Fear and Faith

This morning I read the story of Jesus calming a storm in Mark 4:35-41. It struck me that Jesus contrasts fear and faith very clearly. 

He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”  And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (v. 40-41)

It is worth noting that in the grip of the storm the disciples went to Jesus without faith. “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” In their distress they wrongly concluded that they were all dying and Jesus was indifferent.  Based on the way they respond, I don’t think they were expecting a miracle.  It seems more likely they were upset that he wasn’t bailing water or rowing with them. The wind and spray had not only blinded their eyes, it had blinded their hearts. They didn’t understand Jesus’ true power.

They did the right thing (going to Jesus for help) in the wrong way (with an accusation instead of an appeal). Thankfully Jesus is always gracious. He responds by calming the storm and offering a gentle rebuke. He corrects their unbelief and fear. The implication is that if they really knew the power of Jesus, they wouldn’t be panicking. Yes, they would come to Jesus. But they would have come differently.  In this moment his words are gentle yet surreal.  It seems pretty obvious why they were afraid!  Yet his correction comes with the mercy of a miracle, a hand stretched out to save them. And that is almost always how he corrects his weak children. 

Finally, and perhaps this is the most wonderful thing about the story, Jesus reveals the great mystery of who he is. In calming the storm he breaks all their categories. When we are faced with something shocking, the words that we speak as a matter of impulse are revealing. We haven’t had time to soften or shape them to win respect. They are the response of pure instinct.  The disciples, safe and sound, yet still dripping from the waves say, “who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Jesus reveals two things. He not only has the power to calm storms, he has the compassionate heart to do it.  He is both able and willing. 

The response of the disciples is the common experience of people that have seen God’s powerful hand engaged by his gracious heart. “They were filled with great fear.” (V. 40) This is a different kind of fear than gripped them just moments ago when they were convinced that they were dying in the presence of an uncaring master. This is the fear that comes when you have been rescued from trouble by the omnipotence of an omnigracious savior. When you see his power is greater than anything you have ever experienced.  It is beyond comprehension. It is unsettling. This sweet fear is the response of the soul that understands why faith and carnal fear cannot be friends. This is the fear that has shifted its sense of awe from the power of unruly waves to the power of the one that rules heaven and earth.

Truth or Grace?

When my wife and I were first thinking through what it would be like to plant a new church, we talked a lot about priorities. What was important? What would the new church look like? That was years ago, but we have revisited those conversations many times.  It was clear to me that many churches tended to talk about one thing. And I don’t mean this in the good sense. This wasn’t a result of discipline and clarity.  Too often they focused on one thing at the expense of other really important things, not just because of their gift set.

I saw many churches that were doctrinally astute. They were committed to faithful preaching and teaching. Unfortunately they didn’t do much for the people around them.  Their corporate lives were not characterized by the good works of love and mercy that were central in Jesus’ ministry. Ironically, they celebrated and funded the ministries of sister churches in 3rd world countries, but did little to imitate them. These churches talked a lot about being “Biblical” but often ignored huge parts of the Bible (the stuff about orphans and widows). And they often did this while talking about the danger of the Social Gospel.

Other churches (often liberal or leaning that way) were really engaged in community service, but they downplayed the importance of the moral and doctrinal teachings of Jesus.  Bible preaching and exposition was often marginalized or missing altogether.  After all, doctrine just causes arguments, right? And we can’t be sure about anything but the importance of love, right?  Wrong. You would never get that idea from Jesus. It is dishonest to pick and choose the parts of the Bible we like. And the activist churches did it just as much as the doctrinal churches.

But neither of these options were very appealing to us. What if God wants us to tirelessly to serve those around us BECAUSE of our devotion to the truth? What if the only reliable test of doctrinal orthodoxy is a life of love, mercy, and servanthood? Is it possible that the best theology could actually fuel and guide the way we serve our community?  Is it possible that GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TRUTH AND GRACE?

This is what we want our church to be. A place where we courageously confess the truth, and then sacrificially obey that truth in the way we serve those around us.  We have a long way to go, but we are excited for the journey.  If you are new to the area or don’t have a church we invite you join us.

Altered photo courtesy of Rae Allen . Used by permission, some rights reserved. CC 2.0 

Peace or No Peace? Which Is It?

At the end of Luke 12:51 Jesus makes a shocking statement, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”

He didn’t come to bring peace? Huh? This is shocking to me because it seems to go against many of the things we believe about Jesus. It seems at odds with what he taught elsewhere. And it is nothing like the pop culture Jesus enlisted by talk show hosts and politicians.

Elsewhere Jesus is called the prince of peace (Isa 9:6). He gave a special blessing on the peacemakers, that they shall be called “sons of God” (Matt 5:9).  Further the apostles taught that peace is an essential part of the Christian life: “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14).  Paul wrote, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18).  What does Jesus mean? Is this some kind of contradiction?

To make this problem worse, passages like this are sometimes used to justify the bad behavior of Christians.  They are an easy and deceptive refuge for behavior that is rude, unloving, or eager to fight.  

I think the answer to this dilemma is seen in the context. Jesus mentions that he came to divide even the closest of relationships. To divide families, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters (v. 52-53). In first century Palestine, as in many eastern cultures today, the family was everything. In collective cultures people find their value and identity in group conformity.  What is the ultimate taboo? Step out of line and dishonor the family in some way.

In almost every generation social pressure is used to force conformity via the carrot and the stick. If we conform to the values of the group we are rewarded. If we break rank we may be reprimanded, excommunicated, or executed.  For many of us, this level of family devotion seems extreme, rising to ridiculous.  It is definitely NOT scandalous for us as Americans to see a child marry someone without (or even against) the approval of their parents.   In some cases it is celebrated. Not so in Jesus’ day.  The good of the family came before your own comfort.

This kind of social pressure has been used to reinforce evil.  We have all heard of family members coerced into silence about the shameful and secret things that happen within the walls of the home.  The average person or family can become small time terrorists, holding others hostage with the threat of conflict in order to get their way. We are master manipulators.  This kind of pressure was used in Jesus day to protect the religious allegiances that had corrupted the culture. We read in John 12:42 “…many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue.” There was a fear and loyalty that held the power to keep people from following Jesus.  In human history when evil and injustice get the upper hand it is always supported and protected by forces like this. Call it peer pressure, groupthink, mob mentality, or the world. It has many names, and its power is almost unrivaled.

Further we know that excommunication from the synagogue would only be the beginning for anyone that dared break ranks to follow Jesus. “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.” (Mark 13:9)

So in this context, Jesus’ statement makes sense. He didn’t come to negotiate with terrorists making their social demands. He didn’t come to bring peace at all costs. He came to free us from slavery to every other master or would be dictator.  In the first century most people needed to be rescued from the absolute loyalty to their family or group. But things are different in America. Our chief value is not conformity but freedom and individual rights.  And yet, this radical view of the self can be just as destructive as social pressure. It can lead us to abandon spouses and children, to destroy our careers, and to become enslaved to a dozen chemical masters.  There are many kinds of bondage. Slavery to self is one of the worst. 

Jesus came to remove the cancer of sin that is growing in our hearts.  Getting treatment from Jesus is less like a visit to the massage therapist and more like a root canal. There are parts of our lives and cultures that require radical treatment for our own good. I think this is what Jesus is talking about in Luke 12. He did not come to make his followers into a group of passive conformists. Neither does he shape us into war hawks. But Jesus always leads us to take a stand against the world. And the world doesn’t like that. They want you to snap your heels and salute. They demand you fall in line and worship their golden statues. And sadly if you refuse, even if you are very polite (like Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego) you may end up in the furnace (Daniel 3:1-23).  

Here is the good news. Every other group that demands your allegiance will take advantage of you. They will use you for their own ends. They will expect you to sacrifice yourself for the good of the group. But Jesus is different. Just before he says that he did not come to bring peace, he says this, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished?” (Luke 12:50). What is this baptism? It is referring to his death on the cross (Mark 10:38).  Every other group is a kind of vampire. They will use you for their own ends.  And if you fail them, they will disown you. But Jesus, the only one worthy of your complete devotion, laid down his life for yours.  And he had to do that because of your misplaced loyalties.   And it is this love and sacrifice that is the power that moves us. It allows us to suffer the loss of relationships, respect, and approval that comes from standing with Christ against the world.