Freedom to Serve, Pt. 2
It has been almost a month since my first post on my thoughts from Dr. David McKenna's commentary on Isaiah 61 (Freedom To Serve, Pt. 1). I thought I ought to finish my thoughts regarding our "Freedom to Serve," since, between now and then, I've not only finished Isaiah, but moved on to studying Ruth, and have almost finished that one, too. In my last post, I shared a few thoughts from Dr. McKenna's first two points on the church's calling to serve. He had two others that I was struck by.
3) The church is to be the rebuilder of ruins. In Isaiah 61:4, God's Servant (who turned out to be Jesus in Luke 4:17-19) says that He shall grant those who mourn in Zion ability to "build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations." This is not just in the physical sense. There is much devastation in our culture - marriages, friendships, churches, hearts. We, as followers of Christ - His Church - with His Spirit abiding in us, are called to rebuild those ruins and do our part to see the mourners become those who rejoice. This will cost us something. It costs us time, money, resources, and, often, it will even cost us our hearts, because these people will not always be thankful for the help we offer. Some may even turn on us after we've poured into them. As somebody once said in a poem that's made it's way around the internet several times, "Do it anyway." It's what God has called us to do. It's what Jesus did - and is doing - in us, and we are called to do the same. And, yes, for every time we are wounded for our troubles, there will be several other times when we get to watch people's lives transformed by God's Spirit and rebuilt because we were obedient to God's calling.
4) The servant church is to be the priest for strangers and foreigners. I think the best example of this is the story of the "Good Samaritan" that Jesus told. The Samaritan in the story was just a normal guy, but the person he helped was both a foreigner (a Jew) and a stranger. Yet the Samaritan not only cared for him (at potentially great risk to being robbed himself), but also paid for his care, costing him something. Who are the strangers and foreigners in our lives. Dr. McKenna says it well:
I have found in my own life that I am very comfortable serving certain people, but very uncomfortable serving other people. God is calling me - us as Christians - to get past that discomfort and to be their priest - serving them, loving them, offering the grace of God to them, just as Jesus has done for us. It can only be done like the Servant did it - under the power and direction of the Holy Spirit. When I try and do it in my own strength, I usually fail miserably, and end up hurting somebody in the process.
The lessons I've learned from this little section of commentary aren't just nice thoughts. They're lessons I'm struggling to put into practice because Jesus keeps giving me opportunities. He's endeavoring to make me more like Himself in my character by giving me opportunities to act on what I know is true. It's hard, but I'm thankful that He hasn't given up on transforming me like I so often give up on others.
I know - I can see all too clearly - the ways that Jesus is opening doors for me to serve people: Rebuilding marriages, helping people who aren't like me in many ways that are uncomfortable, serving people who aren't terribly thankful (and many who are - don't get me wrong - but they're not difficult to serve). He continues to transform me from the inside out.
So, what are some ways He's transforming you in these areas?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
3) The church is to be the rebuilder of ruins. In Isaiah 61:4, God's Servant (who turned out to be Jesus in Luke 4:17-19) says that He shall grant those who mourn in Zion ability to "build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations." This is not just in the physical sense. There is much devastation in our culture - marriages, friendships, churches, hearts. We, as followers of Christ - His Church - with His Spirit abiding in us, are called to rebuild those ruins and do our part to see the mourners become those who rejoice. This will cost us something. It costs us time, money, resources, and, often, it will even cost us our hearts, because these people will not always be thankful for the help we offer. Some may even turn on us after we've poured into them. As somebody once said in a poem that's made it's way around the internet several times, "Do it anyway." It's what God has called us to do. It's what Jesus did - and is doing - in us, and we are called to do the same. And, yes, for every time we are wounded for our troubles, there will be several other times when we get to watch people's lives transformed by God's Spirit and rebuilt because we were obedient to God's calling.
4) The servant church is to be the priest for strangers and foreigners. I think the best example of this is the story of the "Good Samaritan" that Jesus told. The Samaritan in the story was just a normal guy, but the person he helped was both a foreigner (a Jew) and a stranger. Yet the Samaritan not only cared for him (at potentially great risk to being robbed himself), but also paid for his care, costing him something. Who are the strangers and foreigners in our lives. Dr. McKenna says it well:
"Strangers are those among us from whom we feel alienated because of social differences such as education, economics, political party, or denominational affiliation. To the rich, for instance, the poor are strangers. Foreigners are those from whom we are alienated by ethnic differences such as race, language, ancestry, religion, or culture.
I have found in my own life that I am very comfortable serving certain people, but very uncomfortable serving other people. God is calling me - us as Christians - to get past that discomfort and to be their priest - serving them, loving them, offering the grace of God to them, just as Jesus has done for us. It can only be done like the Servant did it - under the power and direction of the Holy Spirit. When I try and do it in my own strength, I usually fail miserably, and end up hurting somebody in the process.
The lessons I've learned from this little section of commentary aren't just nice thoughts. They're lessons I'm struggling to put into practice because Jesus keeps giving me opportunities. He's endeavoring to make me more like Himself in my character by giving me opportunities to act on what I know is true. It's hard, but I'm thankful that He hasn't given up on transforming me like I so often give up on others.
I know - I can see all too clearly - the ways that Jesus is opening doors for me to serve people: Rebuilding marriages, helping people who aren't like me in many ways that are uncomfortable, serving people who aren't terribly thankful (and many who are - don't get me wrong - but they're not difficult to serve). He continues to transform me from the inside out.
So, what are some ways He's transforming you in these areas?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
posted by Pastor Paul at
8:36 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home