The Blessed Church
Robert Morris
© 2012 Waterbrook Press

The Blessed Church

The Simple Secret to Growing the Church You Love

Usually the words “church” and “secret” don’t go together.  Unless you’re attending one of Brooke Hill’s Secret Church events, but that’s entirely different.  When Jesus spoke about the church he was very open and honest about what it should be and what it should do.  There was no secret.  If you believe Jesus Christ is Lord and the God raised Him from the dead then go and make disciples.  Gather together with other believers, worship God, teach the word, and act like Christ by serving the community and taking the gospel to them.  Not complicated and requires very little monetary investment.

Enter the 21^st century and the nearly ubiquitous mega-church.  It used to be that mega-churches were few and far between, but now it seems like every town has one.  Networks are springing up that will virtually allow you to buy a church franchise in a box.  Just add a band and a gifted speaker and you are on your way to making a mega-church.  It’s a very expensive way to build a church and apparently a lot more complicated.

It spawned a whole new genre of books; the church growth genre.

For the last 30 years Rick Warren and his book the Purpose Driven Church had the corner on the market of how to build and grow a modern church.  Now there’s a new kid on the block, Robert Morris.  Morris started Gateway Church in 2000 and, according the book, boasts 24,000 active members.

So what can we learn from Robert Morris?  What is the “secret” to growing a church?

A Blessed Church is a Mega Church

Large churches that grow quickly, whatever quickly means, have often been accused of doing something worldly in order to grow their churches.  It usually runs along the lines of delivering feel-good messages, or making the service all show and no substance, or simply promising prosperity.

“Any kingdom ruled by Jesus would be healthy.  And healthy things grow!”

The current crop of mega-church pastors has caught on to this and developed a new argument: healthy things grow.  Morris follows right along with this train of thought.

“I’ve met thousands of entrepreneurs and business owners in my years in ministry.  And in all that time I’ve never met one who, after choosing to endure all the hardship and labor and risk required to bootstrap a business, hope that his business would stay small and insignificant.  I’ve never talked to a farmer who – after buying seed on credit, toiling diligently day after day preparing the soil, planting, fertilizing and irrigating – didn’t pray that God would send all the rain and sun necessary to produce a bumper crop.  Coaches want their team to win.  Architects want to see their buildings built and utilized.  Writers want their books to be read by as many people as possible.  God made us want to bring increase.  Given that truth, I’m not sure why we’re supposed to be shocked or offend when someone who is called and equipped to shepherd a flock has a desire to see that flock grow healthy and to multiply, many, many times over.”

Like so many mega-church pastors Morris’ makes the mistake of comparing the Church to a man-made endeavor.  Of course God wants the Church to grow.  The Parable of the Soils in Matthew 13 is proof that God wants the Church to grow.   In Matthew 28:19 Jesus says, “Go and make disciples of all nations.”  That’s everybody.

However, I can’t help but notice that when the church is treated like a business it tends to model the Tower of Babel rather than the New Testament church.  The mindset of the mega-church pastor seems to be to bring everyone under one roof (Genesis 11:3-4).  The mindset of God seems to be, everybody spread out (Genesis 11:8, Acts 5:42, Acts 20:20).  There are particular problems that plague large businesses; they are unable to adapt quickly to market changes.  The sheer size of the organization makes it economically difficult.  Smaller business are often able to change course very rapidly to meet the needs of their clientele because there is less infrastructure to manage.  Gateway is one church of 24,000 people.  What if it were 6 churches of 4,000?  Wouldn’t they be able to better meet the needs of their particular area?  What if it was 24 churches of 1,000?  Think how much greater an impact they could have on their individual communities.

A Blessed Church hears from God clearly…sort of…maybe…maybe not

Morris believes that he clearly hears from God.

“When I attune the ear of my heart to his voice, He speaks to me very precisely and with great detail, just as my wife or any other intimate friend of mine speaks.”

Even his wife believes he hears from God clearly because she asked if he would teach her how to hear from God.  In a section on paying attention to family he records his wife’s question.

“Well, as long as I’ve known you, you’ve heard the voice of God so clearly.  Do you think…if you have time…?  I know you’re busy, but do you think you could teach me how to hear God like you do?”

It’s this gift to hear from God clearly that led Morris to enter the ministry and start Gateway church and even name Gateway church.  He even compares this gift to Moses hearing from God.  However, later on in the book, after explaining how God so clearly speaks to him, Morris explains that it’s still open for discussion.

I can’t walk into our [elder’s] meeting with a posture that basically suggest, “Guys I think God wants us to do xyz, but I’ll relinquish the idea if you can find a way to pry it out of my white knuckled grip.”  And I certainly can’t suggest that because I believe I’ve heard from the Lord that there is no room for discussion or alternative viewpoints.

That’s confusing to me because when Moses heard from God it wasn’t open to debate.  My question for Morris is very simple: Are you hearing from God, or not?  If you are, why is it being questioned?  If you’re not then why are you saying you are?

It’s this kind of confusing mish-mash of ideas that makes me think Morris isn’t being completely honest in his advice.

A Blessed Church has a humble pastor with a big ego

These are a few quotes that Morris makes in reference to his position at Gateway.

“In the end, the Lord has made it clear that He wants the Gateway story told because it’s His story – not because we’ve done everything right, but rather because He has accomplished something special in spite of our weaknesses and mistakes.”

“In each instance [Moses and Paul] God uses a singular head to establish the vision, values, and direction of the [church]” pg 133

“As the singular head, I’m not passive about the direction of the church.  I lead.” pg 136

“We believe the senior pastor should be the uncontested leader of the church on a daily basis.” pg 153

The Wrap Up

When all is said and done The Blessed Church is a muddled mess.  Morris claims to hear clearly from God, but don’t hold him to that.  Morris claims that God gives a vision and then later claims that pastor defines the vision.  Morris says the church should be led by unanimous consent of pastor and elders but then says the senior pastor is the uncontested leader.

Chapter after chapter I found myself asking the same question: So, which is it?

Then again, the flawed theology, feign at humility, and the boasting about numbers is more than enough to throw this book out entirely.

What did you think of the book?  Leave me a note in the comments.

Read more of my book reviews.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Matthew 20:1-16 ESV

“So the last will be first, and the first last.” Matthew 20:16

“…and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:27–28

Jesus related a story wherein a vineyard owner pays the same amount to those that worked all day as those who worked only an hour. There was no favoritism; the vineyard fulfilled the agreement he made with each worker.

The parable, along with the incident involving the Rich Man in the previous chapter, are illustrations of salvation. By saying the first will be last and the last first is Jesus’ way of saying that his covenant is with all of us regardless of what we have, or what we have done.

Material blessings, or lack of material blessings; good works, or a lack of good works; these things do not matter when it comes to salvation. We are either saved by God’s grace (his covenant with us), or we are not.

God makes his covenant with all people in every language, nation, social structure, and economic status. Where we, in our sinful nature, will believe that certain people get to go to the head of the line while others are at the tail end; Jesus says effectively, there is no line.

God can save anyone, anywhere, at any time.

The question we should really be focusing on is; how will we respond? Will we trust in our wealth and works, or will we in humility repent of our sins and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ?

The Pharisees continued their attacks on Jesus by questioning the obedience of his disciples. Proving their hypocrisy, the Pharisees admonished the disciples for not washing their hands (ceremonial law), but were themselves disobedient when it came to honoring father and mother (moral law) Matthew 15:1-9.

Jesus explains that they are simply focused on the wrong thing. You are not what you eat, but you are what you think, say and do. We would think this is obvious. In fact, it seems so obvious that Jesus calls the Pharisees blind. You’d have to be “blind” not to get this. The blind leading the blind. Blind guides.

Which takes us back to Matthew 6:22-23 where Jesus talks about the eyes being the lamp of the body. This is the spiritual eye. If you are spiritually blind your spiritual body will be filled with darkness.

Is it any wonder that a common miracle of Jesus was to bring sight to the blind? The physical because a metaphor for the spiritual.

In John 9 Jesus heals a man who was born blind. When questioned by the Pharisees the man who was blind makes the connection between the physical and the spiritual. He says that he once was blind and now he can see and asks the pharisees if they want to meet Jesus so that they also can become his disciples. The man who was blind reasons it out that Jesus must be from God in order to heal and Jesus confirms this by telling the man that he, Jesus, is the Messiah. Again, the chapter ends warning the pharisees about their spiritual blindness.

When we are blind to God’s Holy Spirit we can become focused on the letter of the law and ignore the Spirit of the law. We will replace one tradition for another and claim that we are on to something new. We can become enamored with status and see any disagreement as dissent, or even rebellion.

Instead let’s approach Jesus like the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28; in faith and humility. Let us not be blind guides, but seeing let us look to Christ. Through repentance and faith let us follow Christ.

Fake Christianity by C.B. Matthews
©2012 WestBow Press

Fake Christianity

Sometimes people try too hard.  It happens that we are so passionate about an issue and we want to cover it so well and make our point so clear that we can completely douse any spark of interest.  That’s what happened in the pages of Fake Christianity.

C. B. Matthews covers issues that need to be covered and he makes points that need to be made, but along the way they are clouded with heavy handed personal stories and some misplaced theology.

The Good

Matthews’ selection of topics is admirable.  He covers everything from lies Christians believe, to truth we should stand for.  In between he discussed the problem of following emotions and the faith that is not accompanied by works is dead.

There are some good snippets to remember.

Do not be a casualty of war.  Be a soldier in it.

Gain a sense of urgency about your spiritual life.

Your belief and faith go hand in hand with your actions, works, and deeds.

But I’m sad to say the book gets so bogged down in long stories and sections that are, at best, disorganized to the point of distraction.

The Bad

Matthews has a habit of saying God told him this, or that, and then questions what God tells him.  The problem I see with claiming that God personally speaks to an individual is that the individual then rises above question.  If God gives Matthews’ a word of instruction to disagree with Matthews is to disagree with God.

The Wrap-Up

I have to admit writing a review for this book is difficult.  Matthews has something worth saying, but it’s difficult to parse.  The author has attempted  to cover huge topics, but spend most of him time on tangents.  I found myself having to slog through this book to get to the end.  When I got to the end it wasn’t all that satisfying.

Read more of my book reviews.

This is the part the lawyers say you have to include (that means you’re already done reading the review.  You can skip this part.  Seriously, stop reading.)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Patience is a dirty word.  If there’s one word I hate, it’s patience.  In fact, I can’t think of any time when someone has said to me “just be patient” and it’s ever come across as soothing.  If anything, it just irritates me even more.

And then James comes along…

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.  You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.  As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.  James 5:7-11 ESV

Patience is a big deal in the Bible so I can’t just blow it off.

James’ letter is not unlike the Proverbs, or maybe even an early catechism.  It’s a collection of topics pertaining to the Christian life that could easily be packaged as a handbook of practical Christian living.

And, of course, he includes patience.

Patience always been a problem.  Jame’s refers back to the early prophets.  Scholars say James wrote this letter probably no later than AD 49.  Meaning that the church was barely 20 years old at the time.  They were already impatient for the Lord’s return.   Having to wait didn’t start with me, or you.

But waiting is what we have to do and so we should set some ground rules.

#1 Keep watch: just because the Lord hasn’t returned doesn’t mean He won’t return today.  Keep watch on your own life and keep growing in holiness.  Continue to reach out to the lost.  Continue to help those in need.  Go on as if the Lord is a long way off, but keep watch as if He will return today.

#2 Don’t grumble: it’s easy to get annoyed with people when you’re waiting.  When you’re standing in line things get on your nerves that never bothered you before.  It’s okay to let people know if something is bothering you, but we’re all in the same line, so, have some grace about it, okay?

#3 Be steadfast: Don’t get out of the line (see #2).  Don’t give up on Jesus.  Other people have been waiting longer than you have.  Talk to them and ask them how they’ve kept cool waiting.  Learn from them.  You’re not the first one to have to wait.  Go back to the Bible and read about the prophets like Job who had to wait through some really rough circumstances.  Get some perspective.

If we could all try to do that maybe the waiting wont’ be so bad and we’ll believe our moms who told us over and over, “Patience is a virtue.”

The Narrow Way leads to salvation

There’s a legendary sermon in Christendom called, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming.”  Delivered by Pastor S. M. Lockridge decades ago.  He describes a litany of despair experienced by all of Jesus’ disciples that Friday He was crucified.

As far as they knew it was all over, but the shouting.

But that was Friday, Lockridge said, and Sunday is coming.

Once again, everything was about to change.

It may be difficult for us to understand just how high emotions were running that weekend.  When the women arrived at the tomb that Sunday morning and then told the disciples what they saw, Mark’s gospel simply says that the disciples didn’t believe them (Mark 16:11).  Luke records that the disciples considered it an “idle tale.”  (Luke 24:11)  As if these women were hysterical and couldn’t be trusted.

Peter and John, however, go to the tomb because of what the women said and sure enough they see that Jesus’ body is gone and the burial garments are neatly folded.  They didn’t see any angels, they didn’t see Jesus, but they believed. (John 20:3-9)

If only they had waited.

Mary Magdalene stayed behind, weeping and still not understanding.  Jesus appears to her personally and she believes.  Thanks to her patience she is able to return to the disciples and boldly announce that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead.  (John 20:11-18)

Jesus appears to all the disciples.  He satisfies Thomas’s doubts (John 20:24-29), He restores Peter after Peter’s painful betrayal (John 21:15-19) and he starts a crazy rumor about John living until the Second Coming (John 21:20-23).  Jesus will ascend to heaven (Acts 1:6-11) and send the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).

What does all of this mean?

It means that what Jesus said about everything is, quite simply, true.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:5-6 ESV)

…this is a new beginning; a journey along the narrow way…

The Narrow Way series is a short trip through the last week of Jesus’s life. In the coming weeks, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, some friends will be joining me, posting here and taking that walk with Jesus and the Apostles. Join us and let’s see what we can learn about God.

The Narrow Way leads to salvation

**This entry in the Narrow Way is from my friend Kirk Schneemann; Pastor, musician, spiritual pilgrim.  Follow him on twitter @ksnowman, read his notes at pastorkirk.com**

Good Friday is an unprecedented day in human history. The only thing greater than the quantity of events recorded in the Gospels is the qualitative significance of their outcome. Not even Mel Gibson’s film can fully express the horror  of the Passion, a word whose very definition is actually derived from this day, “the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death” (Merriam-Webster). The paradox of “good” and Jesus’ agony cannot be overstated.

No sacrifice compares.

No greater scandal has ever been realized.

No greater love has ever been demonstrated.

The soundtrack of the day must have been so disorientating and disturbing. Accusers speak in six trials. Jesus is silent. Crowds yell. Many of them shouted, “Save us now” (hosanna) days earlier.

Now they now scream, “Crucify Him.”

The Crucifixion by Gustave Dor

They cannot imagine He is in the midst of providing them nothing less than salvation they seek, though He will save them from something far more noxious than Rome—sin and death. The sound of pounded nails will pierce through the commotion of the eyewitnesses. If these aural snapshots fail to produce terror in those nearby, the cries of an innocent man repeatedly tortured had to ignite the senses of even the most callous barbarian. God is about to be butchered.

“Father, forgive them.” (Luke 23:34) How can He even think of others at a time like this, much less the perpetrators?

“Today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Again, He considers the pain of another, and the radical transition they will both soon experience.

“Woman, here is your Son.” (John 19:26) Jesus calls out to this woman, once an unwed mother on account of Him and His Father’s incredible plan to redeem humanity, the sound of His voice raging through the midnight air, though it is only noon.

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34) Rabbis memorize the Scriptures, and the opening phrase of Psalm 22 has never been more appropriate as the Father turns His face away from the sin and shame that His perfect Son bears.

“I am thirsty.” (John 19:28) The loss of blood alone would more than explain this condition, to say nothing of the sweat that poured from His fragile body.

“It is finished.” (John 19:30) These three words speak volumes. His body was finished. Sin was finished. Death was finished. Satan was finished.

“Father, I entrust my spirit into Your hands.” (Luke 23:46) Psalm 31 is proclaimed as He breathes His final breath.

The sounds do not end there. A veil is torn. Rocks rent. Graves open. A spear pierces the side of the deceased. Blood and water flow. Passover lambs are slain. It would be anything but a silent night.

…to be continued…

The Narrow Way series is a short trip through the last week of Jesus’s life. In the coming weeks, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, some friends will be joining me, posting here and taking that walk with Jesus and the Apostles. Join us and let’s see what we can learn about God.

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.  (2 Peter 2:16 ESV)

Freedom is a word so expansive, so all encompassing, that every time we think we have a handle on it, it slips away from us.

Freedom is something we all seek and long for even if we already have it.  It’s so close we often don’t see it.

Freedom comes with age and with age is lost again.

Freedom is not free, someone once said.

Even the humanist philosophy of Star Trek embraced the higher standard that freedom is a right to be shared by all; human, alien, even the Gorn deserved to be free.  In the episode “Omega Glory,” freedom turns out to be a “holy word” of the Yangs.

It is a cherished principal; both desired and abused.

But that’s all civil freedom.  What about spiritual freedom?

God created Adam and Eve and gave them freedom to explore and create.  (Genesis 2:10-25)

God gave the Israelites freedom in a land flowing with milk and honey.  (Deuteronomy 26:8-10)

Jesus Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

Jesus said, “Anyone who sins is a slave to sin.”  (John 8:34).  But just before that he said he offers this hope, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set free.”  (John 8:31)  Jesus proclaimed that he is the truth. (John 14:6)  To know Christ is to know truth.  To know truth is to be set free.  To be set free is to no longer be a slave to sin.  Ever.  All sin, past, present and future, has been paid for by Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.  (Colossians 2:13-15)

And so what do we do with that?

Live as free people. (1 Peter 2:16)

The reaction has been anticipated.

Do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil.  (1 Peter 2:16)

That’s why freedom is so hard to maintain; we seek to abuse it.  In the beginning we are grateful and we cherish the gift, but over time we tend to take it for granted.

If I’m forgiven of all sin, past, present and future, does that mean I can go about doing whatever I want as long as I claim to be saved by Christ?

By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:2)

Christians, freedom in Christ is much like political freedom; it is not free.

Paul, the Apostle, called himself a slave to Christ (Romans 1).  He was a free slave.

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.  (Romans 6:17-18 ESV)

Our freedom from sin should make us a slave to righteousness, that is to say, we must follow Christ and strive to be obedient to all of His teachings.  We must strive for and fight for this freedom because we’ll want to quit and venture back into the darkness of sin and we’ll even console ourselves by claiming its okay.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-8 ESV)

Walk in the light.  Such is the nature of freedom.

The Narrow Way leads to salvation

**This entry in the Narrow Way is from my lovely and talented wife, Tammy.  Follow her on twitter@SpeakInLuv, read her blog at SpeakInLove.com**

Leonardo Da Vinci brought the Last Supper nearly to life in his famous painting.  In the painting, Jesus had just revealed to His disciples that one of them would betray Him.  You can see the emotions on their faces, each of them asking, “Is it I?”  Peter is portrayed with a knife, pointing away from Jesus and looking angry.  You can imagine the surprise Peter must have felt.  There he sat with Jesus and the other eleven at the Passover meal.  He’d celebrated the Passover his entire life, this was just another Passover meal like so many before.

At least that’s what Peter must have thought.  Jesus had been trying to prepare them for what was to come.  I wonder if Peter really understood what was about to happen.

The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci

Jesus had just made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  The disciples must have been on top of the world.  Peter had seen Jesus do miracles, feeding people with loaves and fish that never should have been enough.  Peter saw Jesus raise the dead to life.  Peter saw Jesus heal his own mother in law.  There Peter was, basking in the triumph of Jesus.  What must he have thought when the Lord began washing the feet of the twelve.

“Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,  son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,  and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.”  John 13: 1-5

Put yourself in Peter’s place.  This was the promised Messiah, Lord of lords, King of kings.  Washing feet was a terribly dirty job, remember these men walked everywhere  in sandals, through the country side, through the towns, through the city.  The same streets that animals had trod carried them to that upper room.

“When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!””  John 13: 6-8a

Jesus explained to Peter that unless Jesus washed Peter’s feet, Peter would never belong to Him.  Peter’s reply was almost childlike.  I can almost hear his glee when he realized that Jesus was making Peter belong to Him.

“Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!””  John 13:9

After the washing Jesus tells His beloved disciples that He would be betrayed into the hands of those who wanted Him dead, not only would He be betrayed, but that one of them would betray Him.  Peter heard Jesus say it, but wondered which of them would do the deed.    Can you almost hear the confusion in Peter’s voice?  Which one of them could betray their Messiah?  I wonder if Peter ever thought it could possibly be him. Peter was still basking in what he assumed the Messiah’s reign would look like, he was full of bravado when he offered his life for Jesus.  I wonder if Peter even then understood what was about to happen.

“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.” Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”  John 13: 37-38

Poor Peter.  He couldn’t fathom leaving his Lord.  I think he intended to stay by His side and we know from John’s account that when Jesus was arrested later that night it was Peter who drew his sword to defend Him.  Peter still just didn’t seem to understand what was about to happen.

Jesus was arrested and transported to the home of the high priest for trial.  Peter followed, but at a distance.  I can imagine Peter thinking that it was all some sort of mistake, if he waited outside the high priests house  long enough Jesus might be released and would carry on with His plan.

“Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in.  The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?”  “No,” he said, “I am not.”  John 18: 15-17

“Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”  But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?”  Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.”  John 18:25-27

Oh Peter, did you begin to understand at the moment the rooster crowed?  Did you understand what was happening?  Did you finally realize what Jesus meant when He told you He would die for you?

Jesus was crucified the next day, Friday. I wonder as the Sabbath drew to a close if the remaining eleven remembered Jesus speaking of three days later.  He didn’t stay dead.  He rose again and Peter was given another chance.  Jesus appeared to the disciples after a long night of fishing.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”  “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.   Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”  “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.   A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.  John 21: 15-17

Peter was hurt, but he’d denied His Lord three times that awful night, Jesus questioned him three times that day on the beach.  Peter replied three times, “Yes, Lord, You know I love You!”  Jesus trusted Peter to be the rock He saw him as.  He gave Peter the task of feeding His sheep.

Peter saw Jesus ascend into Heaven and Peter was touched by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and preached to the Jews in Jerusalem (Act 2) and 3,000 believers were added to their number that day.  Peter’s ministry spanned decades after that night he denied his Lord.  We read his letters in the New Testament and see the spiritual growth of the man Jesus called the rock.  We see Peter serving the Lord who washed his feet, the Lord he denied, the Lord he mourned and the Lord who rose again.  If Peter was like me, he heard the words of his denial over and over.  Somehow though, from what we see of Peter’s ministry Jesus drown out those denials with Peter’s reply of “You know I love You!”  Peter went on to feed His sheep.

Tradition tells us that Peter’s life ended in martyrdom.  He was forced to watch his wife crucified and Peter himself was crucified for preaching Jesus as Lord.  Tradition tells us that Peter felt unworthy to die the way his Lord did.  He asked to be crucified upside down.  I wonder if Peter lived his entire life after that night trying to give back to the Suffering Servant Christ what He gave to Peter.

We can not ever repay Jesus for what He did for us and we don’t have to.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:8-10

Peter’s response to Jesus was to do the good works that God prepared for him.  Jesus prepared Peter all along for those good works.  Jesus knew what denying Him would cost Peter but made a way for Peter to repent, and learn to serve Him through it.

…to be continued…

The Narrow Way series is a short trip through the last week of Jesus’s life. In the coming weeks, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, some friends will be joining me, posting here and taking that walk with Jesus and the Apostles. Join us and let’s see what we can learn about God.

The Narrow Way leads to salvation

**This entry in the Narrow Way is from my good friend Deanna Rittinger.  Follow her on twitter @DeannaRittinger**

There are so many pieces we need in place to understand the curse of the fig tree.  I’m going to break it down by topic and then summarize what I’ve learned in studying this myself.  I urge you to spend time in the Word, fact checking my assumptions and searching out the scriptures for yourself.     

What Happened…

A large crowd of people welcomed him into the city two days before with Hosannas, tossing palm fronds and their cloaks, a custom reserved for a challenging king entering a conquered city.  His popularity was at its height, and the people wanted to get near him and into his good graces, expecting him to lead them out of Roman occupation.  So, the crowd at this moment was very much in his favor.

Then the next day he went into the temple and cleared it of the money changers  challenging the authority of the leaders who governed this practice.

That made him quite a few enemies as a result!  How dare he challenge them!  Who did he think he was?

The religious leaders of the day, Pharisees and Sadducees, were angry that Jesus broke all the man-made laws they worked so hard to enforce and live by.  (He healed people on the Sabbath, made rulings on disputes that valued restored relationships over the letter of the law, feasted when others fasted, and at the bottom of it preached a gospel that didn’t include complicated sacrifices where they could only buy temple approved livestock with temple money that they had to pay an exchange rate to possess. He was eating into their profits, and pulling more and more people away from their power base.)  He stirred the people up spiritually too,  not only did they follow him around willy-nilly in the desert, but now he was on their turf – causing people to question things that they’d never questioned before.  He had to go!  So they plotted.

Now it’s the third day inside Jerusalem.  All this day those same people he’d challenged at the temple the day before were waylaying him trying to set verbal traps that would legally let them take him into custody.  He refuted them each with words they couldn’t argue against.  Finally, they gave up verbally sparing with him and sought ways to physically trap him.  Ultimately, they used Judas to betray him.

Meanwhile Jesus was walking down the road and teaching his disciples, as he went; very much aware of the turmoil brewing and probably looking for ways to use the most of every moment he had left.  He’d set the heat on the teakettle when he upturned the exchange tables in the Temple.  When he sidestepped the traps of the Religious Leaders it brought the water to a boil.  All that remained now was waiting for the whistle.  In the meantime, spotting the fig tree from afar off, Jesus finds a way to use it as an object lesson.

Fig Tree. Copyright unknown.

The fig tree

First I want to give a basic life-cycle of the fig tree because it’s significantly different than what we typically expect here in North America.  We have buds that blossom into flowers, then leaves and finally fruit comes at the end; not so with fig trees.  Figs develop the fruit first, before the shoots of leaves appear.  A fig tree buds at the end of the branch and that swells into a small green fruit.  Leaves sprout and grow over the spring and summer until they are thick and full over the rest of the tree.  During the course of the summer, those early figs grow in size and ripen.  This particular tree had the full leaves of late summer long before it was the correct season for them to appear.  If a tree has leaves before the fruit, it will not bear fruit later.

Back to the story

Jesus knew that this was his final week on earth, and he was acutely aware that the people would reject him.  No matter how the public was treating him now, the Jewish leaders would find a way to hand him over to the Romans.  On this day in the passion week he said to a group of Greeks who came to see him “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”  (John 12:24)  Here he is predicting his own death and making the way for the Holy Spirit to come and live in each person who believes.

I believe, based on what I’ve read, that Jesus was using the fig tree to say something specific.  He walks up to it and finds it in full leaf, out of its season and not bearing the fruit that the leaves promised, so he curses it.  When the disciples see it, they marvel at how quickly it withers.  (I imagine it was quite a show, because he’d been doing miracles and healings for years now – and they still marveled at this display of power)  Jesus’ response to their amazement however wasn’t to demystify his action on why he did the cursing – rather he went on to talk to them about the state of their faith, and the power available to those who believe and don’t doubt.  He linked his actions (the miracle) to his faith.  The law that the Pharisees were plotting to protect had no such power.

What this says to me

There is a verse in 2 Timothy 3:1-9 concerning the last days that I can’t get out of my mind.  The cursing of the fig tree, and the reference here in this scripture to “teachers who oppose the truth” seem very similar to me.  See if you agree:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.  They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.  Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.  But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Timothy 3:1-9  NIV (Bold mine)

“who as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.”

Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  The Pharisees had a form of Godliness, a law that they loved and tried very hard to live up to; one that they tried to hold others to as well.  But, because they claimed to be religious, but they weren’t bearing good fruit in their lives, they denied the power they so craved!  They were always learning, but never able to come to knowledge of the truth.

The Last Word

I want to leave the last word with scripture concerning fruit, and they are familiar passages.

Galatians 5:22 shows what the Fruit of the Spirit is – study it, don’t let it be an intangible metaphor!  (…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control; against such things there is no law.)  The Fruit of the Spirit is the proof that the Holy Spirit lives inside you and is growing there, imparting power through your faith to make a difference in the world.

Finally I leave you with these words Jesus said about fruit:

“I am the vine and you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  (John 15:5)

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the father will give you.”  (John 15:16)

By their fruit will you recognize them.  Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?  (Mat. 7:16)

…to be continued…

The Narrow Way series is a short trip through the last week of Jesus’s life. In the coming weeks, leading up to Resurrection Sunday, some friends will be joining me, posting here and taking that walk with Jesus and the Apostles. Join us and let’s see what we can learn about God.