Lost Sheep of Israel

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field'" (Matthew 9:36-37).

Keep in mind how Matthew described the people Jesus saw, "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." When I read that I think of people wandering looking for a place to settle. The people Jesus is looking at are people who have become disenfranchised from Judaism. They have been harassed because they are not devout followers of Judaism. They are helpless because the most religious have harassed them to the point they feel like God is so far away.

Maybe they are believers in God, but not sold out to the institution. The yoke has become so heavy they feel like there is no way they can live up to the standards placed upon them by the most religious. They live their daily lives believing, but not participating in the religion of the day. Jesus looked upon them and had compassion on them. He includes them in the harvest that is plentiful. He is looking for workers to go into this harvest field, giving them hope in God.

Matthew 10 starts with Jesus gathering his disciples and sending them out with instructions to gather the wandering sheep. The instructions begin with Jesus saying, "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew 10:5-6).

Who are these "lost sheep of Israel"? They are the same people Jesus has compassion on, the "harassed and helpless." Those who are not a part of the religious institution. The religious leaders call them sinners, "people of the land." Jesus calls them important worth leaving the ninety-nine to go after the one (Matthew 18:10-14).

How does this apply today? After reading books like "Revolution" (Barna), "Essential Church" (Rainer), "They Like Jesus but not the Church" (Kimball) and others, there are people who believe but are tired of the institution. I am hesitant to call them lost because they believe, but they are wandering looking for something authentic, something real.

Look, I am not trying to bash the church here, I have been a part of the institution all my life. I love the church. But as church leaders we have to admit there is something really wrong with the institutional church. We have become more like the religious leaders in Jesus' day than Jesus himself. The caution for every church, even new churches, is to be careful not to become an institution. This seems to be the tendency of every church at some point in its life.

Jesus changed his strategy during the last part of his ministry on earth. He was trying to build something that would last. So he instructed his disciples to go after a harvest that had the most potential of producing a large crop. It was not the most religious. It was not the Gentiles, those who were farthest from God. He went after the sheep who were wandering. People who knew God and wanted a relationship with God. People who were harassed by the institution.

As church leaders we need to change or strategy. Churches are in decline because of our unwillingness to change our strategy. The strategy Jesus instructs his disciples to have is the same strategy that would work best today in our culture. We need to leave the ninety-nine and pursue the lost sheep of the church.

When we reach the point of becoming an institution, protecting and sustaining the institution, people begin to wander.

More on this later.

Did He Call Her a Dog?

I was reading Matthew 15:21-28 last night and read a story I had read before. This time something really bothered me. A Canaanite woman came up to Jesus asking for him to have mercy on her. She had a daughter who was possessed by a demon.

Matthew records that Jesus "did not answer a word." He snubbed her, blew her off, he ignored her. I was amazed. Jesus usually acknowledges people who seek him out, it's in his character, right?

This woman persisted to the point that Jesus' disciples came up to him and asked him to do something about her. Jesus said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." Wait, I thought he was sent for all mankind. He talked with the Samaritan woman, the centurion and others. What is going on here?

The woman throws herself at Jesus' feet and pleads with Jesus, "Lord, help me!"

Jesus said, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." Did he just call her a dog? He is referring to all Gentiles here, but that includes this woman.

This is toward the end of Jesus' ministry while living among men. He has narrowed his focus and his strategy has changed. He spends the last months of his life trying to connect the lost sheep of Israel to the kingdom.

In Matthew 10:5-6 Jesus went to his twelve disciples and told them, "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel." He has narrowed the people he wants to reach to only the lost sheep of Israel.

But something happened with this woman that changed his mind. After he called her a dog, she said, "Yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." She plays along, accepts what he said and even uses the dog analogy. Then she says to Jesus, "All I want is a crumb Master."

She knew who she was talking with and knew that a crumb would be enough. That is some serious faith. She understood that all it took was faith as large as a mustard seed so she asked for a crumb.

Jesus was moved by her faith. He answered her saying, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." Even though he began to focus on the lost sheep of Israel, he was not going to ignore this person who had a complete understanding of the man Jesus.

Next post I will address the the idea of "the lost sheep of Israel.

Humble Yourself

I went to Walmart this morning, I had to get some socks. I put on my clown outfit minus the make up and I could not find my socks. So I had to buy some new ones. They were teal colored with a great big star on the calf. I found them in the women's section. They're hot!

So I went home put on my pants made from three 100 lb. rice bags, my sunflower shirt, my rainbow Mork suspenders and headed to a preschool. It is humbling when you drive through a Burger King to grab a quick lunch before you perform in "the outfit."

But when you walk in that room--the kids love you! I remember doing the clown stuff in Brooklyn, NY. I was a star. Hundreds of kids crowded around me calling out my name-- "Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles!" Alright the name does not quite ring with stardom.

Fame leads to power and power leads to pride. Look at some of the Hollywood elite. They become famous and all of a sudden they think the have power to influence the culture. Then there are politicians. Their power has created a "we know better than you" attitude. Look at some of the religious leaders of our culture. They get crowds of people who come to listen to them and all of a sudden they become wrapped up in their own success.

As I was driving to get my socks, I was listening to Glen Beck. I hardly ever listen to him because success often leads to pride. He said something that might make me start listening though. If he really believes it, we all need to start listening to him.

He was talking about the state of our government with all this stimulus package stuff. Their is an arrogance in our government that is frightening. Pride has moved in and it has deep roots.

He said, "We should not pray that God humbles us (as a country). We need to humble ourselves."

Think about that for a moment. Do you really want God to humble you as a person, country or a church? How about a Pop culture star, politician or preacher, do you want God to humble you? I don't. That would scare the crap out of me!

When God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, he turned him in to a beast of the field who ate grass for seven years. I want no part of God bringing the conditions on me that force me to become humble. When God does the humbling life gets hard and it is usually for an extended time.

The Bible teaches that the responsibility to be humble is ours. "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up" (James 4:10).

We have the responsibility to humble ourselves before God. The Hollywood elite need to realize it is God who gave them their talent. The politician needs to realize it was nothing they did to get elected, the Bible teaches that God has placed them in that position. It is not the preacher who has brought the success to the church, it is God who adds to the number daily those being saved.

God gives us a chance to humble ourselves, before he does the humbling. So ask yourself this question. Would you rather humble yourself or let God humble you?

Extreme Love that Only comes from God

This is a great parable on how we are to love people with the love of Christ.

Copy and paste this link into your browser:

http://www.nbcdfw.com/sports/football/A_Game_of_Hope_Dallas-Fort_Worth.html

You Aren't Swayed by Men

The religious leaders are attempting to trap Jesus in his words. They send their disciples to Jesus who preface their question to Him with the following description:

"We know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are" (Matthew 22:16).

They had watched Jesus enough to notice some awesome things about Him.

As much as they didn't like Him, they still saw a man who had deep values. He did not lie, he did not cheat, he was humble--the list could go on. He showed us as His followers how to live a life of integrity. Now the religious leaders were trying to use this against Him.

I was confused by the second thing they said about Him. "You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth." They were always questioning Him and the way he interpreted the law. Is it possible they began to see a new way to live out the law? A way in which drew them closer to God? A way that was more relational with Yahweh and not bogged down by religious acts? The way God had intended it when he gave the law to Moses?

The last thing they said to Him impresses me the most. "You are not swayed by men, because you pay no attention who they are." This is where they thought they had Him. They buttered Him up, stroked His ego (as if he had an ego) and knowing he was His own man wanted to portray Him as rebel against the Roman Government (that's why they brought the Herodians with them).

The disciples of the Pharisees ask Jesus, "In your opinion, is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

Jesus asked for them to show Him a coin used for paying taxes. "Whose portrait is on the coin? And whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar." Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."

They thought He would say, "There is no king but God." But Jesus' integrity and God's law would not allow it. As a man, Jesus is bound by the same principles we must live by. As a man, He would have to pay taxes to Caesar like everyone else and live by the law of the land.

So with this in mind how does the "not swayed by man" and "because you pay no attention to who they are" statement apply. The religious leaders are right in saying this about Jesus, but what does it mean. It means Jesus does not play favorites when it comes to having a relationship with Him.

One of the things the religious leaders could not get past was how Jesus did not give them the honor they thought was deserved. They saw themselves as being righteous before God and this righteousness gave them a special place. They were wrong. Jesus sees all people the same when it comes to righteousness. We are not righteous by our own doing. We are made righteous through our faith in Jesus.

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of [our] sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known . . . This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus" (Romans 3:20-24).

I get tired of people who think I am "so righteous" because I am a minister. I am no different than anyone else. Ask my dad. Ask Rhonda. I know what she would say, "He gets skid marks on his underwear like every other man."

This description of Jesus is both humbling and promising for me. It reminds me that I am like everyone else. I am know different, for like you, I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The promise comes from knowing Jesus loves me regardless of the sin and that he died for me even though I am not perfect.

The lesson we take away is this: To live like Jesus we need to be people of integrity, people who teach the word of God in accordance with the truth and people who look at other people the same.

How are you doing? Are you following Jesus?

Why Does He Eat With Sinners?

Jesus was always accused of associating with sinners and tax collectors. In Matthew 9:11 and Mark 2:16 the religious leaders question Jesus' disciples. They asked, "Why does he eat with sinners and tax collectors?" They ask this question because it really bothered them. The law taught that these people were dirty, not physically, but spiritually. Associating with these people would make you unclean.

There are two things that sticks out to me in both of these accounts. The religious leaders approached the disciples with this question, not Jesus. Why? Is it possible they did not want to get close to Jesus because he was now considered unclean? Chew on that thought for a moment. No wonder these sinners and tax collectors did not want anything to do with religion.

And what about the disciples? The question asked did not include them. The religious leaders did not say, "Why do 'you' eat with sinners and tax collectors?" Were they just standing back and watching Jesus hang out with these outcasts? Maybe they were shocked as well. It was just so uncommon for a religious figure to mix and mingle with people who were so far from God.

Not much has changed has it? I have watched religious leaders criticize followers of Jesus for hanging out in places that are full of "sinners." It is becoming more common for Christians to create their own utopia society where they never hang out with people who are far from God.

But Jesus did it? Why did Jesus hang out with sinners and tax collectors?

Jesus hears the question and says:

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:13)

Jesus went to the margins of society to find people who were far from God. He did not wait for them to come to Him. When he got there he showed them mercy by eating with them, talking with them and rubbing shoulders with them. This is something they had never experienced from anyone associated with Judaism.

Not only did Jesus show those far from God mercy, he showed religious leaders and his disciples how to love people who are far from God.

Here's a challenge to you. Start spending some time with people far from God. And if some Christian questions you and says, "Why do you hang out with people like that?" Simply answer:

"Because Jesus did it."