The Call of Zaccheus

Following Jesus to the city

2009-07-12T19:35:00.002-04:00

Yesterday our church followed Jesus to the city. We went to Highland Park Community Outreach and did many simple tasks, yet they were received with great appreciation. This is much like our life in Christ ought to be; doing out of appreciation for what Christ has done, and sharing what Christ has given us.

The tasks seemed mudane enough. We painted a bathroom, regrouted tile in the bathroom, patched an old tile roof, fixed a BBQ grill, assembled a wheelbarrow, moved a window A/C unit, ran a weed-whacker around the fence line, weeded a bed and picked up some trash. The whole project took 3-3.5 hours and we were done. It sounds as if we were doing some Saturday chores around someone's house. How could this be ministry? How could this be what Jesus has called us to do in following Him? We didn't present the gospel to any urban indigants, there was no counseling, no teaching, no testimony and no singing. This could not have been following Jesus in the every day Evangelical sense. If we were to be doing the work of Christ souls should have been saved, Bible verses memorized, passages explained, etc. But none of these things happened in Highland Park yesterday, only some mundane work tasks.

The director of HPCO was very appreciative to have men, women and children take a little time on a Saturday and help get his 90 yr old building and property in shape. In this old building that we took a little time to help, he and his staff hold a summer day camp for the local children. At that day camp kids learn Bible verses, hear the gospel message, learn the Bible stories, learn how to do crafts and music and the arts, sing praise songs and get help with tutoring they need. Jesus doesn't lead every person or every group every time to the end product of ministry. Jesus often leads us to help in little ways and unseen ways, so that when the time comes for what seems like the real ministry, that ministry is ready and able to happen. It was great to be the group of the unseen. We didn't have to prepare, only to show up and work for a few hours. It was a casual time of work where conversation and laughter could happen as the chores were completed. We had a good time, HPCO was blessed and this week the message of Jesus will go out to kids in a little bit improved facility. It's great to follow Jesus, even to do the mundane for a few hours. We even followed Jesus to Mr. FoFo's but thats another story. At New Day Bible Church we look forward to the next place and project that Jesus leads us. The little things that are done for the least of these, are the things that are done for Jeus.

Following Jesus to Pray

2009-05-07T17:13:00.002-04:00

Following Jesus led me to pray. Not the prayers I do everyday but a special time of prayer on a special day of prayer. My pastor friends and I went out today to pray around our town; Romulus Michigan. One group started at the high school at 7:00 am to meet with teachers and students gathered around the flag pole to pray. The group I was with started at Merriman Elementary School at 7:45 am. There were about 20 of the school kids, seven teachers and three of us local pastors. It was great to see kids meet out at the flag pole to pray of their own volition. They did not get out of class to pray, the prayers time cut into their time to get ready for school to start. They walked right out in view of all the other kids so that they could make it known that they wanted to be counted amongst those who follow Jesus Christ. Each meeting only lasted 10-15 minutes but what a great 10 minute period it was.

At our second stop we met up with the other pastors at Wick Elementary at 830am. As the buses pulled up to let kids off at the school, they would come running with their permission slips in hand wanting to pray with us. I am not sure of the number but there were at least 50 kids, 10 teachers and school workers, and 7 local pastors. A few of the pastors prayed for the kids, the schools, the country and its officials. Then the children asked if they could pray. It was a great thing to hear kids praying that God would lead our country and their very own school.

The report from the other group who were at the middle school about 745am was that there were over 100 kids plus teachers and school workers. We then travelled to the Alternative High School where the principals invited us into the gym. Some 30 kids and teachers and all the pastors in a public school gym petitioning God to bring revival to our city and our country; it was great.

We finished our day of prayer at the City Hall where we gathered with the Mayor, City Council members, city workers, concerned citizens and all the pastors to pray for all facets of our government; military, local emergency and safety personnel, National leaders, State leaders, County leaders and our own Romulus City leaders.

Yes, I followed Jesus into prayer today and it was a great experience. In my cynicism I never thought that my town of Romulus Michigan would have groups praying at all these schools and at City Hall. I am glad that since our congregation and I made a commitment at Easter to be a testimony to the resurrection in our community that my cynicism is turning into love. Love for the flock entrusted to me, love for my fellow shepherds in this city and love for Jesus and His gospel proclaimed loudly and proudly. Certainly one passage of Scripture leaped off the page of my Bible today:

1 Timothy 2:1-4 "First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people, 2 even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, 4 since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

Following Jesus to court

2009-04-29T16:12:00.003-04:00

I was following Jesus this morning and ended up at the Juvenile Justice Hall for Wayne County Mi. I was there for a young man who needed someone to support him, someone to encourage him and someone to care. I thought I was there as a character witness of sorts, but I found that I became intricately involved in his case. Jesus led me there and then wouldn't let me keep my mouth shut. I volunteered to the attending counselors, case workers and supervisors that I had found opportunities for the young man, but those opportunities needed more details and some confirmation. Now I have work to do, because Jesus wouldn't let me ignore this young man who has been abandoned by his family. Jesus wouldn't let me sit there like a bump on a log and just observe the process. Jesus reminded me that claiming to be His spokesperson and servant meant that I had to get involved, and that He would show me how. I am grateful that John recorded the story of his fishing buddy and Jesus having a nice little chat on the beach before He left to go prepare a place in His Father's house. Jesus said to Peter "Do you (claim) to love Me?" "oh yes Lord you know I (pastor Jim) do" "then, Shepherd My sheep." John 21:16 parenthesis added of course. I am both shepherd and sheep here. I need to find my shepherds, of those pastor friends who have gone this path before me, and seek their help and advice. I am a sheep in these matters and I do not know the best path, or the Jesus way here. When I find the way then I need be the shepherd to my sheep. I am praying that I can encourage my older sheep to help encourage the little lamb who was abandoned. What great lessons Christ has taught me as of late. I used to think that my job was to study and teach and preach and encourage and equip, so that the sheep could be shepherds. I am finally getting the message that equipping the Saints is also going before them preparing the fields. I cannot abandon the study or the opportunity to equip, but I cannot spend so much time repairing the sheep-pen that my sheep are wondering on their own without direction or real help. Today's lesson that Jesus is teaching this shepherd is hardly complete, there is a lot of work to be done, but I cannot help but to wonder, where will He lead me next, as I continue to follow Him. Any of my sheep who read this blog, please ask me how you can help me with this task. As other tasks of the shepherd arise I will call for help with those also. If we think that "shepherd My sheep" was only an instruction to Peter, then we should all go to the Secretary of State and have our name changed to "Peter". Zaccheus come down from that tree and follow me... you never know where you might find yourself in that journey.

Come Down from the Tree

2009-04-24T13:35:00.002-04:00

The Sycamore is the tree that Zaccheus climbed in order to see Jesus. Therefore Jesus, when He called Zaccheus, necessarily had to call him out of the tree. What is or is there, a significance to the tree? It is always dangerous to spiritualize objects that appear in a Bible story or passage. If particular attention is not drawn to the object by the author, or if the object is not given a particular explanation by the author or character in the story then assigning meaning to objects is necessarily subjective and a dangerous course to follow. Many have sought to make significance of the tree in the call of Zaccheus. The tree they might say is "the place of comfort we need to come down from" or the "place of security that we need to leave" and each of these is presented in order that we might follow Jesus. I don't believe Zaccheus had any special sense of devotion to that sycamore tree outside of its value as a balcony of sorts, so that he could see Jesus. Jesus didn't call him out of the tree to break his devotion to the tree and center it upon Himself; He called Zaccheus down from the tree because that is where Zaccheus was at the time he was called. It is significant that Jesus Called Zaccheus. It is significant that when we see Jesus and realize that He is the Savior, that it is time to come from wherever we are and follow Him. The followers of Jesus came form all over with different vocations, obligations, sicknesses, diseases, weaknessess, financial standing, marital status, social status and appearances. The call come down from the tree wasn't a particular call away from any one thing or group of things, it was a call away from where Zaccheus was to where Zaccheus needed to be; following Christ Jesus. What is my "Sycamore tree" it is the place where I am, when I hear the call to follow Jesus. Every time we think "what am I going to do today, this week, this weekend" we need to immediately remind ourselves of the over riding answer; I am going to follow Jesus.

The Call of Zaccheus

2009-04-23T10:04:00.000-04:00

I love the story of Zaccheus. It maybe the connection with being short and not being able to see in a crowd, I'm not sure. This story is a picture of the modern church, but it doesn't always turn out the way it did for Zaccheus. Many today are showing up in churches, particularly seeker churches, to see what all the buzz is about concerning this Jesus the Christ. They have heard He is a Savior, much like Zaccheus heard He was a prophet. They come to where the crowds are and take a seat where they can see the action, but be a safe distance from Him. the next thing they know, the speaker says, seemingly directly to them, "Come down from your seat, recieve and follow Jesus" much like Jesus looked up into the sycamore tree and called Zacceus to follow Him. This blog is about the journey of following Jesus. We will discuss "the way that Jesus is the way", as Eugene Petersen puts it in the Jesus Way. Jesus is not only the path but He is also the "how to" in journey to His Father's house. Come with me as we seek to exchange our ways for the Jesus way, just as Zaccheus did.