At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1-5 ESV)
This seems to be a recurring theme with the disciples, somehow they spend a lot of time discussing who was the greatest. I guess, being young men, they were fairly competitive and were always seeking to 'get one over their friends'. Like us, they wanted to make themselves look good. In Mark's account (Mark 9:33-34), Jesus challenges them as he is aware they've been arguing amongst themselves as they've been on their journey, no doubt hanging back a little behind Jesus as they tried to thrash it out between themselves. When Jesus gives them his answer I bet they wished they hadn't asked the question. But yet, as Jesus answered them, there would have been no judgement or criticism, in fact it would have been said with the gaze of love firmly upon them. There is only one way, Jesus said, and that is to come with a childlike heart. Having a childlike simplicity and dependence on another. In this case, on the Father. This is where the problem arose. For the disciples it was not easy, neither is it for us. We are not used to letting go of our pride and independence, we are not used to letting go of our self-sufficiency. It's not natural for us. I'm pretty sure Jesus knew all that, and despite the difficulty, it's the only way. There are two keys: turning and humility. We have to turn. Sometimes you'll hear people say it's complete 360° turnaround - well that would leave you facing in your original direction, not a real change. I prefer turning through 180°, that way you're facing the completely opposite direction. That's what Jesus wants us to do - to walk the other way. To have a childlike heart we need to turn round and start a different journey. It also takes humility (something we're not too good at). Humility is taking yourself off the pedestal, it's not self-deprecating but it's actually starting to see yourself for who you really are. True humility is described for us in Philippians 2 - Jesus, being the son of God, did not consider his equality with God something he could use to his own advantage, rather he made himself nothing and humbled himself. What Jesus said to his disciples probably offended them; don't let it offend you! Last week I wrote about how we can live like Jesus, in the experience of being loved. Sometimes when we think about that we wonder how on earth it can be possible. We ask ourselves what we have to do in order to make it happen, it seems an impossible task.
Although it seems an impossible task it is truly possible for us to live in love. It's an impossible task as it doesn't originate in us - we love because he first loved us. Living in love is simply us being the recipients of the love that flows from the Father. God is love. He pours that love into our heart through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). What he does therefore is pour himself into our heart so his nature, character and personality fill us and begins to change us from the inside out. We think it's the other way - that we change ourselves through our own actions or beliefs. Yet it is love which is the biggest transforming power in the universe. As we are transformed by love we will become more like our elder brother, Jesus. In Exodus 33, Moses is having a conversation with God about how he is to lead the people. Firstly he asks who is going to help him, then he wants to learn God's ways and finally he realises it's all about God's presence going with him. When he sees that, he almost breathes an audible sigh of relief "if your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here" (Exodus 33:15). Once he knows God's presence is with him he then has the confidence to see his glory. In doing so he gets a glimpse of the nature and character of God (Exodus 34:6-7). When Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations he is clearly not having a very good time. He is miserable and depressed, he has lost hope and everything has become too much for him. How often do we feel like that? It is at his low point that he remembers something, and as he does it gives him hope. His life returns as he remembers the most important thing - he is loved. "I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'the Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him'". (Lamentations 3:20-24 NIV) It is possible to live in love because we are not relying on something that we have to produce. We are relying on the steadfast, unchanging nature of the One who is love. His love never changes nor will it ever let us down. That is what can give you hope today. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3 NIV)
John writes this letter towards the end of his life, as he looks back and reflects he seems to have one overriding emphasis that he wants his readers to understand. He wants us to see that their relationship with God is deeply rooted in love. He is not presenting a theology or theory but rather showing what his own relationship with God has been like. He is the disciple that leant against Jesus at the last supper and the one who more fully understood the walk of love. What he describes for us is a relationship. In many ways he shows us what his relationship with God is like, how he has walked with God over many years. What he describes is something he has heard, seen and touched. He writes about an experience and it is that which he wants us (his readers) to imbibe. The climax of his letter is chapter four, verse sixteen where he makes a simple, three word statement which is probably one of the most powerful statements ever said. In those three words he sums up the nature, personality and character of God and also allows it to define the way we can relate to him. "God is love". Simple, yet powerful. These three words sum up the way in which John has come to know God, the Father. Our relationship is not based on performance, trying to do the right thing, following every aspect of the law. No, we simply become beneficiaries of the love that flows from the Godhead. We are made complete in love, love does not carry any of the fear associated with the law. We can come as children to our Father. John has learned to live like Jesus lived. Embraced in love, living in the love of the Father, relying and trusting in the experience of being loved. His encouragement for us is to live the same way. In fact, he says it is the only way for us to have confidence on the day of judgement, "in this world we are like Jesus" (1 John 4:17). Just as John experienced the love of the Father, he'd heard, seen and touched something; we, too can have the same experience. The love of the Father is not something we understand with our mind, it is something we live in - we experience it. As we do it will transform every area of our lives. O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8 NASB) Last week I started a discussion on choosing life. We have a choice and whilst love draws us in one direction we are completely free to decide our own response. Yet, the deeper we go and the more we journey with Father the less it seems like a decision, rather it feels like the obvious thing to do. Our heart longs for home, there is something inside of us that can't help but lean towards home. When we've seen and experienced the goodness of the Lord there is no other place we want to be than in his presence. Yes, we all make mistakes but those mistakes never disqualify us. Yes, we all need a second (and maybe a third) chance but that's ok; there's always a deeper homecoming for us to experience. So let's choose life and begin to walk as Jesus walked. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. (John 15:9-11 NASB) For a limited period, and while stocks last, I am offering a "Two For One" offer on some of my books. For only £10 (including postage) you can have any two of: A Father to YOU, Planted in Love or The Depth of Love. To take advantage of this offer click here. (Due to high postage costs this offer is only available for UK addresses). See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish...... So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. (Deut 30:15-20 NASB) I believe we are faced with a daily choice to choose life. It's generally not our default setting nor is it necessarily an automatic one. The choice before us is stark: dependence on our Father will lead us into life whereas our independence will cause something inside of us to die. Every choice we make has consequences. In Psalm 27 the psalmist shows us the decision he makes "this is what I seek, to dwell in the house of the Lord forever" and then records for us the consequence (or blessing) of that choice "I shall look on the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (v 13). One of the greatest expressions of love is the gift of choice, or the freedom to make choices, some of which may be good and some not so good! Love has to give a choice otherwise it becomes controlling, manipulative and automated. Without choice, love would lack its heart; in fact, without choice love would not be love. Not only does love provide us with a choice but it also provides us with a way home. There is always the opportunity for us to return. The cords of eternal love are wrapped around us and, rather than taking us prisoner, they draw us (or woo) us back into the Father's arms and embrace. It's a choice we face, not a command. The Father places a desire in our heart and as we respond to it we discover life (and as Jesus said: Life in all its fulness). For a limited period, and while stocks last, I am offering a "Two For One" offer on some of my books. For only £10 (including postage) you can have any two of: A Father to YOU, Planted in Love or The Depth of Love. To take advantage of this offer click here. (Due to high postage costs this offer is only available for UK addresses). |
Weekly SignpostA Father to YOU is a signpost to the heart of the Perfect Father. When we became Christians we were given the right to become children of God (John 1:12). Sadly, many of us fail to take up that right and instead continue to live as slaves or orphans. But our true destiny is being sons and daughters who have a permanent place in the Father's family. This blog is an encouragement to help you know who God really is and who you really are. Click here to subscribe. |