Fuzzy Thinking

Ben Witherington has posted an article explaining a bit about General Conference (which is meeting as I write this). He discusses some of the issues that will be addressed. Perhaps the most important issue is the proposal to create a central conference in the US. This proposal says that US concerns would be addressed in the US central conference. Is this important? yes. Why? Actually there are several reasons. Ben Witherington discusses, in my opinion, the most important one noting that the central conferences currently provide a balancing to the American church. He writes:

For another thing, they provide something of a theological and ethical balance to the American church which is too subject to the major cultural shifts in North America, often at the expense of the Gospel and the Bible's teachings. We not only need the two-thirds worlds voices at General Conference, we need their wisdom and votes as well. In an age when our church, and indeed most major denominations, are becoming more culturally inclusive and global in character, it sends the wrong signal entirely to not allow the Central Conferences to continue to participate fully and vote quadrennially with the rest of our church.

If this goes through, I believe the face of American Methodism will drastically change. Many of the 'hot issues' of the American church are seen as unbiblical overseas. Without the overseas conferences, it is difficult knowing what will happen here in the U. S. The proposal discusses that "U. S. Concerns" will be dealt with in the U. S. central conference. I've always believed scripture and Christianity are globally focused. It seems to me that by moving in this direction we could allow our expression of Christianity to be more culturally defined than what it already is.

The man walked away depressed. Jesus had just told him that to gain eternal life he would have to give up all that he had and sell everything. Since he was rich, the news wasn't all that good.

As the man walked away, Jesus told those standing around how difficult it was for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. As shock was being expressed by those who were realizing what Jesus was saying, he comforted them by acknowledging that with God all things were possible.

Peter spoke up and said "We have left everything for you." When I read these passages I usually miss this statement from Peter. For Peter, the gospel meant leaving everything. Jesus responded, "no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life." (Luke 18:28-30). Could it be that Peter had left house, wife, and all for the sake of the gospel? I believe that he did.

I don't know about you, but there are times when Mr. Bitterness (as a friend of mine calls 'him') shows up. I don't think that Peter was bitter in this passage, but I know I am when I say the same things to Jesus. There are times when what I've sacrificed for the gospel become very real and very painful. Then if things don't go my way it is easy to say, "Look what I've given up...."

Living in America it is easy to see what others have and begin to envy their lifestyle, what they have, where they go on vacation, knowing that you could do the same thing, if you weren't doing what you were doing for the gospel. At the same time, there are others, many others, who have given up much more than I have. They have sacrificed their families, their health and their very lives. As you read this there are those who are not sitting behind a desk looking at a monitor or laptop screen. They are bruised, broken and in jail. They have given all to follow Jesus.

There is a bitterness to the gospel. While it is definitely Good News, it also calls for sacrifice. Jesus assures us, however, that whatever we give up, it will be worth it. One day we will be so glad that we made the sacrifice, that we sent Mr. Bitterness on his way to someone else's house, and continued to give all that we could for the sake of the Gospel. Until then, we rest in knowing we are doing all that we do for Him.

"...did Jesus support the law or undermine it? What was at stake was his implicit, and sometimes explicit, claim: that in and through his own work Israel's god was doing a new thing, or rather the new thing, that for which Israel had longed. And when that happened everything would be different. Torah could regulate certain aspects of human behaviour, but ti could not touch the heart. That did not constitute a criticism of Torah; Torah operates in its own sphere. But when the promises of scripture were fulfilled, then the heart itself would be changed, and the supreme position of Torah would in consequence be relativized. What was at stake was eschatology, in the sense already argued, not a comparison between two styles or patterns of religion." - N. T. Wright Jesus and the Victory of God (380).

I found this section from Wright insightful. As I read it, I immediately thought of John Wesley's heart warming experience. For years before this experience, Wesley had operated as a Christian. He did the right things, didn't do the wrong things and tried hard to be holy. Yet, what he found was that he failed.

After May 24, 1738, Wesley found that he still struggled, but his heart had been changed. Instead of always being victim, he was victor! This is what happens when God grants us the gift of His grace. It isn't about what we can do, it is about what God does within us. This led Wesley to teach that, for the Christian, sin no longer dominates. Instead the Holy Spirit empowers the believer so they can have victory over sins that at one time would imprison them.

As Wright explains, the Torah (Law) has its place, but when scripture is fulfilled (and it has been through Jesus), the consequence is that it is relativized. Now the transformed heart fulfills the role of the law. We fulfill the law not because we beat ourselves into submission by obedience, but because we live out the gift that God has given us; the power of true inner transformation. 

I was reading a section from Urban T. Holmes, III A History of Christian Spirituality and something caught my eye. As Holmes was discussion Richard Baxter and his classic work The Reformed Pastor he had this comment, "He is more rigid than Ignatius ever was, however. We must not be too hard on Baxter. He wanted to make things simple, which usually gets us in trouble because we end up being moralistic and pietistic. (Pg 130)"

I immediately recognized the reality of this. When I try to make my faith simple, it ends up being legalistic. It is much easier to "not swear" than it is to "build others up with what I say" (Ephesians. 4:29 ). It is much simpler saying, "Give 10%" than it is to give generously and make all that we have available to how God wants to use it. It is much easier to say "don't do this," or "don't do that," than it is to show compassion to those around me.

Yet, I want a simple faith. I want the black and white. I want the do and don't list. I want the road map to heaven, but that is not what I'm given. Instead I'm given a still small voice deep within that calls me to love even when I don't feel like it. I'm given a whisper (Is. 30:21) telling me which way is the right way.

I've discovered that true faith is a difficult faith. It is a faith that drives me to my knees and calls me to quiet my life long enough to hear. It is a faith of knocking, seeking, asking and not giving up.

Jesus' command to love hasn't escaped my notice. When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus agreed that it was to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. It seems so clear, yet, I find it difficult.

As I spend time with the spiritual masters (and I include John Wesley in that category) I find they keep returning to love as the goal of the spiritual life. Is that what it is really all about? Love? To be honest, that was kind of a let down. I would venture that most people would say they love, and love well. So, why spend so much time focusing on love if we already love?

Wesley has help me see that the love he was taking about, Jesus talked about and the spiritual masters talked about is of a different degree (Wesley's word) or quality (my word) than what I usually experience or practice. Wesley believed that being perfect was being perfect in love; a love that wasn't marred by human sin (jealousy, self-will, pride, greed, etc.). It is a pure love. The kind of love that Jesus displayed when he prayed, "Not my will but yours." The kind of love we see on the cross. The kind of love that is characterized by grace, compassion, patience, and self-denial.

I realize, now, I love poorly. So my prayer has become, "Jesus teach me to love." After all, that is the goal.

Found this link about a particle accelerator project that is being sued on the grounds that it could destroy the planet. I have no idea if it will or not, but I would think these are pretty good grounds. Although, how does one prove it will not destroy the planet????

As some of you know, I'm in the midst of a Doctoral program through Asbury Theological Seminary. If for some reason you would like to help me out, one way would be to use my Amazon Store whenever you want to order from Amazon. It really does help!

If you go to the "UMSource" section, you will find some books that I recommend.

Over the past month I've been researching and writing a paper for one of my D.Min classes. I'm happy to report I sent it in today! Wow. Finally. I've discovered that I like the research much more than that writing. I guess I also need to find someone to read through my papers and help me with my writing style. Any editors out there????

It was about 30 days ago that I decided to begin getting up early. For 30 days now my alarm has gone off and I have gotten up without getting back into bed. I find I enjoy my times in the morning, although I am finding this time change thing a bit difficult.

As I was reading today I came across some advice from John Wesley on this very topic:

Yea, and it will be far easier to rise early constantly, than to do it sometimes. But then you must begin at the right end; if you rise early, you must sleep early. Impose it upon yourself, unless when something extraordinary occurs, to go to bed at a fixed hour. Then the difficulty of it will soon be over; but the advantage of it will remain for ever. (Sermon 89, A More Excellent Way)

I'm finding his advice is true! Getting up everyday at the same time is easier than sleeping in and trying to get back in schedule the next day. Also, going to bed early makes a difference too. I guess he was being Mr. Obvious there.