Andy's Thoughts

Thanks for inviting me to join in the conversation. I'm new to blogging, but here goes...

I used to read the words "They in Us that the world might believe that you sent me" and hang my head in shame over the mess we've made of the church. While I'm not completely over those feelings, I have found some real hope and joy in those words lately. Isn't it encouraging to believe that the Lord honestly intends to bring us into such an experience of Divine fellowship while we're on the earth that people would begin to believe that "Jesus really does bring people to God"?

And this is a corporate thing. He came from God to bring US INSIDE the TRINITY in our lives together, and for us to express that life on this planet. My experience as a believer bears this in a small way. I can honestly say that every step towards a more authentic experience of Christ has required or resulted in a more authentic experience of His body. I can't count the number of times I've gone to the Lord in prayer and he's changed a bad attitude I had towards another person, or felt prompted to encourage someone, etc. Just maintaining my personal fellowship with Christ in a living way has been the path that has brought me into deeper experience of body life. Although I'm still not sure about what to do about denominational fragmentation and greedy televangelists, I'm encouraged to pursue a greater experience of "They in US" by continuing the pursuit of Christ with others. It's what the Lord wants the world to see (although I'm not really sure if it's His plan for them to see it on TV.) ;-)

Andy Hayner

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I love Matt's comment "where is that exactly, because I'd sure like to go there more often." Honestly said. And how does "going there more often" into the presence of the Father and the Son, help the temple that Paul speaks of get built? I think we know the starting place for meeting God is in our Spirit where the Lord has come to dwell if we have invited him in. But our culture, our enemy and our flesh conspire together to distract us from the truth that God has opened the door to his presence for us in Christ.

We're also bombarded with the accusation that we are not good enough to be in God's presence. And even if we did want to go there, God would be waiting with a large stick ready to give us a good tongue lashing and spanking. As a sign on a church billboard put it, "Don't make me come down there...God." While funny, it sends a message that God is waiting for his opportunity to smack us good. And that's a lie.

Since God builds his holy temple among us with qualities of his heavenly life, e.g. love, joy, peace, perseverance, long suffering, patience, kindness, etc. its pretty important that we get there as often as possible. So let's keep reminding one another that the door is open, the price has been paid and that Jesus can and will build us together into the dwelling of God. I'll meet you there.

Lance Thollander

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Comment on the two passages below

I appreciate very much the eternal context in which Jonathan wrote about these passages, that our vision expands and deepens as we see the bigger picture of what God is doing. Reading these passages slowly is a great exercise for me—‘like a listening post’. I’m still surprised by the directness that Christ and Paul talk about our relation to God. I’m surprised when Christ says: “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am”. Where is that exactly, because I’d sure like to be there more often. And I’m struck again by the bluntness of Christ’s word’s: “even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me”.

And Paul’s words, “Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord” seem so bold to me. There is no filter between us and our Lord—we are directly being built into a holy temple in the Lord. Considering Ricky Cain’s teachings on Paul’s Hebrew background, (his tireless devotion to the Law and Jewish ancestral traditions), I can imagine how excited Paul must have been to tell people they are the actual holy temple of God.

I have my ‘statement of faith’ and set of Christian beliefs, and can draw on two thousand years of Christian history, with grand cathedrals, profound culture and traditions, yet these verses always feel like a brand new revelation to me. I feel I can appreciate it for the first time all over again. It is an awesome thing to be a part of this building with you all.

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Reflection on “Two Passages”

A common thread which runs through both passages is man’s access to an increased sense of belonging that enables new possibilities. The passage from John conveys this idea through Jesus repeatedly mentioning oneness. An evolving union exists between his followers and he prays that this union will become more intimate moving towards the kind of relationship that exists between the Father and Himself. The Ephesians passage uses the language of citizenship and the metaphor of a growing temple both to illustrate a sense of progression. Mankind is moving forward, he belongs to and is a part of something. As a person lives in this truth one begins to exist as he was meant to: God enters and uses him.

Jesus prays that his followers may share a unity that is comparable with the relationship Jesus Christ and the Father share: “that they may be one, just as We are one” It becomes clear that one of Jesus’ goals concerns relationships. Relationships within the Church are to be intimate to the degree that there is intimacy between Jesus and the Father. Jesus was constantly orientated toward the father. It was His will that Jesus constantly sought to accomplish. Likewise we should be preoccupied with the Father's will but also our neighbors legitimate desires and needs before we are concerned about our own. As we become one with each other – truly sharing our lives – we can enter into Them: “that they may all be one… that they also may be in Us”

Man can cut himself off by acting as an isolated individual, however, doing so separates him in two respects. First when we do not realize the extent to which we are connected to others we cannot optimize our behavior and connections wither leaving one increasingly alone. Secondly because God created us with relationship in mind: “It is not good that the man should be alone” relationship is a fundamental aspect of our nature (Gen 2:18). When we act as if we are isolated we separate ourselves from God’s purposes and thus lose our humanity as he intended it. If we do not embrace our nature we cannot live up to our potential. Jesus fully capitalized on man’s potential by acting entirely on behalf of others. His time on earth was fully aligned with God’s will for man. What’s more Jesus enabled man to access the esteem God had for Him.

Jesus’ prayer opens the door for man to share in his glory: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them.” This glory is largely a function of his role. Jesus was the incarnation of God the Father; he brought God’s presence to earth. If we are Jesus disciples then we must do as He did. We have changed camps and are no longer disconnected but belong with, and are a part of, something larger than ourselves. Becoming a harbinger of heaven and incarnating God’s manifest presence is what his followers are called to enter into. Ephesians 1:19 illustrates that we are not what we were before, but rather we are citizens in His Kingdom: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household.” As members of God’s household we are called to act accordingly. Man is called to bear His Glory. As we walk into both light and dark places our own glory will be revealed.

The temple refers to a place where God’s presence is manifest. Historically this was a building a great grandeur, however this is no longer the case. God is in and works through his people and their relationships. Ephesians 1: 20ff argues that the Spirit of God dwells in what is being built together and that the disciples of Jesus are the living stones. It is through the Spirit that dwells in us that we are being remade into something greater.

As we bind ourselves together in Christ our relationships evolve and new depth becomes possible. Jesus goes so far as to say that we will be “perfected in unity.” As we draw on Jesus’ spirit we can move forward his redemptive purposes on Earth. Jesus makes clear that one of these purposes is to love one another with a love that is not possible outside of God: “that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” With God’s spirit and love inside of us we can pour new life into people. As people come to understand what this invitation into God’s Kingdom is, the kingdom will expand.

God came to earth to plant a seed. This seed is the reality of life and it grows in the hearts of men. As we acknowledge our nature and begin to “walk” as he intended us to, we focus on others rather then ourselves. As we awaken to Real Life we realize that we are a part of something. That something is humanity and God. He is binding together those who are awake – aware of His life and its availability – into an instrument. It is this instrument that God is using to accomplish His purposes in the world. As we are “perfected in unity” we – the Church – become more effective in facilitating His will. We are gateways into the Kingdom of Heaven and enable its reality to emerge on Earth. It is God’s Spirit and His love that make this possible. Jesus prayed that the Father would be in us even as He was in Jesus. The Church is God’s vehicle for remaking the world. He will accomplish his goal of redeeming humanity and the world by indwelling people and flowing through them. It is through us that He works and continues to reveal His Love, and in so doing he makes us Glorious.

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Kirche and Gemeinde

Thinking about Jonathan's words on the language of "church attendance" I'm reminded that German believers like Bonhoeffer had two words to talk about the church. The word "kirche" meant the building where believers gathered, while "gemeinde" meant the community of God's people. So you could go to the "kirche" but likely found your life in the fellowship of the "gemeinde." It would be helpful for us to have such a distinction. We have pretty much enshrined the idea that church is a building where we go to worship as opposed to something dynamic that happens when we hang out with God's people and Jesus Christ shows up. Can that happen in a building? Sure. But it also happens when Christ who is the river of life in us bubbles up in our non "kirche" times with believers. So, here's to more gemeinde.

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Response to "Church" Entry

Bonhoeffer’s quote points out a frightful reality. We are disconnected with what we are called to be. I’m more accustomed to the language of “church attendance” than I am to the truth of being it.

We are God’s active presence in the world. The church is an extension of Him; His very body. Under his headship we are called to be a force for His ends. Even as Jesus did, we must incarnate His Spirit.

This responsibility and opportunity should indeed quicken our spirits. It is and awesome privilege and one we should not take lightly. Let us embrace our identity as ambassadors of the Kingdom and catalyze its emergence in the world.

It is exciting what we are charged with however we must be careful to remember that we are part of a body. While working all by oneself we cannot accomplish anything properly. Only by partnering with our brothers and sisters can we be fully in keeping with God’s will for our lives. Our fellowship is the fertile ground where Gods purposes will take root and flourish. Without binding ourselves closely together in Christ we are destined to “burn out” as we become exhausted trying to accomplish great things out of our own strength.

Each of you has taught me much about what it means to be bound together in Him. Much Love to you all.

-Jonathan

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Are these two passages related? If so, how? If so, what are the implications?

John 17: 20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Ephesians 1: 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

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Unnoticed Influences

It would be an understatement to say that there are cultural influences affecting my life that I rarely take time to notice. I recognized some of these influences when I recently spoke with a friend of mine living on the west coast. He said he was moving to a new city, taking a new job and perhaps going back to school. His reason for these big changes was essentially a shrug accompanied by a vague desire to have a "change of scenery" and "experience something new". A new city would be "a place to think", the specific job was a matter of convenience, and the possibility of grad school was a goal that provided some hopeful connection with the future. He admitted that the decisions came--not out of a sense of direction--but out of confusion.

The conversation struck me as a clear expression of the situation in which most people my age find themselves, regardless of whether they are Christian or not. It is abundantly clear that my generation is one of utter confusion, what Nouwen calls the "rootless generation". We are deeply concerned with personal independence yet unclear on what to do with it; we insist on the importance of self expression, yet we're unsure of what to say (is updating our facebook categories--favorite music, books, movies, quotes--enough? Those change every week). This confusion is something I can find within myself and everyone around me, sometimes expressed through anxiety but more often in apathy and boredom.

It seems to me that Christian youth in America are not much better off. We rely on Christ for our profession of faith, yet in our concrete life decisions we rely on secular priorities--material accumulation or worldly achievement. Our faith does not bind us together. It does not place us in the midst of the body of Christ in an unfolding eternal kingdom. Rather it acts as a threadbare connection to a distant vague promise. As for the here and now, faith is at most used to spur the individual toward good behavior, a prick in one's personal conscience. Disconnected from an understanding of the body of Christ and all on our own, the self made western Christian tries to tough it out on a long hard slog through life. It is no wonder we can feel our personal faith become limp and ineffective: precisely because we think of it as simply personal and individual without recognizing the big story. As a friend once told me, an ember separated from the fire slowly burns out. Faith without fellowship fades.

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Hey

What's happenin' everyone,
By now we have settled back into a daily routine. The Forge is for me a memory of great fellowship with amazing people. And it is also much more than that: not just an isolated personal experience, but a firmly set foundation on which I can ask God to continue building. It is my firm belief that my American peers need to be exposed to the kind of people I was fortunate enough to spend a month with this summer. Because the summer fellowship expressed not an isolated, distant faith, but life together that developed within the immediate and renewing presence of an eternal kingdom--something that can be hard to see in America. And as God continues to build and refine our lives into precious stones, we can (for those interested in writing or would like to practice their writing) use this forum as a point of connection. Whether it be to reflect on topics discussed during the Forge, tell a story, share a challenging thought, or make a cultural observation, your input here can continue to sharpen our lives. There are some particular questions that I'm interested in working through, as noted in the "read more" section below and in the "Church" entry at the bottom, but this forum is open and any input is welcome.

"And Jesus said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of the heavens is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old." Matthew 13:52

As an initial thought, reading Henri Nouwen has encouraged me to view my culture with a critical eye--to discern the influences my surroundings (which are highly material and secular) have on me. So, I'd like to offer a Nouwen quote that struck me and a brief observation. Nouwen characterizes the confusion of a friend of his named Peter:

"In the absence of clear boundaries between himself and his milieu (surroundings), between fantasy and reality, between what to do and what to avoid, it seems that Peter has become a prisoner of the now, caught in the present without meaningful connections with his past or future...When he looks into his future everything becomes one big blur, an impenetrable cloud. He finds no answers to questions about why he lives and where he is heading...He looks into empty space and is sure of only one thing: If there is anything worthwhile in life it must be here and now." (The Wounded Healer, p. 4).

Nouwen says our "here and now" has been disconnected from any greater purpose. I think I would agree that I do not often connect my daily flesh and blood experiences with God's eternal purpose. That is when I feel some confusion about life. So, I'd like to look into this connection with you. As stated in Matthew 13:52, let's bring out of our heavenly treasure things new and old in order to bring light to the "here and now" of our lives. I hope to further explore with you the issues we deal with today in their relation to this kingdom. Whether it is books, music, television or our relationships with one another, our experiences may be similar or very different; either way I am eager to hear about them, either in brief or longer comments.

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join the conversation.

Take an acorn in your hand, and you hold a source of life; a container for a completely designed yet hidden purpose. Once planted, the life within the seed is slowly revealed, and it becomes a great tree bearing many acorns of its own. This tree--simply grown according to the acorn's design--provides us a hint of our purpose as Christians. At the Forge, we seek to render our lives as nothing more than fertile ground from which the life and purpose of Jesus Christ will grow.

While the acorn offers a simple picture, our minds give rise to great questions concerning this Christian life—foundational ones concerning our identity as the body of Christ and our purpose within His Church, as well as existential concerns of what to do with our lives. This forum is meant to host a dialogue on these questions. Many different cultures, backgrounds and church experiences were represented at the Forge, and hopefully will also be represented within this forum. Through this exchange of thoughts and experiences, we seek to increase the vitality of our lives in Jesus Christ and allow this life to spread to the local communities impacted by Forge participants as they return to different corners of the world.

We hope there will be challenging opinions and encouraging words so that we may grow and mature, and Christ may continue to unite us as one, just as He and His Father are one.

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Church

During a recent discussion, a close friend of mine cited a compelling observation from the German Lutheran martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

…there is a word that to Protestants has the sound of something infinitely commonplace, more or less indifferent and superfluous, that does not make their heart beat faster; something with which a sense of boredom is so often associated. . . . And yet our fate is sealed, if we are unable again to attach a new, or perhaps a very old, meaning to it. Woe to us if that word does not become important to us soon again...

Yes, the word to which I am referring is Church.

Reading through Acts or Paul’s letters, we get an incredible glimpse of what Christ had just begun on earth—believers living and fellowshipping together in community, sharing their lives and excitedly discussing what it meant to have actually become citizens of another realm. The first fruits of the Spirit, seeking to fulfill Christ’s prayer that they be united as one just as Jesus and His father were one (Jn 17:11). And all this amidst such a hostile world that Christ would need to be with His Church and to lead it at all times, a continual interaction between Christ and those that love Him. Quite a dynamic setting for the start of the Church. How do we relate to this reality? We can take heart that we continue to be built together into a dwelling of God (Eph 2:21), but, considering Bonhoeffer’s somber observation of a commonplace Church, how do we see Christ’s headship today?

Bonhoeffer’s quote feels almost normal, and perhaps it’s less clear today that Christ is with his Church at all times (rather than once a week). We spend a lot of our time living by priorities that we consider unrelated to the Church, and consequently confine our fellowship with other believers to perhaps a couple time commitments a week. We erect life goals and pursue personal ‘callings’ or our individual ‘purpose’, but how often do we think of these pursuits in relation to the community of believers, the Body of Christ? Often I have thought of my own priorities simply as personal ambitions; perhaps they embodied what I thought to be my skills, or even as a specific plan God has ordained for my life. I have rarely thought about being built as one with other believers. Perhaps because the congregations I’ve attended have been so well managed I have considered it a few people’s calling to run local churches and everyone else’s role is outside of it. Hence, pastors fulfill the work of focusing on the fellowship of believers, while most believers focus instead on their more pressing individual responsibilities—getting back to their own work Monday morning. Church becomes a career for a few and commonplace for most.

While my past experience has indeed reflected the Bonhoeffer quote, scripturally there is no reason to doubt that the reality of Christ’s headship is just as living and dynamic today as it was at the beginning. No matter our impression of Sunday mornings, Christ’s ongoing work in His Church is no commonplace plan. And however this interaction between Jesus Christ and His Church is taking place, we can recognize—just as the early believers did—that this truly must be the most important thing that is going on in this world. “For I am accomplishing a work in your days, a work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you” (Acts 13:41). Let us be believers in the work Christ is accomplishing in our days and seek to explore God’s heart for life in His Church.

We open up this discussion with the topic of how Christ interacts with and leads His Church, for this is at the very center of God’s eternal plan. We hope there will be challenging opinions and encouraging words and verses so that we may grow and mature and Christ may continue to unite us, just as He and His father are one.

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Iron Sharpens Iron at the Forge

Our primary purpose is twofold; to help Forge participants develop a more intimate relationship with the Lord; and to build in them a desire to see the headship of Christ expressed in new ways in his church. Like the New Testament followers of Christ, they will be part of an army of ordinary people sent out to impact their world.


What will students take with them from The Forge?

1. Centrality of Christ: We live in a “me-first” society. Most of what we do, say, and hear centers around our own needs. This self-centered thinking has carried over into our understanding of the Christian faith. Much of what we hear is centered on the individual believer and what he or she needs to do to be more pleasing and useful to God. While that can be helpful, it is not the central focus of the gospel. God is focused on his son, Jesus Christ and views His creation through Christ’s centrality in it. Through living, working and serving together, students will taste the joy that comes from laying down our lives for the sake of others as we focus on knowing Christ. This perspective is at the foundation of Forge ministry. With Christ at the center we then find our place in the work of God’s kingdom. In short, those who come to the Forge will leave with an expanded vision of the centrality, the greatness and the practicality of Jesus Christ.

2. Christ’s Life in His Followers: It is clear from the gospels that Jesus Christ came to give us his eternal life. That does not simply mean that our sins are forgiven and someday we will meet Him in heaven. In fact, it holds a daily significance for us as believers. There is nothing more practical and in some ways more difficult than laying hold of the simple phrase, “For me to live is Christ.” How do we live “by Christ?” In answer to that question, the Forge training will focus on key concepts like Life, the Cross, the Kingdom, the Church, and the Heavens. We will cover the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives, choices that we make, the work of the cross in daily living and getting along with other fallen human beings. Learning how to develop and maintain an intimate relationship with the Lord will be central to the Forge experience. Living in close proximity to other like-minded believers will give all involved many opportunities to learn how to choose Christ and know Him as life.

3. Corporate Worship of Believers: God loves the gathering of his people. He delights in being at the center of his people as they worship and meet. During the worship and sharing times at the Forge all the members of the body will have the opportunity to participate. We will discuss how to have worship that is not led by only one or two individuals. Then we will practice it. The meetings will not be without order but they will have elements of spontaneity and openness that will allow the Lord himself to be the head of the meeting. Students leaving the Forge will have learned how to sense the Lord’s moving in a corporate gathering, how to be a part of a Spirit led meeting and what their gifting is in the body of Christ. We pray they will have also tasted the intimacy of true fellowship with the Lord and his people. It is also our aim that as a result of such experiences students will leave the Forge having made friendships that will last a lifetime.

4. Christ as Head of the Church: In America and around the world, church practice is largely centered on those who stand in the pulpit. The pastor is viewed as the church’s dominant role player. The believer in the pew is too frequently a passive observer. Part of this is due to fixed timetables and a desire for continuity. But in our desire to keep everything in order we have organized a great deal of the spiritual life out of the expression of the church. Many pastors and parishioners sense a need for greater depth. The word “church” itself has come to stand for an inanimate building rather than a living, breathing community of believers. While the body of Christ must have those who lead, our goal is to elevate Jesus Christ. While we will develop the leadership gifts of those who attend, we encourage a style of leadership that energizes the functioning of the whole body. It is our belief that the more God’s people are freed up to participate in the life and meetings of church fellowship, the more Jesus Christ will be revealed. The more He is expressed, the greater will be the ministry to the body of believers and to the world.

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Forge Objectives

The call to follow Christ is a call to a loving relationship with him. It is also an invitation to the spiritual battle of establishing Christ’s kingdom in a world made hostile by sin. With these truths in mind, life at The Forge will incorporate the following six objectives:
1. Guiding students into developing and maintaining an intimate experience with Christ in their daily lives.
2. Leading students to study, serve and live together and to corporately participate in meetings where Christ is followed as head of His body.
3. Developing a holy love and reverence for the Scriptures.
4. Establishing a forum for examining the structure and expression of the body of Christ, the church. Contribute to practices that emphasize the Headship of Christ in the church, the unity of all believers and the kingdom work of the Holy Spirit.
5. Developing a first-hand connection between students and the work of God around the world.
6. Increasing the English competency level of overseas students

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The Building Blocks of the Forge

1. A 13 acre property in Afton, Virginia where 25-30 people can live together, meet and study
2. Daily sessions for teaching and fellowship.
3. Foreign and American students
4. Evening meetings for worship, outreach and a variety of other activities.
5. Individual small and large group prayer
6. Students working together on household responsibilities and community service projects. American students will participate in an English tutoring program for the foreign students.
7. Ministry leaders from foreign countries who will share how God is working in their countries.
8. Four week sessions
9. Two to five week internship in a Global South/developing country serving with a mission organization led and supervised by national leaders.

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The Abundant Christian Life, Does It Work?

“Dad, what’s it all about? Why are we here?” my 16-year-old son suddenly asked as we drove down a Sacramento street a number of years ago.
I caught my breath. How do you come up with an instant answer to the eternal question of the universe, especially one that relates to a teenager?
The answer to that simple, yet profound, question is tied directly to a simple, yet profound, word…: life. God’s plan for us involves life.
In John 10:10 Jesus tells his followers that he has come that they might have life and have it in abundance. John reinforced this when he wrote, “these things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).
God clearly wants to give us life.
If we are not careful, we can easily overlook the tremendous depth of this truth. Or, worse still, its meaning becomes trivialized in our experience or relegated to a distant time of future importance. Too many think of the life referred to in John 10 as a quality of life. We think of the Christian life as a happy life, a life where our sins are forgiven, and a life style of trying to please God. In the process, our basic needs are met, God is on our side and we are on our way to live forever in heaven. This is sometimes described as “the abundant Christian life.”
What about the Abundant Christian Life?
While sounding good, that concept of the Christian life isn’t what God has in mind for you. If your goal is simply to live an outwardly successful Christian life, you will not experience on this planet the fullness that God has in mind. You were created for more.
In your efforts to have the “abundant life,” you may have worked hard to become happy and secure. But you find yourself unfulfilled. Bible reading becomes a chore; prayer is something you claim to do but don’t; church attendance becomes routine; your relationship with Christ becomes distant; your relationships remain shallow.
In addition, life has dealt you some major setbacks. Even though you earnestly want to follow Christ, you experience disappointment and disillusionment with your walk with him and your experience with other believers. In your heart you feel defeated, to think that you have somehow let the Lord down, or that he has let you down. But outwardly you wear a happy face knowing that Christians are not supposed to have problems. If you can relate to that, take heart. There is a richer experience of Christ available.
The fact is that the life God wishes us to have is far different than outwardly looking successful. It’s time to restore the deeper meaning and experience inherent in the word “life.” John reveals what God has in mind. John 1:4 tells us that Jesus Christ was unique in the entire universe when it says, “In him was life and the life was the light of men.”
Jesus Had Divine Life
Did you catch that? In describing Jesus’ life, John was talking about a totally different kind of life. John was referring here to divine life, the life of God, himself. There was a type of life in Jesus that was different than the life that was in anybody else. In Christ was the divine, supernatural, spirit life of God the Father. In the light that emanated from that life, the darkness of all mankind became evident.
Consider John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believed in him should not perish but have eternal life.” When it comes to this verse, we think, “Okay, that means I believe in Jesus, and when I die, I’m going to go to heaven where I’m going to live forever in a big mansion on a street of gold.” While that may be the perspective of many, God was thinking in a different direction.
What the Lord was talking about was the life that was in him, the type of life that he had. Jesus walked on planet earth exhibiting heavenly behavior because in him there was a heavenly life. It’s divine life. John 3:13 says “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes may, in him, have eternal life.” Whoever believes in the Son is going to get the heavenly life that he has. That is much different than you and I trying to please God by outward performance. If you are tired of that exercise, its time to get a new understanding of this heavenly life that was in Christ and that he offers to us. Why doesn’t trying to live the abundant Christian life work? Because you’re drawing from the wrong well. It’s time to find a new source from which to live out your faith. Stay tuned: our next blog will take you further in that direction.

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