Missing the People Forest

Title: Missing the People Forest
Date: 26 Nov 2011
Written by: Conrade Yap

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (Matt 9:10-11)

Missing the Forest for the Trees?

Matthew, the tax collector is in cloud 9. Feeling on top of the world, for once, he is accepted as a real person instead of being looked down. He has just struck a spiritual lottery: Dinner with Jesus! Not only that, it is the Rabbi, the Lord that everyone is talking about who has initiated the whole thing. It is an invitation too hard to refuse. It brings out a joy, and a generosity in him.

“Wow! Dinner with Jesus. I’ve to invite all my tax friends to celebrate together!”

A) Jesus’ Grace Promotes Open Generosity

So he gathers his friends. True joy is being able to share one’s happiness with people he knows and loves. He invites his tax collector friends to join in. He invites other ‘sinners’ to come. He displays a spirit of open generosity amid a climate of judgmental religiosity.

The guest of honor is Jesus. Let the party begin. Better than meeting top powerful kings and princes. Better than shaking hands with movie stars and pop singers. Better than crashing a party where everyone toes the same line or adopts a patronizing stance. After all, nice words are not necessarily true. Truthful words are not necessarily nice. The best thing is to be one’s true self, and to be accepted. Jesus’ big heart of grace makes it all possible.

B) The Pharisee’s Un-Grace Caps the Fizz of Joy

However, there is a problem. Like throwing a spanner into the works, the keepers of the law turn party poopers. Not wanting to disrupt the gathering, the watching Pharisees take the sly approach. They ask the disciples in an accusatory manner.

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

I wonder why the Pharisees didn’t disrupt the whole gathering like a religious policeman bashing through the door. Maybe they are afraid of rankling the ire of the tax collectors. Maybe they just want to be nice and to avoid an embarrassing confrontation with Jesus. Understandably, they have a bad track record for losing arguments with Jesus.

It is a known fact that tax collectors are despised in society then. After all, they make a living by charging an additional interest on top of everything else. Like collecting a few percent more on top of each person’s regular tax liability. Maybe for every $1, they charge $1.20. For every $99, they collect a few more dollars for themselves. It is not illegal. Just distasteful. After all, tax collectors are making the Roman Empire rich by taxing their fellow Jews. The normal thing is to shun such ‘traitors.’ Don’t eat with them. Don’t patronize them. Don’t play golf with them.

Why then is Jesus eating and drinking with these scums of society? This infuriates the Pharisees. Perhaps they are caught in the middle, like between a rock of the Law and a hard place of Jesus’ popularity. That is why they whisper. They speak softly, not to Jesus, but to his disciples. They want to play it safe. Their hardened hearts have blinded them to put principles before people, law before grace, and convictions before conversions. E. Stanley Jones speaks of such ‘negative’ people as follows.

“They came all the way from Jerusalem to meet Him, and their life attitudes were so negative and faultfinding that all they saw was unwashed hands. They couldn’t see the greatest movement of redemption that had ever touched our planet – a movement that was cleansing the minds and souls and bodies of men. All they saw was a ritualistic infringement. Their eyes were open wide to the little and marginal and blind to the big.” (E. Stanley Jones)

C) Beware of Small Minds

Jones reminds us about the dangers of having a small mind. When we become fixated on the ‘I,’ we tend to miss the forest for the trees. When we are consumed with obeying laws, we tend to miss the spirit of the law. John Ortberg reminds us about missing the bigger picture.

“I do not see how it would be possible to find a meaningful life in a meaningless universe. The only purpose that is worthy of life is something bigger than life itself.” (John Ortberg, Know Doubt, Zondervan, 2008, 33)

Beware of small minds that suffocate. Embrace a big heart and open mind to free ourselves from hypocrisy. Free ourselves from burdensome expectations that sees principles before people. Learn from Jesus, the man who comes to earth to save, but to punish. See Jesus’ considered and open response to the Pharisees secretive words.

“On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”

Yes. Let those of us who are sick, not call others ‘sick.’ Let us instead call upon Jesus, the Doctor and the Healer. Often, when we try to prescribe Jesus for others, it is us who need Jesus more. Big hearted faith comes only after we meet Jesus. Like Matthew the tax collector.

conrade

Faith is Risk Taking

Eli Stanley Jones (1884-1973)

The great 20th Century Methodist missionary to India, E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973) is one of my favourite persons I love to quote from. When serving in India, he was one of the key Christian influences on Mahatma Gandhi. He worked with the lowest of the lowest, in particular the Dalits. He wrote with a conviction to wake up the sleepy church. He spoke with passion to rebuke the naysayers. He even influenced major figures like Dr Martin Luther King Jr, who went on to famously start the non-violent human rights movement.

Rebuking the Risk-Averse Believers

The article below is a particularly moving one, and speaks to the modern church that is fearful of taking risks. It rebukes the 'negative' spirit among many Christians, and exhorts all to adopt a 'positive' way to live. I learned that taking risks is not an option. It is a must if anyone of us wants to be a disciple. Maybe, 'must' is a strong word. Perhaps, at least, if any of us are NOT willing to take risks, let us then NOT deter, distract, or discourage others with our own risk-averse or negativity. Let us learn to focus on Christ, and take Him at His Word, His promise to be with us, especially when we take risks for gospel sake. Some of the precious gems I learned are:

• We are our biggest prisoners.
• The biggest mistake is the 'fear of making mistakes.'
• Don't build our spiritual lives around negatives.
• Don't be focused so much on the small things, that we miss out the big picture.
• That we can often behave like the Pharisees, who sees 'criticisms' when Jesus sees 'conversions,' and who 'pick flaws' over 'followers.'

Below is a reproduction of Eli Stanley Jones's article printed on a newspaper in Texas. I have highlighted my favourite parts in bold blue. Take my word. The article is worth your time.

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LIFE TRULY LIVED IS A RISKY BUSINESS

(Published: "The Evening Journal," 23 June 1954)
By: E. Stanley Jones

A dentist who was successful as a dentist – he filled cavities with positive remedies – was a failure as a moral being, for he said to himself: “I am a man who thinks all around a subject, but I never make up my mind and act.” Everything for him was 'sickfilled over by the pale cast of thought.' The thought never took legs and began to walk; It remained a thought. Many are so afraid of making a mistake that they don’t make anything else. They have so much tact that they have no contact.

'Any life truly lived is a risky business, and if one puts up too many fences against the risks, one ends in shutting out life itself.’ Many are prisoners of their own fears of making mistakes. There are many who are afraid to speak to others about Christ, for they are afraid of making mistakes. But the biggest mistake is not to do it. If a man doesn’t make mistakes, he doesn’t make anything else. The biggest mistake is the fear of making mistakes. It leaves on negative, and that is a mistake.

There are some who build their whole lives around negatives. Note: “Now the Pharisees gathered to meet him, with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem. They noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with common (that is unwashed) hands (Mark 7:1-2, Moffatt). They came all the way from Jerusalem to meet Him, and their life attitudes were so negative and faultfinding that all they saw was unwashed hands. They couldn’t see the greatest movement of redemption that had ever touched our planet – a movement that was cleansing the minds and souls and bodies of men. All they saw was a ritualistic infringement. Their eyes were open wide to the little and marginal and blind to the big. So history forgets them, the negative – forgets them except as a background for this impact of the positive Christ. They left a criticism; he left a conversion. They picked flaws, He picked followers.

There is only one way to live – the positive way. There is only one way to die – the negative way.

O Christ, I thank Thee for Thy awakening, stimulating impact upon my spirit. Thou dost produce life at every touch. Amen.

AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I am not afraid to make mistakes, for I’m out to make something bigger than the “I's.”

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Wow. When we are too focused on the I, me, myself, how pathetically small and limited our world is. When our eyes are focused on Christ, our world expands beyond ourselves. Faith is taking risks by living beyond ourselves, for Christ. We are not called to build a kingdom of 'I.' We are called to build and to be a part of the kingdom of God.

conrade

World Wide WORLD

Nowadays, when one sees WWW, one thinks about the Internet, about online activity, about computers, about technology. It is the start of a web URL. It is the symbol of modern communications. It is virtual reality stealing away our desire for the real world by substituting the actual with the digital. A good friend of mine writes a regular technology column under faithandtechnology.org that publishes reflections on technology and the real world. Her latest posting is a good reminder for those of us who spend a lot of time (or too much!) online at the expense of offline. Thanks Rosie for the tip. :)

While this is an ad for a carmaker, the message reminds us how important it is to take time to get up from our chairs, get out of our rooms, and to get into the real world. I like the way the video begins:

"People don't make a list of websites they want to see before they die." True. Very true.

Another great quote is that the Internet will still be ok without us. Next time, whenever you see "www," think not only of the world-wide-web, think of the "World Wide WORLD."



conrade

Three Parodies on Worship, Church service, and Prosperity Gospel

Parodies are used to mock or provide a cynical look at things that seem to be more hype than reality. Even in Churches, sometimes we need to learn to laugh at ourselves but at the same time, be aware that we may easily fall into such temptations too. If we are not careful. Check out the following three parodies. The first is the sad state of wrongful worship that some churches and Christians are somewhat guilty of. The second reminds us about the temptation of focusing on man's needs to the extreme. The third is a familiar prosperity gospel clip. Laugh but do not laugh too hard. We may be caught doing it sometime.

1) On Wrong Worship (link).



[I want to acknowledge 'Against Nothingness' blog where I first got to know about this.]

2) On Making Worship Service Extra 'Relevant' (link)



3) Prosperity Gospel (link)




conrade

"What Would Jesus Tweet?"

This past week, someone mentioned Charles Sheldon's classic work, "In His Steps." It brings back memories of the What-Would-Jesus-Do (WWJD) movement. That book was published way back before the end of the 19th Century. Man! I wasn't even born yet!

As I ponder about it, I ask myself about what is the modern equivalent of WWJD? Immediately, I think about what will best symbolize social media. Snail mail is dead. Email is ancient. Cell messaging limits only 1-to-1. Probably, Twitter is most visible. I suppose the modern equivalent of WWJD in communications is: "What would Jesus tweet?"

This idea is nothing new. Twitter is the face of quick, short, cheap, and classy communication of choice. Within a limit of 140 characters, here are 16 possible things that Jesus would tweet. There can be more.

1. "You shall have no other gods before Me."
2. "I am coming soon. Are you prepared for me?"
3. "I've missed you."
4. "Be perfect, for I am perfect."
5. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
6. "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men."
7. "Whatever you have done for the least, you have done unto Me."
8. "Whoever receives this child receives Me."
9. "If you say You loved Me, why aren't you obeying what I say?"
10. "I waited and waited and waited. But you never call."
11. "Love God with all your heart, mind, and will."
12. "Why didn't you let Me take care of your worries?"
13. "My peace I give unto you. Yet you refuse. Why?"
14. "Trust Me."
15. "My child, I love you."
16. "Follow Me."

Perhaps, you can be more creative than my list above. While you're at it, let me share this brilliant Youtube clip made by an extremely creative person about the Passover. It is basically a re-telling of the Exodus story. It uses the best of social media like Google, Amazon, Facebook, Skype, Wikipedia, and of course, Twitter. I'm sure some of you can come up with even more creative ideas. 

Have a great weekend.

conrade
p/s: If you want to follow me on Twitter, you can tweet me at http://twitter.com/yapdates.

Only One Thing is Needful

I shared this prayer with some people last week. Based on the feedback I have received, it has touched a raw nerve. It makes me suspect that there are more people out there who feel the same way. Taken from my review copy of Jesus Calling Devotional Bible (see my review here), the prayer is from a person named Wanda.

"All of life seems foggy lately. I think I can pinpoint the source of this fog: I feel disconnected from You, Jesus. There's no telling just how many days have gone by without a thought of You. I can't remember the last time I read my Bible or told someone about You either. But I'm here now, on my knees, needing You to lift the fog. I wish I could blame my current state on those around me. But I chose to shut You out. I chose to give up the habit of praying daily. I chose to hang out with people who don't know You, people who don't encourage my relationship with You. How do I find my way back? How can I erase the distance between us? Somewhere in my past I remember that You promised to never stop pursuing a relationship with me. Well, I'm taking You up on it. Please, Jesus, restore me to You and make us close again." (From: Jesus Calling Devotional Bible, Thomas-Nelson, 2011, p1582)

God Is the Prime Mover

What I like about this prayer is the deep confession of one's foggy faith, and an earnest hope to be renewed and restored. Most importantly, it is a recognition that it is God who is the Prime Mover. Whenever Christians feel down, one way is to attempt to dig out past treasures from our diaries of spiritual success stories. For some of us it may be our needed booster to bring us back. For others, it may be another attempt to kick-start our faith without guarantee that it will be sustained over the long haul. For anyone who wants to draw on our past histories or our present reserves, my advice is: "Don't." Whenever there is any 'Martha-like' activism that threatens to usurp the place of a 'Mary-like' needful spirituality, remember the Lord's words:

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-39)

Only One Thing Is Needed

Perhaps, the confession of one's foggy faith is due to worry and being upset about many things. If one cares to ponder about it, often it is not the object of worry that is the problem. It is the worrying disposition that is the source of anxiety. This prayer puts a stake on the ground of faith, amid winds of  distraction, disappointment, and discouragement. It sets our hearts to acknowledge that by ourselves we are weak and helpless. With God's help, we can be strengthened, be helped that we too may help others. Alone, there is only so much faith we can garner.  With God, faith comes free-flowing, and it is the shape and volume of our ability to receive that is the limit. Depending on ourselves, we see more problems and doubts. Depending on God, we see more than solutions. We see an opportunity to exercise our faith. If anyone believes that becoming a Christian means more money or better health, or greater wealth, he/she is badly mistaken. That is a worldly and deadly quickfix tablet disguised as 'gospel.'

No. Only one thing is needful whenever we feel our life is foggy. Keep our eyes on Jesus. Let us focus on seeking out God to meet our legitimate needs. Let God focus our one thing. Let God help us address the source of our discouragement. Let God be our answer.

It Begins With Prayer

For Christians, we know that life is not a bed or roses. Believing in Jesus does not mean it any easier. Contrary to what some preachers assert, life can be harder. Ask the prophets like Jeremiah or Hosea. Ask the martyrs like Jim Elliot or John Wycliff. Ask anyone in the Third Word who have suffered for their faith.  Let me end with a prayer by the great Methodist missionary, E. Stanley Jones. It is a prayer that combines the best of one's earnest desire and one's honest acknowledgement of a need for God to help.

"O Christ, do not give me tasks equal to my powers,
but give me powers equal to my tasks,
for I want to be stretched by things too great for me.
I want to grow through the greatness of my tasks,
but I shall need your help for the growing." (E. Stanley Jones)

My readers, whatever the stage of your spiritual life or condition, the moment you stop, look up to God, and to ask Him for help, you are pointing in the direction of the kingdom of God. You will be empowered by the Spirit of God. You will be accompanied by Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Seeing our clouds of doubt lifted by the breeze of faith, we are ready to go and grow.

conrade

Secret Behind the classic song "Amazing Grace"

A dear brother in Christ sent me this video clip which really blows me away. Inside this clip, the black gospel singer, Wintley Phipps masterfully shows us the origins of the song and how it is connected to Negro spirituals.

Firstly, virtually all black spirituals can be composed and played by merely using the black keys on the piano. Take any negro spiritual and try it. Songs like: "I want Jesus to walk with me," "There is a balm in Gilead," "We Shall Overcome," and others.

Secondly, the words are written by John Newton, a white male, who prior to his conversion is a notorious slave owner.

Thirdly, upon his conversion to Christ, he pens his words to the song Amazing Grace. While the hymn is often credited to John Newton, the music is unknown.

It seems like this former slave trader's testimony goes much farther than writing the lyrics. The entire song uses a melody that is purely from using the black keys. Can it be an unknown black composer? Or is it John Newton who specifically asks someone to compose the music based strictly on Negro spirituals to indicate his whole-hearted acceptance of all persons? Maybe, he is the one who composed it. No one knew. Think about it. The lyrics (from the White man) connect with the music (from the black spiritual tradition) to become one united song. Isn't this an amazing song that comes across as a hymn for Christian unity? Great video here.

AMAZING GRACE by WINTLEY PHIPPS from texoki on GodTube.

conrade