Vincent Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists. His paintings are considered by many to be the epitome of Impressionism. I ran across this painting by Van Gogh today, and was not only struck by its beauty, but sensed something more in the symbolism of its colors and form, so I decided to do a little research. Here’s what I found out:
I recently read through the book of Jude and, let me tell you, I’m exhausted! I’m just glad I didn’t read it using the Amplified Bible or it may have taken two pages and who knows how long to read!
But seriously, Jude offers a simple letter with two themes:
1. Take a sad song
2. Make it better
Yes, you read that right. How could a music geek like me not make a reference to the Beatles when writing about the book of Jude?
But I digress.
Take a Sad Song
Jude’s main point in his letter to the believers around him was this: beware of false teachers. But not just in general. Jude asserts that false teachers and “some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives.” (1:4 NLT) Sound like anyone you know? Many people in our churches have some really messed up understandings of biblical theology. And, to make it worse, some churches and pastors even preach and teach this incorrect doctrine. Here’s how Jude describes these people:
When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness…These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.
It’s a sad song, indeed. We have strayed away from the Gospel and all that it contains about the sacrifices that were made by the early Christians so that they could live according to the example of Christ. Being a Christ follower isn’t easy, and it certainly isn’t footloose and fancy free!
Make It Better
So, how do we take this sad song and make it better? Jude tells us in the second half of his letter.
1. Build each other up.
But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
We are tasked with the responsibility to pray for each other and to keep each other safe. We must live in community with one another, and be aware of correct doctrine, so that we are able to warn each other and correct each other when the time comes. How can we do this? Join a small group, go to a bible study, spend time in the word, spend time in prayer. First and foremost, though, is find a church that embraces these things and sets the example for living in Christian community. This is the model of the first church.
2. Show Mercy
You must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.
Mercy. Even to those who have “wormed their way” into your churches, and only intend to satisfy their own desires and agendas. Even those who live by false doctrine and rediculous theology. Show mercy to those people, and, most importantly, help them realize the error in their ways. However, do so lovingly, but also cautiously. I read Jude’s advice as being a warning against getting wrapped up in the same things yourself. If we start publicly criticizing everyone who doesn’t believe our “correct doctrine,” aren’t we making ourselves out to be just as bad as they are? Bottom line: hate the sin, but love the sinner.
Hey Jude! Don’t make it bad! Take a sad song, and make it better!
Naaaa naa naa nanana naaaaa, nanana naaaaa, hey Jude!
Everybody sing!
I came home early from work yesterday, which meant I got the TV and the remote all to myself!  I was free to flip and surf as much as I wanted!  And, I got to watch all the stuff that nobody else wants to watch!  But I digress….
The real point of this is to share what I heard God saying in one of the most unexpected places.  Flipping around the music channels, I ran across an interview with Lady Gaga, who was talking about her new album “The Fame Monster.”  There were several things that jumped out at me:
This is a guest post by Kevin Eagle.
I just read a blog post by Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. One of the descriptions he used for NCC was that they were a “revolving door” church:
We experience, on average, 40% turnover per year. So we have a new congregation every two and a half years. The wonderful thing about that is that we have extended family all over the place. We’re almost like this revolving door church that is always sending people out.
He doesn’t see this as a problem, but it is definitely a challenge to try and grow while continually losing 40% per year. But my thoughts take a different direction. What if one of the goals of every church was to be a “revolving door” and intentionally and constantly disciple and then send people out?
(more…)
This is a guest post by Kevin Eagle. Are you interested in contributing to BeDeviant.com? Check out the details here.
I’ve tried in all my geeky wisdom to get my wife to use an RSS reader to aggregate all of the blogs that she is now following, but much to my chagrin, she still insists on reading each one individually. Well, the fact of the matter is, I don’t really care, because she still shares good stuff with me from time to time.
Case in point, we were sitting in front of the TV on Saturday night and she speaks up to say that I needed to read the blog post of one of her favorite bloggers (http://www.mycharmingkids.net) from that day.
Well this morning, I finally got around to it, and one sentence struck me as profound. “God cares about my character, not my comfort.” (from http://tinyurl.com/yawoob)
I’ve written recently about my lack of focus and uncertainty about the potential for 2010. What’s really going on is that there are so many things in my life that I’m uncertain about right now, I’m swimming in the “what ifs” and continually asking “what should I do?”
I’m very uncomfortable right now…with questions about my ministry, with questions about my career choice and direction, with questions about my finances, with questions about my family life. But this one statement made me stop and think, God wants me to be uncomfortable, because that’s when I can trust him most, and that is when I have the opportunity to build on my character. God cares more about my character than my comfort because comfort is a human attribute, a human longing, a human emotion.
Character is who I really am, and who I really am reflects who God created me to be and reveals the ways in which I am created in His image.
So my response? Worship and praise! Praise God for my discomfort! I worship Him with my disconcerted life by obedience and my quest for His perfect will. He is shaping me through these experiences, because I certainly can’t shape myself to perfect all aspects of my life.
So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. ~1 Peter 4:19~
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
I will praise my God to my last breath! ~Psalm 104:33~
