Not how I would do it
01/21/2012
We had an interesting discussion with a group of people on thursday about new life. One thought led to another. First of all, we all think that we are inadequate for any kind of spiritual or kingdom contribution. We look inside and don’t see much. We do see our own struggles, conflicts and issues. Yeah, we are well versed in that. Got that. But in terms of having an impact on people or a group, well, we look inside and don’t see much.
Maybe we feel that we can encourage, affirm someone. Strengthen those who are in the church. Process with someone in need, give counsel. Help them as we have received help. In a sense, helping those who are in our community of faith. But. But an interesting question is: How does someone actually get into the community of faith? How does someone experience life change? Rather, how does someone get new life? Who is suppose to do that?
Because the start of existence is well, sorry for the rationale process, the beginning of life.
It made me think: How does new life start? Now when you think of new life, I see it as grubbing around at the mystery of existence, where everything that is going to count, starts. New life. Life from nothing. What we were talking about in this particular group is new birth, spiritual birth that is. And practically, the need for men and women to experience a new kind of birth after they had walked for a while on terra firma. And, into our journey for a few years, we are ready for new life as we are now wounded and limping.
So essentially: How is someone ever going to slip into eternity to experience new life f-o-r-e-v-e-r? that is the crux of the matter. How does that happen?
Now, you are reading this paragraph, this blog, with varying degrees of interest, thinking ultimately, “what does this have to do with me?” “Is this something I need to know?” “Get on with it…I’m in a hurry for my next email…”
So Jesus comes to share (long pause…) share, reveal, tell about, teach… the gospel (the good news). Just a moment. Don’t duck out on me just yet. I know you think when I mention Jesus, you have heard it all before. Just a moment… Jesus was all about the good news. In a nutshell, eternal life with the Father by removing the barrier to that (sin, darkness, evil). There, relax.
So, if I were God (now, you will like this), this is how I would do it: Each person, at age 10, or 12, or 14, would be awakened during the night when it was all quiet and they were sound asleep, and they would have an amazing colorful vision. Think fireworks. Unlimited resources.
In the vision would be darkness, light, jesus, angels, battles, noises, all kinds of crazy thing to awaken and startle someone into the new reality of eternity. Maybe even playfully slap them around. Yep, that is how I would do it. Everyone gets a vision. Their own personal vision. Maybe a slap. They could even put that on their calendar.
But God doesn’t do it my way. How does the Father and Jesus do it?
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. James 1:18
Hmm. Wait a moment. Come on, people. He gives us new birth through words? Whoa, whoa, whoa. Some struggling person, with issues, dressing a little funny, speaking to another troubled person about what, in a short time, they have learned about Jesus. Some person, who may not be such a great communicator, not such a bright mind, and who might even annoy me, telling someone who is needy about Jesus. How does that work? Hmm. Is God sure that can work? That is the foundation of His growing, … spreading family?
That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2nd Corinthians 5:19
Great. He committed it to us. Nice. More responsibility. Just what I wanted. And God is relying on us? Those who struggle, stumble around, so that we can bring light into dark places, darkened minds? Is that the best way? The hope of eternal life, the promise of an incredible eternity, comes through a person like me, who has “issues?” Yikes. Seems a little bit, well, honestly–erratic. Or loosey-goosey for a plan from the Creator of the world. God in His brilliance has layer after layer of perfect detail in every aspect of creation; dimensions in every direction of orchestrated, scientific phenomena, trusting someone with a… “message.”
Surely God knows about the telephone game where a message gets completely changed around as it get told and retold over and over again… But He still believes in a “message?”
And the mystery of the ages, the wonder of eternal life with God, conceived before the beginning of time, is handed off to a Fred or a Wilma to communicate the hope of eternal life? How does that work?
My eternity depends on Fred giving me the word? More yikes.
Ah, but something else happens when Wilma does her best to communicate in her limited, struggling experience and her developing understanding:
Ok. God doesn’t give the vision like I would. He shows up IN the words that Fred or Wilma share. His Holy Spirit always shows up to make Jesus known. That is the truth. That is the unseen mystery. When Jesus is shared by a willing heart then, boom, the Holy Spirit explodes the word into the heart of the hearer. The Holy Spirit places the word of truth deep deep down inside. The Holy Spirit “marks” the heart.
Cause we don’t see the layers of detail. We don’t see the perfect timing. We don’t see the collision course being set up.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them… John 6:44
We don’t see the “drawing” or the pulling. We don’t see what is happening inside a man or a woman as God readies their soul for deliverance from dark ways, or from liberation from addictions, and other forms of slavery. We don’t see the perfect intervention. We just see Fred and Wilma. But we don’t see the Holy Spirit moving in and around the heart, in and up through the understanding, turning on the lights, highlighting this and that, bringing hope where there was absolutely nothing before. We don’t see what He is doing.
Ah, but we do see the change.
New life happens inside of us with His Spirit. His Spirit brings into us new desires. And those desires, one at a time, change our behavior, our direction.
So the promise of eternal life rests fully on the One who knows how to make new birth happen. But He doesn’t give each one of us a personal vision. He sends a Fred or Wilma. With a message that lights the fuse for the fireworks.
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. Acts 10:44
The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. Acts 16:14
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. 1st Corinthians 2:4
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13
Think fireworks.
