students of jesus

Beware the questions of a child. Yesterday our fourth-grader asked, ”So, what is grace, exactly?” It only took a moment for me to discover “Grace” doesn’t yield to an exact definition.

When I tried to simplify it to “God’s goodness toward us,” she asked, “Then why don’t we just say ‘goodness?’”

When I tried the legal angle her eyes clouded over. I realized I could kill the word if I kept going, so I gave up the legal track.

“Why do people say that ballerinas are ‘graceful’?” she asked. (Great: I have a ten year-old philologist on my hands.)  We talked for a half-hour, which is like graduate-level work for someone her age. We could’ve looked up more than 15 dictionary entries for the simple five-letter word, or another five-to-ten idioms ranging from “fall from grace” to “coup de grace,” and we draw no closer to our goal. Dallas Willard’s not much help. John MacArthur far too limiting. A photo of Grace Kelly is closer to the truth.

This is the wonder of Grace: as big as the sky, as close as your next breath. Grace is insubstantial and ethereal—nothing more than an idea—an idea that continues to change the world. Grace is love made practical. Grace empowers. Grace cares not for the argument, but for the people arguing. Grace has an agenda beyond the truth. Grace knows that the frustrated heart would rather sit on the sidelines and be wrong than be forced to run with the schoolyard bullies who are right. Grace turns its nose up at winning the fight and aims instead to win the person. Grace plays the long game.

The only unsatisfying part of God’s Grace is: it’s too big to comprehend. Would we want it any other way?

Please: consider this an invitation to (virtually) sit down with my daughter and give it your best shot. I’ll read her your answers, and spare you her questions.

When I told one of my best friends that for my (third) career I wanted to be a writer, he gave me life-changing advice: "Try to imagine talking about your subject every single day for two years. If the idea still thrills you, you've found your topic."

• If heaven is the ultimate goal of the gospel, then discipleship is merely an option, like a choice in the cafeteria. But discipleship is not a choice, it's the mission.  There is something lacking in each one of us until we become disciples and until we make disciples of others.
• Discipleship is open to anyone willing to worship Jesus. Intellectual curiosity is not the ticket in, nor are good works. And here is the really good news: doubt does not disqualify you from worship.
• At the place of worship we discover that Jesus considers us partners in his mission. He never intended the original twelve disciples to be the only ones: he intended they would reproduce themselves. Amazingly, he intends the same for us as well.

• The good news is better than we think: the Father intends that each of us can become conformed to the image of his son. This is staggering: if we are disciples of Jesus, the Father has set a destination for each of us--Christlikeness!
• Jesus is unique: the only begotten of the Father. Yet that same Father is determined to have a large family. He sends a spirit of adoption into our hearts. We see him as our true Father and we discover our older brother is none other than the Lord of glory.
• When we first heard the gospel--presented as Jesus‘ sacrificial death on our behalf--how many of us imagined the Father had a destination in mind better than Heaven itself?

• If the destination of Christlikeness seems too far-fetched, Jesus comes to our rescue. He himself offers to be our guide and instruct us in the kind of life that flows from being with our Creator moment-by-moment.
• We can simultaneously learn from him and find rest in him. For example, anyone who has tried to learn a new language, skill, or life-habit understands the hard work involved. Yet Jesus tells us that when we are hooked-up in right relationship with him we will experience new life and refreshing at the same time. No university in the world can offer that combination.
• Human models of training and leadership depend on intelligence and worldly wisdom for their effectiveness. In this passage the King himself looks heavenward and gives thanks that the kids at the head of the class have no advantage over the rest of the us. In fact, they are in the dark--God rejoices that human intelligence is inadequate while offering the benefits of relationship to all who will simply come to him. Who wouldn’t take a deal like that?

So in the same year I’ve qualified for the Senior's discount at Denny’s I’ve discovered that four years isn’t near enough to explore that possibilities of life with God. I’m delighted you’re along for the ride.

Some days are diamonds, some days are stones, and some days are calf manure. In the middle of betrayal and spiritual adultery on the part of the children of Israel, God chose to demonstrate his goodness to Moses. Exodus 33:12-23 details the time when Moses wanted to give up on leading God’s people, and give up on life. It takes only a moment to read, but this passage can change your life:

1). As Moses pleads with God for help, God answers simply, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” God’s first answer is to offer his presence. It’s what we need most.

2). Moses responds with wisdom that still applies for us today: “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” The distinguishing mark of God’s people is his presence. In times of victory or trouble, his presence is our identity.

3). God’s assurances are filled with his personal approval of Moses, and Moses is bold enough to push all the chips into the middle of the table, “Show me your glory.” What a strange request when there are so many problems to solve!

4). Finally, even as God himself says, “yes,” to Moses, God offers a gentle instruction. Moses asked, “show me your glory,” and God says, “I will cause my goodness to pass in front of you.” The lesson is: one of the ways God demonstrates his glory is to show us his goodness. Why not ask him today to open your eyes to his goodness?

(Bonus material: Exodus 34 reveals what Moses saw when God’s goodness passed by. Check it out.)

It wasn’t a bummer having an unusual name like “Valentinus” back in the third century, but it probably was a downer to be martyred on February 14th. That’s the price you pay for sainthood, I guess.

Valentine’s day is properly Saint Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate the Christian witness of a pastor who stood up to a Roman Emperor, who had mercy on pagan soldiers, and who took a stand for love. The historical details are sketchy, but the legend starts with a pagan emperor in Rome who believed that married soldiers were bad soldiers because they would be concerned for their families back home. The Emperor Claudius solved this problem by issuing a decree that, under penalty of death, no soldier could get married!

. . . Read the rest of today's post over at Ransom.tv (a very cool site: have a look around!)