A Lost Passage From The Gospel of John: Jesus Teaches on the Kingdom of God

From the Gospel of John.  Chapter a verse unknown

On his way to Galilee, Jesus and his disciples saw a man sitting on the side of the road.  The man appeared troubled and was weeping.  Jesus approached the man and sat beside him.

As he continued to weep, Jesus put his arm around the man and drew him close.  So the man leaned against Jesus and began to weep even more.

Jesus' disciples approach them and said, "Rabbi, who is this man to us?  Why should his troubles concern us so?"

"The weight of a mountain lies on this man's shoulders, " said Jesus, "a weight so heavy that he is not able to bear it any longer.  It is for this reason that our paths have crossed.  Where else are would we to go at this moment?  For you, the Kingdom of God lies in Jerusalem, in the streets where all can see and praise awaits you.  For you, the Kingdom of God lies in Rome, beholding a great military victory.  For you, the Kingdom of God lies in a destination.  Somewhere we must go to.  But I tell you the truth.  The Kingdom of God is here, in this moment, lifting the burdens from this man's shoulders and carrying it for him.  The Kingdom of God is here and now."

At this, Jesus' disciples were amazed and said nothing more.  They sat down with Jesus and the man and asked Jesus to teach them more about the Kingdom.  They also made a fire and prepared a meal to share together.

Jesus said to them, "Are you still unsure of what I have told you?  There is nothing more you need to know of the Kingdom of God, but what you see here.  You're questioning and doubts only delay us."

After they shared a meal together, the man looked at Jesus and said, "Lord, I see the Kingdom of God.  It is at hand and I believe in the words you speak.  I will follow you."

Jesus looked at the man with compassion.  "You do believe and you will follow. But for now, my path is not your path.  Leave your burdens here.  Go and reveal the Kingdom of God, just as you have seen it, for where you go, the Kingdom will be."

Immediately, the man got up, picked up his cloak and went on his way, praising the Lord and declaring the Kingdom of God.

Jesus' disciples said nothing, but left this place, also praising God and declaring His Kingdom in it's fullness."         

Lenten Reflections - Being Good Enough

Isaiah 6:1-8

"I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.'

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

I found myself reading through this passage of Isaiah this morning as part of my devotions for Lent. My first thought was that God was speaking directly to Isaiah when He said, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” But I realized that Isaiah only overheard God while He was calling out to these bizarre flying creatures that surrounded him. What's a "seraph" anyway?  It was Isaiah that took the initiative to answer God’s call. Isaiah wasn’t forced into serving God. No one twisted his arm or made him feel guilty. He only heard the call of God, realized that the stakes were high and answered. No questions asked, just “Send me!”

How often do we find ourselves thinking that we are just not good enough to serve God? How often do we think that others are more qualified? How often have we thought that our past failures or screw-ups keep us from being used by God?  We can see from scripture that Isaiah wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t necessarily ready. There may have been others more qualified. But God revealed to Isaiah that the only requirement for serving Him was something we often forget: being available.

God needs people who will readily answer the call simply because it is Him who asks. And He doesn’t need us to pass a test first and He doesn’t want us to dwell on our past failures. He wants imperfect people that will humbly receive His forgiveness, and impulsively and radically answer, “Send me!” God isn’t looking for ability, as much as He is looking for availability. As we celebrate Lent, let us meditate on what it means to be available, and answer when He calls, regardless of the cost.

KONY 2012 and Invisible Children

By now, I'm sure that most of you have heard of the KONY 2012 movement.  Several people have asked my opinion on the issue and to be honest, I haven't really developed one at this time.  There have been some very legitimate concerns regarding allocation of finances, Ugandan military support and questions regarding the organizations overall intentions.  However, regardless the questions that have developed, at the heart of this issue, there still lies the evil of Joseph Kony and the overwhelming tragedy stemming from his actions.  From a Kingdom of God perspective, this is not something that can be ignored followers of Christ or the Church in general.  The best thing to do before deciding to support any charitable action is to of course spend time in deep prayer and meditation on the issue.  Then spend some effort on researching the background of the issues at hand and the organizations behind the movement.  I've decided to dedicate the remainder of this blog to a blog by Rachel Held Evans, who has done the best job so far in chronicling the details, facts and opinions of the KONY 2012 issue in a very open and non-bias format.  You can read her blog below, or at her website to join the discussion.


Some Resources on the Invisible Children Controversy:  Rachel Held Evans   

When I shared the Invisible Children’s now-viral Kony 2012 video on the blog this morning, I had no idea it would be so controversial. At first I was surprised, then frustrated, then—after hearing from so many of you—strangely encouraged by the fact that we’re actually getting passionate and worked up about something that matters! 

If you haven’t already heard, the charity Invisible Children launched a campaign this week to make Joseph Kony, the Ugandan leaders of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) famous. By making Kony famous, they hope to mobilize millions to pressure Washington to continue assisting the Ugandan government in their efforts to hunt down and arrest Kony for his war crimes against children.
It was Invisible Children that first made me aware of the plight of child soldiers around the world, and so I’ve always been sympathetic to their cause.  However, some have raised legitimate concerns about Invisible Children’s strategy and finances, suggesting that IC may do more to hurt the situation than help it. 

This is an important conversation to have, and I’m convinced we can have it without questioning one another’s motives or resorting to personal attacks.  I think it’s safe to assume that the overwhelming majority of those who have devoted their time and money to trying to help families suffering injustice have done so out of compassion and a sincere desire to help.   We can’t let naivety on the one hand or cynicism on the other prevent us from seeking a peaceful resolution to this conflict. 

So with that in mind, here are some of the most helpful resources shared by readers on Twitter, Facebook, and the blog. 

I’ll be updating this as new ones come in, so be sure to check back. 

Background...

 

The New York Times: Topics/Archives, “Lord’s Resistance Army” 

The Washington Post: “Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army: A Primer”

The New York Times: Video, “On the Hunt for Joseph Kony” 

Foreign Affairs: “Obama Takes on the LRA” (this artcle includes one of the earliest criticisms of IC) 

International Crisis Group’s November 2011 Report on the LRA 

Lisa Ling reports on the LRA for The Oprah Show

Christianity Today - "Deliver Us From Joseph Kony"

From Invisible Children...

 

Invisible Children Web Site

Invisible Children Team

Invisible Children Financials

Kony 2012 Video

Kony 2012 Campaign 

Facebook response from John Rudolph Beaton, Crisis Tracker Project Developer for IC

Invisible Children - Official Response to Critiques *NEW*

Critiques & Responses...

 

Visible Children

David Sangokoya (Nigerian American aid worker) – “Selling Old Newspapers Shouldn’t Be Profitable” 

Solome Lemma (Innovate Africa) – “You Don’t Have My Vote”

Justice In Conflict – “Taking Kony 2012 Down a Notch” and “Kony 2012: The Invisible Children Advocacy Campaign to Catch Kony” 

James McCarty – “Christian Ethics, Invisible Children,  Kony 2012, and International Advocacy”

Joshua Keating (Foreign Policy Magazine) - “Joseph Kony is not in Uganda and other complicated things”

Angelo Izama - “Invisible Children’s Campaign of Infamy” 

Musa Okwonga - “Stop Kony, yes. But don’t stop asking questions”

Dianna Anderson - "On Kony 2012 and Thinking Critically" *NEW*

Press Coverage...

 

Washington Post: “Invisible Children Responds to Criticism  About ‘Stop Kony’ Campaign"

NPR: “Ugandan Warlord Joseph Kony Under Spotlight Thanks to Viral Video”

Christianity Today: Why Joseph Kony is Trending *NEW*

Other Resources...

 

Charity Navigator’s Report on Invisible Children

Charity Watch – “The Best Ways to Assist in Providing Emergency Relief in Uganda”
When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert

(Note: I’ve not yet read this book, but it comes highly recommended by folks I respect) 

From the Blog...

 

“Poverty Tourism, Poverty Elitism, and Grace” (seems relevant) 
And we've been discussing the issue over on my Facebook Page as well

I'll continue updating this page, so check back for new information. (I'll indicate which articles are new.) 

What are your thoughts on Kony 2012 and Invisible Children?

Peace Be With You

"Peace be with you".  Growing up in the Roman Catholic Church, I remember this traditional greeting during mass very well.  What I remember most is that it actually did bring me peace, even as I nostalgically look back.  Within a brief moment of time, barriers were broken and the peace that Christ offers all of us was shared and experienced.  I often wonder why other denominations don't adopt something similar during worship services.  For those of you unfamiliar with the liturgy, just before celebrating Communion, the following order is observed:

 

Priest:  “Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.”

All:  Amen.

Priest:  “The Peace of the Lord be with you always.”

All:  And also with you.

Deacon or Priest:  “Let us offer each other a sign of peace.”

I’ve always found it interesting that one section of the liturgy is dedicated to “peace”, and often ponder the fact that many evangelical churches have possibly lost a precious aspect of worship.  Over the last month or two, I've been convicted about the lack of peace that surrounds my life.  Maybe you experience the same thing.  We live in a chaotic culture and sometimes it seems that the circumstances that surround us encourage less peace and more division.  It's ironic because I don't think there are any of us that would deny that we long for more peace in our lives.  I firmly believe that peace is an essential aspect of how we were created.  A deep seated aspect of creation that has become especially vulnerable to the effects of a fallen world.

As I pondered peace and how illusive it seems to be, I made an interesting observation: Peace has nothing to do with outside circumstances.  Could it be that it's not so much that peace cannot be found, but we subconsciously refuse to seek it?  Or is it possible that peace is not something that we even should consider seeking, but rather should be seen as something we possess, but refuse to utilize it to its full potential?  Do we keep peace to ourselves and fail to utilize the power of peace because we refuse to initiate it?  Like owning a self-propelled lawn mower and choosing to cut our grass with scissors?  Like a cure for cancer being found and not released to a waiting and dying world?  Could it be that we are peace's worst enemy?  Personally speaking, is peace up to me, and only me?

Just before Jesus was betrayed, arrested and crucified, He spoke to His disciples, communicating the essential truths that would sustain them after He was gone.  As He comforts His friends, assuring them that His power would still flow through their midst, by the Holy Spirit, He says to them, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." (John 14:27).  Think about those words for a moment.  Jesus doesn't promise that they will have peace.  He doesn't claim that peace will come to them eventually.  He tells them that they have peace.  They possess peace.  He gives it to them, and as followers of Christ, He gives us that same peace.  We have peace.  It lies in our hands.  It's up to us how much peace that we see around us and how much peace flows through our lives and communities.      

Paul says in Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."  I have to admit that this is very humbling for me.  As far as it depends on me, there is much more I can do to promote peace among my communities.  I don't live at peace with everyone and there are many opportunities that I've missed to create peace rather than division.  For those times, and the people that have been affected, I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness. 

This morning I went on a long walk with my dog.  As I meditated on this topic and prayed about how I can be more of an instrument of God's peace, I began to do something strange.  I began to wave and every single car that passed me on the road I was walking along.  Not much of a big deal on my part.  Waving at strangers is not going to change the world, but what was more important is the reaction that I witnessed from the people I made brief contact with.  Literally every single person that saw me, not only waved back but returned with a smile on their face.  It was obvious and overwhelming.  People that may have been on their way to work, heads down and robotically focused on the road in front of them, broke into a smile, some even seemed to laugh.  It was amazing.  Maybe they just thought I was strange and got a kick out of it.  I don't know.  But there was a viable and apparent reaction and I had a blast!  I found myself smiling more, chuckling and waving more eagerly!  

Years ago, there was an old Asian man that sat on the curb of the busiest road in my neighborhood and just waved at everyone.   Every morning at the same time, he was there.  He became part of my morning commute and a welcome sight as I made my way to work.  I waved back to him every time I saw him and we both shared a smile.  We both connected in an informal greeting.  We both shared peace.  The peace that he had, he offered me, and the peace I possessed, I returned to him.  I don't see this man anymore.  He disappeared a few years ago, but I still think about him when I drive past his corner of greetings.      

Coffee and Cancer

"Everything is meaningless."  I just ran into a friend of mine whose husband is dying of stomach cancer.  It's not pretty.  It's not pleasant to hear about.  It's not easy to talk about.  But she's my friend, she's hurting and her husband is dying.  He's suffering.  He's in pain.  From the look in her eyes, I could feel his pain emanating though her, even though he is currently miles away in a hospital room.  When talking with her, I felt how obvious, real and close their relationship is.  It was almost as if he was just behind her eyes, shaking his head in disbelief and pleading with me to help them both.  It was very real.  This is real.  It's life.  It's death.  It's pain, in a very real, raw and powerful form.

It hit me like a ton of bricks as I helped my friend carry some boxes to her car.  They are having to move from their home because of expenses.  She works at Starbucks and actually seems to enjoy what she is doing.  I think it gets her mind of everything, her life, her pain.  But how can serving coffee to fools like me pay the bills for such heavy expenses?  There was a time when her husband did very well in his career, but today it's different.  There was a time when they didn't worry about paying bills, didn't worry about hospitals, chemo and death.  There was a time when their plans of life did not include getting a nice case of stomach cancer, loosing a career, working at a coffee shop, watching a loved one die an agonizing death or spending their retirement days wondering how to pay the bills.  But it's life.  Their life.  And it brought me to tears just before I wrote this.

She was working just above me, at the counter, pumping coffee flavors into white paper cups.  I was banging away on my laptop, trying to write something, and watching her as well.  She gave me something to write about today.  I wonder if she knows that.  Sonny and Cher were singing "I Got You Babe" over the speakers above us.  She began to sing along.  Not just humming, but singing in a soft, beautiful voice that caused me to stop typing and start listen.  I thought of her and her husband.  I thought of another time when they were young.  I wonder if that song meant something to them years and years ago.  It was the way she sang it.  I could her her singing to him.  Maybe she's sing it to him when she gets to the hospital today.  "Then put your little hand in mine. There 'aint no hill or mountain we can't climb."

I was up early this morning.  My dog casually threw up on my bed as he laid next to me.  That kind of ended my goal of sleeping a little later this morning.  But everything has a reason.  I got to my favorite coffee shop to write and two men were talking about life and their faith.  I'm not sure exactly what their conversation was about, but one man said to the other, "This kind of crap makes no sense at all.  Why do these kinds of things happen to good people?  People that follow God?  People that always try and do the right thing?"   Prophecy for me maybe?  Was this conversation intended for my encounter with my friend?  She's not the one that uttered these words, although I'm sure that she shares that sentiment.   She works at a different coffee shop that is miles away.  I made my way there because my first choice was too crowed and loud.  But I was there.  I heard those words.  And I answer them to myself, even though my friend is not here to respond.

"The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don't." (Ecclesiastes 9:2 - NLT)

And the wheels on the bus go round and round.
 
"I don't understand what's going on.  I hate my life!  Since either way it ends up the same, I can only conclude that God destroys the good right along with the bad." (Job 9:22 - The Message)

I don't understand either.  And sometimes I hate my life as well.  I don't have the answers.

God "causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45 - NIV)

Ashes to ashes, we all fall down.  

"Until you return to that ground yourself, dead and buried; you started out as dirt, you'll end up dirt." (Genesis 3:19 - The Message)

I don't know.  I guess what I'm getting at is that God never painted a beautiful, blissful picture of what our lives were life.  We live in a culture that recoils at the thought of even the hint of pain and suffering, and we're shocked when it falls on us.  All the while, God gently whispers to our disapproval of life circumstances with a very matter of fact, "I beg your pardon.  I never promised you a rose garden."  Instead, the stark reality is that life sucks.  Plain and simple.  Bumper sticker philosophy.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33 - NIV)

Translation: "Don't be surprised when the proverbial shit hits the fan.  I told you that it would.  I told you it would make a mess.  I told you that it would stink.  So, just accept it for what it is and move on, OK?" 

But the one thing that remains clear, and it's why I wrote this blog to begin with.  In the exact same verse Jesus say that we are commanded to "love one another".  Proverbs also tells us that "love covers over all wrongs."  And 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love. 

There is so much hate in our world today, isn't there?  Don't you just feel like screaming, "Enough!"   So, I come to this very realistic, but sobering conclusion: when we love one another, we are in essence, showing God to one another, in a very real way.  He is manifest in the flesh through us, the Body of Christ, the Church and living as the Church is supposed to live.  And when we show others God, He covers over all the garbage and refuse that we walk around in every day of our lives.  And that is the equalizing factor that makes this life bearable.  That is the one aspect that brings unity among us all and gives purpose and reason to this sometime meaningless existence.  


"Love one another."