Will You Hear?

I used to think I lived in a quiet neighborhood. When we started taking care of my granddaughter I realized I was completely mistaken. We live in a cacophony of chaotic commotion! Trucks roar, weed-whackers whack, edgers whine, mowers growl, airplanes rumble, and sirens wail. Murphy’s Law made sure that all the sounds came together at just the right time to awaken my granddaughter from her nap. How did I miss the noise? It may be the same way I tune out the noise of life going on around me. Busyness and self-interest, my agenda and my ambition, lead me to miss the important noise of life around me. I can so easily resemble Jesus’ description of hardheaded sinners who tune God out: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand” (Matthew 13:13). What awakens me to hear, to really hear again? New life. The cry from the cross, the rumble of the opening tomb, the words: “Broken and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” rouse me to life and show me that God treasures His children. With ears unstopped by the touch of Jesus, His mandate: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation” roars into my soul and enlivens me to hear God’s people and share His concern for them. In a span of only nine verses, Jesus uses the word “world” eleven times in John 17. The Greek word is “cosmos.” This term began as a word meaning “that which has been put into order, that which was adorned.” We translate it “world.” God sees it as his precious and beautiful handiwork of humanity. His concern is for the world. He hears His people and He cares. Will I? Will I live insulated in my own pursuits or will I hear people and respond to them? Will the church? Will we hear only our own internal “business” or will we hear the cries of the “cosmos” and respond? The “cosmos” begins in your home. In your life. In your community. Will you hear?

Captain Bill's Appeal

I was at a friend's memorial service recently. He was a prominent figure in the community, so the funeral chapel was packed. In addition to fellow believers, the place was filled with people from virtually every conceivable walk of life. My friend's business and personality connected him with an amazing variety of people. Suits and ties sat next to tattoos and piercings. Conservative Evangelicals spoke words of sympathy alongside adherents of alternative lifestyles.

As someone who craves opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus with people, I felt my heart beating fast over the possibility of hearing words that could transform many lives.

After some preliminary levity, some words of introduction, and some kind words from the family, I wondered if the opportunity would be seized. That's when Captain Bill stepped to the microphone.

I wondered who this guy was. He was standing in the back. Clearly, he wasn't a family member. He wasn't the pastor, but he held a Bible and strode purposefully to the podium. He introduced himself as Bill, a charter captain and good friend of the family. Fishing trips for hire had morphed into a close bond between him and my friend.

Bill was a military veteran who suffered chemical poisoning in Vietnam. He almost died a few years ago. My deceased buddy sat by his side and drove him home from the hospital. They had a special bond. Bill went on to talk about the bedrock of that bond. This common man with skin made leathery by the sun and a body gaunt from illness so his suit hung baggily from his body, began to lift up the name of Jesus Christ.

This man had been through the ringer, and with the authority of someone who had been beaten up by the rigors of life, he urged the group to the only hope we have. His Scripture-saturated language carried love and truth without sounding pious or self-righteous. His call to trust in Jesus Christ came across as a testimony to his deceased friend, not as an attempt to put more souls on his scorecard. Captain Bill's appeal captured the moment for Jesus. It was authentic, moving, appropriate, and caring.

As I listened, I realized that two things had happened in this man's life. First, he was discipled very well. Someone had shown him the way to walk with Jesus and let the Word of Christ dwell in him richly. Second, someone had given him permission--perhaps a mandate--to go and share, to make disciples, to never let the Gospel stop with himself.

Captain Bill's appeal showed me that a serious effort to equip and send the saints is of utmost importance. Pastors and professionals will rarely be in the situation to reach people who are far outside the borders of the church. Pastors and professionals will not always be heard as attentively by those outside the borders, either. We need people like Captain Bill. The Kingdom of God needs people like Captain Bill. A lost world needs people like Captain Bill.

Do you think you are here to do it all yourself? Are you saving the great opportunities for you? Or are you letting go of your pride by respecting God's people, equipping them passionately, and sending them urgently to do what Captain Bill did?

The Big Event

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is in convention this week. We pray that God is glorified and that all the actions of the conventions lift up the name of Jesus and His love. This convention, however, will not be a significant Kingdom expanding occurrence. You read correctly. Sometimes we make the mistake in believing that the big events make big differences, when, in reality, it's the little events repeated over and over for an extended period of time that make the real difference in people's lives.

In 1998 we took our daughters to Disney World. It was a big deal. We saved our money. We read books about how to make the most of the trip. We sought advice. And we had a blast. But twelve years later, even though they were ten and eight-years-old when they took the trip, my daughters have just vague memories of their Disney experience. The big event was fun, but it didn't shape their lives.

What DO they remember? They remember our repeated trips to a humble little cottage in a small town in Michigan. These were not fancy vacations. They were free. There were no attractions. An exciting day meant taking a walk to the grocery store to get some milk and donut holes. But this simple vacation, this little event repeated for many years, transformed their lives.
Significant life memories are connected with their trips to the cottage. They still yearn to be there. They hope to take their families there one day.

Big events, for the most part, do not make a significant difference in people's lives. Little events, repeated over and over for an extended period of time, make the real difference.

So, what really expands the Kingdom of God? How is someone won for Christ? What develops a praying, worshipping, witnessing follower of Jesus? How does someone grow as a self-sacrificial and repentant servant of the King? What facilitates love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in a redeemed soul? How is a spirit of zealous mission developed?

Is it through one big event?

No. It's when you befriend someone, listen to her hopes and fears, and bring her regular doses of Jesus. It's when you pray with your kids and tell them over and over that Jesus cares and that Jesus loves them. It's when you serve steadily in the community as the hands and feet of the Savior, and, over the testing period of time, people take notice, wonder what you've got, and want to be just like you. It's when you read the Word of God day after day and do what it says over the long haul. It's when you join forces with a small band of believers and combine your resources to transform a community and to reach out to the ends of the earth.

It's the little things repeated over and over for an extended period of time that make the biggest Kingdom difference.

That's why you need to be a faithful worker in the harvest field. That's why you need to keep pressing on. That's why you need to remember your first love and not get discouraged by the world's antagonism. That's why you need to realize your value in the Kingdom of God and refuse to stop sharing the Good News of Jesus.

The little things you do over and over again in your small corner of God's Kingdom will change people's lives forever.

Taking a Chance

A very scary thing took place as I lived in a neighborhood for fourteen years. I saw little kids grow up and learn to drive!

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Little Andrew, just a toddler when we moved into the neighborhood, was suddenly given the keys to the family Expedition. Up the street he went, windows rolled down, radio blaring, exceeding the speed limit, a smirk of coolness on his face. How could this be?

Sweet little Emily, just into kindergarten when we arrived on the block, was driving her sister to school! When did she get such authority?

This was frightening. But it was a fact of life. After all, we’re going to need these drivers to take us to our hip replacement doctor follow-ups one day.

It’s terrifying, but there is no way we can shut down driver training. We can’t cap the number of drivers on the road with our generation.

The same is true of Kingdom work.

It may be scary, but God is giving many people the mantle of Kingdom service. It can be frightening to Kingdom-work veterans, and it can be frightening for new Kingdom workers! But we can’t shut down Kingdom-worker training and sending. We can’t cap the number of people who serve Jesus with our generation or our geography or our genetic makeup. We must take a chance.

Throughout millennia God has raised up new people to reach out with His Good News. Somehow, we who serve got into this business. Each of us was new at one time. And each of us makes a unique Kingdom difference. We need to let God do the same with others. We need to mentor, support, teach, be flexible, welcome new ideas, guide with sound Scriptural foundations, and let go of our own fear and pride. We need to see how God will reach new generations with new workers who are sent into a chain reaction of new relationships.

And new workers need to be ready. Getting behind the wheel can be nerve-wracking. It can be intimidating. You may not want to head out into traffic. But there comes a time to drive! God is sending you because there are people in your life who need to know Jesus. There are people you will enter into relationships with who need to see His genuine love. You need to learn, practice, be humble, and take risks.

God’s courage leads the way. Let’s take chances with Him so that many will come to know their Savior, Jesus who lives!

You can register for the latest Missional Worker Training in your area at www.missionalworker.org.