Sheep, Goats, and My Guilty Conscience

Matthew 25:21-46 is a well-known text.  Jesus is teaching the disciples about what will happen when God establishes His Kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven."  To wrap up this long discourse (scholars call this whole section of Matthew 24-25 the Olivet Discourse), Jesus tells a story to illustrate the final judgment.  The Son of Man returns in glory with all the angels and the nations gather before Him for judgment.  He separates them into 2 groups - the sheep and the goats.

He welcomes the sheep into His Kingdom because they cared for those that were considered the least - the poor, hungry, sick, stranger, imprisoned, etc.  The sheep didn't realize it but when they were caring for these people, they were actually caring for the King Himself.

He sends the goats away into eternal punishment because they did not care for those who were in need.

Pretty harsh if you ask me.  Every time I read this passage I feel guilty and get worried that I haven't done enough to make God happy.  What if the guy sitting at the intersection with a sign saying he was homeless and desperate was really Jesus and kept going because I was late for a lunch appointment?  I will get sent to hell for that?

Fortunately, I don't think that is what Jesus is teaching here.  This story comes after several stories that were focused on being ready and being faithful.  The sheep and the goats story was not meant to make us worry about doing enough. It was an exclamation point at the end of teaching about living a kingdom life because the King is returning and wants to find His people with the heart of the King.

In judging the sheep and the goats, the King seems to be looking at how they responded to the needs in front of them.  This says more about their heart than their effectiveness in fighting poverty or injustice.  The sheep were blessed because they responded to the needs they saw with compassion.  The goats were cursed because their response was to ignore the needs they saw.  The issue was not how many hungry people the sheep fed or how many strangers they welcomed in; the issue was their heart in the face of brokeness.

It boils down to whether I am self-seeking, self-absorbed, and self-serving or others-focused and humble.  God's people are the latter.  Kingdom people are the latter.  Rather than worry that I've met God's "quota of kindness," the parable is a challenge to reflect on the kind of life I lead and the tenderness of my heart.  God's people are tender-hearted.

I can't fix all the brokeness in the world, but I can see the broken people in front of me and care for them.  That is God's measuring stick: not effectiveness, but tenderness and willingness to respond.

I can evaluate my faith, my walk with Christ and how pleased God is with me by looking at my tenderness.  I can't always control my effectiveness, but I can work on my tenderness.

I have a long way to go...

Doubt, Worship, & the Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20 ESV - 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

This passage, usually called "the Great Commission," has served as the rallying cry for the Church since Jesus said it 2000 years ago.  Most people begin quoting this passage with the words of Jesus in verse 18, but too often we forget about verses 16 and 17.

The eleven disciples (Judas was gone) gathered at a mountain where Jesus had directed them.  You can't help seeing allusions to Moses and the giving of the Law to the Israelites.  Now, instead of the Law of Moses, the identity markers of God's people would be centered on being a disciple of Jesus. One could write a book on the parallel of these two incidents in Scripture (and there are several out there!), but for now, just consider the weight of Jesus' commissioning of the disciples.  He was creating a new Israel, one that included Israel but now also included "all nations."  Going and making disciples OF JESUS is what defines us as Christians.

Yet in the middle of this amazing experience, (and here is where it gets even more interesting!) Matthew comes right out and tells us that in the midst of worshiping Jesus and hearing this clarion call to action, "some doubted."  Jesus gives the Eleven a clear mission even though some of them still had doubts about this whole "resurrection thing."  Jesus did not wait for all them the get their mind around all the life-changing implications of His resurrection and their inclusion in God's family because of it.  Jesus did not wait for all of them to walk lock-step in agreement on all of the finer points of this new reality.

In the midst of doubt, Jesus still called His followers to go and testify to His resurrection.

I don't know what doubts you might be wrestling with right now.  I know mine, most of which revolve around my own abilities to fulfill Jesus' calling and whether or not Jesus really will "be with me to the end of the age" - or at least what that looks like.  But even in the midst of our doubts, Jesus issues His call: Be a witness to the new reality of living in the shadow of the Resurrection.

This Sunday as you gather to worship, don't be afraid to admit your doubts, but also, don't be afraid to hear Jesus' call to testify to your new identity in Him.  The Great Commission is not limited to those who "get it," it is also for the rest of us who try to worship but also still doubt sometimes.

Pitching Tents on Mountain Tops

In Matthew 17 Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a mountain where He is transfigured right before their eyes such that His appearance was radiant like the sun.  Moses and Elijah appear and are conversing with Jesus.  Peter blurts out that this is amazing and he will build tents for everyone.  Just then, a cloud covers them and God speaks in an audible voice saying, "This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him."  And then, poof, the whole thing is over and Jesus is walking back down the mountain with them telling them not to say anything about this whole incident until after the resurrection.

I can't blame Peter for wanting to pitch a tent there.  He just wanted to make sure everything was in order so the experience could continue.  He wanted to make sure that Elijah and Moses had a place to hang their hat for a while so this whole experience could continue.

The problem was that continuing this experience was not Jesus' mission.  Camping out here with Moses and Elijah was not the goal.  The mission involved getting to the cross and then the empty tomb.  Camping on the "Mountain of Transfiguration" was not going to move them toward that goal.

Even beyond the mission, God made it very clear that Jesus was not just another great prophet or leader to go on Israel's Mount Rushmore; Jesus was God's Son and the Messiah.  Jesus deserves our attention, even our worship, because of who He is as revealed by God and because of His work in the crucifixion and resurrection.  Being among the elite of the prophets or great teachers is secondary (at best) to who Jesus was and is.

This incident poses some important questions for us now.

1. Where am I trying to pitch tents and camp out for a while?  Are these places distractions from the mission and purpose of my life?  
2. Who is determining my identity?  From whom do I find my significance and value?
3. Am I following Jesus as the Son of God and only way to the Father or only as a good teacher, leader, and role model who might give me tools to have a better life?

After God spoke, the text says that they lifted up their eyes and saw no one but Jesus only.  Can you say the same?

Comfort Before Answers

*I submitted this article to the Delaware Gazette for their weekly religion column*

When mental illness ends with a completed suicide, it is often difficult for the surviving family and friends to find comfort or peace within the context of their faith community.  This can be due to confusion on the part of the members of the faith community as they try to understand suicide as a symptom of an illness rather than a “selfish choice” on the part of an individual.  When family members turn to a faith community for solace, the faith community will often try to provide answers instead.

Our western, American culture values answers.  We have developed a paradigm that believes answers reveal the truth and therefore should offer the greatest comfort.  This schema falls apart like a house of cards when mental illness and suicide enter the picture.  

When we try to use faith filled answers to demonstrate to someone struggling that attempting suicide is illogical or (worse yet) sinful, we miss a huge opportunity to offer comfort instead.  Rather than offering truth-laced arguments that should convince the person to “do the right thing,” we need to learn to offer comfort and a listening ear instead.  

Our obsession with being right often gets in the way of being loving.  

We can fall into the same trap when trying to comfort family and friends of a loved one who completed suicide.  When they ask questions like “Why?” they really aren’t looking for you to answer them; instead they are looking for you to enter into the pain with them and wrestle with the questions together.  

Galatians 6:2 tells us to “bear one another’s burdens.”  Romans 12:15 tells us to “weep with those who weep.”  Over and over in the Bible we see the command to show love for those who are struggling and broken.  2000 years later we think we have a lot more information, but the most effective way of helping people remains the same: simply be with them and care.

When faith communities grasp this concept, they can become strong allies for anyone struggling with mental illness or suicidal ideations as well as their loved ones.  One of the best ways faith communities can help is by offering comfort before offering answers.

This year I was honored to be invited to join the Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition.  If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or know a loved one who is, please contact Helpline today.  You can find help at http://www.helplinedelmor.org or 740.369.3316.  

The Great Go-MISSION

I used to love watching Mission: Impossible.  The old one, before Tom Cruise.  It was always so exciting to see the agent get the mission recorded on a tape or some sort of recording device.  The voice on the tape always started, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it..."  And after making the mission very clear, the device would self-destruct.

The agent was presented a very clear mission and he had to choose to accept it.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus gives what is commonly called the Great Commission.  I have always interpreted this passage essentially to be about making converts.  "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go convert people."

As I was reflecting on Luke 5:1-11 (where Jesus teaches from Peter's boat then tells them to cast their nets out again even though they had already fished all night to no avail and they end up with an amazing catch and follow Jesus), I realized that Jesus was not telling us to make converts, He is calling us to invite people into the "Way of Jesus."

So I started asking myself, "What is the way of Jesus"?

It's the way of GRACE.
It's the way of FORGIVENESS.
It's the way of HEALING.
It's the way of HUMILITY.

It's the way of LOVE.

So our job as followers of Jesus is teach people how to live the way of Jesus...the way of grace and forgiveness and healing and humility.  Our job is not to make them into Bible scholars or theologians, but instead to help them become experts in living a life of love.

Part of my calling as a pastor is to challenge the people of my church to look for opportunities to demonstrate the way of Jesus to the world and invite others to join them in living that life.  The challenge is not to make new church members or new converts, but to make known the way of Jesus to everyone we meet.  We can do this in a variety of ways, but ultimately, we do this when we live out the way of Jesus for others to see.  We live as a person of grace, forgiveness, healing, humility, and love.  In living this way we invite others to join us and see what kind of difference Jesus can make.

Jesus finishes this challenge with some amazing words of comfort: "I am with you always."  Regardless of the results of your efforts, in the midst of pain, and in the thrill of success Jesus will be present with you.  His continued presence is not contingent on your success or even your need, it is a certainty because He said He would be with you.  The message doesn't self-destruct after it is delivered!

So GO.  Live the way of Jesus and teach other people how to live it as well.  Be an agent of grace, forgiveness, healing, humility.  Be an agent of LOVE.  That is your mission, should you chose to accept it.

Motivation, Faith, & Suicide

I am part of the Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition and this article appeared in their February 2016 newsletter.  The coalition is part of HelpLine of Delaware County.

NPR's Allison Aubrey did a report recently on weight loss wagers as one of the newest trends in shedding pounds.  A person would “wager” an amount each month over a period of time that they would lose a certain amount of weight.  After the allotted time, if they reached their goal they doubled their money.  If they did not, they lost all that they had wagered.  

This is a new trend so there is not enough data to say that it is effective in the long run, but it does demonstrate something very important about motivation.  I can set all the goals I want.  I can read all the books and find all the latest diet fads, but unless something motivates me to put the donuts down and eat better, I will not lose weight.  Apparently putting your own money on the line is becoming a trend in motivating people toward better eating habits.

Motivation is one of the most difficult issues to deal with when you struggle with any kind of mental illness.  When the chemistry in your brain is off even a little, making small adjustments - even though they would make your life better - can seem impossible.  This can be frustrating for the person trying to make the change as well as loved ones who are trying to support the person in the process.

As a pastor, I talk a lot about faith and God and eternity, but I will also be the first to admit that when I talk with someone who struggles with depression and suicidal ideations, sometimes those concepts fall short of motivating them toward health.  My faith is a motivating factor in my life, but I cannot presume that it is for everyone.  My faith is also a strong foundation upon which I have built my life, but, again, that does not mean it is for everyone.  I can never try to force my faith to be a motivating factor for another person.

So how can a faith community support someone who is struggling?  The simplest way is to begin by listening to the person and finding what might motivate them to get through one more day.  That means I have to set aside my motivations and listen for theirs.

The best way I have found to determine a person’s motivation is to ask them what is worth enduring discomfort to attain?  What would need to be waiting for me in order to endure six more hours of my pain and sadness?  Ten hours? Twenty-four hours?

Often, finding that motivating factor ends up being important, but not nearly as important as taking the time to listen to the person who is struggling and talking to them about what is important to them.  That small act can go a long way in helping them find hope in the midst of struggle.

Simply taking the time to listen may seem insignificant, but it is a “sure bet” for helping someone find the motivation to keep going.  

Serving IS Greatness

Mark 10:43 ESV - 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.

In the Kingdom economy, greatness is found in serving.  Power is meaningless because we all serve God who is omnipotent.  To exercise power over another person is really a delusion and an act of treason against God.  Thinking of myself above another is to act as thought I am God.  This was and is the primary sin of humanity!

Jesus operates outside of the power paradigm of this world, therefore I don't have to cow tow to it either.  Serving and seeking the good of others is the essence of imitating Christ.  This is true freedom.  I can rarely control how much power I have, and I certainly can't maintain power indefinitely.  But I can sustain a serving mindset.

In Mark 10 Jesus is responding to a request from James and John.  They asked if they could have seats of power in Jesus' Kingdom.  He told them that this was not His to give.  The other disciples heard what was going on and became very upset.  Jesus used this moment to demonstrate the upside-down structure of His Kingdom.  Serving is the only way to be "upwardly mobile" in God's Kingdom.  The more you serve, the higher up you go, and yet, moving up doesn't mean less serving, it means more!

What I love about this incident is that Jesus did not respond to their request by demanding the get rid of selfish ambition, instead He told them to pursue serving others as their primary goal.  Jesus wants all of us to pursue a Kingdom Life.  He knows that ambition in and of itself is part of what makes us human.  So rather than commanding us to quell our ambition, He gives us a new target: serving.

Serving and humility are the foundation of God's Kingdom economy.  To be great in the Kingdom of God is to serve.  May we all become great in God's Kingdom!  May we all seek to serve and value others above ourselves (see Philippians 2:3).  Set your ambition on serving.