Taster Teaching #1 | Covenant & Kingdom | Mike Breen from 3DM on Vimeo.

Taster Teaching #2 | Spiritual Feudalism | Mike Breen from 3DM on Vimeo.

Taster Teaching #3 | Cultural Earthquake | Mike Breen from 3DM on Vimeo.

There are a lot of much more educated, thoughtful people who have tried to answer that question and I won’t try to give a satisfactory answer (and I’m not asking you to either). I simply share that to share this: what comes up in my heart when I think about that question is that I want my life to be God showing up. I want any community I lead to be God showing up. I want us to be the answer to my friend’s question. Not because I’m a nice or good person but because His presence is on me and His words are in me and His power moves through me.

God is certainly capable of taking care of himself and doing his own work and it’s also really important to me to cultivate a healthy and restful life rather than some messiah complex, but I believe we have a responsibility to be an encounter with God. My friend’s statement doesn’t belie his wickedness or hardheartedness. It reveals a church that’s fallen down on the job [said with grace and hope] and it reveals how much more room I have to grow in loving him well and it reveals what’s at stake in our knowing and walking with Jesus. And I, for one, am dedicating my life to that.

http://jamesheth.blogspot.com/2011/04/open-but-cautious.html

Favorite quote:

If you were to meet a stranger on the street – and they were to say “I’m open but cautious about Jesus.” What are the thoughts that jump into your mind? What are the conclusions you could make about their “relationship” with Jesus?

As someone who’s trying to become more like Jesus in my being and in my doing, I’m challenged by this. Part of living like Jesus is learning to “say what the Father is saying” and “do what the Father is doing.” That’s how he said he lived all the time. I find this call to in-the-moment obedience – to living life “2 steps behind the breath of God” – EVERYWHERE right now both for myself and many of those around me. I’ve certainly used the attitude of being open-but-cautious as a shield against childlike obedience to His voice. What do you think?

Here’s a thought. The Holy Spirit is a person and as such he has an agenda and in any situation he’s doing SOMETHING to make Jesus known and bring God’s kingdom reign to bear. I submit that what we’re really talking about when we talk about “presence” is when we become aware of that SOMETHING. Jesus said the Spirit is like the wind. The wind is often blowing and we have no idea unless we feel it or see a tree or grass being moved by it. The SOMETHING could be a weighty feeling, emotions and tingles, physical movement, peace, healing, conviction of sin, hope for change, understanding of scripture, compassion and mercy, reconciliation, or crazier things like gold dust, rushing wind, “the place they were praying was shaken,” etc.

We don’t always feel he’s present because we don’t recognize or are not open to the particular SOMETHING he’s doing or wanting to do. So we shouldn’t be camped out asking him to come be present when what he’s wanting to do is give peace and understanding of scripture. Nor should be we settle for those two things when he’s wanting to give joy and healing.

I was thinking about it like we’re following Jesus through traffic in a city. If he turns and we don’t then we’re left driving around on the roads we already know and we have no guarantee that he’ll be parked where we end up (there’s that “presence” terminology again). If he goes into a dangerous neighborhood and we refuse to follow, it’s the same deal. He may only be in that neighborhood for one block but we’ll never know. Maybe that’s why sometimes you’re sitting reading the Bible or in a church something and it’s going along great and all of a sudden it’s like all the life drains out it. Maybe he turned and we didn’t?

So that’s my current thinking on the subject. I could be wrong. I don’t feel like I have great language for it but I think there’s something there and I think that if we let ourselves off the hook by saying he’s everywhere and what we’re doing is all there is then we’ll be left driving around and around the roads we know wondering why we’re not getting anywhere and running out of gas. That’s not where I want to live.

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I may not articulate some things the way they do, that doesn’t negate the beauty and power of what happened. I know several people who were present and still speak of those days with tears. Jesus is powerful and amazing.

John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:49-50)

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Luke 11:23)

It’s always been a little confusing to me that Jesus says both things. Make up your mind, dude. But I think there’s a difference between the “you” in the first one and the “me” in the second. In the first case it’s someone who does not “follow with US.” It’s someone who’s not in our group, doesn’t do things out way. In the second Jesus is talking to Pharisees who are accusing HIM of being from the devil.

That’s a real key to unity, I think. I’m not Jesus. If someone’s not with me it’s ok. As long as they’re not directly opposed to me I should assume we’re on the same team. If they’re not with him, though, that’s a problem. As far as I’m concerned neutral means together, as far as he’s concerned neutral means against. Very enlightening for me anyway.

He recently posted the following question on his blog:

Question #2: Your idea that Muslims can follow Jesus and somehow stay Muslim has always confused me. Can you explain what this means in clear laymen’s terms?

This is a big one. And a cornerstone of what we believed God has called us to be a part of…seeing Arab Muslims love and follow Jesus and stay within their context.

Which he answers in great depth. Please go read the full post.

If you substitute “Catholic” OR “Protestant” for “Muslim” in his article, you actually get a pretty clear picture of Northern Ireland too. That’s one of the reasons that we’re making a huge effort to set up our community in such a way that cultural and social identity is separated from following Jesus (i.e. you can remain part of either community and hang out with us).

So please read the full post at Carl’s site. We’d love to hear your thoughts too on how it relates here or wherever you are.

Peace.

Second, I read the beginning of Hebrews 6 with fresh eyes this morning. It’s one of those passages I always wished just wasn’t in the Bible, but it hit me a little differently today. I’m curious what others think of this reading:

• 5:11, 6:1-3 – I want to teach you more deeply if God permits, but you’ve become hard of hearing.
• 6:4-6 – Once you’ve experienced God, if you then harden your heart there’s nothing I can say or do that will bring you back to repentance. So it wouldn’t do any good to try to teach you more if your heart is not in a place of repentance. Because of the illustration he uses next, the “impossible” here reminds me of what Jesus said about the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17ff – “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
  
• 6:7-8 – He compares a person to a field. Elsewhere people are compared to trees and branches, in which case burning is pretty much the end. But for a field, burning is a new beginning. “Field-burning each year after harvest controls weeds, removes leftover grass straw, and destroys diseases.” He says the land is near to being cursed, but what will happen is the farmer will have to step in to make it useful again. So as a shout-out to 7th grade standardized testing: burning is to fields as pruning is to trees.

Could it be that in context he’s saying: “teaching causes growth in the soft-hearted. It doesn’t create soft-heartedness.” So it’s more a warning of discipline than damnation. That makes more sense to me in harmony with the rest of the Bible. The last thing I would ever want to do is limit God to my understanding of the Bible, or explain away what God intended to be an intense warning. But I also think sometimes angry preachers miss the heart of God (and thus miss the point) in texts like this.

What do you think?

<< Mark 10 >> New International Version Divorce 1Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3“What did Moses command you?” he replied. 4They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’a 7‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,b 8and the two will become one flesh.’c So they are no longer two, but one. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” The Little Children and Jesus 13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. The Rich Young Man 17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’d” 20“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it ise to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” 28Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Jesus Again Predicts His Death 32They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” The Request of James and John 35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39“We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight 46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Footnotes: a 6 Gen. 1:27 b 7 Some early manuscripts do not have and be united to his wife. c 8 Gen. 2:24 d 19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20 e 24 Some manuscripts is for those who trust in riches << Mark 10 >> THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. See detailed copyright information. Online Parallel Bible

This is where we were this morning - the main street is that row of buildings to the left and the promenade is the path that runs down the beach.

Ange and I were prayer walking down on the main street and promenade of Newcastle this morning. It’s something we’ve been doing on and off since we got here, and lately we’ve organized our schedule so that we’re in the town prayer walking two mornings a week. We pray for Newcastle as a town, for revival and increased spiritual hunger, for God’s blessing on the churches and businesses, and occasionally ask people we meet if we can pray for them specifically.

There’s a story in the gospels where Jesus is walking by and this blind man cries out for help. Jesus stops and engages him, asking: “what do you want from me?” Recently as we’ve been walking around I’ve been thinking about that question. I’ve been thinking what do I really want to see happen here? What do I want God to do this morning? If I pray for people to be healed on the streets of Newcastle, do I want that to happen this morning through me? The answer varies if I’m honest and that’s ok. The point is not to feel bad, but to clarify and envision what it would actually look like for God to do what we’re asking.

I want to ask more and more specifically and expectantly. Am I actually asking for revival to break out this morning? For people around me to fall to the ground weeping and crying out to God? That might change the rest of my day… What would it look like if every church in town lit up with freedom, love, and passion and there was no more dead religion in town? We might not be needed. Am I ok with that? I think sometimes prayer becomes disconnected from what we’re actually asking for, because we don’t actually expect to get an answer. Often I think the answer comes (maybe slightly disguised) and we walk right on by because of expectations.

So what did we pray for? Well, all of the above. As we got more specific we asked that God would bring hunger and questions to people right now. That the light of his love would shine on people right now and they would feel his love. We prayed that a few specific issues in the town would shift. I believe those things are going to happen, and that’s pretty cool.

Anyway, just a few thoughts.
Mark

We went down on Saturday morning and joined them for an all day prayer for Ireland event, which finished around 4pm. We then went for a walk, had dinner and spent the evening reading, praying, and just enjoying being with Jesus. Sunday was more of the same – reading, praying, talking, dreaming, eating, more praying. It was a really restful and restorative time.

We don’t feel like the orders have changed a lot since we got here a year ago. The biggest prayers we found ourselves praying were:

• We want to be radically intimate with and radically obedient to Jesus moment by moment (to do what he’s doing and say what he’s saying).
• We want to gather people around us who want to do the same.
• We want people who don’t know or even like Jesus yet to enjoy being around us, feel welcomed and blessed by us, and seek out our company. I feel like this has a lot to do with being radically generous (give me a break, I’m a pastor – I have to have three “radicals” in there).

Dancin' like a fly, bite like a mosquito!