Small Words, part 2

Have you ever asked God ". . .if it is Your will. . ." knowing full well that it is or is not?  I find that I want things so badly at times that I ask more in hopes that my desire changes the Will of God.  Then I realize what I just asked and I feel completely stupid.  I even wonder if the Holy Spirit as he is interceding for us in our prayers, looks down with a look of "Are you serious?  I ain't saying that!"  (That's right, my Holy Spirit says "ain't").  Does He turn to the Father and say, "Don't worry about that last part, he's just being selfish. . .forgive him for that."

Matthew 8:1-4 tells a story of a man who was living with the horrible disease called leprosy.  A man who was considered so unclean that, due to his condition, was banished from society until he was cured or died.  If he entered town, people would point and yell, saying things like, "Impure" and "Unclean".  So, this man somehow works his way to the feet of Jesus and kneels.  Not knowing a thing about this man (Jesus) and knowing that just speaking exposes him as "Unclean" in the midst of a repulsed crowd, he says, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."  Jesus' answer could not be more concise than it is.  He answers the first question of "Lord, if you will" with a strong, but simple, "I will."  What a powerful tiny sentence that I overlook!  He asks if it is the will of God that he be clean and Jesus states that cleanliness is EXACTLY what He wills!  Jesus follows his declaration with another profound statement - "Be clean".

My first reaction is for clarity.  Was this a healing or a command?  Did Jesus heal the man of his past filth or instruct his future purity?  Yes.  Verse 4 explains that the man was instantly HEALED and was to go and SHOW his cleanliness.

Two sentences.  Four powerful words.  "I will. Be clean".

Bucket List, of sorts

Ok, so the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) kicked my butt.  As well it should.  It is a sermon.  With about 18 smack-you-in-the-face points.  The two topics that left me with a similar thought - one that both scares me as well as potentially liberates me - are ANGER and LUST.  Jesus refers to the current standard.  For anger it stands that "You shall not murder" and for lust that "You shall not commit adultery".  Jesus proceeds to step these up.  "If you are angry with a brother, insults a brother, or calls them names, you are guilty of murder. . .and if you even look at someone else lustfully you are guilty of adultery."  Well, Oh CRAP!

These are heart issues.  And I am well aware that my heart is "desperately wicked".  It is not devoid of these issues.  So, what do I do?  Jesus makes it clear in Matt. 5:23,24 to leave my offering, my sacrifice, my gift of praise and worship to God at the altar and make amends.  After reconciliation has happened, and a healthy relationship is restored, should you go back and place your offering on the altar.

So, how do I apologize to all of those people?  I don't want to write one blanket statement apologizing to the world for ever getting angry or having lustful thoughts.  That doesn't restore relationships.  How would the object of my sin know that I sinned against them?  So, do I list out as many as I can remember in two lists, one for anger and one for lust and methodically seek out each individual?  Could that destroy my ministry? my reputation? my family?

Maybe.  But then I ask myself: What good can come from not doing anything with it?  How long do you want to present unacceptable sacrifices to a pure and holy God?  (This is the moment, as a worship leader, where my teeth got knocked in)

The Power of Small Words

Several weeks have gone by and to my 1 reader, I apologize :)  Each day we are bombarded with words.  So many, busy, moving, pointless words.  Life rambles constantly while wisdom whispers a few small things.  If your not paying attention, you'll miss them.  Its like the quiet kid in the back of the class that never says anything, but one day he mutters a few words and the otherwise noisy class goes stone still.  "Did. . . .did you just say something?!?"  Everyone gathers around in hopes of an encore sentence.  Some interested in what he said, most just wondering what his voice even sounds like.  

I find myself getting easily frustrated with people who like to use 400 words when 12 will do.  (Does that make me a hypocrite if I continue blogging??)  Anyway . . .

Matthew 4:19.  Jesus sees Simon Peter and Andrew casting nets.  He calls out, "Follow me."  Immediately they dropped their nets and followed him.  Let's stop here.  Wouldn't our culture find this reaction abrupt akin to a knee-jerk reaction?  What about they're responsibilities?  They can't just leave their nets there?  What about they're families?  

The Old Testament Jewish education system looked slightly different than ours.  Children began school around 7-8 years old.  Their first 2 years consisted of memorizing the first 5 books of the Law (Genesis thru Deuteronomy).  That's it.  That was their day.  What a fun curriculum for a 2nd grader!  At the end of the 2 years, the top half of the class were promoted to the next level while those who were on the lower half, were sent home to pursue other careers, often plugging right back into the family business (fishing, farm, mill, workshop).  This is why when Jesus spoke He often referred to passages in Deuteronomy - all of the Jewish people hearing him had memorized it through verbal repetition because there weren't many copies of the Torah to go around, thus him saying, "You have heard it said. . .".  

As the advancing students started level 2 more of the Old Testament was now memorized.  Again, the top half would be promoted, while the lower half sent home.  When it came time for the oldest students to "graduate" they would have had several discussions and lessons from the best teachers.  Instead of handing them a diploma, awarding their accomplishments, the teacher (or Rabbi) would extend an invitation of two words to a particular student whom he wanted to have literally go with him everywhere to learn and discuss in a Master-apprentice type relationship.  Those two words were, "Follow me."  This was the greatest honor for any Jewish boy.  It was an all-expense-paid, intense opportunity under a Rabbi that you shared mutual respect and admiration for, to prepare you for your ministry soon to come.

As Jesus approached Peter and Andrew, He approaches two men who were most likely sent fishing a long time before.  They had come to accept that this was the best life would be until their time on earth was over.  Then they hear a voice from the shore.  "Follow Me."  No squinting to see him better.  No looking at each other to clarify or ask if the other heard the same thing.  Immediate response.  

How many times in my walk with the greatest Teacher is my response more like Gideon and his fleece rather than like two smelly, discarded fishermen?