Simplicity

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What comes to mind when you think of practicing the discipline of simplicity? Most often the discipline of simplicity gets associated with taking a voluntary vow of poverty or selling possessions. Perhaps one reason we associate simplicity with giving away possessions is because it’s measurable and easily defined. But the discipline of simplicity should not be reduced to a set of external decisions concerning our possessions. This is certainly part of practicing the discipline, but it is not the whole. The Christian Discipline of simplicity is different from a minimalist’s approach to life. The Christian Discipline of simplicity is an inward reality that results in a change in the way we live our daily lives.[1] This is why Richard Foster says, “Simplicity is an inward reality that can be seen in an outward lifestyle. We must have both; to neglect either end of this tension is disastrous.”[2]

For this reason, the practical advice will deal with both the inner and outer elements of simplicity. To ignore one or the other would leave out an essential component of the discipline. It should also be noted that the inner should be the primary focus when practicing the discipline. It’s only after our hearts learn to find contentment that we will be content with our external circumstances no matter what comes our way. You’ll also notice the practical advice incorporates a number of other disciplines. This is because simplicity cannot function independently from the rest of the disciplines.[3] So, here is some practical advice on how to build the discipline of simplicity into your everyday life:

  • Pray when you experience anxiety or compulsions
    • Prayer and simplicity are intimately intertwined[4]
    • Pray for yourself and loved ones that they might be protected from the subtle and not so subtle messages from culture to always acquire more
  • Find freedom from anxiety when it comes to your possessions by…
    • Acknowledging every good thing is a gift from God
    • Trusting that it is God’s business to care for what we possess
    • Offering what we possess to others
  • Create space in your schedule for solitude
    • Sabbath reminds you there’s more to life than the physical
    • Build in times of “planned neglect” when it comes to email, work, etc., as our desire to constantly produce something is built upon impulsiveness
  • Fast regularly
    • Seek detachment from other appetites (outside of physical hunger) when you fast
    • When you fast, provide a meal for someone in need
  • Focus on quality over quantity
    • Fight the “more is better” mentality by choosing quality over quantity
    • Buy one good car that will last 10 years as opposed to three cars that will last four years
  • Seek first the Kingdom of God
    • Prioritize your budget and spending habits around what God wants to accomplish for His Kingdom through you as opposed to your own desires
  • Budget and track your spending
    • You cannot deal seriously with exterior simplicity until you know where all of your money is going
    • Figure out how much goes to essentials and how much goes to non-essentials like entertainment
  • Buy things for their usefulness and not their status
    • When you buy small things like clothes or big things like a car, buy them for their durability and how long they will last
    • Ask yourself before buying, “Am I buying this just to impress others?”
  • Wait a week before buying
    • After determining that God wants you to buy something, wait a week and see if He provides it for you through other means like someone gifting it to you
    • This also helps cut down on impulsive purchases
  • Develop a habit of giving things away
    • The mass of extra stuff in our lives brings about complexity that is not required
    • De-accumulate wherever you can
    • Ask yourself the question, “If I haven’t used something in over a year, do I really need to hang on to it?”
    • Share items with others that you aren’t currently using
  • Become more discerning when it comes to advertising
    • Advertisers want to produce a felt “need” in you in association with their products
    • Point out commercials and advertisements to family members that are teaching false truths about reality for the sake of accountability
    • Don’t believe every “timesaving” device will actually save you time
  • Learn to enjoy things without owning them
    • Enjoy publically owned recreational venues like a park, road (for cycling or running), lake, ocean, etc.
    • Pull resources together with friends for purchases that can be shared
  • Look at the product chain and make sure your purchase isn’t an act of injustice
    • Often times oppression happens with products made overseas

Resources for Practicing Simplicity
These are the resources the practical advice was drawn from and are helpful resources for anyone looking to go deeper in practicing the discipline of simplicity:

[1] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline. (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY, 1998). Pg. 79.
[2] Foster, Richard. The Freedom of Simplicity. (HarperCollins e-books: New York, NY, 2005). Kindle Edition.
[3] Ibid.
[4] See Philippians 4:6-7

Submission

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There is always a danger when talking about the subject of submission that someone will confuse the subject with oppression. Richard Foster says, “Of all the Spiritual Disciplines none has been more abused than the Discipline of submission. Somehow the human species has an extraordinary knack for taking the best teaching and turning it to the worst ends. Nothing can put people in bondage like religion, and nothing in religion has done more to manipulate and destroy people than a deficient teaching on submission.”[1] Because there is this grave danger in talking about this subject, the practical advice will come in the form of reflection questions on the subject of submission. The reality is every situation is unique, and there is a thin line between oppression and submission. This is why we must understand there is a difference between self-hatred and dying to self. If you don’t get a good grasp on that fact, it can lead to oppression rather than Biblical submission.

Jesus calls us to self-denial, not self-hatred. Self-contempt causes us to believe we have no worth, while self-denial says we have infinite worth and shows us how to realize it.[2] C.S. Lewis says, “The wrong asceticism torments the self: the right kind kills the selfness. We must die daily: but it is better to love the self than to love nothing, and to pity the self than to pity no one.”[3] To practice Biblical submission in a healthy way means we must first comprehend that we have the freedom to give our self away to others. It means we understand our infinite worth and value, and as a result we choose to honor others above ourselves.

The perfect example of this is found in the example of Jesus in Philippians 2. Paul says we are to follow the example of Christ when it comes to submission and hold others’ interests above our own. In Philippians 2:3-5 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” What is important in this passage is to see the attitude Christ took towards others and what it was birthed from. Notice how Jesus understands His infinite worth and value and what He chooses to do with this fact as Paul continues on:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5–11

In Christ we see a perfect picture of what submission looks like. Biblical submission is much different from oppression. Biblical submission is born out of a realization that you have infinite worth, not from self-hate. Biblical submission is something you freely give, not something you are forced to do.

Because of the trick nature of this subject, we thought it would be more appropriate to ask reflection questions rather than to give practical advice. So, here are a few of the questions that were asked yesterday morning along with a few more to chew on this week:

  1. How do you normally respond when you hear an opinion you don’t agree with?
  2. Would the people closest to you say that you have a teachable spirit?
  3. When was the last time you couldn’t let something small go because you were “right?” What does this teach you about how you can grow in the area of submission?
  4. What relationship do you need to work on being more submissive in right now? Who is an authority figure in your life that you have a hard time esteeming/honoring more than yourself? (i.e. at home, work, school, etc.)
  5. Who have granted permission to speak into your life?
  6. Who has modeled healthy, Biblical submission for you, and how have they influenced your life?
  7. Are you more attached to your opinions and authority than you are to Jesus and His love and care for others?
  8. What did you take away from this weekend’s message? How are you planning on applying this sermon to your life this week?

Resources for Practicing Submission
These are the resources the practical advice was drawn from and are helpful resources for anyone looking to practice submission in a healthy, Biblical way:

[1] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY, 1998). Pg. 110.
[2] Ibid., Pg. 113.
[3] Lewis, C.S. God in the Dock. (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, MI, 1970). Pg. 195.

Question on Corporate Fasting

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As we have studied some “uncommon disciplines” the New Testament calls us to practice over the last few weeks, part of what we’ve tried to do is give practical advice concerning how to practice these disciplines. This is because, for the most part, the New Testament doesn’t always outline how to do these disciplines. As I said a few weeks ago, one of the main reasons why the Bible doesn’t always explain how to do them is that these practices were so common in their culture that you didn’t need to tell people how to participate.

One of the few exceptions actually involves the discipline of fasting. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives His followers some clear advice on how they should go about fasting. Matthew 6:16-18 says, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” This section of Scripture has caused a few people to ask if our corporate fast is appropriate seeing that Jesus calls His disciples to practice fasting privately.

I think it’s appropriate to address this valid question a few ways. First, I will say it is completely a personal decision and is totally fine if you choose to abstain. Things like this are always personal, and I wouldn’t force anyone to do it even if I could. So, if you are hesitant about participating in this fast but don’t want to feel guilty, consider permission granted for skipping the fast. The truth is I will not know that you did or did not fast unless you tell me personally (or are in my Life Group). On top of that, I realize there are a variety of reasons people may not feel led to participate, and that is okay.

Second, Jesus seems to be addressing the personal discipline of fasting rather than corporate fasting in Matthew 6:16-18. I believe there is plenty of evidence in both the Old and New Testament of God’s people being called to specific corporate fasts. Some of the best examples are found in 1 Samuel 7:5-6, Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16, Acts 13:1-3, and Acts 14:21-23.[1] The leaders in the community decided on the parameters for these corporate fasts, whereas in personal fasts, the parameters are more of a personal matter.

Finally, as far as addressing Jesus’ specific words on fasting in Matthew 6, I believe it’s always helpful to put these words on fasting into context of what surrounds them. Just before his words on fasting, he talks about prayer and says that we shouldn’t pray in public.[2] I believe what Jesus is saying in these verses is not to be taken in a wooden, legalistic way. Jesus was trying to get His disciples back to the heart of the disciplines, such as prayer and fasting, in order to rescue them from the show the Pharisees were putting on. So, to apply it to our situation, I think Jesus might say, “Don’t walk around all day Wednesday telling everyone how hungry you are because you are participating in a church-wide fast.”

My challenge to those of you wrestling with this subject is to view this corporate fast as an opportunity, not a burden. If you cannot participate in good conscience, then please don’t. On the flip side, I hope you can also see what an opportunity this will be for our church to collectively seek to engage in living out the mission of God through fasting together. I’m praying that God uses this to grow us personally and corporately closer to Him and to each other.

[1] Some New Testament scholars also believe Paul had the men on the ship to Italy fasting in Acts 27, specifically Acts 27:21
[2] Side note: He also says in Matthew 23:9 that we shouldn’t call anyone “father” aside from our Heavenly Father.

Fasting

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There are several examples in Scripture of God calling His people to do a corporate fast.[1] Every time God asks His people to fast corporately, it’s for a few specific purposes. First, God calls His people to corporate fasts to have them pay closer attention to His voice through the Holy Spirit. God also calls His people to participate in corporate fasts to have them pay closer attention to the needs and hurts of the world. Another reason God calls for corporate fasts is to have His people pay attention to who they need to be in order to do God’s will in the world. Finally, God calls His people to corporate fasts to have them repent of all of the ways they have individually and corporately gone astray.[2] For all of these reasons, we are asking people who belong to Harris Creek to participate in a corporate fast for one day this week (preferably Wednesday). This is really a partial fast in that we are asking you to fast during breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, and then to break the fast by having dinner with your Life Group or others from the church.

Since evangelical Christians do not always practice the discipline of fasting, some might wonder how to fast. There are definitely some practical things you need to think through when it comes to fasting seeing that it is a discipline that affects the physical as well as the spiritual. Here are a few practical things to keep in mind before entering a fasting:

  • Do not fast from food if you are sick, pregnant (or nursing), or have other health issues like diabetes or cancer
    • Fasting is not a requirement but is a discipline God invites us to participate in when possible
    • If you cannot fast from food, you could fast from media or other “necessities”
  • If you are new to fasting, just fast for one meal instead of two
    • Fasting is a little like running in that you work to build stamina before you can do it for long periods of time
    • If you are looking to fast for a long period of time, consult others (preferably a health professional/doctor) before doing so
  • Drink plenty of water and fluids
    • Your body can handle going without food for a lot longer than it can go without water, so try to drink a lot of water during a fast
    • While you may want to stay away from protein drinks and other “filling” liquids, what is most important is fasting from things that the Spirit prompts you to fast from (don’t let this become a legalistic exercise for you)
  • Don’t break your fast with a large meal
    • This is particularly important if you’ve fasted for a long period of time, as your stomach will have shrunk and need to get acclimated to eating regular sized portions again
    • The longer the fast, the smaller the portions need to be when breaking the fast
  • Remember that fasting is not magic
    • Many times you cannot put requirements on fasting and look for an immediate “payoff”
    • This is what the people of Israel did in Isaiah 58 and it upset God
  •  Have access to Scripture during the fast
    • This will allow you to replace the time when you would normally eat with prayer and Scripture reading
  • Have access to a journal
    • Writing down your thoughts, emotions, and feelings is an important exercise during fasting
    • Journaling your prayers and what God is speaking into your life is also essential during a fast

Some questions to think about while you are fasting that you may want to discuss with your Life Group are:

  1. What can be learned or experienced in a corporate fast that may not be taken away from a personal fast?
  2. After participating in the corporate fast, do you think fasting is a discipline you will practice on a more regular basis? Why or why not?
  3. If you participated in the corporate fast, what did God speak to you through this experience? What was the biggest struggle throughout the day? What was the biggest benefit you received from participating in this corporate fast?

Finally, here are a few resources the practical advice was drawn from and are helpful places to start for anyone looking to practice fasting on a more regular basis:

[1] See 1 Samuel 7:5-6, Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16, Acts 13:1-3, and Acts 14:21-23 for a few examples.
[2] Calhoun, Adele Ahlberg. Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us. (InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL, 2005). Pg. 281.

The Prayer Life

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One barrier many Christians face when it comes to prayer is found at the most basic, or fundamental, level. It is they don’t know how to pray. While this may seem like an overstatement, many believers never cultivate a deep prayer life because they lack the training on how to deepen their prayer lives. Richard Foster says, “Real prayer is something we learn.”[1] Even the disciples had to ask Jesus to teach them to pray even though they had followed Jesus for some time.[2] So, we shouldn’t be shy about the fact that we are not well versed in prayer if we’ve never taken time to learn to pray.

On the other hand, we should not think that prayer is only something for “spiritual giants” to participate in. After all, Paul tells fairly new converts in 1 Thessalonians they should “pray continually.”[3] Prayer is not something for “deep” Christians. Prayer is something for all Christians and is actually how we launch out into the deeper waters of faith. Some people think prayer is a spiritual gift given to some believers, but this is not what the New Testament says. The New Testament implies that prayer is a spiritual discipline that every believer is called to practice. You are called to pray continually no matter where you find yourself on the path of discipleship or what’s going on in your life. Oswald Chambers says it this way: “However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray.”[4] We are to pray in every circumstance. We are to pray continually.

So, what does it mean to pray without ceasing? It obviously means to continue your communication and communion with God at all times in your life. But what many Christians wonder is, “What does it practically look like to pray all of the time?” “To ‘pray without ceasing’ does not mean that every other activity must be dropped for the sake of prayer but that every activity must be carried on in a spirit of prayer.”[5] So, you don’t have to worry: prayer won’t take up too much of your time. Actually, prayer will encompass all of your time. Here are a few practical ways you can have a deeper prayer life and begin to take a conversational approach to prayer:

  • Focus on prayer being a free-flowing conversation rather than a formal exercise
    • Avoid using “religious” words you don’t normally use and talk to God how you would talk to others
    • It’s important to remember that while prayer is more of a conversation with God and He wants us to be honest with Him, you are still talking to the Creator of the universe (In other words, avoid thinking in terms of Jesus being your “homeboy”)
  • Set aside specific time to pray
    • Even though we are to pray without ceasing, we still need to carve out time to be alone with God in our thoughts
    • This is like taking time out of your day to intentionally communicate about “heart matters” with someone you love on a consistent basis
  • Practice a variety of forms of prayer such as a contemplative prayer, breath prayer, centering prayer, intercessory prayer, or even praying Scripture
    • There are many different formal and informal ways to pray, and it is good to learn a variety of ways to communicate and commune with God
    • Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Calhoun (see the “resources” section below) is a great place to start exploring different types of prayer and how to incorporate them into your daily walk
  • Try to focus on more than your own requests from God
    • Take time to ask God what He would have of you
    • Use the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) as a way to keep yourself from only asking for things from God
  • Try to pray with others on the spot when the situation lends itself
    • If someone is asking you for prayer, ask them if they would mind you praying for them right now
    • While prayer can be a private discipline, learning to pray with others is essential (While this is difficult for some, it should be approached like talking to your spouse or family member in front of other people)
  • Learn the art of silent prayer
    • Prayer is communicating with God, not only communicating to God
    • To have a vibrant prayer life we must listen for His still small voice in our lives
    • When you don’t have the words to say, trust that the Holy Spirit is interpreting your heart to God through your silence
  • Don’t forget while learning more about prayer to actually pray
    • Nothing replaces actually conversing with God
    • It’s important to not wait until you feel like talking to God

Some questions to think about while you are discerning how to take a conversational approach to prayer are:

  1. As you think of prayer as a conversation, how would your relationship with others go if you communicated to them the way you communicate to God? For example, do you only ask for things from God? Are you constantly distracted while you are communicating with God? Do you take time to listen to what He has to say to you? Do you talk frequently enough to maintain a deep relationship? Are you too formal or too informal at times?
  2. Even though we are praying all of the time, why is it important to set aside specific time to pray to God?
  3. What are some ways you need to grow in your own prayer life?

Finally, here are a few resources the practical advice was drawn from and are helpful places to start for anyone looking to take a conversational approach to prayer or looking to practice different forms of prayer:

[1] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY, 1998). Pg. 36.
[2] See Luke 11:1-13
[3] 1 Thessalonians 5:17
[4] Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest. (Barbour Publishing, Inc.: Grand Rapids, MI, 1992). October 17.
[5] Bruce, F. F. 1 & 2 Thessalonians (WBC 45; Accordance/Thomas Nelson electronic ed., Word Books: Waco, TX, 1982). Pg. 127.

Practicing Sabbath

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Yesterday we talked about the fact that honoring the Sabbath is something important to God. It is something He calls His people to remember and regularly practice. In the sermon we studied why the Sabbath is so important, we did not look at how to practice the Sabbath. While the Bible obviously calls us to practice spiritual disciplines like Sabbath, it doesn’t always tell us how to do them. One of the main reasons why the Bible doesn’t always explain how to do them is that these practices were so common in their culture that you didn’t need to tell people how to participate. For example, there was not a real need to tell people how to fast in Biblical times. Spiritual disciplines were so much a part of their upbringing and culture that they knew things like what you are supposed to eat before a fast, how to avoid dizziness during a fast, and how to break a fast.[1] This is not always the case in our culture today. The idea of practicing spiritual disciplines such as taking a regular Sabbath is a foreign concept to a large number of evangelical Christians.

Giving practical ways to practice spiritual disciplines is always a tricky subject because it is easy to turn guidelines into rigid rules. After all, this is exactly what some of Jesus’ contemporaries did to the Sabbath.[2] So, there is always a danger in turning disciplines into a set of rules and regulations. Therefore, we are caught in this tension between needing to take steps towards being more disciplined, but also knowing these disciplines can quickly turn into a set of legalistic rules rather than a path to experiencing God’s liberating freedom. With that being said, there are some pointers when it comes to regularly practicing the Sabbath we can learn from history and Judeo-Christian tradition. Here are a few practical ways you can begin to practice Sabbath in your own life:

  • Run your errands and prepare your house (or meals) beforethe Sabbath begins
    • Sabbath is not a day to get your “to do list” done
  • Pick a day of the week that you can regularly practice the Sabbath
    • It’s not more “authentic” to do it when it comes to you
    • Remember: The Sabbath is all about establishing a rhythm
  • Light a candle to symbolically start the Sabbath
    • This is the traditional way Sabbath begins in Judaism and is an intentional way to begin the period of rest
  • Practice this discipline with family and friends
    • Sabbath is not meant to be a private discipline
  • Set yourself up for success and start small if necessary
    • Instead of doing 24 hours, intentionally rest for 4 hours or even 15 minutes if that’s what it takes to start practicing Sabbath more fully
  • Only practice restful activities
    • Do things that bring you closer to God and others
    • Go on a walk, play games with your kids, take a nap, or read a book
  • Create a “Sabbath box”
    • Put your work projects, computer, phone, or anything else that might tempt you to break your Sabbath in the box during the Sabbath
  • Save stressful conversations for another day
    • This is not saying you shouldn’t have difficult or tough conversations in your relationships; this just means you should avoid these if at all possible on the Sabbath
    • Remember to seek peace and harmony on the Sabbath
  • Refrain from competition that puts you in a bad place (this includes watching competition that produces anger inside of you)
    • Anger is usually a result of our need for control (or unmet expectations), and the Sabbath is meant to teach us to not rely on our own strength

Some questions to think about while you are discerning how to practice Sabbath more fully are:

  • What do you do to experience rest and renewal?
  • What types of “recreational” activities actually end up draining you even more rather than giving you rest?
  • How can you avoid these types of activities during the Sabbath?”
  • What is the biggest thing keeping you from regularly practicing Sabbath?
  • When we overload our schedule, it shows that we don’t want to acknowledge our limits. What keeps you from wanting to acknowledge your limits?

For anyone looking to go deeper in practicing Sabbath, these books are a few of the resources the practical advice was drawn from and may be helpful for further study:

[1] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY, 1998). Pg. 2-3.
[2] See Matthew 12:1-14, Mark 2:23-27, Luke 13:10-17, and John 7:21-24 for a few examples of this.

Cultivator or Consumer

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It is possible that some believers in Christ may want to receive all of the blessings of grace from God but care little about carrying on that ministry of reconciliation towards others. While this may be the desire of some, the New Testament does not say this is an option for those who are in Christ. A.W. Tozer says, “Erroneously, many are taught and believe that the Christian life is a free ride that eventually ends in heaven.”[1] What Tozer is essentially saying is that grace is free, but it is always costly. Once you have received grace, you are called to be an agent, or ambassador, of grace. Any amount of inaction is actually working against what God is trying to accomplish in the world. Simply put, there is work to be done for the believer in Christ.

So, what happens to the believer who wants to receive the blessing of grace but not participate in the work of redemption in the world? In many ways Jesus addresses this very question in a parable in Matthew 21:33-44. This is a parable about a vineyard, and vineyards had long been a metaphor for Israel, God’s people. Isaiah 5:7 says, “The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel.” This is a parable about God’s people and their stewardship of what He has entrusted to them. In this parable, a wealthy landowner goes away on a long vacation and leaves some farmers in charge of his property while he is gone. He entrusts his vineyard to others and compliments them with his trust that they will get the job done. But the farmers did not do what was asked of them and became people more focused on what they could get from the wealthy landowner.

It doesn’t take long to see that the farmers, or “cultivators,” were actively working against the landowner. The vineyard was equipped with everything the workers needed to accomplish the job, but when harvest time came for the landowner to collect his fruit, the farmers were violent towards the landowner’s messengers. In many ways this is true of our work of reconciliation given to us. If we are not doing what we have been entrusted to accomplish, we are actually working against God. Abraham Joshua Heschel says, “The world is torn by conflicts, by folly, by hatred. Our task is to cleanse, to illumine, to repair. Every deed is either a clash or an aid in the effort of redemption.”[2] What Heschel is saying is you are either working with or against God’s redemption efforts in the world.

Why were the farmers so violent towards the landowner’s messengers? The parable tells us that they were all about what they could get from the landowner. After the landowner sent messengers and the farmers killed all of them, the landowner decides to send his own flesh and blood to hopefully get their attention. But this does not work. When the landowner’s son comes with the message, they kill him too. Why? The text says it was so they could receive his inheritance.[3] They wanted more from the landowner than they had already been given.

Jesus asks the question, “What will happen to these farmers who refused to participate in the work given to them?” The answer is found in Matthew 21:43 when Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” Jesus bluntly says He will give the work to someone else who will accomplish His purpose of redemption in the world. The farmers are expendable in this story. But make no mistake, we will have to answer, in the end, for, why we did not do what was entrusted to us, especially when we have been given so much. If you have any power, any voice or influence, any energy or resource, you are called to use it to bless others who have no power, energy, voice, or resources.[4] Ultimately, this parable tells us about the privilege that we have as ministers of the new covenant while we are on earth.

God has trusted us with His work and gives us the freedom to choose to do the work of redemption or not. William Barclay says, “God is no tyrannical taskmaster; he is like a wise leader who allocates tasks and then trusts people to do them.”[5] In the same way the owner gives these farmers the responsibility of caring after this vineyard, there are several tasks God gives us today. These tasks are actually a privilege, not a burden, if you pause to think about it.[6] God allows us to take part in what He is doing. The more we recognize the grace we have received, the more we are willing to share it with others. He doesn’t need us, but He invites us to participate in His work of redemption.

[1] Tozer, A.W. The Crucified Life: How to Live Out a Deeper Christian Experience. (Regal: Ventura, CA, 2011). Pg. 24.
[2]  Heschel, Abraham Joshua. God In Search Of Man. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux: New York, NY, 1955). Pg. 357.
[3] Matthew 21:38-39
[4] Bell, Rob and Golden, Don. Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile. (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, MI, 2008). Pg. 174-175.
[5] Barclay, William. The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2. (Westminster John Knox Press: Lousiville, KY, 2001). Pg. 307.
[6] This thought was primarily taken from a sermon by Landon Collins on this same passage.

The Voice of Silence

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Any time a period of spiritual silence comes into our lives, our natural tendency is to fight against it rather than enter into it. We also tend to think these moments of silence come to us because God is angry with us, rather than God loving us enough to draw us into a period of silence so that He can speak into our lives in a new way. This is why Richard Foster says, “When God lovingly draws us into a dark night of the soul, there is often a temptation to seek release from it and to blame everyone and everything for our inner dullness. The preacher is such a bore. The hymn singing is too weak. The worship service is so dull. We may begin to look around for another church or a new experience to give us ‘spiritual goose bumps.’ This is a serious mistake. Recognize the dark night for what it is. Be grateful that God is lovingly drawing you away from every distraction so that you can see him clearly. Rather than chafing and fight, become still and wait.”[1]

Probably the best story in Scripture of a person of faith entering this moment of silence, or selah, is the story of the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Elijah had just experienced one of the most powerful moments of God moving in his entire life. He had just faced down 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah and proven the God of Israel to be the one, true God in 1 Kings 18:16-46. Immediately following this story, Elijah unexpectedly enters his “dark night of the soul” and is hiding out of fear from Jezebel, the queen in power at the time. It’s in this moment of utter despair, this moment of selah, that God shows up to speak to Elijah.

In one of the most famous passages in all of the Bible, 1 Kings 19 tells us something very important about the way God sometimes chooses to speak to His people. In this passage Elijah is told to go outside the cave he is hiding in and listen for God’s voice. This is how the text describes God speaking to Elijah in 1 Kings 19:9-13: “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” This passage says the prophet Elijah hears God speak in a “gentle whisper” or a “still small voice.” The literal translation of this phrase is “a voice of silence.” This text is saying God spoke to Elijah when he was at the point of despair in “a voice of silence.” This means there are times when God may be speaking, even through His silence, and we need to learn to discern what He is saying in this “voice of silence.” Why does this voice come to Elijah after he hits rock bottom? Perhaps one reason is because God wants us to move beyond relying on our words so that we can begin to fathom His depths. Abraham Joshua Heschel says, “Only those who have gone through days on which words were of no avail, only those who have experienced ultimate not-knowing, the voicelessness of a soul struck by wonder, total muteness, are able to enter the meaning of God, a meaning greater than the mind.”[2]

We cannot learn what God is saying in the “voice of silence” unless we learn to be silent ourselves. If you think about your daily routine and normal life, there are very few, if any, moments of silence. We live in a world that is cluttered with white noise. Therefore, we need to learn to build silence (or selah) into our lives so that we can understand what God is saying in and through the silence.[3] One way you can build this silence into your life is to find a “quiet place” to retreat for five or ten minutes a day. Don’t bring any technology, books, people, or distractions with you. Just spend a few moments sitting and listening for God in the silence. Another way to build silence into your life is to retreat once or twice a year for a day or two on your own. This can serve as a way to reorient your life and goals to God’s purpose for your life. A final way to build moments of silence into your life is to minimize your words. Whether this means you don’t speak for a few hours a day or for even an entire day, this discipline can help you realize your dependence upon words to communicate. After you realize this dependence you can begin to learn how to communicate as God does at times, which is through a “voice of silence.”

In Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer talks about the fact that some people come to the Church because they are running away from being alone with God. In fact, Bonhoeffer says your ability to enter silence affects the quality of the community around you. He says, “Many people seek fellowship because they are afraid to be alone. Because they cannot stand loneliness, they are driven to seek the company of other people. There are Christians, too, who cannot endure being alone, who have had some bad experiences with themselves, who hope they will gain some help in association with others. They are generally disappointed. Then they blame the fellowship for what is really their own fault…Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. He will only do harm to himself and to the community. Alone you stood before God when he called you; alone you had to answer that call; alone you had to struggle and pray; and alone you will die and give an account to God. You cannot escape from yourself; for God has singled you out.”[4]

The bottom line is many people are overly dependent upon noise in their lives. We use noise to distract us from those things God is stirring in our hearts. There are far too many people in our society who need some sort of noise to even be able to fall asleep. At least part of this points to the fact that we are afraid of what we will find in moments of silence. We wonder, “Will fear, sin, or a demanding call from God bubble to the surface if I pause long enough to listen?” But God will lovingly pull us into silent moments, whether we like it or not, because He desires to speak to us in his voice of silence.

[1] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline. (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY, 1978). Pg. 103.
[2] Heschel,  Abraham Joshua. God In Search Of Man. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux: New York, NY, 1955). Pg. 140.
[3] Foster, Celebration of Discipline, Pg. 104-108.
[4] Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. (HarperSanFrancisco: San Francisco, CA, 1954). Pg. 76-77.

The Exodus

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Yesterday we talked about the story of The Exodus and finding true freedom from the slavery of sin in our lives. After reading through hundreds of cards filled with serious issues of bondage, I believe it is important for me to encourage you to continue taking steps towards freedom this week. That’s what this blog is about. Many people feel trapped by the sin they are in and don’t know what practical steps to take towards freedom. Every person will, at some point in his or her life, experience bondage and slavery to sin. It is human nature. So, what does it look like to be redeemed by grace and experience true freedom from the slavery of sin?

The first thing we must realize is the nature of slavery and sin. It is human nature to desire to be in bondage, as weird as that sounds. As soon as Israel got free from slavery in Egypt, they beg Moses to take them back.[1] This is part of the psychology of slavery, particularly when it comes to being enslaved by our own sin. In his book called Man—The Dwelling Place of God, A.W. Tozer talks about this phenomenon. He says the man enslaved to sin is self-deceived and “is his own enemy and is working a fraud upon himself. He wants to believe the lie and is psychologically conditioned to do so. He does not resist the deceit but collaborates with it against himself. There is no struggle, because the victim surrenders before the fight begins. He enjoys being deceived.”[2] Tozer goes on to say, “Grace will save a man but it will not save him and his idol.”[3] So, the first step is to realize this will be a battle, and for you to truly desire freedom.

After slavery has taken you to the end of your rope, the thing to do is cry out. This means you need to ask God for help, and tell others about your condition for the sake of accountability. One of the biggest reasons you don’t want to cry out is pride. In his book called You Can Change, Tim Chester says, “One of the main ways in which pride wrecks the process of change occurs when we hide our sin from others. We want our good reputation. So we hide, we pretend, we don’t seek help…We’d like to stop sinning, but not if that costs us people’s approval. And that means true repentance isn’t taking place.”[4] If you are afraid to tell others about your struggles, you need to remember everyone struggles with something. We are all sinners saved by grace. 1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Remember, there will be times you want to go back. If you’re really deep into an addiction, you may need to seek professional help from a Christian counselor. While God is the one doing the “redeeming,” those around you will be His hands and feet.

After this point in the process, everyone’s journey looks a little different depending on the situation and persons involved. Here are a few other questions to take into consideration that may be true of your journey:[5]

  • “Do you blame someone else for your sin?”
    Shifting blame onto someone else for your chains will never help you move forward. After all, it was not the fault of the Israelites who were enslaved in Egypt for being in slavery. But they had to take ownership of their situation to move forward.
  • “Do you tend to minimize your sin?”
    All sin and addiction is offensive to God because He desires for us to live as free men and women. The Israelites in the desert started to forget how bad slavery actually was. Don’t fall into the same trap.
  • “Do you really want to change?”
    Many times we say we want change, but our desire for change is only true for fleeting moments. Jesus has promised in John 8:34-36, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” And we know, He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.[6] Can we say the same about you?

In closing, it is important to understand that overcoming sin and addiction is not something you can do on your own. Richard Foster says, “Remember, an addiction, by its very nature, is something that is beyond your control. Resolves of the will alone are useless in defeating a true addiction, You cannot just decide to be free of it. But you can decide to open this corner of your life to the forgiving grace and healing power of God. You can decide to allow loving friends who know the ways of prayer to stand with you. You can decide to live simply one day at a time in quiet dependence upon God’s intervention.”[7] What Foster is saying is there is true hope for you. You really can be redeemed by grace.

[1] See Exodus 16:1-3 or Numbers 11:4-6 for examples.
[2] Tozer, A.W. Man—The Dwelling Place of God. (Wilder Publications, 2009). Pg. 54.
[3] Ibid. Pg. 55.
[4] Chester, Tim. You Can Change: God’s Transforming Power for Our Sinful Behavior and Negative Emotions. (Crossway: Wheaton, IL, 2010). Pg. 123.
[5] Ibid., Pg. 130.
[6] Philippians 1:6
[7] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline. (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY, 1978). Pg. 90.

Choosing a Name (Part 2)

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In the most recent Harris Creek blog, Brady shared about the process he and Becca went through in picking Camden Beck Herbert’s name.  For those who read it, I think you would agree when I say 1) Brady is a gifted writer and 2) the post will be a blessing to many, Camden included.  For those of you who have yet to read it, take a moment to enjoy: http://harriscreek.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/choosing-a-name/

As the Herbert family welcomed Camden into their household on August 3rd, the Hughes family also recently greeted a new addition.  On August 5th, a 3-lb. ball of white fur crossed the threshold into our home and immediately marked the territory as his.  Some might identify him as a West Highland Terrier, others might mistake him for a polar bear, but Allison and I have chosen to call him “Truett.”

Settling on Truett was not an easy decision for Allison and I to come to.  In fact, we had a whole slew of names in consideration. But as we reflected on the meaning of Truett, the name really started to grow on us. First, we like the name aesthetically.  Beginning and ending with the letter “t” and including the rare combination of vowels “ue,” it’s a thing of beauty.  Occasionally we will utilize the alternate spelling of Trüett because it looks German, which adds foreign flare to its allure.  Speaking of international appeal, Truett in Morse code looks like this: -.-…-.–

We first got the idea for the name “Truett” when I voluntarily went to seminary for 41 months of rigorous academic and ministerial training.  Towards the end of an intense workout session in the preaching lab, I was walking back across campus when I turned back around towards the seminary in order to see the sunlight glimmering against the stained glass windows.  In the metal letters of an appropriately moderate typeface adorned on the side of the building, there it was emblazoned like a billboard from heaven: GEORGE W. TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.  If you can name a building and a seminary after a man, then why not name a dog after a man?  The true measure of a human being is whether or not someone names a pet after him/her.  You might be thinking, “Great! Galan and Allison are obsessed with a dead pastor!”  Aside from the seminary, Truett Cathy, German umlauts, and Morse code, every bit of my facetious comments is trumped by the seriousness of the act of naming.

In the last blog, Brady quoted from Madeleine L’Engle’s Walking on Water: “To be given a name is an act of intimacy as powerful as any act of love…To name is to love. To be named is to be loved.”[1]  L’Engle also writes, “Stories are able to help us to become more whole, to become Named.  And Naming is one of the impulses behind all art; to give a name to the cosmos we see despite all the chaos.”[2]  When I read both of these quotes about naming, I think about the story of Hagar in Genesis 16 and 21.

It would be an understatement to say Hagar was experiencing chaos, and although there is much to be said about her story and her relationships, the aspect of naming offers a compelling lesson to be learned.  In the first six verses of Genesis 16, Sarah and Abraham (the artists formerly known as Sarai and Abram) address Hagar as a slave/maidservant but do not call her by name.  In fact, Sarah and Abraham never call Hagar by her name.  Of all people, Sarah and Abraham ought to know the intimate power of being named, and yet, they do not take the time to distinguish Hagar as a sole person of worth, a valued creation; they pass over an opportunity to speak into another being’s soul and share a message about the Creator.  Hagar is only called by name in her encounters with the divine.  In Genesis 16:8, the angel of the LORD asks Hagar, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”  Hagar answers and then receives an encouraging word from the angel of the LORD.  In a vulnerable position, Hagar is called by name and is offered a snippet of her (and her son’s) story.[3]  The story offers hope and brings a sense of wholeness to an otherwise scattered, broken individual.  Genesis 16:13 captures Hagar’s response: “‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’”  In the midst of turmoil, Hagar is empowered with the presence of God, and having seen herself as an individual with an important destiny, she names the LORD!

In the dog days of summer, the Hughes family and the Herbert family both began a new chapter, and it’s a pleasure to share about these experiences and invite others into the story.  Being named and therefore being loved is important, but I hope you also note your privilege to give a name to the cosmos, to proclaim the name of God.  Every believer is a minister of the Gospel and every Christ-follower can play the role of the artistic theologian in sharing about the name above all names.[4]  Have you experienced a time when your purpose in life was made clear to you, and you were encouraged to make known the name of God?  Where do you see God at work today?  How can you uniquely put a name to the cosmos despite all the chaos around us?

[1] Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water, Pg. 127, 130
[2] L’Engle, Pg. 45-46
[3] Genesis 16:10-12
[4] Philippians 2:9-11