Identity :: Gospel's Edge

Archive for Identity

Posted by Mike Smith

· July 1, 2014

Series Preview: Sabbath

The following post is written by guest blogger and Vista teaching team member, Tim Stauffer, a licensed professional counselor whom God gave the message of “sabbath” to share with our church this summer. Check out Tim’s preview on this vital topic…

Are you exhausted? Tired? Anxious? Would you like to be free from the anxiety of production, consumption and never-ending to-do lists? Do you feel enslaved to your work? Are you always looking for how to increase your influence, your revenue or your status? Is your life marked by a deep contentment and satisfaction? Are you able to enjoy a free day without guilt or anxiety that you should be working or producing more? What would it be like if you were given a free day each week where you could truly worship God, relax, spend time with your family and friends, and advocate for justice and mercy to be extended to the most vulnerable and oppressed of our society?

Sabbath rest is a theme the weaves through the entirety of the Bible and something for which God has expressed a great deal of passion. Check out what God said in Jeremiah 17: “But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.”

It kind of gives the impression that Sabbath keeping is vital.

Sadly, throughout church history, Sabbath rest has often been reduced to legalism and marked by inconsistency in application. This has fostered unhelpful arguments about particular days of the week and useless debates about what is OK to do on Sundays (what day is the Sabbath anyway??). All this has resulted in missing the point of Sabbath rest.

Over the next several weeks we plan to explore in depth God’s gift of Sabbath rest as an essential part of making our identity in Christ real — a next step from our previous series on identity, “Who Do You Think You Are?”. We will also explore how it adds meaning to our work, helps us know God better, and how it is a vital part of our transformation into Christlikeness. Additionally, Sabbath rest is an essential challenge to the status quo of an out of balance society that has forgotten God and offers a solid foundation for building healthy communities and interpersonal relationships.

The Bible is clear in Colossians 2:17 that the reality of Sabbath rest is found in Christ. And yet Hebrews 4:9 teaches us that “there, remains then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.” I hope that you tune in over the next several weeks and explore with us the current relevancy of this ancient command “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.”

Categories : Discipleship, Identity, Sabbath, Values, Worshipful

Tags : Discipleship, Identity, sabbath, values, worship, Worshipful

Posted by Mike Smith

· May 2, 2014

Go and Make Disciples

Sunday morning as we continued our series “Who Do You Think You Are?”, I used my dear, dear third grade Sunday school teacher to illustrate what is true discipleship. Mrs Altman has been with Jesus since 2012, having loved and followed Him for most of her beautiful 91 years. Her spiritual influence for a few short years in my life in the early 70s is virtually unmatched; she led me to Christ. Alas, if you’re familiar with the phrase, “led me to Christ,” you unfortunately might also misunderstand what I mean…that is, what true discipleship is.

Matthew records some of Jesus’ final words this way: “Therefore go and make disciples…” … and the Church has been struggling to fully understand and execute that simple command for thousands of years.

“Making disciples” has come to mean many things, and in our Western culture it often deteriorates into reproducing a certain “discipleship model.” That is, “making disciples” is to teach others (according to a certain model) about Jesus, about Jesus’ teachings, and about His saving work on the cross and from the grave. In short form, “making disciples” can boil down to an anemic “sharing the gospel.” Disciplined people do well here.

“Making disciples” can also become Biblo-centric…which makes some sense since it is in fact the Word of God that reveals God, records Jesus’ life, and explains and illustrates the gospel. Nonetheless, Biblo-centricty can become a theological exercise and debate. Knowing doctrine, knowing the Bible and being able to offer at least some form of apologetic (defense/proof) of Bible inerrancy and to articulate the differing systematic theologies. Smart, articulate people do well here.

“Making disciples” can also mean “being Jesus,” (not in an arrogant way, but in a practical way) – doing what Jesus did and taught us to do. Good things, like feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, caring for the sick. Heathy, strong people do well here.

“Making disciples” can also mean “making moral people.” To render our best understanding of God’s moral standard through the Old Testament and Jesus of the New Testament and call, educate and correct people to higher standards and morality. People of good conscience and discipline do well here.

These all have merit, but I argued Sunday that they miss the simple mark.

A disciple is a learner and in the context of the New Testament, a disciple is more specifically and accurately to be a learner of Jesus. Jesus commands the disciples in essence to do what He did with them…exactly…to make more disciples…more learners…more followers of…Jesus.

To follow Jesus, the Bible is irreplaceable, and followers of Jesus will share the Gospel and know doctrine, and they will be moral and compassionate people. But the objective of Jesus’ command is to make learners/followers of Jesus who in turn ultimately exhibit these heart attitudes and life behaviors. The attitudes and actions don’t make disciples of Jesus they more often than not produce religious people.

When I say, Mrs. Altman led me to Jesus, I mean it. She literally led me to Jesus. She gave me hand-written Bible references jotted on the torn corner of a bulletin or a napkin or a tiny spiral note paper. She didn’t give me behaviors to practice or answers to ponder; she gave me some direction by which I could go and hear from Jesus. She encouraged me to pray amd reminded me consistently that God can handle me and respond to my questions. She assured me that He had great plans for me if I would listen, learn and follow Him.

And here’s the thing: she was one of the wisest people in the church…she could’ve just settled to tell us everything she knew and had experienced. We’d have been better people for it too. But she thought it was better that Jesus teach us.

Mrs. Altman knew and believed something we often forget: Jesus is real! Along with the Spirit and Scripture and prayer and the Church, Jesus will teach and counsel and mature us better than ANYone else…our whole life. We need to be led to Jesus not once, but always, through everything.

Who or what are you leading people to? Lead people to Jesus.

Now then, go and make disciples…