Radicals

Many people do not like the notion of being called a radical. Extremist is a label that has been shunned by many. The moderate is seen as the one who is reasonable, not too pushy, and not too outspoken. The moderate is not likely to bluster unpopular views. They are less likely to be an embarrassment in mixed company. The extremist is seen as intolerant, and the radical is viewed as close minded and unwilling to compromise.

Radicals have been around for a long time. History’s timeline is punctuated frequently with extremists who have made their mark. Seen through the negative lens we in the west often target people like Hitler, Genghis Kahn, Osama Ben Laden, or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as radicals. But the truth is that there are those we see in a positive light that were seen as radicals in their time. Copernicus and Galileo were seen as radicals in their time, as were Martin Luther and John Wesley. The idea that the earth is round was radical to those who, along with the status quo, believed the earth to be flat. And wasn’t it extreme to place the earth in an orbit around the sun when we all knew it to be the center of the universe? It was a radical Martin Luther that nailed his views challenging the status quo in the Roman Catholic church to the door of Wittenberg castle, and so extreme was John Wesley in his day that he was refused a pulpit in the church only to preach to the masses a message that would challenge the tepid religion of his day with a message of a transformed heart.

In the Bible there were radicals as well. We think of Judas as a radical zealot. Herod was so extreme as to kill all the children in Bethlehem in order to ward off a challenge to his throne. The Pharisees were radical in observing the particulars of Jewish religious practices (Matthew 23:15). But because we have taken such a negative view of the label “radical” we tend to forget the positive side of radicalism.

John the Baptist was extreme (Matthew 3:4-5). The Apostle Paul suffered for his radical views and was considered out of his mind (Acts 26:24). After the resurrection, the disciples were so radicalized that they would rather be beaten and whipped rather than be silenced (Acts 5:40-42). And the most radical of all is Jesus, who was considered out of his mind by some (Mark 3:21) and was crucified for his radicalism.

We tend to shy away from those who rock the boat. Fanatics are shunned. We don’t want to go to far because we will offend someone who has a different view. Who wants to be an embarrassment? But then again, who should be ashamed? Jesus said that he would be ashamed of those who are ashamed of Him (Mark 8:38). He calls us to be zealous in our faith (Romans 12:11). 

It is not so much that radicalism is bad in itself, but what side we take. If we refuse to take a position, that is a position in itself (Matthew 12:30). We can try to be moderate, and ride the fence, but that too is a weak position to take. It is time to take a stand. Jesus was so radical that His cross not only spit history in two, but it opened up eternity. If we want to make a difference in our time, we have to be willing to take a stand for Jesus, even if it means being labeled a “radical.”

Wholehearted

When we think whole-hearted commitment we think of someone who is all in. There is no pulling back. Someone who is half-hearted is not really committed at all. How does this apply to Christianity? Can you have a halfhearted Christian? The very idea makes Jesus sick (Revelation 3:16). The Israelites found out that there is a price to pay for half-heartedness (Numbers 32:11). It really comes down to faith (Isaiah 7:9). Without faith, we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus indicated that it would take wholehearted devotion to be His disciple (Mark 8:35; Luke 9:23) The Apostle Paul was willing to lay down his life for Jesus (Acts 21:10-14). Likewise, we are called to live sacrificial lives (Romans 12:1-2).  The catalog of heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 is a veritable who’s who of people who lived out their faith in wholehearted commitment. Like them, we are challenged to look to the one who is the author of our faith and follow the path of perseverance (Hebrews 12:1-3). By contrast, halfhearted people are not worthy to follow Christ (Matthew 10:38; Luke 9:62; cf. Zephaniah 1:6). It is the commitment that pushes through to the end that gives us a share in Christ (Hebrews 3:14). In fact, the ones who starts well and then falls back is worse off than when they started (2 Peter 2:20).

People do not start out in the Christian life with the goal of being halfhearted.  If they were apathetic to begin with they would not even bother to start. So what makes people go from new life and spiritual enthusiasm to complacency and decline? One thing that leads to complacency is a shallow view of God’s Word. We begin to look at the Word of God as a literary work much like poetry, and we attend a prophetic utterance much like a literary critic. We admire the beauty of the form, but miss the sense of power that should come with its delivery (Ezekiel 33:31-32). Materialism can also dampen our ardor for God (Hosea 13:6; Mark 4:19). Eternal values give way to temporal desire and we end up giving our soul away for a little bit of nothing (Mark 8:35-37; Luke 21:34; Hebrews 12:16-17). Because our hearts are so easily captivated by other things we must take care to guard them (Proverbs 4:23; 1 Timothy 6:10). Me must put all other loves out of the running and love Jesus alone. Otherwise, it is curtains for us. We can not serve two masters (Luke 16:13). Perhaps that is why Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to love God with our whole heart (Matt. 22:37). It is wholehearted devotion God wants. There really is no such thing as a halfhearted Christian. That would be a contradiction in terms.

Hear and obey

God uses the most unlikely people. A barren couple are given the promise of many descendants and are told a nation shall rise from them and through them, all nations will be blessed. A slave is lifted from the dungeons to instruct the ruler of Egypt. Where God has a respected priest he uses a boy to lead people back to worship. Where he has a soldier, he uses a shepherd to defeat a giant warrior. He uses a girl to deliver a nation. He uses a cupbearer to raise the city of God from ashes and rubble. A  young virgin is tasked with carrying the Son of God and Savior of mankind in her womb. An enthusiastic persecutor of Christianity is made to be its greatest advocate. A monk stands against the whole church to lead people back to truth and the way of faith. A failed missionary sets off national revival. Why does God use such people?

In the instances above, God was able to speak to the person he used. It’s not that he didn’t speak to anyone else, but these people were listening. They were not only hearing, but they were hearing with an inclination to cooperate with what God had to say. God spoke to Abraham(Genesis 12:1), and Abraham believed God. He moved forward at the Word of the Lord and God counted him righteous (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3, 18; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23) and used his righteous life to advance the Kingdom. God gave Joseph a dream and Joseph trusted God to see him through. God used Joseph’s hear and obey attitude for his purposes and to bless Israel (Genesis 50:20). Samuel stands in contrast to Eli and his two wicked sons as the one God would use to lead the nation of Israel (1 Samuel 3:11-14, 19-21). God took the listening obedient heart of the Shepherd boy David, and made him King, because king Saul could no longer hear the voice of God (1 Samuel 28:15). Esther became queen and heard the call of God through her uncle Mordecai, put her life on the line, and was used of God to frustrate the plans of the enemy(Esther 4:14, 16). Nehemiah’s heart was broken over the city where God had put his name (Nehemiah 2:1-2), and God used Him to bring restoration and hope (Nehemiah 13:14). Mary was chosen to bear the Christ child, and her response was total surrender to the will of God (Luke 1:38). A hostile Pharisee, Saul became a friend of the church, transformed through revelation and submission (Acts 9:1-22). Martin Luther led the protestant reformation with the ninety-five thesis (outlining inconsistencies in the church) nailed to Wittenberg Castle door because God spoke to him through the Scriptures and he felt he had to stand on what God had said rather than allow clergy to subvert the Word of God. John Wesley led the Great Awakening in England and the Americas through the experiential knowledge of a surrendered and purified heart.

God is still using people. It may not be the ones you would expect. It may be a farm boy who hears the call of God to “Preach the Gospel” (remember Billy Graham). It may be a shoe store clerk (Dwight Moody) called to be an evangelist, or the son of a traveling preacher God calls to be a missionary (Jim Elliot). God can speak to a young man from a wealthy respectable family and use his obedience to stand up against tyranny and oppression (Dietrich Bonheoffer). God uses people who hear and obey. The ones most willing to listen to God are the one’s God is most likely to use. Speak Lord, for your servant hears.

Time & Again

What is history, but the present turning into the past all stacked up. What we look back on was at one time an unwritten future. Men and women have done great things in the face of uncertainty on the basis of principle and conviction. Standing on principle, men have broken alliances and formed treaties. Reluctant leaders have been thrust into position on the basis of conviction. Things too important to lay aside have caused men and women to choose sides, mark boundaries, and set the course of history. It is a poor society that holds nothing dear enough to fight or die for.

I recently reflected on the strength of belief that causes one to lay down one’s life. The signers of The Declaration of Independence pledged to each other their Lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor based upon their belief in the contents of that document. It is interesting to note that this document makes theological assertions concerning the rights afforded mankind by God above, and on the basis of these rights, they stood for freedom and liberty at their own peril and expense. There are those moments in history defined by theological convictions that men and women would lay down their life rather than compromise.

Martyrs and heroes alike share this in common; When standing on the side of God, there is no room for retreat and no danger of defeat. Both stand on principle that they are convinced will be vindicated in the end. They are convinced that to do anything else would spell ruin. There is a greater allegiance, a nobler cause, a higher calling than any other source can muster. Only when society rests on these greater things can security be found. As soon as it begins to devalue them strength  and security fades. Conviction lightly held is a contradiction in terms.

Jesus calls us to this kind of conviction. We must be so convinced and committed to our faith that we are willing to lay down our life for our beliefs. Jesus said that if we are to follow Him, we must take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 10:38, 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23) Those who turn back from that conviction are not fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). Time and again, it has been men and women committed to the greater cause and who have heard a higher call who have made their mark in history. Having stood the test of time, they have entered eternity (1 John 5:4-5; Revelation 2:7)

The writer of Hebrews names a the names of individuals in a veritable hall of fame; heroes who have demonstrated the strength of their convictions and who have made a mark on history. As he draws the list to a close the names begin to blur until it becomes a “great cloud of witnesses” meant to encourage us and include us in the final tally. In order to be included in this great company of Christian witnesses, we must never back down on our convictions, but stand strong upon them time and time again (Hebrews 12:1).

Being Faithful

I love to see God do great things. I get excited when I see him touch lives and drastic transformation takes place. Unfortunately, the work of God is not always apparent. The work of God in some people's lives is quiet and unobservable. Often, people are slowly and silently affected by God through his Word and His Spirit. The change is not seen by others until some challenge is faced or a crisis comes. Often, during these times, one who is seen as stagnant and unchanged suddenly display the grace of God in their lives. Where there was little evidence of outward spiritual energy, God shows that He was working inwardly all along. Sometimes God's work is not outwardly manifest until  a person is tested.

It energizes us to see the hand of God at work. It takes patience and perseverance when God works invisibly. For those in ministry, the times of quiet invisibility are hard to take. James 5:7 lifts up the farmer as an example to us. We are to be patient like the farmer who waits for the land to yield its valuable crop.

The time of waiting is not easy. It can be discouraging. The difficulty comes in trying to balance hopeful expectation with patient endurance. Perhaps that is why Psalm 27:14 tells us to take heart as we wait for the Lord. I love to see God at work. I thank him for the times I see His hand at work in the lives of His people. I hear His encouraging call to be faithful during the days and months between obvious manifestations of His grace. It is my prayer that as He works in me in invisible ways, encouraging me and calling me to be faithful and trust Him, that His work in me will become evident to others, that they would be encouraged. I trust His Invisible hand to be at work in the lives of others, partly because I know that same hand is at work in my life, though not always evident to others. We must all be faithful and submit to God as He works in our lives. We must be patient with one another as God works in unseen ways.

Fire and Ice

My speedometer hovered between 35 and 45 MPH as my eyes strained to see the road ahead through the blustery snow. The dark wintery landscape was punctuated by flashing lights as police and rescue crews helped accident victims. I was traveling West on Interstate 80 in a fifteen passenger van filled with Youth from my church, headed to "Snoasis," our conference's midwinter youth retreat. I began to wonder if I would ever make it to Whitehall Camp where our retreat was to be held. I had contemplated turning back, but we were well over halfway there.

When we had started out, the sun was shining and the roads were clear. I was surprised to receive a call from one of the other churches saying the fuel lines were frozen in their vehicle and road conditions forced them to cancel. It was fairly warm and our roads were clear. We were traveling along nicely. When I reached the Interstate that all changed. The worse things got, the more I prayed. "Lord, protect us. Help us to be safe."

We finally made it to our exit. It was not far from there to Whitehall Camp, where our retreat is held. What a relief. The lights of the Camp were a sight for sore eyes. As we unloaded and went to register, I learned that several churches would not make it because of the weather. The frigid temperature was carried on a gusty wind. It was almost impossible to keep it from creeping in next to the skin. Our retreat theme was "Fire and Ice." We were sure getting the ice part.

As we began our first session, Mike Anderson, our speaker connected with the youth right away. He communicated in a language and medium they could understand and appreciate. He shared God's Word in a straightforward manner, without pulling any punches. Though the icy wind continued to blow outside, things were warming up on the inside.

On Saturday night, the thaw began. As we lifted our voices in worship I began to sense the presence of God in our midst. As I looked around, I saw that I was not the only one. The Word of God was attended by the Holy Spirit and hearts began to melt. The front of the room was set aside as a sacred space and an invitation was given to surrender hearts to God. About half of the eighty-eight who attended Snoasis answered God's call to that sacred meeting place.

Some gave their hearts to Christ for the first time. Others were called to a deeper surrender. Tears flowed from many who remained in their seats. Confession was followed by testimony as the fire of the Holy Spirit warmed hearts. The love of God was manifest as groups gathered around those needing support and encouragement. There was no hurry to leave, but God continued to minister to hearts in small groups and individually. It was a precious time. Ice had made its presence known, but those exposed to God's Word had their hearts melted by the fire of the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God.

What does it cost?

I have been thinking of the concern most people have with their return on the dollar (or yen, euro, bolivar, etc.) and the ever increasing need for imediate gratification. How much bang do I get for my buck? What's it going to cost me? When am I going to see a return on my investment? Like the fast food consumer, we want it our way, we want it now, and we want change back from our dollar.

The same attitude persists in the realm of Christianity today. After many hours logged in the pew, countless (or counted and here's your receipt sir) dollars have been dropped into the collection plate, prayers have been offered, and resources have been spent and energy expended a problem arises. It may be a big problem, or it may be a little problem. It may be medical, relational, financial. Whatever the problem, the request goes out to God to solve it and the thoughts go back to the cost of following him and people expect to see a return. I'll have my miracle now please, and oh, do not forget the mayo. Let me have it my way, and let me have it now!

Whatever happened to following the Lord without counting the cost? Whatever happened to waiting upon the Lord? What ever happened to "not my will, but yours, oh Lord." These things have fallen to a religion that says you can have it all and you can have it your way, and yes, you can have it now. I reject such religion and its commercial use of God. "send me twenty dollars and your miracle is on its way." Pshaw. Such things are an offense to God. It makes God into a fast food miracle stand, and it requires the "believer" to overcome nothing, not even their own self centered preoccupation. God does not pass out miracle cures avery day. God does not promise an immediate return on our investment. Though He may graciously answer our request, we have no right to make demands.

Some may ask then if I do not believe in miracles. Sure I do. But the point of miracles is that they are not everyday occurances, but the supernatural intervention of God into normal affairs. If we were to expect miracles at every turn the they would no longer be miracles, but they would be part of the normal landscape of life.

The problem, I think, is that we have turned the financial picture upside down. It is not we who should be seeking a return on our investment, but it is God who is looking for a return on His investment. If we rightly consider the price paid for us by Christ, we should no longer count the cost of following Him, but should offer ourselves up gladly to him. We are no longer our own, but we were bought with a price. He has paid for us, and not the other way around. The consumer mentality says we paid our tithe, now give us the blessing. The Consecrated mentality says we have given you only what was already yours.