This is a talk I gave at Valley Life Center Foursquare Church on Sunday, February 17, 2013. I address what I call the “us and them” perspective and the implications past and present of holding such a perspective. There is a lively dialogue that follows the talk. Enjoy!
A friend emailed me this message below, which, as it turns out, was a Facebook post. Even though I cannot qualify the validity of the story, the concept is, nonetheless, of value for those wanting to follow Jesus.
An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told the kids that who ever got there first won the sweet fruits. When he told them to run they all took each others hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats. When he asked them why they had run like that as one could have had all the fruits for himself they said: ”UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?”
‘UBUNTU’ in the Xhosa culture means: “I am because we are.”
The example of love from Scripture is that of Jesus laying down his life for the salvation of humanity. I recently heard a definition of love as an action. “I’ll act for your highest good, regardless of myself.” In our altruistic, binary, either/or culture, this definition makes sense. But, I think we can learn a thing or two from our African brothers.
Ubuntu. I am because we are.
Jesus told us to love our neighbor as our selves. Maybe we should act for the highest good of my neighbor as I would want to be loved. Instead trying to divorce ourselves from the equation of love (which is impossible), let’s make it an integrated action, elevating our neighbor to the level in which we want to be loved. In a sense, both Jesus and the concept of ubuntu combat extreme selfishness and selflessness. Loving our neighbor as ourself can only take place in a community whose basis is mutuality, respect, and love. I am because we are, and we are because Christ is. May our love continue to grow as we follow in the ways of Jesus.
Grace and peace,
Brook
For this year’s Advent series, we will look at the themes of Advent, hope, peace, joy, love, and Christ, through the lens of community. This week let’s see how we can be a community of Christ’s love. (Since my thoughts this year are so close between the last two themes, love and Christ, I will combine them in one article.)
Christmas is love. Or, at least it should be. It is love that gave us Jesus’ birth. (John 3:16, Luke 1:38) It is by love that he lived, died as an atoning sacrifice for our sin, resurrected, and ascended. (Philippians 2:5-11, 1 John 3:16) Advent and Christmas are the remembering and celebrating this love.
To be clear, the definition of love that I am working with is that love is a giving of one’s self. God gave of himself by giving his son. Mary gave of herself by receiving Jesus as her son. Jesus gave of himself by living for God that he may die for us.
I believe that the church is the physical expression of Christ on the earth. As such, the church is to love as Christ loved, since it is his example we are to follow.
The beautiful thing about love is that it can only flow from love. We are only asked to do what Jesus himself has done for us. At Christmas we can receive the love of God in Jesus so that we can in turn love as Jesus loved.
May God’s love be yours as you love those around you this Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Grace and peace,
Brook
Last Wednesday I was at Cub Scouts with my son who is nearly seven years old. The Cub Master asked the group of boys what holiday is next. My son’s hand shot up, and he was called on. He answered Christmas. The Cub Master in good form replied, “Yes, Christmas is coming soon, but there is still one more holiday before that one.” My son then answered Thanksgiving. The Cub Master, expecting a specific answer, asked, “What happens at Thanksgiving?” My son answered, “We thank God.” Cub Master, “Wow! That’s right! And, what else do we do?” My son, “Eat good food!” This last answer was the segue the Cub Master was looking for to make an announcement. If you can’t tell, my heart was bursting with pride and beaming with gratitude. He caught the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)
I am always amazed at the innocent imitation of children. With their limited context they simply do what they see and hear. In the above passage, Paul is instructing the Ephesians to be like children in this way, imitating God by following Jesus’ example. In the wholeheartedness of children is the willingness to love unreservedly. As Thanksgiving approaches, let’s look to love one another like children, imitating the ways of Jesus, and may our gratitude be as genuine as the thanks is of little ones we care for.
Grace and peace,
Brook
Brothers and sisters, if a person is caught doing something wrong, you who are spiritual should restore someone like this with a spirit of gentleness. Watch out for yourselves so you won’t be tempted too. Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are important when they aren’t, they’re fooling themselves. Each person should test their own work and be happy with doing a good job and not compare themselves with others. Each person will have to carry their own load. (Galatians 6:1-5)
I was encouraged by what the children at VLC will learn in Kids’ Church this Sunday – how to care for someone in need, especially those who are close to you. The passage above is the basis of their lesson.
It is easy for us to be absorbed in our own little worlds and fail to look across the street, across the church aisle, or even across the dinner table. This weekend, I will be examining my heart as to how I can be a help for those in need near me. I pray we all can hear God’s heart for our brother or sister, and that our hearts will be changed, so that we will reach out in love, bearing one another’s burden.
Grace and peace,
Brook
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)
This is one of my favorite passages in the Scriptures. When I was younger, I would use it to straighten myself out. I read it singularly, telling myself that if I really loved Jesus, I wouldn’t do stupid things. But as I read it this morning, I realized that Paul wrote it in the plural. He is basically rephrasing Jesus’ “love God by loving others” teaching. (Mark 12:30-31) The point of living “self- controlled, upright and godly lives” is not to make sure we keep a clean record, but rather to keep in mind that when we sin, we sin against someone and are not walking in love. Jesus didn’t give himself for our salvation to make a society of goody-two-shoes, but a community of lovers, “eager to do what is good.” We love God best when we love others well. The grace for salvation we received from Jesus and his people is extended and embodied as we choose to love as his people empowered by his grace. “Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
Grace and peace,
Brook
As an encouragement during this election year with all its posturing, positioning, and finger pointing, before we jump in to the fray (politically, theologically, societally) let’s remember that we are first human before anything else, and that we are dealing with other humans. I believe that Jesus speaks to this in two ways, his teaching on the two greatest commandments, and through his life as the incarnated Son of God. I interpret Jesus’ teaching on the two greatest commandments (love God and love others) as we love God well when we love others well. (Luke 10:27) The Apostle Paul encapsulated Jesus’ earthly life in Philippians 2:5-8.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death-
even death on a cross!
God, in order to deal with the sinful condition of humanity, himself had to become a human in the person of Jesus Christ, and in so doing overcame sin and became for us a perfect sacrifice for our sins. In all this he became our example of how to live humanly, treating all with dignity, grace, and love.
So, before we decide to make our case, let’s remember that the one with whom we may disagree is, too, a person that Jesus loves and died for.
Grace and peace,
Brook
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17
In my last few posts I wrote about participation in the mission of God and the word of God. There is one thing that ties these three posts together, the mission, word, and people all belong to God. With that in mind, God is not looking for us to bring our resources, but to be the resource. He desires that we lay aside our agendas and align ourselves to what he is doing, saying, and building. In love he has made us to be gifts to his people.
In the above passage the Apostle Paul works out what it means to love one another, which is the hallmark of the people of God. The priority of this passage is otherness, seeking what’s best for one another to the glory God.
I know this is hard to hear as an American, and even harder to embrace, but we know that in the counterintuitive way of the kingdom of God, receiving is in giving, honor is in serving, and living is in dying.
So as we participate in the people of God, again we realize it’s not about us. And what we do need, God will provide as we give ourselves to one another and to him. The least and the greatest thing of all is that we belong to the people of God. We are his.
Grace and peace,
Brook
With this Sunday being Guatemala Mission Sunday at Valley Life Center, I’ve been thinking about the mission of the church as being grounded in the mission of God. I even mentioned the mission of God as the framework for our Sunday conversations on joy over the last few weeks. I described it like this, the mission of God is a mission of love (John 3:16) and it’s out of God’s unconditional love for his creation that the Son was sent to redeem not only the people of God, but as well, all creation. My point about joy and the mission of God was that just as love and joy were integral to creation they are both integral in redemption, making all things new.
The beautiful thing about the mission of God is that God invites us to participate in this mission in Christ. The goal of the mission of God is to establish the kingdom of God both in this age but also in the age to come. We participate in this mission when we orient ourselves to God’s mission, to others, and to the world – in the context of the local church. (Thanks, Scot McKnight.)
It sounds silly, but we first must become aware of God’s mission to be able to participate in it. I only mention this because Christianity has over the generations become more and more individualistic, focusing on the benefits to those who believe, instead of becoming part of something God wants to do in the world. If God is others oriented, then his church should be as well. The fun and challenging part is exploring how the mission of God can be expressed within the local church.
Even though we do a lot of things at VLC that can be described as missional, I pray that we continue to ask God how we can connect to the mission of God both as individuals and the body of Christ.
Grace and peace,
Brook
“He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. His purpose was to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ until we all reach the unity of faith and knowledge of God’s Son. God’s goal is for us to become mature adults-to be fully grown, measured by the standard of the fullness of Christ.” ( Ephesians 4:11-13)
This week I had the chance to talk with a brother in our church. He was expressing a desire to be a pastor, even though he is currently in the business world. Through our conversation I got to share that being a pastor is a gift from the Lord to his church, not just a position within the organization of the church. I was able to affirm his desire to be a pastor based on how I’ve seen him live out his faith, mainly caring for people. He is using God’s gift to him to the benefit of others and the glory of God.
Why am I sharing this story? It comes out of my preparation for this Sunday’s conversation – The Culture of Joy.
An aspect of the culture of joy is celebrating diversity. This is something I think we do well as a faith community. I’ve always appreciated that we strive for unity over uniformity, and the manifold way God uses us for the expansion of his kingdom.
If, as we discovered last Sunday, that joy is an expression of God’s character and we rejoice in God’s gift of ministers then we can find strength in the many strands of his people standing together in love for him and one another. Let’s continue to celebrate who God has made us to be in his family!
Grace and peace,
Brook