An excerpt from “The Silence of God” message in our Desperate Days (the Book of Job) series

How do we respond when God seems silent? There is something frustratingly mysterious about the silence of God. I don’t have any easy answers for you. I don’t have a plug and play formula… do this or that and God will show up. But I do have 3 Questions to Ask in the Silence of God. They won’t erase the tension and frustration, but they may help guide you through the fog.

1. Is my suffering caused by my sin? While Job’s suffering was not caused by his sin, and while not all of our suffering is caused by our sin, there are times when our suffering is a result of our sinful choices. God designed life to be lived within His life-giving and life-sustaining boundaries, and when we choose to live outside of those boundaries, consequences, discipline, and suffering results. The Apostle Paul instructs us, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). When we choose to sin and rebel against God, we quench the voice of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. At times, God allows the consequences to come to bear. And it seems as though He’s silent. He’s actually giving us what we wanted… life without His “interference.”

When I was a senior in college, I was arrested for a DUI. After spending the night in jail, I spent the next year cleaning up the mess I created. And there were times, even when I prayed to God that He would resolve things, I sensed His silence. I wholeheartedly believe God is a God of love, grace, and forgiveness, but I also believe He lets the consequences play out. At times, it feels like the “time out” we give our kids. They want to do their own thing. So we put them in their room for a time. We don’t stop loving them, but they do experience our silence. Honestly evaluate whether your suffering caused by your sin?

2. Am I over-dependent on the experience more than the relationship? You’ve likely heard the term “dark night of the soul.” St. John of the Cross wrote about God allowing us to experience the silence (and what feels like His absence) to see whether we’re longing more for the experience of being in relationship with Him more than we’re actually longing for Him. Will we still love God, worship Him, and live by faith when we’re not experiencing the warm fuzzy… when the experience and the passion is lacking… when we feel like we’re in the desert? Let’s be honest. At times we want the water more than the Fountain… the warmth more than the Flame… the green pastures more than the Shepherd. We want the blessing more than the Blesser. Suffering and the silence of God reveal our motives and desires.

3. Will I choose faith? Job spoke this affirmation of his faith in God in the middle of the toughest crisis of his life (Job 19:25-27):

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God;
Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.
My heart faints within me!

Job says, “As for me, I know my Redeemer lives… even when my heart faints within me. Even in the confusion, the crisis, and even in my complaints that God seems silent and absent, I choose faith. I choose to believe when there’s no logical reason to believe any more.” That’s faith… a faith that hangs in there at any cost. It’s been said, “Job’s faith cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken.” At the end of the day, when you feel the silence of God, when your personal perspective and pain tell you that God is absent and disinterested, will you choose faith? Will you trust His promises that He will never leave nor forsake you… that He will cause all things (yes even His silence) to work together for your good and for the good of those around you? Will you choose faith?

I’ll close with a quote from Philip Yancey’s Disappointment with God:

You could read Job’s story, puzzle over The Wager, then breathe a deep sigh of relief: Phew! God settled that problem. After proving His point so decisively, surely He will return to his preferred style of communicating clearly with His followers. You could think so—unless, that is, you read the rest of the Bible. I hesitate to say this, because it is a hard truth and one I do not want to acknowledge, but Job stands as merely the most extreme example of what appears to be a universal law offaith. The kind of faith God values seems to develop best when everything fuzzes over, when God stays silent, when the fog rolls in.

On Sunday, January 22 as we continued in our Desperate Days series, we discussed “Good & Bad Counsel.” I hope and pray that it was helpful in giving you ideas on what to say and what not to say when a friend or family member is going through grief and suffering. Here are some resources that I’ve used over the years for understanding the experience and process of grief:

1. Experiencing Grief – H. Norman Wright. Written to encourage anybody who’s recently endured a loss, this brief, powerful book leads readers through five essential stages: shock, rage, despair, release, and finally peace.

2. Shattered Dreams – Larry Crabb. If God loves me, why is life so painful? Exploring the biblical account of Naomi, Crabb explains how God longs to awaken his children to the dream beneath the rubble of tragedy–changing lives for good and forever. Encounter your closest Friend in the midst of difficulty and learn to live beyond life’s deepest pain.

3. A Grace Disguised – Jerry Sittser. In one terrible instant, a drunk-driving accident claimed three generations of Sittser’s family—his mother, wife, and daughter—while he and his remaining children were left to survive together. In this powerfully moving testimony, he offers hope to fellow Christians who have suffered loss through illness, divorce, or death.

4. Disappointment with God – Philip Yancey. Yancey deals with some of life’s toughest questions in the midst of faith and suffering. Is God unfair? Is God silent? Is God hidden? If God desires our love, why does he sometimes put obstacles in the way? Why does he seem so distant? What can we expect from him after all? No part of the Bible goes unstudied in the authors search for God’s hidden nature in this compelling and profound book.

5. When the Darkness Will Not Lift – John Piper. Even the most faithful, focused Christians can encounter periods of depression and spiritual darkness when joy seems to stay just out of reach. It can happen because of sin, satanic assault, distressing circumstances, or hereditary and other physical causes. In When the Darkness Will Not Lift, John Piper aims to give some comfort and guidance to those experiencing spiritual darkness.

If you need some personal help with depression, grief, or suffering or would like to refer someone, please contact Lupe Maple, Director of Northshore’s LIGHT Ministry.

With Sunday’s snowstorm, I wanted to post the message manuscript and audio from the message “Desperation & Depression.” It was an important message for those who struggle with depression or for those who have friends or family who struggle with depression.

Here’s the AUDIO from the message.

¹ Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ²And Job said,

³ “Let the day perish on which I was to be born,
And the night which said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
⁴ “May that day be darkness;
Let not God above care for it,
Nor light shine on it.
⁵ “Let darkness and black gloom claim it;
Let a cloud settle on it;
Let the blackness of the day terrify it.
⁶ “As for that night, let darkness seize it;
Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;
Let it not come into the number of the months.
⁷ “Behold, let that night be barren;
Let no joyful shout enter it.
⁸ “Let those curse it who curse the day,
Who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.
⁹ “Let the stars of its twilight be darkened;
Let it wait for light but have none,
And let it not see the breaking dawn;
¹⁰ Because it did not shut the opening of my mother’s womb,
Or hide trouble from my eyes.

¹¹ “Why did I not die at birth,
Come forth from the womb and expire?
¹² “Why did the knees receive me,
And why the breasts, that I should suck?
¹³ “For now I would have lain down and been quiet;
I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,
¹⁴ With kings and with counselors of the earth,
Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;
¹⁵ Or with princes who had gold,
Who were filling their houses with silver.
¹⁶ “Or like a miscarriage which is discarded, I would not be,
As infants that never saw light.
¹⁷ “There the wicked cease from raging,
And there the weary are at rest.
¹⁸ “The prisoners are at ease together;
They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
¹⁹ “The small and the great are there,
And the slave is free from his master.

²⁰ “Why is light given to him who suffers,
And life to the bitter of soul,
²¹ Who long for death, but there is none,
And dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
²² Who rejoice greatly,
And exult when they find the grave?
²³ “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
And whom God has hedged in?
²⁴ “For my groaning comes at the sight of my food,
And my cries pour out like water.
²⁵ “For what I fear comes upon me,
And what I dread befalls me.
²⁶ “I am not at ease, nor am I quiet,
And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.”

How bad does life have to get where you feel something like that? Some of you have actually experienced this kind of desperation and depression… a kind of desperation and depression where you don’t even have the will to keep on living. Charles Spurgeon, the famous British 19^th century pastor, often referred to as the “Prince of Preachers,” was prone to seasons of deep depression even amidst enormous success in ministry. He once said, “I am the subject of depression so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to.” Every one of us is susceptible to some level of depression. Every one of us has the possibility of experiencing those grey days where things don’t go right and it affects how we see life. On the other extreme some of us experience the pitch-black dark night of the soul, and we rue the day we were born. Most of us have experienced or will experience something in between. Or we have friends or family members who have experienced or are experiencing depression.

What do you do when your desperation turns into depression?

This is the question I want to wrestle through today. Last week, we began a 7-week series called Desperate Days. We’re exploring the ancient book of Job… pressing into some of the most intense questions in life about tragedy, suffering, depression… and where God is in the midst of it all. Last week we were introduced to the biblical character Job and talked about how we respond when tragedy strikes. Job experiences catastrophe after catastrophe. He loses everything. He loses his ten children as they’re killed in a freak storm. He loses his possession. He loses his health. Last week we left him covered in boils, sitting in the city dump, waiting to die, surrounded by his three friends who came to comfort him but could do nothing but sit and weep in silence for seven days and seven nights. And then finally… Job opens his mouth and speaks… and his desperation has turned into a deep depression.

Job’s Wishes

As we explore Job 3, we see that Job has three wishes as his desperation turns into deep depression.

1. Job wishes he’d never been conceived (vv. 1-10). Job is in such mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual pain that he curses the day he was conceived. Notice that Job never curses God. He’s beginning to question God. As we get further into the book, he’ll even challenge God. But he never renounces or curses God. But He does curse the day he was conceived. As the story shifts from narrative to poetry, the images Job paints in his pain are dark. Over and over, he talks about the day of his conception as a dark day… black gloom… dark clouds. He wishes the day didn’t even exist because then he would never had to endure what he’s going through in his life. A quick explanation of v. 8 – the “leviathan.” Job’s talking about a mythological, seven-headed sea monster that when awoken would swallow the sun and the moon. He doesn’t necessarily believe in this mythological creature, but he’s communicating in the language of his day to explain the darkness and turmoil he’s feeling right now.

2. Job wishes he’d never been born (vv. 11-19). In v. 11, the “why” questions begin. Job asks, “Why didn’t I die at birth? Why did the knees receive me?” He’s talking about sitting on his mother’s lap while he was feeding or possibly sitting on his father’s knee as he received his father’s blessing. If he would have died when he was born, he’d be experiencing “quiet and rest.” He’d be in the grave, like great kings who built these extravagant graves that have now become ruins. Job states that death is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter if you’re great or small, king or slave, rich or poor. One aside from these verses… Job and the rest of the Old Testament don’t have a developed view of the afterlife. Death was simply death… an end to life. There are glimpses of the afterlife is some Old Testament writings, but we don’t get a fully developed view of heaven and hell until we get into the New Testament of the Bible. So from Job’s limited perspective, death is a release from the pain and suffering of life.

3. Job wishes he’d die now (vv. 20-26). Job’s last wish is that he could die right now. More “why” questions surface. In v. 20, “Why is light (i.e., life) given to him who suffers?” He’s asking why God sustains someone’s life if they’re going through this intense suffering. In great pain, people look for death or for a way out, but it doesn’t come. I’ll talk about this more in-depth in a moment, but notice that Job doesn’t consider suicide. He simply wishes he’d never been conceived or born… or that God would allow him to die right now. In v. 23, God feels like he’s lost his way… he feels like God has “hedged” him in. Back in Job 1:10, Satan accuses God of putting up a “hedge” of protection around Job. And now Job feels like God has boxed him in and backed him into a corner of extreme suffering… and he can’t escape. In v. 24, we see that he’s lost his appetite and when someone tries to bring him food, he wails loudly. His worst fears have come true. His nightmares have become a reality. He’s lost everything dear to him. He doesn’t feel at ease or safe and secure. He’s not experiencing that longed for rest. He’s in turmoil, an agitated state (lit., “a rumbling of thunder”) that comes from a complete lack of peace. And he wishes he’d die right now so he doesn’t have to endure it any more. His desperation has turned into a deep depression. He’s in a dark place right now, and doesn’t seem to be getting better anytime soon.

That’s what Job’s going through, as his desperation turned to depression. In your life, what do you do when depression turns into depression?

When You’re Depressed

If you’re struggling with depression, whether it’s simply the winter blues or the pitch-black, dark night of the soul, here are five things that you need to remember. And please hear me on this… they won’t necessarily alleviate the depression, but they will give you some moorings when it feels like your being tossed to and fro by the tempest of life.

1. Be honest and don’t try to fake it. Job let it out… he was honest about what he was feeling. So often in the Christian community, we walk around with these plastic little smiles, and when asked how we’re doing by our friends, we tell them that everything is fine. Inside we’re crumbling. Inside we’re absolutely falling apart. While I can appreciate trying to maintain as positive, optimistic, faith-filled outlook as possible, so we’re not viewed as a constant Eeyore or Puddleglum… when you’re going through depression, be honest and don’t try to fake it, especially with your friends and family. When you’re struggling with depression, you’re already low on emotional energy. It’s not worth expending what energy you do have on trying to look like you have it all together. Be honest and don’t try to fake it.

2. You may say and do things you regret later. I wonder what Job thought about everything he said in chapter 3 once the storm passed. I wonder if he thought, “Okay, I was in a lot of pain in that moment… the lowest I’ve ever felt in my life, but there are some things I said that I regret.” Pain often makes us forget the joys and blessings of the past… because the present is so overwhelming… and the future feels so hopeless. In chapters 1 and 2, even amidst the catastrophe and suffering, Job rightly says that God is to be blessed whether He gives or takes away, whether it’s a season of good or a season of adversity. But the depression hits, and in the pain, he seems to forget all of the good things God has done in his life. I think he says some things that he later regrets. If you’re going through depression right now, remember that. Once again, don’t try to fake it… but just be careful… be discerning about what you say. If one of your friends or family members is going through a season, don’t be surprised when they say something that sounds over-the-top. Be attentive to their feelings and what they’re saying, but realize that because of the pain they’re experiencing, they may say and do things that they might regret later.

3. Suicide is never an option. Even though Job wishes that he would have died right then, throughout his story, you never get a whiff that he’s considering taking his own life. He never picks up a broken piece of pottery and slices his wrist. He never asks his friends to do a mercy killing. Even in the desperation and depression, Job was a man of faith, and suicide was never an option. If you’re in the darkest place you’ve ever been, you need to take any thoughts of suicide out of the equation. And if you’re having those kinds of thoughts, you need to get some help immediately. After the message, I’ll give you a way to get in contact with our LIGHT ministry. We can get you some help. Regardless of how deep the pain… how overwhelming the suffering… how desperate the depression, suicide is never an option.

4. Live on promises not explanations. Did you hear all of the “why” questions flood out of Job’s mouth? As I frequently say (because I’ve read and studied the book of Job several times), “God rarely answers the ‘why’ questions.” If you’re wondering why you’re going through depression, please hear me on this… with all pastoral compassion… God doesn’t “owe” you or me an explanation as to “why.” If He chooses to reveal that to you, awesome. But I often find that He doesn’t answer the “why” of suffering. This past year, when I was struggling with depression, several people asked me “why” I thought I was going through it… what was God trying to teach me. And those questions were asked out of a genuine concern. And there were days (and months) when I asked God the same question, especially when I’d done everything I knew how to do and it still wasn’t helping. But quite honestly, I’m not sure “why” I was going through the depression. I know what I learned from that season… things that came to the surface… some during… but most afterwards. And in all of it, God didn’t owe me an explanation. But what God did give me before, during, and after were promises. So even in the dark days, I chose to live on those promises… that one day (and who knew how long that would take), light would again shine through the clouds… that I could take all the pain and confusion to God and that He’d hear me. And here’s the most important promise that you need to live on if you’re going through depression…

5. God is there. In Philip Yancey’s book Disappointment with God, he tells the story of Christian Reger, a German Christian who survived the World War II concentration camp Dachau. Here’s what Yancey writes:

During the final winter, when coal supplies ran low, the ovens were finally shut off. Prisoners no longer had to put up with the constant stench of burning comrades. Many died of exposure, however, and the bodies were stacked naked in the snow like cordwood, a number stenciled on each with blue marker. Reger will tell such horror stories if you ask. But he never stops there. He goes on to share his faith, and how even at Dachau he was visited by a God of love. Reger said, “Nietzsche said a man can undergo torture if he knows the Why of life. But here at Dachau, I learned something far greater. I learned to know the Who of my life. He was enough to sustain me then, and is enough to sustain me still.”

Even in the most difficult, desperate, depressing times, God is there. The Apostle Paul reinforces this in Philippians 4:5b-7.

“The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (emphasis added)

Many of us know vv. 6-7 (“be anxious about nothing… don’t worry… the peace of God which surpasses all understanding… guarding our hearts in Christ Jesus”). But we separate it from what comes immediately before, “The Lord is near.” God is there, even in the midst of the desperation and depression. There will be times when it feels like He’s not there… but please hear me… let your “theology” (your thoughts on God)… the reality and conviction that He is there… let that interpret your experience, even in desperation and depression. God is there.

The desperate days often produce depression… sometimes it’s a low-grade depression where it feels like the gray skies won’t let the sunshine through… and sometimes it feels like the darkest black night with no seeming hope of a sunrise on the horizon. Job went there… and there are times we will as well. There are times when a friend or family member experiences deep depression. In all of this, we need to be prepared as possible… especially when the desperate days turn into desperate weeks, desperate months, and even desperate years. In those seasons, we need to remember Job’s story. Be honest and don’t try to fake it. You may say and do things you regret later. Suicide is never an option. Live on promises not explanations. And the most important thing… God is there!

At the beginning of the message, I mentioned the wretched depression that Charles Spurgeon experienced. Here’s the rest of what Spurgeon had to say:

I am the subject of depression so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to. But I always get back again by this—I know that I trust Christ. I have no reliance but in Him, and if He falls, I shall fall with Him. But if He does not, I shall not. Because He lives, I shall live also, and I spring to my legs again and fight with my depressions of spirit and get the victory through it. And so may you do, and so you must, for there is no other way of escaping from it.

If you need help with depression, please contact Northshore’s LIGHT & Community Support Ministry.

What happens when tragedy strikes? What happens when the dark clouds won’t go away? What happens when life doesn’t seem to go as we had planned or hoped? What happens when God seems silent? These are the desperate days… the dark night of the soul. When the desperate days are upon us, one of the best places to go in the Bible is the story of Job. Desperate days and human suffering are a reality. The question for us is, “How will we journey to faith in the midst of the desperate days?” Even if and when God seems silent, He is up to something greater… something transformational… and yes, even in the desperate days.

Join us January 8 – February 19 as we explore some important themes on suffering and faith in the book of Job. This is a great series to invite your friends and family who don’t know Jesus and who might be going through some desperate days of their own. Here are the themes we’ll talk about:

January 8 – When Tragedy Strikes (Job 1-2)

January 15 – Desperation and Depression (Job 3)

January 22 – Good and Bad Counsel (Job 4-28)

January 29 – Glimmers of Truth (Job 32-37)

February 5 – The Silence of God (Selected Passages)

February 12 – The Storm of Sovereignty (Job 38-41)

February 19 – The Journey to Faith (Job 42)

If you’d like to explore the book of Job and the themes of suffering, faith, and the gospel more in-depth, here are some recommended resources:

Job: A Man of Heroic Endurance (Charles Swindoll)

Be Patient: Waiting on God in Difficult Times (Warren Wiersbe)

Disappointment with God (Philip Yancey)

The Gospel According to Job (Mike Mason)

“How Can a Good God Allow Suffering?” (Message from the YouAskedForIt series)

“Suffering: If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world?” (Message by Pastor Tim Keller)

Additional Resources for Grief

]]> http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2012/01/new-series-desperate-days/feed/ 3 http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/12/focus-on-jesus-this-christmas-season/ http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/12/focus-on-jesus-this-christmas-season/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:54:39 +0000 jonathan alexander http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/?p=2639 “Adoration of the Shepherds” by Gerard van Honthorst, 1622

The Christmas season can be a frenzied, frantic season. With all of the festivities, shopping, and family events, we easily miss the opportunity to slow down and focus on the marvelous mystery of Immanuel, God with us. Choose to intentionally focus on Jesus this season. To do that, here are some ideas for you:

1. Memorize a verse or passage that talks about the incarnation: Isaiah 9:6, John 1:14 or Philippians 2:5-8.

2. Read the Christmas story from either Matthew or Luke’s Gospel at least once during the Christmas season.

3. If you have children, have them act out the Christmas story.

4. Whether you have children or not, read the story of the real Saint Nicholas.

5. Read and meditate upon a couple of Christmas carols this season, appreciating the beautiful, worship theology of the incarnation.

6. Be generous. Find a way to combat the materialism and consumerism of Christmas.

In addition to choosing a couple of these things to do during the Christmas season, one of the best ways you can focus on Jesus is to invite and bring someone to Northshore for one of our Christmas events (Family Christmas Festival, Christmas at the Movies series, or Christmas Eve). We all have people in our lives who need to know that God has come. And because He has come, we’ve been offered the life-changing gift of life, peace, and hope in Jesus Christ. And you can help them focus on Jesus – “the reason for the season!”

Merry CHRISTmas,

Pastor Jonathan

]]> http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/12/focus-on-jesus-this-christmas-season/feed/ 0 http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/11/christmas-at-the-movies/ http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/11/christmas-at-the-movies/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:10:21 +0000 jonathan alexander http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/?p=2612

The Christmas season is a special season. Watch the movies of Christmas. Even our culture gets that there’s the possibility and even the promise of something more. So how do the movies of Christmas point to something more, something greater, something transcendent? This Christmas, we’re going to the movies. As we watch some clips from our favorite Christmas movies, we’ll discover that they make great bridges to the greatest story and greatest gift of all time—the coming of Jesus Christ. Here are some of the themes we’ll talk about this Christmas Season. Because of copyright laws, we can’t publicize the names of the movies…we’ll just give you some “clues”

December 4 – “Experiencing Joy this Christmas” (Movie clip: an over-sized, smiley guy in green tights who thinks he’s from the North Pole)

December 11 – “Surviving Your Family this Christmas” (Movie clip: a big family Christmas predictably turns into a big disaster when Cousin Eddie shows up)

December 18 – “Finding a Place to Belong this Christmas” (Movie clip: A reindeer with a luminescent proboscis and his elf friend who dreams of dental school)

December 24 (Christmas Eve Services at 2, 4, 6 & 11 pm) – “Finding the Perfect Gift this Christmas” (Movie clip: think Red Ryder BB Gun)

December 25 (Christmas Day Service at 10 am) – “Extending the Heart of Christmas” (Movie clip: curmudgeonly old man who changes his tune after he’s visited by some slightly transparent midnight guests)

So invite your friends, family, neighbors or co-workers… grab some popcorn, candy, and coffee… sit back and enjoy the show as it points us to reality of Jesus Christ, God with us.

Invite Your Family and Friends to Our December Events

Click on the links below to fill out the invite form.

This past Sunday in our Contending series (the letter of Jude), I talked about “Contending for Lordship.” What does it really mean that Jesus is not only the Savior but also Lord and Master. Jesus’ lordship confronts those who sit on the fence… people who are trying to live in two worlds with two values systems led by two masters.

Jesus has some harsh words to say to fence sitters in Revelation 3:15-16: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”

Bottom line: Get off the fence!

I’ve lived on the fence. After college, Jesus convicted me that I had been riding the fence for far too long. And it was a process of asking myself (and others asking me) some hard questions about why I attempted to live in two worlds. Here are a couple of questions that I processed through, and I hope you’ll take the time to do this as well:

1) What are the values, actions, or patterns of sin that “compete” with Jesus’ lordship in my life? Why?

2) Are they ultimately satisfying? Do they ultimately satisfy the deepest longings of my heart? Why or why not?

3) If I continue to live with these values, actions, and patterns of sin, what’s the result? What do I lose?

4) What’s the result of being “lukewarm” (I.e., living on the fence)?

5) What do I gain from surrendering full control and lordship to Jesus? (see Luke 9:24)

For further exploration of contending for and following through on Jesus’ lordship, read “Cross Bearing: Choice, Vision & Follow-through”

If you’re on the fence, here’s my heartfelt prayer for you: “Lord, help my friend climb off the fence. Give them the grace and courage to say ‘no’ to sin and the values of this world. Help them to see that You truly are their greatest good… that as they delight in you above all else, the deepest longings of their heart will be satisfied.”

I’m praying for you as you contend for Jesus’ lordship in your life!

I always get nostalgic around Veteran’s Day. Every year I seem to go through my old military stuff (uniforms, gear, awards, books, etc.). This year has been no different. My family and I watched Discovery Channel’s Surviving the Cut: Ranger School (Episode 1) two times this week. I completed Ranger School in the summer of 1994. It was a life-changing experience. I learned perseverance, endurance, and steadfastness. It grew my faith and dependence upon Jesus. It increased my witness as fellow Ranger students were often desperate for something (or Someone) to cling to.

One of the most amazing things about Rangers is their vigilant adherence to the Ranger Creed:

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of my Ranger Regiment.

Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster and fight harder than any other soldier.

Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one-hundred-percent and then some.

Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.

Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission though I be the lone survivor.

What if followers of Jesus lived with the intensity of Army Rangers? What if we took seriously the spiritual war? What if we realized the calling and potential we have as followers of Jesus? What if we took care of our brothers and sisters the way Rangers take care of each other? What if we believed in the mission of Jesus so much that we’d do whatever it took to fulfill His mission?

You know what would happen? Our lives, our families, our church, our local communities, and our global world would never be the same. And the gates of Hell would not be able to withstand the revolution of Jesus and the kingdom of God.

Fight the good fight my friends. Contend for the faith. Be steadfast and immovable by Jesus’ great power and grace.

]]> http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/11/ranger-reflections/feed/ 0 http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/11/contender-or-pretender/ http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/2011/11/contender-or-pretender/#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:52:55 +0000 jonathan alexander http://blogs.nsb.org/jonathanalexander/?p=2542

On Sunday, we began a new series called Contending. We’re spending the month of November in the letter of Jude. My big question from Sunday’s message (“Contending for Jesus”) was: What does it mean and what does it look like for us to contend for Jesus and the gospel in our lives?

Ultimately, you have two choices… being a Contender or a Pretender. I want to help you think through these two choices in your relationship with Jesus, in your family and friendships, and in our church.

1. JESUS: When you think about your relationship with Jesus there are two directions to go—Identity & Freedom or Idolatry & Fear.

Contender: Identity & Freedom. When you contend in your relationship with Jesus (not against Jesus), as you allow Jesus and the gospel to press further into your life… further into who you are, it becomes about identity and freedom. Contenders find their identity in Jesus and that brings freedom… increasing freedom from the power of sin… increasing freedom to be who we really and authentically are because we know that we’re loved and secure in our relationship with Jesus.

Pretender: Idolatry & Fear. But pretenders go to idolatry and fear. Idolatry is anything that becomes more important to us, anything where we find our meaning, purpose and identity other than Jesus. We “pretend” that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. But if we’re really honest, we often look to other things and other people for our identity. That’s idolatry, and it generates fear. If you give the key to your identity, meaning, and purpose to something or someone else, you will live in fear, praying and hoping that it isn’t taken away from you. You name it… money, sex, power, success, relationships… if you are looking to those for identity and purpose, at some point they will let you down. You know it. And so you live in fear, dreading the moment that it’ll actually happen.

2. FAMILY & FRIENDSHIPS: When we talk about the relationships within our family or with our friends, we’re either Proactive or Passive.

Contender: Proactive. Contenders are proactive in their family. Contenders are constantly thinking about and actively pursuing how Jesus makes a difference in their relationships in their marriage and with their kids. When we contend for our marriages, we’re vigilant about relational health. We keep short accounts with each other. We seek to become students of our spouse and kids. We pursue selflessness and a sacrificial spirit. We ask for forgiveness when we act out of selfishness. When we contend in our home, we pray for our spouse and our kids. We are constantly, proactively asking Jesus to give us wisdom and grace with each other. The same thing goes for our friendships. We pray for grace, for understanding, for the humility to be like Jesus and love our family and friends like He loves them.

Pretender: Passive. Pretenders are passive. They shift life into neutral. When marriage begins to struggle, they run from the problems. They’re so consumed with themselves and don’t care or notice when apathy and isolation sets in. Or there is a fear of causing waves and change that is needed to grow healthy. Pretenders are passive with their kids. Sure, they want their kids to be good, moral kids… but there’s a passivity about it. Almost an “I sure hope they turn out okay. I sure hope the Children’s and Student Ministry is teaching my kids about Jesus.” In that passivity, there’s not a proactive desire to help our kids really see the how Jesus and the gospel affects and impacts their lives, their decisions, and their relationships. In friendships, pretenders have no desire to take relationships deeper… to initiate and model vulnerability and transparency. Let’s just keep it superficial because I’m not willing to risk going deeper. Let’s just pretend.

3. CHURCH: When it comes to our church, our attitude is one of two things—Service or Serve Us.

Contender: Service. As contenders focus on Jesus and the gospel, we realize that the call to follow Him means the call to serve like Him. Contenders fight against that inward, selfish focus. Contenders pray for a love that manifest itself in sacrificial generosity as we use our time, talent, touch, and treasure for the good of other people. Contenders give of themselves and take care of people within the body of Christ. And contenders also have compassion and are focused on those that don’t yet know Jesus. In the church, contenders ask how they can give of themselves to impact and change their world, locally and globally because it’s all about the heart of Jesus and the heart of service.

Pretender: Serve Us. Pretenders on the other hand are all about “Serve Us.” With pretenders, it’s all about “What do I get out of it? How are my needs being met?” Pretenders give of their time, talent, touch, or treasure when it’s convenient and when there’s a surplus. But they usually don’t because it’s rarely convenient, and there’s rarely a surplus. But pretending doesn’t happen all at once. Churches start off being contenders… all about serving each other… all about mission and evangelism. But that focus slowly turns inward, and we begin to take care of ourselves more than the world around us. We stop contending for Jesus in our world, and it becomes about us. Service becomes serve us.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be a contender, not a pretender. I want to learn to fight the good fight and surrender more and more of my heart to Jesus. I want to understand the good news of identity and freedom in Jesus more and more every day. I want my family and my friendships to be fueled by the radical, sacrificial love of Jesus. And in our church, I want to contend for Jesus’ mission. I want to contend for boldness and courage to serve the people in our world, locally and globally, for the cause of Christ. I want us to be contenders, not pretenders. Fight the good fight. Contend earnestly for the faith in your relationship with Jesus, in your family and friendships, and in our church. “May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 2).

Our vision of Jesus and the gospel is absolutely central to everything we believe, everything we are, and everything we hope to become. We know this to be true, but there are so many other worldviews, ideas and idols vying for our attention. Relativism, materialism, hedonism, syncretism. You name the “ism” and you can hear their siren songs woo our heart away from Jesus and the gospel. So we live in the midst of tension: how to stay true to Jesus while engaging our world with His life-transforming message of hope. The ancient letter of Jude helps guide us through this tension and challenge as we learn to contend for the faith and mission of Jesus in a messy, broken world. Here’s the line-up for the series:

November 6 – “Contending for Jesus”

November 13 – “Contending for Lordship”

November 20 – “Contending for Growth”

November 27 – “Contending for Impact”

Join us through the month of November at Northshore as we learn to contend. And invite a friend to join you at 9 am, 11 am, or 5 pm.