1 Thessalonians 2:1-7: Why Should I Believe You?

We are a suspicious people. To test the message, we scourge the messenger and see if he or she bleeds conflict of interest. Skepticism has become the public religion of choice, where the world is an advertisement and enlightenment is seeing through the pretense. "Life is pain, highness." says the movie The Princess Bride, "Anyone who says differently is selling something." So we resign ourselves to a wry grin of gentle cynicism--doubting and still wondering, "Is that all there is?" We hope not.

Paul notes that, when he arrived in Thessalonica, that his good news came "not only with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." But that was not enough. They heard the truth, they had an intense encounter with God and they were profoundly challenged to reconsider the direction of their lives. Then, the next morning they work up, and they still thought it was good idea to plunge into this Jesus-life after Paul and Silas.

Why? Love. They had seen authentic love first hand.

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 

They knew what happened. They knew how Paul and Silas acted. Paul does not appeal to an abstract idea of love, he points to love in action and asks them to judge for themselves: was it real?

What was the first clue that Paul and Silas really cared about them? Trouble followed Paul and Silas but that didn't stop them. It would have been easy for them to simply stay silent and go on their way. But their love compelled them to speak because the message was so important.

So, cynic, what else would it take to convince you? Paul continues:

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.

Here we find another clue about the nature of authentic love: it has no hidden agenda. Everything that Paul wanted to tell them about Jesus' life, sacrifice on their behalf, return to life, and about the new kingdom life, it was all on the table. The people could clearly see that Paul and Silas weren't following Jesus in order to get a free pass to an easy life. There was no money or prestige involved in giving the gospel.

There is another, related clue about authentic love here also: Paul notes that "nor are we trying to trick you" and "we never used flattery." There was no manipulation. Yes, they spoke about the about Jesus with passion, but they didn't try to arm-twist people into the kingdom of God.

Finally, there is one more clue:

We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you.

Now the cynic in us would say that Paul and Silas didn't really care about the people of Thessalonica, they only wanted people to say how smart or spiritual they were. Or maybe that, by converting the people there, they were just adding another notch in their gospel gun. Or maybe they were looking to expand their influence in the area.

Instead Paul uses another family image: that of children. Up to this point, he has characterized their relationship as "brothers and sisters". Later, he will use the image of "father" and "mother". But here, he talked about children. In this context, he contrasts what they could have done ("asserted our authority") with what they did ("were like young children among you"). Authentic love is not pushy. Instead, they were humble (see also, v. 17 where they are "orphans").

There is no substitute for authenticity. We can try to manufacture it, but live in a society will strip away any veneer and turn away in disappointment. Do you love the people you live among? Or, are they useful? "They will know we are Christians by our _______." Distance? Hypocrisy? Pushiness? Or by the same authentic love that Jesus shows for us. 

1 Thessalonians 1:4-10: The Echo More Profound

Charles Colton once wrote that "Imitation is the sincerest [form] of flattery." Some might argue that it shows a lack of creativity--a sort of mental laziness. Our culture sometimes praises variety for variety's sake. But there is a beauty when you follow the well-worn path because your path lies further onward still.

Paul, in his hasty letter to those believers that he recently left in Thessalonica, commended them for their faith, their love and their hope (1:1-3). But how does that work out? What was it that impressed Paul? He writes:

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. - 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7

First, they recognized the supernatural origins of their changed life. They heard God's words, they witnessed God's power, they experienced God's presence through the Holy Spirit and they
 saw these as God's proof.

Second, they saw the supernatural differences in Paul and Silas's lifestyle, which was self-less ("for your sake") and fear-less ("in the midst of severe suffering", see Acts 17:5). Their message was reinforced by the way they lived their life.

So they took the plunge, into severe suffering and, paradoxically, into severe joy. In this they did not hesitate to follow the example of Jesus and then Paul and then the churches in Judea (see 2:14). Then, that fearless following encouraged others who heard to make that same difficult, life-altering and ultimately fulfilling decision to follow Jesus.

Boldness sparks boldness. Fear breeds fear. There is an exhilaration that follows taking the wild first step of faith. There is pain that comes as the world attempts to reclaim us or nullify us, but there is a supernatural joy poured out by the Holy Spirit when we follow in God's path.

The impact of these bold believers didn't stop there. Paul continues:

The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us.

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. - 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10

God broadcasts his message by word-of-mouth. Sort of holy gossip. No ad-campaign can replace reports of people on fire for God. There were two things that encouraged this good report to "ring out": their whole-hearted reorientation towards God and their amazing hope in the Jesus who restores their relationship with God.

There is an echo more profound than the original voice.  This challenges me. This isn't just meeting God in church on Sunday. This is about following God into work in the remaining 24/6 of my life. God takes that and the life of Jesus--as lived through me--is advertised in the best way possible--through the fearless and joyful life. It is not about rushing recklessly toward persecution--that will find us on its own--it is about rushing headlong towards Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 1:1-3: The Motives of Movement

What makes you move? Or, more accurately, what makes you stay? Every action generates a reaction, but inaction generates tension. The Switchfoot song Dare You to Move puts it like this: 

Welcome to the fallout. 

Welcome to resistance. 

The tension is here, tension is here, between who you are and who you could be--

Between how it is and how it should be.

What makes you decide? Paul, one of the early Christian leaders, wrote to a group of new believers making brave decisions and bold moves. This group--a new church--responded enthusiastically to Paul's introduction to Jesus the Messiah. But soon afterwards, other citizens and city officials turned hostile towards them, arrested their host and forced Paul to leave secretly (Acts 17). Worried about their situation, Paul penned a short letter to encourage them, and us.

Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 

We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

Faith vs. Fear. The first motive for movement is faith. Each of us is intimately aware of our own deficiencies. We try to hide them. We try to divert attention from them. We try to overcome them. Why? So that, under the scrutiny of family, friends, colleagues, or even God, we will appear without flaw. That is the fear motive. Fear is a powerful motive, but ultimately it is destructive, because it isolates us from others and from God. But Paul encourages us to act out of faith-a bedrock trust in God's love for us. Fear says that my relationship is always in danger. Faith says that my relationship is secure. So I move forward without constantly looking over my shoulder. 

Love vs. Self. The second motive for movement is love. Our built-in survival instinct evaluates evaluates the world based on how it impacts us. When my company was considering layoffs, what's my concern? How it affects me. When I'm in an argument, what am I worried about? How I was hurt. That is the self motive. Self is a powerful motive, but ultimately it is deceptive, because it tries to re-orient the universe so that it revolves around us when it does not. Paul encourages us to act out of love-a focus on the best interests of others. Self says that it is about me. Love says that it is about God and other people.

Hope vs. Disappointment. The third motive for movement is hope. Our biggest decisions are the riskiest ones. Commitments set you up for disappointment, whether in marriage, education, a career path, or your trust in Jesus or in yourself. The bigger the commitment, the bigger the potential letdown. The church in Thessalonica had put a big bet on Jesus, risking their relationships, their standing in society, their jobs and their safety. Hope required a daily decision, in the face of opposing voices, to focus on Jesus' priorities for their lives. Disappointment says: hedge your bets, just in case. Hope says: let it ride on Jesus.

Paul shows us the motives for movement. But what about our destination. If we move aimlessly and we are lost. If we don't move at all and we are dead. God offers us a direction for our lives, which we will look at more as we plunge forward into the next parts of chapter 1.

Musings on Culture Making

I have been reading through the book Culture Making by Andy Crouch, which was first recommended to me by my friend Josh Gove from his inexhaustible list of textbooks he's reading for Bible college. It caught my attention because I have been prompted to think about the role of my profession and its relationship with my on-going purposeful faith walk.

This is not new. My earliest musings focused on people and how my interactions with them were important in the kingdom of God. When I worked on-site at Intel in Folsom, it was the first time I'd ever worked in a large company environment and the sheer number of individuals that I was involved with was somewhat overwhelming. God showed me how each of the many and varied people I dealt with was important--probably more important than any project I was working on. It was a learning season.

But then there was the work itself. I once jokingly described my work as getting paid to solve elaborate cross-word puzzles. Intricate, absorbing but ultimately just a relatively small number of ones and zeroes plugged into a chip. Not related to people. There were no helpful books like Tim Keller's Every Good Endeavor to walk me through linking the creative and productive aspects of labor with God's divine charter for me. I sort of stumbled into it.

How to create? That is a new question I am ruminating on in my spare cycles. It is not just something unique to the Christian sub-culture in America, which is almost universally defined by (as Crouch puts it) condemning, critiquing, copying or consuming that which is produced by others. In fact, in many fields, creativity is less about pursuing truth and more about rebelling against the status quo. The need for significance often drives us to seek a noticeable separation from what is already out there. That separation from what is seems more important to us than closing the gap with what ought.

Crouch talks about these two positive roles as the artist and the gardener. The search for the undiscovered truth and the cultivation of the discovered. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it and apply it to the mundane chores of writing code and editing specifications. I'll let you know what I find out.

Colossians 3:9-10: Beyond the Grace of Soap

Recently when my family and I were riding a bus in Ireland to our destination, a man boarded and sat immediately in front of me, disheveled and smelling of sweat. I remember thinking, Here is someone in desperate need of the grace of soap. My mind wandered: soap is readily available, surely he noticed, who goes out in public without an armpit double-check. Then it hit me: we all stink. Stores spend aisle after aisle stocking products designed to conceal this pungent, fundamental fact. Deodorant, anti-perspirant, cologne, perfume, air freshener, etc. In fact, if we weren't all so focused on spraying or wiping or spreading or applying these products every waking 24-hour protection moment, we would probably be used to the fact that we all stink and would be unaware. But once the first person tried to hide it, no one wanted to smell our body odor.

In many ways, we try to apply this strategy of the grace of soap to our spiritual lives, trying to hide the fundamental fact that we all sin--that we all stink. Dallas Willard, in his book The Divine Conspiracy, calls it the gospel of sin management. We ignore it, we hide it, we mitigate its effects, we try to only enter situations where it won't show, we excuse it, we emulate the lifestyle of the stink free. All of the while, denying the fact that we are all stinkers. When we see sin break through, in all of its destructive power, in someone's life, we all think: they should have applied more soap--more forgiveness--more careful rule following.

But the strategy of Christ is fundamentally different. It is the grace of regeneration. As Paul says: "...since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3:9-10)

The problem with the gospel of sin management it that it accepts that sin (stench) is fundamental and that the means of better life is keeping sin under control. But Jesus offers a different strategy: regeneration.

Imagine for a moment if we could be genetically re-engineered so that the pores in our skin no longer secreted stench-generating liquids. Not all at once, but gradually. Fundamentally changing who we are and how our body works.

This is exactly what the gospel does. It brings to bear God's life-giving, regenerating Spirit in our lives so that, bit by bit, sin is not the natural product of our lives. Paul said it this way: "For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (2 Corinthians 2:15)

Yes, we still need to wash. But we can cooperate with the Spirit's transformative work, not settling for sin-as-the-new-normal in our lives. The man in the next seat on the bus is a stinker. And so am I. Only God's grace (for which I get to take no credit) makes me or him improve.

SDG

What Made Jesus Happy? (Luke 10:1-24)

What Makes Jesus Happy

Luke 10:1-24

Introduction: A Divine Joke (vs. 1-4)

We have been slowly making our way through the third biography Jesus found in the Bible, the one written by Luke, and this week we come across one of God’s jokes. It is found part way through the 10^th chapter:

²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. – Luke 10:21

Sometimes we miss the jokes in the Bible because we always think we have to use these big sounding church words. You know, the kind of words that other people use when they have to pray in front of church or something. We forget how to pray: If we’re by ourself hanging off a cliff we pray: “God help me I’m in trouble. Amen” And start praying like “O Lord God Almighty, king of kings and lord of lords, if though mightst in thine eternal benevolence extend thine hand of mercy to meet me in this my grievous and trying time of tribulation.” That happens to Bible translator to. Let me give you Tim’s translation:

²¹ Just then, Jesus got the joke relayed to him by the Holy Spirit and burst out laughing, “I have to give you credit, Father, you really are the master. That was a good one. You slipped it right past the experts and handed it straight to the newbs. Smooth, Father, really smooth—just like you wanted.”

So God the Father and Jesus are having this little private joke and then Jesus realizes that none of his friends—the disciples—got the joke. So he takes them aside and tells them the punch line to the joke. You ready for this? Here it is:

²³ Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen.²⁴ I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.”

Oh wait. Here’s the Tim translation:

As soon as they got away from the paparazzi, he said: “You are the newbs. But, because you are with me and doing stuff for me, you scored the back stage passes to the kingdom of God that make the pope and president drool with envy.”

So, how to we get in on this? How do we score the back stage passes? How do we get the amazing, inner-workings, behind-the-scenes look into what God is doing? And why does it make Jesus happy? Well, let’s go back to the beginning of the chapter and see if we can pick up some clues:

Our Stuff Isn’t What Makes Jesus Happy (vs. 1-4)

¹ After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ² He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.⁴ Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

If you remember, this is actually the second time Jesus is sending out people. The first time he sent out just his twelve closest friends—the apostles (in fact, that’s where the got the name ‘apostles’)This time he’s sending out six times as many. The first time, he sent them out alone. This time he sends them out in twos. But one thing remained the same: they weren’t supposed to bring supplies: no clothes, no supplies and this time, they couldn't even try to sponge off the people they might meet on the road.

So whatever it was that made Jesus happy wasn't their stuff.

There are people who come into life situations with all sorts of advantages. Maybe they come from a good family—a mom and dad who stayed together and didn’t fight too much--maybe they had money, maybe they went to good schools, and moved on to good jobs themselves with good connections. It seems like they have all the advantages in the world.

But whatever we think we bring into the situation, that’s not what makes Jesus happy. Jesus, I have a Ph.D. Jesus, I can give a lot of money. Jesus, I’m connected to the right people, let me introduce you. Jesus, I have experience.  Jesus, I can solve that problem. Everything that we would put on our resume, doesn’t make Jesus happy.

That’s why he asked the disciples to leave that stuff behind. Because they would have missed the point. Just like us.

Our Popularity Isn’t What Makes Jesus Happy (vs. 5-12, 16)

So if it isn’t our stuff that makes Jesus happy, what was it? Well, let’s read a little bit more:

⁵ “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. ⁷ Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

⁸ “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. ⁹ Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

Jesus himself was traveling so he sent out these teams into towns ahead of him to prepare for his ministry. Some people might not like Jesus. Some people might like Jesus. They had to map out which areas were ready to meet with Jesus and then facilitate Jesus’ ministry there.

But, whatever it was that makes Jesus happy, it wasn’t because they were accepted or popular in these towns or successful in persuading them about Jesus.

We are not responsible for making people like Jesus. Instead, we responsible to meet people, figure out if they are ready and, if so, arrange an introduction with Jesus himself. His power and his persuasiveness will ultimately be what they must welcome or not welcome. That’s why Jesus said, in verse 16:

¹⁶ “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

That’s why he asked the disciples to go ahead of him and talk to people. Because it wasn’t about whether they liked the disciples—whether they were acceptable—it was about whether they liked Jesus. 

Our Experience Isn’t What Makes Jesus Happy (vs. 13-15)

So Jesus wasn’t happy because of their stuff, or because they were acceptable. So what was it? Keep reading:

¹³ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.

Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were part of Israel—Jewish cities-- where Jesus performed big miracles, in previous chapters, where he healed people and fed the 5,000 men with two loaves of bread and five fish (Luke 9:10-17). On the other hand, Tyre and Sidon were both pagan Phoenician cities that Jesus didn’t go into.

So, whatever it was that made Jesus happy, it wasn’t because they received or saw one of his miracles.

God does do miracles. They are like street signs, telling us to pay attention to what God is saying. If we are healed, but forget the healer; if we are provided for, but forget the provider; if we are rescued, but forget the rescuer, then we miss the point.

Missing the point of the miracle makes you miserable.

Jesus wasn’t happy because they got to see his miracles.

Our Expertise Aren’t What Makes Jesus Happy (vs. 17-20)

It did matter what stuff they had, it didn’t matter how acceptable they were, it didn’t matter if they’d seen a miracle and, it turns out, it didn’t matter that they had performed a miracle. None of these seemed to be what made Jesus happy. Read along with me:

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

You might remember the last time they tried to cast out demons (Luke 9:37ff), they couldn’t, and Jesus chewed them out for it (vs. 41). This time they went out, and they could. They are stoked. They are happy. Now, it kind of looks like Jesus is being a kill-joy here. But he’s not. He wants them to be happy, he just wants them to anchor their happiness in the right place.

Jesus isn’t happy because they could perform miracles. He says: you will do this and even more because I give you the authority. I was there when Satan was kicked out of heaven and fell to the earth.  Do you know how you did that? Because you were tight with me! When amazing things happen through us in our life, it is tempting to claim credit for it.

But Jesus wasn’t happy because of the miracles we do (because it wasn’t our miracle anyway). Jesus is happy because of our relationship with God. Look what Matthew said in another place in the Bible:

²² Many will say to me on that [judgment] day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers! – Matthew 7:22-23

Our Position Isn’t What Makes Jesus Happy (vs. 23-24)

So it’s not our stuff. It’s not our popularity. It’s not our experience. It’s not our expertise. Next we find out it is not our position.

²³ Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

The disciples are confused by Jesus’ joke. They don’t get what makes him happy. So he takes them aside to tell the punch line. That “blessed” can be translated “fortunate” or even “happy” You should be happy because you see what you see. Because people with bigger titles, like “king” and “prophet” wanted to see and hear what you got to see and hear. But God didn’t show it to them.

When I went to work at Insyde, my current job, one of the conditions was that I would get the title of CTO. So they offered me the position of “Chief Technical Officer” I said “No, no, not Technical. It should be Chief Technology Officer” So they gave that to me. I wanted to be the CTO.

So I may be the CTO to the PC industry, but for Jesus  those kind of titles don’t carry any weight. There is only one title that Jesus pays attention to: disciple. A disciple is a student, not just of what a teacher says, but also his way of life. Jesus doesn’t reveal himself to CEOs and Presidents and Popes. He reveals himself to disciples.

Conclusion: What Made Jesus Happy?

Jesus is happy when ordinary people move out because they know an extraordinary God. Ordinary people don’t get their happiness from their stuff, their popularity, their experience, their expertise or their position. They are only happy that they have a relationship with Jesus.

¹¹ And not only that, but now we are also very happy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we are now God’s friends again. – Romans 5:11 (NCV)

We want to hold handfuls of those things up to God and insist, “See what I did? You should love me because…” But that’s not grace. It is anti-grace. Grace is God liking you because he likes you because he likes you. Period. There’s no little asterisk. No fine print. Jesus did everything that was required.

Imagine enrolling in medical school and on the first day of your first term they shake your hand and give you the diploma. You are confused and try to give it back, insisting that you have not completed the course work required. The dean smiles and says it’s all right; the valedictorian fulfilled all of the perquisites for the M.D. program on your behalf and you start at the hospital immediately in the place he specifies. You protest, saying it isn’t fair, that the diploma is worthless, that you don’t like the terms and conditions, that patients will be hurt, that the valedictorian is out of touch with reality, and so you rip up the diploma and decide to start a different program elsewhere. Or you can gratefully accept the diploma, use the amazing resources offered by the hospital and seek to grow into the position you have been given.

Don’t you see the joke? Why Jesus was laughing? Why he was happy? Because God has let a bunch of first year medical students loose in the hospital. And it’s working. As long as they go and pay attention to their teacher, Jesus. 

Missed Opportunities (Luke 9:51-62)

Missed Opportunities

Luke 9:51-62

Introduction: Determination

In a garage in 1976, a group of guys started a computer company that would change the world. You've probably heard of the two Steves involved: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. However, there was a third founder of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) who wrote the first partnership agreement, wrote the manual for the Apple I and even drew the first Apple logo. That man was Ronald Wayne.

The reason why you probably never heard of Wayne is that less than two weeks after founding Apple and receiving a 10% stake in the company, he sold his Apple stock for $800. (He reportedly got another check later for $1,500 to forfeit any claims he had against the company going forward.) Today, his stock would be worth more than $55 billion.

Why would Wayne bail on Apple so early? He had been burned before. An earlier venture of Wayne's buying and selling slot machines fizzled and left him paying back creditors for two years. When Jobs began taking out loans to fulfill their first order, Wayne, who as a partner would be liable for any debts incurred, got skittish and sold his stake.[1]

Ever regret a missed opportunity? Ever wonder about a “what if”? There was a glimmer of possibility. We saw it just for a moment, had an instance to choose, and then it was gone. We are haunted by what could have happened.

What made you miss? Maybe it was a previous bad experience (like Wayne at Apple) that made you want to play it safe.  What made you miss? Couldn’t decide quickly enough. You thought about it, but then you were too busy. Or maybe the path to opportunity was too difficult. We all have those moments. What would have happened if we had taken the other path?

Jesus met a lot of people like us. Ordinary people. He told them about his plan—he called it the kingdom of God—with him at the center. He made extraordinary claims: that he was God’s chosen one—the Messiah—God in the flesh. Then he made an offer: come and follow me.

What an opportunity! Some joined Jesus, but others let him pass by. Why? What was their reason? If we can see their excuse, maybe we can recognize it in our own lives before and accept Jesus’ offered opportunity.

We pick up the story in Luke, the third of four biographies of Jesus found in the Bible, in the 9^th chapter, starting near the end, in verse 51:

⁵¹ As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

First, Jesus had determination. Luke says he “resolutely set out”. Christmas started the plan, but Passover was the conflict, Easter the climax and Pentecost the resolution.  Jesus’ life was not an accidental juxtaposition of personality, religious ferment and political turmoil. Jesus knew his place, he knew the promises, he knew his part in it and he was determined to push through to the end.

Second, he had a deadline. Luke says, “as the time approached” The “time” that Jesus was concerned about was the annual festival of Passover, a celebration of God’s rescue of the nation. It was a time of annual pilgrimage. Jews from all over the Roman Empire would return to take part. Jesus’ disgrace on the cross would be public, his return to life would be public and many of these Jews would witness this and carry it home with them.

Third, he had a destination: Jerusalem. He “set out for Jerusalem.” Jerusalem was the center of religious and political life for the nation of Israel. The temple was there. The Jewish leaders were there. The Roman governor was there. The crowds were here.

This is Jesus’ story. His story has a theme—a message—a story that says to God: “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

At some point, Jesus’ story intersects our story. He invites us, “Come. Follow me.” Join my story. Change the world with me. We have a choice, to join him or turn him down.

People do turn him down. In these next few minutes, let’s take a portrait of those who turned Jesus down in the last part of this chapter. Who were they?

Don’t Like His Destination (vs. 52-53)

Sometimes people turn him down because they didn’t like his destination. Take a look starting in verse 52.

⁵² And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; ⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.

Jesus was determined to get to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover. But he did most of his preaching and healing in northern Israel, called Galilee, and southern Israel, around Jersualem. In between north and south, was Samaria, inhabited by Samaritans. The Samaritans believed that Passover should be celebrated at Mount Gerazim, not in Jerusalem. So, they weren’t interested in Jesus and his story because they didn’t like where he was doing—his destination.

We like our where and when and how. We like to be the main character in our own story—our own movie. Deliberately or accidently, we move Jesus into the role of best supporting actor, or extra, or non-speaking part and remove him from the credits.  But any other story than Jesus’ story leads to disappointment.

Maybe, we have centered our life around successful career, or healthy family or secure retirement or experience. Jesus invites is to put his plot—his story—his purpose at the center. “Come. Follow me.”

Get Distracted By Pride (vs. 54-56)

Sometimes people turned Jesus down because they didn’t like his destination. Others tended to be distracted because they want to be “right”. Look at verse 54:

⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” ⁵⁵ But Jesus turned and rebuked them, ⁵⁶ and they went to another village.

They wanted respect. They decided to be Jesus’ enforcers. Notice how they divide the world into “for” and “against” “in” and “out” “with us” or “against us” We are with Jesus. We are special, ‘cause we saw the trans-fi-gur-ation. We are “in” You don’t welcome Jesus. You are “out” You are second-class kindling.

Notice how they are distracted? This is no longer about Jesus and his mission. It is about us and our mission to appear important. Those Samaritans didn’t respect us Jesus, so let’s toast them. Earlier, it was John who was worried that other disciples were able to cast out demons in Jesus’ name (Luke 9:49). Later, it was James and John who wanted the prime seats next to Jesus in the kingdom (Matthew 20:21)

We do this, too. We like being right. We like to appear right. Because it means that they (whoever “they” is) are wrong. We are so angry at “them” Most people don’t think of Christians as loving so much as angry.

Every ounce of improvement in our character is grace. If we could improve due to our willpower, our purity of character, or our superior smarts, then we might have some reason to brag, saying we worked harder or better. But we and they are fundamentally unable to improve without God’s grace. We are all together, humbled by our inability, but blessed by God’s ability.

Encounter Discomfort (vs. 57-58)

People turned Jesus down because of his destination. They distracted by wanting to be right. Next, some turn away from Jesus because of discomfort:

⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

Tonight, when you get back to your house, there is a knock on the door. Outside are men, obvious foreigners, unshaven, dirty. Some are obviously enforcer muscle types but one says he’s a preacher.  They ask if they can spend the night.

Remember, Jesus didn’t get welcomed by the Samaritans. So they went to the next village.  Maybe nobody opened the door there for the son of God. They don’t want Jesus and they certainly don’t want his scruffy friends. So you sleep out on the porch, or in a doorway, or maybe in the barn or under a tree.

How many of us abandon Jesus’ story because we don’t like the way people look at us when we say we are Christians. We’re embarrassed. Or we don’t like that God leads us through a tough time. Or asks for first dibs on our time and resources.

Is God more important than your comfort, or is comfort your God? [Lent]

Demand Other Priorities (vs. 59-60)

Some don’t like his destination. Some get distracted by pride. Some find it too difficult—too much discomfort. Others try to demand priorities. Look at verses 59 and 60:

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

This incident is not about a funeral or respect for parents. This incident is actually about who is “first”

Jesus says to him, “Follow me” and the first words out of his mouth are, “Lord, first let me…” Don’t you see the contradiction built in to those words? He calls Jesus “Lord” But when you “follow” someone you are not first. You are, by definition, second.

He wants to set the terms of his “follower”-ship. He wants to dictate to his “Lord” the where and when. He wants to fulfill his own mission, then he’ll tack Jesus’ mission on to the end. First, Jesus, let me make sure my situation is stable. First, Jesus, let me have my fun (because the life with you is uncomfortable and/or boring). First, Jesus, let me make a name for myself. Then I’ll join you. But don’t wait up for me, because there might be a little delay.

Jesus says to us:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

Doubt Our Choice (vs. 61-62)

We don’t like his destination. We get distracted by pride. We find it too difficult—too much discomfort. We demand other priorities. Finally, we doubt. Look at verses 59 and 60:

⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” ⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

There’s that word “first” again. This incident is not about family. This is about doubts. Jesus called this man’s name, “Come! Follow me.” Initially excited, but then he starts to have second thoughts. Discerning his thoughts, Jesus tells him: you can’t serve the past and the future at the same time.

I am not a farmer. But Helen grew up in and among rice farmers and she told me that when you plow a field, you place a stick at the end of the row. You get a straight row when you line up the handle of the plow with the stick between the horns of the carabaw (water buffalo). But looking back over your shoulder will produce a crazy, wavy line.

Barry Cooper, in his article in Christianity Today, asked: Would you prefer to make an ironclad, no-turning-back choice, or one you could back out of if need be? Do you ever find that you're afraid to commit? Do you reply to party invitations with a ''maybe'' rather than a ''yes'' or ''no''? Do you like to keep your smartphone switched on at all times, even in meetings, [because you might miss the other conversation you could be a part of] …  Will you focus on the person you're talking to after a church service, or will you look over her shoulder for a better conversation partner? If so, you may be worshiping the god of open options. – Christianity Today, [2]

In Jesus, your best days are in front of you. Where you are going is not found desiring where you have been. Leave that behind. Grab ahold of Jesus with both hands and don’t let go.

Conclusion

Let’s wrap this up. We have lots of excuses why we don’t pursue Jesus whole-heartedly. But that’s what they are: excuses. We will all be asked: “What did you do with Jesus?” Sorry, God, too busy. Sorry, God, too hard. Sorry, God, got distracted. Sorry, God, wasn’t sure. Jesus passed by and we missed him.

Mike Smith was an executive in charge of evaluating talent for Decca Records when he traveled to Liverpool, England, to listen to an up and coming band. He was impressed. The band had unmistakable talent, so he brought them to Decca's London office for an audition on New Year's Day 1962. The band played 15 songs, went home and waited for an answer.

When they finally heard the answer, Decca's famous reply was that, "guitar groups are on the way out" and "the Beatles have no future in show business".[3]

How would you like to be Mike Smith? Or Decca Records? Well, Jesus is more famous than the Beatles. Today Jesus is passing by. Today, you have the opportunity to join him. He is inviting you now, just like he did then: “Come. Follow me.” The Bible says:

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. – 2 Corinthians 6:2b

Where will he take me? I don’t know. My life has already been unexpected. And I get it wrong. But I do know that every time I am troubled, I search for Jesus and line myself up behind him.

Imagine for a moment. What would your company look like if God was running it? Would your products change? Would your salaries change? Would your profit margins change? How about school? What would it look like? Would the subjects change? Would the goals change? Now, your entertainment, your family, your marriage, your church. Take this opportunity to follow Jesus, so he can transform them by his presence in you.

Where Jesus is going is where I want to go. What he is doing I want to do. Pray with me: “Jesus, I want to take advantage of the opportunity you give me, to find my part in your plan. But Jesus, I am easily distracted and easily discouraged. Today, give me the willpower and the strength to overcome anything that comes between me and you in every part of my life. Thank you that your life and death provided the way for me to do that. Amen.”

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[1][1] 5 Costly Missed Business Opportunities, Brian Reed (April 26, 2012), http://www.investinganswers.com/personal-finance/rich-famous/5-costly-missed-business-opportunities-4244, retrieved on February 12, 2013

[2] Are You Worshiping the Idol of Open Options, Barry Cooper, Christianity Today Online (February 15, 2013), retrieved on February 17, 2013

[3][3] 5 Costly Missed Business Opportunities, Brian Reed (April 26, 2012), http://www.investinganswers.com/personal-finance/rich-famous/5-costly-missed-business-opportunities-4244, retrieved on February 12, 2013