"I Would Rather Preach Jesus"

A few weeks ago I posted a quotation from a gentleman named Rev. Isaac McCoy.  Mr. McCoy was one of the early missionaries to the Native Americans in the Midwest.  As I continue to read his journal and autobiography, I am challenged to live my life more radically.  Here, once again, is a quote from his manuscripts.  This quote is out of a letter McCoy wrote to a man named Samuel Dedman.  Mr. Dedman had been attempting to convince McCoy of the madness of his ways.

"I have patiently heard the advice you gave us to relinquish our missionary pursuits, and have weighed the arguments by which you have enforced it, and must say that what you have said is among the many things which are calculated to make us doubt the correctness of our present and intended movements..... If I live among them I must bear with their uncouth manners and insults, I must be exposed to hunger, wet, and cold.   I must, with small exception, be denied the luxuries of life, the comforts of society, the aid of physicans, and the consoling voice of friends  I shall never herafter lay up, by personal service, a shilling for the widow and orphans which I shall probably in a few years, leave in the wilds of Wabash, or Arkansas, and lastly I must probably die without seeing much fruit of my labours, only that I have prepared the way for others to follow..... I assure you, my brother, that every opposing difficulty, the opposition of the assn. not excepted, has only tended to increase my missionary ardour.  May my merciful God forgive me if I be wrong, and set me right.  I would rather be a missionary to the Indians, than fill the President's chair, or sit on the throne of Alexander, emperour of Russia.  I would rather preach Jesus to the poor Indians in a bark camp, than address the thousands who assemble in Sansom Street meeting house, Philadelphia.  Something has turned my attention towards the Indians, and every feeling of my soul is enlisted in their cause, yet still I may be wrong.  But I feel not the least inclination to turn back, but would drive on with the vehemence of Peter, the meekness of Moses, and the wisdom of Solomon."  -Isaac McCoy, The McCoy Manuscripts, (Kansas State Historical Society), draft of a letter from McCoy to Samuel Dedman, January 12, 1820.

I am continually amazed at Mr. McCoy's dedication to serving his Saviour, and I hope that in some way myself and others will have the courage and faith to follow in his footsteps, preaching Jesus with intense Love.

Blessings,

MN

It's Not About Me

I think about myself often.  Admittedly more often and more highly than I ought.  Most of us have this problem.  Our surroundings don't help us.  Everywhere we look we see advertisements and people telling us that our lives are about us.  Perhaps you would agree with me when I say we are a bit conceited in this day and age.  And perhaps you might agree that God has much more of which to be proud than we do.  However, somewhat ironically, Jesus did not act as He had right to act, drawing glory to himself at every moment while on this earth.  Instead, we see in Him a very different attitude, an attitude of a servant.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. -John 13:12-17

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant." -Philippians 2:3-7

 How often do we wake up in the morning and think to ourselves, "how can I serve everyone I see today?"  I have never done that, yet we are all called to a humble life of servanthood.  My life isn't about me and your life isn't about you, it's about the way Christ gave you life, it's about His Love and Grace.  So, let's go serve... everyone (even those who hate us and those we hate).  Let's go love with everything in us.

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." -John 13:35

So, what are we waiting for?  Go serve someone today.

love with a capital "L"

My Bible is over 1,000 pages... my guess is yours is as well (if you don't have one, call the nearest church and they should get you one for free... if they won't stay away from that church!).  So, let's try an experiment together.  Summarize the entire Bible in two sentences.  Can you do it?  Does it seem like a trick question?  Believe it or not, the answer to both those questions is "yes."  

About 2,000 years ago, some very intelligent men well versed in religious law asked a new teacher that same trick question.  That teacher's response went something like this:  

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' And 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  - Matthew 22:35-40 (paraphrase)

Turns out that the teacher was no ordinary man, but the Messiah.  The love He spoke of was not ordinary either.  Strong's Concordance describes love as:

A word to which Christianity gave new meaning. Outside of the NT, it rarely occurs in existing Greek manuscripts of the period. Agape denotes an undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable goodwill that always seeks the highest of the other , no matter what he does. It is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return, and does not consider the worth of its object. 

What does undefeatable benevolence, unconquerable goodwill, and self-giving look like?  Jesus tells us in Matthew 5

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' ³⁹But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.   ⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 Jesus tells we should have perfect love.  How?  When we love it should a love from God; love with capital "L".  Our love is imperfect, for as humans we are inclined to love only those who are good to us. But with Love from God we are empowered to Love those who we hate and who hate us.  There are no exceptions or exemptions to this Love.

The best display of that Love was Christ (you probably saw that coming).  He was not recognized by His own disciples as the Love of the world.

"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him." -John 1:10

Not only that, he was hated, abhorred, anathematized, execrated, abused, despised, beaten, spat upon, kicked, bruised, vilified, reviled, loathed, betrayed, detested, cursed, mocked, convicted, and crucified.  And yet.......... and yet what did He do?  If you are mocked what do you say?  If you are cursed at, what do you respond with?  If you are vilified, what do you do?  If you are despised, what do you think?

He was mocked, He said nothing.  He was cursed, He stood there.  He was vilified, He had mercy.  He was despised and he forgave.  What is this, but the most outrageous Love of which you have ever heard?  THAT Love is given to us, so that we may in turn Love those around us.  No matter what.  Even when we're hated, and even when were are tempted to hate back.   If someone wants to destroy your world, your country, your family, your life, you can respond with that same Love.

But, do we?  Do I still hold grudges?  Do I still protest when I'm offended?  Do I feel entitled to fairness?  Do I ever consider revenge?            Do I?           Do you?

Let us not fail to love with a capital "L."

  

One Big Happy Family... With Fruit

I was observing the other day how we are all so interested in being unique.  Being set apart.  Different.  Segregated.  My friend had posed the question: "Why don't people ask what makes them the same, as opposed to what makes them different?"  That is the question isn't it.  Especially for those who follow Jesus.  Every day have a disagreement within our own church family, denomination, and the world-wide church.  We separate our church from the other churches down the street.  We are focused on how our denomination is unique in the catholic church as a whole.  But that attitude destroys the whole idea behind "catholic church" (please notice here the lower-case "c").  The first to use the word catholic to describe the church was likely Ignatius of Antioch during the second century A.D.  But, this idea is supported throughout Scripture.  Never is there any suggestion that the church should be anything but a united and universal body.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. -Philippians 2:1-4

So why do we have all this division between us?  Why do we hate?  Why do we focus on what segregates us when we have so much in common?  If someone has made a mistake that leads to Hell don't point and shout!  That draws the attention of the world to our hate of each other.  Instead our goal must be to live the life of love we are called to live, and that starts with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I think all sects and denominations of Christianity are correct?  No.  Carefully look upon one another's views.  With discernment approach each other.  Be unified with Christian Affection.

"I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil." -Romans 17-19

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love." -1 Corinthians 16:13-14

 "3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."  -Philipians 1:3-11 

This is a "partnership." So let's act like it.  Let's do our best to stick together.  Because the greatest danger to the Church is not from the outside, but from within.

But the fruit of the spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. -Galation 5:22-23

So be discerning and gentle, not hateful or spiteful.  Live together in peace with goodness and kindness.  But most of all.  Let us love.  Then and only then, will we really be a unified body.