Influencers Weekly Devotional

September 13, 2010

Go With ME

Embracing our Sacred Responsibility with Christ

Privilege not Entitlement

He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. ” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me! ” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs. ” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table. ” Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted. ” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:24-25 (NIV)

When we read God's word, we inevitably will read difficult passages that make us scratch our head and ask, "Lord, those are hard words, and don't seem to come from your compassionate and tender heart. Why did You say those things? You must have meant something else?" The discourse between Jesus and the Canaanite woman is an example. Even though it smacks us in the face as being cruel, racial and demeaning, we must understand that, below the surface of His words, Jesus was, in fact, confronting those very cultural norms of the day and putting an end to an attitude of Jewish entitlement over Gentiles. I think the woman understood this, as she offered a powerful response, and then, walked away from Jesus with her request granted. She also received His open approval because of her faith. So, the bottom line is this: Jesus was making a point about His mission as the Messiah, which was first to the Jews, and through them, to the Gentiles. It was also the beginning of a change in how we relate to God, from the prideful Jewish entitlement to a receiving of grace for all who believe in the Messiah and learn to walk with Him. Being a Gentile myself, I am comforted by the Apostle Paul's words: "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile –the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" Romans 10:12-13 (NIV) Lately I've been reading some challenging books. They are challenging, for they rock the passive, "entitled" Christian's comfortable concept of Christianity. Do yourself a favor and read Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and Radical by David Platt. These are two young pastors who are trying to break their churches out of the cultural norms of the day. They are courageous and will, no doubt, be misunderstood by their pastor peers who drink the cool-aid of their comfortable church culture. I don't understand why they would be branded as off-center, or revolutionist? They simply preach abandonment and trust? They preach divesting rather than investing? They preach leaving the security and significance of the world's treasures behind, taking up one's own cross and then following Christ? They preach sacrificial giving, sacrificial living, and sacrificial serving? Why is this so revolutionary, for this message was delivered by Christ, and it is the very foundation on which we all spiritually stand as Christians? I believe it is because many Christians and churches today have formed in their mind a concept of Christ that is not the Christ of the Bible, for following their concept of Him is more comfortable and has less risk. This concept has formed a culture that finds Christ's words too harsh and His challenges misinterpreted, as they say, "Surely He didn't mean that level of sacrifice? Surely He didn't mean those other things?" When men and women do not negotiate with the truthfulness of Christ's challenges, but take them simply as they were clearly stated, they will look radical. They will appear foolish to one who is afraid of risking his comfortable believe-ism. I have recently heard of one young pastor making fun and being critical of some couples and pastors because of their willingness to abandon their comforts so they can live radical Christian lives. He sees them as weird, as they move away from the mainstream he enjoys. These couples are willing to take their church outside the walls and serve the homeless, adopt orphans of impoverished countries, and serve where disaster has created need. They finance this work by changing their lifestyles and maintaining jobs in the marketplace that allow flexibility to serve. I applaud these couples and pastors for what they are doing. Not all church-goers will understand them, and certainly not “status-quo” pastors such as the one mentioned. I've been around a long time, and I am ashamed to say that I would have thought just like this pastor earlier in my life. I was not a pastor, and I guess I thought all pastors would know better than to be so callous. But the truth is: the role of a pastor doesn't guarantee a tender heart like Jesus. I'm beginning to realize that there is only one thing that will turn a person's heart who would talk and think like this, whether he is a pastor or otherwise. It happens when he abandons himself and his perceived notions about Christ. When this pastor is "broken" of his perspective, he will understand why he could not understand the reasons behind these couples’ decision. When he is broken, he will then become a pastor with the heart of Christ, a pastor who can serve God in the best way possible. Right now, he is incomplete and deficient as a pastor. My question to him is “Are you willing to ask God to make you complete by doing whatever is necessary in your life. Do you have the courage to ask God to break you?” Are you and I also willing to ask this of God, as well? I think it is time all of us Christians get back to being the "real thing" and turn from the same kind of attitude the Jewish elite had when confronted by the radical teachings of Christ. We are not entitled as His family to live a life of comfort as self-absorbed, self-centered, and self-seeking believers whose main religious pursuit is keeping it that way. No, on the contrary, we are privileged to be admitted into God's family and to follow in the footprints of those believers who gave up all they had to follow Christ. These are the true heroes of our faith, the ones who lived it out and didn't just talk about it. There are present-day heroes who live like that today. These are the people who are the "real deal." For those of you pastors who live and teach this pure gospel, you are my heroes. It takes courage to stand against a church culture that would think you crazy and too radical. I would rather go to your garage and sit in a straight back chair for 3 hours to hear you preach, than go to an opulent, comfortable sanctuary and hear a pastor who hasn't a clue about your perspective. To me, you are the real deal, and he only theorizes his faith. In you, I see Jesus at work, and I want to hear what He wants to say through you. We need more pastors like you. Show us the way. For you men and women who simply "live it out" and honor Christ by your sacrificial living and sacrificial giving of yourself and your material goods, I say, "You are a delight to your King." God is most pleased with you. Show others the way, for you are guides in a world that is blinded by the darkness of comfort and an attitude of Christian entitlement. The prosperity ministry they follow, no matter what degree it may be, does not come from the teaching and modeling that Christ and the Apostles showed us. Our brothers and sisters of the faith have been deceived, and God has raised you up to be a "light on a hill," to show the way to the radical Jesus of Nazareth. It is this radical Jesus of Nazareth that we must follow, not the concept of Jesus that has been formed to make life more comfortable and risk free. These are tough words my brothers. I realize this, and some of you might have read my devotional for the last time because of it. But I am committed to speaking truth and living it out as well. I have searched the scriptures and have sought the truth from the Lord. There are many things I still must learn. But what is clear to me is the incredible gift of grace we have been given because of the sacrificed life of Jesus, as well as the cost for me to be a disciple of Christ. Concerning grace, it is all God and His goodness to me. Concerning discipleship, it all of my life given back to Him. He gave it all for me, and I must give my all back to Him. It takes courage and sacrifice to live like this. It has been this way for over 2,000 years. But it is the path that Christ walked on and the path for us, if we are to be His disciples. This is the truth. But don't just trust my words. Go to the scriptures and read Christ's words for yourself. When you do, you will understand how incredibly radical He is and the incredibly radical life He has invited us to live. Rocky CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THIS DEVOTIONAL