Who Is the Greatest?

 

 

That question clearly preoccupied the disciples of Jesus as they walked with him in and around the hillside of first century Judea. Indeed, on at least three occasions these purportedly humble and meek men of Galilee were caught bickering about their own prominence and prestige in the kingdom of God. Mark's Gospel recounts one of these incidents as follows:

 

Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, 'What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?" But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." (Mark 9:33-35).

 

Despite their longing for greatness, the disciples were apparently a bit embarrassed to have their self-seeking and vain ambitions exposed. In other words, even while desperately wanting to be recognized for their greatness, they wanted to somehow appear humble about it at the same time. Of course human nature has not changed a bit since the days of Jesus. Most of us, and I dare say men especially, are driven by these same desires today. 

 

How then can we train ourselves out of such a deep-seated thought pattern? Here are some thoughts that may help us:

 

1. The question should not have to be asked. In a kingdom the greatest is the king. So it is that in the kingdom of God, King Jesus is the greatest. The rest of us are less great by many orders of magnitude, or if you prefer, our greatness strictly does not compare with the majesty of God. 

 

2. The question is misguided. Paul's analogy of the body should give us some perspective on this. Just as the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you" (1 Cor. 12:21), so the eye cannot say to the hand, "I am greater than you." Eyes and hands have different functions altogether. In the same way you and I have different gifts, callings, strengths and weaknesses, etc. The question of who is greatest (next to Jesus) simply cannot be answered.

 

3. The question reveals a carnal and even idolatrous appetite. Most believers would agree that money, food, and sex are all good things in themselves, but can become idols when sought above the kingdom of God. The same principle holds for respect and prestige. Being honored is a good thing, but seeking and longing to be honored at the price of service to others or worship of God is idolatry. John warned us against "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:15). 

 

This is an important point to consider, as it directly impacts our faith. "How can you believe," said Jesus, "who receive honor from one another but do not receive the honor that comes from the only God?" (John 5:44). It's a rhetorical question, of course. We cannot have faith in God and at the same time strive for prominence and recognition. Let's try to remember that ultimately we answer to God alone, for God alone is "able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think... to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Eph. 3:20-21).

Radical Faith

 

 

 

When I was a blissfully happy, zealous new convert to the Christian faith many years ago, someone told me: "If you were to know in advance everything that God was going to do in your life, you'd never be willing to follow him in the first place." I disagreed with that at the time, thinking, like the apostles James and John, that I was ready to pay any price for the kingdom. But I agree with it now. I am thankful that God did not disclose the details (or allow me to experience the associated emotions!) of what I would undergo in the years to follow, because indeed I may not have had the confidence to continue in the faith.

 

Possibly this explains why Christ's call to us is unconditional, contingent only upon his own authority as Messiah, Savior and King. "Follow me" he says (Matt. 5:10; John 21:19), and "Forsake all" (Luke 14:33). He knows that if we leave our options open ("I'll follow him, unless of course it gets too difficult") we will eventually find reason to abandon our commitment to follow. So we either "take the plunge" and follow Christ unconditionally, or we don't follow him at all. Effectual faith requires this kind of unqualified obedience. Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it memorably: "Only those who obey can believe, and only those who believe can obey." 

 

Jesus persistently disallows any qualifications or disclaimers in asserting his right to rule and reign over our lives. Moreover he reserves the right to carve out different destinies for different individuals within his grand kingdom purpose. We answer directly to God, on his terms. Thus when Peter asks what fate awaits his fellow disciple (probably John), Jesus tells him, "What is that to you? You follow me" (John 21:22). Such an orientation to life can only be described as "radical," literally rooted in the self-evident goodness and authority of Jesus himself. 

 

How does this play out in "real life"? Countless ways. Here are a few:

 

We must forgive and love our worst enemies.

We must confess our sins, even while sincerely striving to overcome them.

We must tell the truth, even when it hurts us or costs us.

We must endure hardship and suffering without complaining. Etc.

 

Now this message is troubling for most of us, partly because these demands sometimes seem downright impossible to meet. Only by radical faith, rooted in the promises and character of God himself, can anyone come to accept, let alone hope to one day actually meet, these demands. But for the radically faithful (literally "full of faith"), there is great comfort in the assurance of Scripture that God will bless, protect and honor those who risk everything for the costly pearl and great treasure of the kingdom of God. 

 







Locating the Church

 

 

(Pictured: Conversion of St. Paul, Nicolas Lepicie, 1767)

 

When people find out that I am a Christian, they typically will ask me where I go to church. And when people ask me where I go to church, they typically are expecting to hear something like: "Oh, I'm a member at First Baptist, the one over on Main Street where Pastor Jones preaches." In other words "church" is commonly understood to be a certain building, in a certain location, led by a certain individual, meeting at a certain time according to a certain schedule.

 

My actual answer to the question is inspired initially by Matt. 18:20. There in the context of addressing the problem of offenses in "the church" (v. 17), Jesus says: "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." From that statement about the church we can deduce:

 

1. Church is a gathering of two or more people.

2. Church is people gathering not just for any purpose, but in Christ's name.

 

Those being the conditions, I am actually involved in church in all sorts of places: my house, a friend's house, a park outdoors, sometimes even my workplace – and yes, occasionally the big building down the street that holds meetings on Sundays and Wednesdays. I cannot pinpoint the church's location, because the church – the body of Christ – is a living entity; and Christ, being its head, decides what that body does and where it goes. 

 

In other words the church is not something we can or should control. Its movements are led by Jesus and its flow is directed by the Holy Spirit. The outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost was not on anyone's church calendar. No one voted in Paul as an apostle to the Gentiles. When an angel told Philip to preach to the Ethiopian at Gaza, he obeyed God rather than try to convince his pastor that he was not imagining things (and chances are good that he "missed church" while enjoying fellowship with his new friend out in the desert). 

 

So are we against church buildings, schedules, budgets, pastors and programs? No. God has clearly used and doubtless will continue to use all those things for his glory. But Christians ultimately must obey God rather than men. We submit to the structures and programs of men only as God directs, because those men must answer to God just like the rest of us. "And," said Jesus, "If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch" (Matt. 15:14).

 



 



Friendship in the Gospel

 

 

 

Readers here might recall that in last week's post ("Valuing What's Important") I laid out what I believe are the "core values" of our house church. One of those was: 

 

Friendship – By this we don't necessarily mean spiritual instruction, or communal worship, or accountability (important as these are), but simply appreciating and enjoying one another's company in the context of Christian brotherhood. 

 

I want to elaborate a bit on this. Note first that I refer to friendship here, not fellowship. I'm all for fellowship, but sadly this suggests to some people that the occasion must be "spiritual," that is, formal, somber and reverential. So I will stick with "friendship" to make a point.

 

As believers walking in the life of God and the power of the Holy Spirit we are no longer in bondage to sin. That means we are spiritually free, or at least we should be. I mention this in the context of friendship because too many of my sincere and well-meaning brothers and sisters act as if they believe I am not spiritually free, or at least I shouldn't be. Far too often what I think is going to be a time of joy and fellowship with a brother in Christ becomes instead a time of ongoing investigation into, and correction of, my spiritual life.

 

Now I understand the necessity of accountability. There are times when I may need an intervention, just like there are times when I may need to intervene. If I see my brother in Christ is starting to drink heavily, or mope around for weeks in unbelief, or flirt with women other than his wife, it's my responsibility as a brother to come alongside and try to bring spiritual clarity and encourage repentance. But often I find myself trying to fellowship with sincere and well-meaning fellow believers who find a cause for intervention in almost everything I do or say. Again I am convinced these believers mean well. Unfortunately they have greatly underestimated the Holy Spirit, who generally can be relied upon to convict me when I begin to go astray. (If and when I begin to show clear signs of ongoing sin or unbelief – i.e., resisting the Holy Spirit – at that point I would hope someone would have the courage and honesty to tell me.) 

 

A friend, after all, is first and foremost one who accepts me as I am. If that's true then people who refuse to give me the benefit of a doubt and make a point to call attention to every apparent shortcoming in my life, no matter how trivial or temporary, are not acting as friends. They either don't have enough problems of their own (which I doubt), or, more likely, they simply don't trust that God is faithful to transform and keep me without their continual nagging and prodding.

 

Jesus said to his disciples, "I call you friends" (John 15:15). Are we to believe that Jesus called these men his friends only after they had arrived at a place of sufficient spiritual purity and maturity? Of course not. In fact he encouraged his friends with these words knowing that just a few hours later they would all deny and betray him. Jesus knew these men had a long way to go, but he also knew that in time, by his grace, he would get them there. As a friend he simply chose not to pick them apart for all their sins and failures in the meantime. 

 

But that's enough about what friendship is not. I want to take a moment to rejoice in what it is. Genuine fellowship in the love of God goes beyond mere accountability; it's one of the greatest pleasures this life has to offer. Indeed there are few things I enjoy more than meeting with brothers in the name of Jesus, whether during a Bible study, gathering around a meal, or kicking back, laughing, and devouring bags of chips while watching a football game. Fellowship like that brings joy to the heart and strength to the bones. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1).

 



Valuing What's Important

Like so many of us, I've been tied up with a lot of other things over the holiday season. So this week's message is just a few words. But as the post title indicates, it may still be important. 

 

I was thinking about just what it was that led us to start up a house church gathering; in other words trying to figure out what are the important defining characteristics of the kind of work we believe God is calling us to help build and support. The result is the following short list of five "values" for the church:

 

 

Worship – This speaks of much more than prayer and singing, but of a basic understanding that ultimately the church is built, and led, by God alone.

 

Friendship – By this we don't necessarily mean spiritual instruction, or communal worship, or accountability (important as these are), but simply appreciating and enjoying one another's company in the context of Christian brotherhood.

 

Discipleship – As we meet together in the name of Christ we constantly learn from one another, through the Word, and in the process take on Christ's calling and character.

 

Liberty – This means freedom to rejoice, laugh, cry, share, and exercise our spiritual gifts in the name of Jesus.

 

Evangelism – While we enjoy the blessings of friendship and personal growth, we remain aware that God has called us to a larger mission and purpose.

 

 

Not all church assemblies are created equal (see the previous post, "Of Mustard Seeds and Church Splits"). The values above should prove useful, then, in that they help us to keep in mind the specific direction that God has given us. Now given the validity of these values (particularly Discipleship and Worship), this list may need some correction or revision. So please let me know what you think.