I guess when you name names you risk getting in trouble. Joe and Perry had problems with my age descriptions. Joe doesn’t consider himself old and Perry denies being my age… he’s two days younger. But disagreements from others seem more serious and, once again, I know God is calling me to change. Having received similar compliments (or accusations) Shane, speaking for himself, his friends, Rob and Nick, and others like them, wrote this: “I think if what we are doing seems radical, then that says more about the apathy of Western Christianity than about the true nature of our discipleship. And that is why ‘radical’ has to be coupled with ‘ordinary.’ (Ordinary does not mean normal, and I lament the dreadful seduction which has resulted in Christians becoming so normal.) Our way of life was typical in the days of the early Jesus movement. We are like the Marys and Marthas, and Peter’s family – houses of hospitality, which was the standard call of the early Christians, who abandoned their personal possessions to a new family. This is to say nothing of the countless others who gave up everything and left their homes with no money or food or even sandals to follow Jesus. Christendom seems very unprepared for people who take the gospel that seriously.” (from IRRESISTIBLE REVOLUTION p. 130 and p. 20)
The truth is there are scores of men and women around the world who take the gospel just as seriously as the early believers. Read some of the stories from parts of China and India and you’ll begin to wonder about God’s perspective as He looks down upon the nations. Are those who have every opportunity and every luxury known to man, but are so distracted with ‘stuff’ that they can’t focus on the Kingdom, really better off than the poor, uneducated believers who only have Jesus and know that they must share Him with others before it is too late? Oh to see with God’s eyes…
But I was most disturbed that the Radical we worship disagreed with my remark that He brought peace. “I have come to bring fire on the earth… Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.” (Luke 12:49-52)
What kind of statement is this from the One we call the Prince of Peace? Jesus knew most would reject his radical message. And the ones most likely to reject Him are the ones who have the ‘stuff’ on earth to lose… power, position, wealth, reputation, possessions… It was true in the first century and is no less true today. His message does not target the exterior… it addresses the heart of man. But Jesus knew his words would pierce so deep that one would be forced to choose… self or God? … this world or an invisible Kingdom? … tangible wealth or hidden treasure?… pride or humility? The One who searches the mind of every person is accustomed to man’s attempts to ‘justify self’ or ‘explain away’ His words to make them basically meaningless. So today, two thousand years after He walked the earth, I think His message to us would be the same as when He returned from forty days in the wilderness: “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’”
“‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, ‘What? Are we blind too?’ Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.’” John 9:39-41
“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:17-19