry it on to completion. He’s bigger than your need for others to follow your limited view of Him, and bigger than my need to follow a limitless one.
So onto the debate that leads me to ask this question for today – “What Would Jesus Drink?” I would love to have your responses to that question, whether you think Iced Tea or Tequila, and please tell me why you think He would drink what you are suggesting. And the next time you step into a smoke filled bar, look around and see if there are some strange guys smoking cigars, and laughing or crying in their beer. And remember, that smoke may just be the Glory of the Lord in that place, which can smell offensive to some.
Isa 6:3-4 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
So..what would Jesus drink?
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