Broken and Poured Out- Come and See- MONDAY
Broken and Poured Out
by
Rocky Fleming
Monday - Come and See
"Paul focused his life on Jesus Christ's idea of a New Testament saint; that is, not one who merely proclaims the gospel, but one who becomes broken bread and poured-out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for the sake of others." Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest
I think very few Christians understand what we are asked to do by Jesus. Here is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer said about it: "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die." I've read some great teachers who also point out that Jesus invites His disciples, "To come and see, and then to come and die." Scary invitation either way, right? Either of these principles will lead to some kind of death, and unless we understand what this "death" means, we will be frightened away from what Jesus is inviting us to. While I think these two principles above are true, I believe there are some other things Jesus invites us to, and if we do accept His invitation, they make His invitation to come and die more understandable and acceptable. Even so, His invitation will still lead to a kind of "living death," but as well a kind of "living resurrection" which has not been mentioned. I would like to present my point of view to you this week.
It is true that Jesus invited His followers to come and see. He was proactive in His public ministry to authenticate Himself by the miracles He performed. No one has ever done what he has done. From the materialization of wine from water and food from a meager few fish and a loaf of bread, no one has legitimately done this before or ever again. From the healing of the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the raising of the dead, no one has done this before. These are some things, and there are many more things that Jesus did that authenticate Him as the expected Messiah. Since that time and even today, we have heard of miracle healings. Perhaps you have seen some yourself? If so, these miracles have occurred by the power of the name of Jesus. So Jesus is still telling the lost world to come and see. Jesus has told His Church, which is you and me, to come and see Him, and to invite the lost and dying world to come and see Him ... through our life and service to them. Come and see has always been part of His plan. But there is more before the next step of come and die that has not been mentioned. What is it? This is what I want to explore with you this week.
I believe that Jesus invites us to also, "Come and remain." Too often I think we consider our call to duty without the preparation for duty that He provides us. This is a key reason we are frightened to think of the living deathwe are invited to. I will explore that invitation this week as well.
Next I believe Jesus also invites us to "Come and be transformed." We love movies and stories of how beaten down people are able to be transformed and then be able to beat up the bully in their life. Think of Karate Kid, and theRocky movies. There are many more movies like them. We love them. We identify with them and we see that the main character needs someone who will step in to be their sensei or trainer. Inevitably someone steps in to be a support for these beaten down people to find hope, dignity, identity, confidence, and then somehow become transformed into heroes who can overcome the odds against them. Why do we identify so strongly with this story line? It is because it is in our DNA to identify with this need, and especially when we also feel beaten down, defeated, and insignificant. Jesus knows this about you and me and that is why he addresses this need before we come and die.
Next we will get into what come and die really means. Let's undo some misconceptions. Let's expand the meaning. Let's look at it like a seed that must die, to be ready to be replanted so it can bear fruit. Let's look at it as we would a caterpillar that must transform to a butterfly as part of its life cycle. That caterpillar doesn't literally die, but it does die to its old life form to become the new form that God has created it to be. It is called ametamorphosis. In the same way, the invitation to death that Jesus wants us to understand is a metamorphosis that transforms us into a new creature in Christ.
Finally, I believe Jesus invites us to come and be raised up. This is where the process of the previous steps and the death that is mentioned is followed by a metaphoric resurrection in our life. The process that He has taken us through then takes us to the new life He invites us to, which is to be so identified with Christ that the old man in us is passed away in our life and the new has come and now lives with us. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17) This is when we are enabled as laborers to serve our King with His power as we could never do before without it.
Do not be afraid of this series, even though it has some scary connotations. Consider that I am like the mentor of one of those heroes mentioned who is trying to help you understand that you are the hero God has in mind and He wants me to help you become that person. Just remember grasshopper. He has something great in mind for you. But you will have to die to yourself to find it. Let's figure out what that means over the next several days. Talk to you tomorrow.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON INFLUENCERS, CLICK HERE