Bumping Up Against the Limits of Language

Near the end of my trip to Poland, Adam (my friend and tour guide extraordinaire) and I relaxed at his parents summer garden home. It was located in a walled and gated community of gardens and summer dwellings. After enjoying some fresh vegetables, a barbeque, and a campfire, we decided to head back to his apartment inside the city.

It was getting dark, and after trying the main gate and the back gate, it seemed that somehow we had been locked inside. As I remember it, we had keys - but they didn't work at either of the gates. We were a little concerned because the walls and gates weren't just for show - they really did keep thieves and vandals out. In this case they were doing a good job of keeping us inside. And we needed to get back to his apartment because we were leaving early the next morning for Warsaw where I would catch my plane home.

Adam recalled that there was one other gate - a small one (walk-thru only) on the far wall. We joked (and hoped) that surely our keys would work and we would be able to get out through it because it was the "narrow gate." Ha ha ha ha ha. Ha. Ahhh bible college humour - how tedious are you? And sure enough, our key opened the narrow gate. We were quite impressed with our very literal and practical application of Matthew 7:13-14:

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Its neat when you have experiences that embody passages of Scripture. Whenever I read these verses I think of that day in Poland when after a few frantic moments and running from gate to gate, we found the small gate and passed through its narrow opening. And although we were trying to "exit" not "enter" I feel the analogy still holds up in that when we find the narrow gate (Jesus) and pass through (salvation) we find horizons and new dimensions of life and existence opening up before us - to where our lives before Jesus and salvation look cramped and restricted, walled in and gated.

I also believe that these verses are descriptive of the field of theology. This became evident to me when I started writing sermons. The pressure of speaking in front people, no less a congregation, no less from the Word of God - - - makes you more attentive than usual to the theological statements you make and the various ways they may possibly be misinterpreted.

This can be good, but for the most part it's just paranoia and you end up wasting time overexplaining for the sake of clarity things that are beside the point and already clear. (Which kind of reminds me of Mr. Casaubon in Middlemarch working on his historical magnum opus but getting nowhere because he was always mired deep in footnotes.) (Also . . . it's always good to credit your audiences' intelligence - - people are usually more perceptive than you think.) Many times I've found myself far down a tangent path trying to get the emphasis just right, the "flip-side of the coin" expressed, the terms all defined.

Theological expression can be an exercise in bumping up against the limits of language. For me "the way is narrow that leads to life" illustrates how on one side of the highway of truth there is the ditch of understatement, and on the other - overemphasis. And we're always sliding from one shoulder to the other, as we try to express ourselves accurately and in accordance with the Word of God, as best we can. And "as best we can" is key because as more than one theologian has put it - the limits of our humanity makes our theological quests for an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God . . . hilarious. But we can find reassurance in that the God that is revealed in Jesus Christ, is the God that comes looking for us.

Take for example, that last sentence. The question may be asked: so, are you saying that God comes looking for us and we are totally passive in salvation? And then if you're saying that do you mean to say that people who never accept salvation are people God forsakes and never comes looking for? So we could get into a discussion about the order of salvation . . . or I could just tell you that the intention of that statement was that we have no knowledge about the God revealed in Jesus Christ other that what he has revealed to us. And he has revealed himself to us so in spite of all the ways we may be incorrect, in spite of our finiteness and his infinity, theology is by no means a hopeless task. And we could take those sentences apart and go down a few more tangents . . .

And while we're talking about clarifying theological statements, I'd like to clarify something I said in my last post. I said that instead of looking at Jesus' life and considering the question WWJD? it would probably be easier to go to the New Testament epistles and see what they explicitly say about how we should live. And that's kind of a crappy thing to say, but this is after all, a blog, not a textbook.

The truth is that Jesus obviously has lots of things to say himself about how we should live - - so forgive me I wasn't trying to pull some weird championing of Paul over the Gospels. My point was more like - - asking WWJD? instead of Jesus, what would you have me do - might have you mistakingly spitting in peoples eyes for their healing (on the other hand, he may ask you to do that . . .) or trying to feed thousands of people with your PB & J sandwiches (but it's possible he may have you do that too). He's unpredictable : )

As C.S. Lewis would say, "He's dangerous! But he's good."

The Man Who Lives

This is coming years and years after the pinnacle of it's popularity, but, remember the whole WWJD? thing? The bracelets & stuff? It actually became so popular that people without any interest in Jesus got in on it and wore the stuff.

I am a reserved person, so imagine what it means when a reserved person says they have reservations. And this is me saying it: "When it comes to any sort of fad, I have my reservations." Mind you, as far as fads go, the WWJD? thing was probably as good as it gets. Nevertheless . . . I had my reservations.

It's not that I wouldn't want to do what Jesus would do. It's more like: have you read the Gospels? Eh? Read them again and be amazed. Jesus does majestically amazing stuff all over the place. It might be easier for us to ask the question, what do the New Testament epistles explicitly say we should do? WDTNTEESWSD? Ok, so not as catchy and it would go all the way around the bracelet, but probably an easier (and obviously valid and relevant) starting point. But when we watch Jesus in action, we are watching something more than somebody embodying a list of ethical do's and don'ts. We are watching pure life in it's fullness walk amongst our death, destruction, and devastation. Lovingly, graciously - redeeming it.

And personally, I'm a little more intrigued with WWJS? What would Jesus say? It's his words that blow me away again and again, each time I read them. (Maybe this is because there are so many times that I don't know what to say.) He spoke with authority. He taught with immediacy and depth - often by telling brief little stories. People tried to catch him in his words . . . but it didn't work very well. His words were truth. His word's were and are all these things because they are both words of life, and words that are alive.

And this is because Jesus is the man who lives (eternal tense). The man who gives life. So maybe instead of asking what would Jesus do, maybe we should just ask him. Jesus, what would you do? What would you have me do? What would you have me say?

Lifeverse

For the longest time I resisted the idea of having a lifeverse. I thought, “Why limit myself to just one . . . ? I don’t want just one – I want them all!”

But back in the spring the idea of having a verse that applied to my life in a special way began to gain momentum. It was an idea that kept surfacing and resurfacing. It was in things I read. It was on the lips of people I talked to. I guess really the idea is not that you necessarily pick a verse that you want to be special. It’s more about coming to recognize a verse that has been on the signposts of your own road again and again.

So I began to think and reflect. And think. And feel. And before long it came to me. It was probably one of the first passages that I highlighted in my bible (when I started doing that . . . probably back in Crusaders). In particular, it was a verse that God had shown himself faithful to me again and again throughout the big (and small) life decisions I’ve made so far.

I landed on my verse when we were on vacation. Sitting on the beach with Kristy, I was all proud of my recent discovery and figured I would go ahead and impress her. So I brought up the topic of the lifeverse and asked her if she had one (thinking that I was the only special one).

Without hesitating she said, “Yep.”

“What is it?”

“Matthew 6:33.”

I sat there for a few moments. Pause.

“No way.”

“What?”

“That’s MINE! Lifeverse stealer.”

[Let this be a lesson to all you potential lifeverse people: other people might have the same lifeverse as you. And that’s ok.]

So as much fun as it might be to write here that we proceeded to get in a big wrestling match – the truth is: how cool is that? That my wife has the same lifeverse as me? That’s another good sign that we’re a match made in heaven.

[By the way – here’s the verse: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” ESV - - - Jeff’s supplemental note: which “things”? all the things you need.]

As I’ve sought to seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness first, he has always provided me with (at the very least) my needs (so often much much more). Recently with increasing frequency our needs are being met through the generousity of friends and family responding obediently and graciously to God’s prompting.

Not long after my happy discoveries ((1) discovering my own lifeverse (2) discovering who I shared it with) I was reading Luke 4. While Jesus probably wouldn’t join the fray, “HEY GUYS! I’ve got a lifeverse TOO!” - - his quotation of Isaiah 61 at the beginning of his ministry comes kind of close to a lifeverse (“kinda” = hundreds of prophecies in the OT refer specifically to him, the NT tells his story and unpacks his ministry, and he is . . . the incarnate Word of God. But just go along with me.)

So, you can go ahead and read Luke 4: 18-19 where Jesus quotes part of Isaiah 61, but let me quote a little larger chunk of it:

The Year of the LORD’s Favor

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.

(Isaiah 61:1-4 ESV)

Pretty cool, huh?

When we first come to faith in Christ, and we begin our journey as his followers and apprentices – it’s exciting! Part of our excitement comes from what we receive. We are fresh recipients and experiencers of God’s grace and forgiveness. Everything becomes fresh again. Broken hearts are bound up, liberty is proclaimed to captives (us).

But as time goes by, things can get stunted in our Christ-following if we stop at just receiving from him. The intention is that we grow into his likeness and take on his ministry. We go from being recipients to becoming dispensers (but note: as we grow in the dispensing we grow even more in the receiving. That’s just the way God is.)

We become the ones to bring good news to the poor.

With that good news, we are sent to bind up the brokenhearted.

To proclaim liberty for the captives.

To open the prisons of those who are bound.

To comfort those who mourn.

To rebuild where there has been destruction.

And on and on . . .


How do we get there? Read the latest Christian book with buzz? Go to the best conferences and hear the best speakers?

Those things may help, but I like what Richard Foster writes in his book Celebration of Discipline:

“To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives. The closer we come to the heartbeat of God the more we see our need and the more we desire to be conformed to Christ . . . In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God’s thoughts after him: to desire the things he desires, to love the things he loves, to will the things he wills. Progressively we are taught to see things from his point of view.”

Progressively we are changed to embody Isaiah 61 (and all the other lifeverses) more and more. In light of how well he said it in the above paragraph, I’d like to give Richard Foster the last word here:

“All who have walked with God have viewed prayer as the main business of their lives.”

Catch of the Day: A Man of the Earth

On Saturday I watched some unusually fascinating television. Jamie Oliver, the Naked Chef, was in Sicily – working with (learning from) an Italian chef. His restaurant was in an incredibly beautiful small village overlooking the Mediterranean.

Jamie spent a week with this chef who was a complete master. His restaurant was low key in appearance: intimate, but no flash. Very down to earth. Yet every night it was packed with foodies and gourmets. Every night this chef performs for the ultra critical crowd, some even come over from the mainland just to eat his food. Every night they leave happy.

The chef’s daily routine makes this even more amazing. Late afternoon he goes to the little market area and buys the catch of the day. Around 4:00 he starts cooking. The evening is spent feeding his patrons. Later on he joins them and they all wine their way late into the night. The next day he does it all over again.

There is no set menu. Everyday he completely depends upon whatever the fishermen catch, and whatever selection of fresh vegetables come over on the boat from the mainland. Based on the raw ingredients that show up each day, this chef comes up with a menu that thrills the most critical palates. Every day.

For all this, Jamie described him as a true man of the earth – living in day-tight compartments, making masterpieces out of whatever each day brings him. And he does it all tucked away in a small village for limited notoriety.

I watched this during a break from sermon preparation. It kind of solidified my impression that preaching the Word of God has a lot of parallels to delivering meals. There are other analogies, but this is the one that works best for me. But here’s the twist – the Word of God is the real meal, and everyday food is the analogy to that reality. See John 6.

Good meals bring people together, they give sustenance to the partakers, and inspire them to try their own hand at feeding themselves well. Exquisite meals can happen from time to time, but good meals should happen daily.

Watching this Naked Chef episode from Sicily was almost like watching something from another planet to my North American eyes. You just don’t see people living like that here – daily displays of mastery from the raw materials of the day? What about the five year plan? What about corporate strategy? What about buying ingredients wholesale? What about hiring more staff and starting new locations?

This man of the earth gave me a fresh appreciation for The Man of the Earth (his version was “son of man”). How did Jesus minister? Day-tight compartments, in obedience to the voice of the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Not a lot of time spent on logistics and strategy, yet such an uncanny mind-blowing impact on the world. And all in only 3 years.