Greatness in the Kingdom

Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 www.dtminc.org Today’s Date: October 30, 2005

Greatness in the Kingdom
by Dan Trygg

" At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me…’" Matthew 18:1-5

“They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.’” Mark 9:33-35

A dissension had developed among Jesus’ disciples over who was the greatest. This had been brewing for some time. Mark tells us that they had been talking about it on the roadway. It could be that it began with Peter’s choice to walk on the water (14:28). He alone had the boldness to get out of the boat. This was shortly followed by Peter’s confession regarding who Jesus was, which was met with commendation and the statement “I will give you the keys of the kingdom”. Of course, no one knew exactly what that meant, but it sounded very important. It certainly seemed that Jesus was setting Peter apart from the others. Then, the Master chose Peter and the sons of Zebedee to join Him on the mount of transfiguration. Although the three did not reveal what took place there until later, the fact that Jesus singled Peter and the others out for a private time with Him must have ruffled a few feathers. They began to discuss among themselves who was the greatest. We don’t know how the conversation started, or who was involved, but it appears that they all got caught up in the discussion. The final straw was when the Lord sent Peter to catch a fish to obtain the coin large enough to pay for his taxes, as well as the Master’s. This probably felt like another example of Jesus’ favoring of Peter. After all, He did not choose to pay everyone else’s tax. Somehow, whether it was Peter’s gloating, or the other disciples’ envying, the dispute arose again. This time, they came right out and asked Jesus. (Can you hear Peter, “Lord, which one of us is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”)

Jesus took a child (Possibly Peter’s own son?) and stood him in their midst, beside Him. He then said, “Unless you turn and become as the children, not never will you come into the kingdom of heaven.” (In the Greek a double negative is used for greater emphasis.) Jesus was not talking about their salvation. He was referring to them walking in agreement with the King’s dominion, the reign and rule of God. In other words, He was saying, “Whoa, boys! You’re heading the wrong direction. If you want to become great in God’s kingdom, you have to go the other direction. Instead of vying for power, you need to become like children. If you become as humble as this child you will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus was pointing out the difference between their ambition, and the unpretentiousness of the boy. Truly they were headed in the wrong direction. Selfish ambition and striving for positions have no place in God’s kingdom. To bring the point home even further, He added, “Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me.” What was the thrust of this statement? Those who are busy jockeying for power do not have an interest in devoting their attention to as insignificant a person as a child. Instead, they are trying to impress people. They are interested in popularity, or at least popularity with the influential people. Jesus’ statement cut to the root of such self-promotion. To welcome, accept and bear-with (all meanings of the Greek word translated as “receive”) a child from a heart to serve and honor Jesus is the same as welcoming Jesus (cf. Matt. 25:31-46). It is the expression of Jesus’ own heart. It is the very nature of God’s kingdom to welcome the lowly, the powerless, the unlovely and unwanted. To be great in God’s kingdom is to have an unpretentious heart, willing to serve the lowly, as Jesus Himself was.

Jesus continues developing this distinction between the world’s view of the lowly, versus God’s view, by speaking of the treatment of “little ones”. There are three times in the following verses where the Lord uses this term (vss. 6,10,14). Certainly, His teaching focuses on the treatment of children, but by extension it applies to all who are powerless.

In the first example, Jesus warns those who would cause one of the “little ones” who believe in Him to stumble. Those who would intentionally do so deserve to be punished, and their punishment will be worse than being thrown into the sea with a heavy millstone around their neck. The world is full of stumbling blocks, but woe to the one who introduces temptation, encourages others to sin, or in any other way causes them to stumble in their faith.

Furthermore, whatever part of you or your life that may cause you to mess up in sin, put that out of your life. It is better to give that up than continue in the bondage of sin, and the resulting consequences or judgment that will inevitably follow.

In the second example, Jesus warns them not to despise or “think down against” one of these little ones. In healthy families and relationship systems, children and the weak are cherished, nurtured and cared for. Where sin and selfishness reign, however, the attention they require is resented. Children and powerless, hurting people are not able to “carry their weight”, at least not immediately. The temptation is to devalue them for their immaturity or infirmity, and put them down or dismiss them as unimportant. Jesus reveals, however, that in God’s kingdom, their angels continually behold the face of the Father. They have direct, unbroken access. To God, the powerless and weak are always valuable. The resources of His kingdom are instantly ready to act on their behalf. God gives them extra care and attention because of their vulnerability. (This reference to “their angels” is the source of the idea of individual guardian angels. Hebrews 1:14 states that one of the functions of angels is that they are “ministering spirits being sent out to serve for the sake of those being about to inherit salvation.” There are numerous examples of angelic interaction on behalf of God’s people recorded in the scriptures – Gen 16:7-14; 18:2-15; 19:1-22; 28:12; Ex. 3:2; Num. 22:31-35; Josh. 5:13-15; Judg. 2:1-4; 6:11-24; 13:6-21; II Sam. 24:16,17; I Kg. 19:1-7; Dan. 6:22; Zech. 2:3; Lk. 1:11-20,26-38; Matt. 1:20-25; Lk. 2:9-14; Matt. 28:1-7; Acts 1:10,11; 5:19,20; 8:26; 10:3-32; 27:23,24; Rev. 1:1.) Those who have a heart like God’s will also value these “little ones”, and not easily dismiss them.

In the third example, Jesus uses a parable of a shepherd with a hundred sheep. When one wanders off, he leaves the 99 others to search for the one that is straying. If he finds it, he rejoices over it more than over the 99 which never went astray. The conclusion? Jesus says, “Thus it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones might be lost, ruined or perish.” For the disciples, this parable would have had implications that may not readily come to our mind. In the OT, God used the word picture of a shepherd in reference to leaders of His people (e.g., Ezk. 34). Those shepherds who lived for their own comfort did not care well for the sheep. In fact, they even became abusive and destructive for the flock. The flock was scattered for lack of functioning, faithful shepherd-leaders. Good shepherds focus on caring for the sheep. Their role is a serving role. The sheep learn to trust them and follow them because they are well treated, not because the shepherds claim some power over them. Those who would rule by force and severity are evil shepherds, not good ones. One mark of a good shepherd is that he or she will seek after the lost and wandering.

Those who would be great in God’s kingdom will not be those striving to obtain a position of greatness or importance. Those who would be great are those who are as unpretentious as a child, those who focus on valuing and serving others. Instead of being a negative influence, a stumbling block who lures others into sin, or pulls them down, they build people up and encourage them in their walk with the Lord. Like their Master, they will not despise the weak or powerless. They will make time for them, even investing in their future development. They do not follow a “come to me” style of ministry, as if they were someone important that others ought to come to attend to. Rather, like Jesus, they go out after those who are wandering, lost and in danger of perishing.

Indeed, the disciples were getting all turned around. Instead of applying themselves to become the greatest servant of others, they were trying to present themselves as the greatest, ones who ought to be served, respected and honored by others. Jesus corrected them, because they were headed away from the kingdom of God. They were walking in the way of the world, not in God’s way. In God’s kingdom those who are least of all, the “little ones”, are respected, valued, honored and served by those who are the strong and mature (Rom. 15:1). Power and authority in the kingdom of God is given to serve, not to garner service to oneself.

Dealing With Diverse Opinions In The Body

Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 www.dtminc.org Today’s Date: October 23, 2005

Dealing With Diverse Opinions in the Body
by Dan Trygg

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Eph. 4:1-3

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Prov. 27:17

“But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Heb. 5:14

“But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God…. 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this-- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” Rom. 14:10,12-14

One of the issues we must face in attempting to walk out our relationships in the Body of Christ is the fact that people come with an incredibly wide range of opinions and theological perspectives. It is easy for us to find areas of disagreement, which can rapidly degrade into arguments, mocking, hurtful comments, and division, if we do not guard diligently our relationships with one another. If love is to be the outstanding mark of what Christians are to exemplify, our attitudes and actions toward one another are extremely important.

In Eph. 4:1-3, the apostle Paul exhorts us in this very area as the first practical matter of application to come from his heart, having laid the theological foundation in chapters 1-3. When you think about it, the so-called "practical sections" of the epistles have virtually nothing to do with laying out a strategy of world evangelization. They focus primarily on teaching us to learn to live together in love. The reason Paul felt it necessary to spend so much time and attention on this area was not only because it is crucial in order to give a credible witness concerning the truth of the Gospel, but also because it goes so much against the grain of our self-centered human tendencies. Without focused, clear admonitions, instructions, and reminders, we would tend to naturally fall into patterns of relating to each other that would be destructive, "distancing", and counter-productive.

Some quick observations on Eph. 4:3:

(1.) As Paul's exhortation points out, there is a unity (literally, a "one-thing-ness") of the Spirit which has already been established by the work of Christ. In Romans 12:5 he puts this same idea into a different word picture. We are like limbs or parts of a body. "...we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another". Note that he did not say, "we need to act like one body", or "we need to become a body". He stated an established fact. At least on a spiritual level, we already are joint-members one of another, limbs of a larger, spiritual Body of Christ.

(2.) Our responsibility is to keep, guard, or maintain that unity. The word translated as "preserve" also implies that this unity is in danger of being lost, stolen, or sabotaged in some way. We are to watch over it, protect it, and keep it from whatever threatens it.

(3.) We are to earnestly, diligently devote ourselves to this end. The word translated as "being diligent" is an ongoing participle meaning "sparing no effort, working hard, doing one's best with great eagerness and urgency". It definitely communicates the idea that exertion will be required.

(4.) The "bond of peace" Paul referred to is a ligament of relationship established by the "binding together of both sides". Cf. Col. 3:14. It is the outworking of peace. Beginning as a "cessation of hostility", it can grow into "harmonious interaction" with the investment of relationship.

With this foundational background in mind, let us examine Paul's words to us in Romans 14 and 15. The first verse of 14 states the apostle's exhortation: "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." In this context, Paul mentions that there are some who have certain scruples about how they ought to express their faith. Some felt it was important to keep certain dietary laws, while others felt that they were free in Christ to eat anything. Some kept certain days of the year as holy days, days to be celebrated with certain traditions or ritual customs. Others felt that every day was the same, i.e., every day was to be lived in dedication to the Lord. Religious customs were not necessary, and in fact felt confining. They strongly felt that their liberty in Christ freed them from the ritualism of religion in order to enjoy relationship with God. For them, these old traditions felt stiff and restrictive, so they chose to not observe them out of their sense of freedom in Christ.

In I Cor. 8 & 10, there was another issue, one that virtually every believer at that time and place may have had to face. In the pagan idol worship, parts of the sacrifice were offered to the so-called deity, and the remainder was either eaten in the courts of the idol’s temple, or was sold. This was part of the worship. The adherents believed that when they ate this meat, they actually partook of, or communed with, the god to whom it had been offered. Many people bought this meat, because it was cheaper than other meat sold in the marketplace. (Note the law of supply and demand – endless free supply drove the price way down.). For Christians, this created two dilemmas. First, if they were invited to someone’s house, they may be served meat that had been purchased from an idol’s temple, and they were faced with the problem of eating this meat, or possibly offending their host. Secondly, some believers were actually going to the pagan temple courts to eat meat, or to purchase meat, because it was cheaper. They knew that the old pagan religions were false, and they knew that eating “temple meat” was not going to mess them up, spiritually (Mk. 7:19). Others, who had more recently come out of those religious traditions were confused by this, and felt that these others were compromising their faith by participating, …or they were encouraged to join with them, even though they were unsure of their own convictions. They still were dealing with some of the old superstitions, which meant that they were not operating in Spirit-led faith and freedom, but from self-motives. Consequently, their participation opened them up to feelings of confusion and guilt, which the enemy was able to exploit. In fact, because they were not obeying the leading of their hearts, their actions actually led them into sin. Furthermore, Paul warns of the danger of falling back into idolatry (I Cor. 10:7), or getting seduced by the demonic (vss. 19-21).

As you can see, there are great differences of opinion on issues like these. Oftentimes, these beliefs are also very passionately held, and very meaningful to the people who hold them. Disputes on these issues can quite easily ignite into arguments, hurt feelings, bitter comments and a rift in relationships in the Body of Christ. Again, in spite of these differences, there is an underlying unity in the Spirit between all believers in Jesus. It is up to us to diligently guard and protect that unity. There is much to be gained by listening to and accepting one another. Even if we do not agree fully with another's opinion, we can often begin to appreciate their heart and their motives in what they do, ...and we may even find an aspect of God's nature that is emphasized more strongly by their observances than by our approach. Paul does use the language of "strong" (15:1) and "weak in faith" (14:1). There is a better theological basis for some beliefs, in comparison to others. May I suggest, however, that the strength of one’s faith may have less to do with how a person perceives and practices his or her own beliefs in matters like these, than it does with having a sense of confidence, flexibility, and tolerance of others who "do it differently".

How should we handle such matters? Going back to Rom. 14 and 15, we can make some observations:

(1.) Reach out to one another. "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions." The word translated as "accept" literally means "y'all (for yourselves) take to yourselves". It is a strong word of acceptance, of taking to one's inner self. It is in the middle voice, which means that we must be intensely involved in this action, or that to do this will somehow limit us, or modify us, in some way. It will cost us something to do this. It is obviously a relationship word. Note that up front Paul says their must be no strings attached. We don't do this on the surface in order to attempt to change this person's mind. (The word translated as "passing judgment" literally means "an argument, disputation".) No. We reach out to them and "take them to ourselves" just because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Period. No hidden agendas.

(2.) Do not judge or despise. Acceptance is further defined in verse 3 by pointing out that the one with freedom should not look at the one with scruples with contempt, nor should the one who observes a custom judge those who do not. He continues to discuss this through verse 13.
Briefly he says,
(a.) It is not your job to judge the servant of another;
(b.) He is accountable to God, not you;
(c.) God has accepted him, shouldn't you?
(d.) What he does, he does to the Lord. That should be respected, honored and valued.

(3.) Determine not to put a stumbling block or snare in someone's way. These are interesting words. The "stumbling block" (Gk., proskomma) is literally "something against which a person would bump his or her foot and trip or stumble". The word "snare" (Gk., skandalon) is literally "that part of a trap to which the bait is attached; a trap-spring, or a snare". Both of these words are used metaphorically in two ways: (a.) Causing someone else to stumble, or be entrapped, into sin. This is what Paul is referring to in vs. 14, and in I Cor. 8:7-13. This is where they see your freedom, and try to be like you, but their conscience bothers them. (b.) Flaunting your liberty in a manner that is offensive to others. The trap or stumbling block, then, is that we instigate feelings of anger and bitterness in others by our disregard of what is important to them. An example would be I Cor. 10:23-33.

(4.) Pursue what makes for peace and the building up of one another -- 14:19.

(5.) The strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of the weak, and not just please themselves -- 15:1.

Servants & Stewards: Being, Becoming and Faithful

Sermon Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sunday @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 www.dtminc.org Today's Date: October 16, 2005
Oldie, But Goodie Reprint From March 24, 2001, Lightly Edited

Servants & Stewards: Being, Becoming, and Faithful
by Dan Trygg

"...and y'all are having-been-made-full-ones in Him, Who is the head (source) of all rule (initiators) and authority (out-from-being)." Col. 2:10

"...that the person who is God's may be adequate, thoroughly equipped toward every good work." II Timothy 3:17

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." II Pet. 4:10

We have been hovering around the concepts involving (1.) who are we, as believers in Christ; (2.) what are we supposed to be doing when we meet together as a group, and how does that affect my need to grow; and, (3.) what am I to be doing with all this, as a servant of God? Roughly, these boil down to three main areas: (1.) identity; (2.) equipping; and (3.) obedience; or, to put it in still different terms, (1.) my position in Christ; (2.) my maturation process; and (3.) my vocation, or calling to serve. My being is who I am, becoming reflects the process involved in growth, and faithfulness refers to my effectiveness in accomplishing the Father's will for my life.

My being has to do with the person I am in Christ, by God's creation. It has to do with all my God-given potential, as well as my true, present status as a child of God. It is given to me as a gift. In Colossians 2:10, the apostle Paul says that in Him (i.e., in Christ), we are all "having been made complete ones". The word for "complete" does not mean "fully grown" or “mature”, as in many other contexts. Here, Paul uses a word meaning "filled full". What he is saying is that the full provision, the full potential, the full set of foundational ingredients that are needed for me to become what God has in mind for me to become, have already been instilled in my very being, by virtue of new creation (II Cor. 5:17) and His indwelling presence. I am not defective, or lacking, in any way, in my spiritual-genetic makeup. My essence, my internal core, is equipped with all the necessary equipment to do what I am called by God to do. There is nothing I have done, or could do, to earn this. It has been granted to me by my Creator-Redeemer. It has been His good purpose to place in me the special combination of potential abilities and gifts which are intended to express the unique aspect of His great glory to the world which He has intended for me to express. This is the starting point for me. It is the given, the foundation, the baseline, the "hard wiring" of who I am. It is a “done deal”, given to me in Jesus for free. It is like going to bed tonight and waking up tomorrow morning inside the cockpit of a jet, or inside a tank, or inside a nuclear submarine, or a locomotive, and being told this was ours, and our assignment was to learn how to use it. There are all these dials, displays, buttons and switches staring us in the face, and we don't know what they are all for. Or, to take it one step further, to wake up and find that I am the jet, the tank, the submarine, or the locomotive, ...that I am suddenly self-aware, and able to control my own systems, but I do not know what all my systems are, what they are for, or how they can operate most effectively. My being is the hardware of who I am, the essence of the gift package that is me as a new creature in Christ. Some of my being is consistent with every other believer in Christ, but some of it is unique to me. I may understand some of who I am, but there is a great deal more that I do not yet grasp concerning the potential which has already been given to me.

My becoming has to do with the process of discovering who I am, and learning how to effectively utilize the equipment which God has placed in me, in agreement with His purposes and leading. There are parts of my hardware, my essence, which are capable of being hijacked and used in wrong ways, and other parts of my being which become virtually inoperative when I am not "plugged in" to God as my power source. When Paul exhorts us to "no longer present your members to sin, as instruments of unrighteousness" (Rom. 6:13), he is referring to the misuse of our God-given hardware for a wrongful purpose. There are many aspects of our person which we have learned to misuse in this way. The process of becoming involves the renewing of our minds, seeing things differently so that we begin to understand and correctly use the potential which God has given to us. As an illustration, the movie, The Prince and the Pauper, was the story of virtually identical boys, one who was the prince of England, and the other who was just a street waif who somehow got mistaken for the prince and ended up in the palace. In the story, the pauper was using the seal of the King of England as a nutcracker, having no clue as to its real function or value. It was very useful for this purpose, and he would stash it in a suit of armor, whenever he heard anyone coming to his quarters. Eventually, it became a significant part of the story, as the real prince needed the King's seal to officially ratify certain laws which were important to the plot of the story. Of course, the pauper had no idea what it was they were looking for, and continued using the seal to crack nuts. We are like the pauper, in that we have abilities which we have misused for wrong purposes, not understanding their real function. Whether in the physical, emotional, or spiritual aspects of our being (which are artificial distinctions, at best, because there is much overlap and inter-relatedness between these "areas"), we have potential which we must learn to understand, care for, and develop skill in utilizing in a healthy, God-honoring way. The King's dominion (the Kingdom of God) extends to every aspect of our lives, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. It includes not only how we invest our time, energy and resources, but also how we invest in our own personal development and maturation. In fact, that is what our becoming is all about, the maturation of our beings, i.e, the "growing up" of our God-given selves into the fulfillment of our God-intended potential. A mature person is a "fully-grown" person (Eph. 4:13), one whose potentialities have become established, developed, and are effectively being used in agreement with the design and purpose of God for that individual.

While our being is given to us as a gift, our becoming is a process that requires a partnership between us and God. If we put forth no effort, we will never come to understand who we are. God is a hidden God, who desires us to pursue Him (Isa. 45:15; Acts 17:24-27). We should expect that if God is infinitely superior to us, there ought to be parts of His handiwork that would be amazing, baffling, and difficult to fully grasp without deep investigation. He has said that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psa. 139:14). If we do not seek to understand, and apply ourselves to grow, ...to discover and develop our humanity, our gifts and abilities..., we will never know what God has put within us. Self-understanding is a life-long pursuit, simply because we are made in the image of God and, of all creatures, we can most closely resemble and express His personality and likeness. Furthermore, the key to our self-understanding is the guidance of our Maker. He alone truly knows who we are, and what we are capable of. We could expend countless hours, and much money, in self-analysis and self-development, and still miss significant aspects of our being. Remember, Jesus said, "The one loving his self, will ruin it..." (Jn. 12:25)? Without the guidance which only God can give, we will mess up, and fall way short of our potential. As we walk in partnership with God, and come to understand who we are, and develop our life-skills and ministry gifts, He will inevitably lead us into our calling.

Being faithful has to do with effectively fulfilling my responsibilities as God's servant and steward. All this potential we have been given, and the process of self-discovery that comes from walking with God, has a design and purpose. We have been bought with the price of Christ's blood, freed from bondage to sin and self-delusion, so that we might serve the purposes of God for our lives. Just as God Himself is the greatest Giver and Servant, having given us life and having come among us as the Suffering Servant to "seek and save that which was lost" (Mk. 10:46), God has created us to express His character as givers, lovers, and servants. Just as He is the King-With-The-Giving- Heart, the One who draws us to loyalty by His benevolence and self-sacrifice, He who will rule and reign by truth and love, in the same way, He has called us to reign with Him by declaring and living truth, and by expressing love through acts of service and self-sacrifice to others. His heart and example sets the culture, character and policies of His Kingdom. He is making us like Himself (Rom. 8:29; Eph. 4:13), so that we can faithfully represent Him by our attitudes and actions. He created us new, giving us a new heart and spirit, a new being, so that we could be capable of walking with Him. Then He Himself comes to live inside of us to empower us and guide us in discovering who we are, teaching us to walk with Him and guiding us into His will. Finally, as our King, He then sets us about His business, assigning us tasks and responsibilities which fit with our abilities and gifts. The world-wide enterprise of the Kingdom is that, since Christ has bound the strong man (Satan), we are to plunder his house by preaching good news and setting people free from satanic oppression. Then we are to disciple these people, helping them to discover (becoming) who Christ has made them inside (being), so that they could obey Him and do His will (faithfulness). Every one of us is given various assignments and responsibilities within this over-arching plan. Serving God will be an adventure, and will continue to develop and stretch us. Just as our becoming requires effort and a partnership with God, the walking out of our salvation requires even greater risks, because we have to step outside of our own safe boundaries and begin to reach into the lives of others. We have to depend more on God's ability to communicate with us, trust more in our ability to discern His leading, and risk more as we step outside of our normal patterns of living. As Henry Blackaby, author of the book Experiencing God, says, "You cannot go with God and stay where you are at the same time."

Being a steward is taking seriously the reality that God is our King, and that He has made us for a purpose. All we have and are is to be at His disposal, since He bought us for His own. Faithfulness is living out the reality of that commitment which we said with our hearts and mouths when we gave ourselves to Him. It is taking up our responsibility to be about the King's business in the lives of others, and learning what it takes to do that effectively.

Living Responsibly With Freedom

Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 www.dtminc.org Today’s Date: October 9, 2005

Living Responsibly With Freedom
by Dan Trygg

"When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, ‘Does your teacher not pay the tax?’ 25 He said, ‘Yes.’ And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?’ 26 And when he said, ‘From others,’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for Me and for yourself.’" Matthew 17:24-27
“Yahweh said to Moses, 12 ‘When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to Yahweh when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to Yahweh. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give Yahweh's offering 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give Yahweh's offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Yahweh, so as to make atonement for your lives.’" Exodus 30:11-16

This is a very interesting passage. On first blush, it may appear to be an isolated incident inserted into Matthew’s account, an incident which the other gospel writers did not even include in their writings. In reality, however, it seems to initiate a discussion which spills into the next chapter. For now, instead of developing that connection, let us go back to get the background of this incident, so that we can understand what is taking place.

The half-shekel (or two-drachma) tax was a voluntary religious tax. It was roughly equivalent to two-day’s wages. It originated in Exodus 30, as cited above. It was given as a “covering” or atonement for those who were counted in a census. This was a symbol of deference and acknowledgement to God, a recognition that He, not their numbers, was the source of their strength and security. The money was used for the upkeep of the temple. This tax, along with any voluntary offerings, were the only source of revenue used to support the temple construction and maintenance. (Tithing was used to support people in ministry, not buildings – Num. 18:21f.)

Typically, this “tax” was due in the month of Adar, which is roughly equivalent to February-March. If we go back and follow the sequence of events from the past couple of chapters, and compare them with information from the other gospel accounts, we find that Jesus fed the 5,000 close to the time of the Passover (Jn. 6:4; Matt. 14:13f.). One factor that led to that miracle was that things were so busy in Jesus’ ministry that they could barely find time to eat. It was Jesus’ idea to get away so they could rest and talk. Undoubtedly, after the miracle, Jesus would have gone to Judea to attend the feast, since it was required of all Jewish men. Matthew describes some of the travels of Jesus after this event, crossing to Capernaum, then north to Syro-Phoenicia, then back to the southeast corner of the sea of Galilee, then to the west side at Magdala, then to the north to Caesarea Philippi, and now finally returning to Capernaum. Somewhere in here, there was the Passover trip, mentioned in John 6. Since John mentioned it was “at hand”, we can assume that Jesus had gone there shortly after the feeding of the 5,000, although none of the gospel writers actually records the visit. If that is true, then most of these travels would have occurred after that Passover trip. What we do know is John 7 begins with Jesus returning to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths, which happens in the fall. The point of mentioning all this is that apparently Jesus had not yet paid the temple tax, and now it had been some months past the customary time to pay.

Note that it was when they returned to Capernaum, which Jesus had made his home town (Matt. 9:1; Mk. 2:1), that “the ones collecting the two-drachma tax” approached Peter. Sometimes we are naïve regarding how structured and organized the social and political systems were at that time. They may not have had computers, but they undoubtedly had their lists, and people were registered in some way or another. For example, in Luke 2:1-4 the Roman government required that a census, or enrollment, be made of everyone. Joseph was required to enroll in Bethlehem, because he was from the “house and lineage of David” and that was “his own city”, which probably meant either that he was born there, or officially enrolled there, even though he was living in Nazareth at that time. It could be that since Jesus had moved from Nazareth, and had made Capernaum “His own city”, that He was registered there for the various taxations that were required. Or, it may be that this tax was administered through the local synagogue, since it was a voluntary religious offering, not a governmental tax. In any case, there were tax officials who were keeping track of who gave what, and they had noticed that Jesus had not yet fulfilled His expected contribution. (Furthermore, since this tax had to be paid in Hebrew shekels, the money would have to be exchanged from Roman currency into shekels, which were available only in the Jerusalem temple. Money changers charged a small fee for this service, which amounted to the equivalent of thousands of dollars per year. It was in their self-interest to monitor who gave what, and to “remind” those who had not yet given their portion for the year.)

The details of the rest of the story are quite plain. When Peter was approached by the tax-collectors, he spoke out of what he knew of his Master’s heart. Of course He paid the temple tax. How Jesus knew of their conversation is not clear, but when Peter entered the house to speak to Him about the situation, Jesus spoke to him first. He asked him, “Do kings collect taxes from their children or from strangers?” The answer was readily apparent. “From strangers.” “Then,” said Jesus, “the sons are free (exempt).” In other words, what Jesus was saying is, “You know, Peter, we are not obligated to pay this tax. Being sons of the Father, the true King, we are exempt.” It was a stunning statement. Specifically, it spoke of the change in relationship to God from being a people subject to a benevolent King, to now being sons and daughters of that King. As part of the King’s family, the children are not only exempt, but they often even live from the tribute and taxes given by others. This was a mind bender! What would be the ramifications of such thinking? Jesus does not take Peter down that road. He just cracks the door a little to get Peter to see an entirely different way of operating. Instead of living under obligation and duty, we are to live in grace and freedom. This freedom may not be noticeable to others as far as our behavior is concerned, but our inner heart will be totally different.

Note that the Lord quickly steers this new awareness of freedom in a responsible direction. “But, in order that we might not stumble or offend them…” This freedom of understanding was not to be flaunted above others, it was actually to liberate us to serve with more wholeheartedness. Others will not immediately understand our newfound freedom, so we had better be careful not to offend them. If we want to influence them, then nothing will be as counterproductive as offending them over something insignificant. To drive this point home, Jesus sends Peter on a “miracle mission”. “Go, cast a line into the sea, and open the mouth of the first fish you will catch. You will find a stater (worth four drachmas or a whole shekel). Take that and pay the tax for you and for Me.” The point? God will provide so that we can freely live in a manner that is commendable, not offensive, to others. Through God’s miraculous provision, Jesus showed Peter that freedom is not always to stop doing things we don’t want to do, or no longer have to do. Rather, freedom is the ability to do what is good and right from a good heart.

This experience Peter had with Jesus reminds me of what Paul later would teach, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” (I Cor. 6:12), or again, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. …Give no offense either to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved” (I Cor. 10:23,24,32,33). Paul and Barnabus even knew that they had a right to be supported by those to whom they ministered, but they freely chose to work with their hands so as not to cause any hindrance to the good news (I Cor. 9:3-12). The freedom they understood did not inflate them with self-importance, rather it caused them to more easily and completely adjust their ways so as to not offend others with a false offense. “For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all people, that I may by any means save some” (I Cor. 9:19-22).

There is a legitimate place of offense. Jesus Himself became a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to certain people (I Pet. 2:8). They were offended by the truth, or they stumbled over their religious pride, but never because He acted irresponsibly or in an offensive, selfish manner. Jesus was “meek and lowly of heart”. He was a safe person to those who were beat up and wounded by life, and invited them to come to Him for rest and healing. Meekness is not weakness, any more than freedom in Christ is a license to do evil. The Greek word for meekness means “power under control”. There is an underlying self-confidence in true meekness. The power is held in check for the purpose of service, but is ready to be asserted if needed, as well. Freedom is like that, too. We have freedom to do right, not to do wrong. The difference is in our attitude, and is seen in our service.

Getting Messages and Prophetic Words

Sermon Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
by Dan Trygg

Getting Messages and Prophetic Words From The Holy Spirit

"And He gave, on the one hand, the apostles, also the prophets, also the evangelists, also the shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for service's work, to the building up of the body of Christ; ...but 'truthing' in love, we might make all things grow up into Him, who is the head, Christ, out from whom all the Body, being jointly fitted together and being knitted together, by means of the connecting bonds of the supply, according to the in-working in measure of each single part, makes the growth of the Body unto an edification of itself in love." Eph. 4:11,12,15,16

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of servings, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of in-workings, but the same God, the One in-working all things in all persons. But to each one is given the disclosure of the Spirit for the common good ("carrying together"). For, on the one hand, to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to a different person faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the one Spirit, and to another the in-working of powerful acts, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit in-works all these things, distributing to each one individually according as He intends." I Cor. 12:4-11

One of the primary objectives for meeting together is to help one another mature. This includes developing intimacy in our relationship with God, a deeper understanding of what our new life in Christ really means, and success in establishing a character and walk that is in tune with God's heart (Eph. 4:13). The premise for what we are attempting to do at Ekklesia is what Paul talked about in Eph. 4:11-16, namely that this work of building up one another is a multi-faceted job requiring the work of a group. An individual, or even a staff of a several, could never be adequate to bring any of us to full maturity. Neither can we get there on our own. It is a job that is best, if not only, accomplished by an entire group of believers interacting together with one another in accordance with their spiritual gifts. In this view, it is essential that we all be participants, ...that we all "grow up" spiritually, because we all need what every person has to offer.

Part of the challenge for each of us in this kind of interactive Body is that we need to discover what our gifts are, and how to utilize them in ministering to each other. This is an experiential learning process. Paul, in Rom. 12:2, says that we are "transformed by the renewing of the perception, towards [us] to test-out-by-trial-to- discover what is the will of God, that which is beneficial and well-pleasing and mature". Transformation comes as we begin to see things differently. It is an inside-out proposition. A big part of what Paul is referring to is the awareness that the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us, and that He will be prompting us to do things according to the gifts He gives us, ...according to the measure of faith He apportions to us (cf. vss. 3-8). How do we get in touch with this? How do we learn how to express this? By taking risks and experimenting, by measuring our experience with the bits of revelation given to us in God's word, and by sharing with one another our experiences, so that we can learn from each other. In I Cor. 2:12,13, Paul instructs us, "now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order that we might observe the things freely given (or, "being gifted") to us by God, which things we tell, not in teachings of human wisdom, rather by teachings of the Spirit, by spiritual ones discerning together spiritual things." In other words, we compare notes. We share together our experiences with other people who are spiritually in touch, and we put our heads together to understand what the communication of the Spirit may be.

That happens in two ways: First, as a Body, several of us may receive bits of revelation or insight which can be put together like puzzle pieces to discern where God may be directing us. God leads us by means of a "trail of bread crumbs", or converging evidences, or by repeated confirmations. Secondly, however, we discover how God may be speaking to us by hearing how He speaks to other people. Often, God is attempting to communicate with us, but we are expecting Him to come in a different way, and we therefore do not recognize when He is speaking to us. By hearing how He speaks to others, or by hearing confirming experiences that others may have, we learn to identify when God is speaking to us.

Now in the past, as we have prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to guide us as a group, He has led us into

three very different areas of ministry. We have prayed for physical healing, dealing with restoring health and wholeness to one's physical body. Secondly, we have been led to do what some have called "inner healing", dialing up old, traumatic memories or emotional wounds in order to bring the love and grace of Jesus to undo the damage of such experiences, and to set us free from deception or patterns of compensation that have followed us through life since that time. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit has even led us into some deliverance ministry, where He made us aware of the presence of a demonic stronghold in a person's life, and we were used by God to remove it.

In many of the prayer ministry experiences which we have been involved in, one of the most amazing dynamics to witness, or to experience, was how God has led us to a specific area that He intended for us to deal with at that time. Often, we would start out not knowing anything at all about the person, or even start praying about one thing, and find that God would lead us very specifically to deal with something that we could not have possibly "cooked up" on our own. Through the use of some of the revelatory gifts given by the Holy Spirit, we were led by a "trail of bread crumbs", or by converging or confirmatory word pictures, images, feelings, scripture passages, etc. to zero in on a particular issue in a person's life, often going back to a specific memory where it seems that a pattern of deception, an emotional wound, an unhealthy coping method, or a spiritual parasite originally was introduced into the person's life.

There are a number of such revelatory gifts described in the New Testament. I believe most, if not all, of us will experience some of them on occasion, and some of us may come to be especially adept at receiving information from the Holy Spirit in this way. These gifts are very valuable in helping to diagnose and minister to the various emotional/spiritual ailments that plague us. They serve as almost a spiritual/emotional x-ray or catscan that can give us important information otherwise hidden from human awareness. We ought to talk about them a bit, so we can become more aware of them when they might be "nudging us" for our attention.

Before getting into this very far, let me just say that the New Testament tells us very little about most of the spiritual gifts listed in Paul's writings. Most of what we have to go on is the little bit of information gleaned from the name of the gift itself. Sometimes we have a record of someone using a particular gift, but mostly we are left to figure it out on our own, and to learn from experience. It is apparent to me that Jesus and His apostles had a strong confidence that the Holy Spirit would be able to lead us and teach us about these things, because they did not leave us an indepth manual of any kind, yet they very clearly expected that we would be able to discover and utilize our spiritual gifts. Again, to a large degree, we must rely on "spiritual ones discerning together spiritual things". We must observe what we can from the Scriptures, and compare notes on one another's experiences.

The first gifts mentioned in Paul's list in I Cor. 12:8 are "a word of wisdom" and "a word of knowledge". Allow me to make some observations:

(1.) Neither of these gifts are described as definite ongoing giftings or "offices". The context Paul is describing is that when the Body gathers, and is open for God to use them to minister to one another, the manifestation (or disclosure) of the Spirit is given for the common good, or for them to "carry together" things that are too big for people to deal with by themselves (cf. Gal. 6:1,2). [By the way, the text says that, in such a setting, "to each one is given the disclosure of the Spirit..." We all have a part to play. None is left out.] In this kind of ministry-ready setting, one person is given a word of wisdom, one person is given a word of knowledge, ...another gets this, another gets that, ...etc. The point is that we each receive a disclosure of the Holy Spirit to help in serving one another. The Holy Spirit distributes these gifts among us as He intends. Any one of us may receive either of these gifts in a particular situation. They are not the property of a particular person or group.

(2.) The use of the Greek word, logos (which means "word, message, thought, matter, thing"), emphasizes the content of what is being communicated, not the form of the communication. In other words, "a message of wisdom" or "a thought of knowledge" could come in any of a wide variety of forms, ranging from an impression, a feeling, a specific word, a picture or image, or even a sympathetic pain in one's body. Anything that might communicate knowledge about the problem, or might guide us to a course of action to take to resolve the problem, is what Paul is describing here.

(3.) A word of wisdom would be a communication about something that needs to be done, while a word of knowledge would be a communication about something that needs to be known. The Greek word for wisdom, sophia, refers to practical understanding or skill in doing something. There will be many times when an issue will come up, and we may not know what to do about it, or our own human solution would be ineffective. If God brings a solution to mind, as crazy as it may at first appear, it will be effective. God knows what will work to move farther into our prayer ministry, or to prescribe to the person being helped, or to resolve whatever issue may be our concern. A word of wisdom would be a specific communication from God to bring us success in dealing with the problem we are facing. On the other hand, a word of knowledge gives us awareness of something we could not have humanly known, but does not necessarily suggest a solution.

A Prophetic-Utterance

"The woman said to Him, 'Sir, I see that you are a prophet." John 4:19
"The Spirit do not y'all quench, prophetic-utterances do not y'all despise, but all-things y'all test-out-by-trial, the good-thing y'all hold-fast, from every visible-form of unsoundness y'all hold (yourselves) away from." I Thess. 5:19-22
"Knowing this, that every prophecy of Scripture has not come to be of one's own interpretation, for a prophecy was not formerly brought by the desire of a human being, rather people being carried-along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." II Pet. 1:20,21

With regard to the spiritual gifts described by Paul in I Cor. 12:4-11 there is some disagreement whether they are given permanently, or temporally to meet a specific need. There seems to be evidence for both. Certain gifts must be evidenced repeatedly over time in order to become recognized and to be effective. Others could be either a dominant regular expression of the Spirit, or a one-time manifestation. These particular gifts in this context seem to be distributed by the Holy Spirit as He wills on a particular occasion. The gifts listed here all have a revelatory element, which lends them especially to this temporary usage. The question we all must ask is, "What is the Lord disclosing to me? What is it He wants to do, here?" Among these “temporary giftings” listed is "a prophetic-utterance".

What is meant by this "label"? As I have mentioned before, there is often much variation between books or teachers who are trying to explain these gifts. The truth is that we have little more to go on than the names of the gifts themselves, and possibly examples where they are used in the lives of Bible characters. There is no systematic definition given for most of the gifts listed in the NT passages dealing with spiritual gifts. Often the elaborate descriptions given by some are nothing more than personal opinion, some of it very imaginative and misguided.

With regard to the gift of prophecy, there is a wide expanse of opinion, ranging from those who emphasize that the gift is nothing more than preaching, to those who insist it is only a predictive foretelling of future events. As I researched the meaning of the term in the Greek language, and in the background of OT usage, it is clear that both elements can be evident at times. A prophetic utterance can embody either a forthtelling of God's word revealed to the prophet-mouthpiece for the recipient-hearers, or it can include a foretelling of something yet to come, which the recipients are to prepare for or be warned of. Generally, the predictive element of prophetic utterances are unconditional, i.e., they invariably will come to pass. That is one of the ways to test a prophet. If his or her predictions do not come to fulfillment, then they are not speaking from God (Dt. 18:21,22). Sometimes, however, the message may be conditional in nature, meaning that if the recipient takes heed to the warning, the catastrophe can be prepared for or avoided altogether.

The most significant quality of a prophetic utterance is that it is not the prophet-speaker's own invention. It is a revelation given to the person from God, which he or she is to faithfully pass along to the intended recipient. In this way, a prophet is described as a spokesperson, or a "mouth", for God (Jer. 15:19; cf. Ex. 4:15-17; 7:1,2). The other significant aspect of prophecy is that it is spoken, or expressed. The word itself is from two Greek words which literally mean "to speak before". The word "before" could refer to either "in front of" someone, or it could be taken as something spoken "ahead of time". Until it is spoken, it is only revelation. Only when it is expressed is it truly prophetic. This is why I chose to translate the word as "prophetic-utterance".

There are "prophets" and there are "prophetic-utterances" (prophecies). A prophecy is a revelation given by God to be spoken or communicated to another. It may be that you will experience this one or more times, and yet not be a regular, consistent way in which God works through you. This is to be a somewhat widely distributed experience under the new covenant (Acts 2:17). A prophet, or prophetess, is someone who regularly or repeatedly receives and communicates such revelations from God. They become noticeable because they are used by God in this way, and the things they say are borne out in experience. They are identifiable because of both the source of their revelations, and by virtue of the outworking of what they say.

God can reveal His message to us in many different ways, but typically a prophetic revelation is not an insight into, or an application of, a passage of the Bible. Prophetic revelation comes through visions (the "opened eye" -- Num. 24:3) and dreams, an inner voice, or even through inspired music (Num. 12:6-8; 24:4; Acts 2:17; 10:9-16; Mic. 3:8; Ezk. 38:1; I Chr. 25:1-6). Often the communication from God can have elements that are obscure, and must be interpreted (Num. 12:6-8; Acts 21:10,11).

What about the function of this gift in the Body? Again, both the foretelling and forthtelling aspects can play a part. In I Cor. 14:3, Paul says that a prophetic utterance in the Body is addressed to people for their edification, exhortation and consolation. He also alludes to the fact that often a prophetic-utterance will disclose the secrets of the heart, will convict people of their sin, and will call them to account. The amazing revelatory aspect of the gift cuts through all defenses, and the person knows that God has done this (I Cor. 14:24,25; cf. Jn. 4:16-19,28-30). In the two places in the book of Acts where a noted prophet, Agabus, appears, his messages were clearly about future events (Acts 11:27-30; 21:10,11). The prophetic communication was given to prepare for a physical or emotional trial. (Note that Paul did not change his course because of this revelation. He said that he was "bound in the Spirit" to go to Jerusalem, yet the Holy Spirit was repeatedly warning him that bonds and affliction was awaiting him [20:22,23]. He must have been quite confident that he was on the right course. In this case, others felt that this was a warning not to go, but Paul knew otherwise.)

How is it to be used? In I Cor. 14:26-33, prophecy is one of the gifts to be exercised when the church gathers. It is not to dominate the entire time. There are to be only two or three speaking in the meeting, each in turn. If one receives a revelation while another is speaking, the one talking is to be quiet and give place to the other person. The apostle specifically states that "the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets", so there is to be no excuse for inappropriate over-zealousness in insisting on sharing "my revelation". It is a matter of maturity and self-control. This also implies that often everything was not shared with the entire group, and the group was OK with that, and the prophet or prophetess also had to be OK with that. In spite of the claim to have heard from God, all prophetic-utterances are to be evaluated, both for consistency with known revealed truth (the Bible), and for the discernment as to how to understand what is being shared (I Cor. 14:29; cf. I Cor. 2:12,13). They are not on an equal plain with the Scripture, nor are they “new Scripture”. God will not reveal anything that contradicts the revelation contained within the Old and New Testaments. Prophetic words are for specific people, or groups, in specific situations. They are not universal.

Finally, it is possible to hinder the expression of the Holy Spirit by making no room for the use of this valuable gift. Paul specifically warns against despising, or devaluing, this gift. On the other extreme, an undiscriminating over-zealousness for this gift can lead a group into danger, as well. That is why all utterances are to be tested, by Scripture and/or experience. Without discernment, it would be too easy for the enemy to lead a group into error, foolishness, or moral compromise. For this reason, Paul exhorts the Body to test things out, hold fast to what is good, but to steer away from anything that is visibly unsound. As we have mentioned in the past, one of the goals of maturity is discernment (Heb. 5:14; Eph. 4:13,14). Therefore, we must have the leeway to sort things out for ourselves, or we will never develop that quality. Instead of inventing all kinds of protective "control measures", Paul was comfortable entrusting believers to God and His Word to build up the disciples and to give them the parameters they needed to find their way, in conjunction with the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Body (Acts 20:32; Jn. 14:26).

What does this mean in practical experience? Again, when there is a disclosure of the Holy Spirit to someone in the group, this revelation, if it is prophetic, is often meant to be shared with the person it concerns, or with the entire group. If we withhold the expression of this revelation, we quench or hinder the Holy Spirit's desire to work in that situation. We must be faithful to take the risk to step out and share what we may be hearing or "seeing". Only by doing so can we determine if it is from God, or not. Only by doing so can the person it is meant for have "the secrets of his heart disclosed" and "fall on his/her face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you". We need to discover how to use our gifts as individuals, and to understand how to facilitate the ministry of the Spirit as a group. It starts with the inner disclosures of the Spirit, ...then it is up to you to respond to what He is doing inside.

A Prophetic Word: Destiny or Opportunity?

"At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it. Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it." Jeremiah 18:7-10

Sometimes we get the wrong perception of the nature of prophetic words, or the gifts and callings that God seems to desire to give to us. We may have an "inkling" inside of our hearts that we are "destined for greatness", ...that we are to be significant people in the purposes of God, ...that we are called by God to make a difference. It is amazing the number of people who have felt that stirring within their heart, especially when they are new believers. Some of us may have even seen some of that potential, which we seem to possess, surface from time to time in conversations or opportunities of service. We may have felt the power of God move through us, and we have known that He used us in a significant way. We may have some sense of the spiritual gifts that we have, and have experienced the connection that happens when we are in tune with God and ministering to someone in response to His leading. It is similar to what a baseball player must feel when he connects the bat with the ball just right, and hits a home run. It “felt right”, and the results were amazing. Some of us may even have had people speak to us about what they see in our lives. Some of this may just be encouraging feedback, and some may even be prophetic statements. Some of us may even have had the experience of what purport to be clear, prophetic, declarative statements made over us by someone functioning as a "mouthpiece for God", where they stated things about who we were, and what we are to accomplish. What does all this mean? How can I understand these experiences, ranging from an inner sense of significance to an outward declaration of who I am? What is my response to this to be? Is this destiny, …something I am to simply wait to be unfolded for me? Is God going to "zap" me to make this happen? Is He going to put everything together, or am I to be part of the process?

I don't know what it is about us humans, if it is laziness or if we are simply naive, but one of the most common tendencies when confronted by a prophetic word, or an inner calling, is to ease back and expect God to carry us. God, on the other hand, is telling us these things because He wants, and needs, our involvement in them. He is letting us in on possibilities that He sees to either (1.) warn us, in order to get us to change things to avoid a threatened judgment; or, (2.) encourage us, in order to move us to participate with Him to bring about a positive calling. Somehow, whether it is the result of human nature, or the fruit of unbalanced teaching about the nature of prophecy, we tend to buy into the idea that if God said it would happen, then He will make it happen, and nothing we do will thwart or help in that process. Often this is not a conscious line of reasoning, but our reaction seems to indicate that this is what we must be believing inside. Why do I say this? Because we do nothing in response to either an inner leading or an external message.

This whole area of the nature of the prophetic, or even of invitations, callings and promptings of God, is more complicated than may first appear. On the one hand, we seem to have passages that tell us that prophets will be known (and can be tested) by whether or not what they say will happen does come to pass (e.g., Dt. 18:21,22; Ezk. 12:24,25; Jer. 28:1-17). On the other hand, there are definitely examples of legitimate prophecy that did not come to pass. The word was given by a recognized prophet as though it was unconditional and definitely was going to come to pass, and yet, because of a change in heart of those to whom it was addressed, God decided not to do as He had said, or at least to delay it (e.g., Jonah 3:1-10; I Kg. 21:27-29; II Kg. 20:1-7). There are also many examples of conditional prophecy, where it is plainly stated that a promised result will happen only if there is obedience by the person concerning whom the prophecy is spoken (I Kg. 9:1-9; 11:28-38). There are other passages that indicate that God intended to do more for people than what they experienced, because they were disobedient (I Sam. 13:13,14; 15:17-29), or because their response to His invitation was half-hearted, or fell short in some way (II Kg. 13:14-19; II Chron. 14:1-16:9). If this is true of prophecy, wouldn't this apply to these other kinds of promptings, as well?

Another very common response to a strong sense of call, or a prophetic declaration, is to try to make it happen immediately. Quick, even instantaneous, obedience is a wonderful character quality, which many of the heroes of the Bible modeled for us (Gen. 22:1-3; Mt. 2:13-15,19-23). As Solomon observed, however, "all things are beautiful in their time", and sometimes we run ahead of God's intended timetable. We can find this tendency popping up in the lives of Bible characters repeatedly, as well (Gen. 16; 25:21-34; Ex. 2:11-15 [cf. Heb. 11:24-26]; Acts 9:1-30 [cf. 22:14-21]; 11:19-26; Gal. 1:11-2:10). Often people who “run ahead” feel the call (or promise) very strongly, and set out to make it happen immediately, when either they themselves are not yet ready, or they misunderstand how God intends to bring things about. In either case, they cause themselves (and often their loved ones) much pain, because their efforts are in the flesh, and not empowered by God. They are rejected, or exiled, and have to be set aside through difficult circumstances for years before they are ready for their life's work. They must learn to walk humbly with God, and to do things His way, ...not by their scheming to bring God's will to pass, or by methods that in any way compromise or conflict with God's character.

I have been using the scenario of a prophetic word as being similar to an inner sense of call, or a prompting from God, except that it is external. I am not intending to communicate that they are necessarily the same thing, but it is interesting to note that our response to either can be the same. We tend to lean heavily on the idea that God will do this, or we lean heavily on the idea that "I must make this happen". The truth is that God intends for there to be a partnership, a "joint working", if you will. He expects, desires, and even needs, our involvement in order for things to happen as He intends, ...but we must learn to go at His pace. He is in the process of training and equipping us for bigger and greater things, if we will cooperate. You see, either extreme often tends to lead to the same end: immaturity and unreadiness to do the will of God.

Those who wait for God to "do it to them" are like the servant in the parable of the talents who buried his talent in the ground (Mt. 25:14-30). He did nothing with the money, so nothing at all was accomplished. The money did not increase, nor did he learn anything by trying different scenarios to make it grow. There are those who will allow years to go by, and they do nothing with their spiritual lives. They invest nothing. They risk nothing. They learn nothing. They develop nothing. They remain virtually unchanged, year after year. They are like those who have great potential to play a sport, but will not show up for practice, and invest nothing toward developing their skill. They may have raw talent, and they may even shine more than others in certain areas because of that natural ability, but they never find out what they really could have done, because they never invest in developing themselves and in playing the game. Or a subtle variation of this same problem is the person who finds something that they can do well, but will not move beyond their comfort zone to develop new things. They stay only in the area of their comfort, and may think that they are being faithful, and may even appear so to others, but the truth is that God has a whole other area of their gift set He wants to uncover and develop. Their unwillingness to stretch beyond what they currently know keeps them immature and untrained in this other area. God's intent for them never comes to fruition because of their lack of investment.

On the other hand, those who “run ahead” often end up in disillusionment and disaster. They irresponsibly drop commitments, wear out relationships, spend their time, energy or money lavishly on their spiritual plans (whether the latest Bible, tracts, books, tapes, seminars, ministry trips, meetings; or on "ministry equipment", or on their plans to "get freed up for ministry"; or in expansive, over-generous giving to others), all the while ignoring the signs of unhealth and ineffectiveness they are accumulating. They do not walk according to the level of strength and maturity that has been established in their lives. They tend to take on things that require more strength of character, maturity and skill than they currently possess, ...and they tend to repeatedly make the same mistakes, because they do not stop to evaluate. They do not stop to consider that "it's not working" along the way, so they tend to keep doing the same things over and over. They have clearly grasped one aspect of God's will, but they do not recognize, or they disregard, other aspects that would bring balance or correction to their lives. They invest themselves to the point of exhaustion in certain areas, and when they do collapse, they fall into a deep hole of depression, fatigue, debt, and disillusionment. This depression and disillusionment can be cyclical, or can last for years. Some so shipwreck their lives that they never recover. They bury themselves so deep in hurt and bitterness that they can see nothing else. God's intent for them is thwarted, because they disqualify themselves or because they burn out too soon.

We must learn to walk with God, and to do things His way. We must work with reality as it really is, not as we would have it. Our preference, i.e., either to be lazy or over-cautious, or to be impatient and over-zealous, does not change what must be required. Either way, we must get established in the fundamentals. In order to excel, we must build on a foundation of basic skills, and then move on to the next level. Being a disciple requires discipline and integrity. Relationship with God, and walking in the light of integrity and love are primary. Every other healthy thing grows out of these roots. Avoiding responsibility, or taking on things before we are ready, is equally irresponsible. The job does not get done either way. God has a plan for your life. The good news is He can work with us where we are today. It does not matter what we have done up until now. The question is, "What will you do from here?"

The Place of God's Word in the Prophetic

" Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." Acts 17:10

The Bible has much to say about the value of God's word. It is the message that informs, instigates, and activates faith (Rom. 10:13-17; II Tim. 3:14,15). It is the seed which God uses to conceive our spiritual birth (I Pet. 1:23; Jas. 1:18). It is likened to spiritual milk, which is to nourish and sustain us in the early stages of our spiritual growth (I Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:11-14). It is described as a special "God-breathed" resource, a trustworthy and beneficial guide to help us grow to maturity and full equipment for service (Isa. 40:8; Jn. 10:35; Matt. 5:17,18; 24:35; II Tim. 3:16,17). It is a reliable touchstone for truth that we can use to help us both in the renewal of our minds, and also in discerning what is real (Jn. 17:17; Psa. 119:160; Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:20-24). Specifically, it is a light to guide us in following God (Psa. 119:105). It encourages, instructs and revitalizes our faith (Rom. 15:4; Psa. 119:98-100,104,130; Psa. 119:25,50,93,107,116, 149,154,156). It produces reverence for God (Psa. 119:38; Dt. 4:9,10; 6:1,2), and its insights can establish us in peace (Psa. 119:165; Isa. 26:3; 48:17,18). Altogether, it is a treasure, with great benefits, which we should rejoice in (Psa. 119:162; Psa. 19:7-11). God has granted to us this resource of "precious and magnificent promises" so that we might become sharers of His nature, and we might escape the corruption of this present world (II Pet. 1:3,4).

Jesus also had said that if we would continue in His word, then we would truly be His disciples, and we would come to know the truth, and the truth would liberate us from bondage to sin (Jn. 8:31-36). Moreover, He clearly stated that He did not come to abolish any of the OT law. None of it was to be considered irrelevant. Not a letter, or the distinguishing marks between letters would pass away, until all things were accomplished (Mt. 5:17-20), ...pretty clear language upholding the value of the OT revelation. Certainly Jesus' own teachings were steeped in OT background. He definitely had diligently studied the Torah. In fact, His opponents were amazed at His grasp of it, and marveled that He had not been educated in one of the rabbinic schools of the day (Jn. 7:14-17). As is typical of Jesus' ministry among a religious people, however, He responded by pointing beyond the outward evidence of learning to an inner relationship with His Father, which gave Him the understanding to perceive the meaning and application of the Scriptures more deeply. Later on, when the apostles demonstrated this same kind of understanding and boldness, even though they were untrained and uneducated men, the religious leaders could recognize the same dynamic and concluded that they had "been with Jesus".

Jesus was not into study for study's sake, or into learning by rote just to demonstrate mastery of content. Jesus' eye and heart were always after discerning reality, coming to know the truth. In the pursuit of truth, and in the pursuit of an understanding of God and His plan and general purposes, the scriptures are a revelation (an "uncovering") of things that otherwise would not be easily discernible. They are a record of God's actions and communications with us that He has provided for us as a guide to reality, as well as an invitation into relationship with Him. Because the particular writings which have been collected and preserved in our Bibles were uniquely inspired by God (II Tim. 3:16,17), they are a safe and reliable resource for these purposes. Thus, Jesus could pray to His Father, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth" (Jn. 17:17). What does not come across in the English here is that Jesus is not equivocating the scriptures to all of truth. Instead, He was stating that what is there in scripture is truth, i.e., it is safe and reliable, unmixed with error. However, there is a whole lot more out there that is truth than what the written revelation of God contains. The Bible is to be a resource, guide and touchstone to help us discern truth from deception as we navigate through life, but reality is much more broad and expansive than what could be written in the pages of any book. Actually, what Jesus is implying in this prayer is that we will be sanctified (set apart from what is typical in this world system; consecrated for God's unique purposes) by the discovery of the larger truth, the broader grasp of reality, of which the scriptures are like a window or a reliable general map. There is a whole lot more detail to be discovered than what the Bible speaks of; but where it does speak, it is accurate.

Getting back to John 8:31, what Jesus was advocating by "if you continue in My word" was more than just Bible study. The Greek word translated as "continue in" is the same as "abide" in Jn. 15:1-17. It means much more than simply to study. It is talking about "living in, staying in, remaining in, and dwelling in" His word. It refers to a habitual residing. It is the place we go out from, and the place we return to. This is referring to both creating an inner mindset of pondering, examining, testing and comparing with what we know is true, as well as to cultivate an "ever-ready to apply" attitude toward living out His will in life situations. Keeping an open eye of awareness to the "roadmap", as well as an open eye of awareness to one's surroundings with a "willing to do His will" kind of heart (Jn. 7:17), will help us to become effective followers of the Master.

Of course, part of this process of becoming effective followers of Jesus is orienteering, learning to be good map-readers. In other words, if the "map" is really meant to communicate something, then there must be a key or legend to use to correctly understand the map, so that what the map-maker had in mind becomes clear to the person using the map. This is what Paul is talking about in II Tim. 2:15. Learning to "handle accurately the word of truth" implies that there is an underlying, objective, intended meaning to the communication. The degree to which a reader correctly understands this meaning is measurable. The reader's perception is more or less accurate, based upon how closely he or she grasps what was intended. In Neh. 8:7,8 we see that certain people "explained the law to the congregation, ...interpreting to give the sense so that they understood the meaning". Part of becoming mature discerners of truth will include gaining the ability to correctly interpret the meaning of the scriptures in their context. Without this skill, we would be like people attempting to follow a map without understanding the symbols used by the map-maker to depict the reality of the lay of the land being described.

There is yet another piece to this entire subject area. God's word is not limited to the written form. God is alive. He still speaks, and He wants to speak to us. We have entered into relationship with Him, and contemporaneous communication is a big part of that relationship. Going back to the map illustration, if you could imagine going down the road following the map, noticing the landmarks, etc., and then God, who is in the front seat next to you, says, "Turn off here. I want to show you something not on your map." Or, "Let's stop there for lunch." Or, "I would like you to pull over here. I have a job for you to do." Furthermore, if you could eavesdrop on the car of the Christian behind you, you would find that God (who is in the front seat of their car, as well) is showing them different sites, and giving them different things to do. In addition, as you turn off at the exit, you see your Christian buddy ahead of you continue on their way without you, because they were not instructed to go where you are going, either. If you stop and think about this phenomenon, you realize that, if a relationship with God really were possible, such spontaneous and individual interactions with Him should be expected.

Biblically, this idea is supported by the usage of two different Greek words for "word", in reference to God's word. The general word, referring more to "the message", the objective communication from God to everyone, akin to the "roadmap", is logos (e.g., Jn. 8:31). The other Greek word, rhema, is often used to describe a more personal word, a specific directive from God to you (e.g., Matt. 4:4; Lk. 1:37,38; 2:15 [“thing”- cf. vss. 19,51]; 3:2; Jn. 3:34; 6:63,68; 8:47; 15:7; Acts 10:44; 11:14; Rom. 10:8 [2x],17; II Cor. 12:4; Eph. 5:26; 6:17; Heb. 1:3; 6:5; I Pet. 1:25 [2x]). This is not for everyone; it is for you. It tends to be specific to you as a person, or to the time and place opportunity. It is not a "forever-and-for-always-for-everyone" kind of thing. To interpret it that way would be wrong, and could me misleading, or even abusive, to others. (A great deal of false or misguided teaching comes from this very phenomenon. People will generalize from their own particular experience, or from what God is doing in their life, and try to teach it as God’s enduring-for-everyone-truth. They try to make the rhema into logos.) Sometimes, God will even use a scripture verse to communicate a specific rhema word to you. He will use the language of the verse to suggest something else, something other than the actual interpretation of the verse. This is the difference between what some theologians would call "illumination" (the rhema message) and "interpretation" (the logos meaning). It is important to see that the rhema is not transferable to everyone, nor is it a secret "hidden key of interpretation" to be used in every similar verse. If it is a rhema communication from God, it is for you as an individual, or for that specific circumstance. Again, using the map analogy, just because God tells you to go to lunch at a Mexican restaurant at a specific exit on one trip does not mean that you always have to stop for lunch there, or that everyone is supposed to. Not everyone likes Mexican food. What could be a treat for you may be a very unpleasant experience for someone else. The danger is that there are many counterfeits out there. Whether we might suffer from an overactive imagination, or an over-zealous straining-to-hear, or whether we might mistakenly assume that our world-influenced (or church-influenced) training is God, or whether we might come under the attack of seductive spirits, we need to get our roots down deep into what we know is God's word, so we can discern truth from error, and become stable, secure, established, and effective in our faith-journey with God.

The application of this is that often the prophetic, revelatory messages we receive are rhema words. They are personal directives to you. They are not to be confused with Bible doctrine. What a prophet receives, either for himself or for others, is God’s personal word for that situation. One of the most common mistakes people fall into is allowing their personal experience to interpret the scripture, instead of coming to the scripture to understand their experience. Often, people will extrapolate their experience to take the place of the logos, when it was never intended for that purpose. Also, prophets must faithfully convey what was actually revealed, being very careful to not impose their personal interpretation or understanding upon that revelation. Many legitimate rhema words are misapplied because the speaker, or the hearer, does not wait upon God for understanding, but impose their own agenda or preference upon the word or revelation. Understanding the nature and limitations of the prophetic gifting will help us to process and integrate what God is saying in a healthy way.