tenet of purpose

Why did Jesus come?

I’m sure most of us could quickly quote John 3:16, stating that the primary reasons was to give us eternal life. However, Jesus came to show us more than a hope for what's to come, he came to give us a preview of heaven on earth; he came to show us the ultimate example of love.

John writes in the first book of his trilogy that, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." A philosopher which has had great influence on me once wrote, "To lay down our lives does indeed mean that we die; it means that we die to ourselves. It means that we die to our desires of self-advancement, and we die to our want of attention in order to show someone else that they are worthwhile… Love is other-oriented. Love is putting ourselves down to see another lifted up above us." But since the beginning of Jesus ministry his message of this love has been contorted by man to be that which it is not.

Luke 19:28-44: The triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We all know this story of Jesus' entrance into this city, the palm branches, and the hosanna's. But, what is usually interpreted as a celebration of the savior of the world some have reached a different conclusion of the purpose of this perhaps tumult. Palm branches during this time were used as a symbol of military victory and triumph. The Jews weren't celebrating redemption and a message of love, but a hope of Jesus as reformer: conqueror of Roman oppression. This would explain why Jesus wept over the city (vs. 42): his purpose was misunderstood.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, right before Jesus is arrested, "a detachment of men" as John says, came to arrest Jesus. This word 'detachment' means anywhere from 500 to 1,000 men. Why would you need this many soldiers to arrest a man who preached of love and peace, unless you did not understand him, and believed he was actually planning to lead a rebellion?

His disciples might have believed this too, as perhaps Judas' betrayal wasn't a switching of sides, but an attempt to get Jesus to finally act, as he might have believed this was Jesus' ultimate purpose. So indeed, it would make sense: Judas was getting impatient; putting Jesus under pressure would force him to commence his plan of overthrowing the Romans. I mean, his name was Judas Iscariot, meaning: Judas, a man from Kerioth, a land know for it's rebellions against the Roman empire.

Peter as well drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of the men. Jesus responded to this action by reattaching the man's ear, and stating "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?… And then to the detachment he says, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?" It is at this moment that the disciples realized that Jesus was serious about this love philosophy and at this point of revelation that scripture tells us "all the disciples deserted him and fled" (Matthew 26:56b).

And to top it off, it would make sense that the Jews would ask to trade Jesus for Barabbas, as Barabbas was a notorious prisoner, know for his involvement in rebellions against the Romans. So they traded Barabbas, which means 'son of the father' for the Son of the Father.

They didn’t know Jesus. They misunderstood his purpose completely. Oh, he indeed would bring reformation, but on a scale so much larger—and deeper—than any could imagine. Just as many times we are too busy putting expectations on him that we forget what he is all about and what he has called us to do. We can all get excited about the power of Christ, and "the infinite possibilities born of faith" as Teresa of Avila writes, but we too often seek the possible creations we contrive in our mind over the Creator himself.  He does not only want us to know his power; he wants us to know him.  

So "Dear friends, let us love one another,for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God"

                                        -1 John 4:7.

tenet of ministry

John the Baptist, when asked who he was simply stated, "I am the voice of the one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"

When asked who I am, I would probably mention people i associate with, what my major is, what i'm planning to do with my life, etc: things that people value in the typical American culture. But John didn't need to affirm his position to the priests and Levites by speaking of his associations, he didn't need to mention his education, or impress by stating his future life goals. No. He spoke in the present, that he was the voice of the one who called him in the desert, to make straight the way of the Lord.

My name is Daniel, and I was born to make straight the way of the Lord, as is everyone reading this. Perhaps this looks a little different today, as Jesus has already come once, but he promises to come again, and until he does he has told us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded us.

For some reason though we often forget that our purpose is this simple. Perhaps because we've complicated it. The Church is filled with competitors more often than confessor.

One could have a really 'good' ministry job that provides a high salary, good facilities, large attendance results, and be looked at highly as being very good at what he/she does; while another could have a really 'good' ministry where they work in the slums, no pay, and people aren't coming to Christ, and they can be considered a real trooper. 

Pride can be found in both.

Both of these ministries are needed ministries, but when we're doing them to reflect our worth, they have no worth. Somehow in the midst of striving to be the best we can be for Christ, we often get caught in comparing "our ministry" to other's, and we forget "our ministry" is God's; we're preparing the way for something greater than ourselves.

John's disciples couldn't understand that John and Jesus were on the same team. They said, "Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan-the one you testified about-well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."

John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that i said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete."

Whatever ministry we do finds its value in Christ alone; therefore, we must realize that we serve one Christ and hence we are all part of the same body. So whether we're preparing the way of the Lord, or simply preparing the way for another member of the body to prepare the way of the Lord, we can learn a lot from John's final words to his disciples in reference to Jesus' rising ministry:

"He must become greater; I must become less."

-John 3:30