-Jesus Blog Part 4: A Life of Significance-

One of things I hate the most is when Christians have a "transaction mentality" of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. What I mean by this is when they see their faith as a transaction with God. They say, "Okay God, I'll believe in you and accept Your Son and in return, when I die, You'll let me into heaven." Of course this isn't usually a conscious thought. Usually it's just totally normal because that's how faith seems to work in Western Christianity, (western word not west coast). We put in our time at church and try to play by the rules and in the end we avoid hell. Yay for us. And what makes it even more difficult is that this is really the only kind of faith people know. So, well meaning people who really do love God simply live their lives the way they're told they're supposed to.

But providing us an opportunity to go to heaven when we die is not what Jesus lived, died, and resurrected for. It is simply a fruit of what he actually came to do. Jesus' life was about the restoration of all things. He came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10) and by save he didn't mean simply saving us from hell. He meant saving us from ourselves. Saving us from our own attitudes and our own perceptions of how life should be lived. He talked a great deal about loving the unloved and caring for those who couldn't care for themselves. He discussed at great length the idea that forgiveness and reconciliation are much better than living with grudges and bitterness. He talked about loving God, loving others and, yes, even insinuated that you should love yourself. He got frustrated when those closest to Him stopped believing in themselves because He believed in them.

You see, Jesus also said that He came to give us " a rich and satisfying life," (John 10:10). I think we like to quote this verse but then we forget it. Jesus gives me a better life NOW. Not just when I die. And he didn't mean a life of wealth. He meant a life of significance. A life that has an impact on the world around it. A life that He doesn't just pour into, but a life he also pours out of. This is the life that Jesus came to give. Here. Now. At this time. In this place.

So yes, Jesus came to give an opportunity to go to heaven. But He came for so much more. And when we fail to recognize and respond to that we rob the gospel of all it actually offers us. We lose a great deal of value in our lives when we think of it as an "after-death" arrangement. And we tear away a significant amount of Jesus' sacrifice when we don't let it infiltrate our whole life.

A life of significance. That is what Jesus offers. Not just a ticket to heaven. And until each of decides to grab hold of the life Jesus extends to us, we will continue to rob the gospel of all of it's weight and meaning. And unless we begin exploring the life of significance Jesus offers, we will redeem our ticket to heaven only to find that when we get there, it's not as full as it would have been had we taken Jesus up on his offer. A life of significance. Jesus had one. Jesus came to give you one. Will you accept it?

-Letters To Myself Part 4: Dear Death-Bed John-

Dear Death-Bed John (Date: Unknown)

So you're pretty much done huh? I mean, I've always mentioned how when any of us wakes up another day it's because God isn't finished working on us or through us yet. So He must be done with you now. What's that like? Do you feel satisfied with the life you've lived? Do you feel like you can say that you have "fought the good fight"? Did the things you've done have a purpose other than self-preservation? Did you have an impact on the world around you? Because fighting the good fight takes work. Fighting the good fight takes energy. And most of all, fighting the good fight takes "goodness." I wonder how much goodness you demonstrated. We're all fighting for something during our lives. I hope you chose to fight for goodness and love and people your whole life. Because the good fight is worth fighting. And you can only fight it with good deeds and good work. Not with anger or violence or ignorance. I hope you fought the good fight, John.

I also hope you can say that you have "kept the faith." And I'm not talking about the kind of faith that just made sure you were in church every Sunday. But the kind of faith that James writes about. The kind of faith that demands action. I guess that's really the only kind of faith that there is when you think about it. Faith that doesn't inspire you to move isn't really faith at all is it? It's just a set of phrases and proverbs and religious sounding chatter that make us sound deeper and more profound than we really are. Because if we really do believe the things we say we believe then it should come pouring out of our lives. It should influence and affect every decision we make. We can't claim to be an environmentalist and drive a Hummer. Likewise we can't claim to have faith in Jesus and his teachings and still hate people. At the core of the life of Jesus is the unwavering belief that people are worth dying for. Part of me hopes that's the reason you're on your "death-bed." That you're giving you life for a person or people. Did you keep the faith, John?

Finally John, I hope that you "finished the race." I hope you didn't give up and walk off the track before you got to the finish line. The race is exhausting, I know. I'm still running it. But I have to believe that in the end, when I cross the finish line, all the effort will be worth it. The race is long true, but it's the only one worth running. And I never have to run alone. I wonder if you ever took off on your own. I know it's a long race and sometimes it seems like it would be so nice to just sit in the shade and watch the other runners. But both of us know that if we did that we would always wonder what it would feel like to cross that finish line. We weren't born to be spectators. We were born to run. So I hope you finished the race, John. I hope you know what it feels like to cross the finish line. I'd ask what it does feel like but even if i did you wouldn't be able to describe it. So if you'll excuse me John, I have a race to run. And I think I just got my second wind. See you at the finish line John.

Truly,

-John Hall (Age 31)

P.S.

No one was born to be a spectator. We were all born to run. So I hope you inspired and encouraged others to run the race with you. Because the race is easier when others are there running along side of you. I hope we cross the finish line knowing that people are running because of us.

-Letters To Myself Part 3: Dear 40 Year Old John-

Dear 40 Year Old John, (March 30, 2018)

I wonder about you a lot. It seems sometimes that I'll never actually be where you are but I know that it's inevitable. Time always seems to move slower when you're looking forward than it does when you're looking back. So no matter how far off you "seem" to be, I know that, baring some accident that takes my life, I will, quite literally, be in your shoes. And so I wonder about you.

What are you doing? Are you still an associate level pastor? Did you make the jump to a Lead Pastor role yet? Are you even in a pastoral position at all? Have you written a book yet? There are so many things I wish you could tell me about the plans and vision I have today for my life tomorrow. Am I living a life of significance? Am I helping change the world by changing lives one at a time? Am I being the inspiration that I want to be that pushes others to make a difference too? What have I done right? I have so many insecurities about becoming you that it is overwhelming sometimes. If I could just talk to you. Listen to you. Get your advice. Sadly, I don't think it would change much would it? I'd still have all my insecurities. I'd still wonder about the man I am becoming. Even if I could talk to you, I'd still be me. And if being me isn't good enough without talking to you, then neither will it be good enough if I could. So maybe the best I can do is to take the steps now to ensure that just being me IS good enough. And maybe by the time I'm you, I'll be proud of the man I am becoming.

What kind of friend are you John? Do people trust you? And if they do, do you really deserve their trust? Do you put your own agenda aside for others? Do you make people feel loved and valued and important? Or have you given up that pursuit? I fear that a lot. That over time I'll slip back into being the critical cynic that I have fought so hard to subdue. He's always there you know. Wanting to come pouring out me and point out all of the the flaws of everyone and everything around me. But I don't want to be him. He pretends to love people but refuses to accept them for the wonderful and amazing people that they ALREADY are. I hate him. Have you overcome him? Have you finally beaten him out of existence? I hope so. Because people mean too much to be ridiculed and judged into believing they aren't good enough. But you're probably still fighting him off too. Like I said: he's always there. I hope you haven't become him again. I pray we are pushing him farther and father from us. I don't want to become him again. So I'll keep fighting for people. To love them. To accept them. To welcome them the way Jesus did and still does. And maybe, by the time I'm you, he'll be gone.

What about your family John? Are you good enough for Krissy yet? Do you deserve her yet? Probably not. Even if you have grown as much as I hope you have since you were me, you'll have a long way to go. She's always been out of your league though. You know that as well as I do. But I hope we've never stopped trying to be the man she deserves us to be. And what about your kids? Felicia turns 15 in a few months from where you are. That means boys re alive and kickin' in her life and that hormones are a daily part of life. Have you taught her to have high standards? Have you treated her in such a way that she will always expect the best from any guy that comes in her field of vision? Does she know by the way that you treat her and her mother that she should expect nothing less than someone who would lay down his life for her? Have you made her feel valuable and loved and respected? Because that's what I want for my little girl. I hope you've done your job with her. And likewise, what have you demonstrated to Ian? Have you acted like the man you hope he becomes? A man of strength and patience and love and responsibility. Have you taught him self-control? Have you given him confidence in who God has made him to be? I hope you have taken your responsibility to him seriously. And I hope you can still make them all laugh and smile and help them to love life. But there is no way for me to know what you do. So, I'll love my family in real, tangible, expressible ways now. And maybe, by the time I'm you, they will know how much they fill my life with joy.

So I guess it doesn't matter what you would say to me does it John? Because it's up to me to take the right steps and do the right things here... now... today. And then to wake up tomorrow and chose to do it again. And you simply can't help me do that. I have to do it. It's up to me to make sure that you turn out to be the man I hope you are. So today I make a promise to you John. I'll try. With everything that is in me I will try to make the choices today that will ensure you become the best man you can be. I can't promise perfection. I'll most certainly make some bad, wrong and even selfish choices. But I promise that I'll try. And maybe, just maybe, by the time I'm you, I will have begun to leave my mark upon this world. And it will be a better place because I am in it. Maybe...

Truly,

-John Hall (Age 31)

P.S.

This is the hardest, most deeply personal thing I've ever written. I hope it means as much to you as is has to me. God speed John. Never forget the man you hope to one day be and never stop trying to become him.

-From "Could Be" To "Could Have Been"-

I bought a lot of books recently. In fact, my book que hasn't been this full in a long time. At the moment I have eight books in my lineup on top of the three I am currently reading. If you're not a "reader," let me encourage you to become one. There is so much to be learned in this world and I believe that reading by reading what others have learned and gone through we will be better equipped to navigate the course of our own lives.

The problem I have with books though, is that I can't seem to get through them fast enough. It seems like for every one book I read, five more are written that I want to read. I have some fantastic books on deck to read right now. Books like "The Starfish and the Spider," "Beyond Opinion," and the classic "Mere Christianity." But there were so many others that I wanted but didn't get. Books like, "Crazy Love," "The Sacred Echo," or "Wide Awake." I just wish there was a way to read faster. I wish there was a way to get things done now so I can move on to what the future has in store for me.

Have you ever felt like that? I don't mean with books but just with life in general. I remember wanting to get out of High School so badly because I felt useless there. I felt like I couldn't do anything with any degree of significance while I was stuck there. Then, as I moved into the working world I always believed I could do a better job then the people in the positions "above" me. If only someone would give me the chance. If only someone would give me the opportunity to show how great I am. If only they would open their eyes and see my talent. What's wrong with them anyway?

Then I became the guy in charge. After some hard work and experience I was given the opportunity to show what I was capable of. All of the sudden I found myself explaining to people with less experience why we do things the way we do them. A few people on staff were constantly saying that they would do things differently if they were in charge. But what they didn't understand was that what they were suggesting wouldn't work. I knew it wouldn't work because I had been in the business much longer than them. Then one day during one of these conversations it dawned on me that I used to be just like some of my staff members only now, I had more experience.

I heard a speaker once say, "Too many people want to be discovered, not developed." I was one of those people. Fortunately I have learned the value of being developed rather than just waiting to be discovered. Maybe you're in a place where you keep constantly looking into the future. Obsessing over what will someday be. The problem is that when we obsess over the future we neglect the present. If we are faithful to do the things God has called us to do TODAY then tomorrow will take care of itself. If we focus on how we're being developed in the present, then someone will discover us in the future.

I realize that this is not a mind-blowing, ground-breaking, deep-minded concept. I am aware that you're not reading this and thinking, "Wow! No one has ever said that before!" And I suspect I may even be breaking copyright laws for such an unoriginal concept. But I feel it's important to be reminded of this every now and then. To be reminded to live for today and not tomorrow. Because if we find ourselves constantly thinking about what "could be," on day we may find ourselves constantly thinking about what "could have been." I hope you never find yourself doing that. Just a reminder from someone who needed to be reminded himself.

-Jesus Wasn't A Carpenter-

Before his death and resurrection, Jesus was a rabbi. I know that many Christians credit Him with being a carpenter by trade but there are no examples of Him acting in that capacity found anywhere in scripture. None, zero, zilch. We base our assumption of His being a carpenter on the idea that Joseph was a carpenter but even this isn't technically true. A more accurate translation of the word used for carpenter in Matthew 13:55 makes Joseph a stone mason instead. But the Bible never clearly states that Jesus carried on Joseph's trade. In fact it insinuates that He became a rabbi.

 

How does the Bible insinuate this? Several ways really. The language He used when calling His disciples, the way that even those who didn't like Him wanted Him to come to their home for a meal, and the age at which He began His public ministry are just a few ways. But perhaps the most blatant example is that Jesus is called "rabbi" or "teacher" (the Hebrew word "rabbi" literally translates to the English word "teacher"), 55 times in the gospels. What most striking is that He is called "rabbi" by even the Pharisees who didn't use titles like this loosely. At one point we see Jesus being referred to as "Rabboni" which has even greater implications that I won't go into. To me it seems pretty clear that Jesus was a Rabbi rather than a carpenter or stone mason. That isn't to say that He didn't know a thing or two about what Joseph did, I'm absolutely sue He did. But I think it is clear that His primary "occupation" was as a Rabbi.

 

Now, if Jesus was a rabbi we have to assume that He had to take certain steps to become a rabbi. The Jews were not in the habit of simply handing out a title like that all willy-nilly like. So what did Jesus have to do to obtain this title that was essential for the type of ministry He would be doing? Well in the first century, He would have gone through three phases of Jewish education, Bet Sefer, Bet Talmud and Bet Midrash. During this educational process, Jesus would have memorized the entire Old Testament, (Genesis through Malachi), studied what various other rabbis and religious leaders had taught about these books, and even would have done about a 15 year apprenticeship or internship under another rabbi. (For a more complete explanation of a first century Jewish education, read "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell, a book that completely changed my view of ministry, Christianity, study, and the Church.) When he completed all of this, Jesus would have been ready to begin His own public ministry at about the age of 30. (hmmmm coincidence?) You see, Jesus had to work hard before He earned the right to teach us and eventually lay down His life for us. Jesus had to put in a lot of effort to get where He was called to go.

 

We are no different. God has called each of us to a certain life. Some people are called to serve in a hands-on capacity like Joseph who although he was a "blue-collar worker" had a huge role in shaping the person Jesus would become. Other people are called to be more detail and administration oriented like Luke, the physician who penned more words in the New Testament than any other Biblical author. Still other people are called to a life devoted to the Word of God and the service of His people like Jesus, who showed what real leadership is when He washed the feet of those who were His supposed subordinates. Each of us has a life that we are called to live just like Jesus had a life He was called to live. And like Him, we must be willing to do what it takes to get there.

 

The vast majority of Jesus' life was spent in education. About 23 of His 33 years, (about 70%), were spent preparing to become a rabbi so He could effectively live the life He was called to live in that place at that time. What does that mean for us? It means that we too, must be willing to put in whatever work and effort it takes to get to he place that God is calling us to go to in this place at this time. The bible tells us that many are called but few are chosen. Why are few chosen? Because few are willing to do the work that their calling requires of them. We somehow believe that we are entitled to a position based on our calling and natural abilities and gifts alone. But if it didn't work like that for Jesus then why would it work like that for us? Even the Apostles spent three years apprenticing under Jesus. Why should we be any different?

 

Getting to where God wants you to go is difficult. It takes hard work, effort, tears, sweat, turmoil, stress, and even some doubt. Probably because when you finally do all that work and put in all that time and effort to get where God is calling you, you'll find the same hard work, tears, and sweat waiting for you. But it'll also be the best, most abundant and rewarding life you can live. A life where you see prayers answered regularly and miracles take place that most people can't see. Going in the direction God wants you to go and being in the place God wants you to be will never make life easier, but it will always make life better.