As Nicodemus is wrestling with all that Jesus is saying about being ‘born again,’ Jesus says something that I’m sure only exasperated Nicodemus’ confusion, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” (John 3:5)
Water and Spirit?
For Nicodemus, he is wrestling with this new revelation that his ancestry, membership in the Sanhedrin, and his works are not enough. They do not lead to the new birth that Jesus is talking about. Instead, he is challenged to be born of water and Spirit. We never find out how Nicodemus responded. Later in John 7:50-52, he shows courage protesting against the condemnations of Jesus without giving him a hearing and in John 19:40, Nicodemus brings a lavish gift of spices to anoint the body of Jesus after his death. But beyond that, we just don’t know.
Water and Spirit. Have you been born in water and Spirit? What does that mean to you?
Water is a little more clear, I think, to most of us. Being born in water connects us with baptism which is the sign and seal of our forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. To be born of water is to be forgiven by the work of Christ.
What about born of Spirit? Most of us would remember what happens at Pentecost in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit comes upon the believers and they are forever (not just in that event) transformed. They are ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit. Tongues of fire rest upon their heads and they speak in languages they never learned. Soon after, Peter testifies to Jesus and thousands come to faith. And from this point on, the church explodes from a very small group of believers to a movement that spans the entire known world. These forgiven believers, after having been born of the Spirit, go on to fulfill what Jesus said to them, that they would do even greater things than Him. (See John 14:12)
My point here is not to bring up the ongoing debate of two baptisms. Some Christian denominations believe that based on what you see with Nicodemus and what happens at Pentecost, that we are to experience two unique baptisms: one by water – one by Spirit. These can occur at different times and often the baptism of the Spirit is confirmed with the gift of tongues (not speaking different known languages, but speaking a spiritual language that only a Spirit-filled interpreter can decipher).
My point is this: Too many of us have not embraced the truth that we are not only forgiven, but we are empowered (filled) with the Holy Spirit. We believe our eternity is all set, yet we live the rest of our lives dependent upon our own power. The Spirit dwells within us, but we are not dependent or interested in the Spirit’s leading. Imagine how different our lives would be if we lived every moment knowing that God Himself was with us and would give us the power to do what we can’t do ourselves.
Maybe we’ve misinterpreted our understanding of one of the most often quoted Scripture passages: Philippians 4:13. It says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” We view this verse similar to how we view Olympic athletes. Look at their hard work, their commitment. Look at all the support they receive from family, teammates, their countries. Wow, it’s amazing what THEY do. And it’s true, THEY do it. No one empowers them to ski the moguls or skate with such precision. THEY do it. Maybe we see God as the cheerleader who sits in the stands or the coach who’s prepared us for the event or the family that has been there all along. So then, with God’s help, I go do it. I do it with His strength. But what is so important for us to embrace is that we are called to a life of letting God be the one who acts in us. I don’t do it; He does. He does it through me. Yes, I have to be a willing vessel, but when the time comes to stand on the podium, He deserves the medal, not me.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Life on the Trail - Pace
I remember one of the guides on our backpacking trip continuing to say to me and a few of the other “macho” high school students, “It’s not a race up the mountain. Slow down. You need to enjoy the hike.”
He was right. If I took the time to pace myself and look around, I saw a whole lot more than when I was focused on getting up to the top. There was so much to see. Every 25 yards, there was a different view. If I looked around, I had the chance to see all sorts of different angles of God’s creation.
It’s easy to get focused on getting where you think you need to go. I have the same problem in the car. I get completely focused on the car ahead of me and concentrate on getting to my destination as fast as possible. It’s like I rush to rest. If I hurry and get there quickly, I can rest and not worry about driving anymore. If I can get up the trail quickly, I can rest, have a snack, and put my pack down. But it is as if the entire journey to the top had no value. It was just a way to get to the rest. I stopped looking at the hike as part of the experience but instead looked at it as the burden I had to endure in order to enjoy the breaks. I basically denied any of the value of the time between the breaks.
How true is that today? We live for Friday – Sunday. We live for vacations. We live for 5pm and on. It’s as if Monday – Friday, the time between our next vacation and our ‘workday’ have no significant value. We just need to “endure” so we can enjoy.
But what I learned on the trail was that often the time on the trail was some of the most meaningful time. When I stopped rushing and began to focus on what was around me, I started experiencing the benefits of the journey not just the destination. Most importantly, I started to enjoy the gifts of the people who I hiked with. It became a time to listen to their stories – to find out more about what matters to them – to ask them how they are doing (not just on the trail but overall). Even though we’d get occasionally winded and our bodies definitely did not always feel great, we began to focus on each other instead of the struggle. What a difference that made on the experience.
Some people say, “Stop and smell the roses” or “Find the joy in the journey.” Whatever works for you, I’d encourage you to consider the moment you are in as one in which God desires to express love and encourage joy. In essence, I think sometimes God is trying to say to me, “Chip, you are never going to arrive in this life. Stop rushing and pushing and beating yourself up for not getting as far as you want. When you hurry, you tend to make a mess and you tend to miss out on what I’m trying to show you and share with you RIGHT NOW. Stop blocking my joy by determining yourself when it will come.” Aren’t we guilty of this so often. “I’m going to be happy when . . .” We fool ourselves into thinking that a weekend activity or vacation or television show will finally bring us that contentment we seek. Yet God says, “No, contentment and joy and peace are found ON THE PATH, not when you take a break or think you will arrive once this or that happens.
How many times have my wife and son been within four feet of me in the car, and I totally ignore them and the opportunity to connect with them because I am so concerned with getting to our destination. It’s become a joke now in our family. We can go hours without speaking because Dad can’t focus on anything else. I want that to change. I want to enjoy the people I’m with, care for them, invest in them, and make them the priority regardless of where I’m at on the trail. I believe that is what Jesus did. He never seemed to hurry. He never seemed to see people as distractions. I definitely have a lot to learn.
He was right. If I took the time to pace myself and look around, I saw a whole lot more than when I was focused on getting up to the top. There was so much to see. Every 25 yards, there was a different view. If I looked around, I had the chance to see all sorts of different angles of God’s creation.
It’s easy to get focused on getting where you think you need to go. I have the same problem in the car. I get completely focused on the car ahead of me and concentrate on getting to my destination as fast as possible. It’s like I rush to rest. If I hurry and get there quickly, I can rest and not worry about driving anymore. If I can get up the trail quickly, I can rest, have a snack, and put my pack down. But it is as if the entire journey to the top had no value. It was just a way to get to the rest. I stopped looking at the hike as part of the experience but instead looked at it as the burden I had to endure in order to enjoy the breaks. I basically denied any of the value of the time between the breaks.
How true is that today? We live for Friday – Sunday. We live for vacations. We live for 5pm and on. It’s as if Monday – Friday, the time between our next vacation and our ‘workday’ have no significant value. We just need to “endure” so we can enjoy.
But what I learned on the trail was that often the time on the trail was some of the most meaningful time. When I stopped rushing and began to focus on what was around me, I started experiencing the benefits of the journey not just the destination. Most importantly, I started to enjoy the gifts of the people who I hiked with. It became a time to listen to their stories – to find out more about what matters to them – to ask them how they are doing (not just on the trail but overall). Even though we’d get occasionally winded and our bodies definitely did not always feel great, we began to focus on each other instead of the struggle. What a difference that made on the experience.
Some people say, “Stop and smell the roses” or “Find the joy in the journey.” Whatever works for you, I’d encourage you to consider the moment you are in as one in which God desires to express love and encourage joy. In essence, I think sometimes God is trying to say to me, “Chip, you are never going to arrive in this life. Stop rushing and pushing and beating yourself up for not getting as far as you want. When you hurry, you tend to make a mess and you tend to miss out on what I’m trying to show you and share with you RIGHT NOW. Stop blocking my joy by determining yourself when it will come.” Aren’t we guilty of this so often. “I’m going to be happy when . . .” We fool ourselves into thinking that a weekend activity or vacation or television show will finally bring us that contentment we seek. Yet God says, “No, contentment and joy and peace are found ON THE PATH, not when you take a break or think you will arrive once this or that happens.
How many times have my wife and son been within four feet of me in the car, and I totally ignore them and the opportunity to connect with them because I am so concerned with getting to our destination. It’s become a joke now in our family. We can go hours without speaking because Dad can’t focus on anything else. I want that to change. I want to enjoy the people I’m with, care for them, invest in them, and make them the priority regardless of where I’m at on the trail. I believe that is what Jesus did. He never seemed to hurry. He never seemed to see people as distractions. I definitely have a lot to learn.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Life on the Trail - Authenticity
By far my favorite experience in youth ministry was the backpacking trips we took with Young Life. Each summer, I would take a group of 6 – 12 high school students on a hard-core backpacking trip in Colorado or Wyoming. It was physically challenging and not for the faint of heart, and typically, I would bring students who were mature for their age and maturing in their faith. I loved this trip and here’s why.
Authenticity.
Let’s define authenticity as a refusal to hide or pretend. It’s a commitment to be ME, warts and all.
The trail demanded authenticity. You may try to hide and pretend, but because of the physical demands, lack of sleep, limited food, and overall difficulties of living outside, authenticity happened. Plus authenticity encourages more authenticity. As one student was willing to express their authentic self it encouraged others to do the same.
Plus, no showers, no change of clothes, no deodorant, no bathrooms, no mattresses, led to all of us being dirty, smelly, tired, and outside of our comfort zones. We were all experiencing the same challenges. We could all relate to what each other was going through. It was good, very good.
I never had deeper and more meaningful conversations with students than out on the trail. I never heard such honesty, and even desperation, as students were seeking to make sense of their lives, figure out who they are, seek to follow Christ, and wrestle with some of the pain they’d experienced already in their young life.
It was a rich time. It was so rich because it was so real. There were no masks, no trying to look or sound good, no pretending that I had my life all together. I saw lots of tears. I saw anger. I saw sadness. But I also saw hope and courage and joy. I saw a deep longing for connection, which we experienced in a unique way on these trips, but the connection went far beyond a backpacking trip. It was a longing for connection with God and others. Each of us saw the connections being made on the trail, and it led to a yearning for this experience throughout our lives.
We often talked about going home as the trip came to an end. It was a conversation which contained both sadness and hopefulness. Sadness that this experience was over and we couldn’t live here backpacking in Colorado. The sadness was also reflected in us by wrestling with the ‘need’ to put on the mask again – to be driven by a desire to please others or to look a certain way so we’d be accepted. Each of us felt the pressure to ‘keep up appearances,’ but I think each of us felt the inauthentic nature of this pursuit. Would we be who we were before we came and fall back into the same ruts? Or would we have the courage to be ourselves? This hopefulness was seen in a desire to be different. We saw how our warts kept us from experiencing connections with each other, and we committed together to live differently and be different. We felt the challenge of being real with people, and we were overwhelmed with the gift it was to feel and be connected with others who loved us in spite of our warts.
Jesus consistently called His Church to unity. He called for a unity of the body. Often, I think our perceptions are that this means we get along. We agree with each other about the fundamentals of following Jesus Christ. But I believe Jesus is saying more than embracing the same doctrinal truths that make us Christian. I believe He is a calling us into authenticity with each other – a recognition of our deep need to be connected as a primary means by which we experience intimacy with Jesus. We aren’t connected in this way by agreement, but only in relationship. And apart from authenticity, there really is no relationship in the way God intended. It’s amazing, too, how authenticity eradicates what the people of the church are criticized for more than anything else – hypocrisy. You can’t be an authentic hypocrite. They are mutually exclusive.
Authenticity.
Let’s define authenticity as a refusal to hide or pretend. It’s a commitment to be ME, warts and all.
The trail demanded authenticity. You may try to hide and pretend, but because of the physical demands, lack of sleep, limited food, and overall difficulties of living outside, authenticity happened. Plus authenticity encourages more authenticity. As one student was willing to express their authentic self it encouraged others to do the same.
Plus, no showers, no change of clothes, no deodorant, no bathrooms, no mattresses, led to all of us being dirty, smelly, tired, and outside of our comfort zones. We were all experiencing the same challenges. We could all relate to what each other was going through. It was good, very good.
I never had deeper and more meaningful conversations with students than out on the trail. I never heard such honesty, and even desperation, as students were seeking to make sense of their lives, figure out who they are, seek to follow Christ, and wrestle with some of the pain they’d experienced already in their young life.
It was a rich time. It was so rich because it was so real. There were no masks, no trying to look or sound good, no pretending that I had my life all together. I saw lots of tears. I saw anger. I saw sadness. But I also saw hope and courage and joy. I saw a deep longing for connection, which we experienced in a unique way on these trips, but the connection went far beyond a backpacking trip. It was a longing for connection with God and others. Each of us saw the connections being made on the trail, and it led to a yearning for this experience throughout our lives.
We often talked about going home as the trip came to an end. It was a conversation which contained both sadness and hopefulness. Sadness that this experience was over and we couldn’t live here backpacking in Colorado. The sadness was also reflected in us by wrestling with the ‘need’ to put on the mask again – to be driven by a desire to please others or to look a certain way so we’d be accepted. Each of us felt the pressure to ‘keep up appearances,’ but I think each of us felt the inauthentic nature of this pursuit. Would we be who we were before we came and fall back into the same ruts? Or would we have the courage to be ourselves? This hopefulness was seen in a desire to be different. We saw how our warts kept us from experiencing connections with each other, and we committed together to live differently and be different. We felt the challenge of being real with people, and we were overwhelmed with the gift it was to feel and be connected with others who loved us in spite of our warts.
Jesus consistently called His Church to unity. He called for a unity of the body. Often, I think our perceptions are that this means we get along. We agree with each other about the fundamentals of following Jesus Christ. But I believe Jesus is saying more than embracing the same doctrinal truths that make us Christian. I believe He is a calling us into authenticity with each other – a recognition of our deep need to be connected as a primary means by which we experience intimacy with Jesus. We aren’t connected in this way by agreement, but only in relationship. And apart from authenticity, there really is no relationship in the way God intended. It’s amazing, too, how authenticity eradicates what the people of the church are criticized for more than anything else – hypocrisy. You can’t be an authentic hypocrite. They are mutually exclusive.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Holy Conversations
I have a book I’ve been hesitant to read in my pile. It’s titled Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One Conversation at a Time. It’s by Susan Scott and on the cover it defines fierce as robust, intense, strong, powerful, passionate, eager, unbridled. Can you see why I’ve been hesitant?
At our recent Ridder retreat, the phrase “holy conversations” came to the surface and it has stuck with me. We were challenged with this statement, “Fostering holy conversations in the life of the congregation is a primary leadership task.”
What is a holy conversation?
I believe a holy conversation is a God-led, God-initiated conversation that has the potential for those involved to grow. This growth is not simply the acquisition of new information, but this growth is personal. I become a better person because of my willingness to enter into these holy conversations because I open myself up to the work God desires to do in me through relationships with others.
Holy conversations tend not to be easy conversations, but they can be the most important conversations we have with each other.
Here are a few examples:
A father and son have a broken relationship, unwilling to talk. Yet a holy conversation is what can bridge the gap that has separated them.
A spouse is struggling with their husband/wife’s behavior and it is breeding separation in their relationship. A holy conversation is needed to help heal what is broken.
A person is struggling with me or the church about something that has happened and is tempted to talk with everyone else. A holy conversation takes places when we talk to the person or people we are struggling with.
Two friends have been friends for a long time, but they have never talked personally about their faith and the challenges and joys of following Jesus. A holy conversation can help their relationship be a place of support and encouragement in each other’s faith.
A person is feeling alone and struggling with any sense of direction and hope in their life. He or she feels like they are losing their faith. A willingness to ask for help from a friend and admit how they feel is the beginning of a holy conversation.
Sharing with a friend or family member about the joy that you are finding in this life – the thankfulness you feel for what God is and has been doing is the beginning of a holy conversation.
I make it a habit of asking people in my life how I can pray for them, and am willing on the spot to pray with them. What a way to begin a holy conversation.
Holy conversations are grounded in authenticity. They are filled with truth. They are honest, heartfelt and often difficult to have. They force us to act in integrity and they spur us on toward living a life of faith. They take us into unknown territory and they call on us to have courage and to act in obedience. They involve feelings, fears, confession, forgiveness, encouragement, hopefulness, trust, and love. They lead us toward restoration, redemption, reconciliation, and grace. They are acts of love. Having holy conversations is a way we express love to the people around us. They take us to the core of what matters in life and they open the door to a level of relationship that God has created us to have – not only with him, but with each other.
Obviously, I am not suggesting ONE conversation clears everything up. No, it is a commitment to being a person who enters into holy conversations throughout our lives. We have them at home and work. We have them with friends, family, and each other. We commit to moving beyond the superficial. We move beyond hiding the truth. We move beyond the temptation to gossip and complain. We, in love for Jesus and each other, initiate and welcome this level of conversation.
It won’t be easy. But in the end, it will be good.
I bet that God is encouraging you to have some holy conversations with some folks in your life. I bet it is God that is spurring you on to have them. Will you be obedient to His nudging? Will you take the risk and act in faith? Will you open yourself up to this level of conversation? Will you trust God that if He is calling you to into this place, that He will not only equip you, but He will bless you through it?
Jesus was the model of one whose conversations were always holy.
At our recent Ridder retreat, the phrase “holy conversations” came to the surface and it has stuck with me. We were challenged with this statement, “Fostering holy conversations in the life of the congregation is a primary leadership task.”
What is a holy conversation?
I believe a holy conversation is a God-led, God-initiated conversation that has the potential for those involved to grow. This growth is not simply the acquisition of new information, but this growth is personal. I become a better person because of my willingness to enter into these holy conversations because I open myself up to the work God desires to do in me through relationships with others.
Holy conversations tend not to be easy conversations, but they can be the most important conversations we have with each other.
Here are a few examples:
A father and son have a broken relationship, unwilling to talk. Yet a holy conversation is what can bridge the gap that has separated them.
A spouse is struggling with their husband/wife’s behavior and it is breeding separation in their relationship. A holy conversation is needed to help heal what is broken.
A person is struggling with me or the church about something that has happened and is tempted to talk with everyone else. A holy conversation takes places when we talk to the person or people we are struggling with.
Two friends have been friends for a long time, but they have never talked personally about their faith and the challenges and joys of following Jesus. A holy conversation can help their relationship be a place of support and encouragement in each other’s faith.
A person is feeling alone and struggling with any sense of direction and hope in their life. He or she feels like they are losing their faith. A willingness to ask for help from a friend and admit how they feel is the beginning of a holy conversation.
Sharing with a friend or family member about the joy that you are finding in this life – the thankfulness you feel for what God is and has been doing is the beginning of a holy conversation.
I make it a habit of asking people in my life how I can pray for them, and am willing on the spot to pray with them. What a way to begin a holy conversation.
Holy conversations are grounded in authenticity. They are filled with truth. They are honest, heartfelt and often difficult to have. They force us to act in integrity and they spur us on toward living a life of faith. They take us into unknown territory and they call on us to have courage and to act in obedience. They involve feelings, fears, confession, forgiveness, encouragement, hopefulness, trust, and love. They lead us toward restoration, redemption, reconciliation, and grace. They are acts of love. Having holy conversations is a way we express love to the people around us. They take us to the core of what matters in life and they open the door to a level of relationship that God has created us to have – not only with him, but with each other.
Obviously, I am not suggesting ONE conversation clears everything up. No, it is a commitment to being a person who enters into holy conversations throughout our lives. We have them at home and work. We have them with friends, family, and each other. We commit to moving beyond the superficial. We move beyond hiding the truth. We move beyond the temptation to gossip and complain. We, in love for Jesus and each other, initiate and welcome this level of conversation.
It won’t be easy. But in the end, it will be good.
I bet that God is encouraging you to have some holy conversations with some folks in your life. I bet it is God that is spurring you on to have them. Will you be obedient to His nudging? Will you take the risk and act in faith? Will you open yourself up to this level of conversation? Will you trust God that if He is calling you to into this place, that He will not only equip you, but He will bless you through it?
Jesus was the model of one whose conversations were always holy.
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Thursday, February 4, 2010
Heaven
Here are a few very helpful articles and resources as you consider heaven. We each come with presuppositions and perspectives that must be examined in light of Scripture. Heaven is definitely worth looking forward to and it won't be about clouds and harps and non-stop singing.
Read on.
N.T. Wright's article in Christianity Today, Heaven is Not Our Home.
Peter Kreeft's article, "What Will Heaven Be Like?" in Christianity Today.
Randy Alcorn's article, A Person and A Place: Safely Home which I found at his website, Eternal Perspective Ministries, where you can also find a list of a variety of articles concerning heaven HERE.
I would also suggest the following books:
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright.
Heaven is a Place on Earth by Michael Wittmer
Probing Heaven by John Gilmore
Read on.
N.T. Wright's article in Christianity Today, Heaven is Not Our Home.
Peter Kreeft's article, "What Will Heaven Be Like?" in Christianity Today.
Randy Alcorn's article, A Person and A Place: Safely Home which I found at his website, Eternal Perspective Ministries, where you can also find a list of a variety of articles concerning heaven HERE.
I would also suggest the following books:
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright.
Heaven is a Place on Earth by Michael Wittmer
Probing Heaven by John Gilmore
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