“… ‘Go out at once into the streets and the lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame’… ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.’’ Luke 14:21-23.
The King has spoken. He has issued a command and His servants obey. In my estimation, this parable is one of the most interesting in the gospels.
First, it is a parable…meaning it is an earthly
story that illustrates a heavenly reality. The setting is a celebration
banquet, a huge fellowship event where the grace of the Master is freely given
and on full display.
Second, many of those on the “most likely” list
were too busy, too distracted, and too self-consumed to accept the invitation.
Third, the King never changed His plan, only expanded
His guest list. He still chose to show His grace but He focused on those who
most would overlook…the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame, and the
outsider. Yes, those who were far from God became the focus of His attention.
Fourth, the King directed His servants… ‘go get
them’…all of the needy who would appreciate His gracious invitation. The
servant did over and over…calling and compelling, inviting and encouraging
all who would come to join the banquet of celebration.
Fifth and finally, the King was not satisfied until
all of the seats at the banquet were filled.
We are the servants…men and women who are under authority and entrusted with the message, to call and compel…telling them, “The King desires for them to join the banquet!”
The King’s heart is what prompts us as a church to embrace the vision…to see that 96,000 of our unchurched neighbors would hear the invitation from the King… “come and take your seat at the banquet.” We go, not according to our own initiative, but under instruction. We do not provide the banquet from our resources but proclaim His plentiful resources. We do not glory in our own generosity but as eyewitnesses of His!
Who have you told about this incredible invitation? It is my heart and my hope that every person who calls Englewood home would have the privilege to go into the streets and lanes of our city, into the highways and along the hedges of our counties…to call and compel others to come, so that they may experience the glorious grace of the King personally! I believe this is your heart as well. So, GO…and share with us the stories that we may rejoice together at the grace of our Lord.
A friend recently returned from an extended trip across several time zones. As we visited one day, I casually asked about jet lag and reacclimating to his routine. He noted that everything was back in place except one component…the morning disciplines.
What are your disciplines? When I was a soldier in the US
Army, our typical week ran like clockwork. There was always morning physical
training (PT). There was always a morning meeting (formation), an end of the
day “debrief” (formation), and preparation of equipment and supplies for the
following day. These “disciplines” have been the source of much “parent
entertainment” with my family through the years. Yes…I am the dad that returned
from a camping trip with the boys and required that all of the gear be set back
up, cleaned and inspected, repackaged for the next excursion, and
systematically stored for a short-notice departure. The rationale for this was
not some pressing need to deploy the family into the woods, but the lingering
influence of habit…routine…discipline.
Generally speaking, I have a routine/discipline that drives my discipleship in Christ now. I tend to rise early…meaning that by 5:30am or so, I am already enjoying a cup of morning coffee and engaged in one of 3-5 devotional guides and daily bible readings. I follow a reading plan…a system, so that I won’t miss out on anything or skip over some uncomfortable part of the Scriptures. I make breakfast (nearly) every morning for Jodi and me. It is the same basic breakfast every day. I pack the same items into a briefcase and carry it to the truck so I can leave by the same general time every day. This is so I can get to the office before prayer time.
The point is not that I have a boring routine (though you
may be under that impression). The point is that I have certain milestones
driven into the ground that keep me grounded, facilitate achievement of defined
objectives, and provide much needed provisions for the day. When something
interrupts this discipline, I feel a bit “undone.” Because of my morning
discipline, my evening activities are generally shorter and often include an
early bedtime. If Jodi and I watch a late movie or a DVRd television show, my
morning disciple becomes a little more tedious and strained. So…to guard the
morning discipline (which is of ultimate value) I have to intentionally take
captive the runaway distractions of the evening.
Here is the point (and the question): For you, what are the defined goals and objectives that are critical to achieve? What disciplines are in place to promote, protect, and facilitate those objectives? How are your habits as they relate to these objectives?
Eugene Peterson described the Christian life as “a long
obedience in the same direction.” In other words, it consists of defined goals
and consistent progress toward them based on the desired outcomes rather than the
influence of emotions. Our “faith”
informs our habits/disciplines and our disciplines/habits influence our faith.
Do your habits reflect your priorities? Did they once? If so
and this is not the case today, start over. Don’t wait until next January and a
new wave of resolutions. Begin today. Define the goal. Lay out the strategy.
Adjust everything else around it. Begin again.
“discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness…” 1 Timothy 4:7
Sitting in front of his home, he dropped the truth-bomb in the form of a question: “How much golf are you playing these days?” My response, which fit perfectly the nuances of the culture, was simple…” Doc, I’ve got so much going on, I can’t find time to even get to the range.” His response has stuck with me now for more than sixteen years: “Chris, golf is kind of like your quiet time with the Lord…you always have time for what you love.”
Now I am not making a play for more time in the fairways. (Honestly, anyone who has ever played with me knows I have very little experience in the fairways. My game is “Army golf”…. Left, Left, Left, Right, Left). The truth really resonates though…you always have time for what you love most…what is most important.
I remember some time back…a person came to me for spiritual advice. Actually, the previous week’s Sunday message really spoke to the situation, so I asked if the person had been there to hear it. “No, I was doing ____.” By the way, it was a good thing that this person was doing! It seems though that the activity was not the best thing. Honestly, though, that’s the real choice for most of us. It isn’t that we are choosing between helping a little ole lady across the street or robbing a bank. In that case, the choice is clear. More often in life, our choices are between good and best in any given matter.
Let me propose 3 considerations, which are not exhaustive by any measure, that should guide the decision…if we want to experience God’s best in our lives.
First, has God already spoken to the decision? As a pastor, I am admittedly more in-tune with (and biased toward) church attendance than a lot of Christians. Often times I will hear, “My schedule is so busy that the only time to do ____ is on Sunday, so we chose to do _____. Is this a faith issue? Has God already spoken directly to the matter? (See Hebrews 10:23-25 as one example). How do the “one another” passages of Scripture get fulfilled if we are not with one another?
Second, how does this decision directly affect others? Now I know that our default thinking on matters of faith is how does our decision affect us? If I skip church today, will I be less tired, happier, less encouraged, etc? What if, though, we considered our actions from its impact on others. Does my absence help the body? Does my absence free up a needed seat for someone else? Does my absence become a distraction or perhaps keep me out of place, so that I cannot help someone else with a struggle in their lives?
Third, what message does my action communicate to others? When our boys were growing up in the home, we had busy lives like everyone else…but we worked to make sure we were in our place in our assembled church every Sunday. (By the way, this conviction preceded my work in vocational ministry). As such, both of my sons have left the home and for years have faithfully attended and served in their local church bodies. Is that because we took them to church? Not completely, but I think it helped solidify priorities in their minds. Besides, Proverbs 22:6 implies that if we want our children to follow in our/ the Lord’s ways, we must train them up in the way we should go.
I talk with dads often who want to be the spiritual leader in their home. I believe they genuinely want to be the best at it. What I also believe to be true is they ARE the spiritual leader in their home…the only question is where are they leading? If we regularly choose the lake house, or travel ball, or sporting events, or working Sundays, or relaxing by the pool…we lead those who look up to us to believe that there more important things to do than to be connected to the body of Christ. I don’t think that is the intended message…and I am not certain that it is immediately evident that the values are transferred from generation to generation. Eventually, though, it happens. Your son drops church from weekly to monthly to a few times per year at best. He chooses work ahead of other things that you wish he gave higher priority. He passes these new values on to your grandchildren (his children) and you wrestle with why his faith is so shallow. Could it be, as my friend Allan Taylor said to me recently, “Your leadership is perfectly designed to give you the results you’re getting.”
I could go on, but I wonder if the Lord might already have signaled your heart about a change you should consider. If so, know this: God allows (and even encourages) U-turns.
Guilty. I have thought this way before, but as I am moving firmly into the second half of my life (though you might say…’more like the 4th quarter’) I realize that we don’t have plenty of time. Time, for us, is finite…at least on this earth. Then, infinity based on our actions during this brief span of existence.
In my reading of Proverbs this morning, I was given a glimpse BACK to the mind and thoughts of “naïve” Chris…who felt invincible, lived recklessly, and persisted only by God’s mercy.
Proverbs 1:22- “How long, O naïve ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”
The writer classifies those who are ignorant in the simplicity of their thinking, those who are contrarians to the claims of truth, and those who deny the truth as essentially one…at least in the outcome. He goes on to state in the remaining verses in the remaining verses that these did not see the actions of Wisdom (the personification of God) or they resisted Wisdom or flatly rejected Wisdom. As such…time ran out and they were left with the consequences of choices (1:26, 28, 30). The result or consequence of their position? They could no longer respond!
The clock ran out. More accurately…when they were sleeping, the thief broke in and stole away with what was certainly their possession (opportunity) and it was permanently and irreversibly taken away.
At some stage in our lives, we (who have heard the gospel seemingly forever) think…I can do that (repentance, baptism, study to grow, seeking forgiveness, discipling others, sharing Christ) tomorrow; however, God calls us to do that now! There may be no tomorrow…but worse, we forsake the gift of today when we delay our obedience.
No one has forever to respond. One cannot sit in a worship gathering week after week rehearsing in their mind… “one day when I have had all of my fun…THEN, I will respond to God’s call.” We do not know when the clock runs out but we most certainly do not have “Plenty of Time.”
The consequence of delay/dispute/or denial is being left to the product of our own works (1:27-29, 30, 31, 32).
BUT.
(That is how v.33 begins and I am grateful that it does…)
“he who listens to me” describing the one who seeks wisdom, submits to counsel, and acknowledges God…”shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
In other words, the one who stops trying “market timing” with the ways of God shall have peace. He will be prosperous in the things of God. He will experience joy. He will walk in the comfort and security of the Holy Spirit. He will be unphased by the threat of calamity because he knows the One who reigns sovereignly over all things.
Finally, I am reminded that for years I have preached to others two things that I must be constantly reminded of myself:
That Christ came to give us abundant life now…not just a heavenly inheritance of abundance. (John 10:10).
If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). That’s the “but” of the story…
Question to consider: Are you watching the clock and waiting on some time or place in the future to be obedient? Is the risk worth it? No one has “plenty of time” to choose our own destiny; rather, we have today…and a good, good God who beckons… “come home…come to Me…come let us reason together…come away…”
He beckons…but not forever. Today…choose to yield and begin or begin again.
I don’t recall the exact year, but it was like a switch went off. One day I was satisfied with my model cars, toy guns and my pretend secret lair where my cardboard computer allowed me to take over the world. The next day, I realized…”I’m older now and these things no longer entertain me or serve the purpose of amusement that they once did.” I could still be nostalgic about them, but it was time to move on. I don’t think this was unique to my experience; rather, I recall a similar transition with both of my sons. Even with Jodi and myself as a couple after a few years of marriage, we were no longer satisfied with the status quo and decided to move on. Everyone is created to “grow up.”
That makes sense to us as we observe life…but do we see our spiritual development the same way? If a 30 year old man still played on the floor with matchbox cars or had a pretend “bat cave” with cardboard super-computer in his closet…we’d think something was a little off; however, we accept, unchallenged, that it is ok to be stunted in our growth spiritually…never progressing from the elementary principles to the life-altering responsibilities and corresponding blessings of being a disciple.
The Apostle Paul said, “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11).
He admonished the same people (the church) to grow up…stating that their immaturity had actually prevented him from taking them to the depths of truth in Christ.
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as men of flesh, as infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking as mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
So we see in the passage that some responsibility for maturing in the faith rested on the believers. They could not receive because they were still fleshly. We take this to mean that they were controlled more by self-interest and satisfaction than by pursuit of sanctification. They did not desire to grow and become like Christ; rather, they sought a measure of comfort in their contemporary existence. They wanted to be happy, comfortable and catered to.
How could the Apostle truly know their heart? He indicates in the passage above and expounds on it in the following verses. He said they were controlled by the flesh…as manifested in their prideful boasting and bickering over which teacher they most closely aligned with. In other words, their actions gave them away. Jesus gave a similar diagnostic model when he said that you could read a man’s heart by the words that came out of his mouth (Matthew 15:18-19).
So the solution to immaturity is twofold according to the Scriptures: The Holy Spirit is working to conform us, and we are seeking to be conformed/perfected in the faith. God has already laid His cards on the table: He is seeking to shape us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). That should excite us! It should drive us to strive toward it with great effort!
We are not, as disciples wholly passive in this process. In one sense the Holy Spirit is drawing us to progress, shaping, convicting, convincing, and correcting us toward maturity. In another sense, we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. We are to progress according to our desire to mature.
Granted, many people would say, “I want to be mature.” No doubt. I want to have 5% body fat and be able to benchpress a Toyota pickup. But if I use my gym time to make a second run at the buffet, you’d tell me that my desire is misplaced.
How?
Daily Disciplines. Set a system of actions that correspond to your beliefs and goals. Read, Think/meditate, Pray, Write, etc.
Accountability. Ge tinto a group that is small enough to know you well and bold enough to challenge you when you need (but don’t necessarily want) it. Let them encourage you.
Community. This is the communal responsibility of mutual dependency. It is you needing others and being the person that others need.
Service and responsibility. Beyond being, this is the uncomfortable place of pouring out yourself toward others and for Him. Jesus saved us to serve…to fulfill the works He created for us (Eph 2:10). That’s why He saved us! (Eph 2:8-9).
Hold up pastor! I know a lot of people who say they’re Christians that don’t do any of that stuff. Friend, and I mean that…friend: That is not possible. You can’t love Jesus and become what he desires and designed without these four things. No way around it. Maturity is the objective and these four things are part of the way. So…dear friend…do you want to rot your teeth on a baby bottle of milk…are are you ready for the juicy Ribeye of faithful living…
How do you know the “right decision” to make in life?
Some would say, “Just follow your heart…”
Trust the “inner voice.”
Listen to your heart.
The heart wants what the heart wants.
All of these sayings could find themselves on the cover of a Hallmark card or in the affirming comments of a Facebook thread…but does that make them accurate?
Can we really trust our “heart?”
Scripture reminds us that, “He who trusts his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered.” Proverbs 28:26.
This proverb really captures the essence of the tension we face daily in the discernment and decision-making phases of our lives.
First…there is the affirmation of CHOICE that is given to each one. “He who trusts…he who walks…” Here there are two truths: What a man does (his walk) testifies to what a man thinks in his heart (his trust). It is foolish and inconsistent to look at a man’s evil activities and then comment, “but he has a good heart.” That is patently untrue, unbiblical, and unhelpful.
Jesus said, “Out of a man’s mouth comes the meditations of the heart” (Matthew 15:18-19). Anger spews from an angry heart. Attacks, slanders, lies…they all overflow from the percolation of the evil within a man’s heart. Kindness, humility, and meekness rise up from a heart rooted in and committed to Christ.
It is critical to accept this truth because without it we are left with self-help practices of learning to “count to 10” before we speak or some other form of behavior modification. Until we identify the source of the problem we will only treat the symptoms. The prophet Jeremiah helps us to identify the source when he states, “The heart of man is desperately wicked…who can even know his own heart?”(Jeremiah 17:9).
Second, there is the identification of the source of our authority in life. Do we trust in our feelings, logic, leanings, or polling to determine what is right? Aren’t the outcomes of such ideas the billboards of foolishness…the enacting of laws that allow the taking of a living child before birth, but the preservation of a murderers’ life while on death row? In the case of abortion, are we (as a society) not elevating one life over another (the mother over the child) and in the case of death row…the inmate’s life over the offense to the image of God and the necessity for justice?
We choose which authority to rely on: our hearts…or Holy Scripture. Because of our wicked hearts, it is difficult to submit to Scripture, but only God’s Word (the objective standard for truth) can deliver us from the consequences of evil.
Third, there is the reality of consequences. No one draws salt water from a spring, or fresh water from an ocean. You cannot follow the heart and expect protection from the consequences of unwise living. Following your heart leads to a fool’s reward…with one exception: a heart that is intentionally turned to and dependent on the Lord will find its delight (Psalm 37:4-5). To follow one’s heart apart from God’s Word is to live foolishly (as if there is no God but self). However, to bow before the Lord, to submit to the truth of His Word will always deliver.
I suspect we all “monkey around” with the truthful declarations of the Lord in hopes that we can find a way to pursue wickedness with a clear conscience. Such desire is foolish. Choose a wise walk. Follow Jesus, not your heart.
Sitting in front of his home, he dropped the truth-bomb in the form of a question: “How much golf are you playing these days?” My response, which fit perfectly the nuances of the culture, was simple…” Doc, I’ve got so much going on, I can’t find time to even get to the range.” His response has stuck with me now for more than sixteen years: “Chris, golf is kind of like your quiet time with the Lord…you always have time for what you love.”
Guilty. I have thought this way before, but as I am moving firmly into the second half of my life (though you might say…’more like the 4th quarter’) I realize that we don’t have plenty of time. Time, for us, is finite…at least on this earth. Then, infinity based on our actions during this brief span of existence.
I don’t recall the exact year, but it was like a switch went off. One day I was satisfied with my model cars, toy guns and my pretend secret lair where my cardboard computer allowed me to take over the world. The next day, I realized…”I’m older now and these things no longer entertain me or serve the purpose of amusement that they once did.” I could still be nostalgic about them, but it was time to move on. I don’t think this was unique to my experience; rather, I recall a similar transition with both of my sons. Even with Jodi and myself as a couple after a few years of marriage, we were no longer satisfied with the status quo and decided to move on. Everyone is created to “grow up.”
How do you know the “right decision” to make in life?
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