Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving…Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
(Colossians 4:2, 5–6)

Have no fear of those who persecute you, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
(1 Peter 3:15-16)

BIG IDEAS

• When Paul prays for boldness in preaching and sharing the gospel, he does not place the same expectation on the people of the church (Colossians 4:3-4). In other words, while Paul speaks regularly about how each person in the Church is gifted by God for the common good, he does not assume that everyone has the role of the evangelist/preacher.
• Both Paul and Peter have an expectation that every Christian would live a questionable life — so that the people around them will ask why they are different.
• Paul has in mind a particular, questionable kind of life among the people of the church (Colossians 3:1–17), in families (Colossians 3:18–21), and at work (Colossians 3:22–4:1).
• Peter has in mind submissive, compassionate, and understanding marriages, unity and support within the church family, and a hopeful graciousness towards those who slander Christians and who treat them unfairly and unjustly (1 Peter 3).
• In both cases, the underlying reason for our questionable lives is the new life we have in Jesus Christ. We have the fullness of God within us (Colossians 2:9–10) and we are holy (1 Peter 2:9).

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What do we discover about God from this passage?
2. What do we discover about humanity from this passage?
3. How should I respond to this passage? Considering my real-life personal circumstances, how can I live so that people would question the reason for my loving relationships and my hopeful graciousness?
4. Who has God put in your life that might be blessed to hear about this? When/how will you tell them? (If no one comes to mind, pray and ask God to show you if there is someone he wants you to share this with this week.)

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Here’s why this passage always grabs ahold of me. In this short story, Jesus frames our lives. He puts our lives into context. We’re living in that tiny little gap between verses 14 & 15. The King has gone away for a while. Then he will return. We’re all characters in this story. Which character we are is determined by our faithfulness (or lack thereof) to the King during his absence:

• Rebellious opposition
• Neutral “servants” who aren’t faithful, but who don’t overtly oppose the King
• Faithful servants who do the King’s business and make it their own

This story also helps us understand some things about an important word in the Bible – faith. First, faith means believing. The faithful servants obviously believed in the King and believed he was returning. Second, they were faithful. They lived consistent with their beliefs. The King had their full allegiance. These two meanings of the word cannot be separated. It’s why James 2:26 says that “faith without works is dead” and cannot save us. Even demons believe. Believing is only faith when it shapes our lives.

Regarding anything “Christian”, this is where we must start. This is foundational. Faith + Faithfulness = Faithful ones.

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The first episode in a series looking at the tensions and paradoxes of following Jesus as they come to us from the Gospel of John. This episode begins with a look at John 11:25-26 and Jesus’ paradoxical statements. First, that we will die, yet live. Second, that we will never die. These apparently contrary statements come into focus when considered in light of God’s larger story and Jesus’ own life and experience. And they are important in bringing our own lives into focus here & now as well as in shaping our hope and anticipation of the future.

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In any case, it’s worth turning back to the source to sort out the meaning and implications of being born again. It’s actually not a common phrase in the Bible, only coming to us in two chapters: John 3 and 1 Peter 1. These two chapters have another big idea in common that might come as something of a surprise…if you didn’t take note of the title of this blog.

John 3

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

Here’s the first and most famous “born again” passage. It’s a great one. In it, Jesus is breaking open old ways of thinking as he’s talking with an old religious teacher. Unless we are willing to be born again into an entirely new way of thinking and living that is led by the Holy Spirit, we won’t be fit for God’s kingdom. Pretty clear. A few verses later, Jesus breaks into another of John’s favorite ideas – an eternal kind life. That’s a whole other fantastic topic that we’ll save for another day.

But what notable is how this chapter wraps up:

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36).

So… born again, eternal life, and obedience. They go together. Seems like according to John, you can’t have one without the other. We’re born again to obey.

1 Peter 1

The other chapter that references “born again” is 1 Peter 1. It’s pretty incredible what we find there. I’ve highlighted phrases for you below, but certainly recommend reading the whole thing for yourself.

…for obedience to Jesus Christ (1:2)…he has caused us to be born again (1:3)…as obedient children (1:14)…having purified your souls by your obedience (1:22)…you have been born again (1:23)

So once again, born again and obedience are intricately related to each other. There is literally no reference to being born again in the Bible that isn’t in the context of obedience. This begs the question as to why that might be the case.

Born again into what?

What are we being “born again” into? A kingdom. And what constitutes a kingdom? A king. A reign. A place over which the king reigns. A people over whom the king reigns. A law/rule by which the king’s reign is manifest in the lives of the people.

So why is obedience inseparable from being born again? Because we’re born again into a kingdom and there are several implications of such a life. We’re not our own kings and queens. We’re not “free” in the individualistic American sense. We’re certainly free from the reign of sin and darkness. But we’re not cut loose into the oblivion to do what we want, when we want, how we want. Jesus isn’t just the door. He’s the Shepherd. He’s not a gatekeeper that we slip by before going about our own business and doing our own thing. He’s the king.

We’re born again into the a new life under the salvation and reign of Jesus the Christ the Lord. We’re not born again to be forgiven, guilt-free Americans. We’re born again as citizens and ambassadors of the kingdom of God. Our lives are not our own. We were born again to obey.

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Despite any impressions to the contrary, the nature of the story that we’re all part of is one of God coming here, not us going somewhere else.

In the beginning, God sets things up and comes here.

In the middle, God becomes man and comes here so that the Holy Spirit can stay here indwelling us.

In the end, God comes to dwell here forever.

In the meantime, Jesus gave us this prayer to keep on praying…

May [God’s] kingdom come and will be done on earth as in heaven.

So there’s the story. There you have it. We may face some challenges in the meantime while we pray and anticipate God’s coming, but he is coming.

The post Coming or Going? appeared first on Hope Church.

Eternal life does NOT = eternal death

Let’s dive headfirst into pointing out the obvious: life isn’t death isn’t life. It’s important to note this, however, because oftentimes Christians talk about life and death and the after life as if “eternal life” is actually fancy religious speak for being eternally dead…but in a good way. Let’s just point that out for what it really is – nonsense. If Jesus meant to say we’d be eternally dead, he surely could have. But he didn’t. He promised eternal life. So whatever he was talking about, the mental picture we should have is one of being alive.

Eternal life is a present reality.

Now we get a really crazy, but very cool observation. When Jesus speaks of eternal life, he speaks of it as a present reality. It’s not something promised for later, but now. Obviously anything that lasts forever is equally significant for later. The significant point here is when this eternal kind of life begins. And according to Jesus, it’s now.

Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life (John 5:24)

Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood (participating in my life) has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day (John 6:54)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:27-28)

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die (John 11:25-26)

An interesting paradoxical picture emerges surrounding eternal life. It’s consistently taught by Jesus as present reality. It’s also consistently contrasted with the alternative – death. But in two of the references, Jesus also notes the paradox of the in-between. We know from experience that these corruptible bodies don’t last forever. We know from experience that Christians die. We know by faith that dead Christians are already resting in the presence of Jesus in a place he once called “paradise.” But let’s please not forget what the New Testament so frequently insists upon – death isn’t going to be any more effective on Jesus’ people than it was on him.

In Christ, it’s probably helpful to remember that death is a bit like taking a nap. Then we wake up, stretch, and keep right on going – except in a resurrected body that will never again know sin, decay, disease, pain, tears, or death. You’ll still be you. I’ll still be me. We’ll pick up where we left off, except having been renewed with all Creation and under the fully manifested reign of Jesus Christ.

It’s gonna be great. I sincerely hope to see all of you there!

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