Missions Month: Week 3 -- Special Guest Mike Leonzo

This week my friend Mike Leonzo was able to come share. Mike is the lead pastor at Living Water Community Church in Harrisburg, PA and also serves on the advisory board for Mosaix Global Network. Check out this very challenging message on Jesus' prayer of unity for his church.

Missions Month: Week 2

Missions Month: Week 1

For the benefit of my non-KSC readers, here's week one of The Fraglie Army sermon series.

Election as a Call to Love First

I have enjoyed carefully examining a short portion of Jesus' discussion with his disciples during the last supper in John 15:1-17. Over the last few days I have been pondering 15:16, a verse that I am sure will raise some eyebrows tomorrow when I discuss it in the sermon. It stands out for its theological bluntness on the doctrine of election.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16 ESV

What it says is plain enough. We did not choose Jesus. Jesus chose us. His move was primary, and any decision we feel we've made with regard to Jesus is a result of his sovereign choice. That's clear enough; but what I've been pondering is the location of this particular bit of theological precision. Jesus is talking about his love and how we as his beloved friends are to abide in his love and love others in the same way he loves us. Why, seemingly out of the blue, does Jesus switch to the topic of his sovereign choice?

And then it hit me. Election is not only Christ's sovereign choice of the people for whom he will sacrificially give his life; election is also the model for how we are to love others first. Now, my thoughts on this are just now simmering, so I would welcome any perspective or critique you may bring to them.

Here's what I think I'm seeing. In 15:12, Jesus says we are to love others as he has loved us. This means sacrificially, which is clear from the next verse that says no one has greater love than he who gives his life for his friends. Now that's challenging enough. To love to the point where you are willing to die in the place of the other person is beautiful, costly love, and it is absolutely the central message of the cross, because Jesus dies as the substitute sacrifice for the sins of his people.

But 15:16 heightens the challenge by showing us yet one more aspect of Jesus' love for his people that must be modeled in the loving fruit they produce, namely, that we are to be the people who love others first. The disciples didn't choose to love and abide in Jesus. Jesus chose them when they were perfectly content to keep on fishing, collecting taxes, etc. without any love for Jesus at all.

I've talked to enough people, done enough counseling, and searched my own heart enough to know that we humans are not inclined to love first. What I am inclined to do is love conditionally. I will extend love as an invitation to others, and if it is accepted, friendship begins. When it's rejected, I assume the other person is not worth my love and move on. That's what my sinful heart wants to do. I want to revoke the invitation.

But Jesus' love isn't an invitation, it's a selection. He chooses us, and we become his beloved friends. As such, my love isn't to be simply an invitation, but a choice to love. I don't get to decide how and to what extent I'm going to love other people anymore than I decided how and to what extent Jesus was going to love me.

Now of course, my love for another person is not irresistable like Jesus' love. My love doesn't bring about new birth or new creation in another person. But it is not the doctrine of irresistable grace that Jesus references. It is the doctrine of unconditional election, and to that end my love for another person must pour from me regardless of how it is received.

Imagine if everyone who followed Jesus realized that they were chosen, in spite of themselves, by Jesus, and used that love as a model for loving everyone else. Imagine if we said, "No matter what you do to me or how you receive me, I am going to love you first as unconditionally as Jesus loved me first, even if it kills me."

Another Reflection on John 15:3

Following the service yesterday I had a great discussion with my wife about John 15:3, a seemingly enigmatic little sentence in the middle of Jesus' analogy of the vine and the branches.

"Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." 15:3

The word clean here is the same as the word prunes in 15:2, so Jesus is saying that the eleven remaining disciples are pruned, fruit-bearing branches. Judas is the ideal example of the dead branch that seemed to be "in Christ" but whom the Father has "taken away."

At this point in the sermon I made the comment that what Jesus says next is directed to fruit-bearing branches. Rachel told me that she wondered whether she would have understood Jesus to be speaking to only one kind of branch following this verse if I hadn't pointed it out. This caused me to go back to the verse and have another look at it.

This short verse is even more important than I thought. Here's why:

1. Often people quoting or referencing this passage will start in 15:4. "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me."

2. Had Jesus begun his speech here, you might be able to make a good case that Jesus is arguing for a sort of works righteousness, where it is the responsibility of the individual to stop being a dead branch and start producing fruit that God will accept. Try reading 15:1-2, skipping 15:3, and moving right to 15:4 to see what I mean.

3. 15:3 is the pronouncement of grace. The Gospel has cleaned these remaining eleven apostles. They are being pruned by the vinedresser to bear more fruit. Their responsibility is not to clean themselves, but to endure and partner in the continued discipleship process by abiding in the source of their spiritual life, Jesus Christ.

4. 15:3 and 15:6 work together to make certain that fruit-bearing branches realize it is God's sovereign grace that saves them and allows them to bear the fruit of Christ-like love.

What an important little sentence!

John 15:1-17

I'm beginning to dig into a passage I will be preaching over two weeks in April, John 15:1-17. It is a passage that has been challenging my walk with Christ, especially as it pertains to my decision-making and my prayer life. Without any of my own analysis, here it is in the ESV:

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

10 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.
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Some Observations on Pentecost

My reading and teaching is taking me deeply into the profound declarations and mysteries of the Spirit's infilling at Pentecost. Here are some of my obeservations from Acts 2:1-21. If these seem confusing, that's probably because I'm still working out my own understanding of the text and the ramifications of its meaning.

1. Pentecost is a visualization of the kind of whole-world vision the church is to have in its scope of outreach.

Pentecost is the reverse Babel. At Babel (Genesis 11) humans made a tower to reach God for human glory. At Pentecost, God declares his work of salvation to reach humans for God’s glory. At Babel, God confuses speech to divide a single nation. At Pentecost, God clarifies speech to unite disparate nations under one Gospel to build one holy nation. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, we begin to see the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham to bless all the nations of the world through him. So our vision for missions should match God's passion for all nations.

2. Peter is arguing that the sign of Pentecost is the inauguration of the last days that lead to the Day of the Lord.

We are in the time between the times. And in this epoch of human history, God does mighty things in the name of Jesus, through the power of his Spirit, working in his church. Which puts us in an already-but-not-yet situation. God’s Kingdom has come, is coming, and will come.

3. This church age is the promised time when God pours out his Holy Spirit on all his people. The Spirit gives utterance to his people to declare the Gospel. The Spirit gives visions and dreams, though their content is not explained here.

This is perhaps the observation that challenges me most. We live in a world where the Holy Spirit is active among all of his "sons and daughters." Every true follower of Jesus is indwelled with the Spirit and is led by the Spirit. They are empowered by the Spirit to do work that far exceeds any work humans can do on their own. So why do I choose so often to make decisions based on what I know I can do? Why doesn't the church take more risks and make more sacrifices? Why do I let my inadequacy determine my willingness to share the Gospel with another person?

After Jesus and Before the Spirit

I've always been intrigued by the period of time between Jesus' ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It strikes me a little like wilderness camping where you have neither the guide who trained you nor the supplies you were trained to use. I pictured a scared huddled mass of humanity, afraid to step out the door. But over the past few days I've had the opportunity to study Acts 1:12-26, which is really the only narrative we have describing this period of time. To my amazement, the first church didn't see themselves as lacking anything. They were just waiting for more. Let me show you what I mean. Here's a list of their activities:

They went home as they were instructed by Jesus. (vs.12)

They devoted themselves to praying "with one accord." (vs.14)

They met in large groups. (vs.15)

They interpreted their experience with Judas using Scripture. (vs.15-20)

They sought the Holy Spirit's guidance through Scripture. (also vs.15) (This is the one that really changed my view.)

They selected nominees based on wise discernment. (vs.21-23)

They asked God to select between their nominees. (vs.24-26)

There is nothing about this narrative that would give the impression that the disciples were anything but confident in their ability to live as Christ's community. Sure they were waiting per Christ's instructions so they would recieve the power to do the work they were called to do, but they weren't powerless. On the contrary, they went to the same sources we do today to determine how to interpret our experience and to hear what the Lord wants of his people: Scripture, wise discernment, and prayer.

We Have the Same Power as Jesus

Luke wrote two accounts of the time between Jesus' resurrection and ascension. In them, he tells of the power Jesus used to open the minds of disciples, and then he gives that power to the disciples to use for the glory of God. Consider the following verses:

____________________
Luke 24:45a Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures...

Acts 1:1-2 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

Acts 1:5b ...you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

Acts 1:8 But you will recieve power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
____________________

There appears to be a lot more to "being like Jesus" and "following Jesus" than taking on his character and being a better person. That's important, but it's not the extent of the mission Jesus has given his people. As a commissioned disciple of Jesus, a Christian, I am one small extension of Jesus' ministry in the world. And the Spirit empowers all of Jesus' disciples to do ministry they never could do as mere human beings. Like Jesus, we move and act in the power of the Holy Spirit, and that should change the way we see our purpose in the world.

I want to be clear.

I'm not suggesting we have the power to command the Holy Spirit. We cannot open people's minds to the Scriptures on command. But we can read, preach, and speak them knowing the Spirit can use our efforts to carry out his purposes and enact his power. We can pray for the Spirit's power to be poured out. And we can take risks, choosing to follow the leading of the Spirit, trusting that he has the power to sustain us and bring about his purposes through us.

The Birth of the Church

On the morning of May 27 in A.D. 30, the day of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, a sabbath, 120 men and women were gathered in Jerusalem--people who were convinced, after having met the risen Jesus, that the eschatological kingdom of God had dawned with Jesus, who had been crucified seven weeks earlier, and that it was a tangible reality in the presence of the risen and exalted Jesus Christ. And they were convinced that the kingdom of God, inaugurated by Jesus, would be carried from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth through their ministry as witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:3-15).

- Eckhard Schnabel
Early Christian Mission

They were convinced. Are you? If you're not doing anything Wednesday night at 7:00pm, and you live in the greater Chambersburg PA area, let the above summary of the birth of the church inspire you to join me for my new class at King Street Church, room M21/23. Hope to see you there.

Join Me for an In-Depth Study of Acts

This one's for my King Street pals. I am very excited to invite you to join me for a new class at King Street on Wednesday nights, 7:00pm, in M21/23. Starting Jan. 6 (a week from tomorrow) I will be leading a group on an expedition through the first 12 chapters of the book of Acts, a book known in antiquity as the Acts of the Apostles. The class is open to anyone who wants to attend.

Why Acts? Well, apart from my general desire to study the book myself, I believe there are central doctrines (teachings) in the book of Acts that need to be highlighted and cherished by the Church today. Some have been ignored (e.g. ecclesiology, the study of the church.) Some have been misunderstood (pneumatology, the study of the Holy Spirit.) Some cause great fear (e.g. missiology, the study of evangelism.) And some simply do not receive the kind of attention and care they should (e.g. soteriology, the study of salvation.) Acts takes us on a wild thrill ride through all of these doctrines!

But wait, there's more! By carefully considering these chapters verse by verse, the class will equip students with valuable Bible reading and study skills, which will strengthen their reading comprehension and their ability to handle any text of the Bible. Imagine a church filled with people who could be described like the Jewish Bereans in Acts 17 who diligently searched the Scriptures for themselves to see if Paul was telling the truth. What if all of King Street could handle the text with this sort of eagerness and skill?

So please do me two favors, King Streeters. First, join my class if you're able. Second, could you get the word out by sending people you know in the church links to this post? I'm so new I don't have the connections to get the word out, and it would be sweet to have a great turn-out. Thanks everyone.

Life Preaches the Gospel

Yesterday was a day that requires some reflection. It was one of those days that will probably become more profound in my mind as time passes.

It was the 9th anniversary for my wife and me. We were married Dec.16, 2000 in the aftermath of an ice storm. Our marriage is strong, based on our commitment to loving Jesus and letting that priority shape our love for each other. We had a great time yesterday. For dinner, Rachel made my favorite dish, lasagne. She ran out of lasagne noodles and had to use a layer of spaghetti to make it work. It did work. She's a genius.

But to really celebrate nine years of marriage, we had a son. It just so happens that our day in court to officially finalize our adoption of Samuel David fell yesterday at 11:30am. We bundled up the family and made the journey to the courthouse in Carlisle, where our lawyer said these words. I'll paraphrase:

Do you understand that with this adoption, Samuel will be your son with all the rights and privileges of a natural born child? And do you understand that you will be charged with taking care of him, providing for his needs and caring for him as his parents?

Do we understand this? Yes. We understand because we love Samuel; we chose him, traveled to get him, picked him up out of his dire situation, made room for him in our family, and we now give him everything he needs, including the promise of a share in this family forever. Does Samuel understand the ramifications of all that has happened. No. He just knows he's loved. And as he grows, he'll come to understand all of the parts of that love.

It was a very good day.


Ephesians 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.