Energion Direct

Category: Bible

  • He is Risen!

    For Easter, we’d like to call attention to today’s sermon by Dr. Bob Cornwall, author of Ephesians: A Participatory Study Guide, Ultimate Allegiance: The Subversive Nature of the Lord’s Prayer, and Unfettered Spirit: Spiritual Gifts for the New Great Awakening. It’s titled Unbelievable News.
    A taste:

    Why is this such unbelievable news?

    I like the way our friend Bruce Epperly puts it:

    The resurrection will always remain a mystery, hidden from rationalists, Enlightenment-thinkers, and literalists. It is always more than we can ask or imagine.

    Too often, when we try to explain the resurrection, we end up domesticating it. And when we do this, we miss the deeper message.

     

  • Does church authority (leaders) nullify Christ's authority?

    No one among the church outright desires to usurp Christ’s authority. Everyone – if asked – would profess that they desire to live under the rule of Jesus Christ as Master and Lord of their life.
    However, that does not mean that we always succeed in living “under Christ’s archy.” (Where have I heard that phrase before?)
    Recently, I published a series of posts on my blog examining how authority among the church (that is, authority exercised by church leaders) may actually be undermining and usurping the authority of Christ inadvertently.
    Here are the posts:

    1. Authority among the church? Starting a new series.
    2. What did Jesus say about positions of authority under his own authority?
    3. In the church, how does someone lead without exercising authority?
    4. Does the existence and recognition of elders indicate that they have positional authority?
    5. Does shepherding and overseeing suggest exercising authority?

    I also added this addendum, which I also think is an extremely important foundation to my argument above:

    I would love to get your thoughts on these posts, and perhaps discuss how mature believers can “lead” others (which we see in Scripture) without exercising authority over them (which we do not see in Scripture).

  • Christ's Archy and the Workplace

    Therefore, however you wish that people would treat you, this is how you should treat them, because this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12 Author’s Translation).
    The ethical manifesto of Jesus Christ ends with a final moral exhortation before Jesus reminds his audience that his way is the ultimate, even the only way. The teaching is that God’s law is essentially that the disciple of Jesus Christ determine how a person needs to be treated, as they are, and then to treat them that way.
    It is easy for any Christian to become enamored of good preaching, awesome bible studies, sweet music, intentional communities, foreign missions, and great theology. So much so that we forget that Jesus summarizes the whole Old Testament, which he claims to fulfill (Matthew 5:17-20) with this one sentence.*
    Our adherence to Jesus’ teaching is largely related to how we treat the people who are right around us. This includes those in our household, in our schools, at our jobs, on our streets, and at our places of commerce and hanging out. It even means in our churches or when we drive (I get upset in traffic).
    Jesus’ archy means that he is king of us in our individual lives. We must treat others as we would wish to be treated. Kind words, appropriate material assistance, prayer for them, encouraging correction, and showing honor and respect to them. The main place most will find to obey Jesus is in their workplace, which is one of the main places where Christians don’t act like Jesus Christ. The time to be the light of the world is literally right now, because Jesus tells his disciples that they are light right now. This means that you can do good works that lead to God exalting praise, even if you aren’t doing them right now.
    This kind of life is available to those who seek Jesus’ power to live it. He is with us always, even until the end of the age.
    I do recommend some spiritual disciplines for learning to actually accomplish this command:

    1. Meditate on what is good about other people (Philippians 4:1-9).
    2. Memorize this passage of Jesus’ teachings (see Psalm 119 about memorizing God’s word).
    3. Make a list of things which anger you, depress you, irritate you, make you feel disrespected, and then modify how you treat people accordingly.
    4. Leave early for work every morning, you won’t be stressed and irritable when you’re there. I’m certain you wish your co-workers did the same.
    5. Call the teachings, example, and grace of Jesus Christ to your mind as often as possible at work.
    6. Meditate on how quickly grudges, arguments, and passive aggressive behavior ends when somebody breaks the cycle by thinking of the other person as more significant than themselves.

     
    *The fulfillment happens in his teachings, actions, death, resurrection, sending of the Spirit, present reign, etc.

  • Matthew 28:16-28 and Titus 2:11: Christ's Archy and Jesus' Teachings

    You should not call anybody Rabbi, for one is your instructor, namely the Messiah, and you are all brothers. (Matthew 23:8 Author’s Translation)*
    For, the grace of God (the salvation of all men) has appeared, training us, so that, renouncing ungodliness and worldly desires, we would live wise, righteous, and godly lives in this present age. (Titus 2:11 Author’s Translation)
    Jesus and Paul agree. Jesus came to instruct people in God’s ways. He came to do more, but he never intended to do less. I have no intention of dealing with the tension of Scripture concerning God assigning some to be teachers in the church, but I do want to show that Jesus came to teach God’s ways to man.
    For anybody to live under Christ’s rule, they must, absolutely must see him as their Teacher.
    This means that learning from Jesus Christ matters. He is our instructor and teacher, he desires to train his people, but not merely with information or facts, but with the daily practice of living under his rule. This requires these things (among others):

    1. To believe Jesus Christ, not merely about him, not merely in him.
    2. To learn from Jesus Christ, not merely about him, but what he said and modeled for us.
    3. To be trained by Jesus Christ, not merely in knowledge, but in the experience of obeying him in the mundane details of our lives.
    4. To realize when we fail, or worse sin against him, that though we want him away from us for we are sinners, he still says, “Follow me. (Luke 5:8-10)” In other words, he not only trains us in righteous, but that he is our righteousness.

    To learn from Jesus is the project of the whole church, but it is also the project of the individual. No rule or authority in life is absolute except that of Jesus Christ, we would do well to be his students.
     
    *I am aware of the text variant, but I cannot think of a good reason to add, “the Christ” there, the context makes it too evident for somebody to gloss it. But an omission because it seems redundant with the next sentence makes sense. Either way, the meaning is preserved.

  • Here We Go…

    Liking jumping into a swimming pool on a hot summer’s day (you know it’s going to be cold), you take a deep breath and in you go. That’s my sentiments as I embark with you on a journey to sincerely try to grasp living under Christ’s “archy.” I really believe it’s only been in the last 6 or 7 years of my 43 on this earth that I’m even beginning to catch a glimpse of the life God calls his own to live.
    My life began to turn when the Word of God was applied in my life. Literally reading the Bible changed my life (as it will anyone’s) because it is a supernatural book. I realized I had been climbing the ladder to success and when I reached the top and a six-figure salary, I realized the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall! I had an attitude that compartmentalized Jesus Christ to a corner of my life. I had him kind of life “Hell insurance.” I thought he was the boss of my life, but truthfully, he wasn’t. I was. I had him in the passenger seat and I’d lean over when I needed him from time to time and ask him to take the wheel. Truth is…I needed to get out of the car of my life and get into the trunk. Truth is…that’s where Jesus was the majority of the time…in the trunk.
    Making Jesus Lord is the essence of this site in my estimation. Barna Research tells us 84% of Americans profess to be Christians. If you believe that, I’ve got some real nice swamp land in Florida I’d like to sell you. Interestingly, only 31% of Americans attend church regularly. That’s a 53% disconnect. That’s the issue! The problem is that most American Christians are living under the “archy” of the prince and power of the air and the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), Satan.
    I don’t have all the answers. In fact, I have almost none, except for the Word of God. If we ever get serious about Jesus Christ, then we’ll get serious about living under the guidance and direction of Scripture. To say that we love Jesus and yet neglect His Word and fill our lives with garbage from TV, movies and music that are filled with all that is the antithesis of Christianity is to be living a lie. How do I know? Because, I lived that lie for many years. I chronicle this struggle on my blog.
    In fact, I taught a Sunday School class and watched Rated-R movies. I sung in a Christian singing group and yet, I put it ahead of my on family because of my ego. Yet, I became captivated by Ephesians 5. Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit told the church at Ephesus not to allow even a hint of sexual immorality in their lives. That passage teaches us not to pander around the pool of coarse joking and foolish talk and foul things, but instead to be holy. That’s right…HOLY. Wow! Holy? Yes. Jesus said, those that had a hunger and thirst for righteousness would be filled.
    I changed. Why? Because the Word of God flipped the switch in my life. I realized I must be a “living-dead man.” That’s what Paul told the church at Rome to be in Romans 12:1-2. A “living sacrifice” is what we are to be in Christ. That’s what’s acceptable as my act of worship as a believer. That’s living under Christ’s “archy.” I must be willing to die to myself. Jesus bought me “at a price” and so my life is no longer mine…it’s his. I am to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. The only way the human mind can be transformed is via the Word of God. Then and only then will I be able to live and know the will of God.
    Simple. Yes and no. Simple to grasp, but hard to live. Want to join me in this struggle…in this daily battle of taking up our cross? It’s hard…but, oh…it’s so exciting! Come along for the ride… Living under Christ’s “archy,” well now…that’s really living!

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