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.

SECRET #50 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

Early in the teaching ministry of Jesus, He said: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given. (John 7:37-39) NOTE the believer/followers of Jesus will become channels of streams of living water, flowing inside out. A believer/follower of Jesus is a fountain of spiritual refreshment. This brings us to SECRET #50: The follower of Jesus has the Spirit of the Master indwelling him like a refreshing fountain.
When Jesus gathered His disciples in the "upper room" before going to His death and resurrection, Jesus taught a lot about the Spirit: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:15-17) He continues: "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (John 16:8-15)

Here Jesus introduces more fully the coming of the Spirit of God. Before Jesus came, the Spirit came on believers temporarily for specific tasks and missions. Now, Jesus says the Spirit will be given to believers to be with them forever and He will live inside all those who are believer/followers of Jesus.

He is to be our constant helper and comforter as we walk this walk. The Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and He enables and empowers us to work out into our lifestyles the salvation that is within.
It's also important to note that the Spirit of God is the key to Jesus' disciples doing greater things than Jesus did. Jesus did some amazing things, much of it was not even recorded. Although it seems like so much more, there are only 35 miracles mentioned in the Gospels that Jesus performed. Now, as Jesus' disciples are powerfully indwelt by His Spirit, they will be able to bring His miraculous touch to millions upon millions!

As you walk with Jesus and with others you will get to know the Spirit. He will become very real to you In your greatest weakness, need, desperation, and troubles. In a lot of ways the Spirit of God has been placed within us to be our spiritual adrenaline.

The Spirit gives you the possibility to enjoy a mighty and mature partnership with your Creator-God! I see it following a natural progression. FIRST-Possess the Spirit-You possess the Spirit when you place your FAITH in Jesus. SECOND-Possessed by the Spirit-Then you become possessed by your FAITHFULNESS. This is by your habits of holiness. It's not that you get more of the Spirit, but the Spirit gets more of you! THIRD-Practice the presence of the Spirit-This is as you learn to FOLLOW His lead. You will learn to cooperate with His nudgings and promptings as you grow older in your faith.

The last words of Jesus to His disciples were about the Spirit: After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:3-8)

This is why Paul spoke so emotionally about the Spirit in I Corinthians 3 and 6, when he said, "Don't you know that your body is the holy dwelling place of God? Therefore glorify God in your body!" Don't you get it? The very presence of God lives inside you right now, so maybe it's time you ACT LIKE IT. SECRET #50: The follower of Jesus has the Spirit of the Master indwelling him like a refreshing fountain.

SECRET #49 OF FOLLOWING JESUS

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

Today we come to a most basic and frequent theme of Jesus' teachings. Jesus had a fascination with children. Jesus held up little children as the prime examples of what a model follower might look like. In fact, Jesus makes it clear that being like a little child is necessary for entrance into the Kingdom of heaven.
All four Gospel writers record Jesus' teachings on this special entrance requirement. In Matthew 18:3: And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." In Mark 10:15 Jesus says: "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Luke repeats Jesus' words from Mark: "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." This is SECRET #49: The follower of Jesus lives his life as a little child.

Then, in the Gospel of John, in a very familiar interaction with Nicodemus, Jesus uses a little different metaphor to say the same thing. He says in John 3:5: "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." He goes on to say: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." Jesus is referring to being "born again" or "born from above" and means something different than what is normally believed. Being born again is not a salvation experience-a special faith event where a person passes from death to life. Being born again is just what it says. You are born all over again, so that you are like a little child again with all of the purity and simplicity of being this childlike person.

What does that mean to be childlike? A little child naturally trusts, knows very little, and is eager to mimic what he or she sees. In a very real sense, for an adult to become childlike is to be willing to unlearn and start over again with respect to what it means to follow Jesus and not remain dependent upon the religious system from which he or she originally came.

So, in the case of Nicodemus, who was probably the head of a rabbinical school, Jesus was challenging him to rethink his entire spiritual education-to start over and learn the ABC's of what it means to grow up spiritually into a personal relationship with God through His Messiah Jesus. Once a person turns from his ways and begins to act as a little child, then he is being born again.

A few weeks ago I had breakfast with a man who has rejected religion in the form of Christianity. As he says, "I just can't stand being approached by the 'born-againers' who keep trying to save me from going to hell." As we have been meeting together he is becoming fascinated with trying to understand who Jesus really is. He continually tells me he knows nothing and wants to learn this Jesus lifestyle and the basics. As we discussed what it means to be born again, I suddenly realized that my friend was in the process of being born again. He's becoming like a little child with respect to spiritual things.

Becoming as a little child with Jesus means the following: 1. You don't know everything. 2. All that you have been taught needs to be stripped away. 3. You want to learn all you can about this new life with Jesus. 4. In order to learn more about the ABC's of walking with Jesus, it's most helpful to watch Him carefully and mimic what you hear and see. 5. Learn to simply trust Jesus for your life-your strength, direction and future.

Adults think they know everything and have the ugly habit of trusting themselves. Children know they don't know everything and therefore gladly develop the beautiful habit of simply trusting. Do you want to enter the Kingdom of heaven? Become like a little child! SECRET #49: The follower of Jesus lives his life as a little child.