What Did Jesus Do?
Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
Matthew 19.8
Do you know why God created erasers? Because people make mistakes. All the time. Big mistakes, and little ones. Many errors can be easily corrected with little or no harm done. A good eraser often comes in quite handy when you realize that 2+2 does not equal 5. Other mistakes are so costly it is impossible to measure their impact, and the scars, physical and emotional, are indelible. Punch a wrong digit on your cell phone and you end up speaking to someone you don't know and apologizing for bothering them. Put the wrong number in a particular engineering equation, and the bridge you're designing may be doomed to collapse. Mistakes, we all make them. Some mistakes the Bible categorizes as sin, but, unlike your every day mistake, there is no such thing as a “little” sin. God hates all sin, and the hard truth is that the Father sent the Son to atone for them all. Every transgression of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived was laid upon the Lord, because every sin is a mistake that must be paid for. The Good News is that all sins we confess and hand over to the Lord are forgiven, albeit at the terrible price of the Cross. But forgiven. All sins.
It has been my privilege to serve as a Spiritual Director on a number of Tres Dias spiritual formation weekends. I have had several people on these weekends ask me what I believe about divorce, is it a sin? Citing the Bible, I have always said that, yes, divorce is a sin. As you can imagine, this can be painful for someone who has been through a divorce. But I would ask them if they believe in the forgiveness of sin. And when they would say, “Yes, but...” I would interrupt their “but...” and ask them if they have ever read anything in Scripture to indicate that Christ died to forgive all sins but divorce? “Well, no.” Forgiven. Why, as Jesus pointed out in the above captioned verse from Matthew 18,God even made a concession with respect to divorce on account of the hardness of our hearts.
Now, the concession did not at all remove divorce from the list of sins that God hates. The Father's intention for marriage, that it should be a covenant of love and fidelity for a lifetime, still holds unbroken from the time He established marriage as a creation ordinance. But God knows how good all of us are at making mistakes, and He knows that, all too often, our mistakes can include making a bad choice of partners in marriage. When we realize our mistake the first thing we need to do is admit it to God, and ask for His help in trying to make our marital covenant work. Sadly, there are times when things are too broken, hearts are too hard, and marriages come to an end. Well, Christ died for every divorce, just as much as He died for every lie we ever tell, and every hateful thought, word, and action of ours, and every other sin.
The most important thing, I would tell the folks on the Tres Dias weekends, is that we recognize our mistakes/sins, confess them and repent of them, learn, and, as Jesus told more than one forgiven sinner, “Go and sin no more.” This is to say that I absolutely believe that God forgives divorce, the first time. But I strongly warned that the sincerity of one's repentance might be suspect when divorce follows divorce. And statistics have made it clear that the people most likely to get divorced are people who have been through divorce before. So re-marriage, for those who have been divorced, is an even bigger decision than marriage the first time, and should be contemplated only in the context of much prayer and transparency before God and one's prospective partner.
Mistakes can be corrected. Jesus knows the hardness of hearts. Forgiveness is found at the Cross. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
What Did Jesus Do On 9/11/01?
What Did Jesus Do?
September 11, 2001.
Shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, some people openly questioned, “Where was Jesus when all this happened.?” To some, it seemed as if the Lord had been somehow off somewhere that day, abandoning, as it were, New York City and Washington D.C. in that hour fateful hour. But the Lord has promised never to leave or forsake His own, even to the end of the age (Hebrews 13.5, Matthew 28.20). The answer to the Lord's whereabouts on 9/11 was, I believe, a simple one: As always, the Son, like the Father and the Holy Spirit, was everywhere that day—God is omnipresent. Having established where Jesus was on September 11, 2001, I think it is fair to ask what He did that day.
I believe there were three things, Jesus did on 9/11/01. First, I believe the Lord welcomed the souls of the saints who died that day into paradise (See Luke 23.43). Second, I believe that Jesus was busy comforting the families and friends of the dead, the wounded, and the missing on that day (Isaiah 61.1-4). Third, I believe that Christ lamented over the souls of the terrorists and others who that day entered an eternity of torment forever cut off from the Father and His mercy, for, though all heaven rejoices at the repentance of a single sinner (Luke 15.10), God does not take pleasure in administering His justice and punishing the wicked (Ezekiel 18.23).
Therefore, on this ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, I believe we would do well to seek to do what Jesus did. We should honor the memory of the saints who died, and rejoice over their salvation and that they are with Christ. We should speak words of comfort, with which we ourselves have been comforted by God, to those who this day mourn a family member or friend who died on 9/11. And we should both pray for and seek to proclaim the Good News to the lost, be they Islamic terrorists, or a member of our own family, or a friend, so that they might be saved and escape the punishment that the wicked most certainly will receive.
Rejoice over the saints. Comfort those who mourn. Pray for and seek the Lost. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
September 11, 2001.
Shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, some people openly questioned, “Where was Jesus when all this happened.?” To some, it seemed as if the Lord had been somehow off somewhere that day, abandoning, as it were, New York City and Washington D.C. in that hour fateful hour. But the Lord has promised never to leave or forsake His own, even to the end of the age (Hebrews 13.5, Matthew 28.20). The answer to the Lord's whereabouts on 9/11 was, I believe, a simple one: As always, the Son, like the Father and the Holy Spirit, was everywhere that day—God is omnipresent. Having established where Jesus was on September 11, 2001, I think it is fair to ask what He did that day.
I believe there were three things, Jesus did on 9/11/01. First, I believe the Lord welcomed the souls of the saints who died that day into paradise (See Luke 23.43). Second, I believe that Jesus was busy comforting the families and friends of the dead, the wounded, and the missing on that day (Isaiah 61.1-4). Third, I believe that Christ lamented over the souls of the terrorists and others who that day entered an eternity of torment forever cut off from the Father and His mercy, for, though all heaven rejoices at the repentance of a single sinner (Luke 15.10), God does not take pleasure in administering His justice and punishing the wicked (Ezekiel 18.23).
Therefore, on this ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, I believe we would do well to seek to do what Jesus did. We should honor the memory of the saints who died, and rejoice over their salvation and that they are with Christ. We should speak words of comfort, with which we ourselves have been comforted by God, to those who this day mourn a family member or friend who died on 9/11. And we should both pray for and seek to proclaim the Good News to the lost, be they Islamic terrorists, or a member of our own family, or a friend, so that they might be saved and escape the punishment that the wicked most certainly will receive.
Rejoice over the saints. Comfort those who mourn. Pray for and seek the Lost. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Friday, September 10, 2010
Jesus Directed Directness
What Did Jesus Do?
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault,
between you and him alone.
Matthew 18.15
In recent weeks I have spoken with several people who no longer attend church. Invariably their reasons had something to do with some very uncivil behavior which they witnessed in one or more congregations. Sadly, for a people who are supposed to be known by how much we love one another, what is often on display in churches is how much we dislike each other. An all too common, and pernicious tactic employed in this uncivil civil warfare in churches is what I would characterize as the “sneak attack.” A sneak attack is an indirect assault on someone with whom you have a problem. Rather than speak directly to the person about the matter, you choose to speak to someone, anyone, maybe even everyone else, rather than the individual who has in some way offended you. Every ear that listens, and every tongue that passes along, such indicting words fires another shot in this “uncivil war.” Typically, there will be all kinds of battles going on among folks, none of them “frontal assaults.” Such uncivil, let's be blunt, unchristian, ways of behaving towards one another has run off countless church goers, and has destroyed no few congregations. This is not at all to suggest that transgressions should be ignored. But in dealing with sin in the Body of Christ, the Church, Jesus directed directness.
Of course, when Jesus instructed His followers to go and tell a brother his fault, the Lord was not urging any of us to be angry, belligerent, hateful, or insulting in our demeanor. The truth spoken directly, yet humbly, in love, does not constitute an attack of any nature, but rather a peace overture before hostilities get out of hand. Even if rebuffed in our attempt to go and work things out with a brother, we do not abandon the direct approach, but we do seek “reinforcements.”
As the Lord instructs in Matthew 18.16, if the initial attempt is unsuccessful we are to return again, with one or two equally humble brothers or sisters, to again attempt to directly reconcile the matter. Including others in this way is not uncivil, and certainly not unchristian, but is in fact doing exactly what Christ has told us to do in order to preserve peace and order in the Body of Christ. Should such a second direct attempt fail to restore the brother, there is yet another step we must take.
I say this third step must be taken if the first two have been unsuccessful because failure to follow the Lord's instructions in this almost always develops into uncivil war. For if a matter has not been resolved, but remains, the strong likelihood is that sooner or later something will be said or done indirectly, and uncivil exchanges will erupt in the midst of the congregation. And, in reality, this third step, involving an entire congregation, is both for the sincerely sought restoration of a brother, and for the preservation of peace within the church. This third step, should the first two fail, is the best guarantee that uncivil words and actions will not consume members, even the entire congregation, in a bitter and destructive spiral of recrimination and “sneak attacks” that eventually become angry direct assaults on each other. There is a very good reason Jesus directed directness—He knew His Church would be at great risk whenever His followers chose the “sneak attack,” behind the back maneuvers, and the weapons of gossip and murmuring.
The next time someone starts to speak to you about another brother or sister with whom they have an issue, stop them and together turn to Matthew 18 and respectfully, and with prayer, direct them to be direct. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault,
between you and him alone.
Matthew 18.15
In recent weeks I have spoken with several people who no longer attend church. Invariably their reasons had something to do with some very uncivil behavior which they witnessed in one or more congregations. Sadly, for a people who are supposed to be known by how much we love one another, what is often on display in churches is how much we dislike each other. An all too common, and pernicious tactic employed in this uncivil civil warfare in churches is what I would characterize as the “sneak attack.” A sneak attack is an indirect assault on someone with whom you have a problem. Rather than speak directly to the person about the matter, you choose to speak to someone, anyone, maybe even everyone else, rather than the individual who has in some way offended you. Every ear that listens, and every tongue that passes along, such indicting words fires another shot in this “uncivil war.” Typically, there will be all kinds of battles going on among folks, none of them “frontal assaults.” Such uncivil, let's be blunt, unchristian, ways of behaving towards one another has run off countless church goers, and has destroyed no few congregations. This is not at all to suggest that transgressions should be ignored. But in dealing with sin in the Body of Christ, the Church, Jesus directed directness.
Of course, when Jesus instructed His followers to go and tell a brother his fault, the Lord was not urging any of us to be angry, belligerent, hateful, or insulting in our demeanor. The truth spoken directly, yet humbly, in love, does not constitute an attack of any nature, but rather a peace overture before hostilities get out of hand. Even if rebuffed in our attempt to go and work things out with a brother, we do not abandon the direct approach, but we do seek “reinforcements.”
As the Lord instructs in Matthew 18.16, if the initial attempt is unsuccessful we are to return again, with one or two equally humble brothers or sisters, to again attempt to directly reconcile the matter. Including others in this way is not uncivil, and certainly not unchristian, but is in fact doing exactly what Christ has told us to do in order to preserve peace and order in the Body of Christ. Should such a second direct attempt fail to restore the brother, there is yet another step we must take.
I say this third step must be taken if the first two have been unsuccessful because failure to follow the Lord's instructions in this almost always develops into uncivil war. For if a matter has not been resolved, but remains, the strong likelihood is that sooner or later something will be said or done indirectly, and uncivil exchanges will erupt in the midst of the congregation. And, in reality, this third step, involving an entire congregation, is both for the sincerely sought restoration of a brother, and for the preservation of peace within the church. This third step, should the first two fail, is the best guarantee that uncivil words and actions will not consume members, even the entire congregation, in a bitter and destructive spiral of recrimination and “sneak attacks” that eventually become angry direct assaults on each other. There is a very good reason Jesus directed directness—He knew His Church would be at great risk whenever His followers chose the “sneak attack,” behind the back maneuvers, and the weapons of gossip and murmuring.
The next time someone starts to speak to you about another brother or sister with whom they have an issue, stop them and together turn to Matthew 18 and respectfully, and with prayer, direct them to be direct. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Monday, September 6, 2010
"Our" God
For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
Psalm 95.3
As the song says, “Our God is an awesome God,” but is He “our” God? He is “Our Father,” as Jesus rightly instructed us in the Lord's prayer. But I have to admit there are times when I hear some folks talk about “my God” and “my Jesus” when I wonder about who belongs to who. Sometimes I get the impression that people misunderstand just who holds right of ownership, if you will.
You see, God is the one who creates us, who calls us, who claims us, and our lives belong to Him. There simply is no way that He is beholding to us, much less that He can in any way be controlled or “made over” (“re-imagined” if you prefer) by us. But there are an awful lot of people who want to have a God they can tuck on their belt, or in their pocketbook, to pull out when they want to use Him, like a cell phone or a Scout's pocketknife. To some, I believe, God is sort of a faithful companion, like their dog: accepting, caring, forgiving, always happy when they give Him some of their attention.
Now all this might work for the many false gods in the world. False gods and idols can be manipulated and used pretty much anyway you please. So I don't really have a problem that Muslims “have” their god, and Buddhists their god, and Hindus their countless gods, and so on. When your god is but mere creation, as opposed to the Creator, you can “have” your god be who you want, “Have” him or her do what you want. Christians do not have any such option because we don't “have” a God, God has us! We are His, and He alone gets to determine what He will do. Even more, we are supposed to turn over decision making control of our lives to Him. As sheep belong to the shepherd, and not the other way around, so we are the people of His pasture (PS 95.7). He is our God because He has made us His flock. We follow the Shepherd, we don't lead Him.
So, as emotional and moving as so many of the songs about “My” God, and “My” Lord, and “My” Jesus are, I confess that I worry about what a lot of these songs say. And, even more, I worry about what many of those who so passionately sing these songs, believe about “their” God.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
and a great King above all gods.
Psalm 95.3
As the song says, “Our God is an awesome God,” but is He “our” God? He is “Our Father,” as Jesus rightly instructed us in the Lord's prayer. But I have to admit there are times when I hear some folks talk about “my God” and “my Jesus” when I wonder about who belongs to who. Sometimes I get the impression that people misunderstand just who holds right of ownership, if you will.
You see, God is the one who creates us, who calls us, who claims us, and our lives belong to Him. There simply is no way that He is beholding to us, much less that He can in any way be controlled or “made over” (“re-imagined” if you prefer) by us. But there are an awful lot of people who want to have a God they can tuck on their belt, or in their pocketbook, to pull out when they want to use Him, like a cell phone or a Scout's pocketknife. To some, I believe, God is sort of a faithful companion, like their dog: accepting, caring, forgiving, always happy when they give Him some of their attention.
Now all this might work for the many false gods in the world. False gods and idols can be manipulated and used pretty much anyway you please. So I don't really have a problem that Muslims “have” their god, and Buddhists their god, and Hindus their countless gods, and so on. When your god is but mere creation, as opposed to the Creator, you can “have” your god be who you want, “Have” him or her do what you want. Christians do not have any such option because we don't “have” a God, God has us! We are His, and He alone gets to determine what He will do. Even more, we are supposed to turn over decision making control of our lives to Him. As sheep belong to the shepherd, and not the other way around, so we are the people of His pasture (PS 95.7). He is our God because He has made us His flock. We follow the Shepherd, we don't lead Him.
So, as emotional and moving as so many of the songs about “My” God, and “My” Lord, and “My” Jesus are, I confess that I worry about what a lot of these songs say. And, even more, I worry about what many of those who so passionately sing these songs, believe about “their” God.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Friday, September 3, 2010
Jesus Moved
What Did Jesus Do?
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching...proclaiming...and healing.
Matthew 4.23
Some years ago I was the pastor of a small church out in the country. It had been there for over two hundred years. The church had no phone, and consequently no phone listing. They had a sign out front to post the title of the week's sermon, but that was pretty much the only way anyone besides the few folks sitting inside the stained glass windows of the church would have ever known it was still in business. When I suggested that it might be a good idea to think about some ways to do outreach and to intentionally tell others about the church, the response I got was, “We've been here a long time, they know where we are.” Judging by all the empty pews I wasn't so sure anyone actually did know where we were! The thing about ministry is, simply saying, “Here we are” is not likely to produce much fruit for the kingdom. You have to start where the people are, and that means that wherever you are, you will probably have to move. Jesus did.
Jesus could have simply stayed in Nazareth, gotten active in their little synagogue, and waited for people to come to Him. Instead, the Lord got up, got out, and got going. If Jesus had used business cards His might have said, “Have Feet, Will Travel,” because that is exactly what He did. Other than a couple of boat excursions back and forth across the Sea of Galilee (And, He even chose to walk across the sea at least once!), and one short donkey ride into Jerusalem, Christ's practice was to move, and get up, get out, and get going, step by step on foot, from village to village throughout Galilee. From Galilee to the Decapolis. From the Decapolis to Judea. Feet turned out to be an indispensable tool for ministry.
And it was not just Jesus who got up, got out, and got going. The Lord sent out the twelve apostles similarly to teach, preach, and heal (Mark 6.7-13). And then another seventy-two got up, got out, and got going (Luke 10.1). Jesus' followers moved too. And Christ made it clear to His disciples that they were to keep moving, taking the Gospel to all Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1.8). It simply wouldn't do to sit and wait for the world to come to them, “Have feet, will travel.” Jesus moved. His disciples moved. His Church must move. Get up, get out, get going. The world is full of people who will never find us, so we need to go looking for them.
Think of it this way. When someone is lost in the wilderness do we mobilize a sit team to stay put and wait for the lost to find us? No, search teams are organized to get up, go out, and get going to find the lost as quickly as possible before it is too late to save them. Again, does a life guard sit in his chair and watch someone drown, saying, “They know where I am, if they need help, let them come here and get it.” Absurd! Do you know what is happening while churches are sitting around, day after day, week after week, year after year? Hundreds, thousands, millions of the lost die without ever knowing Jesus. If the lost are going to be saved, they have to be found. And if they are going to be found, we have to move. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching...proclaiming...and healing.
Matthew 4.23
Some years ago I was the pastor of a small church out in the country. It had been there for over two hundred years. The church had no phone, and consequently no phone listing. They had a sign out front to post the title of the week's sermon, but that was pretty much the only way anyone besides the few folks sitting inside the stained glass windows of the church would have ever known it was still in business. When I suggested that it might be a good idea to think about some ways to do outreach and to intentionally tell others about the church, the response I got was, “We've been here a long time, they know where we are.” Judging by all the empty pews I wasn't so sure anyone actually did know where we were! The thing about ministry is, simply saying, “Here we are” is not likely to produce much fruit for the kingdom. You have to start where the people are, and that means that wherever you are, you will probably have to move. Jesus did.
Jesus could have simply stayed in Nazareth, gotten active in their little synagogue, and waited for people to come to Him. Instead, the Lord got up, got out, and got going. If Jesus had used business cards His might have said, “Have Feet, Will Travel,” because that is exactly what He did. Other than a couple of boat excursions back and forth across the Sea of Galilee (And, He even chose to walk across the sea at least once!), and one short donkey ride into Jerusalem, Christ's practice was to move, and get up, get out, and get going, step by step on foot, from village to village throughout Galilee. From Galilee to the Decapolis. From the Decapolis to Judea. Feet turned out to be an indispensable tool for ministry.
And it was not just Jesus who got up, got out, and got going. The Lord sent out the twelve apostles similarly to teach, preach, and heal (Mark 6.7-13). And then another seventy-two got up, got out, and got going (Luke 10.1). Jesus' followers moved too. And Christ made it clear to His disciples that they were to keep moving, taking the Gospel to all Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1.8). It simply wouldn't do to sit and wait for the world to come to them, “Have feet, will travel.” Jesus moved. His disciples moved. His Church must move. Get up, get out, get going. The world is full of people who will never find us, so we need to go looking for them.
Think of it this way. When someone is lost in the wilderness do we mobilize a sit team to stay put and wait for the lost to find us? No, search teams are organized to get up, go out, and get going to find the lost as quickly as possible before it is too late to save them. Again, does a life guard sit in his chair and watch someone drown, saying, “They know where I am, if they need help, let them come here and get it.” Absurd! Do you know what is happening while churches are sitting around, day after day, week after week, year after year? Hundreds, thousands, millions of the lost die without ever knowing Jesus. If the lost are going to be saved, they have to be found. And if they are going to be found, we have to move. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Jesus Complemented
What did Jesus Do?
“So they are no longer two but one flesh”
Mark 10.8
After almost an entire creation week of pronouncing all that He had done “good,” God suddenly took a second look, so to speak, at Adam, and saw something that He was compelled to admit was “not good”--man was somehow alone, incomplete, without a suitable partner. (Genesis 2.18) God realized man needed a fit helper, someone who would not be his exact equal, another man, but rather the perfect complement to man, and so God created woman. God knew that humanity is complete the complementarity of male and female. And it was the complementarity and completeness of the joining of male and female that God blessed. (Genesis 1.27-28)
Woman was not created an exact copy of man, there are some very real, and wonderful, differences between men and women. In some respects man is woman's superior. But then there are those aspects of womanhood men can never achieve, so women have their particular superiority over men as well. The divine intention was not for the differences to become points of competition and contention between men and women, much less reasons for any envy or jealousy. Instead, the differences, the complementarity, are to be celebrated, enjoyed, valued. The coming together in complementarity is what God has always blessed.
Jesus was exceptional in His day for the respect He showed to women, how He valued them. Those women who were Christ's followers ministered in ways that complemented the work of the Apostles. The Lord's observations on the partnership of marriage revealed His understanding of, and appreciation for, the complementarity of a man and a woman.
As for marriage, one and one equals two, but in marriage two becomes one, not by reduction or subtraction of anything from the man or woman, but by adding to both partners that which makes them complete, that which complements. In an inexplicable way, the image of the divine in which God clearly and intentionally, created human beings, the complementarity of male and female is necessary. “You complete me” is not just a come on line, it is a statement of a biblical truth, which the first man recognized and rejoiced over (See Genesis 2.23). Men and women are supposed to complement, that is, complete, one another. For this reason, and for other reasons as well, the Bible instructs that marriage is to be “held in honor among all” (Hebrews 13.4). Even so, not all need to be married, for
“...each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.”
1Corinthians 7.7
[The Apostle Paul explained to the church in Corinth that God's plan for some is
marriage, while for others it is singleness.]
Men, women, husbands, wives, do not fret yourselves over your differences and perceived inequalities, but accept, celebrate, that you are different, and love and support one another by complementing each other. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“So they are no longer two but one flesh”
Mark 10.8
After almost an entire creation week of pronouncing all that He had done “good,” God suddenly took a second look, so to speak, at Adam, and saw something that He was compelled to admit was “not good”--man was somehow alone, incomplete, without a suitable partner. (Genesis 2.18) God realized man needed a fit helper, someone who would not be his exact equal, another man, but rather the perfect complement to man, and so God created woman. God knew that humanity is complete the complementarity of male and female. And it was the complementarity and completeness of the joining of male and female that God blessed. (Genesis 1.27-28)
Woman was not created an exact copy of man, there are some very real, and wonderful, differences between men and women. In some respects man is woman's superior. But then there are those aspects of womanhood men can never achieve, so women have their particular superiority over men as well. The divine intention was not for the differences to become points of competition and contention between men and women, much less reasons for any envy or jealousy. Instead, the differences, the complementarity, are to be celebrated, enjoyed, valued. The coming together in complementarity is what God has always blessed.
Jesus was exceptional in His day for the respect He showed to women, how He valued them. Those women who were Christ's followers ministered in ways that complemented the work of the Apostles. The Lord's observations on the partnership of marriage revealed His understanding of, and appreciation for, the complementarity of a man and a woman.
As for marriage, one and one equals two, but in marriage two becomes one, not by reduction or subtraction of anything from the man or woman, but by adding to both partners that which makes them complete, that which complements. In an inexplicable way, the image of the divine in which God clearly and intentionally, created human beings, the complementarity of male and female is necessary. “You complete me” is not just a come on line, it is a statement of a biblical truth, which the first man recognized and rejoiced over (See Genesis 2.23). Men and women are supposed to complement, that is, complete, one another. For this reason, and for other reasons as well, the Bible instructs that marriage is to be “held in honor among all” (Hebrews 13.4). Even so, not all need to be married, for
“...each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.”
1Corinthians 7.7
[The Apostle Paul explained to the church in Corinth that God's plan for some is
marriage, while for others it is singleness.]
Men, women, husbands, wives, do not fret yourselves over your differences and perceived inequalities, but accept, celebrate, that you are different, and love and support one another by complementing each other. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Jesus Sent People
What Did Jesus Do?
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority...
These twelve Jesus sent out...
Matthew 10.1,5
I know most of us believe that when we care enough we'll be sure to send a card, right? Of course not! When we really care, we go. Jesus cared for the whole world, and went when He was sent. But even Jesus could not be in more than one place at one time, He did become fully human, after all. Also fully God, Jesus had all authority (See Matthew 28.18). And so He gave that authority to His followers, and sent a card. No, no, no! He gave that authority to His followers and sent them!.
Now the world needs help these days. A LOT of help. And this confronts us with a choice, what do we send the world? Hmmm. We could send a card, that would show the world we cared, right? Or how about this, we could send money! Actually, America has been sending money, quite a lot of money in fact, overseas for many years. But while Foreign Aid and Church Mission dollars have made a difference, the world is not in much better shape today than one hundred or two hundred years ago, is it? I'm not denying progress against disease and hunger and poverty, but people are still sick, still hungry, and still impoverished. What are we to do?
Maybe we should try doing what the Lord did, send people. When the apostles went out, with the authority that Jesus gave them, they did the most amazing things! They proclaimed the message of repentance. They cast out evil spirits. They healed many who were sick. (See Mark 6.12-13) The Church of Jesus Christ has always sent out missionaries into the work, but I wonder what would happen if we were to send people with Jesus' authority into our communities as a regular practice of being the Church today? I bet something good would come of it.
After Jesus had sent out the twelve, things went so well that He appointed another seventy-two, and sent them out too. What do you think happened? The seventy-two came back full of joy for all they accomplished by His authority! ( Luke 10.1, 17)
If we want to make a difference in this hurting world, how then shall we proceed? Send cards, money, people? Of course, it's people who make the difference, people with His authority. And, even accountants will acknowledge there's a value in sending people. Think about it. Let's say a congregation has one hundred members, and every single member goes out each week for one hour to work in the authority of Jesus. Even at minimum wage rates that's $800 a week, over $40,000 a year, of measurable value. And, you know, the value of what those sent people would accomplish for the kingdom of God would be greater, even immeasurable. If every member of every church started going each week to make a difference for an hour, there is no telling what real and lasting change might come. People might be saved, healed! Families, whole communities might be transformed. Why, even a nation might get turned around.
Send believers out in Jesus' authority, yes. This has been done since Jesus sent first sent out the Twelve. But let each of us take the next, and necessary, step, and hear and obey the words of the Great Commissioner and be sent ourselves,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name (That is, in the authority of) of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28.19-20
Be sent and send. You know what? That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority...
These twelve Jesus sent out...
Matthew 10.1,5
I know most of us believe that when we care enough we'll be sure to send a card, right? Of course not! When we really care, we go. Jesus cared for the whole world, and went when He was sent. But even Jesus could not be in more than one place at one time, He did become fully human, after all. Also fully God, Jesus had all authority (See Matthew 28.18). And so He gave that authority to His followers, and sent a card. No, no, no! He gave that authority to His followers and sent them!.
Now the world needs help these days. A LOT of help. And this confronts us with a choice, what do we send the world? Hmmm. We could send a card, that would show the world we cared, right? Or how about this, we could send money! Actually, America has been sending money, quite a lot of money in fact, overseas for many years. But while Foreign Aid and Church Mission dollars have made a difference, the world is not in much better shape today than one hundred or two hundred years ago, is it? I'm not denying progress against disease and hunger and poverty, but people are still sick, still hungry, and still impoverished. What are we to do?
Maybe we should try doing what the Lord did, send people. When the apostles went out, with the authority that Jesus gave them, they did the most amazing things! They proclaimed the message of repentance. They cast out evil spirits. They healed many who were sick. (See Mark 6.12-13) The Church of Jesus Christ has always sent out missionaries into the work, but I wonder what would happen if we were to send people with Jesus' authority into our communities as a regular practice of being the Church today? I bet something good would come of it.
After Jesus had sent out the twelve, things went so well that He appointed another seventy-two, and sent them out too. What do you think happened? The seventy-two came back full of joy for all they accomplished by His authority! ( Luke 10.1, 17)
If we want to make a difference in this hurting world, how then shall we proceed? Send cards, money, people? Of course, it's people who make the difference, people with His authority. And, even accountants will acknowledge there's a value in sending people. Think about it. Let's say a congregation has one hundred members, and every single member goes out each week for one hour to work in the authority of Jesus. Even at minimum wage rates that's $800 a week, over $40,000 a year, of measurable value. And, you know, the value of what those sent people would accomplish for the kingdom of God would be greater, even immeasurable. If every member of every church started going each week to make a difference for an hour, there is no telling what real and lasting change might come. People might be saved, healed! Families, whole communities might be transformed. Why, even a nation might get turned around.
Send believers out in Jesus' authority, yes. This has been done since Jesus sent first sent out the Twelve. But let each of us take the next, and necessary, step, and hear and obey the words of the Great Commissioner and be sent ourselves,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name (That is, in the authority of) of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28.19-20
Be sent and send. You know what? That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
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