Unsettled Series - The Panorama of Grace

“I’m not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama.”
— Matthew 5:18

I just checked. I currently have only three panorama pictures on my phone. Only three panoramas out of 7,069 pictures and 626 videos are currently stored in my photos application. That’s not many! The truth is that I’m not very good at taking panorama pictures, so I usually don’t.

To prove it, below, you can see the last panorama picture I took. It was on a hike with some friends around Crater Lake in Oregon - it’s not a great picture. You can see my finger, the bright glare of the sun, and a lot of blur.

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As we continue to move through Jesus’ sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7 we come to this passage in Matthew 5:17 where Jesus says:

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

The message version of the bible puts it this way:

“Don’t suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures—either God’s Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama.

Jesus takes a blurry picture of God’s attempt at redeeming humanity (at least it was blurry to those he was addressing at the time) and makes it crystal clear - he says if you want to understand what God has been trying to do, look at me - I am the answer. Jesus brings into focus his ministry using the law and prophets as his panorama as it were. He helps his listeners understand the broader context of his ministry and how He brings God’s plan into focus. God’s plan is the saving and redeeming of his creation. God wants to “put things back to rights” as author N.T. Wright likes to say - and the culmination of that plan is Jesus.

Then Jesus ends by saying something that would have blown the minds of those immediately around him. He reframes for his listeners what the plan is - not perfect keeping of the 613 laws, but a transformed and changed heart. How is your heart these days? Is it soft to the unfolding grace of God in your life?

I want to encourage you to watch this video by the bible project to help you put into context what Jesus came to do - it will give you an understanding of the panorama of God’s grace throughout the work of human history - and right to your heart!

Resources:

Unsettled Series - Salt & Light

“What on earth could I do? But it was clear in my heart, I had to do something. ”
— Amy Wolff

What has been your impact on the world? Have you ever thought about that question? Do you know that you matter in a deep and meaningful way to the people and events around you? That you can make a difference? In fact, not only do we get to impact people and events around us, we are invited to do so by Jesus. 

I love the metaphors Jesus uses in Matthew 5:13-16:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

For Jesus salt wasn’t only a spice put on food for flavoring. It was a primary way the ancient world preserved precious food. Jesus uses this multilayered metaphor to encourage those who follow him to impact the world. Using the salt metaphor Jesus is teaching that one outcome of those who display the kingdom tendencies highlighted by Jesus in the sermon on the mount is one of preservation, or the ability to “arrest the decay” of the society in which they live. Wow! You matter. 

With this in mind, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Amy Wolff. I’ve known Amy and her family for years going back to when I was in Jr. High. Her brother and I were friends and Amy’s mom, who is a Pastor in Newberg Oregon, has been a spiritual mentor of mine. Amy, has had a significant impact on the world and it started very…unintentionally.  Here is bit of her story. She’s an example to all of us that God can use even simple acts of kindness to major effect. You Matter. 

“We were hanging out with friends when one of them mentioned the suicide rates in our community and I about fell out of my chair. I felt completely hopeless and ill equipped to be part of a solution. After all, I wasn't a therapist. I didn't know of anyone suffering with thoughts of self-harm. What on earth could I do? But it was clear in my heart, I had to do something. The idea of encouraging yard signs had been bouncing around in my head for years but it was always 'just a silly idea'.  That is until May 2017 - then it became the something.” - Amy Wolff

Take some time to look through Amy’s website, read her story and reflect on the ways God is using you as salt and light for the kingdom of heaven.

Unsettled Series - Kingdom Tendencies

“One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.”
— Matthew 5:1-2

It’s true that when you think about the sermon on the mount, Jesus’ most well know sermon found in Matthew 5-7, you don’t usually think of the word unsettled. Yet, when Jesus preached this message he did so knowing that the content of his teaching would directly challenge many cultural norms of his day.

As he sat there on a hill with his disciples listening closely, Jesus reinforced what it looked like to be a member of the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we can actually read the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) as being descriptive. In the Beatitudes, Jesus described both what he did in his incarnation and ministry as well as what God’s kingdom people are to be like. The unsettling part of reading the beatitudes can come when we ask spiritually reflective questions such as: 

  1. Do these kingdom tendencies describe my daily attitudes and actions?

  2. Do I embody a worldview marked with these specific kingdom tendencies?

  3. How and when do I slip into modeling current cultural values that are not in line with the way of Jesus?

Ouch! These are tough questions. They are unsettling questions, especially when we realize that we might not like the answers. In our weekly teaching and our weekly discussion podcast we make a list of what might be some current “cultural beatitudes.” They go like this: 

Blessed are the rich, in things, and self-assurance. Blessed are those untouched by loss. Blessed are the powerful. Blessed are those who are “realistic” about righteousness, compromising when they need to. Blessed are those who demand and exact an eye for an eye. Blessed are the crafty and opportunistic. Blessed are those who are bold enough to fight. Blessed are those who, by doing good things, receive many accolades. Blessed are those who are widely praised and adored.

Does that list seem familiar to you? Do you see these “cultural tendencies” on display in the world around you? Are any of these cultural tendencies on display in your life? Jesus’ way is different. While his way isn’t always easy, it is good - and he helps us as we journey in faith!

Exercise: 

Compare Jesus’ list of kingdom tendencies found in Matthew 5:3-12 side by side with the list of “cultural tendencies” listed above. Spend some time in prayer, reflect, and write down what tendencies are on display in your life. Then make a plan for how you might more fully live into the way of Jesus.

I’m so thankful for Jesus. He’s a good pastor as he both teaches and models for his followers what it looks like to be a member of his family! What a grace-filled invitation. 

Rhythms of Grace - Silence & Solitude

“Solitude is the place of the great struggle and great encounter—the struggle is against the compulsions of the self, and the encounter is with the loving God who offers himself as the substance life.””
— Henri Nouwen

Can I be honest with you? The rhythm of silence and solitude has been the most difficult spiritual rhythm to develop in my life of faith. This is a bit surprising to me as I tend to be introverted in how I recover from the busyness of life AND I was theologically trained by the Quakers who are famous for having cultivated a significant rhythm of quiet attention to God’s presence. Go figure.

There’s no getting around the fact that silence and solitude as spiritual practices are not easy to incorporate. One of the difficulties of this spiritual rhythm comes when we realize just how “noisy” our inner reality is. Not only that but like Elijah in 1 Kings 19, the fear, stress, and anxiety we experience in life can leave us disillusioned, burnt out, angry, and lashing out at others or even God. This experience can leave us feeling spiritually deformed rather than transformed. Henri Nouwen writes:

“In solitude, I get rid of my scaffolding: no friends to talk with, no telephone calls to make, no meetings to attend, no music to entertain, no books to distract, just me — vulnerable, weak, sinful, deprived, and broken.”

At first, that doesn’t sound so pleasant, until you realize that, the heart of this practice is to invite Jesus into that place of vulnerability. And as a reminder, God is a good father, loving, full of mercy and grace. There is nothing like having him speak life into the depths of your being.

In the scripture, Jesus began his ministry with forty days of withdrawal into the desert. He fasted and prayed in silence and solitude. He was alone, hungry, hot, thirsty, surrounded by animals, and tested by Satan. We read this and we might feel sorry for Jesus as we empathize with his situation.

The truth is that Jesus was sustained throughout his forty days by the Father, the Scriptures, prayer, and the ministering angels that came to strengthen him. Throughout Jesus’ ministry we see him withdraw from the crowds again and again – often getting up early in the morning to be quiet and alone. Henri Nouwen continues:

“Solitude is the place of great struggle and great encounter—the struggle is against the compulsions of the self, and the encounter is with the loving God who offers himself as the substance life.”

That is something I desperately want - Jesus to be the focus, purpose, and substance of my life. These things can be developed in silence and solitude.

How do I develop a rhythm of silence and solitude: 

  1. Schedule it - put it on your calendar. Heathy spiritual rhythms are as important as anything else that would normally go on your to-do list.

  2. Start Slow - Silence & Solitude are practices that get easier over time. Don’t dive into the deep end and start with a long period of silence or solitude. Start with 5 minutes and go from there.

  3. Anchor your thoughts in Scripture - as you begin this practice you’ll notice how distracted your thoughts are, that’s okay. To aid you as you focus on the Lord’s presence, memorize a verse or a phrase in scripture that you can repeat to yourself as you work through the distractions.

  4. Bring a Journal - Journaling is helpful in two ways: first, you can write down all your distractions letting them move from your mind and heart onto the page. That can free you to focus on God’s presence. Second, you can write down anything you might get from the Lord as you linger in prayer.

  5. Don’t give up - five minutes, at first, will feel like two-hours, but don’t give up it will get easier. Your motivation will change as you begin to form a deeper intimacy with God - soon you will look forward to your opportunities for silence and solitude.

Rhythms of Grace - Sabbath

“Something about the beauty and the kindness and the concreteness of [Sabbath] pierced my self-sufficiency and melted the hardness of my activism; all I wanted to do was fall down and worship a God who would think to give us such a gift.”
— Ruth Haley Barton

When my daughters were very young, I sat in church one Sunday and listened to a beautiful sermon about Sabbath rest. The pastor encouraged us to challenge our culture of busyness and to rein in our packed calendars so that we might embrace the practice of Sabbath rest as we were created to do.

I was inspired. My spirit and body ached for the deep rest that the pastor described. As a young mom, I was tired all the time. As the service continued, I started to mentally go over my family’s calendar, determined to make the cuts necessary to create room for Sabbath rest. I envisioned a full night’s sleep, a hot breakfast, happy and well-rested children, good coffee and good conversation.

By the time I returned home, though, my hopes had deflated. The events on my calendar were not expendable – they were doctor’s appointments and oil changes, church small group gatherings and preschool field trips. And even if I had canceled any of these things, the “free” time would be anything but restful. I was a mom to a preschooler and a toddler – my days were full and exhausting, but at the end of each day, it would have been hard to describe what had filled the hours. Diapers, nap schedules, futile cleaning, meal preparation, more diapers, laundry, answering the endless questions of a preschooler, and a million other constant and immediate tasks. A day with nothing on the calendar would not eliminate this kind of busyness.

I felt defeated. Here I was instructed as a follower of Jesus to observe the Sabbath, and I recognized Sabbath rest as a gift from God, and yet there seemed to be no way to actually practice it. I felt like a failure.

Later that same day, as I read scripture for a few minutes before going to bed, I came across these words in Isaiah 40:11 -

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

He gently leads those that have young.

In that moment, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that God knew the details of my life. He knew that my baby did not sleep through the night. He knew that my lunch on most days was the crust from my daughter’s sandwich and the same cup of coffee that I had reheated three times. He knew that the responsibilities of parenting would continue even on a day set aside for rest. And he promised to gently lead me. Gently. Not with judgment or rigid requirements. Not with demands that I simply couldn’t meet. Gently.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us into true rest, a rest that only he can offer. Notice his gracious words of invitation:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (The Message)

Did you find yourself taking a deep breath as you read Jesus’ words? Are you tired? Check. Worn out? Check. Burned out on religion? Check. Jesus invites us to get away with him and to live again. By walking and working with him, by watching how he lives, we can learn how to take a real rest. His ways are not heavy, nor are they ill-fitting.

I am encouraged to know that Jesus’ time of rest was frequently interrupted, even as mine was as a young mother. He regularly retreated from his work to rest and pray, to spend time with his Father; but sometimes, the crowds followed him to ask for teaching or healing or simply to be in his presence. As a human living in an imperfect world, Jesus faced demands on his time, responsibilities, interruptions, and immediate needs, just as you and I do. And yet still he tells us, “I’ll show you how to take a real rest…watch how I do it.”

Let me encourage you to get away with Jesus. Spend time in his presence. Watch his ways and find rest in him. This is Sabbath. While your season of life may not allow for the Sabbath of your dreams, Jesus invites you into a time of rest that he himself orchestrates, a rest deeper than anything we could ask or imagine. He knows the realities of your life, and in his gentle and welcoming way, he promises to show you how to take a real rest in a perfectly-fitting way.

Rhythms of Grace: Scripture

“What I mean to insist upon is that spiritual writing - Spirit-sourced writing - requires spiritual reading, a reading that honors words as holy, words as a basic means of forming an intricate web of relationships between God and the human, between all things visible and invisible.”
— Eugene H. Peterson, Eat This Book

I recently bought a helpful resource called Unfolding Grace. It’s a book that highlights 40 major passages of scripture in the bible. It’s written in a more narrative form and its goal is to tell the overarching story of scripture in an engaging way that’s easy for people who may be at the beginning of their journey with God. This resource also comes with a workbook which provides an opportunity to answer some questions about what one might be reading. I like these resources. I also really like the title they choose, “Unfolding Grace,” what a great way to think about the story told in scripture. 

Much could be said about the beauty, majesty, power, and wonder of scripture. We read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that,

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

It’s not hyperbole to say that in the pages of Scripture you will find life. God reveals himself and the story of his unfolding grace in the pages of this sacred text and it can speak directly into your situation. I write this as a gentle encouragement to develop a rhythm of time with the book that is the primary text for all Christian spirituality - and the primary venue of God’s revelation to the world.

Eugene Peterson writes in his book, Eat This Book, “Reading [scripture] is an immense gift, but only if the words are assimilated, taken into the soul - eaten, chewed, gnawed, received in unhurried delight.” When is the last time you sat down with the Bible in unhurried delight?

Almost four years ago I drastically changed my schedule. I had recently returned from an overseas trip and found myself waking up each morning around 4:00am. Those first few mornings were an incredible gift. I was wide awake and so decided to take advantage of the quiet (which was a dream come true with young children) and spend time reading the bible. My heart was so refreshed and enlivened by the words of scripture on those mornings that I decided to make that early morning routine permanent. These days I wake up around 4:45am, go for a run, then spend time in scripture - it’s still a joy!

Honestly, there are some mornings where I find myself giving in to the temptation to spend too much time reading the news, or looking at social media - which these days feels like is instant “doom spiraling” - but I always come back to scripture even if it’s for a few minutes and find a loving God who confronts me with the truth and invites me into an ever-deepening relationship.

In fact, I think during these very difficult days with all that is happening in our country it’s exceedingly important for each of us to reflect on the volume of time we spend letting various news sources shape our heart and mind. We also need to be reflective on those particular sources we rely on for our information. How does the volume of time and the sources you choose compare to the amount of time you let the scripture and the truth of Jesus shape your thinking and actions?

The way of our culture is not the same way of the Kingdom of God. It’s clear to me in these days there has been some tangling of concepts about what it means to follow Jesus and our hope for a particular cultural and/or political outcome. The best avenue we have to begin some needed disentangling is to spend copious amounts of time with and in the scripture. May I ask you again, when is the last time you sat down with the Bible in unhurried delight?

I want to encourage you to carve out some time for this vital rhythm. Even if you’ve been following Jesus for a long time, don’t be so familiar with the story that you lose a sense of awe and wonder at the truth told in the pages of the Bible. Below you’ll find some resources that might help you rekindle a love for Scripture and carve out some time for this vital rhythm. Don’t be afraid to get caught up in the story of God’s unfolding grace that is focused on our redemption and the redemption of the world. Blessings on your week!