John 5.1-8

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

John 5.1-8 [NLT] 

I've developed a skill in my life that has proven super helpful in terms of time-management and efficiency. Many other people also have this skill. In fact it's a skill that we're expected to learn. The skill/ability I'm thinking of, is to rationally think, problem solve, and anticipate things. However, there are some times when this skill/ability can inhibit us. I believe the man in this passage helps us see this.

Here's the situation. Jesus arrives. Jesus notices the man and asks him a question. The man responds to the question. Jesus graciously responds anyway.

Notice I didn't say that the an responded with an answer to THE question that was asked. It seems to me, that the question the man is answering is different from the one Jesus is asking. (Side note: I understand the question could have a multitude of 'non-communicated' meanings. The fact is we don't know Jesus' tone or body language, nor that of the man. Therefore our FULL observations on the passage are still yet limited.) Jesus simply asks if the man WANTS to be healed, to which the man replies with the REASON why he hasn't been healed yet.

As I read this passage this morning, it hit me that I think I often times answer questions that Jesus' isn't asking. I say this, because I do the same thing with friends and family close to me. I anticipate the REASON or MOTIVES behind a question, and seek to answer THOSE rather than the actual question. Now, as I alluded to, this is VERY helpful in today's world. However I can't help but wonder if this skill has proved to be a weakness in our walk with Jesus. There are countless examples in Scripture of God leading people one step at a time, rather than giving them everything at once. Maybe our (very good and great to have) skill of rationalizing, problem solving, and anticipating has moved us (in our relationship with Jesus), away from the very faith that we long to have. Maybe for us to have a DEEP faith, we have to stop anticipating and trying to "read-into" Jesus' questions so much, and instead LISTEN and OBEY. Maybe THAT'S how God paves the way for us to grow into the deep faith of so many other of whom we tend to look at with envy. I know in my own life, I can easily miss the point of the question Jesus is asking of me ALL TOGETHER, simply because I'm trying to operate out of efficiency and reason. As I sit here and think about all of this, I have to chuckle. If I were to sum up what God has been trying to teach me over the past 5 years, it'd be "TRUST." As I sit here looking at this passage, I'm "hearing" the very same thing. "Stop trying to find hidden agendas. Stop making excuses because you don't want the spotlight on your failure/weakness. Trust and just answer the question. What follows from there will change your life!"

"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11.28-29 [NLT] 

Review: From Megachurch to Multiplication: A Church's Journey Toward Movement

From Megachurch to Multiplication: A Church's Journey Toward Movement by Chris Galanos
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited

The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited by Scot McKnight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue

Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue by Matthew C. Mitchell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had the privileged of meeting Matthew when I lived back up in Pennsylvania. I enjoyed hearing about him writing this book when I was able to meet with him for coffee one day. I stumbled across it in a bookstore and saw it on sale and had to get it. I wish I hadn't waiting this long to read it, but I'm glad now that I can say that I've read it! This book is a great resource to help the church today identify, target, and begin weeding out gossip in our lives. One thing that I've noticed since finishing reading this, is just HOW MUCH people around me say things that biblically crosses into gossip territory, but in today's life is no where close. This book isn't a hard read at all! It's practical, compassionate, and a very engaging read. There were many times when I didn't want to put it down (even when I had to in order to finish something else, haha). Overall, I would highly recommend this book! It's a great primer to acclimate the church today to resisting the most common of sins in our lives.

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Review: Reading Romans Backwards: A Gospel of Peace in the Midst of Empire

Reading Romans Backwards: A Gospel of Peace in the Midst of Empire by Scot McKnight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've said this before and I'll say it again, I really like Scot McKnight's stuff! While I didn't agree or end up at the same conclusions 100% of the time as McKnight in this book, I would say that I would agree or think he's right in around 90-95% of his points. That being said, McKnight himself said that this book was first and foremost NOT a commentary (even though I shelve it as such) due to the broad scope used in the letter of Romans as a whole (though he did mention that he is toying and probably eventually going to embark on the adventure of writing a commentary through the lens which he uses in this book). By approaching Romans with the mindset of the end first, and thus reading it backward, the letter itself SCREAMS to be way more pastoral in nature versus the giant tome-only of theology I hear people identify it as so often (not denying that the way we currently read Romans is 'wrong', but I agree with McKnight that our obsession with 'theology-proper' in the West has limited our capacity of seeing the 'other stuff' that is just as important). After reading this book, I will never read Romans the same again. I had the joy of teaching a class as I read through this book (as well as a companion book 'Teaching Romans Backwards') and it proved to be even more enriching! This easily has become one of my top 5 favorite books I've read. It's certainly a book that will keep you engaged and you'll probably have a hard time putting it down (I know I did. The only reason I was able to take my time, was because I forced myself to read it slowly in relation to what chapters/sections I was teaching). Overall, I think EVERY person interested in studying Romans should read this book, EVEN if you end up disagreeing with McKnight on nearly everything he says. At the very least, it would be of great benefit to expose yourself to an alternative focus and more applicable application with this approach, using it as a supplement to your current Pauline-regiment.

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Review: The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears

The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears by Mark Batterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I know there is a lot of people out there ranting about how you shouldn't read this book, and that's fine. More power to you if you fall into that boat. I can be like that to MANY books, but this time I wanted to read a book on prayer that would encourage and challenge me if I were to approach it fully empty and with a genuine desperateness to grow in my discipline of prayer. This book certainly didn't disappoint. I walked away with a fresh determination to trust and lean heavily on God and His promises (even if it's really on a reputation of the kind of promises He makes rather than a direct promise to me specifically). If you're looking for a good introduction to prayer before getting into more bedrock books based on specific texts, I'd recommend this one. If you're a seasoned veteran but want something that'll help you freshen up or continue to encourage you, I'd recommend this book.

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Live Cleansed

I've recently been challenged/convicted (once again during my life) to stop only reading the Bible from a purely academic position. Even as I write that, I tense up a little. Nonetheless I will attempt to be faithful to what the Spirit is seeking to teach me and transform me toward. This isn't a DEEP exegetical excursion, but merely a reading of a familiar passage in light of my life today. I hope that you'll somehow be encouraged and reminded of the greatness of our God. I opened my Bible today and found this little passage at the end of Mark 1 about a man whom Jesus cleansed. It reads like this:

39 He went into all of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. 40 Then a man with leprosy came to him and, on his knees, begged him: “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be made clean.” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 Then he sternly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But he was out in deserted places, and they came to him from everywhere.

At first pass, I simply moved right on through saying to myself, "I know this passage. Next." However, trying to be obedient and slow down a little, I opened my mind and prayed a short, quick prayer for the Holy Spirit to show me something about this that we all as Christians need to see. I take in faith that what I'm about to share is what He hoped to share. I'm only going to speak on half of the passage, so if you're wanting something with the full passage, sorry... for now.

Put yourself in the position of this man's position. Stricken with leprosy and desperate. Jesus has proven over and over again that He is capable of doing some pretty amazing things. Falling on your knees, begging, you ask Jesus to do another miracle. Jesus does just that. Following your healing, you're instructed to go and essentially live as if you never were sick to begin with (the whole present an offering as a testimony to them, testifying that you are already clean and not sick).

Now if I may indulge you for a moment, the most striking part of this passage in terms of listening for what we, or I, need to hear from God today, is what Jesus said in verse 44. 

“See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

How many times do we (myself super included), do we resort to 'words' about situations we're in or sins we're wrestling with? I'm NOT saying that we shouldn't be transparent and real. What I am saying is that the temptation in being transparent and real is that we suffice to TALK words about where we are and that with which we're wrestling. As Christians, we take by faith what Scripture and tradition teaches us; namely that Jesus is King and as King, He has the authority to cleanse and pardon any and everyone whom He wishes. IF this is true and we truly believe it, we should be LIVING just as much (if not more) than we're TALKING. Jesus instructed the man to show himself to the priest and offer what was commanded for cleansing as a TESTIMONY. The offering became something that pointed to an already experienced reality.

For someone like me, particularly a person who resonates with type 1 on the enneagram, it can be super easy to remain in our our failures and sins, sulking and depressive. The reality is, however, that Jesus has ALREADY cleansed us (and promises to continue to do so for those who are His; see 1 John 1.9)! In Romans 12, Paul challenges us to live our lives as LIVING sacrifices. There are a great number of passages I could pull up and add to the list, but the point is already there. What if we lived our lives (as living sacrifices) as a testimony to all of the cleansing that Jesus both has done and continues to do? What kind of difference would that make not only within ourselves, but also our community? My prayer today is that we would all be open of what the Spirit is wanting to remind us all. May we all experience Jesus' cleansing today and beyond, and live our lives as testimony for His reign, rule, power, and love.