Category Archives: Christ Our All

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Jesus is the Essence and Source of the Church (and everything else, too)

essence source

Credit: Flickr user mxing-m

Everything draws its essence from him, and God gave him, him alone, to the assembly as the source of everything it needs. The assembly is, in fact, his body, and every individual contributes to bring his body to a state of completion.

(Ephesians 1:22-23, The Source NT, emphasis mine)

Um… wow.  I have to say that these verses in this translation have just blown me away as of late.

Jesus is the essence of the church.

Jesus is the source of the church.

Everything we need is in Him.

Everything draws its essence, its value, its fragrance, from Him.

And He loves to give all of this to us.

What is true about us because of our identity in Christ is permanent.  It is never untrue.  (Let that sink in for a minute.)  The essence, or nature, of Christ never changes.

Jesus is the real, ultimate essence of His body.  We are the essence of Christ, kind of like a portrait captures the essence of a person or a landscape, but so much more.

Because Jesus is our essence and source, our identity and our real life is found in Him.

The body is the fragrance of Christ in the world.

The body can hold the essence of Christ and also express that essence as we abide in Him.

Our most significant quality is Jesus being uniquely expressed through each member of His body.

Jesus is our source.  He is the origin of the River of Life that flows out from Him and in and through us.  The “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms” in Ephesians 1 originate and flow from Him.  It is our union with Jesus as One New Man that gives us access to the blessings.  It is all in and from Him.

Saints, how can we be selfless?

How can we not be anxious about tomorrow?

How can Jesus’ body have one mind?

How can Jesus’ body have one Spirit?

How can we love others as Christ has loved us?

How can we live mutually submitted to each other?

How can we see past each others’ flaws and sins?

How do we not keep a record of wrongs?

How can we be slow to anger and abound in love?

How can we always see the best in each other?

The reality is… we can’t!

Only with Jesus as our essence and our source, our origin, can we accomplish anything of true worth.  Only in Him can we live and move in the divine.

You are the essence of Christ, and He is your Source.

We are the essence of Christ, and He is our Source.

No one else.  Nothing else.

Only Jesus.

This is the key to all spiritual life.

Follow the Life!

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If you would like to expand on the theme of Jesus as our Source and abiding in Him, check out the series going on at the 3rd Race blog.

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Psalm 23: Why Jesus Prepares a Table in the Midst of Our Enemies

psalm 23Rewriting Psalm 23… I’ve done this exercise many times and I’ve found so much life in it.  I’ve found that the Spirit will highlight different part of this brief chapter each time I reflect on it, and out flows a different version of the words.

Recently, two things were of special notice.

1. Jesus Himself is the green pasture!  He is leading us into Himself to experience his love and live by his own divine life.

2. It seems odd that Jesus would be preparing a feast for us while our enemies are closing in around us.  Unless of course, He has already defeated all our enemies and knows that they have no real power over us.  When we realize this, we need only to rest and feast at the Lord’s table, where He sustains us and feeds us with His life.  Taking on this posture of ignoring the enemy at our feet and resting peacefully at the Lord’s table shames the enemy and displays Jesus’ own character to the world.

Here’s my paraphrase with these two themes highlighted.

Psalm 23: Mark’s Paraphrase

Thank you Jesus that You are the Perfect Shepherd, and in Your life, we have everything that truly matters.  We only need to keep our eyes fixed on You, and You guide us into the greenest pastures – Your Life!  By Your Spirit, these pastures that are green and vibrant beyond all compare, are located inside of us.  In faith, we look within to find You and we rest in Your presence.  Your life in us gives a peace so that we can relax, like taking a long nap next to a bubbling stream.  We are healed and restored to our true selves as we sit with You.  From this place of rest and trust, we follow You anywhere You lead, and those who see us recognize You and call us by Your name.

Even when the path to Your green pastures winds through dark and dangerous valleys, we keep our eyes on You and fear nothing.  Your gentle and patient leading brings an inner contentment despite our circumstances.  Even when we are surrounded by enemies on all sides, You invite us to rest and feast in You, the Bread of Life.  While we have no power in ourselves, our resting and feasting in Your life in all things brings shame to any who stand against You, and renders them powerless against us.  True religion is on display to the world as we dine at your table in rest and joy.  Meanwhile Your Spirit, Your scent, Your being blooms inside of us so that we overflow with Your life.

We are joined together with You for all eternity, and we will live with Your family in Your house forever.

Follow the Life!

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Stephen Hawking Can’t Explain You

treasure stephen hawking

Credit: Flickr user bernatcg (CC)

Do you think we can ever know everything about Christ?

I believe we’ve barely scratched the surface of exploring the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8).

As John wrote at the end of his gospel:

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.  (John 21:25)

And these were only the things He did while on the earth.

When the saints I’m pursuing Christ with gather together we often sing a song titled The Half Cannot Be Fancied. The first verse and chorus go like this:

To Jesus every day I find
My heart is closer drawn
You’re fairer than the sons of men
And fresher than the morn;
You’re all that I can say of You
And infinitely more,
And every day You’re dearer
Than You were the day before

The half (the half)
Cannot be fancied
Of such (of such)
A treasure store,
And every day You’re dearer
Than You were the day before

Scientists are still working to unveil the deep mysteries of the earth, nature, and the universe.  With such limited understanding and knowledge of these things, how can we expect to fully comprehend the One who created these things?

And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?  (Job 26:14)

And yet, it is God’s pleasure to reveal Himself to us.

All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wills to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

I recently heard a modern version of The Half Cannot Be Fancied on the radio in a song by Weezer called DaVinci.  While they may be singing about a woman, I believe the song echoes the unsearchable riches of our Christ, and that our finite minds are simply unable to grasp all of Him.  Thankfully, God has planted His Spirit in us so that even the weakest could begin to comprehend who Christ is, especially when they join together in expressing Him to each other.

God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

Listen to some of the lyrics of DaVinci:

I tried describing you to all my friends
But they just told me to polish my lens
You’re sweet, generous, my sweetheart
I don’t even know where to start

Even Da Vinci couldn’t paint you
Stephen Hawking can’t explain you
Rosetta Stone could not translate you
I’m at a loss for words, I’m at a loss for words
I couldn’t put it in a novel
I wrote a page, but it was awful
Now I just want to sing your gospel
I’m at a loss for words, I’m at a loss for words

Sorry DaVinci.  Sorry Stephen Hawking.  Sorry Rosetta Stone.

You haven’t even scratched the surface of describing, knowing, or translating the ultimate Truth.

Now I just want to sing His gospel…

Follow the Life!

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Introducing a New Blogger!

Have you ever wondered what was happening before creation?

creation

Credit: Flickr user k_putt (CC)

I’d like to introduce you to a sister in Christ, Joelle, who began a new blogging adventure this week and begins to peel back the layers of this question in her first post.  Her blog will be focused on the infinite ways that Christ reveals and expresses himself through creation.  Joelle is an ecologist, and now also a writer, so this is right up her alley.

I hope you’ll swing over there, check it out, and sign up to get her new posts!

Joelle’s Blog: Even The Rocks Will Cry Out

Here’s an excerpt from Joelle’s About This Blog page:

As we look around at the endless tapestry of creation, we see that the more we look, the more we find that all of it speaks of our Creator, Jesus Christ. The same is true when we read our story with Him that began ages ago in the garden…He appears as the constant thread throughout human history and has also surrounded us with what He has made.

This blog is meant to be an exploration of that: A venture to start viewing the world differently.

Every tree, gust of wind, deep river, and animal call is beautiful in its own right, but it also speaks of a deeper, infinite world in Jesus Christ. It tells us of His character. It tells us how He relates. It tells us what His perfect love looks like. It even tells us who we are in Him.

Follow the Life!

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Overlooked Christmas Treasures Part 2: Joy to the World

joy to the world

Credit: Flickr user derekbruff

Have you ever sung all of the lyrics to Joy to the World?

I’m continuing today with another overlooked Christmas treasure in one of the latter verses of the traditional Christmas hymn Joy to the World.

You can read part 1 of this series here.

The third verse of Joy to the World, which I’ve probably only sung a few times, though I’ve sung the beginning of the song many, many times, goes like this:

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found

Read more: Christmas Carols – Joy To The World Lyrics | MetroLyrics

When I read or hear these words, I hear a beautiful expression of the new kingdom that Jesus established in the “here and now”.

When we partake of the life of Christ, we are touching this new kingdom.

When we live together in community, we are expressing this new kingdom.

When others see the joy and love of Christ in us, we are expanding this new kingdom.

But what happens in this new kingdom?  In the stanza above, the blessings of Christ flow and the curse is reversed!

Hallelujah, in this new kingdom, the effects of the curse are being reversed as Christ’s life flows through us in the Spirit.

What better news to share and sing about this Christmas!

Let every heart prepare Him room, and…

Follow the Life!

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Overlooked Christmas Treasures Part 1

nativity story christmas hidden treasure

Credit: Flickr user jeffweese

If you are anything like me, you know the lyrics to the first verse of lots of Christmas songs, but rarely the whole song.  What I’ve found in recent years is that by not really paying attention to the latter verses of traditional and popular Christmas songs, I’ve missed some of the most beautiful parts of those songs.

Silent Night

You’ve probably sung the lyrics to Silent Night with a group and only sung the first verse because most people don’t know the rest.  But look at the beauty of the second verse:

Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Read more: Christmas Carols – Silent Night Lyrics | MetroLyrics

“Son of God, love’s pure light!”

Jesus is God’s expression of love to us.  It is His love that brings light to our spirit, and the light of God’s perfect love beamed from His holy face.

In Christ was the dawn of something new; not only a new birth for Him, but a new birth for us, and for all of creation!  In Him was the grace of God that redeems all things.

Follow the Life!

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Renewing Christmas Music

Here are three posts from last year with some Christmas music that you typically won’t hear on the radio or in stores this Christmas season.  The typical Christmas music is played so much that it gets old quick at Christmas time (at least it does for me).  The links below have some new songs and some fresh takes on the classic Christmas Hymns.

Enjoy!

Renewing Christmas Music Part 1

Renewing Christmas Music Part 2

Renewing Christmas Music Part 3: Folk Angel

 

Follow the Life!

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A Christmas Reminder

Christmas is a beautiful reminder of how Jesus wielded divine power:

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭6-11‬ NLT)

Follow the Life!

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Jesus Has Friends in Low Places

jesus love friend in low placesA while back, I rewrote the lyrics to the popular Garth Brooks song, Friends in Low Places.  I was inspired by a prolonged encounter with someone who was being quite self-righteous, and it dawned on me how much time Jesus spent with those that were just “normal” people. In fact, He was so close to these folks that He was called a glutton and a drunk.  He was called the Friend of Sinners.

The blue-collar, rough around the edges, love to have a good time, hear a good story, and laugh hard a great joke kind of people.

The struggling to survive, worried about taking care of their family kind of people.

The sick, prostitute, destitute, demon possessed kind of people.

The low class fisherman and the hated “traitor” tax collector kind of people.

Jesus loved them all, and these people were found in His ranks as His closest followers.

Before I get into the song, here’s a few notes to consider:

  • This is not written to condemn any individual or group, but towards the religious, self-righteous mindset or spirit.  This is a mindset that relies on one’s own external performance to be counted as good and righteous before God.  The self-righteous spirit often assumes that anyone doing less than them is not worthy of love and respect.
  • The self-righteous spirit causes one to rely on our own power to please God, rather than resting in what Christ has done for us already.
  • We all may fall prey to this spirit at times.
  • “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”  (Matt 5:3, NLT)

Jesus Has Friends in Low Places

Blame it all on my roots
I don’t give two hoots
About your religious affair

Believe me I know
You’re all about show
It’s all about yourselves that you care

And I saw the surprise
And the fear in your eyes
When I healed that man of his pain

He looked at you
Said now your power is through
Now he is livin’ again

(Chorus)
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
Prostitutes and drunks
But My love chases their sins away
And they’ll be okay
Now they’re not in your social graces
But they know real heavenly places
Oh I’ve got friends
In low places

You say they are wrong
And just don’t belong
Like you’ve never been there before

Everything’s alright
Now they have new sight
It’s you who are truly poor

Hey I didn’t mean
To cause a big scene
Just give me the broken and then
We’ll step outside of these whitewashed tombs
That you’re livin’ in!

(Chorus 2x)

Here’s the music for the song.

 

Follow the Life!

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Growing Deeper in Christ By Living Simply- Comment Highlight

live simply simple simplicity wealth

Photo Credit: Flickr user Katie@! (CC)

The following comment was posted on an older post I wrote about wealth and living simply.  You can read that post here: The Myth of Wealth.

I really appreciated this comment and wanted to highlight it for others to read as well.  Ironically, I met together with a group of believers this weekend to share a meal and the Lord’s Supper together and this topic came up.  Two of the families that were there are in the process of selling just about all of their possessions to follow Christ in some new and exciting ways.  Both families will need to be flexible and mobile to follow Christ, and we shared together about the freedom of becoming less attached to the things of this world.

I have found that owning less makes me more available to Christ because those things no longer have any stronghold in my heart. I also learn to not place my trust in possessions.

Jesus wants our trust to be in Him.  Not that there is anything wrong with owning things; the crucial factor is whether or not these things take the place in our hearts above Christ Himself.  I would rather have Christ and nothing else than to have everything and no Christ.

Here’s the comment:

Thank you for this, Mark. Christ is infinitely more desirable than all the “things” one can try to acquire. Though it’s hard most days, I’m grateful that He is the only “wealth” I have. I’ve learned to live without a lot of things. My necessities are the bare necessities.

It may sound strange, but it really is a blessed life. It’s not better or somehow glamorous compared to having more income. I’m blessed not because Christ is all I have, but because He’s become all I WANT. Sure, I’d love to have an apartment that’s not in somebody’s basement, and a little extra to save for a rainy day, but I don’t, and somehow that’s ok. I want “inward mobility” – growing deeper into Christ, and Him into me. He is my one Treasure.

All that said, it’s really frustrating being around Christians who have much more than they need, and are blind to the poverty around them, especially that of their own brothers and sisters. I’m in a small group at a traditional church with some really sweet people, but none of them know any lack. They make sure the tithes get in (so God will continue to bless them) but they don’t share what they have. It’s very sad. Why would the poor want to join a church and follow a “Jesus” who doesn’t care about their need, where no one ever asks if they’re alright?

– Amanda
– Amanda’s Blog (All and In All)

 

Follow the Life!

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