Running like Jonah

Jonah didn't like the people who lived up north. They were outsiders -- they didn't share his beliefs, they were brutally violent, and his religion had taught him to despise them. He believed they should be wiped out and he wanted to see it (from a distance).

Fast forward 750 years and Jesus, the anticipated Messiah has come. The people wrongly expect Messiah is going to annihilate all their enemies, after all, God is pretty ticked off at them... There is an underlying fear and suspicion of anyone who isn't a Jew.

Jesus hangs out with sinners. He doesn't obliterate the outsiders but instead says God's kingdom is open to them (Matthew 5:3-12). Wow, this infuriated the religious folks. Imagine the most popular teachers of the day telling horror stories of the half-breed Samaritans and unclean Gentiles, answering questions on the radio (well, maybe not the radio), aligning with political factions (Zealots) and figures (Herod and Pilate) to further their agenda.

The Zealots were a Jewish political group who believed force was the way to establish God's kingdom. Jesus picked one of them to be in His small group!! Talk about stirring the pot.

Jesus reminds everyone that God so loved "the WORLD" not just their corner of it. The Messiah has come to break down the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles. God has sent His one and only Son, the perfect Jew, to fulfill every requirement of the Law, and by His death to tear the Temple veil in two -- opening access to all. The Gentiles, who were not even allowed beyond certain boundaries, were given full rights and blessings through Jesus the Christ. Talk about GOOD NEWS!

But what happens when people hate you and would like to see you dead? What happens (shock) when your enemy; acts like your enemy? What happens when God shows mercy to your enemy and calls you to the same? Oooooh, scary.

My first tendency is to run like Jonah did, from perceived enemies and from God's heart. My second tendency is to complain like Jonah did. Somewhere way down the list I hear my Mom's words "You will never be free unless you forgive and show God's love where it is hardest..."

God is patient. He waits until I make my way down the list.

I knew You were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness! Jonah 4:2 Message Version

No coincidences on the golf course

We were standing on the first tee and this young guy who worked for the course was telling us the basics, "Keep up the pace" and "Have a good time" stuff.

Someone asked if he was a real golfer, said he looked like one... He said he was trying to make the tour but had blown out his hip. Slowly but surely he was rebuilding and gonna try again, but his hip was in lots of pain and it was a long road.

We all hit a variety of shots off the tee, some of us hitting two as we sprayed them all over, then it happened. The question from one of the guys -- "Do you have any spiritual belief?"

It was in that awkward moment that Jesus was about to show up...

The guy mumbled something about being "spiritual but not very religious." I laughed and said we were the same.

Then we asked if we could just pray for him, for Jesus to touch him and to heal his hip. He said sure, that would be fine.

As we prayed for him (for about 20 seconds) I noticed the tats on his arms, the weathered look on his face as he closed his eyes, and had the overwhelming sense Jesus really loved him.

Nothing dramatic happened that we could see. The prayer ended, he was lit up (maybe because the prayer was over), said thanks and that he really appreciated it.

I don't know what happened or will happen with his hip, but I do know something happened.

Maybe God was delighted for us to hang out and play golf, and to touch an unsuspecting guy on the first tee with His love. No coincidences on the golf course...

What about small groups?

I've been pondering the present struggles of small groups. It seems like people know they are essential, but aren't sure why or how...

What used to work in small groups doesn't seem to anymore. I remember meeting one night a week for 2-3 hours. Then our first-born son was part of our group, crawling around the room, people distracted, and loving on him. They didn't even complain that we were aware of (they kept coming back). Wow, those days are long gone...

Then groups were revived with a focus on purpose and mission - discovering God's purpose for your life, and then adopting a need and taking care of it together. Great friendships developed in the context of serving.

Recently a friend voiced "I need to be back in a small group." They said small group was the place of greatest growth in their life and they were spiritually dying without it. The biggest obstacles in their mind were scheduling conflicts, busyness and being with the right people (or "wrong people" as the case may be).

It seems the best groups have a sense of clear purpose, and it always involves being outwardly focused. That can be in the form of prayer/worship (God-focused), or service/mission (other-focused).

Small groups can probably take many different approaches and be successful.

And it always helps to look back to the model of Jesus for inspiration and direction...

So what was Jesus' small group all about?

1. Deeper relationship?

Nope, this was a by-product of being together all the time (and working through their junk).

2. Ministering to each other?

Nope, a by-product of being with Jesus and being on His mission.

3. Growing in knowledge?

Not the point, but a result of following Jesus.

4. Social justice?

Another by-product of being with Jesus but the description falls short.

5. Bible study?

Closer still, but they were more about "Bible doing" over study. Jesus would teach, explain and model -- "show and tell" if you will. Then He sent them out to do the same.

The small group of Jesus was about God's kingdom breaking in to the present evil age.

They were joining Him in His mission to change the world by bringing Good News in every way!

In the name of Jesus people were fed, healed, delivered and reconciled to God. That is Good News!

Is there anything more exciting than that??? What would it look like in this day and age? In the context of smaller group relationship with others? During your week?

Definitely worth taking some time to pray, reflect and discuss with others... and try!! Maybe Jesus will give us just what we need if we ask Him.

A place for nonreligious people to connect with Jesus

What does that mean? It means nobody is perfect, and if you know that, you are a prime candidate to be part of local church community.

"to connect with Jesus" is being connected to Jesus AND His mission, the most vital element of spiritual growth. To connect with others in that mission is what you could call missional community.

It doesn't mean drawing lines on nonessential issues in order to determine who is "in" and who is "out" -- that is religion.

And it doesn't mean "meet my needs or else."

Jesus says "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me." John 15:4 Message Version

Recently at a party a guy told me how he had gone from church to church, and had always found something wrong in their theology, politics, etc. Pretty sad, not that he had found something wrong but that this was his story. I shared about trying to keep it simple, all about following Jesus..., and that he probably wouldn't be happy at Smoky Hill Vineyard.

And honestly, being connected to Jesus in American culture has often degenerated into just getting our needs met. We spend lots of time trying to keep people happy, instead of leading people into the mission of Jesus.

“. . . Our motto degenerated from ‘We are the church, here to serve a broken world’ to ‘What does the church have to offer me?’. . . are we too much about us getting fed and too little about us exercising our faith?” -From “An Unstoppable Force” by Erwin McManus, Pastor of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles

People often see the church primarily as a means to meeting our own personal needs and wishes, instead of seeing the church as a supernatural community and family serving one another and on a mission together, here to serve God and serve others before ourselves.

“The church is the only institution that exists solely for the benefit of nonmembers.”
- G.K. Chesterson

Interestingly, the more we focus on getting our needs met the less happy we are. The more the church focuses on keeping people happy, the less fruitful she is.

But the more we gather around serving God and others, the more we experience God's pleasure, our needs are met, and we bear fruit.

Nonreligious people are drawn to this type of missional community.

I'm thrilled to be part of a local church community where this is our spiritual DNA, and to be connected with many other local churches in the Denver area with the same DNA!