Eternal Life OR Kingdom of God?

I was reflecting on the story of Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler.  I have heard it seemingly a million times, but I was recently challenged to revisit it.  In doing so, there was something that I had missed. Read it again:

Luke 18:18-30 (Common English Bible):

A certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except the one God. You know the commandments. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t murder. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Honor your father and mother.”

Then the ruler said, “I’ve kept all of these things since I was a boy.”

When Jesus heard this, he said, “There’s one more thing. Sell everything you own and distribute the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” ²³ When he heard these words, the man became sad because he was extremely rich.

When Jesus saw this, he said, “It’s very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom! It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.”

Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”

Jesus replied, “What is impossible for humans is possible for God.”

Peter said, “Look, we left everything we own and followed you.”

Jesus said to them, “I assure you that anyone who has left house, husband, wife, brothers, sisters, parents, or children because of God’s kingdom will receive many times more in this age and eternal life in the coming age.”

I have heard this preached on several times and it is always interpreted that in one way or another to inherit eternal life you have to sell everything, well not everything, but just think about God more than stuff.  Now this is not bad, but it might be selling what Jesus is saying short.

The “certain ruler” or in some translations says “rich young ruler” asks: “…what must I do to obtain eternal life?”

How I read this is the ruler is asking: I already have earthly possessions and now I want to possess eternal life.  

Jesus response starts with what the ruler already knows, the commandments, and then; as Jesus often does, he takes it a different direction.  He says, ok so you have the commandments down, good, but that is not the point, the point is to live life as part of the Kingdom of God by following me.

The ruler was looking for something to possess and Jesus is asking for him to live as a part of something so much bigger than a possession it is everything, the Kingdom of God!

I think a lot of times; we approach faith and church with the question: “…What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Maybe the better question is “How is God calling me to be a part of bringing the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven?”

It changes everything; instead of a me focus, it is a Kingdom focus; instead of a task to do, it becomes a way of life; instead of what do I get out of church, it becomes discovering where God is at work and joining in.

What must I do to inherit eternal life?  OR
How is God calling me to be a part of bringing the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven?

Which question are you asking?

Telling the full story...

Last week our youth taught a great lesson that I thought needed sharing.

First, start by watching this video:

Confused?

This is a very important clip from the TV show “Lost” where one of the main characters sacrifices himself to save the others.  The point was to show how often times when we approach scripture; we only tell part of the story.

“You are really evil, but God sent Jesus, God’s son, to save you.  Be grateful and repent.”

This leaves people just as confused as this clip might have left you.

Why is it that we only share part of the story?  It is the greatest story ever told, why would we short sell it?

May we start to share the whole story, a story that starts with creation, fall, and how God spends the rest of the story working to restore and redeem creation back to what it was created to be where everything is in right relationship with God and the rest of the world.

This is the greatest story of life and love that redeems, please don't sell it short.

Gungor's New CD...Ghosts Upon the Earth

Music is an amazing medium to communicate and connect to people.  It brings up feeling and emotion, joy and pain, memories and new ideas; music, good music, moves people.

Often times I find a song that I fall in love with and stay stuck on it for a day or two, and then I find another.  I really love it when the words and musicality work in perfect harmony, which doesn't always happen.

Well, I have been follow this band GUNGOR, whose music has a great combination of words and musicality; songs like Beautiful Things, People of God, and Cannot Keep You.

A little over a week ago, they released their newest CD: GHOSTS UPON THE EARTH.  I have to say I love this CD in its entirety.  I cannot stop listening to it all the way through, and then back again.  I have a couple other CDs I just bought, but I keep listening to this one.

I think that there are several factors that make this CD so amazing, inspiring, and moving.
LYRICS: This might be the most theologically sound, deep, and challenging CD in its entirety.  The flow of God's overarching story throughout is simply genius.
MUSIC: The words and musicality are like a beautiful dance throughout. There is this deep moving rhythm throughout the CD, and at points you notice it missing and then it is back better than ever (I can't really explain it better than that, you just need to get this CD.)

This is one of my favorite CDs I have ever purchased and I have a lot of music.  I highly recommend this for everyone; those in ministry, those in the church, and even those curious about faith.  I will leave you with the thought for the title, Ghosts Upon the Earth:

It is as if we always think about the spiritual as the ghostly and unreal, and that we are the real; but perhaps God and the spiritual are the real, and we are the ghosts upon the earth striving to be connected to realness...

God leans down to us...

I am very excited to have a new Common English Bible!  It is an amazing and refreshing new translation! Check out more about it here: www.CommonEnglishBible.com

As I was at a Bible study last night, a scripture gave me a new image of how God relates to us when we are hurting.  Here is the passage:

Psalm 40:1-5 (Common English Bible)

I put all my hope in the LORD.
   He leaned down to me;
   he listened to my cry for help.
He lifted me out of the pit of death,
   out of the mud and filth,
   and set my feet on solid rock.
      He steadied my legs.
He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise for our God.
Many people will learn of this
and be amazed;
   they will trust the LORD.
Those who put their trust in the LORD,
   who pay no attention to the proud
   or to those who follow lies,
   are truly happy!
You, LORD my God!
   You’ve done so many things—
   your wonderful deeds
   and your plans for us—
      no one can compare with you!
   If I were to proclaim
   and talk about all of them,
      they would be too numerous
      to count!

Looking at the phrase “He leaned down to me, he listened to my cry for help”, I get this great image of a parent with their child walk together, when the child starts to cry.  The parent stops, bends down to the child’s level, and listens and then comforts them.  It is a beautiful example of how God works! 

May you know that God is walking with you in life, and leans down to you, and listens to you when you cry for help.

The Way That Leads To Life…part 2

The more I reflect about the need for people to find The Way that Leads to Life, the more I see a need for some possible ideas about how to find this.

My wife, Joanna and I are currently taking seminary classes from Memphis Theological Seminary for Children and Youth Ministry.  The great thing about MTS and the classes we are taking is that they force us to find the practicality of what we are learning,
why does this matter in real life...

We are in our last year, so we have taken a lot of classes and I have been seeing a few patterns that are just my observations, but I feel might help bring light to some of what you or young adults you know might be feeling:

1. They know that they system has failed them, but don't know what to do now.
2. They are in search of purpose in life that makes a difference, so an office job probably isn't the answer.
3. They need people alongside them to help them continue to search for what they are passionate about.
4. Tough love isn't necessarily the answer, pushing them just to do anything doesn't help, helping them find their Way That Leads To Life is what they need.

Trying to come up with an idea that might be a good place to start with finding your/their personal Way That Leads To Life, I have one that keeps coming up over and over in our studies: Missional Living. 

It seems that the system that has failed them has failed in a big way because it puts all the focus on the individual, which this generation (and probably all those to follow) know isn't the point. So the answer would be to do things that focus on others. 

Missional Living is living a life focused on helping to serve others, not just a onetime shot, but often enough that relationships are built between those serving and those being served.

So if you feel like the system has failed you or you know someone like this, step out and find a place to serve...if the first place you choose doesn't fit, try another until you find one that does, and then jump in with everything you have...

I believe that you will find The Way That Leads To Life there...

The Way That Leads To Life…

So I was mindlessly going through Facebook, as I find myself doing more often than I would like to admit, and came across this status from a young adult: “Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a f***ing big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance.” And it got me thinking about something I keep trying to put in the back of my mind…

Why have so many young adults been failed by the system; the system that has seemingly work until now.  The system that says: get “great” grades in school, do as many extra-curricular activities as possible, all so you get into a “great” college, so that you can get a “great” degree, so that you get a “great” job, all so that you get a great house and family, so that you can be “successful.”

The problem with this system is it eventually fails almost everyone.  Even the older adults that have made it through the system find themselves stuck in a meaningless, lifeless life…

The system is inherently broken because it tries to make everyone the same, and well…none of us are the same.

So now what…If the entire system is set up to fail, then what would work?

Joanna, my wife, responded to this young adult’s status with this “Find what brings you to life and choose that”…(and I would add) even if it doesn’t have a major or a degree or fit into the system because what everyone needs to find is The Way That Leads To Life.

I heard it once described as this when I ask someone wise how do I find my purpose: “Where your greatest joy and the world’s greatest need meets, that is who you are called to be and that is where you find your purpose.”

For me, I find life in Youth Ministry; helping teens through life’s biggest questions, faith journey, and pointing them to The Way That Leads To Life…

Where do you find life?

My Struggles with Patriotism...

I have to admit I struggle with the 4th of July and Patriotism.  It is not that I have issues with the military or government specifically.  I truly appreciate the freedom that I experience everyday, including the freedom to write this article. I support all those who have, do, and will fight for our freedoms.  I celebrate the freedom that the United States of America presents for its citizens and visitors.  I guess for me, as a Christian, I struggle with Patriotism, because I see it overtakes our praises for God. I worry when we become so Patriotic that we forget about God, or have posed God as an American.

I struggle when I see the American flag in a sanctuary.
I struggle when we sing "America the beautiful" or "God bless America" as a church, or when it is in a hymnal.
I struggle when people think being American is being Christian, and when being Christian is being an American.
I struggle when I see so many people willing to live out what it means to be an American, but not what it means to be a Christian.

For me, my loyalty lies with God and God's Kingdom.  I celebrate the true freedom I have in Christ.  I celebrate that all life comes from God.  I celebrate that God and God's Kingdom were here way before the USA and will be here way after.  I celebrate today my patriotism to God!

I thank God for those who have sacrificed for others, out of love.
I thank God for those who have stood up for freedom, out of love.
I thank God for those who have said that All are Created Equal, out of love.
In the end, I thank God that selfless love redeems.
All praise and glory to God, now and forever. Amen.