Didn't Jesus Say To Love?

Jesus taught his followers to love as he loved. I think for me is it easy to immediately jump to what he did on the cross as the expression of love that he gave us. And it is. It is the ultimate expression of love -- Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. However, what about his other acts of love -- the way he interacted with people and the deeds he did for them.

I have just finished reading an intriguing book entitled, "Leadership and Self-Deception" by The Arbinger Institute. I confess I know nothing about these people, but I could not put the book down. It is a real life expression of what Jesus meant when he called his followers to love one another as he has love us. Here are a few highlights...

Self-deception is living in "The Box." Being "IN THE BOX", I see myself and others in a systematic distorted way -- others are mere objects. The goal, therefore, is to live as much as possible "outside the box" where I see myself and others more or less as we are -- as People.

The way we get into the box is by "Self-betrayal."

1) An act contrary to what I feel I should do for another is called an act of self-betrayal.
2) When I betray myself, I begin to see the world in a way that justifies my self-betrayal.
3) When I see a self-justifying world, my view of reality becomes distorted.
4) So -- when I betray myself, I enter the box.

When I enter the box, I become self-deceived and inflate others' faults, inflate my own virtue, inflate the value of things which justify my self-betrayal, and I blame!

5) Overtime, certain boxes become characteristics of me, and I carry them with me.
6) By being in the box, I provoke others to be in the box.
7) In the box, we invite mutual mistreatment and obtain mutual justification. We collude in giving each other reason to stay in the box.

What doesn't work in the box...

1) Trying to change others.
2) Doing my best to "cope" with others.
3) Leaving
4) Communicating
5) Implementing new skills or techniques
6) Changing my behavior

The way out of the box..... "It happens all the time in our lives -- usually on very small matters that are quickly forgotten. All of a sudden, because of the basic 'otherness' of the people who continually stand before us, and because of what we know as we stand out of the box in relation to other people, our box is penetrated by the humanity of others. We know in that moment what we need to do -- we need to honor them as people. And in that moment -- the moment I see another as a person, with needs, hopes, and worries as real and legitimate as my own -- I am out of the box."

O.K. I have done no justice to this book!! It is a narrative story which brings out these points, and it is one of the best examples of how we get entrapped by our sin and self-centeredness and get stuck in the box -- even as Christians. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control. But WHERE are these qualities in our relationships with others?? We need to learn to live outside of the box!

An Audience of ONE

From Reggie McNeal's, A Work of Heart...

"An old story recounts the dream of a preacher. To a packed house, the preacher pours out his heart. When he finishes -- nothing. Then something. A lone figure way up in the balcony stands and begins to applaud. In his mind's eye, the camera zooms in on that solitary admirer, and he discovers it is Jesus! Suddenly it does not matter that all the others are not clapping their approval. As long as Jesus is pleased, it is OK."

hmmmmm............................!

"There is an Audience of One that the Christian leader must cultivate. Only his approval assuages insignificance and loneliness and feelings of failure. Only he keeps perfect score. He is the One who has issued the call and convenes the games. He is the one who will judge the efforts and award the medals. His is the only vote that counts, no matter how many seem lined up either for or against you. His 'well done' will make every effort worth doing again."

"Do you have an Audience of One? If not, the call is in jeopardy of being compromised, no matter how slightly or innocently your ticket sales for grandstand seats have been altered. Only One belongs in the audience."

"Moses' One gave him a private burial. David's One secured his kingdom forever. Paul's One awarded him the victor's crown. Jesus' One sat him down again at his right hand. Your One is your only hope of realizing the call that he has given to you. As you live out your life message through your call, you will help others discover their own ability to play to their own Audience."

Sorrow

There are times in life when tragedy and sadness pile on and all you can do is cling to the Lord. Yesterday (Sunday) after our morning services, I conducted the funeral for a baby who died at childbirth. The mother and the family are friends and very special folks. The little girl was completely healthy except that the cord was wrapped around her neck. This is the kind of event which can affect folks for the rest of their lives.

Please pray for the young mother as she grieves and mourns her loss. I have prayed often for the whole family that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would be ever present in their lives. I am reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we may comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Cor.1:3)

God is Faithful

The past two weeks have been incredibly intense, and I am so glad the Lord has a sense of humor. Our Associate Pastor had surgery on his broken elbow. Our Church Administrator is out on vacation. Two other clergy are on vacation. We began a new worship schedule on Sundays adding a new service at 7:45 a.m. The A Word from the Lord office is in the process of moving. And I have had eleven serious pastoral situations with individuals in crisis. All this on top of the normal schedule. Fortunately, the Lord has been His GRACious Self and given me and others around me His Presence and Anointing to be His servants in the Kingdom.

The last part of this week I have taken my wife, Allison, to join some other parishioners for a few days to a house at the Beach. We had bought a week together at our Youth Auction last February. Although I have just returned from a Sabbatical, I wish I could say I was resting and relaxing here, but the reality is that I am working. However, the scenery is wonderful! The food is great!! And my breaks are good -- a walk on the beach. Just finished my sermon prep for Sunday entitled: "Humble as A Child," a sermon about how God calls us to live and serve in His Kingdom.

Interesting Quotes from my reading.....

John Stott on Genesis 3:16-17 -- "Adam and Eve went into hiding, and the greatest of all tragedies began, namely that human beings made by God like God and for God should now try to live their lives without God."

Steven M. W. Covey -- "You can judge a person's character by the way he treats people who can't help him or hurt him."

Immanuel Kant -- "In law, a man is guilty when he violates the rights of another. In ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so."

"People don't listen to you speak; they watch your feet"

Steven M. W. Covey -- "The truth is that in every relationship -- personal and professional -- what you do has far greater impact than anything you say. You can say you love someone -- but unless you demonstrate that love with your actions, your words become meaningless."

Jesus -- "I tell you the truth that unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3,4)

God Bless the U.S.A.

As we hear calls which politicize September 11 (i.e., our president's call to ask Americans to give a day of service to the State, and then those who criticize him for it), let us take a few minutes and thank God for the incredible nation in which we live.

Yesterday, I participated in the dedication of the Strickland Memorial Chapel at Gwinnett Medical Center in North Atlanta. Mr. Clyde Strickland got up to speak after hearing a hindu, a muslim, and a rabbi speak about their perspective. Mr. Strickland said: "Only in America can this happen today. America is about freedom. Freedom to worship God in your own way. This could not have happened in most countries of the world." So let us thank God for the incredible nation in which we live.

But let us also take a few minutes and remember those who have suffered because of the attacks on our country that day. Let us remember the families of the over 3000 who died on that day. Over 700 children lost their parents that day! Let us remember those who sacrificed so much so that we all could overcome and move forward individually and as a nation.

A friend, Doug DeBolt, who used to be with Acts 29 Ministries put together a video from his time of ministry in New York days after the attack. It is worth a watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmGuFs3dJxc.

Re-Entry

What a great week!!!

I have been blessed to hear from our church staff about all that the Lord has been doing this summer while I have been gone. Wow! The Lord has confirmed again to me that to obey Him is always right. While I was away on Sabbatical, the church remained strong, people came to the Lord, attendance held, giving remained strong, people served, and lives were touched in the name of the Lord. I am blessed to be surrounded by a great staff, gifted clergy, a dedicated Leadership Team, and a congregation of people seeking to serve the Lord.

This weekend I had a wedding, two baptisms, and preached two times. I preached on "Working for What?" In honor of Labor Day, I attempted to share the beginnings of a Christian Work Ethic for those who are followers of Jesus. It should be available online at www.hcanglican.org within the next day or so.

One humorous event from the wedding yesterday... A woman came up to me and said she listens every Sunday to our weekly broadcast, but I DIDN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE SHE THOUGHT I WOULD! (I am not sure if that was good or bad). She went on to share how much the weekly sermon ministers to her. I was deeply touched.

Colossians 3:22-24 -- "Servants, do what you are told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from your heart for the real Master, for God, confident that you will come into your inheritance. Keep in mind that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being Christian doesn't cover up bad work."

Martin Luther: "The Lord’s blessing does not come upon those who are sluggish . . . I would not want you to indulge in inactivity and idleness; I want you to work. For God does not give His blessing to those who snore according to the flesh; He wants the flesh to be exercised and mortified . . . Therefore although it is not this work that accomplishes what the blessing bestows, yet God wants us to do our duty and to work diligently, in order that the flesh may be exercised and may not snore and become listless from inactivity . . . Accordingly, we should not give ourselves to ease and laziness; but with all zeal and diligence we should submit to the labors which the calling of each and every one requires. And to these labors there should be added at the same time a cheerful spirit in every trouble, exertion, and tribulation. In this way a blessing should be expected from the Lord."