Mimic The Master
10-13 “The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.
14-16 The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit.”
[Aside; Before I mount the pulpit *ahem* I would like to make it clear that these are my own (honestly flawed) reflections on the preaching at church, Worship Tabernacle in Belsize Park. I have decided to share them on this blog because…er, it’s my blog and I can do what I want to. (Well, short of killing an endangered species of Brazilian toads and smearing the blog with pictures of the bleeding Neckless…if the Blogspot.com users handbook is to be believed).
This is not a bible-thumping message of the “…Sinners, perish in the wilderness of the fiery beast…” variety. BUT if you don’t already believe Jesus is your friend and only real help in these trying times you should probably consider taking a leaf from your Facebook stalker and add Him…yes, you may poke Him several times a day and clog his messages, just to feel close to Him. He loves that stuff. If not…well, the rest of the post will be read with one of your daintily hairless but precisely measured and arched pseudo-eyebrows lifted and/or full of random mutterings and curses from you. Do yourself a favour.
Alors, allons y.
In church this December, we are learning about the mind of Christ (the reason for this season). What did this teacher/ brother/ deceiver/healer/friend/miracle worker/pretender/ arrogant so-and-so/saviour, have within Him that has kept billions bound through the ages? What was this mindset that made Him, son of God or great pretender, stand out through the ages? What can we learn from Him, Christian or not? Christians, how can we emulate the one who set us free, the one who redeemed us, this friend who listens?
We began by dissecting the gospel of Jesus. Random fact, I heard that the word ‘Gospel’ literally translates from Greek or Aremaic (I forget which) to “News that is so good, it can NOT possibly be true!” But I digress.
WHY?
Why be on your WWJD grind? What are the merits of a Christ-like mind?
1 Corinthians 2:13-16 quoted above, tells us that the essence of God is His spirit. As we are made in His image, our essence is our spirit. This is why John prays for his friends success in business as well as the prosperity of his soul.
1-4 “The Pastor, to my good friend Gaius: How truly I love you! We're the best of friends, and I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health—that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul!”
The prayer from 3 John 1-2, is for the well-being and joy of his friend Gaius based on the understanding that for the outside to prosper without the inside equally prospering, death of an emotional or spiritual kind is stalking close behind. When your soul prospers, everything else follows. King Solomon the Sage, tells us that out of the abundance of the soul the mouth speaks. The key to change the outside, is inside of you. Not the reverse as extreme make-over shows tell us. Waiting till your surroundings change so you can be happier, more fulfilled, at peace and so on is not really the way to go, it is in motivating your spirit and nourishing your soul to produce the optimum from your body and maximise your mind that your surroundings flourish.
Your mind should take instruction from your spirit. Which in turn gleans understanding from the Master’s Spirit. The spirit is the channel of communication with God because it was this Spirit that God breathed into us to give life in the first place. This is the lasting thread connecting the made to the maker. When your soul; your spirit-being does not prosper, how can you be fulfilled when the body is made of mind body & soul? Its like having a cerebral mind with a body ravaged by illness, you can not be described as in full health because all your faculties are not aligned. This is why a Christ-like mind is necessary; to give you balance, contentment in all things and confidence in yourself.
How?
How can one get this mind of which you speak oh street preacher on these thugging e-streets?
First, you cant mimic someone you don’t know. Hebrews 3:1 tells us to “Consider (observe, study) Jesus, the…High Priest of our confession”. How can we know Him when we don’t spend time with Him? We can’t study him when we are too far to see Him, make out His features, understand His ways, recognise His presence, His advice, His peace. The pastor suggests we wake up a few minutes earlier than normal (he actually said 20 minutes but I saw too many balking faces within his congregation especially from the 5am Cityboys & girls). But those few minutes draw us closer to the source. To the source of our strength, our hope, our joy, our peace...SO necessary to face another Monday of disturbingly dry classes. In practicing and imitating, we begin to look like him.
For our spirits to be healthy, we must study the Word to feed ourselves with things that speak to our spirits and nourish our souls. Feed ourselves to build our spirits and make us people that stand for God, for our values and beliefs in this day and age. Church is an addition, a snack or treat to balance the diet you fed on during the week. Not a 6 course meal that lasts from 11 to 1 every Sunday. What are we reading, watching, doing from Lundi a Vendredi, Monsieur et ‘demoiselle Dimanche?
Another way to build up your spirit is to help others. We must support the people around us because our salvation lies in uplifting, encouraging and looking out for others. That is what brings the joy of Christ, that David the psalmist sings is “…the strength of our life”. Its by helping others that your help comes…sometimes through the sudden realisation that someone has it worse than you, so much worse that your problem seems almost petty. It’s not gone, but it sure as hell is looking better from where you’re sitting.
Two things I like about Jesus’ mind
1. Jesus’ mind never seemed to entertain failure or defeat. He knew it could come, but he did not entertain it. He found solution after solution to problems no matter how dour things seemed or how anxious Peter & the crew were. 5,000 people and no bread? Look for someone with any food at all…even a miracle starts with SOMEthing. People crowding the temple and selling livestock? Bring me my whip Pete! Arresting time in Gethsamane? Your will be done. His mind was solidly anchored to victory. And Timothy 1.7 tells us it’s the same mind God has given us; a sound mind not a fearful one.
To be anchored to victory does not mean depression will not come, that fear will not race to us unbidden, or worry will not knock loudly after dropping its heavy suitcase on our porch. Lady Life is after all nothing but the bastard daughter of a diseased goat and will do her very best to unseat us from our throne of grace. But we like Jesus must be solution finders not problem hoarders, anchoring ourselves to the victory giver, Jesus. He calmly and boldly faced death, triumphing in the face of adversity because of a mindest that understood that victory regardless of the circumstances is assured.
The thing is, we don’t even realise what damage our thoughts can do. The devil acts on our most dominant thoughts, propelling us towards those thoughts and when they finally manifest we stand looking around confusedly like a foreigner at their first New Yam Festival. Not realising that you are the steering captain of your wrecked ship.
Finally, Christ’s never doubted his identity.
Jesus Christ honestly believed He was the image of God, viewed Himself as the image of God and his thoughts and actions aligned to this belief. We also, are made in God’s image (Genesis 1.26), that is why the bible says “Don’t you know that you are are god’s” in Psalm 82:6.
Your identity determines your ability. What you see when you look at yourself really limits or propels you. As a Christian if you knew who was backing you, you would un-limit yourself. It’s like playing that game where someone stands behind and promises to catch you when you fall backwards. To fall in the first place, you need to trust the person behind you has the ability to catch you. Only then will you fall freely. When you trust God to be there, you can live your life fully, expectantly, happily.
The problem with us is that we are so aware of what we don’t have that we forget what we do have; God on our side. If God is for us, Paul asks, who can be against us???! The fact that you are still alive means God has a plan and purpose for you. You are not forgotten. You have to remember that you are somebody, not just anybody. YOU matter, your life is purposeful, and very very precious to the one who created you, in His grand scheme of things.
Christ thought, did and believed the impossible. Know yourself, trust your God…with Him , impossible is nothing. Matthew 17:20.
Remember Romans 8:28; “All things work together for good for those that work according to his purpose.”
The Message bible version says; “That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.”
Like Houston, I like that.
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