BIG BIG LOSS

Few leaders have ever lost so many followers, so fast as King Rehoboam. He listened to the wrong advisors, had the wrong attitude, refused to be a servant leader and lost ten out of twelve tribes of Israel with his very first major decision! Inheriting a huge kingdom from his father, Rehoboam lost most of the kingdom very, very quickly.
Of course huge losses in our personal lives sometimes happen instantaneously. However losses like Rehoboam suffered - caused by unwise choices or resulting from sinful actions usually don't happen suddenly. Normally we begin to sow the seeds of destruction for a while before we crash. Usually the major decision or the life changing sin does not come out of thin air. We have been developing an attitude or have been moving toward the kind of action that unless caught will end in deep pain. And then suddenly we go over the edge with our ultimate foolish decision or our major sinful blunder and we experience that great loss. Some people are surprised, but if we look back, we can see that there was a path clearing leading toward what became great loss.
That is why we need to be constantly growing character from the inside out. We need to be cooperating with God's Spirit so that His fruit is gradually growing in us, developing us more and more into the image of Christ. Of course we will sin and will make mistakes because we remain imperfect. But if we are growing toward Christ and becoming like Christ, we are very unlikely to ever make the decision or commit the sin that will result in great loss.
May we never experience the kind of huge, tragic loss of which we read in I Kings 12. 

PLEASE GIVE US MORE

One more post on John 14 where I was at the end of last week's posts. Jesus responded to Peter's questions and then to the question from Thomas "how can we know the way?"
"I am the way, the truth and the life. --- If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well." A third disciple responds with a question. "Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." John 14:8
Philip has enjoyed the company of Jesus for almost three years. He has seen the miracles, observed the Lord's sinless life close up and heard his teaching. He has even heard the claims Jesus has made for himself. But now, what he wants, is "just a little more." If we could just see God it would be enough. Oh, really, is that all?
I think most of us who are believers at one time or another want just a little more. We believe and yet. Things are so difficult we need some extra assurance; we are struggling with new doubt and would like a little more proof; some friends or family are opposing our faith, and we are wavering. If God could just give us a little more.
Jesus replies (in part) to Philip, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'show us the Father?'" In effect he says to Philip - and to us - I am all you need. I am the way, truth and life. I am God's full manifestation in human form. I am God's full revelation - there is no more after me. I am enough!
It would be easy for us to think "Well, if I had been there to observe and experience all the apostles observed and experienced, I would not want any more." But we are just as human as they were. We humans always seem to want just a little more.
Remember that after the resurrection, Thomas needed a little more. It was not enough that the ten apostles plus other disciples had seen the Risen Christ. He needed his own experience. When Jesus appeared to Thomas, he worshipped: "My Lord and my God." "Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
That includes you and me. We believe and we must continue to believe that Jesus Christ revealed 2000 years ago, revealed through the pages of Scripture, changing countless lives every day - this Jesus is more than enough. We really don't need anything or anyone else. 

BETTER THAN A ROLLERCOASTER

Some people I know love roller coasters. Two years ago Jan and I went on a couple of them at Disney World (our excuse was that our 4&1/2 year old really wanted to ride - and she loved them). It had been over twenty years since our previous rides - when our children were teens.
However today I enjoyed something much more exhilarating than a roller coaster ride. Our Lead Pastor and I were due to meet someone for lunch - and we were late. Jacob is known as an aggressive - make that fast - motorbike rider and has lived in Hanoi for 15 years. An excuse that he was running late was hardly needed for him to be the fastest (OK, to be honest, I think 2 bikes passed us, but we passed a hundred or more) moving object at noon in Hanoi.
Since I was riding on the back - and I trust his driving skill - it was a fun ride. No dividing lines between lanes or between two way traffic. The occasional lines are mostly ignored. Passing is allowed anytime there is an opening you want to take. Weaving into oncoming traffic in order to get around slow moving vehicles is not simply allowed, it is expected. What would be unspeakably rude in North American traffic is quite accepted. It was much more unpredictable and fun than your average roller coaster ride. Of course on a serious note, many more people die each year in Vietnam from motorbike rides than die all over the world, in a decade on roller coasters.
Anyway I was simply trusting today - trusting Jacob's driving skill. Trusting other drivers would not do anything that was totally unavoidable. When you get onto a roller coaster, you definitely put your trust in those who constructed and maintain it.
You may feel this week that your life is a little like a roller coaster - or a motorbike in Vietnam's capital city. Things in your life are moving too fast, or are suddenly unpredictable or ----. I hope today you are truly trusting the One who is in control and completely trustworthy!
(By the way I'vs just started reading "Ruthless Trust" by Brennan Manning (2000). Seems quite refreshing so far. His thesis: intellectual faith is not good enough, nor is mild heart faith. What a true disciple must have is faith that is ruthless - absolute trust in our loving Father God.)

FAITH OR FATALISM

Fatalism runs through much popular thinking, including the thinking of some Christians. By that I mean that many people seem to firmly believe: "whatever will be, will be"; "just lucky I guess"; "everything that goes around comes around"; "all things come to those who wait"; etc. That there are so many sayings like these, points to the fact that there is some truth in them.
It is true that we humans are not fully in control of our lives. We don't choose to be born, choose our parents, choose the country of our birth, choose our height, etc. The above sayings emphasize that many things outside of our sphere of control (world politics, a country's financial health, local crime to name a few) do influence our lives, sometimes in tragic ways.
So how does fatalism - "I can't control things, so I will just continue to live as is" - differ from a life of faith in the Living God? We believe God is in control. We believe He has given us freedom but that freedom has limits. We believe that for the believer He does "work all things together for good." (Romans 8:28)
First and most important, we believe there is a personal God, not an impersonal force, in control of the Universe. Second we believe this God is a God of love who wants the very best for His people and He can be trusted. Third, He is consistent in what He does. He is not irrational nor whimsical. God is consistent in His character. Fourth, God holds us responsible as good managers for what we can control.
Therefore we don't believe that things "just happen" nor do we believe that "there is nothing we can do". Rather we believe our Divine, loving Master is in control and we trust Him. I was reminded of this as I read David's affirmation while retreating from his son, Absalom, who was leading a rebellion. David is aware that while God loves him, God may choose to discipline him. So he says:
"But if he (God) says, I am not pleased with you, then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him." II Samuel 15:26
This strikes me as a wonderful statement of faith. I want to live that way. Striving to serve God well; trusting that God will take care of me; knowing that if God allows pain and difficulty to come: I am ready. Ready to accept whatever my loving Father allows to enter my life. Ready to trust God fully in the bad times as much as in the good times.

WHO AM I?

Who am I? David spoke that rhetorical question to God as the opening words of his prayer. He has just learned that God does not want David to build "a house" for God. However God will "establish the house" of David. From the house, or line of David one day will come the One whose "throne will be established forever." In humility David wonders why God would grant such a privilege to a man who was nothing but a shepherd until God chose him to be King of Israel. (II Samuel 7:18 - 24)
"Is this your usual way of dealing with man (humans), O Sovereign Lord?" David asks. Of course neither he nor anyone else knew that the answer would be "yes". For one day a fellow Jew, this one a mere fisherman until Jesus chose him, would write about all who follow Jesus:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." I Peter 2:9
Twenty centuries later (2004) a group called "Casting Crowns" recorded a great worship song entitled "Who Am I"? It captures the sentiment of David, and the humble worship of all those who have experienced God's saving grace. We are amazed that the Lord of all the earth would choose people like us to belong to Christ's forever family. We worship, we rejoice and with the ancient King David we marvel and ask "Who am I that God should favour us in this way?" Thank you, Lord.

ANSWERING UNASKED QUESTION

I am now able to read and access my posts, which I've not been able to do for many months. So let me follow up on yesterday's thoughts about Peter's emotional reaction in John 13 to the immanent departure of Christ.
Jesus recognizes that all of the disciples are disturbed. Jesus has predicted his own death and told the disciples they cannot follow him. He has also told Peter that rather than die heroically with Jesus, Peter in fact will deny Christ three times within the next 12 hours!
No wonder they are disturbed. Into their anxiety and sadness, Jesus speaks the comforting words that are often read at funerals (John 14:1 - 6). He begins to tell them where he is going and what he will do while he is away. He encourages them to keep trusting God and keep trusting Him. Jesus assures them that the Father's house has room enough for everyone and that He, Jesus is going to prepare for their coming. Then He provides the great promise that He will come back and take them home. Finally He assures them that they know the way.
At this point, we need to again feel the emotion, Thomas says, " but, but, but Lord, we don't know where and we don't know the way!" He is sad, confused maybe even a little frustrated. Is there a tone of defeat or of complaint? We can't know for sure. However Jesus knows that what the disciples are asking for is help because things don't feel right at all.
It is then Jesus provides the wonderful assurance: not "I will tell you about the way, give you the truth and explain how you should live." No, He says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." What a wonderful personal answer to Thomas' question.
"Thomas, you know me. Yes you do. And Thomas, I am the gate, remember; I am the door; I am the way to God and all that God offers. How can I be the way? Because I am God's truthful revelation and I am the life that is truly life. To know the Father and me is to know real life."
The answer is so personal, so relational. Jesus goes on to say "If you really knew me, you would know the Father as well."
One commentary I read a few days ago pointed out the difference between "knowing" to the Greek mind vs "knowing" to the Hebrew mind. This is to put it simplistically but it is an important distinction. In Greek thinking to know is "seeing with a view of grasping the nature of an object. Knowledge of God would be to contemplate divine nature and reality.
To the Hebrew mind, to know"is to have relationship, to experience something; to enter a relationship with God."
Jesus is speaking within the Jewish culture and he is calling his disciples to focus on relationship. It was too easy for them to think "spatially" - where and how do we get there. Jesus says it is about knowing the Son and the Father. We know them so that in the present and in the life to come, the assurance comes through relationship. 
We don't need to worry about what comes after death. Why? Because we are going to the  Father's house - and we know Him. And we will be going with Jesus (I will come back and take you to be with me), the One we know and love.

MORE EMOTION THAN I REALIZED

The text of the first six verses of John 14 are very familiar for at least a couple of reasons. Verses one to three are often quoted at Christian funerals "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms --- I am going there to prepare a place for you --- I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
On the other hand, John 14:6 is often quoted when a Christian is presenting the case that Jesus is the unique way to truly connect with our Creator God. "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
I have preached these verses a few times, but I am not sure if I have ever preached them within the larger context. We know that the Last Supper has just concluded and that within hours, Jesus will be arrested. His death is immanent. Jesus alerts his inner eleven disciples to this fact.
"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. --- Where I am going you cannot come." 13:34, 35 These words are immediately followed by Christ's giving the new commandment to love one another. He asserts that "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 13:35 Like me, you have probably spent time thinking about the implications contained in these two important verses about the importance of love.
But Peter seems to ignore them, something "more important" has grabbed his attention. Peter asks a question; then Thomas asks a question and finally Philip asks the third question. None of these questions have to do with the institution of the Lord's Supper or the giving of the great love command though it is  one of the major markers of Christian community.
Peter with the others is now really face to face with Jesus' prediction that he is going to leave them - He is going to die. Of course Jesus had predicted his death several times. But somehow now, the reality of his impending death is raising the emotional temperature.
Peter does not comment on the "new commandment". Instead he asks, "Lord where are you going?" Jesus tells Peter that he cannot follow Jesus now, but will follow later.
To which Peter replies, "Why not? I am ready to die for you!" There is strong emotion here. Peter seems to understand that a crisis is descending and death is in the air. He probably represents what the other disciples are sensing too.
Their Master is leaving them and it has at least partially dawned on them that his departure will be very soon and likely to be violent. No wonder the Lord turns to words of comfort; the familiar words of John 14.
We sometimes hear those words in the emotional setting of a funeral. For some reason, though I've read them dozens of times, I see more clearly than ever that those words were first heard by disciples who were struggling themselves with some pretty strong emotions: maybe fear, maybe sadness, maybe anxiety, maybe all of these and more.