Lent 2023 | Day 17: The Gospel’s Humanity

The fact that God decided to enter the human experience so as to accomplish the work of redemption is astounding.

Over the course of our reflections, we have touched on the idea of God walking among his people in the person of Jesus. The very idea of this can be quite staggering. How is it that God could enter into the human experience?

From a doctrinal and theological point of view (as they often times overlap) the answer is the incarnation. The way most translations articulate this is that God “became flesh” or some variation of that (John 1:14). Another example of this idea is found in Philippians 2:7 where the apostle Paul said that God came “in the likeness of men” (NKJV).

Both of these verses point to the way in which God entered the world he created. However, the truth is that trying to understand the mechanics of this reality is impossible. We simply do not know how God, who exists as a pure spirit, can become like us. And yet, this is exactly what the writers of the New Testament declare to us.

One of the Gospel’s most distinctive qualities is that it revolves around the life and ministry of another human being (all caveats about Jesus being all God attached). The fact that God decided to enter the human experience so as to accomplish the work of redemption is astounding.

We don’t have to fully understand the ins and outs of how God did it. What we do need to appreciate is that God did not send angels or write messages in the sky for us to read. God came himself. And in his coming, we see the lengths to which God will go to help us.

The Gospel is one of the most human messages of hope ever shared. It invites us to follow a person. It encourages us to submit to a person. It reveals to us that we can become like that person. It challenges us to love other people as that person loved us.

God entered the world in the person of Jesus. This truth should encourage us. It should motivate us. If God could accomplish so much even while limited by the constraints of the human experience, imagine what we can do when animated by the power of God at work within us.

Does this seem far-fetched? Then consider what Jesus himself said and think again.

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 14:12-14 NKJV

Lent 2023 | Day 15: The Gospel’s Cost

Jesus did not just die for those who had fallen short of God’s standard of perfect holiness. Jesus died for those who are working against the will and purposes of God.

God enters the Creation

Of the many aspects of the Gospel, the one that confounds the mind most of all is that God entered into the creation himself. We will not try and explain this profound mystery. It would be impossible to do. The best can do is take God’s description of the events at face value.

We see these allusions and descriptions of this entrance and presence in the world in a couple of places. The apostle John offers us these as an introduction to the second person of the Godhead.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:1-2 NKJV

And then a few verses later, he expounds on what that means. How did the Word do this?

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 NKJV

John 1:14 NKJV

In his letter to the Church in Rome, the apostle Paul reminds us that God “demonstrates his own love” in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. But it’s not just that Jesus died that should inspire our gratitude. No, Paul says that when we consider for whom he died, we will be shocked.

The Gospel is for the Enemies of God

Jesus did not just die for those who had fallen short of God’s standard of perfect holiness. Jesus died for those who are working against the will and purposes of God. Paul says that God entered the world in the person of Jesus of Nazareth to die for God’s enemies.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Romans 5:8-10 NKJV

In another letter, this time to Christians in Colossae, Paul leaves no room for question about the nature of who Jesus really is.

For in Him [ie., in Jesus] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily…

Colossians 2:9 NKJV

And previously, earlier in the same letter under the direction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit says that it pleased the Father to abide in Jesus as he walked on the earth.

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Colossians 1:19-20 NKJV

These are just a few of the more direct links to the entrance of God into the world.

But why should we think about these things? Why should it matter to our understanding of the Gospel that God entered into the created order as a human being and fulfilled the work of redemption?

It should matter because our understanding of this is what helps us appreciate the cost of the Gospel to God!

The Gospel cost God, in the second person of the Godhead (a reality that must be revealed in order for it to be known), a life of suffering and the experience of physical death.

It truly is beyond my ability to adequately describe what this means. In the life of Jesus God experienced what physical death would be like.

This is the cost of the Gospel. Not some fanciful notion of time wasted or resources lost.

God in the Flesh

God experienced the human reality of life in a fallen world.

God saw with his own human eyes the levels of depravity and malice to which people can descend.

God heard with his own human ears the cries of those longing for respite from the brokenness of their own lives.

God touched with his own human hands those who can become ostracized by the cultural norms and mores of the self-righteous religious rulers of the time.

God tasted with his own tongue the poverty of those who had no place to turn in their own communities, so they would follow a teacher into the wilderness in the hopes of finding some semblance of peace.

God smelled with his own nose the stench of sin and the rotted odor of death as life was siphoned away from those unable to escape the station in life to which they were born and subjugated to by their culture.

This, and so much more, is what it cost God.

The Effect of the Gospel on God

God voluntarily, intentionally, and purposefully entered into the world. And God did this knowing how much it would cost God.

Bishop Luis R. Scott, Sr. one time made reference to this cost by saying something to this effect (I have paraphrased my memory of his comments):

Jesus’s time on the earth were the most turbulent years in the history of God’s existence. Because for the first time in the history of God, the perfect fellowship the Godhead has enjoyed had been disrupted.

Bishop Luis R. Scott, Sr.

And that turbulence was chosen by God so that we might have life.

The Good News: Incarnation

The least possible evidence that someone has believed the Gospel of Jesus is that they center their lives upon trying to get people to show up to something in order to hear a verbal presentation of this Gospel.

The least possible evidence that someone has believed the Gospel [which literally means “good news”] of Jesus is that they center their lives upon trying to get people to show up to something in order to hear a verbal presentation of this Gospel.

Acknowledging that reality is important when phrases like “just preach the Gospel” are being thrown around as “solutions” to injustices that exist.

It’s fascinating when you begin to explore what this “good news” actually is, why it matters, and what it actually means to believe in it.

To do that, you have to consider and start with the entire narrative of Scripture.

The God we read about in the Bible is the one who created us by sending His very breath into us. This God is the one who became human in order to enter into humanity to live with us. This God is the one who sent His Spirit to now live within each of us. And this God is the one who will not “bring us up into heaven” but instead has been bringing heaven to earth this whole time and eventually will redeem or recreate earth and heaven fully.

This is the God of incarnation. And that’s good news!

Why?

Because incarnation is not just some fancy theological word. It is essential to the nature of who God is, and it means that God is always “getting to us.”

Most Christians will tell you that the Scripture teaches that we can’t get to God. And whether that is true or not is almost beside the point. Because the nature of God never allows for that instance to exist. Just because of who He is, He is always “getting to us.”

This God of incarnation is the God of every day life. Of showing up when and where we are. Of managing to meet us in our mess and not expecting us to clean up our mess to get to Him – or more correct, clean it up before He can get to us.

The truth is this: too much of this history of the Church has miscommunicated this reality.

Not necessarily through words. But certainly through actions.

The Church has most consistently taught with its actions that we do not actually believe complete incarnation to be the trajectory of the Scriptures and the very nature of God.

Instead, it has been communicated through actions that the center of the Christian life is a weekly gathering, for a specified period of time, in a facility that is owned or rented, that we should be trying to get everyone to show up to. And that this is (incompletely) called “church.”

Which communicates that this is a necessary and important outcome of the Gospel.

But is it?

This isn’t actually a question about whether or not gathering should happen. It will happen as a natural outcome of being made in the image of God, and of being “the church.”

It is a question about what the place of gathering is: What is its actual role? How much of our focus does it deserve (especially since it seemed to get so little of the God of the Bible’s attention while He was here on earth)? How much impetus should we place on it (when it seems to be described as a small part of the overall lifestyle of the Church in Acts done in mostly normal, everyday sorts of ways)?

There will be those who get upset at this attempt to take incarnation to its full implications. To “work it out” beyond the least possible evidence of it, to a mature understanding of its inworking and outworking in our lives.

Many of those who may become upset will be religious professionals or dedicated “church goers” (as “church” is being defined above).

But there is very little doubt what someone believes to be most important in their life if you just follow their actions, or their money, or their time. No matter what their lips say. Jesus taught us this.

And if you follow those things in the functioning of almost every single “church” I know of, they will tell you that gathering people is the single most important thing “the church” does. It’s honestly not even close. Somewhere between 75-90% of almost every church’s actions, money, and time spent is on gathering people.

Facilities are built around it. Staff are hired around it. Programs are run around it. And schedules are created around it. Whether it is getting people to show up or what happens once they do, by the actions of all involved (myself included for much of my “ministry life”) we have communicated what we believe is most central to “the Church” and thus to “the Gospel.”

Now here me loud and clear: gathering is important.

But we rightfully should ask what its importance is and are we rightfully placing it in the correct spot in importance level.

And we should rightfully acknowledge that gathering is the least possible evidence of our internalizing of the presence of God (incarnation being essential to who He is) into our lives.

Actively treating gathering as the most central aspect of the life of the Christian ultimately runs contrary to what we read in the Scriptures. The Gospel of incarnation, as displayed perfectly by Jesus (God incarnate), does not centralize gathering people.

And that must start to be said loud and clear if we are to reclaim the Gospel fully again – the literal good news of God for the entire world.

We must lament the reality that we have believed the Gospel only in part. Only in its most basic, elementary form. And thus we have placed gathering as the most important part of our Christian lives.

And so I join together with all those willing to acknowledge this, and look to Jesus once more as our guide to imaging God in this world. In doing so, may we fully reflect to the world “God with us” this Advent.

In The Pain, God Is There

A reflection on how I’ve experienced God meeting with me, inspired by Elijah’s experience with God in 1 Kings 19:8-18.

I feel alone sometimes.

At times it feels like wandering.

Other times it feels like running for my life.

On the outside I can accomplish something big for God. People see it. God shows up. It proves my faith. Right?

Except on the inside I’m still not sure where He is when the big thing is over. Will I still be alone? Wandering? Running for my life?

And so I hide. From others. But mostly from God.

But then He comes and invites me to meet with Him.

And so I go to meet Him where I think He will be: in the big church event. The band. The choir. The singing. The preaching. The altar. It’s the place where people come to meet with God. Right?

But that’s not where He wants to meet with me.

And so I go to meet Him where I think He might be next: in the conference, the concert, the retreat. All the people. The unique setting. The exciting or heavy emotions. This is where big things happen in my life for God. Right?

But that’s not where He wants to meet with me.

And so I go to meet Him where He’s surely got to be: in the mission trip, the outreach, the doing. That’s where people need me. That’s where important things are accomplished. This is where God wants to work in big ways thru me. Right?

But that’s not where He wants to meet with me.

And so I’m unsure where He wants to meet with me.

Then the pain comes: death, sickness, loss, broken relationship, anger, anxiety, confusion, loneliness.

And in the pain. A voice. His voice. Quietly speaking:

You

are

not

alone,

I AM

here.

So this is where He wants to meet with me.

This is where He wants to speak to me.

This is where He wants to tune my heart to His.

In the stillness of my pain.

I was so busy looking to meet with Him in all the places I was told He would be. All the places I knew He should be. All the places outside of my pain.

But He was waiting. To meet with me. Right where I was. Right in the midst of my life. Right in the middle of my pain.

But He was waiting. To meet with me. Right where I was. Right in the midst of my life. Right in the middle of my pain.

Commentary:

I am not saying God has not “shown up” in my life, or doesn’t show up in people’s lives, at things like church events and retreats. I’m saying I never understood what truly being with God (and more accurate what God truly being with me) was like until I finally experienced Him meeting me right where I was at. It has been my experience that many of us go looking for God “out there,” instead of experiencing Him being with us “here” – right where we are.

I spent so much of my young adult life “looking for God in all the wrong places” (if I can play off a popular music lyric). I’m not sure it was taught to me more than caught. But I had grown up believing God was out there somewhere. In the religious experiences. In the displays of worship. Even in the miracles or on the “mission field.” I would have never said such a thing theologically. But practically it’s how I lived.

And then something shifted. Years ago really. But this COVID season has solidified it in a way that is actually changing my life.

It’s the very truth of the incarnation: He is not out there. He is right here.

With me. With us. Right where we are.

In our homes. In our workplaces. In our schools.

In the store. In the hospital. In the counseling session.

In our playing sports. In our vacations. In our gathering with friends.

And once I found Him here with me, it didn’t change the pain. The pain was still there. But I didn’t feel alone in the pain anymore. And I didn’t run from the pain anymore. Because God met with me in the pain.

You are not alone. God is with you.

He wants to meet with you in the pain.

Lent 2018 | Day #13: Incarnation

I don’t remember what day it was or what I was doing, but I know that when I finally understood the implications of Jesus’s coming to earth, I was changed.

I don’t remember what day it was or what I was doing, but I know that when I finally understood the implications of Jesus’s coming to earth, I was changed. In the world of theological discourse, this idea is called the Doctrine of the Incarnation. It such a beautiful doctrine I will, from time to time, bring it up randomly in conversation with other believers.

Jesus’s entrance into the world is one of the pillars of the Christian faith. It is so important that the apostle John said that if it is rejected, then Jesus himself is rejected (1 John 4:2; 2 John 7). Go read those passage for yourself! They are startling.

The incarnation is remarkable because only God would devise such a plan. Only God would choose to leave heaven and enter the ravaged reality of Earth. Only God could leave the perfection and purity of the highest heaven and descend into the mire of sin-filled humanity. This is the great mystery of Bible-based religion. Not that man was able to find his way into the presence of God, but that God has entered into the plight of a broken world.

I love this doctrine. It is beautiful in the way that it displays the love of God and the miracle of salvation. Easter is the greatest day on the Christian calendar. It is the day that Jesus rises from the darkness of the tomb. But, without Advent, without Christmas, without a baby, born in a manger, Easter Sunday would be a fairytale. It would be impossible, it would never have happened. The link between these two events is necessary for the whole picture to be accurate.

So, as we approach Easter, as we look forward with anticipation to the promise that Resurrection Sunday brings, I like to look back and see what arrived on Christmas Day. In this season of Lent, we can take time and reflect on both what happened and what is to come. In fact, it is important that we do so.

The irony of a “pop-culture church” in a culture where Christianity is not popular

It should be fairly obvious to any halfway observant Christian that over the last generation Christianity has gone from a religion that America endorsed, to a religion America ignored, to now being a religion that America is antagonistic toward.

From the news articles about Christian schools losing their accreditation, to the ones concerning the potential forcing of all Christian ministers to perform marriage ceremonies they fundamentally disagree with, to the removing of Christian campus ministries because of their attempt to require its members or leaders to sign a code of conduct, it has become evident that culture no longer believes Christianity is acceptable in the public sphere.

Another observation that is fully obvious over the last generation has been the trend in the church toward popular culture – or in other words, the trend in the church toward “popular Christianity.” From music labels, to book deals, to TV stations, to celebrity pastors, and on we go… It is now apparent, like never before, that while the culture is moving away from Christianity, the American Christian church is still trying to move toward the culture.

The most obvious arrival of pop-culture into the church has been thru the occurrence of what has been coined “the worship wars.” With mostly contemporary worship winning out, we have seen the embrace of secular music culture within the church. Lights, cameras, smoke, lead guitars and drum solos, “worship music” being sold for profit, and so on.

None of the creative aspects of secular music being brought into the church are necessarily sinful in and of themselves, but they do make the potential for sin (pride, greed, etc.) more accessible by elevating certain aspects of production in the church. And, let’s not forget the obvious downfalls to the celebrity pastor status and followership that has become common in popular Christianity as well.

All of that is true.

But what is most interesting about all of this is not the discussions about what has actually happened, but rather the discussion about why it has happened and continues to happen.

Then, Why?

Why does the church continue to bring pop-culture in when Christianity is clearly being rejected within pop-culture?

Why does the church look more and more secular when secular society continues to distance itself (and in some cases attack) Christianity?

The answer may surprise you.

Jesus.

Now I know what many of you may be thinking, “It sounded like this article was headed toward calling the church away from this trajectory. I thought you were about to crush the church for trying to be like a culture that hates it…”

And you would have been right – if you were expecting me to be like most American Christians who are for some reason scared of the reality that Christianity seems to be “losing ground” in our society.

But I am not like those Christians. I see our situation a little differently. I like to think I see it a little more like Jesus…

How’s that?

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus’ first act in the plan of salvation he was called to fulfill was the act of incarnation. And yet the last thing the church ever seems to talk about is what it means for us to be incarnate in our society.

If the first step for Jesus was to become like those who he was looking to save, then why is it that Christians are so surprised when he expects the same of us?!

In fact, I have started to believe that unless the church becomes more incarnate in the world and begins to actually function completely outside the walls it has created by going right into where those who need us most are living, then the trend of antagonism toward Christians will only continue.

What I am not saying is that we should act like the world – Jesus did not. What I am not saying is that we should compromise our integrity for the world – Jesus never did. But what I am saying is what Paul said:
“When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ… When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ… When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.”

So what?

None of this removes the fact that there is an intense irony in a reality where we continue to pursue a culture and a people who continue to push us away. But by doing this we act like our very Savior who did the same for us.

In fact, we should strive to be incarnate just like Jesus – where we do not expect others to somehow get to us but rather where we do whatever it takes to get to them. We must stop trying to invite the world in, and start going to where the world is…

Are people seemingly “too busy” to come to a church event? Then go to where they are busy. Has the culture begun to value sports, and concerts, and bars, and other events more than the events of the church? Then get involved in those events and take Christ with you!

Our call is to be the church, not simply build a church.

So if the church we build looks like the culture and even goes to where the culture is (exciting events, etc.), as long as we are still being the church that God calls us to be (light, salt, etc.) then we are fulfilling exactly the call God has placed on our lives: to live like Jesus. And remember Jesus lived incarnate.

Advent Series 2012, Pt. 3 | What The Incarnation Means For Me

In part two of this Advent series we looked at the sweet baby Jesus. The truly human characteristics of his life and ministry on earth are remarkable and confounding. The word, “amazement,” would only slightly capture what the doctrine of the Incarnation represents. The Christian faith is subsumed in this mystery.

My goal in the previous article was to look at the human side of Jesus. However, there is another side, equally present and infinitely more difficult to comprehend. The apostle Paul records an early hymn of the church describing what Jesus “did” in order to come and take on flesh. I placed the word “did” in quotation marks because I have no better way of explaining what happened. Paul reminds the Philippians of Jesus humility and journey toward earth in the second chapter of the letter.

5 ;Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 ;who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 ;but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 ;And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 ;Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 ;so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 ;and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

From the very beginning the church has sought to understand what it meant for God to enter into the human narrative and secure the redemption of the entire race.The phrase that captures my mind and speaks directly to this mystery in these verses is found in verse 7. What does it mean that Jesus “emptied himself?” The very thought ties the mind in theological, intellectual and philosophical knots. I want to state right from the start, I am not claiming to have the definitive answer to this question. I do, however, have strong reasons for believing what I am going to offer.

Continue reading “Advent Series 2012, Pt. 3 | What The Incarnation Means For Me”

Advent Series 2012, Pt. 2 | Who Doesn’t Like Baby Jesus?

Where has 2012 gone? Another year almost in the record books, but we still have one more month to go. December is an amazingly busy time around the church. There is a lot going on, but one of the realities my mind turns to around this time of year is the fact that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was born in the home of ordinary and humble people. I think that we take for granted that there was not anything overly remarkable about Jesus earthly parents. I don’t know if Mary and Joseph fully understood what it meant that the baby born in the stable that first Christmas night would be the Messiah. I am not fully convinced that they fully could comprehend what God was going to do through their faithful obedience. What they did know was that this little, precious bundle of joy was going to change their lives forever! I think every parent understands this even if they are not sure how.

The mystery of Advent (what us church nerds call this time of the year) is that God became like one of us. The technical term for this is “Incarnation.” When we talk about Jesus coming into the world as a baby we are saying that Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, took upon himself something that he did not have before the moment of conception! The Trinity existed as spirit. But, after Jesus descended into the womb of Mary he no longer exists in this way. The great miracle and mystery of this truth is that Jesus voluntarily confined himself to the body of a human being so that we can enter into fellowship with the Father.

Continue reading “Advent Series 2012, Pt. 2 | Who Doesn’t Like Baby Jesus?”

The Incarnation of Jesus Leads to Worship

This past weekend I not only spent some time with great friends serving college students, but I was once again brought face to face with the greatest truth and mystery of the Christian faith. Over the course of three-and-a-half days I celebrated The Lord’s Supper five times. It would be easy to think that doing something this regularly would have a negative effect in appreciating it. In fact, the opposite effect is felt.

One of the most poignant verses of scripture related to Communion is found in 1 Corinthians 11:26. While the Apostle Paul is trying to correct some of the errors and abuses that were happening in the Corinthian church.

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

This truly is a wonderful mystery. Every time we participate in communion and celebrate The Lord’s Supper we are able to witness how God can dissolve the concept of time into one moment. Just take the time to consider how Paul does this in this verse.

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup (in the present),
you proclaim the Lord’s death (in the past)
until he comes (in the future).

During one of the moments of Communion was struck by the glorious truth of what we as Christian’s call the Incarnation. I do not believe it would be a stretch to say that the without the Incarnation there is no Christianity. This single teaching of the Christian church is so important that without it every hope is lost. The entire prospect of salvation hinges on whether or not God became like one of us. I have included my thoughts below. I offer it as a meditation on how the incarnation of Jesus leads to worship.

The glorious mystery of the incarnation reveals the utter majesty of our great God and King. He who is full of glory and with unquenchable power has entered into a broken world. He has come so that I, a wretched sinner might know the unhindered presence of grace. This is the offer of true grace. Nothing withheld. Nothing denied. Nothing lacking. Complete salvation. Once and for all delivered through the womb of a woman.

Oh mystery of mysteries. How could this be? How could God accomplish so much through what appears to be something so weak–a baby weeping? Only an all powerful God could use one of the weakest images of the human experience and accomplish the redemption of, not just one man or woman, but of all of them. Now and forever. God has come in the flesh.

What great love this is. What a demonstration of unbridled and wasteful grace. God has so much grace to give he gives and gives and is not bothered by the fact that it will not all be consumed.

How could I ever feel unsatisfied by the grace of God? Only if I have accepted a substitute. Only if I have allowed another Gospel, which is no gospel at all, to pollute my heart and mind with lies about Jesus.

The incarnation is a glorious mystery. I don’t understand it. But then again. I don’t really want to.

9 Things That Would Have To Be True If God Became a Man

I just finished reading John Blanchard’s booklet “Why on Earth Did Jesus Come?” I found it to be refreshing and enlightening. (You can read my quick review here.)

One of the questions that Blanchard asks about God coming to earth in the form of a human being, in Jesus of Nazareth is this: “If God did become a man, what kind of man would he be?” That is a really good question. Blanchard provides nine. There may be others, but the nine that he gives are powerful and thought-provoking. I thought you might enjoy them.

If God became a man…

1. …he would be able to explain the Old Testament.

21 You have heard … 22 But I say to you …” (Matthew 5:21-22)

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

Continue reading “9 Things That Would Have To Be True If God Became a Man”

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