ken castor

Romans 2:25-29 ~ cutting-edge

  Many people have a wee bit of misunderstanding about circumcision.  I know it might not be "cutting-edge" news, but the apostle Paul did offer some cutting remarks about it: 

“Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God." (Romans 2:25-29 NIV)

I have always thought it funny that circumcision was considered an “outward” sign of faith.  My mom always told me to keep that area of the body a private matter. 

But the Bible isn’t my Mom… and surprisingly to many of us, the Bible regularly, and rather bluntly, reveals some things that are otherwise kept where the sun don't shine.  Circumcision as a topic is a frequent and important visitor to biblical pages... and yet the modern Christian doesn't care to spend much time on the practice... Perhaps it's too awkard or uncomfortable or embarrassing...

Circumcision was meant to be a dramatic outward, physical indicator that Israel was set apart as people with a unique relationship with God.  In Genesis 17, God instructs Abraham (at 99 years old) to undergo circumcision… and to be sure that all of his descendents in perpetuity would be circumcised… as “a sign of the covenant between” God and Abraham. And in God’s instructions to Abraham, any of his male descendents who did not experience the “cut” of circumcision would be “cut” off from God’s people.  God intended circumcision as a means by which people could demonstrate visibly and quite-personally their intimate dedication to God.  And I’m sure it was meant to serve as a reminder of that dedication too.

Interesting to note, however, that circumcision as a biblical practice automatically cut out 50% of the population.  Circumcision was a symbol required of men only (notably, therefore, excluding the brutality of clitoridectomy).  Circumcision was not, nor could not, be evidence of salvation because it was intended to be evidenced in only half the population as a sign.  Circumcision was not to be worn as an entrance badge or some kind of secret handshake for the club.   Circumcision was a practice of "ineradicable nature" that "symbolized the enduring, irrevocable nature of the covenant” (Sarna, JPS Commentary: Genesis, 1989).  Circumcision was a permanent mark meant to demonstrate a permanent commitment.  Circumcision disallowed a person to go back to the way things used to be and blend into the crowd once more.  All excess has been cast off, so to speak, and what’s left is dedicated to God.  The intention was that Jewish men would live fully circumcised lives--- namely, a covenant relationship with God--- namely again, a life lived in a committed, mutual, personal relationship with God.

This “symbol” took on its fulfilled meaning after Jesus’ resurrection.  On the day Peter preached to thousands in Jerusalem, Acts 2 says that men were “cut to the heart”.  This is another way of saying that men were circumcised spiritually, forever dramatically, visibly altered… and they would never be the same again.

So if you were Jewish, a descendent of Abraham, and if you were male, then Paul indicates that it is within reason for you to be circumcised.  However, if you had been circumcised but lived in a way that was not cut-out for following God, then, honestly, if I may put this out there, Paul says, you lost a piece of yourself for nothing (lit. “your circumcision becomes uncircumcision”).

On the other hand, if you were a man who was physically uncircumcised, but you were careful to follow the patterns of God, then you were living as if you were truly circumcised in the tradition of Abraham.  In fact, those who are not circumcised and yet kept God’s commands, in effect, proved the unsalvation of those who were circumcised but disobeyed God.  The idea was not physical mutilation, but truthful dedication to God, inwardly and outwardly, thoroughly, wholly.

Cut to the matter: Does circumcision garauntee salvation?  Not at all--- Religious ritual does not save anyone.  So, then, is it wrong?  Not at all--- In it’s best sense, religious ritual is meant to be an outward sign of an inward transformation… a reminder, an indicator, a demonstration of dedication to God.  But in the case of circumcision in Paul’s Jewish society, the practice yielded some spiritually infectious and sterilizing side-effects.  People began to rely on their ritual(s) as proof of righteousness rather than on righteousness as an outflow of a living relationship with God. 

Oh man, how does this apply to us today?  I see a plethora of ways, actually—and here are my current top five lessons learned from Paul’s handling of circumcision:

1. There will be no “pat-down” as an entrance requirement at the Pearly Gates.  You can’t snip your way into Heaven.  You must cut off everything that hinders your relationship with God… just like everyone else… by circumcising your heart to the Lord… by allowing the Holy Spirit to cut to your heart so that God might reform you.

2. Going to church every Sunday morning in a suit with a Bible in your hand does you no good if you are not on mutual terms with God.  I am not suggesting that you should go to church un-bathed in ratty jeans with lice in your hair either.  But I am saying this: While people look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7).

3. Don’t judge the guy who doesn’t follow the “proper” religious rituals… Perhaps that guy follows God’s commands better than you.  So don’t bother debating who is saved and who is not saved… because your arrogance and pride, not to mention your reliance on your flesh over your soul, might prove you to be inferior in the eyes of God.

4.  The Bible is really actually very interesting, if not a bit embarrassing, to read sometimes.   In the ancient languages, the Bible doesn’t tend to hide words like our English translations do.  All throughout the Bible, there are phrases that make us cringe (e.g. “You shall circumcise the flesh of your [own] foreskin” in Genesis 17:14).

5.  Finally, You either have been or you haven’t been.  You can’t pretend in the end.  You may fool other people because you don’t show them your hidden condition… but God can see whether you have or have not been cut--- He can see even right through all those layers of covering you are wearing.  Paul puts it this way in Romans 2:29: “You are a Jew if you are one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal.  His praise is not from men but from God.”  It is God who knows... not the moyel.

Romans 1:13-15 ~ In debt

So here’s the situation:  Person “A” gives you $1000 with the understanding that you are to give it to Person “B”.   The money was given to you to give away.  If you choose to keep the money for yourself you will have stolen from Person “B”… and will have betrayed Person “A”.   Get it?  Okay… one more time:

So God gave Paul the Gospel/Good-News with the understanding that he was to give it to others.  The Gospel was given to Paul so that he might give it away.  If Paul decided to keep the Gospel for himself he would have stolen from others what was intended as theirs… and he would have betrayed God.

In other words, the fact that Paul has the Gospel means that he must give it away.  As long as he had the Gospel, he felt he was indebted to all people… to whom the Gospel actually belonged.  (For more on this, see John Stott’s commentary on Romans.)  Paul understood that the Gospel was for all nations… and so if he possessed it, he must give it away.  The Good News was not his to keep.  The Good News was for others.

 The words translated as “I am under obligation” in most of our English versions of Romans 1:14 literally mean “I am a debtor” or “I am indebted” (ὀφειλέτης εἰμί).  And to whom was Paul indebted?  The answer is a bit surprising: Paul considers himself indebted to the people of this world = Jewish people, Greek people and non-Jewish-non-Greek people.  In other words, everyone.  As long as he had the Gospel, he had to share it.

Paul took this seriously… A lesson for many of us in our contemporary day who can naively or fearfully hold onto the Gospel as “ours”--- and consider that only a select few are actualy called to share the Good News.  We can tend to treat the Gospel as if it was a personal newspaper for our own quiet enjoyment while we undisturbingly sip our own coffee and scarf down our own chocolately donut.  But isn't the Good News more of an “Extra! Extra!  Read all about it!”- sort of reality?

As a servant of Christ (1:1), Paul understood his calling to share the Gospel with people everywhere (1:5).  Paul had pursued this “obligation” – this compelling responsibility – with vigorous determination for about twenty years at the writing of these verses.  He had traveled thousands of miles through territories now known as Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Crete, Cyprus, etc.  He had shared his Christ-relationship with people who were extremely wise (e.g. Acts 17:18), who were fools (e.g. Acts 19:24), who were wealthy (e.g. Acts 16:14), who were poor (e.g. Acts 20:35), who were Jewish (e.g. Acts 13:14ff), who were Greek (‘Ελλησίν; e.g. Acts 17:4), who were non-Greek (“Barbarian” or βαρβάροις; e.g. perhaps Acts 13:1), who were men (e.g. Acts 18:7-8), and who were women (e.g. Acts 16:13). Paul shared with people of high position (e.g. Acts 16:38) and with the outcast (e.g. Acts 16:32).  And over the years he had tremendous results, planting new communities of Jesus-Followers where none existed before… and which were now independent (or intertwined) enough to be planting their own new satellite communities.  So profound was Paul’s indebtedness, that he dramatically impacted the economies of certain regions (e.g. Acts 16:19) and disrupted the status-quo of others (e.g. Acts 17:5-8). 

So while Paul wanted so desperately to come visit the Romans, he just hadn’t been freed up from his indebtedness yet… he still had some business to finish up in other parts of the Mediterranean before settling his debts to the people of Rome.

But the idea of eventually being in Rome, the center of the Western globe, the hub of civilizations, where Jew and Greek and Barbarian exchanged commerce and politics and life, was extremely compelling to the indebted apostle.  So he was eager to come.

I wonder what has happened to our sense of indebtedness as Christians today?  Why do we feel as if we are owed something because we have the Good News?  Why don’t we feel that we owe what we have to others?

ROMANS 1:13-15 ~~ I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now.  I want to work among you and see good results, just as I have done among other Gentiles.  For I have a great sense of obligation to people in our culture and to people in other cultures, to the educated and uneducated alike.  So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach God’s Good News. (NLT)

p.s. Click on the newspaper graphic... Can you imagine a newspaper like this nowadays?

Generational Transference in the Bible: The Early Church (part 2)

              Pastoral leaders “focus flexibly on the future.”^[1]  Consider the adaptive leadership transference practices of Barnabas who, as an encourager of next generation leaders, came alongside a converted Saul of Tarsus^[2] and alongside a disillusioned John Mark.^[3]  Barnabas, the son of encouragement, built them up when others would not.  He entrusted them with vision for their role in the mission of the church, mentored them in ministry, and also promoted leadership opportunities for them among the established leaders of the church.  And his encouragement was contagious.  The early church was full of flexible leadership opportunity for people full of God’s Spirit.[4]  Paul, Silas and others transferred leadership to Lydia in Philippi. 

            In writing to Titus, for example, Paul reveals a pattern in which a younger leader is encouraged to serve and raise up another generation of leaders within their congregations.  Paul intentionally left Titus in Crete in order for Titus to equip other leaders for local churches in every town.^[5]  Primarily, Titus was to live with a heart and life reflective of deep spiritual discipleship.^[6]  Secondly, Titus was to teach and train the churches inter-generationally to live in community and ministry-mindedness according to their diverse circumstances.^[7]  Thirdly, Titus was given ministry leadership in order that a new generation of godly leaders would be raised up to encourage future generations.^[8]  Such a “future-orientation” pattern is a common impetus for generational transference in the early church.

            Further principles of generational transference of ministry leadership can be derived from the richness of relationship and practice between Paul and Timothy.  In relational and actualized circumstances, Paul considered Timothy to be the successor of his leadership.  He describes Timothy as a “son” who has “proved himself” because “he has served with me in the work of the gospel.”^[9]  Paul was Timothy’s mentor, but in many respects they were also complete peers, sharing the accountability of character, the responsibility of ministry leadership, and the task of generational transference.  They fruitfully ministered alongside one another first in Lystra and then from “town to town”.  Eventually, Paul intentionally gave Timothy the high-level responsibility of pastoring in Ephesus.^[10]  As with Titus, Timothy’s primary purpose was to live according to the formation of his heart after God.^[11]  Upon the foundation of strong spiritual character, Paul could then commission Timothy to train up the next team of leaders who would accept the ownership of ministry leadership in the years to come.  He was to equip “older” men and women as well as “younger” men and women.^[12]  Paul imparts to Timothy the goal of creating an environment among the Ephesian believers whereby the church as an intergenerational community, functions interdependently, and exists to be equipped to serve God’s mission.

            Paul valued the interconnected responsibility of each person in a church as a member of Christ’s body.   The church “grows up” together.  Each person is “joined and held together by every supporting ligament.”[13]  The church “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”   Older and younger alike have an onus to serve Christ in the context of Christian community.[14] 

            To the young Timothy, Paul instructed, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”[15]  He also instructed Timothy to show respect and exhortation to an older man as if he were his father, to treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.[16]  He urged Timothy to care for widows and orphans.[17]  And he encouraged Timothy to exercise leadership always. As J. Oswald Sanders noted:

            “In an era when a man of under thirty years of age was not normally considered worthy of much recognition, Timothy’s youthfulness was a distinct handicap.  But that did not prevent Paul from giving him responsibility and encouraging him not to be dismayed by his age.”[18]

           Just as he had been selected by Christ and encouraged by Barnabas, Paul then selected individuals like Timothy and Titus who were then to impart leadership to godly leaders within the congregations who were, in turn, commissioned to raise up emerging leaders themselves.  The process became continual and perpetual. In this way, Paul effectively patterned generational transference of ministry leadership.   

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^[1] Dale, Robert.  Leading Edge: Leadership Strategies from the New Testament (Wipf & Stock), 83

^[2] Acts 9:27

^[3] Acts 15:39

[4] E.g. Paul, Silas and others transferred leadership to Lydia in Philippi.  Priscilla and Aquilla transferred leadership to Apollos, etc.

^[5] Titus 1:5

^[6] Titus 2:1,7-8

^[7] Titus 2:2,3,6,-10,15

^[8] Titus 1:5-9

^[9] Philippians 2:22

^[10] 1 Timothy 1:3

^[11] 1 Timothy 4:7,12; 5:11-14

^[12] 1 Timothy 4:12-13; 5:1-16

[13] Ephesians 4:15-16

[14] Titus 2:1-8

[15] 1 Timothy 4:12

[16] 1 Timothy 5:1-2

[17] 1 Timothy 5:3-16

[18] Sanders, J. Oswald.  Paul the Leader (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1984), 181

Generational Transference in the Bible: The Early Church (Part 1)

            Such evidence of intergenerational cooperation, mentorship and ministry is marked throughout the entirety of the New Testament.[1]  As in the Old Testament, successive generations are to be the hearers and the bearers of the message of God.  Leaders within the early church movement strategically relied on the cross-generational development of emerging leaders.  Paul speaks about the glory of God in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations forever.[2]  Paul also exhorted Timothy to lead effectively in his elder-sponsored position even though he was young.[3]   Peter portrays a Christian community working together in a reciprocal relationship as he encourages older men to serve those in their congregation while urging young men to humble themselves before those who are older.[4]  A well-aged John says that there is no greater joy than to see children walking in the truth of God.[5]  As a result, the early church learned to practice the development of strategic leaders from the very beginning for primary purpose of accomplishing the mission of the church.  Secondarily, by intentionally raising up future leaders, the early Christians were also able to address the emergent challenges that faced the local churches.

            The church existed from its beginnings as a communicator of the Gospel and as a new community living in concert with God.  But this missional and communal identity did not guarantee freedom from internal and external friction.  Therefore, as C. Gene Wilkes notes in his book, Jesus on Leadership, the first leaders approached circumstances with a plan to distribute authority of leadership in order to address obstacles and not be derailed in accomplishing the ecclesial mission.^[6]  The leaders set the environmental tone for the church in the framework of fellowship, prayer and the preaching of Scripture.  But it was not long before challenges to communication as well as community integration and cooperation began to surface.  Grumbling and cohort-serving division, including perhaps an element of generational partisanship,^[7] became the first internal obstacle faced by the initial leadership team of the church.  

            The physical problem, as recorded in Acts 6, was that people were going hungry.  The ecclesial environmental problem was that people were getting angry about it.  The Grecian believers complained that their widows were being overlooked during the daily program of food distribution.   The overarching responsibility of the first leadership team was to “preach the word of God” and the food program enacted within the church was threatening to derail that primary leadership objective.  Acts 6:2-3 records that the church leaders chose not to turn inward and seize control, but to intentionally entrust others with the opportunity of leadership.  They identified men who were qualified to become leaders according to the character of their heart.[8]  The twelve primary leaders of the early church shared the responsibility of the direction and shaping of ministry with seven deeply spiritually-formed people.  “The apostles multiplied their leadership by delegating some of the responsibility and authority to others,” comments Wilkes.^[9] The new leaders were given significant, hands-on, ministry opportunity with the responsibility of shaping outcome.  Acts 6:3 reads, “We will turn this responsibility over to them.”  Acts 6:6 records that the recognized leadership “laid their hands on” the new leaders as a commissioning blessing and a sign of sharing authority with them.^[10]  The impression we receive of the early church leadership pattern is that challenges were addressed through proactive development of godly leadership rather than a protective, possessive reaction.  The first Christian leaders left an imprint of transference of ministry leadership as the strategic practice towards the accomplishment of the enduring mission of the church.

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[1] Acts 2:17; 21:7-9; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21; 1 Timothy 5:1-5; Titus 1:6; 2:4; Hebrews 13:7; 1 John 2:12-17; 3:7

[2] Ephesians 3:21

[3] 1 Timothy 4:12-14

[4] 1 Peter 5:1-11

[5] 2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:4

^[6] Wilkes, p.184

^[7] Acts 6:1.  The primary division was along ethnic segmentation between Grecian and Hebraic Jewish believers.  Generational division is assumed due to the potential that many of the widows were older than the apostles.

[8] Acts 6:5

^[9] Wilkes, 185

^[10] Acts 13:3 and 1 Ti. 5:22 indicate that the transference of ministry leadership in the early church often involved the symbol of laying on of hands”.  Throughout the Old Testament there is evidence that the “laying on of hands” was used as a symbol of the conference and transference of leadership.  For instance, in Num. 8:19 the Israelites release the Levitical priests into ministry leadership and in Num. 27:18-23 Moses released Joshua as his successor through this display.  See Wilkes, 185.

Following Jesus vs. @%#$&!!!

It's frustrating... but I still get some flack from some corners of the globe about using the term "Jesus Follower" as the designation of my faith.  Strangely, the flack comes from Christians... Christians who for the most part seem to truly believe in Jesus and dare-I-say follow him.  What they are concerned about is what they perceive to be my rejection of the word "Christian" as the designation I take upon myself.  Oddly, some have accused me of liberalism while others of ultra-fundamentalism.  In the end, I don't care.  I just want to follow Jesus.

First of all, I never have rejected the word "Christian."  It's a fantastic word, and should be a badge of honor carried by those who follow Christ.  In fact, I consider myself to be a very passionate Christian according to it's original usage!  Originally it was a title given to those who followed Jesus (see Acts 11:26) in the city of Syrian Antioch during the days of Paul and Barnabas.  In that church community there seemed to be a great emphasis on the power of the Lord, an environment of encouragement, on the Holy Spirit, on serving people and giving resources to help others... oh... and also on "great numbers" of people being  brought to the Lord... all in a culture where persecution impacted the practice of faith. 

In Acts 11, the term "Christian" was a label given to those who followed Jesus so that people could identify them for what they were all about.  At that time in Syrian Antioch, those who followed Jesus were all about walking in the way of Jesus Christ.  That clearly meant they were "of Christ" (Christian), or Christ-like. 

And so this is my beef.  In North America today, the term "Christian" is rarely synonymous with the qualities of the church in Syrian Antioch back in those days in Acts 11.  Today, the term "Christian" implies all kinds of connotations.  Some connotations are bland (eg. cultural, religious upbringing, family heritage, conservative or liberal politics) and some connotations are blatantly negative (eg. judgmental attitudes, superiority complexes, hypocritical behaviors, conservative or liberal politics).  Very few references to the word "Christian" in the media or common jargon in the West today are construed as positive with Jesus Christ as the central component of the term.  In other words, I'm not sure "of Christ" is the idea most people have when they think of North American "Christians" today.

If "Christian" meant what it once did, I'd use the phrase all the time.  But I wonder which scenario is more likely today:

1. Imagine seeing me help someone on the street and witnesses were to say, "Wow, that was really cool.  There's another Christian!"
2. Imagine seeing me preach about behavior and then getting caught in a public sex scandal and witnesses were to say, "Wow, that hypocritical, arrogant @#%&%!!!.  There's another Christian!"

If those who walk with Jesus today in North America can overcome the loss of the term "Christian" to what has become in many usages a mockery of Christ, then I would rejoice.  I'd love to see the word "Christian" redeemed from it's tragic trajectory.  But in order for this to happen, Christians must once again commonly exhibit the traits of those who follow Jesus Christ first and foremost with their lives.  In John 8:12 Jesus says that those who follow him won't stumble in the darkness.  In John 8:31 Jesus says that those who truly are his disciples are those who keep obeying his teachings.  In John 10 Jesus describes those who listen to his voice as being his sheep... and everyone else as being thieves, robbers, hired-hands and wolves.  In John 12:26 Jesus says that anyone who wants to be his disciple must come and follow him, because his servants must be where he is.  In John 15 Jesus says that his people should remain in him and should produce much good fruit.  And this is just scratching the surface of what it means to truly be "Christian."

I pray that we Christians get back to the place where we are known for having a great emphasis on the power of the Lord, an environment of encouragement, on the Holy Spirit, on serving people and giving resources to help others... oh... and also on "great numbers" of people being  brought to the Lord... all in a culture where persecution impacts the practice of our faith... When we are doing that, then the term "Christian" will once again have it's useful rather than deluded or stumble-causing meaning. 

Rooted Faith: Go Out (part 1)

I believe that our churches in North America today really struggle to have an overflowing life.  I think we have become quite good at containment; keeping our faith within ourselves and our spiritual fruit to a minimum.  Yet the whole goal of our relationship with God, as far as God is concerned, is that we will overflow with his life; that we will have an abundance of the product that comes from having God’s life within us.   John 15:16 – Jesus told his followers, in John 15:16, “I chose you.  I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last.”  The product of our faith is supposed to be overflowing from us.  And for some generations of Christians, this was their experience.  Consider the different dynamics of the first generation of Christianity; Think about our faith for a minute and then think about the faith of the first century believers:

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Full audio version of this sermon.  Download June 21 09 Ken Castor

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1.  The First Christians were abundantly fruitful.
Here is how Colossians starts: chapter 1 verses 1-6:  “This letter is from Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.  It is written to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.  May God our Father give you grace and peace.  We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard that you trust in Christ Jesus and that you love all of God’s people.  You do this because you are looking forward to the joys of heaven- as you have been ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.  This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world.  It is changing lives everywhere just as it has changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners.”

From the time that Jesus died, something funny happened on the way to the forum.  Christianity, which began as a small gathering of 120 people on Pentecost Sunday in Jerusalem, exploded onto the world map.  Within 30 years the seed of the Gospel had rooted itself significantly in the city of Rome and had become a powerful force all over the Roman Empire.  They were stirring up so much commotion that the government felt the need to try to contain the spread of this movement.  Paul, in fact, most likely wrote this letter to the Colossians, while he was in prison in Rome for talking about Jesus.  Something had made this young, pumped-up Pharisee so dramatically change the course of his life that he logged thousands of miles of travel; endured scores of beatings and imprisonments; he zealously spoke to large crowds, politicians, and kings; not to mention that he broke through ethnic and gender and slave and economic barriers along the way.  Even under arrest, Paul continued relentlessly sharing his faith with prisoners and guards, with judges and rulers, and writing letters to new groups of Christians all over the place.  And he wasn’t alone.  Numerous others did virtually the same thing: people like Timothy and Titus, Barnabas, Lydia and Priscilla and Aquila and Apollos, and many more.

The Colossian church itself had become a growing movement of Jesus Followers.  Colosse was a small city, in what is now Turkey, immersed in pagan festivals and the worship of Roman gods.  The Good News about Jesus came into this city by a guy named Epaphras.  Colossians chapter 1 verse 7:  “Epaphras, our much loved co-worker, was the one who brought you the Good News.  He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us in your place.  He is the one who told us about the great love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.”

Now I know I’m only giving a snapshot here, but just think about this for a second.  Before this group of believers gathered in Colosse, there was no church in that city.  None.  2000 years later, this is hard for us to understand in North America because we’re used to churches existing on virtually ever corner of a city and we’re used to our society traditionally being somewhat Christian-ish.  We’re used to First Baptist and 2nd Baptist and Fifth Baptist of the 12th Split and Twentieth Baptist Church of the 1875 Convention of the Immaculate Postmillennialists… or something like that.  Back then people didn’t church shop.  Back then people didn’t go somewhere because they liked the preacher better or because it was a more comfortable time or because they had the best looking drapes or the best music program or kids ministry.  Back then people heard about Jesus and they had to make a decision:  Am I going to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord?  Am I going to lay my life on the line to follow this man?  People were introduced to Jesus and were faced with a dilemma:  Am I going to worship Jesus and obey him rather than Caesar?  Am I going to risk my career?  Am I going to risk alienating my family?  Imagine yourself in a city where the message about Jesus Christ had never been heard before.  Imagine yourself in a city that is filled with other gods, other options, other systems, other ways of doing life and you decide to commit yourself to a growing movement based on a personal relationship with the living Christ- not because your family had always gone to church on Christmas or Easter, but because you yourself became so gripped in the core of who you are that you had to give your whole self over to Jesus.  It’s interesting to note here, that things now in North America are actually similar in culture to the way things were back then.  Most people today are not from church backgrounds anymore; our society today is filled with other gods, other options, other systems, other ways of doing life than Christianity.

The difference today is the Christians.  Something made Paul live like he did.  Something made this guy, Epaphras, go to his hometown of Colosse and start telling people about Jesus.  And something made thousands upon thousands of people in this first generation of Christians absolutely change their lives by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord. All over the world, the Gospel was spreading and it was changing lives everywhere.  People were realizing “Wow, this Jesus, he is amazing and I need him.”  And within a very short while, Christianity had gone out and taken root all over the world.

For instance, in Acts chapter 4, Peter and John got arrested for healing a man and telling people that the healing was done in the power of Jesus Christ.  When the authorities told them to stop talking about Jesus or else, they said they couldn’t stop.  “No, you have to stop!” the frustrated rulers demanded.  “No,” Peter and John said, “you really don’t understand.  We really can’t stop.  We can’t help it.  It just overflows from us.  We can’t contain what’s inside of us!  We have to let Jesus out!  If we don’t we’ll burst!”  They said literally, “We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard.”

It seems that back then in that time there was a freshness and an incredible power to the Christian faith.  It seems that people let their lives grow down into Christ and be so dramatically changed by God that they couldn’t contain the life that was drawn up inside of them.  The first Christians were abundantly fruitful.

rooted faith - draw up (part 1)

The Bible paints a simple and wondrous picture.  Those who dig themselves down deep into the Lord will stand tall in his strength.  Those who immerse themselves in the Lord will stand in the strength and the fullness of God. 

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Full audio version of this sermon.  2009-06-14 Rooted Faith - Draw Up - Ken Castor

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That’s why in Colossians 2:6-7 it says, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him.  (Don’t fake it.  Don’t pretend.  Don’t stand on your own.  Don’t try to prove your own ability. It’s not a job interview!  Don’t get dressed up on the outside but fail to put that effort and energy into your commitment to God.  Be faithful.  If you’ve accepted Jesus into your life as your Lord, then live like it inside and out.  How do you do that?  Well, it says…) Let your roots grow down deep into him and DRAW UP nourishment from him so that you will stand strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving.” 

So last week I drew this diagram for you:  We begin with CHRIST, who is the Source of everything we need.  For in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).  As we live in Christ, as we have accepted him into our lives and as we live in faithfulness to him, then we root ourselves into the most powerful and most secure and most amazing Source of life possible.  As we GROW DOWN into him, we get rooted into his inexhaustibly awesome power and love. Instead of giving in to all the pressure of our society to grow up and grow up fast through society-pressure, or shortcuts or steroid philosophies, we are to grow down into Christ and find our secure footing in him.  And so as we let our roots grow down, we are then able to DRAW UP nourishment from him.  Another way of saying this is that as we root into Christ, then we are built up by everything he does for us and gives to us.  In this verse, it is not our purpose to grow up and to get established and to become self-sustained and to make a name for ourselves.  No, in this verse, it is our aim to grow down and to get grounded in Christ and to become God-sustained and to make his name known.  This sort of living results in a life of enduring enrichment in everything that God has to offer--- and he has a lot to offer!  And so as we draw up everything we need to live according to God’s desires and plans for us, then we can’t help but to naturally flourish and GO OUT into the world sharing the wonders of what God does.  As we dwell in Christ, he dwells in us and we draw up from him his Spirit and the fullness of all of his characteristics and motivations and that fills us up and compels us to overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.  This is the model of the life of true faith in Christ.  This is spiritual formation. 

This is the way God intends for us to truly live.  As Colossians 1:27 says, this is the secret to life: That Christ lives in you and this is the assurance that you will share in his glory!  So no matter what you are experiencing in your life, whether it is a season of calm, of excitement, or of storm, you can share in the joy and security and source of life that is found in no one or nothing other than Christ.

what are we missing today?

In the last 100 years, the church in North America had so many evangelism strategies, so much money devoted to evangelistic staff, and so many books focused on evangelism.  On my shelves alone I have over 30 books dealing directly with evangelism.  Some of these are fantastic (i.e. David Watson's I Believe in Evangelism or George Hunter III's The Celtic Way of Evangelism), some are a waste of time.  Some people fit into these same categories, as do some strategies. 

And yet, with all this emphasis in the last 1,200 months, the church in North America is stagnating.  We don't hear reports that echo the great revivals of the 18th or 19th centuries.  We don't hear of whole towns or cities being cut to the heart and transformed.  Across the general scope of the church we don't see increasing numbers of people coming to know Jesus.

What are we missing today?  Here's my guess, after reading through the book of Acts:

"barnabas" is not a very good wrestling name

The Rock.  Hulk Hogan.  The Bone Crusher.  The Undertaker.  These are pretty good wrestling names.  They represent strength and oppression of the enemy.  They represent victory... the ability to withstand any onslaught and cause the downfall of others.  These names reflect pain inducement.  If you go up against the Rock, you'll be hit hard.  If you try to triple sow cow the Hulk, you'll get slammed.  If you attack the Bone Crusher, you'll have you own marrow seeping out of your eyes.  And if you try to put a sleeper hold on the Undertaker, you'll be put to sleep for good.

There are some pretty good nicknames in the Bible.  Jesus gave Simon the original "Rock" label (that's what 'Peter' means).  John and Andrew were the tag team duo dubbed the "Sons of Thunder".  Jesus probably had the most wrestling names... "King of kings, Lord of lords, Alpha and Omega, Lion of Judah, The Great I Am, etc."

But there is one guy names Joseph who gets a lame wrestling name.  Strangely, he proves himself to be a fantastic wrestler.  He wrestles some of the most powerful people in the Bible and comes out on top.  We read about Joseph first in the book of Acts, chapter 4.  The writer, Luke, is telling us about how all the thousands of new Christians were sharing everything they had with each other and assisting the poor. 

the math of Acts

I once was a part of a church that prayed each week for at least one person to find Jesus.  Over the course of the year that added up to 52 people.  I thought it was a simple, fantastic prayer.  And an encouraging one too, as we saw God work in many many lives.  But I realized sadly that many churches struggle to expect God to work that often.  It seems too much to ask God to multiply let alone add.  Many churches hardly expect one person a month to be changed by Jesus.  Some are curious if one person a year is impacted deeply.

The math in the book of Acts is amazing.  In chapter 1 there are 120 people.  In chapter 2 there are over 3000.  In chapter 3, more people.  In chapter 4, the Jesus followers prayed for great boldness to share the Good News to others.  In chapter 5, "more people believed and were brought to the Lord."  Chapter 6, "God's message was preached in ever-widening circles.  The number of believers greatly increased".  In chapter 7, persecution against Jesus followers started.  But in chapter 8, the region of Samaria was turning to Jesus and an official of Ethiopia gave his life to God.  In chapter 9, Saul the persecuter dramatically turned his life over to Jesus and Peter shared about Jesus all over Israel.  In chapter 10, Cornelius and his family, Gentiles in every sense of the word, became followers of Jesus.  In chapter 11, a mega church in Syria grew and grew.  In chapter 12, "God's Good News was spreading rapidly, and there were many new believers."  Chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas share the message of Jesus on Cyprus and what is now southeastern Turkey.  In chapter 14, churches are started all throughout what is now central Turkey.  In chapter 15, we hear reports about how people are becoming Christians all over the place.  In chapters 16-17, the Gospel spreads all the way through Greece and is discussed by the philosophers of Athens.  In chapters 18-19, a mega church takes root in Ephesus and becomes a staging ground for mission.  In chapters 20-21, it has become clear that Christians are now all over the Roman Empire.  And in the final chapters of Acts we read about how the Gospel was being proclaimed to large numbers of people throughout Rome.

By 64 A.D.  Nero blamed Christians in Rome for burning half of the city.  By 70 A.D. there were churches in Spain, Sudan, Iran and perhaps even India.  By 110 A.D. the Roman Temple cult system in northern Turkey had all but shut down because there were so many Christians- to the point where the governor (Pliny) started executing Christians if they didn't worship Caesar and the Roman gods.

Today, in China the Church is expanding exponentially.  In South America it is growing.  In parts of Africa people are finding Jesus like it's the first century all over again.  Meanwhile today, the church in Europe has subtracted.  It is now only a fraction of itself.  The church in North America has divided and stalled. 

I think we need to get back to the math of Acts.