Starry Starry Night

Starry Starry Night

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” -2 Corinthians 5:17

I love that old Don McLean song, “Starry Starry Night” (aka Vincent). As a child of the 70’s that’s a song I can still remember playing in the kitchen on my parent’s static filled AM/FM radio. It wasn’t until years later I understood what the song was about, which made me love it even more. As a teen who struggled with insecurities and identity - McLean’s “Vincent” was someone I could truly identify with. He was incredibly creative, deeply introspective, and slowly but surely losing his grip on sanity, reality, and life.

For me, fear manifest itself most prominently when I would get lost while driving. As someone with absolutely no sense of direction (I get disoriented pulling out of my driveway) the idea of getting lost while driving was (and sometimes still is) absolutely crippling. It’s literally on the phobia end of the spectrum for me.

I remember one time (while working at the Sizzler in Leon Valley) my manager, Frank, asked me to deliver something to another store. Now please remember this is like 1983 so it’s pre GPS, pre cell phones, and pre Waze app. All I had to do was drive down the highway - drop the stuff off - get back on the highway and go home. It should have taken me 15 minutes tops; but I got disoriented and ended up about 45 minutes away from home. I was in such a panic that I remember nearly pulling a u-turn on a clover leaf and driving against traffic. Eventually I found a phone booth (if you don’t know what that is - run a Google search), called my Dad, and he gave me directions on how to get home.

Fast-forward to last week… I’m in northern Ghana, which is a few miles further from home than Sizzler. It’s pitch black outside and I’m alone in a van with just a driver and a translator. I literally have no idea where we are going, but the road has recently been decimated by flood waters. A couple of times I couldn’t even see the bottom of the huge holes in the road. If we had drifted about ½ a meter either way… my guess is we would never have been seen again. We were driving North-ish (??) slowly, but surely. After about 45 minutes of "driving" you could hear a faint noise in the distance over the engine… soon you could tell it was singing. The van stopped, and I opened the door and stepped out under the cloudless canopy of that star-saturated night sky. There were well over 100 people gathered in a field. If you could have found it on a map it probably would have read, “Middle of Nowhere.”

My translator walked me over to my spot where I waited for the local pastor. He invited me to the makeshift pulpit. I had no sermon prepared - not because I’m opposed to preparation, but because every time I tried to prepare my mind would wander aimlessly. So for the entire drive past vast sinkholes - further and further away from the rest of the team, further and further from civilization, security, and the “known” - I prayed, “God, please use me. Please give me Your words. Please reach people and bring them from death to life.” There was no fear, no phobia, no debilitating sense of panic - just a supernatural sense of peace and purpose.

I preached a very short message about God, the Creator of the universe and the Creator of humanity. I shared with them about humanity as the pinnacle of God’s creation - intended to dwell in His life-giving presence forever. I shared with them the reality of sin and its consequence of separation from God unto death. I shared about the unmerited gift of grace available through Jesus Christ and what He did at the Cross. Many came forward that starry starry night and accepted Jesus as their LORD and Savior.

How does an average kid from Leon Valley go from being afraid of his own shadow and afraid of getting lost just a few miles from home... to driving on another continent in the dead of night on washed out dirt trails with no idea where he’s going so he can preach words he doesn’t have to people he doesn’t know to communicate in a language he can’t speak? There are all kinds of possible answers, but the correct one is this…  he has become a new creation in Christ.

As I shared with my students at the Bible College in Navrango Ghana later that week - God’s desire for us is NOT to merely become more ethical, more virtuous, more moral, or “better” versions of our old-self; but rather to become new creations in Christ. The problem with striving to become improved versions of our old-self is that we’re still the same decaying meatbags dead in sin rather than new creations born of the Spirit and alive in Christ Jesus.

Just a few chapters after writing “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” Paul then writes, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?”

If your life looks more like the fools on MTV Cribs - chasing after wealth, homes, sex, autos, and fleeting material things - than the abandoned sacrificial life of Christ our Savior… What evidence of being a NEW creation is there? Are you truly a new creation or merely a more virtuous, more ethical, more legalistic, more religious version of the same decaying meatbag dead-in-sin self of old?

As I stood there looking up at that cloudless sky that night, I knew that there wasn’t a single rational reason in the world why an insecure kid from Leon Valley would ever leave the security and safety of home and family to jump on a plane, fly across an ocean, hop into a van and drive into the darkness to a place I didn’t know, to speak words I didn’t have, to people I’d never met, in a language I’ve never heard… But when 30+ people came forward to announce that the Holy Spirit blessed them with the gift of faith in Christ, and they were born-again as new creations…  It was just then that I looked up into that starry starry night and gave thanks to God Almighty.

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com

TO BE ALONE

TO BE ALONE:

“Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him.’”

The inherently eternally relational aspect of God is the definitive and quintessential core of Christianity. Despite this profound divine revelation, “Let Us make humanity in Our image, according to Our likeness,” the inherently eternally relational aspect of God goes largely ignored, mostly forgotten, and grossly neglected in scholarship, preaching, and daily application.

Consider the god of Islam or the god of Judaism for example. Prior to the creation of the material universe, space, time, or gravity - imagine god as a singular entity (Allah, Yahweh, etc.). The one thing that any singular entity could not be is essentially and eternally relational because nothing else exists to be in relationship with. Therefore, without the eternally intrinsic, essential, and substantive characteristic of relationality - countless other attributes of divinity are rendered impossible, and the so-called "god" is debunked as synthetically fantastic invention.

LOVE: How would a singular entity manifest love? Love of self is not love, but rather narcissism, egotism, and deplorable vanity. The creation of a material universe populated with sentient beings would not be an expression of love, but rather the manifestation of blatant deficiency, malignant insecurity, or a shamefully vile longing for acceptance or reassurance; none of which rings true of a perfect, holy, and sufficient deity.

COMPASSION: As a singular entity, how then would this god be inherently and essentially compassionate? Toward what or whom?

There is a veritable laundry list of relational characteristics (patience, kindness, generosity, altruism, peace, fidelity, unity, et al.) that are inherently and essentially impossible for an imagined singular eternal entity.

How could any divine entity claim to be eternally perfect and omnipotent if adaptation or evolution were necessary to achieve, realize, or manifest love, compassion, patience, kindness, generosity, altruism, fidelity, unity, grace, etc.?

Of what benefit is omnipotence in a vacuum? Of what value is omniscience when nothing exists beyond self? How could this fundamentally non-relational deity convey or express authentic immutability (unchanging in its essential character) under the duress of deficiency in non-relational solitude?

Trinitarian Christianity is frequently accused of being inherently polytheistic, i.e. the worship of multiple gods (Father, Son, and Spirit). This unfounded indictment stems from both an improper understanding of divine unity, and a failure to assess the inherently fatal flaws of essentially non-relational "gods" in theistic belief systems.

To exist eternally and essentially as a singular, non-relational, entity, i.e. to be alone, unveils incoherence and inherent flaws. Therefore, when God said, “Let Us make humanity in Our image (eternally and inherently relational), according to Our likeness (eternally and inherently altruistic)...” The Father, Son, and Spirit implicitly revealed that “It is not good for humanity to be alone.”

In Genesis 2:18, after dedicating the man in the garden of Eden to live relationally with God, relationally with creation, and relationally with humanity (by serving and watching over “her,” i.e. the woman whom God was about to create from the man’s own substance), God explicitly stated, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him.” This is not a statement of the supremacy or superiority of males, but rather an expression of God’s inherent and eternally relational character. The same Hebrew word, ezer, (help) is frequently used throughout the Old Testament to describe God Himself:

“Our soul waited for the LORD; he is our help (ezer) and our shield.” -Psalm 33:20

“I am afflicted and needy; hurry to me, God. You are my help (ezer) and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.” -Psalm 70:5

When we come to the New Testament we see the inherently relational aspect of God most clearly and perfectly in the unique God-man Jesus Christ - the second Person of the Holy Trinity - who, while coeternal and coequal with the Father and Spirit, humbled Himself and took on flesh through His incarnation for the purpose of redeeming humanity unto reconciled unity for the glory of God’s name.

Therefore, when the Apostle Paul - under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - wrote in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves,” he was not conveying a new concept or revolutionary idea, but merely articulating the essentially and eternally relational aspect of the one true God who is Father, Son, and Spirit - because apart from being inherently and definitively relational existence is fatally deprave, tragically flawed, absolutely selfish, and bereft of authentic life and love.

“Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him.’”

My friends, we have been created in the image (inherently relational) and likeness (intrinsically altruistic) of the one true God who is eternally relational as Father, Son, and Spirit. We have been created so in order to reflect and reveal God’s infinite glory, inherent goodness, and overflowing grace for all eternity. Since that is who we are… since that is who and what we’ve been created to be and do… What are you waiting for?

Today is your day to become something more than a singular entity existing to merely extract for personal gain and exploit for selfish profit - all of which inevitably expires, ultimately decays, and tragically lingers on eternally in the form of death and torment as separation from God.

Today is your day - not merely to become an improved version of your decaying old-self, bur rather to become a new relational creation in Christ Jesus and to remain in Him eternally serving as a blessing to all others, watching over, and thinking of them as more important and significant than yourself. In doing so we thereby express the inherently and eternally relational aspect of God in Whose perfectly relational image and selfless likeness we have been created in - both for our benefit and for His eternal glory.

It's not good to be alone because that is not who we were created to be by our God of Trinity.

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com

DOWN IN IT

DOWN IN IT:

“I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, not merely having preached to others, that I myself will not be disqualified.” -1 Cor 9:27

Have you ever witnessed a baptism by immersion where the baptizer (the one doing the baptism) stands outside the water and simply gives the baptizee (the one being baptized) instructions?

The scene opens with young Lucy standing solo in the church baptistry / pool. The Rev. Preacher Bill (RPB), dressed in his Sunday’s finest, stands outside the baptistry with a mic and Bible at the front of the congregation:

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RPB: (awkwardly gesturing) “Okay Lucy, now umm, drop down under the water while you hold your nose darlin.”

Lucy: (under her breath) “Ummm, okay I guess.” (Lucy submerges alone)

RPB: (shouting) “Lucy! I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! Buried with Christ in baptism and raised…”

RPB: (obviously frazzled) “RAISED!” (Lucy still holding her breath underwater)

RPB: “Lucy! I said RAISED already!”

Lucy: “GASP!” (Lucy finally emerges with a bellowing gasp after the pastor kicks the baptistry repeatedly)

RPB: “Ahhem.” (cheese smile painted on the backdrop of a bright red face - trying to shake off the embarrassment of the moment)

RPB: “Raised… to walk in newness of life!”

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The scene concludes with Lucy’s emergence from the baptistry followed by uncomfortably sporadic congregational applause; partly celebrating Lucy’s “baptism” (?) but primarily that of relief since CPR and emergency services were not required… this time.

“I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, not merely having preached to others, that I myself will not be disqualified.” -1 Cor 9:27

I’ve written extensively in previous blog posts (The Servant’s Heart, and Up for Her)  regarding the flawed paradigms we adhere to within our church cultures. The most damaging of these is our conception of leadership. Jesus pointed out that our modus operandi was not to be patterned after anyone, or anything, but Him.

Paul emphasized this point in Romans 12:2 stating, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Only then will you be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

In 1 Peter 5:2-3 we read, “Shepherd God’s flock entrusted to you… not exercising lordship over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” English translations have correctly rendered the Greek τύποι (type, pattern, model) as “being examples.”

The truly great “leaders” of history are never exclusively or primarily leaders at all. The driving personalities who set out to accomplish, succeed, win, and conquer invariably leave a wake of financial, physical, or emotional destruction in their path. These “bull in a china shop” personalities invariably wield and leverage emotions like wrecking balls. Their relentless drive blinds them to the subtle textures and delightful nuances of relational transactions, which the Bible, thus Jesus the Eternal Word, dubbed: עָבַד (awbad in Hebrew), or διακονέω (diakoneó in Greek) - service.

“...that I myself will not be disqualified.”

Paul, the second greatest Christian missionary ever (after Jesus)... the man who planted numerous churches, who endured countless hardships, hunger, beatings, shipwrecks, prison, murderous plots… the man appointed by Jesus Christ as His instrument of salvation to the Gentiles… this Paul was concerned that he might get caught up in tasks, caught up in the hype, caught up in the drive, and caught up in numerical growth. This Paul said, “I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, not merely having preached to others, that I myself will not be disqualified.”

Jesus Great Commission to His followers is for us to first recall what we have been brought through by His gracious and merciful hand. Next, He instructs us not to “make” anything, but to simply “disciple,” actively and obediently engaging in the activity of worshipful discipleship. This activity of discipleship looks like the symbol of water baptism - complete and full immersion in the name of the Father (authority), the name of the Son (obedience), and the name of the Holy Spirit (power and presence). It looks like the symbol of baptism because we can’t honestly engage in discipleship from outside the baptistry. Nope, instead we have to get down in it. And after we have gotten down in it - the joyful service of discipleship is “not exercising lordship over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

Paul was a hugely successful missionary NOT because he was primarily driven by zeal, numbers, conversions, baptisms, or salary. Instead, Paul was motivated by Christ’s compassion and love for people, i.e. God’s mission to be a blessing to all the families, tribes, and nations on earth. Paul conveyed this modus operandi in writing:

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

The great leaders of Christian faith have never been leaders at all. Instead, they have always been the very thing which God appointed us to be for one another since the very beginning (Gen 2:15): “The Lord God took the man and dedicated him in the garden of Eden to serve her and watch over her.” This has always been, and will always be, our highest form of gloriously obedient worship to God; to pattern our lives after Jesus in humble submission and joyful servitude poured out for humanity.

That’s who God created us to be - in their image and likeness. That’s what God created us for. That’s what God commissioned the nation of Israel to be/do (Exodus 19:6). That’s exactly what Jesus did through His advent, death, resurrection. That’s what Jesus continues to do from His heavenly throne and sending of the Holy Spirit. That’s what God has done in calling and commissioning every redeemed Believer to lay down their life daily and to pick up their cross and follow. That’s what Paul did. That’s what Peter did. Just like Jesus - they got down in it.

What about you? Are you relentlessly driving toward a goal that is unknown to Jesus and grossly disconnected from deeply personal relationships with the flock He has entrusted you with? Are you standing outside the baptistry like Rev. Preacher Bill - shouting commands from a place of comfort and safety? Are you preaching a great message, but leave yourself disqualified? Or are you like our Example, our Model, our High Priest, and Savior who literally stepped down in it - giving up His rights and life in doing so?

There’s only one kind of real Christian. The kind that follows in the footsteps of Jesus. There’s the kind that’s disqualified and the kind who gets down in it.

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Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisicple.com

ROW ROW ROW

ROW, ROW, ROW:

“Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my __________ and __________. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future.” -Acts 26:16

In America we often read the Bible during our quiet time. Google images depicts quiet dreamy moments under trees, in sunny window nooks, or peaceful mornings at the table under a soft white light and cup of joe. In those quiet times we frequently look to mine, extract, and pan for bits of personal theological gold and gems of encouragement to boost our mood, lift our spirits, and energize our souls. Rarely do we stop to determine, or even consider, the historical, cultural, and political context of our private excavation projects. Accordingly, the resulting contemporary applications are grossly misguided miscarriages of divine truth and instruction.

Gaius Julius Caesar was instrumental in the demise of the Roman Republic and its transformation into the Roman Empire. In March of 44 BC he was attacked and assassinated by a group of Roman Senators (including his friend and protege, Marcus Brutus) and supposedly uttered the famous last words, “Et tu Brute?” Three of Caesar’s generals (including his grand-nephew, Octavian, along with Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus) formed a Triumvirate and quelled the senatorial rebellion. But as human history attests - victory rarely leads to harmony. Maybe Sting said it best in his song, If I Ever Lose My Faith in You, “I never saw no military solution that didn’t always end up as something worse.”

The demise of countless empires and nations throughout ancient and modern history can be distilled to one point: transition of power. Octavian (aka Augustus), the heir-apparent, clashed with the combined forces of Marc Antony and Egypt’s Cleopatra. The pivotal moment was a battle of the naval variety - the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. Antony and Cleopatra’s forces were defeated, and they fled to Egypt where both committed suicide. Caesar Augustus’ reign ushered in a relatively peaceful era, known as the Pax Romana, or “Roman Peace,” (27 BC to 180 AD); the backdrop upon which Jesus’ advent, life, ministry, passion, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension all took place.

The book of Acts was written around 63 AD at the height of this “Roman Peace.” The peace that Roman citizens enjoyed was a universally communicated aspect of cultural awareness and literacy. The Battle of Actium might have very well been akin to something like the Alamo for Texans, like 9/11 for Americans, or the Singing Revolution for the people of Estonia. Therefore, when Luke, the author of Acts, wrote in Acts 26:16, “Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my ὑπηρέτην and μάρτυρα. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future.” God wasn’t simply saying through Luke, “... as my servant and witness” as most English translations render it. Other Greek words like δοῦλος or διάκονος used elsewhere in the New Testament tend to more accurately convey the English term servant or attendant.

But the first word in Greek above from Acts 26:16, ὑπηρέτην, literally means under-rower. Roman warships were designed with both an upper deck - where the fighting soldiers and captain were, and an under deck - where “invisible” men worked in instantaneous and harmonious unison responding to their captain’s every command. Sadly, this rich and powerful picture is something completely lost on contemporary readers.

The Apostle Paul likely understood that he was near the end of his life when he appeared before King Agrippa in Acts 26. Jesus had previously told Ananias, “I will show him (Paul) how much he must suffer for my name.”  As Paul prepared to recount his gloriously divine encounter with the risen Christ to King Agrippa, undoubtedly the color, depth, and detail of the account flooded in. The account here in chapter 26 eclipses and transcends the former from chapter 9, which merely recalls Jesus as saying to Paul, “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Is this an inconsistency or textual error? Certainly not. The Bible is literature and must be read accordingly. If one’s desire is to uncover the Bible’s apparent discrepancies rather than to encounter its Author - it will certainly allow you that freedom. The extent of what Paul originally heard was, “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Undoubtedly, as Paul sat in his cell awaiting a potentially fateful audience with King Agrippa, he replayed that Damascus Road Encounter on a seemingly endless loop. Like the cognitive interviews conducted by the FBI’s criminal profilers on the TV show “Criminal Minds,” Paul probably began to recall previously obscure, repressed, and omitted detail...

“Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my under-rower and martyr. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future.”

As you reflect on what the risen LORD commanded Paul to do on the road to Damascus, consider the context of Rome’s military history… the wars and battles, the violence, the struggles and suffering, and the harmonious obedience of under-rowers amid civil war that brought about “peace.” Consider the imagery - not of private quiet times under gorgeous trees shedding their leaves of red, yellow, and orange in fall… not basking comfortably in the warm sunlight of your bay window… not blissfully mining Scripture for gems of individual felicity… not autonomously derived ministerial endeavours, but rather that of unseen, unheard, and unappreciated laborers - intently listening , immediately responding , and grinding out in obscure collaboration toward common goal.

If our approach to Scripture is unwittingly rooted in gleaning bits of private treasure for personal consumption and bliss, then, tragically, we (like Paul) overlook the depth, detail, and beauty of Christ’s revelation. Paul originally heard, “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Later, Paul recalled the fullness of Jesus’ message, “Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my under-rower and martyr. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future.”

That’s not just the LORD’s imperative command to Paul. Instead, that is what Jesus desires for all of us. Not necessarily to preach in synagogues and public squares, not to travel extensively, not to endure beatings, not to experience shipwrecks, cold, hunger, and prison, not operating as rogue paddlers in religious zeal, but rather listening intently to the voice of our Sovereign Captain, straining at the oars of universal blessing in collaborative grace communities, and telling the world what Jesus has revealed thus far - and what we eagerly anticipate in the future.

Are you busy row, row, rowing your own boat, or are you an under-rower on His?

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Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com

SHOW ME

SHOW ME:

They say friends help you move but great friends help you move bodies. Today that’s a joke, but it’s based in biblical reality and truth. That’s exactly what Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea did.

They were two prominent Jewish religious leaders who initially had a really tough time accepting that Jesus was the anticipated King, or Messiah, of Scripture. When faced with the truth of Jesus’ miracles, leadership, steadfastness, poise, integrity, and love - EVEN while hanging on the Cross - they were absolutely convinced. Those two men went from caring more about positions and social status to having the boldness to request and claim Jesus’ body in front of everyone - including the rest of the Jewish leaders. As Jesus’ true friends, they helped move His body.

If the claims Jesus made were unsupported lies and fantasy then history would not have recorded droves of people from every walk of life (from Jewish religious leaders, lepers, prostitutes, Roman soldiers, tax collectors, etc.) being persuaded to the point of following Him - regardless of the consequences.

When Jesus becomes culturally acceptable it is easy to call ourselves  Christians and claim to be His followers or disciples. It’s an entirely different thing to walk publicly as a Christian when there’s a real chance your front door will come crashing down, that your family will be taken away - never to be seen again, or that you’ll end up being tortured and killed. That’s when the fair weather fans pack up, turn tail, and turncoat. At that point, thirty pieces of silver sounds like a Powerball SuperLotto payoff. “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them...”

When the Holy Spirit irrupts into the life of reprobate miscreants there’s nothing left for Jesus to prove. No more arguments, miracles, or criteria are due. Life’s new orientation elucidates the gospel with intransigent resolve and ardor. Steadfastness in obedience under pressure or persecution is readily intuitive - emanating from innumerable mundane occasions of distillation in deference.

In the 13th chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus celebrates the Last Supper with His disciples and washes their feet. Then, in chapter 14, Jesus tells His disciples not to be troubled about His pending departure because “I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.” In woefully shameful folly Philip remarks, “Show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” To which Jesus says, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip?”

Philip spent three years in the presence of God. He knew all the prophecies, had seen all the miracles, all the healings, all the compassion, and experienced rich fellowship. But for Philip, it just wasn’t satisfactory. Like many capricious Christians today, Philip’s affinity was cursory. But if Jesus could somehow produce the Father, well that would certainly be “enough.” Jesus knows that our internal deception is the most contemptible and persuasive of lies. Jesus simply responded, “The one who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

The kind of faith that comes from within demands the perpetual feeding of reassurance for it is dismally incomplete, grossly insufficient, and wholly inadequate. Contrastingly, the kind of faith emanating from God never needs, never demands, and never quits. Faith never asks for additional evidence because its profuse bounty is endlessly and exceedingly extravagant.

When Jesus said, "The one who has seen Me has seen the Father," he was not offering evidence against Trinitarianism (the understanding that God is three distinct divine persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - yet still one God). Jesus is rather rebuking Philip’s, and our, synthetic surety. This was Jesus’ gracious divulgence and annihilation of manufactured faith.

Jesus was not telling Philip that He (Jesus) and the Father are the same person. Jesus was articulating that no additional experiential, philosophical, or sensory input would lead to genuine belief. Everything Jesus had ever done was always in response to the Father’s will through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our contemporary slogan confidently heralds, “Seeing is believing.” Jesus’ divine mandate to -and through- Philip asserts that bona fide faith is never so vulgar or erratic.

Like Philip, many Christians today are content to define faith in Jesus subjectively. Like Philip, we tell Jesus that He’s great while secretly desiring more. Like Philip, we sing words like “I want more of you God,” rather than surrendering our all to God. The scope and influence of our parsimonious prayers scarcely eclipse our private bubbles of promotions, raises, financial windfalls, relational bliss, and peculiar prosperity.

Jesus’ response is unchanging: “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me?” Thanks be to God that He is gracious, merciful, and compassionate to us enough to make us aware of our own deception!

Fearfully and wonderfully created in the image and likeness of God, we are more than commuters, more than spectators, and certainly more than consumers. Powerful sermons are motivating, wonderful, necessary, essential, and absolutely biblical - but passive reception was never intended as the encompassing wealth of the Christian life. Christianity is intended as intimate worship of God through service within, and beyond, the Bride of Christ. Worship becomes service and service becomes worship in a gloriously sublime fandango of holy matrimony.

When commuting, spectating, and consuming are faith’s zenith - always wanting God to show, prove, and produce in the hope that it will eventually be enough - then we are tragically and fatefully deceived. If you have heard the gospel of Jesus preached then you have heard and seen the fullness of God. An endless parade of amazing experiences collected and stored in our Christian scrapbooks and trophy cases will never satisfy us. Evidence, knowledge, and satisfaction are never lacking after the advent of God’s gracious faith gift.

Like Nicodemus, when we are born again we have no concern whatsoever about external opinion, social status, political acceptance, or peer review. When authentic faith arrives we, like Joseph of Arimathea, confidently and publicly claim the body of Christ without reservation and place Him in the tomb of our hearts. Christ then truly becomes resurrected within us by the power of God Almighty for the eternal praise and glory of His name.

So what about you? Have you been with Jesus “all this time” yet still finding yourself craving - or even demanding - something more? My prayer in writing this is that today you would abandon a personally manufactured faith in exchange for His gracious gift of eternal life and sufficiency; a perpetual gift that will always prove to be more than enough.

"Lord, hear my prayer; let my cry for help come before You."

-Psalm 102:1

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

unstoppablekidsbooks.com