SECRET #55 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

Jesus warns His disciples that they will be hated by the world. He says in John 15: "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master ' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me."

It's clear the world will hate Jesus' disciples. If you believe that the world hates you, two consequences will emerge. FIRST-There is a tendency to feel like a helpless minority, living in a world that rejects you. If this is true for you, then you will either avoid or withdraw from the people of the world or you might overcompensate and try to control the people of this world and put them into your religious box. So the result is either a holy huddle (we four and no more) or a Christian power block to force people to obey your rules and standards.

SECOND-There is a tendency to "take a stand" for righteousness and to establish sacred noble causes that are all opposed to the world. Several years ago, Bob Briner in his book, Roaring Lambs, used to have as a subtitle: "7 Noble Causes That Keep Christians from Changing the World". He listed the following: 1. Squabbling over prayer in public schools! 2. Making Jesus a right-winger! 3. Thwarting the homosexual agenda! 4. Fighting other Christians over doctrinal purity! 5. Shutting down the abortion clinics! 6. Cleaning up television! 7. Fighting for family values!

This is still happening today-even this past week. A group of "influential" and "intelligent" Christians "taking a stand" against three noble causes, none of which compares to the pre-eminence or transforming power of Jesus. These may be noble causes, but when they become the focus and the "stand" you must take against the world, they push the world away from Jesus. It's a refusal to make the main thing the main thing. The main thing is Jesus, not these or any other issues no matter how important you believe them to be.

"Taking a stand" becomes so ugly. It's no wonder Christians are known for their condemning and judgmental spirit and not for the love of Jesus. For example, it's impossible to say to a homosexual, "I love you." Then, to tell him he is going to hell for being a homosexual. You just can't it both ways.

Now, it's been my experience that when you are troubled by something in the scriptures, keep reading. In John 16, Jesus clarifies who this world is: "All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the hour is coming when those who kill you will think they are offering a service to God." And then Luke records some interesting words along this same line that gives us even more clarification on the kind of hate Jesus is talking about. In the 6th chapter of Luke Jesus says: "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of Me."

Who is the world? Who are these people? They will put you out of their synagogues-their religious establishments-and will think that they are doing a righteous act-the right thing-as they come against you. They will think they are offering a service to God by their actions. Who are these people? They are the religious ones who are at the helm of their man-made systems and simply Jesus-Jesus plus nothing-interrupts what they already have going for them. The world is not the secular world system, but the religious. This brings us to SECRET #55: The follower of Jesus knows he will be hated by the religious world.

We have more in common with the fellow travelers of the world than with the religious. It's the religious who believe they have it altogether and don't have need for Jesus that Jesus criticized and attacked. He called them vipers and painted tombstones. He really wasn't nice to them, because they are the greatest threat to the Jesus movement today. The non-religious are much more attracted to Jesus and to you as you practice the principles and teachings of Jesus and lovingly touch them.

Note Jesus' disciples are hated by the religious world primarily because of the name of Jesus: "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me." This is what's missing in the Christian world today-the matchless name of Jesus! Instead of taking a stand against sin and sinners or for the traditional Christian faith and tenets; take a stand with Jesus-simply Jesus.

SECRET #54 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

SECRET #54 is: The follower of Jesus knows the power of the few. The primary example of the "power of the few" is found in Jesus' method of operation. Instead of using "Madison Avenue" marketing methods, Jesus launched His movement with a few-just three to be exact-Peter, James and John. He then selected nine more, then He sent out 72 in a 2 by 2 formation. Although Jesus spoke to large groups from time to time, He mostly hung out with a few at a time. Jesus obviously believed the "few" were more powerful than the masses. Why is this?

A long-time friend and mentor, Dr. Ed Neteland, used to say that he envisioned the concept like a rocket ship. In order to achieve blast off the power must all be put in a very small space. Jesus not only practiced this principle faithfully, but He instructed His disciples to do the same. He sent them out in small groupings. And, even after the resurrection, we see the disciples of Jesus practicing this same principle.

The classic example is the threesome that walked into Thessalonica for about 3 and a half weeks. Their relationship was a powerful little fellowship of followers of Jesus, so powerful that the impact spread throughout Asia Minor. We miss the fact that all three men wrote the letters to the Thessalonians. We always think Paul did the writing, because most translations put that ascription at the beginning of the books. And, those notes and headings throughout the many translations are not Scripture, but man's interpretations and many times miss the real point of the passage.

Not only did Jesus use the power of the few most effectively and His disciples followed His example, but today it is so important that we catch on to this dynamic. This essential can be most helpful in getting our minds off of the massive shows and demonstrations of Christianity and focus on the life transforming dynamic of hanging out with a few in the name of Jesus. Jesus promised that He would show up whenever two or three gather together in His name.

Now that I am into the power of the few, I am discovering that the few really, genuinely get it and embrace it for themselves. You see, when someone really gets what it means to walk with Jesus in His Kingdom presence, the message becomes contagious. To me, the power of the few is very effective in de-Christianizing Jesus and is a must for all who are serious about following Jesus.

The power of the few is what we have always sought within the organized church when we promote "small groups" of any kind. But even a small group may not get the results that we're talking about in the "power of the few". The real dynamic of the "power of the few" is genuine fellowship-participation in one another's lives in such a way so as to develop a personal support system. This support system becomes so strengthening that it serves as your inner security system. I am stronger as I live my life in relationship with other brothers and sisters.

We all need the powerful, interactive, relational support of other followers of Jesus in our lives. THE POWER OF THE FEW. The power of the few is the dwelling place of the presence of Jesus, Himself.

We live in an age of mega-sizing! Bigger is better! Whatever is mega ought to be better than what is small-especially is this true with respect to ministries. The killer question that is always asked of a church or a ministry is: "How many?" The living myth is that Jesus is most pleased with these numbers and the masses.

We are seeing this play out in our ministry. We are focusing on the few and as those few really get it, the message of Jesus spreads like a wildfire. You see, within the context of the few, you are able to really get to know one another and put the principles and teachings into practice. This kind of experience is the taste of reality everyone is longing for. This is the Jesus movement at its best!

Jesus taught: "Where two or three are gathered together in His name, He will show up." This is what we want. This is what we desperately need. We need Jesus to show up among us and lead out with His orders and opportunities. You see, Jesus won't be found within the mega-church or mega-ministry as easily as within the context of the few. There's nothing wrong with the mega-church or mega-ministry, but there is something far better that Jesus had in mind.

Jesus prefers showing up when a few are gathered together in His name. If you knew Jesus was going to show up some place this week, wouldn't you want to be there, too? SECRET #54 is: The follower of Jesus knows the power of the few.

SECRET #53 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

Whenever I share the message of Jesus plus nothing, most frequently I get an initial response-a quote from the mouth of Jesus: "I am the way, the truth and the life." This usually comes from a person who is friendly to me and is appealing to me from what is considered to be a foundational statement from Jesus, Himself. And by the way, I couldn't agree more, but I don't see Jesus as narrow and exclusive.

The damage that comes from seeing Jesus as narrow and exclusive fuels the sense of "we are the only ones who are right and going to heaven" and the rest of the world is wrong and going to hell. In addition to this, viewing Jesus as narrow and exclusive in this prideful way and believing that our way of thinking and believing is the only way, truth and life as well, does something that Jesus abhors.

Embracing this thinking shuts the door of the Kingdom on everyone else who is not one of us and we have become the judge on the matter. Granted this statement of Jesus seems to be quite narrow and exclusive, but it's only narrow and exclusive if Jesus lives within the limitations of a Christian box. Since I separate Jesus from Christianity, deny that Jesus is the founder of the Christian Church and reject the mission of Jesus as being to convert the world to Christianity, people believe I must be removing Jesus from being the way, the truth and the life.

This couldn't be further from the truth! It's not that Jesus is so narrow and exclusive; Jesus is more preeminent than we have ever dreamed and He is all-inclusive. He'll work with anyone! This brings us to SECRET #53: The follower of Jesus is all-inclusive.

In Jesus' first seminar in Matthew 5-7 He made a radical statement with respect to His relationship with the Jewish Law and traditions. He said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Literally, Jesus didn't come to abolish the Laws and traditions of the Jewish culture; He came to fill it full-to bring fullness to it. It's like the Jewish culture with its Law and traditions was like a glass-a form with some sort of structure to it. Then, Jesus came to fill up that form or glass to its fullest-to fill it full. Jesus came to bring ultimate meaning and fullness to the Jewish religious system. In other words, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life for the Jewish dreams and yearnings.

In the same way, I am coming to believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life for all cultural and religious systems and traditions. Jesus is the meaning and fullness everyone is looking for. Jesus fills up the various forms or glasses of every culture.

This may seem a little far-fetched for you to embrace at first, but give it some thought. We are finding the footprints of Jesus in every culture. Many years ago Don Richardson wrote a groundbreaking book Eternity In Their Hearts. His research demonstrated that the fingerprints of the Creator-God were found to be in many cultures. God is already there, because God placed "eternity in their hearts".

Our mission must be to introduce Jesus to the cultures of the world and encourage them to respond with their unique, cultural customs. Wherever this is done, the Jesus movement flourishes. Jesus is all-inclusive and wants to work with everyone. Jesus met the woman at the well who was a Samaritan with very different beliefs regarding the center of worship. He left her with cultural beliefs intact, except that He trumped the center of worship by saying that someday the center of worship will not be in a given location, but in your heart.

Jesus' encounter with the Roman Centurion, who no doubt grew up with the Roman gods, yet Jesus does not speak to this at all. His concern was his faith. When Jesus declared the Roman official's faith as outstanding, even greater than He had seen among the house of Israel, Jesus didn't tell this man to make sure to repent and go renounce the many Roman deities or his faith would be for naught.

Further in the scene in the healing of the Roman Centurion's servant, Jesus says: "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."

In the 17th chapter of Acts Paul speaks in Athens and says: "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us." God made the nations-all nations-in such a way so that all men might seek and find Him. SECRET #53? The follower of Jesus is all-inclusive.

SECRET #52 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

God in a box! Humans seem to be bent on creating God in their own image. They have this need of making sure that God is on their side-that God is one of them. It's actually a subtle way of controlling God to work for them. By putting God in a box, He is limited of His power and localized so people can visit Him whenever they want to. Oh, and people can also not visit God, too.

The same kind of thing is continually done with Jesus. Everyone wants to put Jesus into his or her own image, religious system or cause. Jesus has become the brand for Christianity and within Christianity those who claim to be devoted to Jesus fight one another.

One of the most amazing tragedies in modern times occurred in Rwanda, Africa. The genocide was committed not only by the soldiers but also by civilians. Both the victims and the perpetrators were for the most part Christians-Hutu Christians and Tutsi Christians. Pastors blessed the murders. Church leaders sanctioned the Hutu policy against the Tutsi. Very few Christians refused to participate in the violence. They had conveniently placed Jesus in a box. He was not the Lord of Lords and King of Kings to them. He was fit into their tribal boxes, so they were driven by their tribal instincts rather than Jesus as Lord.

SECRET #52 is: The follower of Jesus knows his Master does not fit into any box. If you place Jesus in a box, He can be easily ignored and kept from the people who need Him most. There is no one who ever walked this earth who can compare with Jesus. He is incomparable, irresistible, the most unique person ever. More than any other, Jesus walked what He talked consistently! Jesus cannot be fit into anyone's box. He just is too awesome and amazing!

I want to share five ways Jesus proves He cannot be fit into a box of any kind: FIRST-He wasn't like any other kind of king ever. All of the kings of the earth have asked their subjects to die for them. Jesus is the only king who ever died for His followers. No king such as this can fit into any man-made box.

SECOND-He was unorthodox in His methods of operation. The most unique method was His way of launching a movement. Most would do everything possible to find ways to persuade the masses to change their ways. Jesus did just the opposite. He set out to launch a global movement by selecting 3 men to come and be with Him-to change the world. Although Jesus did some amazing things with extremely large groups, for the most part He chose to avoid the crowds.

THIRD-Jesus' teachings were revolutionary and unprecedented. He taught that it was better to give than to receive. He taught to pay more attention to your heart than to your actions. But the most revolutionary teaching of all was how to eliminate your enemies. He taught His followers to love their enemies, thereby eradicating their enemy status.

FOURTH-Jesus had a Kingdom strategy that would never fit into anyone's thinking-anyone's box. At the peak of His popularity Jesus announces His Kingdom strategy. It was to die to demonstrate sacrificial love. By dying on the Roman cross Jesus turned the Roman symbol of domination and power inside out and upside down into a symbol of sacrificial love. This is too magnanimous for any box!

FIFTH-He preferred the disenfranchised, the broken and the poor-not the religious, but the sinners-not the powerful, but the poor. His blueprint for global revolution rests with ordinary, uneducated people.

Jesus' teachings, methods, focus and actions are just too awesome-too God-like-to ever fit into anyone's box. You know what seems to make the most sense here? Don't even attempt to place Jesus in a box. He doesn't fit and will be sure to jump out or break down its walls. SECRET #52 is: The follower of Jesus knows his Master does not fit into any box.

SECRET #51 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

We are making our way through 75 secrets of following Jesus. Jesus is known as the mystery who was to be revealed. And, the more you examine Jesus and His teachings the more is revealed about life, meaning and fulfillment. Through these secrets we can understand more and more of what life is all about and how to live our lives more abundantly.

There are two levels of this secret I want to discuss. FIRST-There is an everyday, common understanding of what would Jesus do. This is learning how to walk, talk, love and think like Jesus. In the widespread WWJD? movement there was a certain awareness that was raised with this question-WWJD?-What Would Jesus Do?

What's interesting is that every time you ask that question, you already intuitively know the answer. To ask "What Would Jesus Do?" is to know what He would do. The question delivers the answer right away! Whenever you bring the light of Jesus into a situation, the way, the truth and the life all become clear.

There is a SECOND level of understanding what you should do or what you should say. This level is when you are put on the spot in a very difficult situation. How will you know what to say? This brings us to SECRET #51: The follower of Jesus doesn't worry what to say when put on the spot.

When Jesus first sent out His disciples, He gave them specific instructions on the approach He wanted them to take with a given village. He warned them that there will be times when they will be in a very difficult spot and might become worried what to say.

So, Jesus teaches a most interesting principle. He says, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." (Matthew 10:16-20)

Luke records similar instructions by Jesus: "When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:11-12)

He is saying that they need not worry about how or what they will say when they are faced with a difficult situation. This is a time when there is either not enough time to prepare or no way to know even how to prepare for such an encounter. What will happen? The Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

Over the past seven or eight years I have come to the point of practicing this principle. When Diana and I walk into a social dinner or charity event where we aren't sure what to expect, we always discuss before or on the way that we can count on the Spirit of Jesus giving us whatever we are there to do or what we are to say. We walk in with not only a certain confidence, but with a special anticipation of the opportunities that are going to present themselves as we encounter the people that evening.

There is another application of this principle that I've been practicing. After more than 40 years of disciplining myself to prepare messages to deliver to a variety of audiences, I have recently been changing my approach. I have been spending more and more time preparing my own heart and personal relationship with Jesus and His Spirit. When speaking to the needs of the moment, I am experiencing a greater resonance and empowerment with the people. It's as if the Spirit of Jesus is directing everything I say. It's not spooky; it's just more real. It's SECRET #51: The follower of Jesus doesn't worry what to say when put on the spot.