Sowing the Seed and Reaping the Reward
Staying in Spiritual Rhythm: The Fulfillment of Fall (Part 2 of 5)
Friday, December 9, 2011
“A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:7a-9
Fall is many things to many different people. For some, it marks the beginning of the school year and a time of new beginnings. Others see it as the end of summer and something to be lamented because winter is on its way. Football fans rejoice in the fact that another sports season with their team is on its way. While others view the autumn season as a time for storage and preparing for the holidays. These events mark the season of fall. But what about the spiritual season of fall?
Fall is a season of change. The leaves change color. Students in school change grades, classes, and teachers. The weather changes cool, windy, and with less daylight. Likewise, fall spiritually is a time to embrace change, turn over a new leaf (pun intended), and begin anew. Just as a farmer stores up his crops, fall is a time to store up our treasures and benefit from our labor. It’s a time to reap what you sow and store up what we reap. Fall’s heart lies in the act of expectancy. Depending on what you’ve reaped it can be a season of disappointment and dread or of hope. A time when all our hard work and discipline is rewarded: “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrews 12:11) Lastly, fall is a time of fulfillment. It’s a time for harvest. To give thanks and acknowledge your blessings. Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors that form the season of fall.
Change is not something we embrace with open arms most of the time. We like what’s comfortable, what is, and knowing what to expect. Change catches us off guard and demands something new; something different form us than before. The season of autumn, then, is often unwanted and neglected because of the fear of the unknown. When we enter the fall season of the soul, it’s a time to recognize and trust in God’s provision. It’s a choice between faith or fear. Perhaps the change is daunting such as a new job, entering high school, moving to a big city, or beginning marriage. While other changes can be quite small on the surface such as the start a new project, developing a new Godly habit, or changing your diet. Whatever it may be, the call of action is the same–trust in God. That He is enough and He will always be there every step of the way. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3) God will give you peace that passes all understanding, even amidst the difficult and heartbreaking changes. This is our promise and what we need to remember in fall.
“You sow what you reap.” This is an often used term in farming, in life, and reference to the spiritual life. But what does it mean? We read in Galatians 6:7a-9: “A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” We need to be careful on what we sow. Everyone sows a seed of something. It’s either sowing a seed to please our sinful nature or to please the Spirit. It’s not possible to do both. To sow a seed of sinful nature is to treat lust as a flower not a weed. Vent anger inside instead of controlling it. Indulging in a bad habit and not addressing it. To sow a seed that is pleasing to the Spirit is to implant daily habits of patience. Choosing to forgive others when they have wronged us. Giving love away freely. Spreading kindness in the midst of conflict. We all have a choice to make each day on what will we sow. There’s also another principle to keep in mind: How much you sow.
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6) Not only does it matter what we sow, but how much we sow of something. Fall is a season of fulfillment, but it order to experience the joy of that fulfillment there to have an abundance of what we have sowed. Heart follows treasure and passion tails commitment. First the gift; then the desire. This is why we often have a hard time giving way of time, talents, and treasures is because our heart isn’t in it. Sometimes it seems wasteful and useless. It’s time to decide what’s important in your life and stick with it. And let go of what’s weighing you down. But at the end of day–sow something. Make it a good seed, no less, but even if it’s sparingly, get on with it.
Fall is a season of harvests. There are three identified in the Bible: A harvest of souls, a harvest of prosperity, and a harvest of righteousness. In John 4:35b-38 we read about the harvest of souls:
“I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now those who reap draw their wages, even now they harvest the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
There are three key principles to take note of here. First, look and pay attention. Slow down and see your surroundings. To the hurting, the needy, the hungry, those in need to hope. Those who sit next to you at church, in our neighborhood, the co-worker who eats lunch with you–people all around you are empty and in desperate need to be filled. Open your eyes and choose to respond.
Next, pray. Pray for workers willing to join Christ in His kingdom work. Pray that you don’t miss any opportunities God gives you. That the time you’ve been given isn’t squandered. Essentially, praying makes it our problem. It requires us to seize the moment. It forces us to take care about what we are shown.
Lastly, go. Answer your own prayer. The key phrase is “even now.” Even now you could reap what you haven’t sown. There is still time. Even now you can taste the unearned privilege of what others before you have already reaped the benefits of. Look. Pray. Go. You’ll be amazed at what God does when you simply say yes to his call to action.
The second harvest is that of prosperity. “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11) This is not a health and wealth Gospel being proclaimed by Paul. The simple message here is that generosity is good for the soul. As Mark Buchanan states: “The harvest the generous reap is a harvest of grace, good works, and righteousness. Generosity makes us more like Jesus.” Generosity with material things creates an abundance in spiritual things and vice versa. Each one reinforces the other. Simply put–be generous. Be extravagant in your giving. You’ll reap what you sow and store up what you reap. Because true prosperity is measured in how much you give, not how much you have.
The final harvest is righteousness. What is righteousness? To be like Christ. Your thoughts are His thoughts. Your attitude is His attitude. Your actions reflect His actions. And your character is conformed more and more like His. In order for this harvest to take place, the other two need to tied together along with it. A heart to save and grow is required before a heart like His can develop. In this time we also need to submit to God’s discipline and seek His peace. Practicing these three harvests in the spiritual season of fall will create a bountiful feast of thanksgiving.
The fourth Thursday of every November in the fall we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a time to give thanks and feast on the blessings God has given. Likewise, in the spiritual season of fall we need to take a step back and give thanks. Recognizing the simple things that we often overlook. It’s all about expression. Thanksgiving is an expression of enjoyment. C. S. Lewis writes: “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is it’s consummation.” Unspoken praise is not praise at all. Fall is a time of worship and praise. To thank God even for the things that have yet to come–in expectance of His promises. His faithfulness to us despite our unfaithfulness to Him. And when we do this, we are find ourselves full. Fully immersed in His grace. The feast is ours for the taking!
When fall makes its way into your life; embrace it. Do not fear the unknown and the toils of winter that are waiting on your doorstep. Sow the seed and make sure it is pleasing to the Spirit. Sow generously and often. Be generous and remember it’s not how much you have, but how much you give. Take part in the harvests of saving, growing, and developing. Take stock of your inventory. Your physical blessings and of the Spirit—and give thanks. Celebrate and express the enjoyment of the feast you’ve been given. Experience the joy of fulfillment. Live in expectancy of what’s to come. And contentment and peace will follow. It’s time to reap the reward.
Radiant Reflection: This week we learned about the fall season of the soul. Answer these questions to help you apply the practices and principles we just covered:
1) What does the fall season mean to you? Do you come to look forward to the fall season? Why or why not?
2) What are the factors that make up the fall season of the soul? How do they mirror that of the fall season we encounter of our calendars?
3)What does it mean to reap what you sow? Why does the heart play such important part of what and how much we sow?
4) What are some of the things you are sowing right now? Do you sow generously or sparingly of these things? Why do you believe this to be the case?
5) Name some of the simple blessings God has given you that you often overlook. Express your thanks back to God. Express your enjoyment and find joy in fulfillment.
Can You Hear Me Now?: As I stated last week, we’ll be taking a break from challenges for this series. Again, make sure to answer the Radiant Reflection questions to help you retain and apply the material we just went over. To get the entire picture of the spiritual seasons of the soul; pick and purchase the book, Spiritual Rhythm from Mark Buchanan. There is a lot of material we didn’t cover here for the season of fall due to time constraints.
Future Features: We are entering the stretch run of the Christmas holiday season and a lot of different loose ends will be completed soon. First, the case study for Toy Story in Shout Out to the Silver Screen is wrapping up. Check out the 2nd Real of the Reel blog and stay tuned for the final three entries over the next few weeks. Also check out the Truth’s Transformation and SPECIAL ministries for new entries over the next week or so. For this series on Seasons of the Soul, we’ll next look at the season of Winter. We’ll conclude the series with Spring and Summer both in the week of December 19. Have a blessed weekend!
Sources:
Mark Buchanan, Spiritual Rhythm, Zondervan. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2010. Pages 150-153, 157-159, 161-164, 167, 175, 178-179
Savoring and Stewarding the Seasons of the Soul
Staying in Spiritual Rhythm: For Everything, A Season (Part 1 of 5)
Friday, December 2, 2011
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens….” Ecclesiastes 3:1
I look forward to summer every year. It’s my favorite season for many reasons. The beautiful sunshine drenched days. The fresh smell of cut grass. The long, never-ending days of blissful sunlight. The sound of “play ball” that rings out across ballparks everywhere. The taste of sweet strawberries and peaches. The sensation of splashing in a cold refreshing pool. I am flying high and all seems right with the world. Life is pure exhilaration, exciting, and extravagant. Full of adventure and adrenaline. Summer brings out the best in me.
We all have a favorite time of the year where we feel most alive and at our best. Perhaps it is the summer time or maybe you are soaring high in the fall season with the changing of the color of leaves. Or in spring with the rebirth of nature around you. And there are some of you who love the winter season—for the holidays, the peaceful snow saturated days, and the dawn of a new year. There is another set of seasons that we encounter in our walk with Christ: Spiritual seasons. Cycles of the heart that mark the spiritual rhythms in our life. There’s the flourishing and fruitful of summer, the stark and dismal of winter, the cool and windy of fall, and everything coming up new in spring. And these seasons matter greatly if we are to become the masterpiece we were meant to be in Christ.
Before we get introduced to these seasons, let’s look at what they’re not. They are not seasons of aging. As we grow and mature in this life we go through four distant seasons: Youth as spring, early adulthood as summer, middle age as fall, and old age as winter. While this is an interesting topic and perhaps a topic we’ll discuss at some point—it is not our focus in this series. We’re turning our focus instead onto our souls and hearts in relation to our spiritual growth. The seasons of the soul do not depend on age, personality, gender, or income. There are times when we cannot prevent a season from coming and other times when we do have a say or a hand in it. What’s important is that we discover, learn, and develop the necessary means to savor and steward whatever season we’re in. Not to do so would stifle any spiritual growth from happening in our life.
A Man For All Seasons is a play written by Robert Bole that has become a movie with 1966 and 1988 film versions. It is about Sir Thomas More, a principled man of court who defied Henry VIII over his manipulation of the pope to secure an annulment (termination) of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. As good of a description this may be for Sir Thomas More in the play, it’s better suited for Jesus Christ. He was a man of all seasons: Overflowing with joy, intimate with sorrow, tempted in every way, innocent of all sin, at home in the lowest of places, and hospitable to sinners. He’s with us now when we soar on wings like eagles and in the lowest of valleys. And everywhere in between. Jesus is the Man for All Seasons. And He is with us through thick and thin. May we strive to become A Man for All Seasons too. Through the dark and dreary winters, the awakening of spring, the harvests of fall, and the first fruits of summer.
As we move from season to season, we often get caught up in the act of busyness. Doing things for Christ in our minds is the measure of maturity in our spiritual walk. But in reality, busyness is not would we need to be after. It’s bearing fruit in our lives. Jesus gives us an illustration of this in John 15:5-8:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
It’s by our fruit that we show ourselves to be followers of Christ. Not by religious duties, doing things for Christ, or staying busy. These activities tend to bruise, stunt, and rot fruit more than grow it. The mark of spiritual maturity is bearing much fruit. And the best model for spiritual maturity is seasons. Fruit grows in seasons and all the seasons are necessary for growing it. What is the fruit bearing of a follower of Christ? There are the fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians (Galatians 5:22-23), developing righteousness, and sharing the gospel with non-believers to name a few examples. And developing this fruit has do with inactivity as much as activity, waiting as with working, and barrenness with abundance. Ultimately, through the seasons we want seek two things: Christ’s presence in season and out and Christ’s wisdom in season and out in knowing how best to meet Him making the most of each and every season. And we need to remember that there’s more to life than the here and now; there’s a life of seasons waiting for us too….
The writer of Ecclesiastes says that for everything there is a season:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: “A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2,6-7) But he goes on to say: “What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has load on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet not one can fathom what God had done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:9-11)
These two thoughts–for everything there is a season made beautiful in its time, and God has set eternity in our hearts are connected. As Mark Buchanan writes: “Eternity hides beneath the guise of each season’s beauty. That beauty is eternity’s sleight hand, the trick it uses to bedazzle and bewilder us, to make out hearts’ longing appear and disappear right before our very eyes. You think that you crave the summer of ’69, or whatever summer it was you were young and in love. But that summer was only a dress rehearsal for what you heart really wants: Heaven.” We need not despair of the burden of the winter’s in this life or be overcaptivated by the beauty of summer brings. God’s desire is for us to walk with this Man for All Seasons as we go through seasons in and out and that when all is done, we will come home. To a home we were made for: Heaven. We’ll discuss all of this and more as we move along in the series.
There are many different approaches we can take with this series. We can follow the natural progression of a calendar year: Winter to fall, or start with the spring and end with the winter. But I feel the best approach is to start with the fall and end on a high note with the summer. (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer) What will we be looking at through each season of the soul? First, we’ll be exploring the hallmarks of each season–what it feels like, the highlights, the pitfalls, and the benefits. Then we’ll learn how to steward the season. What to do, what not to do, and how to get the most out of it. The book we’re primarily studying is Mark Buchanan’s Spiritual Rhythm, which is what inspired this series to begin with. This series will give a brief overview of the book and if you’re more than welcome to purchase a copy of this book to help you better understand and go more in-depth with the material we’re covering.
I believe that this series will open your eyes to better understand how spiritual seasons flow in and out of our lives. You’ll be better equipped with a knowledge of how to make the most of every season you encounter and learn how to bear much fruit in Christ. Because for everything, there is a season. The highs, the lows, the valleys, and rose-colored days–there is a season. Seasons to savor, to grow, to steward, to wait, to harvest. For joy, sorrow, laughter, perseverance, and seeking. In every season to find Christ where you are and to discover He has found you. As you walk hand in hand with the Man for All Seasons.
Radiant Reflection: This week served as an introduction to the seasons of the soul. Answer these questions to help you recall what you just read:
1) What is your favorite season of the year? Why? What activities do you enjoy the most during this season? List the reasons why you like this season the most.
2) What is a spiritual season? Why does it differ from the seasons of nature or the seasons of aging?
3) How is Jesus like a Man for All Seasons? List some examples why He stayed in spiritual rhythm throughout His time here on earth.
4) What is the true measure of spiritual maturity? Why is busyness and doing activities not always the most beneficial thing we can do in our spiritual walk with Christ?
5) Where are you currently in bearing fruit for Christ? Why do you believe this to be the case? What do you hope to learn in this series? Spend some time in prayer asking God to help you gain a better understanding in how to apply these truths into your life throughout the next few weeks.
Can You Hear Me Now?: I’ve decided to give you a breather as we begin the Christmas holiday season. We’ll be covering a ton of material in a very short period of time, so there will be no challenges for this series. I would still recommend answering the Radiant Reflection questions to help you better understand and apply the material we’ll be covering, though. Also as I stated in the blog entry, to get the entire picture of the spiritual seasons of the soul; pick and purchase the book, Spiritual Rhythm from Mark Buchanan. Due to time constraints we cannot cover everything he goes over in this book through this short series.
Future Features: As we begin the month of December and wrap up another year; take note that there is plenty of new content and features being added and upcoming. The new section called Loud and Hear is your one-stop for news, updates, and upcoming new content. Each Monday you’ll see what new content was added in the Week as a Whole, the contents that’s coming in the Future Features, and the changes being made to the design/navigation in Website Whispers. As for this blog series, we’ll first look at the season of fall next week, then winter in two weeks, and conclude with both spring and summer in the week of December 19. Have a great weekend. God Bless.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Man_for_All_Seasons
Mark Buchanan, Spiritual Rhythm, Zondervan. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2010. Pages 11-12, 16-21
The Crowd that Cheers for Christ with Casual Commitment
Evidence and Significance of the Resurrection: Fan or Follower? (Part 5 of 5)
Thursday, November 17, 2011
“Then He said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” (Luke 9:23)
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:56-57, 60, 66)
They’re the enthusiastic admirers. The guy who devotes every night to watching his favorite baseball team play. The season-ticket holder who goes to every home game for her favorite football team. The collector who owns all of his favorite player’s memorabilia–his jerseys, caps, autographs, sports cards. The one who travels across the country to see his favorite band play knowing every song by heart. The woman who keeps up with all the latest gossip and news about her favorite Hollywood actress. They are found in all areas of life, across countless hobbies, and in all corners of the globe. They’re willing to make sacrifices, give up their time and money, and be passionate about a cause only if they get what they seek in return. For sports it may be entertainment, fun, and exciting to witness athletic achievement. Music fans love the adrenaline rush they get listening and singing along to their favorite artist’s songs. Hollywood fans love the thrill of putting themselves in their favorite actor/actress’ shoes. They’re enthusiastic admirers but more commonly referred to as fans.
What are the factors that make up a fan? They’re on the sidelines, not part of the game, event, movie, or concert. They know facts, trivia, and just about everything there is to know about their object of their admiration, but they don’t know that person, team, or group of people. When times get rough, the band starts to lose its edge, the Hollywood celebrity starts to fad from the dim light, the sports team begins to lose regularly–it’s off the bandwagon, and it’s time to search for the next admiration that supplants the need. There is another kind of fan that is gaining in popularity and around every street corner–fans who call themselves Christians. They seek Jesus for what He can give them and get only so close to Him so it doesn’t require anything back in return. They know all about Him, but don’t know Him. Their stadium is the church building. Their chant is boisterous for all to hear in their arena on Sunday mornings, but silence is their cry in their workplace. They love hearing how God can bless their lives, but forbid any teaching that will impinge with their comfortable, easy lifestyles. The question each and every one of us most face: Are you a fan or are you a follower?
It’s a natural reaction to immediately assume you’re a follower. Most of us are quick to say, “Yes, I’m a follower of Jesus,” but don’t really understand what we are saying. Or perhaps you don’t see the relevance of the question. It doesn’t seem worth answering. But what if this question defines your destiny? Determines your destination. Draws the design of who you really are. What if? If this question is this important, shouldn’t at least examine it’s worth and why it’s worth answering? Whether you acknowledge it or not, this one question will be answered by you in your lifetime. There are those who follow Jesus and those you walk away. Two sides– and each of us if on one or the other.
Before we begin examining the follower vs. fan determining factors, let’s briefly discuss what traps we often fall into when answering this question. First there’s the cultural comparison. It’s looking at what others are doing and it’s their commitment vs. our own. It’s the grading yourself on a curve syndrome. When we do this we almost always put ourselves up against those who are spiritually anemic. “Well they don’t read the Bible as much as I do.” “They don’t listen to Christian music like me.” “That person is divorced or their children are rebellious.” If you find yourself doing this it is a clear sign of a self-indictment. The other measuring stick we use is pointing out our religious rules and rituals as evidence that we’re really a follower. We reason that going to church every Sunday, tithing each week, not drinking alcohol, or seeing R-rated movies makes us a follower. There are many other ways we falsely presume that determine if we’re a follower which include our denominational belonging, Biblical knowledge, or family upbringing. So what does define a fan vs. a follower? Let’s take a closer look….
The first question that needs to be focused on is: Have you made a decision for Jesus or a commitment to Jesus? Fans don’t mind Jesus making minor changes in their lives when it suits them. But Jesus wants to turn our lives upside down and a complete overhaul. Followers surrender their lives, every single part to Him. What’s the problem with the church today? It’s the overemphasis on believing. BELIEVE is put in bold print while follow is in small print. It’s getting members to join the church, but little time is spent in actually clarifying what it means to be a Christian. Believing and following are not polar opposites, but connected. One cannot live without the other. The entire foundation of the faith is built upon these two principles. To truly believe is to follow. There is no if or buts about it. What’s more attractive, a Gospel that cost us nothing and offers us everything, or a Gospel that costs us everything? Is it any wonder than why there are so few followers of Christ compared to that of His fans?
There is another question that demands to be answered: Do you have knowledge about Christ or intimacy with Him? Many fans of Christ give their minds to studying and reading His Word learning all about Him. But when it comes to knowing Him they are distant. Today the church is filled with fans who know about Christ. Bible bowl competitions, vacation Bible schools, sermons, Bible studies–are any of this activities wrong? Of course not! They are invaluable in our spiritual growth in Christ. The problem is that we let our knowledge of God and His Word cloud our judgment on whether we know His personally. The truth of the matter is this–knowledge without intimacy is not a relationship, it’s just knowledge.
The next question we’re faced with is a tough one to digest, but needs to be addressed: Is Jesus One of Many or Is He Your One and Only? “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes even his own life–he cannot be by disciple.” (Luke 14:25-26) This is one of the hardest passages of Scripture we come across in the Gospels and many choose to ignore it. Jesus calls us to choose Him over our hobbies, our passions, our friends, our family, and yes, even our very own life. The word hate is defined as “to dislike something intensely” but clearly Jesus doesn’t want us to “hate” our family in that sense. It would contradict His teachings and His very nature. In reality, Jesus is calling us to love Him more and putting Him as the One and Only. The questions we need to ask ourselves to help answer if there is anything competing with Jesus for your affection are the following: For what do I sacrifice my money on? When I’m hurt, where do I go for comfort? What disappoints or frustrates you the most? What is it that really gets me excited? But above all, this question when answered reveals your true heart lies: If following Jesus cost me everything, would it still be worth it?
The fan club of Christ is made up of two general camps. The first camp are those who were brought up in the faith, learned to put on a mask, and grew up acting like a Christian. Talking like them, listening to their music, act them; but never falling in love with Jesus. It’s more about heritage then surrender. The other camp measures their faith by their hard work at learning and following the rules. Doing the right things, saying the right things, but it isn’t a reflection of who they really are. Which brings us to question number four: Are you more focused on the outside than the inside? In other words: Are you a hypocrite? Hypocrites make sure to be seen in public when they pray, boast about how much give to charity, and enjoy seeing other fail because it makes them look better. It’s those who are reading this and assume I’m describing someone else. They have worn this mask for so long that they have fooled even themselves. The great pitfall of the Christian faith is to assert that it’s all about following rules and rituals. This is religion. What Christ calls us to is something far greater. A relationship with Himself. When we are in a dynamic relationship with Him, obedience and submission flow naturally from the inside out. There is not duty or obligation that remains. It’s choosing love over laws, grace over guilt, and faithfulness over feeling.
The final question that defines our relationship with Christ may be the most overlooked today: Are You a Self-Empowered Fan or a Spirit-Filled Follower? Here’s what Jesus told His followers just before He ascended into Heaven: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) You see it was better for Jesus, God in the flesh, to leave, because when we went the power of the Holy Spirit comes. (John 16:7) The focus goes from “God with us” to “God in us” It was because of the Holy Spirit that these ordinary men who followed Christ changed the world. Today there are many fans of Christ who life their lives on their own power. By their strength. To live in the power of the Spirit is to shine a light on our weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9-10) It is a constant practice of emptying yourself of you and being filled with the Spirit. It’s declaring your complete dependence on God, putting yourself at risk for His sake, and daring to get out of your comfort zone. It is through the Holy Spirit that we overcome our addictions, marriages are restored, churches are rebuilt, miracles are seen. Followers of Christ have story after story of how the power the Holy Spirit has changed their life. Fans struggle finding any at all.
If you’re made it this far, you’re probably reeling from trying to figure out where you stand. You’re probably wondering what to make of all of this. Hang it there! We’re now going to look at the practical application side of things by turning into fans of Christ. In Matthew 9:9 we read:” As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.” Following Christ is an invitation that is always open. To anyone. The sick, the hurting, the addict, the alcoholic, the poor, the sex offender–anyone. But the invitation comes with a cost. A very large cost–giving up everything. Matthew left his family, his wealth, power, and comfort for the sake of Christ. In the end it cost Him his very life. The invitation is there for us to take, but we must realize that the road ahead wouldn’t be an easy one to take.
Relationships we tend to be most passionate about today is romantic ones. We are engulfed by messages that emphasize romantic love as the ultimate human experience. It in the plot line of virtually all the classic and blockbuster movies, the subject of countless books, and the theme of nearly every song. The pursuit of romantic love will make us do crazy things. Like driving hundreds of miles to see that special someone, spending a chunk full of change on flowers, staying up all night to hear our sweetie’s voice. To those who are observing our behavior they can’t help but exclaim, “You’re crazy!”
Followers of Christ are like that. They do things that are deemed crazy by the casual fan. The fan doesn’t believe in getting too carried away with relationship with Christ. Jesus wants more than leftovers or a few spare hours each week–He requires everything. He gives us a picture of what this invitation requires: “The kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he hand and bought that field.” (Matthew 13:44) To follow Christ is to make the best investment you could ever make. It is a passionate pursuit for a love relationship with Him. There will be pain involved. Risks and sacrifices required along the way. It’s not because God needs your time, money, possessions, or worship. It’s because He wants you. He longs for you to passionately pursue Him. He sent His Son to die on the cross for us. We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) Being loved causes us to love. The heart of a follower reveals that they love Christ more than anything else in this world. And it’s not crazy to them. It’s the most sane thing they could do in light of what who He is and what He’s done. Those who are fans of Christ are the ones who are crazy.
Fans of Christ try to follow Him by compartmentalizing the areas of their lives. They don’t allow Him access to all of their possessions. Their terms over His. It’s their terms on what they do with their sexual desires, diet, hard earned money, or job. So they follow what the world tells them to do. What the popular crowd is doing, what the media is portraying, and what their natural urges lead them. As long as following Christ doesn’t interfere with these parts of their life, then they’re all in. This is not what Christ requires of us–He requires a complete and total commitment. To deny ourselves while proclaiming Him. In Luke 9:23, Christ tells us: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” In the church today we are a culture on consumers. It’s the question: What Jesus can do for me? not What can I do for Jesus? It’s Burger King’s slogan: “Have it your way.” In reality, to be a follower of Christ is to be a “slave.”
The Biblical writers John, Timothy, and Jude all give themselves this same title–a slave of Christ. Today it is deemed offensive, but you can’t call Jesus Lord without declaring yourself His slave. You’re saying, “He’s the Master and I am the slave.” That’s what it means to deny yourself. Because when you become a slave to Christ you truly find freedom. It strikes us as a contradiction, but life without Christ is actually true slavery. Slavery to sin and self. There’s also more to becoming Christ’s slave that He offers us: He makes you His son. His daughter. His friend. There is no greater honor and privilege. No greater calling. To deny yourself is to give up your right to rule. It’s a call to trust Him above all else. Which leads us to one more thing that defines a follower—the daily action of taking up your cross and dying.
The slogan for followers of Christ can be captured in this way:”Come and Die.” This is not a slogan that draws in a crowd. Instead it sounds like a headline for a horror movie. It’s something most would flee from. And the symbol for followers of Christ is a cross. An instrument of torture and death used by the Roman Empire in the 1st century. For people of that time, it was seen as a symbol of humiliation and suffering. And ultimately death. When Jesus us say to take up the cross daily and follow me fans want don’t want to take His invitation literally. To die daily is deemed as too radical to them. But for a follower it means there will be cost involved. Suffering, persecution, and sacrifice are not options, but part of the daily calling. The question we need to ask ourselves is: When was the last time following Jesus cost me something?
Can you really say that carrying your cross hasn’t cost you anything? A job promotion? A relationship? A vacation? Your reputation? To take up your cross and die daily is a choice. Is contrary to how we typically think of death. We perceive death has something we don’t choose, it happens against our will. But ultimately, Christ doesn’t force us to do anything against our will. For a follower of Christ, the cross isn’t forced upon us, it is taken up. In John 10:18 Jesus says, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” And we are to die daily. It’s not a one-time decision. This is the most challenging part of the invitation. It’s the daily declaration to die to ourselves and live for Christ. What does dying to Christ daily look like? It may mean that you sacrifice buying the latest cell phone to give to the poor in need. Serving a shelter home instead of watching your favorite television show. Standing up for what you believe in despite being classified as a “freak.” Going to a third country instead of your yearly trip to Disney World. Some days will be harder than others. But there is no denying it–to deny yourself and follow the call of Christ is complete surrender.
We’re come full circle and the question remains: Are you a fan or a follower of Christ? This is a question that shouldn’t be thrown to the curb to be answered when you get around to it. It is the question that answers all the others. This question is not given to you so you can doubt your salvation in Christ. But you have to ask yourself: Is following Christ just about believing or this there more to His call for us? If you read the Gospels and what Jesus tells his followers, you would be faced with the truth of His invitation: It’s a call for complete commitment. Either you’re hot or cold. In or out. A fan or a follower. Christ wants all of you. Not part, not some, ALL. He is madly in love with you and pursues you relentlessly a relationship with Himself. To start following Him here right where you are. Right now. Because in light of reality following Christ isn’t crazy, it’s rational. It isn’t radical, it’s the only reasonable thing we can do in response of His love. Jesus’ call is the same today as it was yesterday: “Follow me.” The choice is ours to make.
Radiant Reflection: Although you were presented with some very difficult questions in this week’s lesson, here are a few of the ones that are most critical to the message:
1) What is the difference between a fan of Christ and a follower of Christ? Give a summary of what you believe to be the largest differences found in this week’s lesson.
2) Have you ever fully committed your life to Christ? Why or why not? What is keeping you from doing so?
3) What are some of the defining factors of a follower? What is required of a follower of Christ?
4) What does it mean to “take up your cross” and die daily to Him? Give examples of what it would look like in your own life. **See challenge below**
5) Are you a fan or a follower? Take your time to answer this question. Be honest with yourself and to God. Then pray and ask God to give you the strength to be fully committed to Him starting today. **See challenge below**
Can You Hear Me Now?: This week is one of the hardest, yet most important messages you’ll ever come across in your walk with Christ. I recommend reading the book where these ideas and concepts were taken from: Not a Fan. by Kyle Idleman. It is not an easy read by any measure, but if you’re really serious about being fully committed to Christ, it’s worth the investment in time and money. Now for the challenge:
First, answer the question, Are you a fan or a follower? Next jot down the areas of your life from your marriage, job, health, family, social life–everything that makes up your daily activities, time, energy, and you who are. Then write down what it would mean to follow Christ and die to Him daily in your life. They don’t have to be earth shattering, but they need to be practical ways that require you surrender everything to Him. Don’t rush into this. Pray and seek God first. Ask Him to reveal where your true heart lies in all of the areas of your life. Once you have some ideas done, begin applying them into your everyday life. It wouldn’t be easy but once you have fully commmited to Christ you’ll experience more joy and peace than you ever imagined! The greatest journey possible is only attainable when you truly become a follower of Christ.
Future Features: I hope this series on the Evidence and Significance of the Resurrection was very applicable to you in your walk with Christ. Next week I’ll take the week off to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. At the end of November, we’ll begin a 5 part series on the Seasons of the Soul. These blogs will be much shorter in length for a change and there will be multiple blogs written in at least one week span during the series(I’ll let you know beforehand). The first part will introduce what the seasons of the soul are and their importance of recognizing them in our lives. There is a ton of other news to give you, but I don’t have time to go over it all here. Starting next Monday, there will be a new page called, “Loud and Here” that will be a central location for new updates, news and notes concerning SHOUT IT Ministries. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! God Bless.
Sources: Kyle Ideman, Not a Fan. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan: 2011, Pages 24-27, 32-37, 42-46, 58-63, 71-81, 89-95, 97, 115-116, 124-125, 131-134, 145-153, 158-162, 167-171
The Radical Rebellion Against the Roman Regime
Evidence and Significance of the Resurrection: A New Hope (Part 4 of 5)
Friday, November 4, 2011
“But there’s an empty cross, there’s an empty tomb
Fire and wind now sweeping in this tiny upper room
There’s a hungry world, there’s a risen King
Unlock the doors, what reason more could we ever need?
So sing with me, I dare you to
Because there’s an empty cross; there’s an empty tomb” Dan Haseltine/Matt Hammitt lyrics
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:18
The Republic was in ruins. The Jedi were all but extinct. The Evil Empire had control over the Galactic Senate. And all hope seemed lost. After years of oppression, up rose a rebellion called the Rebel Alliance, that dared stand against the forces of darkness that had shrouded the galaxy. Their chances of successful overthrowing the Empire were insurmountable. The Empire’s newest weapon, the Death Star, which could destroy an entire planet. Time was running out. Then Luke Skywalker, the hero of this story, and his newly acquainted friends, came to the aid of the rebellion risking their lives to fight for this cause. The cause of freedom, a better life, and hope. Sacrifices were made. Many died for this cause. Yet in the end of the epic Star Wars saga, good overcomes evil. The Rebel Alliance wins the war, DarthVader is redeemed, and the Evil Emperor Palatine’s rule comes to an end.
Millions of people have come to love the Star Wars films for many reasons. The action, the characters, the music, the sense of adventure, the incredible visual appeal. But most of all because it showed us that there is hope that good will overcome evil despite the incredible odds against it. We love the underdog in today’s society. The sports teams that against all odds win a championship in the face of defeat. Men and women who achieve incredible feats despite their shortcomings. Music artists who rise from poverty to fame. Christianity then should be viewed as the ultimate underdog. A story scripted with so many plot twists that Hollywood would never accept it as realistic. But indeed this story happened and has shaped the entire course of history. It all started in the most unlikely place. With a group of Jewish fisherman who were in no position to lead such as daring rebellion. What they went through far outweighs what the Star Wars Rebel Alliance encountered. Don’t believe me? Read on…
The disciples in the 1st century faced a vastly overwhelming threat, as that on the Star Wars Empire, but under entirely different circumstances. Their rebellion was not against the government, battalion, or rulers of the Roman or Jewish systems. Instead it was a profound new set of beliefs and way of living that defied common logic. They were fisherman not revolutionaries. Proven cowards in the face of conflict. (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50) Peter, the one who was to be the rock of the church, denied Christ three times and fled. (Mark 14:66-72) Once Christ was crucified, the fearful disciples hid themselves in an upper room and locked the doors. (John 20:19) Their hope was buried with their Messiah. They had no reason to believe that Jesus would rise from the dead. As F. F. Bruce states:
“Not even the disciples themselves had reckoned with [the Resurrection]; it took them quite by surprise. But it transformed them almost on the spot from a crowd of demoralized and frightened people into a band of men with a mission and purpose in life which, without delay, they proceeded to translate into action.”
Then something happened. News of the unthinkable, the seemingly impossible, and the most wondrous thing anyone could have imagined came about. Jesus had risen from the dead! Skepticism soon followed. How could this be true? There had to be a logical explanation. Then they came face to face with the Truth Himself: “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19-20) Thomas, who was not present at the time, doubted the disciples claim. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus doubted even as they personally talked to Jesus Himself. Yet within days something happened to utterly change this group of cowardly followers into a band of radical revolutionaries willing to face a life of suffering for the cause of Christ. Skeptics such as Jesus’ brother, James, and Saul(later named Paul) had their lives turned upside down. They abandoned their jobs, families, and fully committed themselves to spreading a very specific message–that Jesus Christ was the Messiah of God who died on a cross, returned to life, and was seen alive by them.
From a human point of view that focuses on the temporary, there was no payoff for the disciples. They were seen as fools in many eyes and crazy to others. Their lives of comfort and safety were gone. Hardship, suffering, and ridicule were now common place. They were beaten and imprisoned. And nearly all of them were executed in gruesome and horrifying fashion. Why did they do this? For good intentions? For political gain? To give themselves a false sense of hope? No. They had no ulterior motives, with nothing to gain and a LOT to lose, and yet they choose to die for what they believed in.
But doesn’t this happen with believers of all faiths? is a commonly raised question among skeptics. The Muslims who attacked the World Trade Center on September 11 willingly died for their faith in Allah. And it is the case with Buddhists, Hindus, and atheists alike. But just because you die for something you believe in doesn’t make it true. The truth of the matter is very straightforward: People will die for their religious beliefs if they sincerely believe they’re true, but people won’t die for their religious beliefs if they know their beliefs are false. No one willingly dies for a lie. The disciples were in a position to know without a shadow of a doubt whether or not Jesus had risen from the dead. They were in witnesses in the backdrop of the Christian faith. The Romans could have easily ended the disciples uprising. All it would have taken was a public display of Jesus’ body to quiet them. But they couldn’t because Jesus wasn’t in the tomb. He had risen and the foundation of the Christian church began to spread like wildfire. Curious, isn’t it?
The entire Jewish way of life began to be transformed by these men of the Christian faith. Sacrifices of animals were no longer necessary. There was more to the faith then simply obeying the commandments handed down through Moses. Love became the core of the faith. A fifteen-hundred year tradition is abruptly changed as the Sabbath is moved from Saturday to Sunday. Jesus was now worshipped as God within the Holy Trinity; a concept seen as heresy to claim a man as God within the Jews. And these newly founded Christians pictured the Messiah as someone who suffered and died for the sins of the world; whereas Jews had been trained to believe that the Messiah was going to be a political leader who would destroy the Roman armies. Within a short period of time an entire community of ten thousand or more Jews were willing to give up five huge key principles that had served them sociologically and theologically for centuries. What explanation can be given for this? Only one makes sense: Jesus had risen from the dead.
It wasn’t long because the Roman Empire began to take notice. These bold Christians were seen as a threat competing with their own ideologies and faith practices. Suppose you had to place a bet on who would most likely survive the Christians or the Roman Empire with the information available at that time. You probably wouldn’t put money on these ragtag rebellion of men whose primary message was that of a crucified carpenter from an obscure village who had conquered the grave. Yet today all that’s left of the Roman empire is relics, artifacts, and ruins from the past while the Christian faith is evident in all corners of the globe effecting hundreds upon hundreds of millions of people every day. Seems quite a bit of a stretch to believe that this all came about one massive lie passed down by the disciples, doesn’t it?
For two thousand years that Christian church has been waged in war with the dark forces of this world. Evil dictators such as Nero, Stalin, Hitler, and Hussein have tried in vain to destroy the church. Millions upon millions throughout the generations have died in the faith, known as martyrs, and yet the Church only seems to get stronger with each passing generation. Despite the hatred for the Bible and governments outlawing its use; the Bible is the number one selling book in publishing history. The practice of the faith has been banned in schools, homes, government, and public places yet people of all ages, backgrounds, personalities, educated and not educated, rich and poor, and of all nationalities claim His name. That Jesus Christ has changed them and that He is Lord. This is truly radical, yet it’s reality.
Take a step back for a moment and reflect upon the reality of the situation of how Christianity has shaped the world. Without the Christian faith there is no United States of America. The fight against slavery in Europe and throughout the world would never have been fought. Standards of morality are just noble ideas, not laws. The homeless, sick, abandoned, lost, and forgotten throughout the ages would have never had their needs met. Christmas would just be another day on the calendar. There would be no human dignity rights to cling to. And hope would nothing more than a fleeting concept of what could have been. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. He provided us a new hope. A new life in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. A life of meaning, purpose, joy, peace, and contentment. A hope of life after death.
Today there are approximately 2.1 billion professing Christians in the world making it the largest religion in the world as it represents 33% of the world’s population. Yet the rebellion continues. This rebellion we are engaging in today goes far beyond political leaders, government systems, terrorists, or people of different belief systems. It is a war against the spiritual forces of darkness. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:12-13) Although the church cannot be destroyed, it can be diminished to be nothing more than ineffective and useless by the enemy. Evil, corruption, and sin constantly wage war with the church. That is why we must prepare ourselves for the inevitable attacks and stand firm to the foundation of our faith.
You are personally a part of this rebellion. When you committed your life to Christ professing Him as your Lord and Savior, you entered the front lines of the battle against good and evil. But as Christ tells us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b) He will never leave your side and His promises are secure. As a follower of His it is our mandate and joy to take treasure we’ve found in Him and share Him with the rest of the world. Being free of fear and oppression the world throws at us. Living transformed lives that exclaim a love that defies explanation. Showing love to the least of men, the poor, the sick, and the hurting. Giving away our time, possessions, money, and even our very own lives for this one thing. This is what being a radical for Christ is all about. It’s a reckless abandon in direct response to God’s amazing love for us. It’s the declaration to: Sing because there’s an empty cross and an empty tomb! As the apostle John wrote, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” It’s now or never. The call to wake the dead. To stand, rise, and give your life. Because He is a cause worth dying for!
Radiant Reflection: Take a moment to further your understanding of what you have just learned and answer these questions:
1) Why is the role of the underdog so appealing in our society? What is your favorite underdog story: fictional and in reality?
2) What is the major difference between people who die for their faith today and of the disciples?
3) Name some of the examples of the obstacles and barriers that opposed the church throughout the centuries. Why did the Roman empire fall compared to the Christian church which still stands today?
4) Name some examples of ways that Christianity has impacted your everyday life. Which one stands out the most to you? Why?
5) Who is the church currently waging war with? What is our biggest concern? How can we overcome this and be part of the rebellion?
Can You Hear Me Now?: This week involves journaling and analyzing where you stand in your walk with Christ. Take a few moments and reflect how your faith has changed your life. What habits have you overcome? How has your view of the world changed? What lives have you been able to touch? Then take a hard look what’s keeping you from living a fully surrendered life towards Christ. And resolve to let the Holy Spirit help you overcome these barriers. Ask Him to help you live in reckless abandon for the cause of Christ. Next week we’ll take what you have discovered and start taking action on seeing transformation in your life.
Future Features: This series is finally drawing to a close. We’ll conclude it with Part 5 on the response that we need to in regards to the Resurrection of Christ that was introduced in this blog next week. Then in mid-November we’ll begin a short 5 part series on the spiritual seasons of the soul that will take us to the holidays. Also next week marks the two year anniversary of when this website was launched. There will be a new logo unveiled, both the SPECIAL and Truth’s Transformation ministries will FINALLY be re-launched, a new Contact page will be available, and much more will be unveiled throughout the next 7-10 days! Have a fantastic weekend. God Bless.
Sources: Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1998, Pages 246-256
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_by_country
The Credibility of the Critically Claimed Conspiracy Theories
Evidence and Significance of the Resurrection: “The Truth Is Not There” (Part 3 of 5)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
” A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.” Wikipedia
“The truth is out there” was a popular slogan used in reference to the highly popular 90′s science fiction television series, The X-Files. The show thrived on tapping into the public mistrust of the government and embracing conspiracy theories; mainly focusing on the existence of extraterrestrial life. The two main characters were FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Mulder was the believer in the existence of aliens, while Scully remained a skeptic . It had a highly big following and has been called, “one of the greatest cult shows in modern television” and ran for nine seasons. Conspiracy theories are everywhere and recently have taken new heights in the media. The existence of alien life is the latest phenomenon that has swept the nation and the government hiding the truth from our eyes. This is most notably referenced in regards to the military base of Area 51 and UFO sightings. Recent movies such as Independence Day and Transformers have illustrated this belief. And this is just scratching the surface. How about the Loch Ness Monster? Big Foot? Elvis Presley sightings? Or the assassination of John F. Kennedy? There is a growing number of people who believe what the “truth is out there” and it’s being kept from the public by either the government or another political institution. And when it comes to the resurrection of Jesus Christ it should come to no surprise that there are many conspiracy theories hypothesized by skeptics alike on what really happened.
These conspiracy theories have been around much longer than Area 51 and the Loch Ness Monster. Some of been in existence for as long as the date of the Resurrection itself. There are four today that are the popularly used to hypothesize the logic behind the idea of the Resurrection: The conspiracy hypothesis, The apparent death hypothesis, the displaced body hypothesis, and the hallucination hypothesis. Before we examine the evidence we need to keep the following in mind:
- The best explanation will explain more of the evidence.
- The best explanation will present the evidence as more probable.
- The best explanation will be more plausible than other explanations.
- The best explanation will be less contrived than other explanations.
- The best explanation wouldn’t conflict with as many accepted beliefs.
The Conspiracy Hypothesis
The longest running explanation is the conspiracy hypothesis. The hypothesis states that the disciples stole the body of Jesus and lied about His appearances. It was the first counter explanation for the empty tomb used by the Roman authorities. The evidence for this hypothesis has little weight. First, why would the disciples fabricate a story about women finding the empty tomb. Jewish men would not invent such a story during the 1st century society they were a part of. Also how did the disciples move the stone that was sealing the tomb shut? Or get past the Roman guards? If this isn’t enough evidence against this theory, critics have virtually all recognized that the disciples at least sincerely believed that Jesus was risen from the dead. They staked their lives on this conviction! (which we’ll discuss fully next week)
This theory greatest weakness, though, is it’s plausibility. Taking a look at the situation from the perceptive of a first century Jew there was no expectation of a Messiah who would be shamefully executed by the Gentiles as a criminal. The Messiah was seen as the one who would establish King David’s throne and subdue Israel’s enemies. Simply, put the Resurrection was never even considered because the Messiah wasn’t supposed to be killed. If the Messiah was crucified then you’ve got two choices: Either you go home or you get a new Messiah, as N. T. Wright put it.
What about a connection between pagan myths and the origin of the disciples’ belief in the resurrection of Christ? Again there’s no trace of cults of dying and rising gods in first-century Israel. And for that matter, the disciples were confused when Jesus was referring His own resurrection because the idea of a resurrection occurring within history prior to the end of the world. In conclusion, the disciples would have looked forward to the resurrection of the last day and perhaps in keeping the Jewish custom preserved His tomb as a shrine where His bones could rest until the resurrection. Today the conspiracy theory is rarely defended as plausible in light of the massive evidence against it.
The Apparent Death (Swoon) Hypothesis
A much weaker and more recent hypothesis that grew in popularity in the nineteenth century claims that Jesus was not dead when He was taken down from the cross. He revived in the tomb, escaped, and convinced His disciples that He had risen from the dead. Today critics have virtually abandoned this hypothesis in light of the strong evidence against it. This theory shares all the weaknesses of the “conspiracy” theory (see above). Perhaps it wasn’t a conspiracy, is another version given by critics. It doesn’t take much digging to see that takes an incredible amount of faith to believe as well.
Crucifixion was perhaps best shown in its accuracy to history in the highly provocative and gruesome movie produced by Mel Gibson’s, The Passion of the Christ. Horror movies fall short of the indescribable evil shown in the accurate description of what a crucifixion was in the first century background of the Roman empire. (I still shutter when thinking about those images that I saw when viewing this movie several years ago) First, Jesus went through a vicious beating described in accounts of John 19, Matthew 27, and Mark 15. Romans used an instrument known as a flagrum, which often ripped the victim’s back to shreds. Many prisoners died before they could be executed as a result of this. He also had a crown of thorns pierced into His head that would cause anyone unspeakable pain. Then He had to carry a wooden cross in His horrible condition, be nailed in the hands and feet, and hang there for several hours in unbearable suffering. A criminals legs were then usually broken constricting his ability to push up on His feet to relieve the weight on His body on His lungs, slowly suffocating. Only Jesus’ legs were never broken as He was discovered to already be dead. And to be sure He was dead “one of the soldiers….pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out.” (John 19:34)
This was why crucifixion was a horrible and humiliating way to be executed. It was a slow, agonizing, and gruesome in nature. In order to accept this theory, one would have to account for all of these facts and then propose the following: Jesus under the condition He was, awoke in a dark tomb, maneuvered Himself out of His tightly wound cloths and spies, folded the cloth, and exited the tomb under His own strength, pushing away the stone, and getting past the Roman guards…and He did this naked too! The stone that blocked the entrance of a tomb weighed as much as one to two tons! And then Jesus appeared to His disciples, two of his followers on the road to Emmaus, and up to 500 people at one time having to convince them that He had defeated death and risen from the dead. And what’s more is that this scenario would make Jesus Christ the greatest deceiver of all time and His resurrection the greatest hoax in history. This would require believing that Jesus knowingly pursued this insane course of action to contrive His own resurrection to gain a renown that He would never witness or enjoy. Putting all the evidence together, it is clear that this hypothesis has no ground for credibility.
The Relocated/Displaced Body Hypothesis
The displaced body hypothesis is a modern theory to combat with the facts of the Resurrection first proposed by Joseph Klausner in 1922. He claimed that perhaps Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus’ body in His tomb temporarily, due to the lateness of the hour and the closeness of his own family tomb to the place of Jesus’ execution. Later on he moved the corpse later to the criminals’ common graveyard. Thus, the disciples upon finding the tomb empty inferred that Jesus was risen from the dead. It doesn’t take much digging to see this theory has major flaws.
First, it fails to address the postmodern appearances and the origin of the disciples’ belief in Jesus’ resurrection. Also why wasn’t the disciples’ error then corrected by Joseph or his servants. The plausibility factor also comes in play. According to Jewish sources, the criminals’ graveyard was only fifty to six hundred yards from the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. Jewish practice in that day required to bury executed criminals on the day of their execution, so that’s what Joseph would have wanted to accomplish. Thus it would have eliminated any need to move it later or defile his own family tomb if he placed Jesus in the criminals’ graveyard. The theory becomes even more contrived if you have to conceive Joseph suddenly died to order for this hypothesis to be true. Virtually no historian today even puts this theory under consideration in light of the evidence that is given.
The Hallucination Hypothesis
The hallucination hypothesis is another proposed theory that states the resurrection appearances by Jesus were merely hallucinations on the part of the disciples. At first glance, it’s not hard to find major flaws with this hypothesis. It fails to explain the empty tomb. In other words, it must conjoin with another independent hypothesis to account for the empty tomb. Also the Jewish beliefs instilled in the disciples would seen Jesus in heaven or Abraham’s bosom, where the souls of the righteous dead were believed to abide until the final resurrection. Thus, these visions would not have led to belief in Jesus’ resurrection.
Hallucinations do occur among individuals. They are often mistaken, even deluded, about the things they see or experience. This being said, there are certain patterns to the experience of delusions and hallucinations. They are highly individualized and extremely subjective. It is extremely rare for two persons to experience the game hallucinations simultaneously. Keeping these facts in line, the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection appearances do not bear the mark of hallucination. The witnesses were often puzzled or skeptical at first. Most of the appearances were in groups of people. Jesus appeared at least ten different times following His resurrection:
- To Mary of Magdala (Mark 16:9, John 20:11-18)
- To Peter (Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5)
- To two followers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33)
- To the women returning to the tomb (Matthew 28:9-10)
- To the disciples and a number of others (Luke 24:36-43)
- To the disciples, including Thomas (John 20:26-29)
- To seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 20:26-29)
- To more than five hundred followers (1 Corinthians 15:7)
- To James, His brother (1 Corinthians 15:7)
- To the eleven disciples at His ascension (Acts 1:4-9)
To summarize, the people who saw Jesus were not the kind of people most likely to suffer delusions. They were skeptical and slow to believe when Jesus appeared before them. The disciple, Thomas, was certainly not the victim of an hallucination: “I won’t believe it, he vowed, “unless I see the nail wounds in His hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound of His side.” ( John 20:25) Like all the other hypothesis–the evidence clearly is highly weighted against this theory and it would require much more faith to believe it than the testimony of the eyewitnesses:“during the forty days after His crucifixion, He appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that He was actually alive.” (Acts 1:3)
The Resurrection Hypothesis
There are other less popular theories that have been thrown to the mix as well. Examples would be the spiritual resurrection theory and growing supported theory in the best-selling book, The Da Vinci Code; which claims that Christianity has been plagiarized from Greco-Roman mystery religions. These theories fall through when put against the backdrop of the facts of the Resurrection accounts. All of these theories fail to account for at least one of the main facts at issue. The Resurrection hypothesis then is the most logical and most reasonable explanation.
The hypothesis of Jesus’ resurrection accounts for all three main facts at issue: The tomb is empty, the disciples should see appearances of Jesus alive, and they believe to it was His resurrection from the dead. Thus, the one and only supposition needed is simply that God exists. The evidence is clearly portrayed in the disciples transformation from cowards to bold preachers (which we’ll go further in detail next week). They were willing to choose a life of suffering and die for the cause of Christ. What transformed these men into true believers? Only one explanation makes sense: Jesus Christ did indeed rise from the dead and appear to the disciples in a new resurrected body.
There are many resources and books written that go further into detail on the evidence for the Resurrection and why the many “conspiracy” theories fail miserably in light of the facts. I recommend reading, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel or On Guard by William Lane Craig if you want a more complete scope of the historical, cultural, social, and political facts in regards to the Resurrection of Christ. As we can see, it is the critics, not Christians who need lack credibility in their claims. There is much larger amount of faith required to believe that the disciples stole Jesus’ body or they hallucinated His appearances to them, then Him resurrecting from the dead. As for the conspiracy theories behind an alien invasion, Big Foot, and Elvis living among us–the truth is out there and the verdict is still under consideration…
But the truth of the matter is this: The truth is out there to be discovered, but He is not in the tomb–He has risen!! Death could not contain Him and we have victory in the power of His resurrection! He can be trusted and there is life beyond the grave. The Truth is right here, waiting for you to open your heart to Him. The Christian faith is reasonable. It is when you realize the Truth and who He Is that your cry changes from “I want to believe” to “I do believe!” An incredible journey awaits you. The first step is to just believe…
Radiant Reflection: There was quite a bit of information to take in this week on different theories and their flaws. To help you retain and remember the key points of this blog, answer the following questions:
1) Do you believe in any of the conspiracy theories out there currently? Why do you believe them to be true? Or false?
2) What are the five key factors that help determine if a theory/hypothesis is true or not?
3) What are the major flaws of the Conspiracy Hypothesis/the Swoon Hypothesis? Relocated Body Hypothesis?
4) Name some of the individuals who saw Jesus after He was resurrected. What was their initial reaction? Why do these facts not correspond with what we know about hallucinations?
5) Have you have done any research/reading on these theories before? Why or why not? After examining the evidence what is your verdict? Why? If you still have doubts or have stubbing blocks yet to hurdle– research more on the evidence out there from a reliable source. Then spend time in prayer asking God to clear your mind of the barriers of unbelief.
Can You Hear Me Now?: This week you will be doing some more research and then recording your findings. First, I do encourage you to research more on the evidence concerning the Resurrection of Christ either on the web or by reading a book, such as “The Case for Christ” or “On Guard” referenced in this blog. But your main challenge this week is to read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death, burial, and Resurrection in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Go straight to the source. Read each account like it’s the first time you’ve read it. Record what you find. The facts. The people. Their reactions. Put all the information together into one timeline of events. And then draw your own conclusions. Does the Resurrection hold up in light of what you read? Did you discover anything new that you didn’t see before? Did anything change in how you view the Resurrection of Christ? Once you’re finished, spend time in prayer and ask God to strengthen your faith and conviction for Him this week. Thank Him the sacrifice He gave us and the gift of eternal life. Reflect on the awesome reality of what Christ has done.
Future Features:
Next week for Part 4 of this series we will examine the evidence for the Resurrection in the disciples radical transformation and the rise of the church against incredible opposing circumstances. Then we’ll conclude the series in early November with what our response should be in light of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you haven’t already, please take time to read the previous blog posted, titled: “Connecting and Catering to the Cluttered Christian Community.” This blog goes into detail on what makes SHOUT IT Ministries unique and why it’s set apart from other blogging sites. Also check out the new Enduring Echoes page which is where you’ll find a list of links to previous written blogs that have been re-edited with new content. Have a fantastic week! God Bless.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Files
Josh McDowell/Sean McDowell, The Unshakable Truth. Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon: 2010, Pages 281-296
William Lane Craig, On Guard. David C. Cook, Colorado Springs, Colorado: 2010, Pages 245-262
