555

What does it mean to be a disciple, a faithful Christ-follower? This is a question we ask regularly at theGathering Fort Mill, as we say our mission is to "form Faithful Christ-followers." Over the last several weeks in our study of John we have Jesus tell us a number of things about that:

"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. John 15:26-27

We are called to be witnesses, because of the things we have seen (experienced).

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16

We are called to go and bear fruit
We are called to ask (to pray)

Just a couple of thoughts from the last couple of weeks. As we have prayed through this and how we can begin to put feet to these ideas in a real and practical way, we are launching "555" this Sunday. We are very excited about this and hope that you will make the effort to be there.

Thanks,

Pastor Derrick

Holding on Loosely

A friend of mine used to tell me, "We need to hold on loosely to those things that were never ours to begin with." This was brought to my mind this week. We received a phone call from our landlord on Monday that the county was requiring sprinklers in our building for us to use it as an assembly space and that would cost $80,000, which they were not prepared to spend. So as of Monday, our space was going to be gone. My mind in a matter of hours went to nearly every possible outcome - from closing our doors altogether, to opening the long closed Fort Mill Schools for using their facility, the painful process of a new facility search, and even the possibility of having to move to a different town.

By the end of Monday evening, after I had exhausted my self with worry, God reminded me that the mission that he had launched us on--"To form faithful Christ followers, who live according to his teachings and live in authentic community," calling all of us to live on mission with him, and to pursue that every man, woman and child in Fort Mill with a chance to hear the good news of the gospel--had absolutely nothing to do with the building we have been in or will be in. Holding on loosely means for me, being reminded of the mission and renewing my commitment to pursuing that as passionately and faithfully as I am able as I am led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

By Tuesday, we received an email that the issue may not be dead and that our landlords are in discussions with the county on some possible alternatives. Since then we've heard nothing, and while we wait expectantly for more news and pray, my biggest prayer has been that I will pursue passionately the heart of God, to live on mission with him, and to "hold on loosely to those things that were never mine to begin with."


Pastor Derrick

"Do nothing" or "Be nothing"?

From yesterday's text:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

A friend of mine sent me this quote from Henri Nouwen, a Catholic theologian who lived and worked in the late 20th century: “The Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her vulnerable self.”

This certainly resonates with my own personal experience. I've seen many men, with great potential for the kingdom, be derailed by a pursuit of their own reputation over that of God. Their heart would seem to be in dissonance with that of John the Baptist who said: "He must increase and I must decrease."

Yet in this text, Jesus says that "Apart from me you can do nothing." The implication then is that when someone abides in him, they are able to do something.

How are we to synthesize these two seemingly disparate ideas, wanting to make an impact and invest ourselves in things that will last, and at the same time not wanting to build our own fame. It seems to me that the reason that this can be a difficult determination to make is that the true motivation is often hidden only within the heart and mind of the individual.

I don't think that it is by accident that the opening verse in John 15 says: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." God is in the business of cutting away those things in us which do not bear fruit.

It brought to mind another familiar quote from a theologian and teacher of my own denomination, A.W. Tozer who wrote: “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply.” And one more from the Apostle Paul: "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Cor 12:9b)"

So back to the question, is it okay to desire to have an impact, to make a difference, to "be something not nothing"? Or should we aspire only to "be nothing," to abide in Christ and to allow him to use us in whatever way seems fit? It is a good question and one that I don't have a definitive answer for. What I do know is that both of these have one thing in common - a desire to see God's name made famous. On that there is no disagreement. These are the very heart attitude that the great vinedresser desires to prune into his branches that they might bear fruit.

Would you pray with me then, a prayer of David: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24)

What's In It For Me?

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"  He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.  (John 12:4-6 ESV)

It’s the essence of human nature.  Self-centeredness is in our genes.  From the selfish “Mine!” of a child in the sandbox to the self-absorption of the guy (or gal) who cuts you off on the interstate, self-centeredness is our innate, default modus operandi.

In this passage, Judas Iscariot’s primary motivation is self-interest.  He plays the part of the philanthropic benefactor, the voice of reason railing against extravagance.  But in his heart his question is, “What’s in it for me?”

Sure, Judas is an easy target; he’s the turncoat, the traitor, the betrayer.  But we need to be careful here.  We all have some Judas in us.  How many of us have been guilty of masking our self-interest behind a veil of altruism?

This self-centeredness, this “Me first” mentality, is the root of all of our sin.  We place ourselves at the center of our universe and we become worshipers of self, devoted to self-promotion at all costs.  Judas was willing to sacrifice the King of the Universe to remain in the center of his own.  And our own human inclinations lead us to the same sin.  What are you willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of “looking out for Number One”?

I recently heard a pastor describe the remedy for this pernicious problem.  He said that a Copernican Revolution of the soul is required.  Copernicus, if you recall, was the Renaissance astronomer who first postulated that the Earth revolves around the Sun, thereby displacing the Earth as the center of the universe.

We need a similar paradigm-shifting realization.  We need to jettison our self-centeredness and allow God to take his rightful place in our universe.  David, the man after God’s own heart, wrote this: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

And again: “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices... You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:8-9, 11).

These passages reveal something amazing about God’s economy: when God is in his proper position at the center of our lives, we get joy and pleasures; we get “the desires of [our] heart.”  What we were seeking through self-centeredness, God gives us when we delight in him.

It’s a typical divine paradox: our ultimate self-interest is fulfilled in self-denial.  Isn’t it just like God to use our redeemed human nature to give us what we were seeking all along?  After all, it’s in our DNA; he designed us that way:

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee.”

St. Augustine

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

Blaise Pascal

So, what’s in it for me - and for you?  Eternal joy in the presence of God Almighty, the Creator of the universe.  Sounds like a sweet deal to me…

Lazarus Reflections

We will close out this Sunday a 4 week study of the story of Lazarus (John 11:1-44). While we will get to see the culmination of this story with Lazarus actually walking out of his tomb, the real impact of this story for me comes from the broader view of the entire story. We can see a number of characteristics of Jesus and his ministry. As I prepare for Sunday, I have made a list of at least six or seven things.

For example one of them is that we see Jesus as being purposeful. When he is told that Lazarus is sick, his response is: But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."(John 11:4) There is this consistent sense that Jesus lives purposefully, that his life and ministry have a direction, that he isn't just reacting and responding to things but constantly lives to glorify the Father.

Reread John 11:1-44 and reflect on the character of Jesus. See if there are things about Jesus that are new to this story, or if there are characteristics that are displayed here that reinforce ideas that we have seen throughout this gospel.

Then reflect on this: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children." (Eph 5:1)

Let me know what other observations you make from the Lazarus story!

Jesus the pastor

Over the last several weeks we have seen Jesus interact with Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. From the other familiar story, we know Martha as the doer, the one who takes care of the meal when Jesus visits, while Mary sits at Jesus' feet. Martha gets frustrated with Mary, and asks Jesus to tell Mary to help. I think we are able to in our head see the differences in these two sisters, and probably know people like them.

In John 11, their brother, Lazarus is sick and ultimately dies. Martha, of course is the one who sends for Jesus to try and do something about it. When Jesus finally arrives, Martha goes out to meet him before he even gets to town and says to him: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus answers, "Your brother will rise again."

Some time later, Martha sends Mary to meet Jesus, and Mary says to her: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus response this time is that he is very moved, asks where they have buried him and then weeps with Mary.

Two very different sisters who have both just experienced the exact same crisis (their brother has died), and each tell Jesus the exact same thing, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." And yet Jesus response to each of them is very different. Why?

To Martha, the doer, the one who wants action and answers, Jesus is very matter of fact, tells her that Lazarus will rise again. The story indicates that she did not completely grasp this, thinking that Jesus was talking about the the future resurrection. There is no sign of emotional comfort here, only answers, which is what Martha wanted.

To Mary, the response is very different. She is the more emotional, the more relational of the two sisters. Her biggest issue isn't the answer to the question, but the hurt she is feeling now which is overwhelming. Jesus knows this as well and instead of providing facts and promises, he weeps with her, he knows and understands her grief.

The reason Jesus responded differently to each sister? Their needs were very different at that moment. Despite the similarity in the experience, their responses are completely different, Jesus the pastor knows this (he did after all create each of them) and responds not with some sort of cookie cutter response but tailors his response to their need.

This truth both comforts me and challenges me. It is enormously comforting to me to know that my savior knows me and desires to minister to me in my need. But it is also challenging to me, as a pastor, and a husband and a father and a friend and a neighbor, etc, to know that I need to be a student of the people to whom I minister and be able to respond according to their need. I think it is human nature to project, to assume that whatever I would need in a situation is exactly what the other person would need. But this little story points to something very different. Each of my kids is very different, and therefore require different responses for the same issue. My wife is different than me and while my natural response to crisis is to fix it, this does not minister to her heart in the same way it does hers.

Paul hints at the same thing when he says: "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. (1 Thess 5:14)" I think that we as individuals and as the church can be guilty of helping the idle, admonishing the fainthearted or encouraging the weak. We use the wrong tool for the job. We paint with broad brushes and fail to recognize as Jesus did that each situation demands a discerning heart, to choose the right tool for the right job.

Reflect on how much Jesus knows you and how it is his desire to meet you in your point of need and minister to your heart individually. This should give you and overwhelming sense of gratitude and peace. On the other hand, reflect also on how we might better shepherd those we are responsible for (spouses, children, friends, employees, coworkers, etc) and see if we might strive to be shepherds and ministers more in the mold of Jesus.

Pastor Derrick

Hypostatic Union

This week, Kenny taught us a little bit about the Hypostatic Union - the theological concept that Jesus, was one person with two natures. There are some that have said Jesus was God, a spirit that just co-opted someone else's body. Still others have said that He was really just a very special man. This may seem like just a technical argument with no real consequence for us, but nothing could really be further from the truth, this concept is absolutely central to our entire faith, and any messing around with this, isn't a small miss, but a fundamental error with enormous consequences.

Another theological concept we talk about is the idea of substitutionary atonement. To atone for is to restore, to make amends for a wrong committed. Paul said that "The wages of sin is death..." (Rom 6:23), and that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom 6:23). So you see the problem, all of us have a death sentence pronounced on us because of the sin we bear. The writer of Hebrews says: "without the shedding of blood their is no forgiveness of sins." (Heb 9:22), so again the shedding of blood is required for forgiveness, or an atonement.

The idea then of substitutionary atonement is that someone is able to take our place, to be our substitute in order to atone for, or have our sins forgiven. In order for it to be a true substitute, that person needs to share our nature, to be like us. That is what Kenny talked about this Sunday, that Jesus was a "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief", and that we have a savior, that because he is a man he is able to sympathize with our condition (Heb 4:15). So as a man he is able to be our substitute. Nothing else would do to be our substitute but another man.

On the other side of the issue then is the idea that every man is sinful and therefore has his own death sentence to pay for and is then unable to be an atonement for anyone else. What would be required then for someone to be an atonement? Someone who did not already have their own debt to pay, someone who was sinless. Who was that? Again, Jesus. "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 cor 5:21) Jesus knew no sin of his own and could therefore be sin on our behalf. What was it about Jesus that made him capable of being sinless? It was his nature as God! He was not born of a man, but begotten of God and therefore remains the only sinless man who ever lived.

So Jesus, as man was our substitute, and as God was our atoning sacrifice. No one else could be both. It isn't a small detail, but a critical truth necessary for salvation. Fully God, fully man. One person, two natures.

Pause and consider all that this means. Christ, the sinless God man, who motivated by love for us and obedience to his father, became sin. He took on our sin and endured the wrath of his father against him because he had become our sin. He did this not because he had to, but because he desired to bring glory to the Father and to express his love for us.

This should add dimension and layers to the idea of grace. Grace wasn't just demonstrating love by dying. But it was voluntarily taking on the wrath of God on our behalf to be our substitutionary atonement. Hallelujah!

Pastor Derrick