The Way of the Cross

For most of the time I have been serving as a pastor in the United Methodist Church I have heard conversations, read books and attended conferences addressing the decline of the church in general and the denomination in particular. I have been asked to consider myriad causes, scores of diagnoses, and more remedies than I can recall. Much of what I have seen and heard has been helpful. Most of it is heartfelt. Still there are times when I wonder if most of those doing the assessment of our current condition are failing to acknowledge the primary source of our malaise.

Soon after Peter proclaims that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; he scolds Jesus for explaining what that will mean for him: opposition, suffering, death. In spite of Peter’s well-meaning expression of concern, Jesus is unwavering—and even extends the implications of his identity and the mission to which has been appointed to include all who would choose to follow him: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

Years before his death in 1963, A. W. Tozer identified “a notable heresy [which] has come into being throughout our evangelical Christian circles—the widely accepted concept that we humans can choose to accept Christ only because we need Him as Savior and we have the right to postpone our obedience to Him as Lord as long as we want to!

“I think the following is a fair statement of what I was taught in my early Christian experience….

“‘We are saved by accepting Christ as our Savior; we are sanctified by accepting Christ as our Lord; we may do the first without doing the second!’”

“The truth is that salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred Scriptures. Peter makes it plain that we are ‘chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit for obedience’” (1 Peter 1:2).

If you are concerned about the decline of the church, let me ask you to pray that more people will not only accept Jesus as their savior; but will also allow Jesus to be their Lord and resolve to take up their cross and follow where Jesus leads.

Learning to Relax

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States.”

That’s really unfortunate, but the CDC goes further to report, “For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.” Factors that contribute to the risk of death by drowning include a lack of close supervision and a lack of barriers around pools and other bodies of water.

Still the number one factor the CDC lists is the “lack of swimming ability.” They also are quick to point out, “Research has shown that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children aged 1 to 4 years.”

I don’t know if my mother knew all of this when we were growing up or not. She was a public health nurse, so I suspect that she did. Nevertheless, she enrolled us in swimming classes at the YMCA when we were very young. I don’t even remember learning to swim. I just remember loving to swim. And I still love it.

As a former American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor I loved teaching kids to swim. They were so excited as they learned one skill, which led to mastering another, which led to undeniable proficiency in moving through the water from one side of the pool to the other.

One the first things I had to teach my students was that the water would hold them up. They could float. One at a time I would take a student from the side of the pool, ask them to roll on their back while I held them loosely by the shoulders. I would tell them to relax, and pretty soon I could show them my hands were no longer holding them up. They were floating.

Sometimes this didn’t last too long. They would become anxious, tense up, and start fighting the water. I would step in, lift them to the side of the pool, and let them catch their breath so we could try it again in a few minutes.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:29). Makes me wonder how many people would feel less like they are drowning if they quit struggling so hard and received the rest Jesus has offered to give.

A Cup of Cold Water

For some people the summer offers an opportunity to ease off on the throttle, slow down a little, and enjoy the scenery. Still there are many people who continue to live life wide open, hurrying from one place to another, overwhelmed by the feeling of being constantly behind.

The stress can take its toll. Pretty soon, in addition to feeling exhausted, you begin to see other people as an interruption, if not a threat. You begin to question yourself—your motives—your values. Even if you are certain the things you are doing are helping make the world a better place for you and your family, you begin to wonder if it’s worth all the effort.

When you begin to doubt whether you have the strength to take another step, you are also in the position to appreciate the value of even the smallest gesture of encouragement.

A cup of cold water doesn’t mean much when you’ve been sitting on the couch for an hour or so; but if you’ve been out weeding the garden in the hot sun, it is refreshing nectar and you are delighted to receive such a gift.

I wonder how our world would be transformed if more of us looked for those people who need a cup of cold water—a word of encouragement—a sign of appreciation for the work they are doing to make the world a better place. I know it is much more effective to reward good behavior, than it is to punish bad behavior. More importantly, it is a much more gracious way to live.

As he comes to the close of his message to the Hebrews, the writer reminds each of us: “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” (13:1-2).  

Let me encourage you to encourage others, welcome them, and look for ways to show them hospitality; and I’ll be praying that others will offer you that cup of cold water at just the right time.

Getting Noticed

Fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead—and ten days after the disciples watched him ascend into heaven—the band of believers who had followed Jesus throughout his public ministry experienced a transformation that could not be ignored.

Luke tells us a lot about the sequence of events of that day: they were all gathered in one place; the sound of a great wind; tongues of fire; and a newfound ability to speak in other languages. It is a remarkable scene and it is not uncommon to spend time imagining what it must have been like to be in that room when the Holy Spirit showed up. Were they praying or singing or sitting silently staring into space?

After a few moments spent wondering about the circumstances, you might find yourself wishing you could recreate them. I wonder how many worship planners secretly hope they can devise the right sequence of prayers and songs and silence to get the Holy Spirit to show up in their worship space. They may feel successful when they witness a few tears, people hold up their hands, and sway from side to side. I fear they may be missing the real significance of the day, though.

What happened outside that room is what really matters. People who thought this group of uneducated rabble should slink back to the countryside were bewildered and amazed. People who thought they had a pretty good handle on what it meant to worship God were astonished and perplexed. People who had already dismissed Jesus’ ministry—his teaching, his healing, his work of reconciliation—were cut to the heart by the proclamation of Peter and the others.

When the Holy Spirit descended on the believers it attracted the attention of the people in the street. Peter and the others did not linger in their special moment. They rushed into the world—and the world noticed.

The Holy Spirit is still calling, equipping, and empowering believers to go into the world with the proclamation of the good news of all that God has done to show his love to those who are hurt, lonely, lost, and afraid. Pentecost is our opportunity to remember and celebrate this reality even as we ask God to prepare us to join him in this mission that bewilders, astonishes, and amazes the world. 

A Vision of Holiness

John Wesley taught that there were four primary resources available to the community of faith as they sought to help one another grow in loving God, loving neighbors, and loving one another as Christ loves us: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. These four resources have become known as “Wesley’s Quadrilateral.” Wesley believed these four resources guide the church as it seeks to faithfully live out its mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ who seek to grow in holiness of heart and life.

Unfortunately, the church (at least, “The United Methodist Church”) is not doing a very good job of making disciples or of leading people to seek to grow in holiness of heart and life. Year after year we receive reports of declining numbers in membership, attendance, and giving. There is increasing evidence within the church of accommodation to the values of the culture. The impact and influence of the church is relegated to the margins of society. How has this happened?

I believe it is because we are misusing our resources.

Scripture is the primary source for Christian theology. It is where God reveals himself to the world. It is the foundation for understanding and interpreting Christian faith and life. It is meant to be read, studied, and interpreted as a whole as we seek to know more about God’s mystery, presence, and power. For many, scripture has become a collection of texts they rely on to support their particular agenda.

Tradition has come to mean “what we are comfortable doing.” In some churches if they do anything the same way twice, you’ll hear, “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” For Wesley, tradition was the record of the faithfulness of the people of God across the centuries. He valued those practices that had sustained God’s people from generation to generation.

God gives us the freedom to question, think, and teach in order to watch over one another in love. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Today reason has been reduced to whatever makes sense to me.

For Wesley experience meant a personal encounter with the divine presence and power. Today many point to what works as proof of its value and efficacy.

 Fifteen hundred years ago, a young Benedict wanted to know how best to live for God within a hostile environment. He emerged from his retreat convinced that the spiritual life is countercultural, counterintuitive, and counterproductive.  I pray that God may focus our vision so that we may find the power and wisdom in the resources we have to live such lives.

Which Way

One of the more significant insights from Lewis Carroll's novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, comes in a conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat:

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don't much care where –" said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

"– so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation.

"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."

The situation seems rather humorous at first; but when you stop to consider how many people are facing a quandary quite similar to the one Alice is confronting, you realize these circumstances are disturbing—if not tragic. There is no telling how many people, who claim to be looking for direction in their life, have never stopped to consider the destination they want to reach. They have never sorted through the many competing desires that pass through their life to identify the few longings that are most important to them. They have never settled the matter of which values are worth standing for. They have never connected to a cause that claimed their full allegiance. They are merely headed “somewhere.”

In his book, The Principle of the Path, Andy Stanley writes, “The direction you are currently traveling—relationally, financially, spiritually, and the list goes on and on—will determine where you end up in each of those respective arenas.”

The question remains: “Where [do] you want to get to?” If you want to move toward a destination where you can experience deep and satisfying relationships, where you can express your gifts and talents in ways that enrich the lives of others, and where you can begin to sense the delight of God; I invite you to focus on the longings and yearnings of your heart and mind. Ask God to help you identify those passions which lead to life and joy and peace. And then it will be much clearer “which way [you] ought to go from here.”

Building Relationships

Ask anyone who has ever run a business, and they will tell you taking care of your customer is one of the most important factors in achieving success. There are a lot of people who will give you at least one chance to impress them; but even if you have a superior product, supported by excellent service, offered at a competitive price, if you don’t let people know you appreciate them, you may not get a second chance to make a sale. And you certainly won’t get their vote in any “Best of” competition.

Successful businesses—whether they are retail, service, or manufacturing—whether they are brick-and-mortar or on-line—invest time and money in developing good relationships with their customers; because they know that it is an investment that pays great dividends. In fact, a whole category of software has been created to help companies manage their interactions with current and future customers. CRM (customer relationship management) software helps companies organize information about their customers so they can provide more appropriate support, offer more targeted special sales, and even suggest future purchases. They do it all because they know it is essential to their bottom line. It is the key to their existence.

I have to admit that I find it rather ironic (but mainly sad) that companies that are in business to sell widgets, maintain machines, or serve sandwiches value relationships more than some people who say they believe that everyone is created in the image of God. More than people who affirm the call to “love one another.” More than people who claim God has transformed them into a community that represents Christ to the world.

Still the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ give me confidence that God’s Spirit can empower those who trust in God to form, repair, redeem, and sustain relationships with others that are deeply satisfying. Relationships that exceed all our expectations. Relationships that give life. Relationships that communicate God’s great good news to all the world.