echoes of redemption

I’m blessed to be spending part of this week with 18 pastors from all over the world (Sudan to Australia to NYC to Denver to Canada) in a cohort put together by NorthWood Church here in Keller.

Yesterday we were at Temple Shalom in Dallas, which was an incredible experience. Temple Shalom’s prayer chapel (pictured below) is pretty well known in architectural circles – the beams that hold up the ceiling all tie in to a circular beam that lacks front support. It’s pretty amazing to sit in the room.

Rabbi Schneider was kind enough to show us a few of the copies of the Torah that they use at the Temple (http://twit pic.com/2fopkm) and talk to us a few minutes about how he understands God and faith. Here are a few of his words:

In Judaism, we use the language “partnering with God.” We use the (Hebrew) term tikkun olam – meaning, to repair the world. It is finishing the work that God started in creation. God has chosen to leave certain things undone and we have the free will to do these things.

Our deeds take precedence over our creeds. All that the Lord has spoken, we will do. We do Jewish, we don’t necessarily believe Jewish. If we do believe Jewish, there are a lot of different beliefs.

It was powerful to hear his views – sometimes I think groups in my circle of faith get too caught up in making sure people “believe the right thing” (read: exactly what I believe) versus helping people engage in the movement of the Kingdom here on earth.

It’s a new way of thinking. It’s living Jesus-ly. It’s transferring participation in the Kingdom from a primarily spectator/cerebral event to a primarily participant/incarnational lifestyle.

But what do you think? Do you see this? How does it challenge you?

It’s been kind of quiet around here recently.

And that’s exciting.

God has been shaking a lot up in my views of him and what living as a follower of the Messiah looks like. And that takes time to marinate. To think through. It’s more than just talking points – and I can’t wait to share it over the next few months.

Here’s a glimpse:

For most of my life I’ve been around people who would say that Christians are blessed by God when they are rich. That when God’s hand is on you, you are always full. That good Christians can laugh through anything. That we should work to gain the respect of everyone.

But here’s what Jesus says in Luke 6:

Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

It’s not counsel to avoid money, satisfaction, joy and reputation – it’s pity for those who pursue present riches over identification with the Son of Man.

Which means quite a bit of my thinking is backwards. And maybe the things I’m doing are more of the empire than the Kingdom. And maybe I need to fall deeper into God’s grace – re-imagining everything.

Let the journey begin…

It was the perfect opportunity.

Jesus’ ministry was just beginning, his first followers gathering. First messages being taught. Then a leper approached him. “If you will, you can make me clean.” No one could do this. It was insurmountable.

But Jesus healed him.

If ever there was an opportunity to become famous – this was it. Word would spread, people would come in droves and Jesus could explode onto the scene.

Jesus sent the man to the priest (this was required by Hebrew Law so the man could be accepted back into society), but charged him to tell no one of what he had experienced.

Go and tell no one.

It’s a terrible marketing plan. A horrible way to spread the word. An impossible plan for growth. It’s like Jesus wasn’t interested in being marketed.

If he were on the earth today you probably wouldn’t see any billboards advertising him. No book signings. No t-shirts. Or lights. Or cameras. Or PR teams.

He ministered to people through his presence with them.

Occasionally that involved large crowds, but most of the time it was small groups. Individual relationships. And when the attention turned up, Jesus generally withdrew.

So if Jesus wasn’t interested in being a rock star, maybe our desire to make him famous is rooted more in our own attention-lust than it is in the ethos of the Messiah.