The Invitation to the Chateau

One of the things that people love to do here is explore the many chateaus. Some are in ruins, but have been maintained and kept up. Why are these chateaus so popular? I think it is because they fire the imagination. What would it have been like to live there? What would it have been like to be an invited guest and to dine among the opulence of the castle surrounded by the aura of royalty? It is an experience that few will ever experience, so touring and imagining are popular pastimes.

Jesus used this desire to teach us about the his kingdom. In Matthew 22 he tells a parable comparing his kingdom to an earthly kingdom. "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding feast for his son and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast. But they would not come." A surprising beginning to the story. Jesus had been in conflict with the rulers of the day, and the parable seems to be aimed at them.

He continues, "Again, he sent other servants saying, 'See, I have prepared my dinner and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.' Incredibly, the invitees ignored the invitation, instead focusing on their farms and businesses. They had not time or interest in attending the wedding. Still others seized and mistreated the messengers to the point of killing them. The king, angered by this, sends his troops and destroys the murderers and burns the city.

Remember, this is Jesus talking about what the kingdom of heaven is like! We can understand the anger and actions of the king against those who ignore his benevolence. But we also are relaxed because we know the rest of the parable. The king tells his servants, "Go to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find. My banquet hall must be full!" So the servants gather people from all walks of life urging them to come to the wedding feast. And soon the banquet hall is filled with guests to celebrate the wedding of the king's son.

We love that story. The thought of the king inviting anyone and everyone to join in the great feast fills our heart with gladness and joy. The poor, the socially-awkward, the foreigner, the peasant, and the pauper all join together in the glorious banquet of the king.

But that is not the end of the story. In fact, it isn't even the point of the parable.

The king walks into the banquet hall, now filled with guests enjoying themselves. The king smiles, looking at the scene. Then he notices someone there who is not dressed for the banquet. He scowls, and asks the ill-dressed man, "Friend, how did you get in here dressed like that?" Silence fills the room. The king turns to his attendants, "Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen."

Now the parable troubles us because it does not seem right. That is exactly why Jesus told it. He wanted us to know that there was something wrong with the way we think about the kingdom of heaven. He is trying to teach us two important ideas.

He wants us to know that those who reject the kingdom will suffer the vengeance of the king. But he also wants us to know that those who are not dressed for the banquet will be thrown out. He wants to warn us that there are those who will have been attracted by the food, the glamor, and the music of the feast, but do not belong there because they are not properly dressed. What makes this even more astounding is that it was customary for the wealthy king to provide wedding garments to those who could not afford the proper clothing. So this person did not even avail himself of that. He was there for the atmosphere, but had no desire to honor the king or his son.

Isaiah 61:10 says, "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord; my soul shall exalt in my God, for he has clothed me with garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness." This righteousness is only available through the gospel. Romans 1:16-17 tells us that the gospel is the power of God for salvation because it reveals the righteousness of God. Only by repentance and faith in the gospel message can we attend the wedding banquet.

Some will reject this message, just like some heard the invitation in the parable and rejected it. They will suffer the vengeance of God. Others will be drawn by the food and a chance to "see inside the castle", but they have no interest in honouring the king or actually putting on the robe of righteousness that he has provided. These are those who fill churches today who like the music and the atmosphere, but have not desire to honor the king or wear the robe of righteousness that he has provided. They, too, will be thrown out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

"This is what the kingdom of heaven is like," said Jesus. The king did invite the people from far and wide to the wedding banquet. His generosity is overwhelming. But he also visited vengeance on those who rejected or despised his offer. In an age that stresses the inclusion of everyone, this type of kingdom does not sound modern and feels "mean". But Jesus said this is what it is like, and we are wise to take him at his word. The gospel message needs to be taken to the highways and alleys of the city that the banquet hall will be full. But only those who come and actually put on the wedding garments will be seated at the table. The rest will suffer the vengeance of God.

“Unfortunately, the ten-cent-store Jesus being preached now by many men is not the Jesus that will come to judge the world. This plastic, painted Christ who has no spine and no justice, but is a soft and pliant friend to everybody, if He is the only Christ, then we might as well close our books, bar our doors and make a bakery or garage out of our church buildings. The popular Christ being preached now is not the Christ of God nor the Christ of the Bible nor the Christ we must deal with finally. For the Christ that we deal with has eyes as a flame of fire. And His feet are like burnished brass; and out of His mouth cometh a sharp two-edged sword (see Rev. 1:14-16). He will be the judge of humanity. You can leave your loved ones in His hands knowing that He Himself suffered, knowing that He knows all, no mistakes can be made, there can be no miscarriage of justice, because He knows all that can be known... Jesus Christ our Lord, the judge with the flaming eyes, is the one with whom we must deal. We cannot escape it.” 

― A.W. Tozer, And He Dwelt Among Us: Teachings from the Gospel of John

God's Workmanship

When we try to find our place in the kingdom of God on earth, we must remember that it involves all of our lives, not just the "church" part. Most of our lives will be spent on our vocation...that calling of God by which we serve others and earn our daily bread. Today in the West we have many more opportunities than at other times in history. In the past, most people were farmers. A few worked in trades like metal working or wood working. Regardless of the trade, you probably learned it from your family. It was assumed that you would follow in the footsteps of your parents. Today we have many opportunities. So many choices actually makes choosing something more difficult! So how do we make those decisions that affect the course of our lives?

1. We are called to a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.
Don't skip over this. Most people when they think about the future and what they are going to do leave Jesus out of the equation. This includes Christians! So make it a priority to keep Jesus at the center of your life. If he is your goal, then he will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

That doesn't mean that you must run off and become a monk or pastor. Frankly, most people are called to live where they rub shoulders every day with those who don't know Jesus. We are called to be plumbers and firemen, farmers and accountants, shopkeepers and chemists. We are called to be cooks and teachers, janitors and jailers, scientists and welders. The person who mines the iron, lays the track, and designs the tram engine all can celebrate their holy vocation if Jesus is at the center of their lives.

We do this by humble obedience to Christ. We must recognise that this Christ-centered life is the most rewarding and most fulfilling life that there is. That does not mean that it will be successful in the eyes of the world. In fact, some lives will seem to be "wasted" in quiet humble service and their impact will only be known in eternity. We are called not be followers of the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of minds (Romans 12:2). Therefore our definition of success must be patterned after our Lord's who did what he saw his Father doing (John 5:19).

2. What are your skills and interests?
If we are God's workmanship and have been created to do good works that he prepared for us, it makes sense that there will usually be a correlation between how we are created and our vocation (Eph 2:10). So ask yourself, and others, what your skills and abilities God has given you. Are you good with your hands? Do you have a knack for numbers? Are you deeply analytical? These types of questions can begin to give you a sense of direction.

Many times we will also have an inclination about what we would like to do one day. On the other hand, be aware that your vocation may not be the thing that you "enjoy most". The Lord often gives us interests that are not part of our vocation. For example, the fact that you like cooking may not mean that you are meant to run a restaurant. Enjoying photography does not mean that photography is to be your vocation. Instead, these things may be forms of recreation or a hobby to help you relax while you are not pursuing your vocation.

3. Throw away your preconceived ideas of what a "good" job is. In some cultures there is a growing disdain for what our grandparents called "work". Jobs like plumbing or waste reclamation are sometimes seen as "beneath us". Strangely, in many countries jobs which required callouses are going unfilled and skilled workers are needed to build bridges or build our homes. We need to really ponder the wisdom of the apostle Paul when he wrote to the Thessalonians, "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands" (1 Thessalonians 4:11). It may be that your vocation is to work with your hands rather than your head. On the other hand, you may come from a family that thinks that business people cannot be trusted and you have been told not to start a business. God may have other ideas for you. Seek God about what he wants you doing.

4. Try something. Sometimes we think that we have to have everything figured out before we start.

Frequently I have watched people flail through life because they cannot figure out what they want to do. Others find a job, roll up their sleeves and start working. They work hard. They are disciplined. They realise that their first job is only a first step on a long journey, and that frequently it is not their ideal job. They also realise that by going beyond what is required and doing excellent work, they are serving God and will eventually be rewarded.

5. Remember: It is called work because you are paid to do it.
In recent years there has been a push to find a fulfilling job. Interestingly, this trend has coincided with a decline in biblical Christianity. Most jobs are work. You are paid as an incentive to get the job done. When people do not find their fulfilment in Christ, then they will seek fulfilment in their job. They will discover that the "ideal job" doesn't exist, and that the well of fulfilment from the job will inevitably run dry. Work is a means of serving others and earning an income to provide for our needs and to meet the needs of others.
That is why it is important to keep Christ at the center of your life. He is the source of fulfilment that will never run dry. When we are walking in relationship with him we will have abundant life within.

"Just the Receptionist"

The president of the company I worked for and I were deep in conversation about at project I was working on as we walked past the company's receptionist. One of her main duties was answering the phone and transferring the call to the appropriate department. At that moment she was on the phone with someone who appeared to have a problem and wasn't satisfied. As we walked past, she told the person on the phone, "Sir, I am sorry, but I am just the receptionist. I cannot help you." We walked a few more steps and the president stopped and waited. When she was off the phone, he walked up to her and gently said, "Trudy, can I tell you something?" Trudy was startled. The president was talking to her!

"I couldn't help overhearing what you told that last caller. I want you to know something. You are not 'just the receptionist'. There is no such thing. As far as I am concerned, you are one of the most important people in the entire company. We only have one chance to make a first impression when someone calls, and first impressions matter. We interviewed dozens of people for your position and we picked you because you are incredibly gifted. You are exactly the right person for the job. You make a wonderful first impression. Not only that, you are a fantastic people-connector. After talking to a person for a few moments you can figure out just who that person needs to talk to in the company. That isn't easy. Your supervisor tells me that you are doing a great job. It doesn't surprise me because you have some tremendous abilities. Thank you for doing such excellent work. Thanks for being the type of person I would want to talk to when I called a company with a question."

Tears were welling up her eyes as he continued, "Trudy, you have a unique perspective. Do you realise that you are the only one who interacts not only with all of our customers but also with every department in the company? If you come up with a way we can make things work better, come find me. I want to hear from you. I mean it."

I realised a couple of things that day: First, we all need to know how we fit in the overall plan. It gives our lives perspective and value. Second, many times the positions that seem of small value are judged by the boss to be of the greatest value.

Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us that we were saved by grace. Our salvation is a gift from God. It also tells us that we are his workmanship, "hand-crafted" by Him with a specific things in mind. He not only fashioned us, he also has things for us to do. He has an important place for us in his kingdom. He has a role for us.

Just like the receptionist struggled when she did not understand her role in the company, we will struggle until we understand our role in the kingdom of God. We need to understand what the kingdom is about and what our place is in it if we are to thrive as followers of Christ. If we have a grasp on those things, we will be able to serve the Lord with a deep satisfaction, knowing that we are walking in the "good works" that he prepared for us. It won't matter to us if our job appears important to others, because we know that it is the boss's opinion that really matters.

I will be writing about our purpose and finding our role in the kingdom over the coming weeks. I hope that it will lend purpose, perspective and passion to our lives.

But first, something must be settled in our hearts. It must be firmly decided that we will follow Jesus wherever he leads us. Career, family, country must all be set aside in order to follow Christ. We have to trust him. Too many listen to what the Bible says as if it were just another self-help book. It is much more than a book with some ideas we might try. It is the Word of God and it calls for our whole hearted obedience. Everything else must fade into the background.

Jesus told Simon, Andrew, James, and John to walk away from the their fishing businesses, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," he told them (Mark 1:16-20).

He told the wealthy tax collector to leave his business when he said, "Follow me" (Luke 5:27-28).

The apostle Paul wrote that he considered everything he had to be rubbish compared to knowing Christ. He laid aside his reputation, education, culture, everything in the pursuit of Jesus (Philippians 3:7-10). He wrote to the Romans that in light of everything that God has done for us in Christ, the only logical and spiritual response was to lay our lives down as living sacrifices to God. He said that we were not to conform to the pattern of success as defined by this world  (Romans 12:1-2).

But it wasn't just those apostles that Jesus called to make this commitment. He told the great crowds that followed him that if they wanted to become his disciples they needed to renounce everything they had. That included family and even life itself (Luke 14:25-33).

Finding the purpose of God for our life and understanding what it is he wants us to do, starts with this deep level of commitment. Are we willing to follow him? He may lead you to become a great preacher or he may lead you to be a plumber. Both preaching and plumbing need to be done in the kingdom. Neither is more important than the other because what gives them value is whether we are doing what God has called us to do.

Paul warns us that at the judgment seat, the fire will be put to our work. The issue won't be whether we were a plumber or preacher, but whether we were doing what God called us to do. Those "good works which God prepared beforehand" will stand the fire like like gold silver or precious stones. Everything else will burn away as if it were wood, hay, or stubble (1 Corinthians 3:5-15).

Lord, I have dreams, hopes, and plans. But right now I lay them all aside. Jesus, I give you my life and I declare that my greatest goal is knowing you. I want to know you more. I want to understand your ways. I want to walk in the path you have laid out for me. Help me understand what it is you want me to do each day. Bring purpose to my days. Give me faith to follow you even when I don't understand why certain things are happening. Jesus, teach me. I want to be your disciple. For your glory, in Jesus name, Amen.

Gossip. The Sweet Poison

Following Jesus is a matter of continual transformation. The Holy Spirit is working to make us more and more like Jesus. One of the areas that he will deal with is the words that come out of our mouths. As he begins to work on this area, we will find ourselves watching the things we say more closely. It is important to guard our speech (James 1:19; Psalm 141:3), but we will quickly realise something: our speech exposes us. While we may be able to fake it for awhile, what we say reveal will reveal what is going on in our hearts. It is like a blood test that cannot be faked (Matthew 12:34). So dealing with our speech will inevitably lead to our dealing with what is going on in our hearts (Matthew 15:18-19).

Ephesians 4:29 sets the standard for our speech. It contains a positive and a negative statement. Let's look at the positive first. Our speech is to be used for building others up. The things that come out of our mouths should be designed to edify and strengthen others rather than tearing them down. Our speech should be based on their needs, not ours. Our words should benefit all who hear them.

On the negative side, our speech should not be "unwholesome". The Greek word here was used to describe rotting fish. There are few worse smells! So what is "unwholesome"? The Bible gives us some clues: obscenity, foolish talk, coarse joking (Ephesians 5:4), quarrelling, fits of rage, slander and gossip (2 Corinthians 12:20), lying, stirring up dissension (Proverbs 6:17) are all things we are to avoid.

For many of us, simply focusing on Ephesians 4:29 for a month would drive us deeper into our relationship with God. I want to take moment to focus on one particular type of "rotten fish": gossip. As I do, I want to state that I am not dealing with this because I think there is a major problem right now in our church (although it undoubtedly exists), but because I believe that gossip is a continual threat to our spiritual lives both as individuals and as a church. So let's dig in!

Gossip Defined

Let's look at several definitions:

• The Webster's Dictionary defines it like this: “To reveal facts about others of a personal or intimate nature” 
• The Hebrew word translated gossip means “talebearer”. It refers to someone running around telling others “the latest news...things no one else know!”.
• The Greek word commonly translated gossip means to provide harmful information about a person, often spoken in whispers with the implication that the information is not widely known.

Our English word "gossip" does not have the same connotation as the Biblical words. The Biblical words have to do with sharing information with others inappropriately that damages the other person in some way. It is not a matter of the information being true or false.  When doing a word study on this issue, it important to include the world “slander” which in most instances simply means to “speak against” someone. Sharing something about someone when telling them is not part of the solution to the person’s problem.

Gossip is not a small thing in God’s eyes.

The Lord commands us not to be a “talebearer” (Lev 19:16). He tells us that gossip destroys relationships (Proverbs 16:28). The Lord promises that he will silence those who slander  (Psalm 101:5). Gossip is a sign that one has a depraved mind. Read this passage carefully:

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.  They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.  - (Romans 1:28-32)

God puts gossip in the same list as murder, strife and deceit. He indicates that those who behave like this are deserving of death. As I read this verse, I wonder how many times we not only gossip, but approve of those who bring us the gossip!

So why do we gossip?

I think that are three main reasons why we gossip. Each of these reasons exposes something in our hearts that we need to deal with before God.

We gossip because we harbour hatred, envy or jealousy in our hearts. When we hear something that damages someone that we do not like, we repeat it in order to tear them down. How many of us have repeated things we have heard about others simply with the hidden intent of damaging their reputation or lessening them in the eyes of others?

We gossip because we want to feel important. If we know something someone doesn't know, we feel powerful and important. If we do not have our value in Chirst, then we may seek to find our value by being the source of information that people turn to. 

We gossip because it makes us feel righteous. When we speak about or listen to other people's issues, we feel better about ourselves. When we talk about the sins of others, it makes us feel holy and superior. 

Common Places Gossip Grows

The "Prayer Concern". 
Some people love to spread news this way. Tom says, "We really need to pray for John and Mary, I hear that they are having marriage problems. John is just focused on his job. All he cares about is money." And so the conversation starts. They "talk through" the John and Mary's "situation" with endless speculation about them. Prayer? It usually doesn't happen or is only a brief sentence or two.

I heard something about someone and need to know what to do. 
This is closely related to the prayer concern type of gossip, but in this situation we cloak it in people "what I should do" about a situation. "John and Mary are coming to dinner tomorrow and I don't know what I should say. I heard that they are having marriage problems? You didn't know that? Well, let me tell you (blah, blah, blah)... What do you think I should do?" Sixteen people hear about John and Mary's problems before dinner even happens...all in the name of "seeking advice". 
Sometimes, we do need advice about how we should respond to a situation.  Get advice, but get it from a godly counsellor. A godly counsellor is interested in your godliness and in reconciliation of relationships. They will point out your sin. They will not repeat the matter or be stumbled by it. They will only want to know enough to give you sound counsel. They will be seeking God's will first and foremost. They won't repeat the matter to anyone. (If someone always seems to talk about everyone else's problems, they are NOT the person you want to talk to!).

Someone did something that hurt me.
We live in a fallen world. It is inevitable that people will say things that hurt us or do things that upset us. And when they do, we often start talking about how we were wronged with all of our friends. Of course, God knew that there would be times that people would hurt us. That's why he gave us specific instructions about how to deal with it. Almost all offenses against us can be handled according to clear Scriptural guidelines. Let's remember what they are:

1. Let it go. Most small matters can be released and never brought up. (Proverbs 19:11 NIV) A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.  (1 Corinthians 6:7 NIV) The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?  To overlook an offense means just that. It doesn’t mean that you go and tell your friends what so-and-so just did to you. It means that you choose to forget about it, not to hold it against them, and to not talk about the mean thing they did with others. Of course, some situations are too big to simply overlook. If you find that it is affecting your relationship or attitude toward the other person with you need to deal with it the situation. Jesus gave some specific instructions about how to do that (Matthew 18:15-20), but first:
2. Get the log out of your own eye. Most situations are two-sided. (Proverbs 18:17 NIV) The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.  Jesus warns us against dealing with someone else’s sin in a situation without allowing the Spirit to deal with our sin. We need to be careful to take responsibility for, and repent of, our sins. So if someone has wronged you, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you contributed to the situation and what you can do to resolve your part of it.
3. Go and address the matter with the one who offended you. Jesus specifically said that we are to go and talk to the person. Do this in a spirit of humility and with a desire to restore relationship. (Matthew 18:15 NIV) "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

Almost every situations where we have been offended can be handled this way, usually with the result of restoration and reconciliation. Notice that these three steps do not involve our brining another person into the problem. Only after we have done these are we to bring someone else into the situation (Matthew 18:16).

Why do we insist on “telling it to the whole church” (or workplace or school) through gossip first? One of the most common behaviors in conflicts is gathering people to our side rather than seeking reconciliation with the one who offended us. We aren’t really seeking direction from others. We are seeking the approval of others for how we feel. Or worse, we are seeking an army to go into battle with us. The Lord tells us to live at peace with others.

Dealing with gossip

If you have a problem with gossip: Meditate on Ephesians 4:29. Learn to speak with wholesome words that edify others. 

If a gossip comes to you with the latest thing they heard: Listening to gossip is wrong. When a gossip starts talking about others, simply say, “I don’t think that I need to know this. You need to take this to the Lord and to the people involved.” If they keep talking anyway, walk away. You are dealing with a gossiper who only wants more "juicy details" to share in their next conversation. A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks to much (Proverbs 20:19).

When you are the victim of gossip: It can feel like character assassination. Remember: No one can assassinate your character. Only you can ruin your character. It is your reputation, not your character that is being sullied. Focus on maintaining your character and your reputation will eventually take care of itself. Remember, the apostles were considered the “scum of the earth” yet they had sterling character. (1 Corinthians 4:12-13).