I was recently blessed to be part of a pertinent discussion with a group of loving, caring, well-educated young pastors. We talked about some of the difficult issues facing the church today. Our culture is increasingly complicated, squeezing out God for the sake of other agendas. As I listened to these men share their concerns and their hearts, the reality of this burden weighed on me like a ton of bricks.

The problems we face today certainly aren’t new.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones wrote:

“As life in general becomes more and more complex, so religion tends to be affected in the same way. It seems to be assumed that if the affairs of men are difficult and complicated, the affairs of God should be still more complicated, because they are still greater. Hence there comes a tendency to increase ceremony and ritual, and to multiply organizations and activities. The argument is that it is ridiculous to assert that the vast problems of life today can be solved in an apparently simple manner suggested by those who preach the gospel in the old evangelical manner. The fact is, that as we get further away from God, life becomes more complicated and involved. We see this not only in the Bible, but also in subsequent history. The Protestant Reformation simplified not only religion, but the whole of life and living in general. The truly religious life is always the simple life.”

As followers of Christ, we must learn how to keep it simple.

I’ve had the pleasure of teaching 1 and 2 Corinthians at the Calvary Chapel Bible College this semester and have felt an urgency to prepare the young men and women in my class on how to deal with the current complexities that exist in the church. Paul must have felt the same urgency when He wrote this in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3: “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. For I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

There are two points from Paul’s words that will help us be effective Christians in a culture similar to the one in Corinth.

First, we should have a godly jealousy for others. We are not to have a human jealousy, selfish and destructive, but a godly jealousy, selfless and constructive. Godly jealousy does not consider itself but comes from a deep love and care for others. I love how Paul compared godly jealousy to a father betrothing his daughter to her future husband. The greatest privilege the father of a bride had in Paul’s day was getting to present his daughter as a pure virgin to her husband. Paul’s greatest desire was that the Corinthians would be purified and prepared for Christ’s return.

Secondly, Christ should be central in everything. The Corinthians made church more about the scene than about the King. Like so many churches today, they increased the ceremonies and rituals in their services and multiplied their organizations and activities, but neglected to keep Christ the central focus.

Christians today have more knowledge about Jesus than in any other time in history. If there is something we don’t know, all we have to do is Google it and be flooded with instant information. But all the information in the world about Jesus cannot guarantee a transformed life. Consider what happened with Adam and Eve in the garden. In Genesis 2:17, God warned them that “of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 3:1-5 says, “Satan came to Eve in the garden saying, ‘Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”’…Then he said, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”

Did you notice what happened? God made it simple for Adam and Eve, but Satan came along and complicated everything. Adding complexity to God’s simple commands is one of Satan’s main tactics. He knows complexity leads to distraction, and distraction leads to separation from God, Satan’s ultimate goal for us.

When Adam and Eve kept it simple by obeying God, they had perfect fellowship with Him. As soon as they became distracted by Satan’s temptation and ate the fruit, they experienced separation from God for the first time.

The tactics Satan used in the garden are the same tactics he uses today.

Why? Because they work. How do we as Christians overcome the complexities in our culture? There is one simple way: desiring to be in fellowship with Christ. This is our main calling as Christians. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful who has called us into the fellowship of His Son Christ our Lord.”

God’s desire from the beginning of time is that we would have fellowship with Him. He created us in His likeness and in His image for this very purpose. Why does He so greatly desire to have fellowship with us? Because He loves us.

Karl Barth was regarded as one of the greatest Protestant theologians of the 20th century. He had a greater knowledge of God than most. His influence expanded well beyond the academic realm into mainstream culture, leading him to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine. Someone once asked him, “What is the greatest theological thought that has ever crossed your mind?” He answered, “Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Keep it simple, saint!

I have watched, somewhat in awe, over the last couple of years the rise of Jordan Peterson on YouTube, through podcasts and other media formats (books, blogs, etc.). I haven’t always been sure how to classify him or categorize his ascent. He’s not a Christian, at least not in an orthodox sense. Though I’ve heard him self-identify as a Christian, he would make a distinction. He would probably call me, and others like me, a “fundamentalist.” In some respect, that’s not far off, though every time I’ve heard him use the term, it seems to be dismissively, if not pejoratively.

Peterson is a celebrity by accident. He did not aspire to notoriety, but he’s certainly achieved it in the last year. He currently has over 700,000 Twitter followers and 1.2 million YouTube subscribers. His most recent book, Twelve Rules For Life, has been an Amazon bestseller since it’s release in January (it’s currently number two after nearly six months). As I write, Peterson is speaking nightly, nationwide, to sold-out crowds, on what is an extended book tour. Tickets cost as much as $600 apiece. Also, he’s pulling in an estimated $80,000+ a month from Patreon supporters. The once clinical psychologist, a professor at the University of Toronto, has no reason to ever return to the classroom or his clinical practice.

As I said previously, I’ve been intrigued since I first heard of him. I began following him when he first rose above the radar over a controversial Canadian legislative bill in the fall of 2016. He has a lot to say, and much of it reverberates with Judeo/Christian tones. Which is precisely why Christians should take notice. In watching and listening to him, several things come to mind. Five of which beg more in-depth consideration.

Long-Form Monologue is Not Dead

For as long as I’ve been preaching (20 years next year), voices in our culture have been saying that preaching, especially long-form monologue, is dead. Those promulgating this perspective have told us that the collective attention span in the West has devolved. Americans, raised on 30-second ad spots and 22-minute television programs cannot handle more than 25-30 minutes of preaching, they say. Many of the same voices tell us that dialogue is essential for the 21st century westerner. “You cannot give a message from a platform; it needs to be a conversation in a circle.” Peterson proves that’s not true.

In the summer and fall of last year (2017), Peterson gave a series of 15 lectures, in the Book of Genesis, on the “psychological significance of the Bible.” He “preached” more than two and a half hours each time, to some 500 listeners, all of whom paid admission to come. He’s since promised that he will pick the series up again in the future with the Book of Exodus. If that happens, I’m certain of three things. First, he’ll need a larger venue. The 500 seat theater was already too small a year ago. His following has only increased. And the live audience pales in comparison to the millions of views the recorded lectures have received on Youtube. Second, he’ll charge a lot more for admission. By his admission, he’s an “evil capitalist.” Simple supply and demand will require much higher costs of entry. Third, his messages will not get shorter. Peterson loves to talk, and he’s found an audience of people who are longing to listen. In this he’s proved long-form monologue preaching is not dead

Westerners Are Interested in Scripture

Another cultural lie we’ve been told for the last 20 years: “The Bible has no place in our [post]modern society. We’ve advanced beyond its archaic ideas, views and teachings.” Really? Not only is that not true, it’s not true by a large factor.

Just this week (June 12, to be exact), Peterson’s first book, Maps of Meaning, came out in audiobook format. It’s more than 30 hours of audio, read, of course, by the author. It’s an instant bestseller. In print, it’s 564 pages. Much of it goes back to Scripture, and it’s significance. I guarantee that most of the consumers of this audiobook are males, ages 20-40.

Now, it should be noted that Jordan Peterson’s interpretive lens for Scripture is not something with which any preacher I know would be comfortable. He approaches the Scriptures from a purely allegorical and mythological angle. He does not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. He does not use a historical, grammatical, interpretative method. As far as I can tell, he does not take the Scriptures literally, and he questions much of its history too. He is not an evangelical Christian. He is a Christian only so far as he sees value in the Christian ethic and the mythological narrative of the Bible. But, he’s gathered a large following of predominantly educated, millennial, male westerners. The very segment that Christians both need to reach and have had a hard time reaching over the last two decades. And the fact that he’s gained a devoted audience with this demographic leads to my final three considerations.

God is Not Dead in Academia

Peterson’s rise informs us that the need for classically trained, academically minded Christians is greater than ever. This isn’t a new observation. Groups like Francis Schaeffer’s L’abri, more than 40 years ago saw this with prescient clarity. Ravi Zacharias’ International Ministries has sought to address it for more than 20 years. Christians in the 21st century western world need to think and speak the academically oriented language of higher education, and they need to enter academia as missionaries.

Many in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields are atheistic, or at the very least agnostic. The arts and humanities are almost worse. But that does not mean that God is dead among academics or in great academic institutions of the West. There are strong holdouts with well-reasoned Christian faith in the academy. But we need many more Christians to step into the academic sphere and “contend earnestly for the faith.”

It has been said that “the philosophy of the classroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” I think that’s true, and being that it is, Christians cannot vacate the academic domain. Especially when you consider, that many of the great universities of the West, were originally founded by individuals with a strong Christian faith.

In seeing this reality, I am more than a little discouraged by my own experience. Twenty years ago this week, I graduated from high school. And when I did, I didn’t enroll in college or university, partly because of the discouraging tone of Christian leaders I esteemed. More than a few of the Christians who influenced my decisions at that time exhibited a suspicion and distrust of higher education. I know now that was not a helpful attitude. Be that as it may, as the Church moves further into the 21st century, we must realize that we need to adjust, as our culture has changed.

Christians Need a New and Passionate Apologetic

The apostle Peter said, “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” This we are to do in meekness and with respect. The concept of an apologetic arises almost solely from this verse. The word translated “defense” in many English translations of 1 Peter 3:15, is the Greek word apologia. It could also be translated “give an answer.” Christians have been doing this effectively for 2,000 years. But the answers are always in response to the changing questions of culture.

The questions of culture change continuously from generation to generation. Every worldview endeavors to answer these questions coherently. The far-reaching growth of the Christian faith from the first to the 21st century proves, I believe, that it’s answers are the most compelling. That is a truth that will not change, even if the pressing questions of culture do. And though the specifics of those questions vary, at the level of abstraction, the most important issues of meaning and value all fall under five essential headings: origin, identity, purpose, morality and destiny.

After listening to his lectures, watching his interviews and reading his books, I think Peterson is seeking to address these issues apologetically. And it is fascinating to see that, like many Evangelical Christians, he does so with something of apocalyptic fervor. He is passionate about his convictions and exacting with his words. I’m convinced that many are attracted to Peterson precisely because of his well-reasoned, authentic and genuine message, which seems to explode from a grave concern that our culture is fast descending into an abyss. Like an Old Testament prophet, Jordan Peterson is sounding an alarm in the West. He sees an unseen force of gravity, pulling our culture past the event horizon, into an inescapable black hole. And though he has met stiff opposition, he does not seem to be backing down. Which shows, finally…

Strong Warnings and Stern Exhortations Are Not Unacceptable

In our über-tolerant culture, some things are not tolerated. Peterson’s emphatic warnings and clarion appeals are definitely on the blacklist. The applications of Peterson’s message are hyper-individualistic (he despises collectivism) and gut-checkingly challenging. There is no wishy-washiness in his exhortations. He is dogmatic in every sense of the word. That too is not tolerated by many in the West. You might expect this would be a turnoff for his mostly millennial followers. And yet his appeal only seems to be growing.

Since the rise of the seeker movement of the 1980s, Christian leaders have promoted a softer, life-coach spirituality. “Don’t call people out. Address the collective ‘you plural.’ Focus on felt needs. Don’t be direct. Be encouraging.” In many ways, modern American Christianity fits perfectly in the $10 billion a year self-improvement industry, right next to Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey and even Jordan Peterson.

His book, Twelve Rules For Life, exists among other self-improvement titles, but it’s set apart by it’s bold and confrontational tone. “Stand up straight with your shoulders back.” “Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.” “Tell the truth—or, at least don’t lie.” He’s mocked by his critics for calling on people to clean their room. But when he says, “If you can’t even clean up your own room, who the hell are you to give advice to the world?” you can hear the echoes of Jesus, “First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s.” Or Paul, “If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.”

Among all the nuanced and subjective shades of grey that are 21st century western culture, the objective contrast of white on black is refreshing. And though I in no way want to make Messianic allusions, Jordan Peterson’s rise is a reminder that when Jesus had ended the sayings of the Sermon on the Mount, “…the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

^{Above photo of Jordan Peterson credited to Time Magazine}

In the West we live in a consumer culture. By nature we are consumers. Let me list just a few of the items we consume daily: coffee, phones, fashion, handbags, shoes, house decor items, jewelry, watches, cars…the list goes on ad infinitum. Did I mention some of your items of consumption on this list?

Consumerism drives our western capitalist culture.

Businesses need consumers to purchase their product (supply and demand). Without consumers the whole capitalist system falls apart.

Think of the word “consume” for just a minute. What connotations come to mind? I think of eating; my husband can consume a Boston cream donut in less than 30 seconds. It’s there, and then it’s gone; it has been consumed. And let’s face it, on occasion, eating just one Boston cream donut will not satisfy him, and so another one disappears in about the same time it took him to eat the first.

This brings up one very important aspect of consumerism, and that is the notion of satisfaction. If complete and eternal satisfaction was attained by a consumer after the purchase of their desired product, the whole capitalist system would fall apart because people would not want or need to buy anything else, ever.

The phenomenon of satisfaction does not, however, exist in the consumer culture we live in. If a person sees an item of clothing in a shop window and desires it, they picture themselves wearing it. They imagine how people will perceive them in it. They buy it and wear it, and for a while, it satisfies them. It makes them feel good, but sadly, it does not last. After some time, that item will be pushed to the back of their closet, replaced by a newer one.

Why, you ask, is there no lasting satisfaction in all our busy consumption?

Well, it is because the items we consume are inherently empty. They are made of plastic, metal, cotton, silk, wood and so on. These materials do not have the ability to ever satisfy a human soul. We look to empty, inanimate objects to define us and satisfy us, and it never works. Yet, from pop idols, to Hollywood stars, to your everyday Christian, we continue to run on this hamster wheel of unfulfilling consumerism. What then is the answer to this modern-day malady?

Well, the answer of course is to find true and lasting satisfaction. Mick Jagger famously sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” A man who seemingly had it all, said it with clarity and honesty: Satisfaction was outside of his grasp. If a person has an infinite supply of emptiness (all the possessions the world has to offer), it is no surprise that they will continue to feel empty. So then, how do we find true and lasting satisfaction?

Jesus addresses this very issue in the Gospel of John chapter four when He speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well.

Jesus and this woman have a conversation as she is drawing water from the well. In verses 13 and 14, Jesus says to the woman, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst again. Indeed the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” What a beautiful promise from our wonderful Savior. True satisfaction will never be found in consuming outside things. When we invite Jesus into our lives, He becomes, in us, a well of water springing up to eternal life. It is from His presence in our lives that we draw both our purpose and our eternal satisfaction. His ability to satisfy our heart’s greatest needs will never run dry.

As Christians, with our eternal position in Christ secured, we must consciously choose to live in that truth daily and draw our satisfaction from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If we, as Christians, continue to look to consuming the things of the world to bring us satisfaction, then we will continue to strive pointlessly. In Luke chapter 12, we read about the rich, young fool who reaped a huge harvest. He built a bigger barn, stored up all his wealth, and decided to eat, drink and be merry for the rest of his days, but sadly, that very night, the young man died. Had he not died that night, however, history has proven to us that he still would not have lived merrily ever after. The fact is, he was putting his trust in wealth and possessions, and the whole course of human history teaches us that they do not bring happiness and satisfaction.

Therefore, let us stop pointlessly consuming the myriad of products this world has to offer, in a fruitless attempt to find satisfaction in them; instead, let us look to Christ, to the eternal salvation He has won for us. Let us drink from the fountain of His grace that wells up in us to eternal life. Certainly, do enjoy the pleasant possessions God has blessed you with, but never look to them to satisfy you, as they never will. Let us daily remember where to look for our satisfaction, to the only One who is capable of truly satisfying our souls, and let our prayer ever be, “Dear Father, ‘Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives’” (Psalm 90:14).

On Labor Day, my wife Karen and I hosted a BBQ in our condo complex, and some of our neighbors joined the fun. One couple has been married 59 years. They met in Memphis and were high school sweethearts. His sister used to hang out with Elvis, as his career began to skyrocket. The wife talked about what it was like watching Elvis become famous. I asked, “What was Memphis like growing up?” And she talked about small schools, white clapboard churches, warm nights on patio swings and the like. Then I gently asked, “What was it like to live in the South in those days?” She paused and replied, “We were so unreasonable! Black people in the back of a bus, separate schools, drinking fountains, dining … We were so unreasonable!”

To be a reasonable person means to be fair, sensible, just and having sound judgment.

Are you reasonable?

The Christian faith, unlike any other worldview, philosophy or religion is reasoned and reasonable. Thus, a Biblical worldview can withstand critical analysis. Therefore, God invites us to think, “Come now, let us reason together says the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18). And we are called to love God with all of our mind (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:37-39). Thus, followers of Christ should be reasonable since Jesus is reasonable.

The term “reasoned” is related but distinct. We see this term regularly applied to Paul’s ministry. For example, Paul reasoned with Jews in the synagogue at Thessalonica (Acts 17:2). The Greek term translated “reasoned” is dialegomai. It is not too difficult to see the connection to our English word “dialogue.” Dialogue seems like a benign friendly conversation. Nevertheless, dialegomai, as it related to Paul, wasn’t simple dialogue. The term in Paul’s context related to the practice of listening to another’s worldview and then refuting that view point-by-point to persuade them of the correctness of your view. This style of reasoning can be very effective in contrasting the gospel and Christian worldview with other beliefs. On the other hand, this style of dialogue may not be reasonable when discussing countless issues that are important to God.

People are passionate about many issues. And they may discover that others have a polar opposite perspective. Unfortunately, there are too many people who claim to be followers of Christ who are unreasonable as they enter into these conversations. It misrepresents Christ when we are rude, proud, dismissive, condescending, unloving, unfair and unjust. We should be able to dialogue and share perspectives with gentleness, respect, humility and compassion. Jesus displays compassions without compromise and so should those who claim to be His followers.

We need spaces to share and exchange our views regarding: racism, sexual harassment, gender discrimination, sexual sin – hetero and homo, gender identification, LGBT discrimination, the triumphs and tragedies of government, the idea that Jesus didn’t come to save America (nationalism) but Americans, and Nigerians, and Koreans – both North and South. We need safe places to talk about politics whether you’re liberal, conservative, apolitical, communist, socialist or undecided. We need to have places to discuss what can we do to help the homeless, the widows, the orphans, the fosters and the refugees. We need safe places to talk about how the local church tends to treat as lepers those who have had an abortion or have been divorced. We need to be encouraged that it is okay to talk about gluttony, over-indulging in alcohol or drugs. We need to experience the hope that problems that appear polarizing and likely to stir passions can be discussed in a reasonable way by people seeking to be reasonable.

I dream of God’s people gathering together and sharing their values, perspectives, and seeking to learn from one another, and listen to one another. I imagine people discovering how to be more reasonable as they learn God’s Word and heart on each of those issues and more. The Church, God’s people not the building, should be the most likely to create that space. But it requires reasonable people. And alas, they seem to be on the endangered species list. We need people willing to listen with a desire to hear and understand and empathize, not simply to listen to plan a rebuttal. We must learn how to respond in the Spirit and not react in the flesh.

What I often see on social media is ranting and so unreasonable.

Yes, a rant on social media will stir your constituents to like your content, but it is generally unlikely to exchange ideas, change values or change culture in a God-honoring way. Typically, it is not loving nor reasonable. Generally, social media is not the ideal platform for a healthy reasonable exchange. Similarly, a Sunday morning worship gathering is less than ideal. It is a passive learning environment, characterized by a primary speaker(s) and many passive listeners who are actively rehearsing their rebuttal silently in their heads as they tune in or out, while the speaker seeks to share his or her take on these complicated matters. The speaker may earnestly try to be reasonable, as in fair, sensible, just and having sound judgment. Even if the speaker studied the Scriptures, and the issue was researched and approached from varied perspectives, it is unlikely to be truly reasonable. The speaker cannot remove their own bias and prejudice, and competing views are not heard or considered. I’m not suggesting that we do away with sound Biblical teaching, because it is necessary. I am stating that I believe that it is inadequate for a reasonable dialogue and exchange of ideas and values.

If you are a reasonable person, who is interested in discussing these and other similar issues, with other reasonable people who may have very different views from you, I have an idea I’d like to share …

I’d love to see small groups meet in neighborhoods in coffee houses, homes, apartments, condos, parks, Mars Hill, etc. I’d love for people to share with one another what they believe, and what they think that God says about the issue and why. These gatherings would not be the debate club, nor the exchange of two opposing commentators seeking to mock their opponent, but reasonable people engaged in dialogue as disciples of Christ. People who recognize that to truly love God supremely and to love their neighbor as themselves requires engaging the most polarizing issues in a reasonable way. And, I’d love to invite group leaders to stand on the platform on Sunday morning and share about the messy, glorious experience and invite more people on a reasonable journey.

I remember as a young Christian reading through Isaiah and running into the passage where God says, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights” (Isaiah 42:1). I recall the feeling of despair that welled up in my chest as I said to myself, “I want to be that kind of a servant of the Lord, but I can’t!” As I continued reading, I realized an amazing truth: “This is not about me! It’s about Jesus!” As I began to understand that Jesus was the perfect Servant on my behalf, fulfilling what I never could, so that God’s soul would delight in me by His grace, my despair turned to joy and worship.

While I came to see that this particular passage was about Jesus, I did not yet understand then that the news was much better than I could imagine. Not only was this passage about Jesus; the whole Bible is about Jesus! After His resurrection, Jesus met two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. They didn’t recognize Him and were dejected because Christ had been killed. But we read that Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and then “…Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (Luke 24: 27).

The reality that allows our hearts to rejoice as we open the Word is that all of Scripture is about Christ.

We read in the gospel of John that Jesus is the eternal Word of God (John. 1:1,14). Since that’s the case, we should not be surprised to find that the primary goal of the written Word of God is to reveal to us the eternal Word, Jesus.

Now, many Christians have known since Sunday school that “Jesus” is the right answer to every question. Jesus is the hero of the Bible, the One who sets right all that was wrong, the One who rescues us. When we look at the Bible as a whole story—of creation, fall, redemption and restoration—we see that Jesus is the hero. But as pastors who seek to faithfully exposit the Word of God, the question for us becomes: Do our sermons reflect this wonderful, Christ-centered bearing of the Scriptures?

Who is the hero in our sermons? Sadly, too often, we present the Christian as the hero of the sermon rather than Christ.

Of course, none of us would ever say that we are the hero of the story. But when sermons are preached that put us and what we do center stage—our faithfulness, our courage, etc.—rather than Jesus and what He has done, we are essentially telling people that they are the hero. Just think of how many sermons you’ve heard (or preached!) about this or that Old Testament saint, his example of faith, and then the exhortation is given that we are to have faith like this saint. That is all true, but if our sermons end there, we have put our listeners and ourselves in the role of the hero. To summarize a challenge presented by Tim Keller: “If you can preach your sermon in a synagogue without getting chased out, it is not a Christian sermon.” I love that. If our sermons are just calls to emulate this or that spiritual virtue, we are not truly preaching Christian sermons. We don’t just need generic calls to “be faithful” or apply some bit of biblical advice to our lives. We need Christ Himself and nothing less.

The only possible result of putting the Christian at the center of our sermons rather than Christ is self-condemnation or self-reliance—neither of which is pleasing to God. For example, when we read about the story of Samson and are cautioned not to follow his foolish ways, to recognize the traps of the enemy, where lust takes us, etc.—these things are all true. But they are not enough to transform us. One person might acknowledge himself as being in the place of Samson and feel condemned with every word about Samson’s foolishness. Another will see the example of Samson and feel like he or she is better than that, or at least can be better than that, and will set about with a sense of resolve to be better. That will last a few days until this believer falls into one or the other temptation, and then he will join in the group of the self-condemned.

We need much more than an example. If that were all we needed, Christ’s coming would be unnecessary.

While the warnings in Samson’s story are very real, we must move beyond that and learn to see in this story the better Samson, Jesus, the One to whom all Scripture points. Like Samson, in Christ, we see a miraculously born Son upon whom the Spirit of the Lord came to raise Him up as a Deliverer for God’s people. He was faced with temptation but, contrary to Samson, overcame. He also gave Himself to be bound and led away for the sake of the ones He loved, and ultimately, gave His own life to destroy the enemies of God. Samson entered into sin and compromise not because he just needed to “be on guard,” but because he had turned sex and relationships into a false god. He believed that this would fill his desire for love and pleasure.
But when we see the truly loving Spouse, Christ, who was taken captive for the sake of His bride and who gave His life to conquer our enemies—only that can truly free our hearts from lesser lovers, to be enraptured with the only One who can satisfy. What our people (and we ourselves) need is not just practical tips for Christian living or spiritual pep talks. We need to see the all-satisfying fullness of Christ to whom the Word points. And when we do see the greatness of His love and the glory of His Gospel, we are freed from both condemnation and self-reliance. May Christ be the hero of our sermons, for that is the kind of sermon, which will truly transform our hearts.

For many Christians, the term “social justice” (or “social gospel”) is a dirty word. A simple study of contemporary Protestant history in America reveals why. In the early part of the 20th Century, many Protestant churches found shame in “preaching the cross.” That God would kill His own Son, Jesus, for humanity was appalling. So they began to focus on doing “social justice” instead of preaching the finished work in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They focused on demonstration instead of proclamation. Those churches that would not be swayed from preaching “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2) actively spoke against this “social gospel” and continued to preach the finished work of Jesus. Thus a great divide was erected among those who called themselves Christians. On the one side, churches proclaimed the cross and salvation in the name of Jesus—the evangelical churches. On the other side, the churches who were ashamed to preach the cross instead chose to focus on the social implications of God’s kingdom—the social gospel churches. One focused on gospel proclamation. The other focused on gospel demonstration. Given the space limitations I have, this is a realistic, although overly simplistic, summary of what transpired. For this reason, in our own tribe, clearly being evangelical, social justice is a derogatory term.

But here’s the thing: the gospel of Jesus Christ does have very pronounced social implications.

God’s word exhorts us towards social justice. Justice is very much at the heart of God and the finished work of Jesus. You know that in the Hebrew language, “righteousness” and “justice” come from the same root word. God is righteous and just. We are reminded by the prophet Isaiah, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes, Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:16-17) We love to quote Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” The call to seek justice indisputably rings.

In the New Testament, we see that the finished work of the death and resurrection of Jesus impacts how humans are to interact socially. Our oft-quoted Acts 2 passage shows how a truly Spirit-filled church conducts itself. This passage contains radical acts of social justice (people voluntarily selling what they had to provide for others in need – Acts 2:45). The Jerusalem Council reminded believers to remember the poor (Gal. 2:10). The Apostle Paul was not shy to ask for money from the Gentile churches to help support the impoverished Jewish church (2 Cor. 8). James reminded us that pure and undefiled religion was to visit widows and orphans (James 1:27). These were all acts of social justice!

Think about what Jesus taught.

The greatest commandment is to love God with the totality of our being. The second commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we choose to love God, we are invited by the Spirit to love our neighbor. When we love our neighbor as we love ourselves, we find ourselves working for the way things ought to be for them. We advocate for people and work to make sure that they are taken care of properly. We become a voice to those without a voice. We love them the way God loves us. In the classic Sheep and Goat Parable of Matthew 25, we find the defining characteristic for differentiation based on simple acts of justice (clothing, feeding and caring).

So how is it possible then that social justice can be vulgarism for many?

The last three paragraphs were not even close to an exhaustive look at what God’s word says on the subject. Over and over again, we are exhorted to do justice to others. So how should we proceed?

I want to share with you what I believe to be the key to this dilemma. We are empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the gospel and to demonstrate the gospel. It is not either, or; it is both. Although there was a division in Protestantism historically, there is not a division in our Bibles. We are meant to proclaim the finished work of Jesus and live out all of the resurrected reality in real life, real time and at street level for people. We proclaim, and we demonstrate.

But always remember this: A person is saved by the finished work of Jesus Christ.

We are saved by grace, through faith, apart from works (even works of social justice). The good news is that Jesus is Lord. The gospel is what God has done for us, not what we can do for God or for others. But this amazing salvation has radical implications when we live out of the overflow of God’s love. Because we are saved, we respond to God’s love by engaging in works of social compassion and justice. We let the finished work of Jesus influence everything we do.

At Crossroads (www.crossroadschurch.net), where I have the pleasure to be a pastor, we always say that we are “simply responding to Jesus.” Because of our salvation, we live self-sacrificially towards others. We do it because of what Jesus has done for us. We call our social compassion arm “LoveNow” because we are called to love now!

Since we are not ashamed to preach the cross, and we chose to engage our communities in their places of pain in the name of Jesus, we can see the gospel move out unhindered. We show our communities the love of God (in acts of social justice) and tell them why (because of the finished work of Jesus). My friends, do not be afraid of social justice. Boldly preach the finished work of Jesus and boldly live out all of its implications.

A few years ago I was engaged in a spirited discussion with a seasoned Israeli pastor. The topic was Western Christian Zionism in relationship to Gospel proclamation in Israel. This pastor acrimoniously summarized what he perceived to be Western Christian Zionist support for Israel:

“I (says the Christian Zionist) am willing to fight for Israel to the very last drop of your (Israeli) blood!”
Wow! Ouch!
What this pastor was trying to communicate is that Christian supporters of Israel are generally willing to support Israel in realms which are not dangerous, or that will not threaten their good relationships with their Israeli friends (i.e. political, financial, tourism and, humanitarian aid). The eagerness to support Israel in these areas is generally based upon the theological belief in the uniqueness of ethnic Israel in the plan of God. This theological understanding is often transformed into a support of Israeli that incorporates endorsing the realization of land promises to the descendants Abraham through Isaac. Consequently, Israel’s military self-defense is perceived as a divinely given right. Indeed, many Christian supporters of Israel interpret Israel’s past and present military conflicts to be an essential part of end-times prophecies. Thus, what my Israeli pastor friend was communicating was his perception that Christian “supporters of Israel” are more than willing see Israelis go to war and be on the right side of end-times cataclysmic events. They are prepared to support these ideals at the cost of Israeli blood. This is not, by any means, authentic support of Israel.

Striving to understand Bible prophecy in light of current events is certainly a reasonable ambition, and there is no denying that Israel plays a significant role in eschatological sections of scripture. Yet, as believers in Jesus, we are compelled to think through Israel’s complex political issues, and even our theological and political assessments of Israel, with a “Gospel-first mentality.” As ministers of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, we must consider how our viewpoints bring honor to God through encouraging people towards repentance for the remission of sin and new life through faith in the Jesus. Supporting Israel through the “go get’em” mentality is not as constructive as inspiring Israeli people to restore their broken relationships with a loving God.

After having lived in Israel for several years, I have noticed that supporters of Israel actually support Israel quite abstractly as opposed to pragmatically. That is, they support the idea that Jewish people should have a homeland. They support the idea that Israel retains a special place in the plan of God, and they love the theological concept that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26). However, every Christian supporter of Israel should consider the following question: “Does my ideology produce pragmatic Gospel-centered action?”
This issue is particularly important when considering that Israel is essentially an unreached nation for the Gospel. Though it is challenging to conjecture (and it is notoriously difficult to define what a “Christian” is in Israel) it is safe to say that the absolute highest percentage of the population who identify themselves as Christian in Israel is 2%. Yep, you read correctly. Roughly two out of every one hundred people in Israel claim to have an affiliation with any type of Christian church (this includes Roman Catholic Churches, Orthodox Churches, Messianic Jewish Congregations, and Evangelical Christian Arab congregations). This information makes Israel one of the most unreached places in the world. In fact, in Israel most people are unaware of Jesus’ real name and refer to him by the unflattering nickname, “Yeshu.” Given the clear necessity there is for Gospel proclamation in Israel, maybe we “supporters of Israel” have been mistaken in equating our ideological/theological stances with backing Israel by fulfilling a practical need for Gospel.

How then, can Christians who love Jesus and desire to support Israel be an asset to Gospel proclamation in the land where there is great need? This can be done by overcoming our misconceptions of “support” and redirecting our efforts to the primary call of the Gospel. There are, in my opinion, a few misconceptions that have diverted the attention of the Church away from more overt Gospel ministry in Israel:

The misconception that tourism is support.

Every year, countless Christian tour groups come to Israel to explore the land of the Bible. In this way, Christians certainly support the Israeli economy and visiting believers are blessed through a fuller understanding of their Bible. It, however, is difficult to claim that tourism is the best form of support Christians can provide the Nation of Israel when the lion’s share of the population that benefits from the tourism industry is not Christian. Regardless of whether or not Christians use Christian tour agencies, the truth remains that Christians steadily travel to Israel without supporting any local Gospel ministry—or even visiting a local church. Tourism supports Israel’s economy, but it barely supports Israel’s greatest need of knowing Jesus.

Misconceptions that Israel is a moral & biblically literate place.

Because Israel is the land where most of the biblical events took place, many assume that Israelis are reasonably biblically literate. This misconception has led people to believe that (esp. religious Jewish) Israelis innately honor God, and consequently do not need to hear about the grace provided through the person and work of Jesus the Messiah. However, Israel deals with the same moral issues that Western countries do. Abortion is legal, prostitution is a problem, and Israel has had its share of political corruption (i.e. Israel’s former president Moshe Katsav is currently in prison for rape and Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been convicted of corruption and will be joining him soon). Simply because there is great religious tradition in Israel does not mean that there is great moral character.

A misconception of who the Israeli people are. This point is multifaceted.

It begins with a misunderstanding regarding the ethnic demographics of Israel, and leads to misconceptions concerning Gospel proclamation to all the people. Initially, it is important to remember that Israel is not solely ethnically Jewish. A conservative estimation is that there are 15-20% Arab Israeli citizens. These Arab people are, in theory, equal citizens of Israel and retain the same Israeli passport with an impression of a menorah stamped on it. This means that in any given place in Israel you may rub shoulders with an Arab person who may very well be a brother or sister in the Lord. Hence, it is important to remember that proclaming the Gospel in Israel, and supporting Israel politically, is not just for the Jewish Israeli; but also for the Arab Israelis, and all others who constitute the Nation of Israel.

A misconception that Israeli people are easily offended.

Christians tend to avoid ministry in Israel because they are concerned about offending people and not being able to maintain close connections with influential Israelis. Those who have spent a significant amount of time in Israel know that Israelis are very difficult to insult, especially if you talk to them in a respectful manner. Believers must not be overly concerned about offending people in Israel when conversing about what Messiah Jesus has accomplished for humankind. Christians should be genuine, using the same terminology they would use if they were talking to a neighbor. If an Israeli does not want to talk to you about Jesus, don’t worry! They will have no problem ending the conversation.

As Christians, our temptation at this juncture is to hide behind the smokescreen of what we have been doing in the past as authentic support of Israel. Our tendency is to develop a theology that makes us less responsible to support Gospel proclamation in Israel (i.e. hastily appealing to Israel’s hardening in part alluded to in Romans 11:25). Please don’t fall prey to these erroneous ideologies. Consider the following question: If you deem yourself a supporter of Israel, are you willing to make Gospel-centered ministry in Israel your theological and functional priority? If so, please take the first step and pray towards this end, for the sake of the inhabitants of Israel, as well as for the workers on the ground in this land.