JESUS LEFT BEHIND

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One of the all-time bestselling series was LEFT BEHIND. It was based upon bible prophecy with the premise that someday those who are faithful followers of Jesus will be snatched away and the non-believers will be left behind. Although Jesus used the context of "in the days of Noah" where only the believer/followers were the ones left behind and not the non-believers, this teaching is very pervasive today.

Whatever teaching is true-Jesus' words or the popular prophets of our day-I am more concerned about Jesus being LEFT BEHIND. I especially think about this at the two most revered holidays within the Christian world-Christmas and Easter.

As you know we have set out to do the most difficult thing we've ever done in our lives. We are trying to follow the teachings and principles of Jesus and embrace Jesus as a lifestyle. One of the reasons for not being able to do this in the past is that we had our focus on something closely related to Jesus year after year, yet quite different with disappointing results. We were either adding something to Jesus as if He needed our additions or we were diluting the awesomeness of Jesus by packaging Him in our comfortable, spiritual boxes. Because our focus was not on simply Jesus, many times we have caught ourselves just going through the motions of the spiritual life. We had effectively left Jesus behind as we set out to live our lives.

I found out the hard way that leaving Jesus behind proved to be disastrous. Life doesn't work well without Him and I didn't know what to do to work well for Him. I kept leaving Jesus behind!

This Christmas morning I want to suggest the three most common ways of putting Jesus in the position of being left behind in your life. FIRST-We tend to leave Jesus behind in the manger! Jesus is no longer in a manger or cattle feeding trough. Both the Bible and the Qur'an teach that Jesus was born of a virgin and He is called the Word of God. In the first chapter of John it says the "Word" became flesh (not a book nor a religious organization), grew up and "dwelt" among us (made Himself at home among us), being full of grace and truth. Jesus is not still in the manger, so don't leave Him there. Learn to relate and interact with Jesus out of the manger.

This reminds me of the program for a Christmas pageant several years ago that listed out all of the actors by name. When it came to Jesus, it said, "The baby Jesus is played by a 60 watt light bulb." When you leave Jesus behind, an impersonal light bulb may be the only light you'll be able to see and share.

SECOND-We tend to leave Jesus behind on the cross! Whether you are Catholic with Jesus visibly hanging there or you relate to Jesus with the symbol of an empty cross, the story and dynamic of Jesus is so much more than a cross. He's been there-done that and now wants you to enjoy Him as the resurrected one-the one who knows you best and loves you the most!

THIRD-We tend to leave Jesus behind in the clouds! Those who are so focused on Jesus' 2nd Coming tend to be looking up into the clouds and looking ahead to the sweet bye and bye. So life becomes all about Jesus coming in the clouds to get us out of this mess. This is not what Jesus taught and lived. He wants to dwell among us as our King-our Master-right here in the nasty now and now. There is no escape clause for those who believe and follow Him. And, if Jesus does snatch those who believe and follow Him out of this world, it is only to bring us right back down here to dwell in His amazing presence on earth. In other words, there's a U-turn right back to earth. That's where the streets of gold, etc. will be-right here!

So, why do we tend to leave Jesus behind in the manger, on the cross or up in the clouds? Three simple things come to mind. It seems to be a natural, human tendency to leave Jesus behind or leave Jesus out. To do this (1) localizes Jesus to some place where we can visit or not, (2) limits Jesus from doing things that might be out of my comfort zone, and (3) leaves me alone to my own thinking, so that I can salvage some sort of fantasy of being in control.

To leave Jesus behind is to worship an impersonal God. And, if He is impersonal, then we tend to worship and lift up religiosity, traditions and man-made commandments. Hey, this Christmas do everything you can do to make it all about personalizing Jesus. Release Jesus from the manger. Remove Him from the cross. Refocus your eyes out of the clouds and be a part of what Jesus is doing right here on earth right now. Jesus is awesome, alive and actively desiring to make Himself at home in your life. Will you let Him do just that this Christmas?

SPECIAL INVITATIONS

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The Christmas holiday season is filled with parties, invitations and Evites looking for a response. We have attended several parties this season and also quite a few charity events. This year we have looked forward to each of the parties and have enjoyed them all.

Jesus, being the reason for this Christmas season, the one who is ultimately the reason for any and all of the parties of the season, had an original party that was the party of parties. On this Christmas Eve I want to briefly walk through the many party invitations sent out for the anticipated birth of Jesus.

In the first chapter of Luke's Gospel two invitations were sent out in an indirect sort of way. Zacharias and Elizabeth were invited to the birth of God's Messiah. They were notified that they were going to have a child who would prepare the way for the Messiah. And when it came to naming their baby, instead of naming him after his father (according to tradition) they went with their instructions and named their son John.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was invited in a dramatic way, naming her as the one God had chosen to bear this baby in her body. But her invitation didn't stop there. Her fiancé, Joseph, was also given a special invitation by God to this supernatural birth. The angel explained to Joseph that Mary's pregnancy was a God-thing and not a sinful or negative thing at all. And, just like John was not named after his father, so Mary's son was to be called Jesus, not Joseph. Can you imagine what went through Mary and Joseph's mind with these special invitations to the birth of God's Messiah?

A special group of shepherds in the hills of Bethlehem were sent a dramatic invitation while tending their flocks. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." (Luke 2:8-20)

There were two people who were looking for God's Messiah to show up during their lifetime. One was a priest by the name of Simeon and the other is a prophetess by the name of Anna. They apparently were very familiar with the specific prophecies of the prophet Daniel and believed God's Messiah was about to show up. Their enthusiasm was intense upon finding Jesus.

One more invitation is the most fascinating to me. There was a group of religious astronomers who received an invitation to this unique event-the magi. This was probably a group of serious astronomers who were researching when God's Messiah was going to appear. They were studying the stars for this information. Their invitation came in the form of a star. Note what they said when they came to the region. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:1-2)

Three observations come to mind here: #1-You are the sum total of the invitations you accept in life! #2-Some invitations are more important than others! #3-God has sent you an invitation-inviting-calling-everyone to follow after Him through Jesus. Think of it this way. Jesus has a special calling on your life. What will you do with this invitation? Accept it? Reject it? Or will you simply ignore it?

SECRET #75 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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We have arrived at the final secret of following Jesus-secret #75. I began with the intent of listing out a few key principles of following Jesus that might help all who are interested to follow Him more closely. When I first responded to the challenge to make such a list, I thought there might be 30 principles, 50 at the most. Then, after spending more time, it was clear that the list would be much larger. So, on a flight to Washington DC to meet with some friends this past July, I took out a pad and the list of 75 principles flowed out. It was amazing. Since the day I started writing, I have kept the discipline of not looking ahead. Each day I faced the next secret freshly and wrote it out. I kept this particular secret as the final one.

"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) SECRET #75: The follower of Jesus lives life one day at a time.

I've said it many times: YESTERDAY is a canceled check! TOMORROW is a promissory note! TODAY is the only cash you have! We waste so much of our lives regretting the past or fearing the future.

Alcoholics Anonymous and all of the other Anon groups operate upon the theme of "ONE DAY AT A TIME." This is exactly what Jesus is saying here-one day at a time. Worry has little to do with the past, but mostly has to do with the future. We worry over what might happen or what might not happen. It's not in our control, but we spend lots of energy as if our worry could make a difference in the outcome. Jesus says "Don't bother!" Each day has plenty of trouble of its own without worrying about the tomorrows.

Jesus is teaching that if you are seeking His kingdom and His righteousness, He will take care of everything else you need. He will do this ONE DAY AT A TIME. This is what He did with the children of Israel about one month into their 40 years of wandering. He rained down bread from heaven-manna-each day, except on Sabbath.

Each day the manna came down from heaven. Each day they were to gather enough for the day, never thinking of storing up some for tomorrow. Each day there was enough. Jesus is the "new manna in town." Jesus is our daily bread. The word "manna" means a surprise like "What is it?" I see Jesus giving each of us a surprise of His manna, His leadership, His sustenance each and every day for those who seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.

We practice these habits in order to gather the manna for today, which helps in minimizing our worry factor. 1. Walking with Jesus. 2. Walking with others who are walking with Jesus. 3. Waiting on Jesus to lead out with orders and opportunities. Remember, these aren't doctrines or just things to know, but habits to practice every day-all day long.

Have you noticed that when you think about tomorrow or next week, then the worries become overwhelming? I have to constantly focus my thinking and reflection upon today. It's learning how to live in the present-to live in the presence of Jesus. This is SECRET #75: The follower of Jesus lives life one day at a time.

This goes along with the message of the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon had tried everything to fill his life with satisfaction and all was found to be empty-luxury, liquor, lust, etc. He sums up his life's search with two summary truths: 1. Fear God and keep His commandments. 2. Enjoy your blessings every day!

Now, that's living life ONE DAY AT A TIME.

SECRET #74 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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As you read the stories of the life of Jesus you will see something happen over and over. People kept bringing others to Jesus. Early in Jesus' ministry Andrew brought his brother, Peter, to Jesus. Because of this introduction, Peter became a follower and a prominent leader in the early Jesus movement.

Friends brought people to Jesus. Mark records: When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. (Mark 5:1-4) When Jesus saw the faith of the paralytic's friends, Jesus moved into gear. He quickly dealt with the paralytic's spiritual problem by saying, "Your sins are forgiven." This was shocking to everyone in the house. Jesus didn't do the obvious thing of healing the paralytic physically, but went straight to the man's heart, then He healed his paralysis.

Enemies brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. They wanted to see what Jesus would do with such a case. Jesus again shocked them by standing with the adulterous woman and challenging her accusers to go ahead and stone her, if any of them was without sin in his own life.

People who were desperate for healing of their loved ones came in mass to Jesus. When Jesus landed on the Eastern side of the Sea of Galilee in a non-Jewish community, the people were so enthused about what they had heard that they brought to Jesus all who were sick.

Children were brought to Jesus. Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:13-14)

This brings us to SECRET #74: The follower of Jesus seeks to introduce Jesus to all who seem interested. If you are a follower of Jesus, then introducing Him in every way possible becomes a major part of your lifestyle. It's really quite easy. When you see someone doing something Jesus would do, point it out. Tell them that their act of kindness is something Jesus would do. You will be amazed how effective that can be. You might even let them know that you are doing the toughest thing you've ever tried to do in your life-to follow the teachings and principles of Jesus.

I am all about doing whatever I can do to advance the conversation of Jesus. This is really introducing people to Jesus without all of the religious baggage that tends to be hung around His neck. When someone is hurting, introduce him to Jesus; not to be converted into a certain religious faith or stance. When someone is looking for some answers, introduce him to Jesus. Rather than giving your friend all of your advice, how about encouraging him to ask Jesus for the answers he's looking for.

When Jesus shows up no one is the same again. The dead are brought back to life. The blind see. The lame walk. The deaf hear. The mute talk. Enemies and rivals become friends. Women's status is elevated. People with all kinds of leprosy are cleansed and made whole. The poor are made rich. The rich realize their poverty. The lost are found. The weak finds strength. The strong are made aware of weakness. The children are affirmed and empowered!

Now, here's my point. If Jesus brings positive transformation in every life He encounters, then doesn't it make sense for us to introduce everyone we can to this Jesus? You see, when Jesus shows up, no one is ever the same again! This is SECRET #74: The follower of Jesus seeks to introduce Jesus to all who seem interested.

SECRET #73 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

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One of the repeated themes and challenges within the teachings of Jesus is to have ears to hear and eyes to see. Jesus knows our human tendency to drift away, get off-message, become distracted, and to divide up and take sides. So, He warns us to be careful that we listen and see clearly. In the midst of His warning Jesus says that those who follow Him have been given ears to hear and eyes to see.

And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;
YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,
WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,
AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES,
OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,
HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'" (Matthew 13:10-15)

"But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." (Matthew 13:16-17) This is SECRET #73: The follower of Jesus has ears to hear and eyes to see.

To have ears to hear and eyes to see requires that you remove your religious blinders, think and evaluate what you believe Jesus' teaching really is. Don't be afraid to go with His teachings, when they counter things you have believed all your life. It may be a little shocking at first, but when the light bulb clicks on in your head and heart, you'll know what is true.

Nowhere is this clearer than when Jesus presented His first seminar that is normally called the 'Sermon on the Mount'. As Jesus came on the scene as the new and radical Rabbi, people were asking the question: "Jesus, how do your teachings differ from what we've been taught?" If you are going to do your part in having ears to hear and eyes to see, you must focus on Jesus and His teachings. Don't just read His teachings, spend time with Jesus as you meditate on them.

There are three habits that will help you focus on hearing and seeing Jesus most clearly that come up for me: FIRST-The habit of practicing the presence of Jesus in you! When you commit yourself to be a follower of Jesus, understand that you are entering into a partnership with Jesus. You are in Him and He is in you.

SECOND-The habit of practicing the power of Jesus with you. With your partnership with Jesus you can know the confidence of being empowered by Him in whatever you do. Wherever Jesus guides, He will provide the strength to get through it.

THIRD-The habit of practicing the potential of Jesus in others. It's seeing Jesus in others. You know, Jesus never saw a prostitute. He saw a troubled woman with great potential. As you follow Jesus more closely, you will see people much differently.

Jesus without religious baggage is awesome, attractive and even irresistible! The only thing Jesus requires of you and me is to be interested-to have ears to hear and eyes to see. SECRET #73: The follower of Jesus has ears to hear and eyes to see. And with these open ears and eyes, you will experience a whole new focus on the only thing that has ever mattered-Jesus.