Wow - I haven't hit up this page in a while. I guess I've been using this space to practice some discernment on some theological issues. It's not as if there haven't been anythings to report on, especially here in the OC.
This one comes from a conversation I had with an area pastor. He was commenting how he felt his church was on the brink of some great gains. And he was saying how he was exhorting his staff with the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25. He told them that, because they had been faithful in little, they would now be held accountable to more.
And, that's where his exhortation ended.
I asked why he didn't talk about joy, since it's definitely a major part of the parable. He said that he didn't want them to feel comfortable or complacent. So, instead, he just left out part of the parable.
What a tragedy! The reward is not just more work, but more joy. In fact, it's the joy of the master that the master gives. The reward of joy is a revelation of the essential nature of the master himself. And, if the master represents God, then joy is the revelation of His character. God is a joyful God and it is His great joy to invite us into his work.
And I would suggest that the invitation to do His work comes from His desire for us to know His joy. But, they joy that God gives is not the kind that the world looks for. The world's joy is found in comfort and selfishness. The joy that God gives is found in passionate sacrifice.
This is seen in Jesus, of course, who - for the joy set before him - endured the cross. The joy that God gives is found in the selfless, daily emptying yourself of all your dreams and visions and lavishly spending all that you have, be it 2 talents or 5, for the work of the master.
And God wants us to serve Him, not just to have more work to do, although that is how His dominion grows through us. God wants us to serve Him faithfully because He is inviting us to know the joy of Christ. Now that is a motivation I can follow.
I was watching the news the other night and there was a special on this contemporary and seeker-sensitive movement. One of the people that they interviewed happened to be a very popular pastor of a very large church. I won't reveal who it is because I still believe that this person loves God. But, as they interviewed him, something he said disturbed me.
The context of this quote was how the pastor answers his more conservative critiques who claim that he dilutes the message of the gospel. To this attack, he countered something to the effect of this: "Well, you can be biblical and not be relevant; or you can be relevant and biblical. I'd like to think that we are seeking somewhere that reaches both."
On the surface, this seems somewhat harmless - even noble. But, a closer look proves this statement problematic. It seems that this dear brother has developed a spectrum of teaching with being biblical and being relative at its two ends. This, however, is a false categorization. A true categorization would have a spectrum of being biblical on one end and being unbiblical on the other; having relevant on one end and irrelevant on the other. But, to say that you are either biblical or relevant is a false and dangerous comparison.
What is dangerous about this is the idea that being fully biblical in your teaching makes you less relevant. And, in my estimation, driven by my young theological convictions, nothing could be farther than the truth. In fact, this statement is typical of the dominant, popular, Oprah-driven, psycho-heretical view that most Americans have of the Bible. It is the view that the Bible, in all of its depth and theology and doctrine, is not practical. It is the heresy that God's word does not correspond to our perceived reality.
However, if you truly believe that God's word is really God's word, then this pastor is clearly in the wrong. Because Scripture is TRUE, it is true for all people, in all cultures, in all situations, at all times. And, being as biblical as possible makes teaching the most relevant for its hearers. You do not have to sacrifice and sell out biblical accuracy for relevance. In fact, unless you teach the true meaning of the text, they will always be man's word delivered to man's felt needs by man's power. Biblical teaching rest on God's truth delivered to God's creation by God's power.
When God's word is studied, taught and received as God's word, they will always be relevant. God said... and it was. God's word is the source of true reality. Anything else is ultimately irrelevant.
Pray for this pastor. Many people listen to him and follow him.
Just a quick update to thank everyone who was praying for us as we traveled across this beautiful land of ours. By the way, every young adult should do one road trip that takes you at least 2000 total miles. It's good for recovering the sense that there is so much more to this world, even this country, than we realize. And, this is a beautiful place.
But, we also wanted to let you know that we miss everyone in Chicago. I remember our final few days where I would wake up with tears in my eyes knowing how much we were leaving behind. And, the tears shed over us leaving meant a lot to us and made us feel very loved.
Yet, a big part of the whole trouble about getting ready to leave was knowing how sad we would be. And, I confess that I hate feeling sad. In fact, it was a little bit easier during the last few days to just work and try to suppress it and not think about it. And, we knew that, sooner or later, we would be confronted with the sadness of those that we loved. And that made us even more sad.
However, in the midst of all of this sadness came redemption. I remember sitting with my wife feeling sad and shedding tears over our move. But, at the same time, there was another still small voice that said, "I know the sorrow of a son leaving home and a family saying goodbye. I know how you feel. But, for your comfort, know how I feel. You put obedience out of faith before feeling happy or even making others happy. And that pleases me. So, in the midst of your sorrow, take heart that I am pleased."
Wow! That was exactly what we both needed. And as we shared that with our family during our goodbyes, those words had healing power. And, that power was enough to give us the strength to travel 30 hours in a car, over 2000 miles, traversing plains and mountains, braving storms and deserts - all because it pleases God. And, what greater joy exists than pleasing Him?!?!
