Choosing to be Entertained

Misunderstandings with God because we’re choosing to be Entertained

           

Going through The Gospel of John with our STS team and it is EXCITING!!  Also, I’m realizing more and more about how much I DON’T Know about God- How much I don’t really know Christ… therefore, I must keep pursuing Him and investigating or else, I will choose to follow ‘MY IDEA of GOD’ vs actually truly following Him.    

 

So… Just as a crime scene investigation team would look at the evidence, make observations, take pictures, samples, test samples, canvas the neighborhoods to ask questions etc…. they are trying to figure out what happened exactly.  Then… conclusion can be made that are MORE accurate- rather than just assuming what happened.

            I would say many of us that are Christians today DON’T do the same thing as far as pursuing Christ and following God.  We are perfectly comfortable going off of someone elses’ opinion on ‘what happened’ rather than taking the time and energy to investigate what really happened, what the Bible really says, what God has done, what Christ did, what Christ said….

            As I’m finishing up study in John 6 with our STS team at Ft. Campbell, I saw something interesting…

John 6:24- 33  Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c]” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Observations:

·       The people searched after Jesus and wanted to see ‘Fireworks’- IE another miracle… (vs 30)

·       Jesus tells the people about God’s work- and then they immediately go to ‘We want to see a sign’-this response says… “I’m not interested in what you’re talking about- I want something else.”

·       If the people WERE interested in what Jesus was attempting to communicate, they would have asked further about God’s work and what our part is – but they did not…

·       Ultimately, the people were seeking to be entertained…

So… I wanted to share a thought with you from the rest of John 6…

Some conclusions as Jesus continues attempting to challenge and teach the people…

The People were seeking a ‘sign’, but really just looking to be entertained by miracles…

Jesus continues teaching and challenging, but the people entirely missed with Jesus was trying to teach and communicate because they were caught up with being entertained.  So… here are some of the points Jesus was trying to teach and challenge the people with…

·       Everyone who comes to Him, He will not drive away

·       He has come to do the Father’s will- not His own

·       The will of the Father is NOT to lose any that the Father has given Him

·       Everyone who looks to Christ will have eternal life

 Why am I making this point?  As I’m thinking through this whole thing, I’m trying to connect these dots.Here’s what I’m thinking…

IF I am only seeking to be ‘entertained’ by God- then I will entirely MISS and MISUNDERSTAND these points that Jesus was trying to communicate.  IF I am struggling through these points, have I been seeking God only to be ‘entertained’?  I don’t know…  I would love to hear your guys thoughts and would love to discuss these things with you guys…

Leadership, Lordship, Laboring

We were blessed to have the opportunity to have Tom Yeakley join us as our keynote speaker this past April at the Cedarmore Retreat Center just outside of Louisville, KY.

Tom is one of 3 Sphere directors for the Navigators (vice-presidents) and has been very influential in the area of leadership development for the Navigators ministry- not only in the United States but also abroad.

One of the things that I walked away with continuing to think more about was on Tom’s 1^st Message on the Privilege of Leadership.   The first part that generated MUCH healthy discussion was in the area of Leadership and ‘Followership’.  In our world today, leadership is looked upon in a very good way- but also ‘hyper-celebrated’.  This is done in such a way that the idea of ‘followership’ is really seems to have no value whatsoever.  But in God’s economy…. The follower AND the leader are BOTH valued highly.  Particularly in the military culture- this idea can be lost.  But as men and women who are pursuing God and helping others to pursue God while being immersed in a military culture- it is important to remember to keep God’s perspective on value.

Good teaching on leadership is a sought after issue for us- as many times it is a topic that just isn’t mentioned enough.  Therefore we were VERY grateful to have Tom and Dan Daetz come and join us for our conference and to talk about this topic.  Here are the 4 points Tom made in his first message.

4 Components of Good Leadership

1.     Set Direction

2.     Align Resources to Direction

3.     Inspire and Motivate

4.     Manage the Work of Others

I particularly enjoyed the 1^st point on setting direction.  Setting Direction is the point that answers the ‘why’ we do what we do.  If we can’t help others to see the ‘WHY’ behind what we’re doing and what we’re trying to help others move toward- they won’t decide to do it.  They won’t put their own discretionary effort toward these goals.  But if we can help those we are discipling and leading in gaining clarity toward God’s objectives and goals- each young disciple can move forward with their own conviction, energy, and creativity in reaching the World for Christ.  Therefore, we must each continue to move forward in our own personal walk with God- so that we can continue to point people to Christ- the real, personal, God that we know.... not some distant God who is uninterested and uninvolved.  As we continue personally with Christ, we can connect those who God is allowing us to influence, to connect with Him personally as well.