So often in life, we rely on common sense. We do what's intuitive. But there are times when it's best to do what doesn't make sense. We do what's counter-intuitive.
A great example might be our family vacation to Disney World several years ago. A friend of ours moved to Orlando and just loved to be a tour guide when folks went to see Mickey. She gave us the pregrame speech.
With the passion and focus Knute Rockne, she told us, "We're going to get to the park early, ready to go when the gates open. When they open the gates, just about everybody will go to the right. But we're going to the LEFT!"
But her strategy didn't stop there. We would wait in line for a ride and when the doors would open she would grab us and say, "Wait...wait...let 8 to 10 people go on ahead of us...NOW! GO! GO!" And sure 'nuff, we'd be sitting right smack dab in the middle of the row. Right in the perfect spot.
She knew what to do, when to go. And many times it was counter-intuitive.
The Bible is chock full of counter-intuitive teaching.
-The first shall be last.
-Love your enemies.
-Gain the world and lose your soul.
Jesus provides us a classic example when He teaches about dying in order to bring life in John 12:20-26. He tells His disciples that we must die and let live.
It all begins when a group of Greeks in town for the Passover ask Philip for an appointment to see Jesus. One of those "have your people talk to my people" kinda moments. When He hears of their request, Jesus' response seems out of left field.
23 Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory.
24 The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone—a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 All those who want to be My disciples must come and follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And if they follow Me, the Father will honor them.” (John 12:23-26 NLT)
But the Savior was saying, "They want to see Me, huh? Well, just wait until Friday when they see Me on the Cross. Just wait until they see Me laid in the tomb. But most of all, just wait until they see Me on Sunday, the Risen Lord!"
The heart of Jesus' teaching is the counter-intuitive idea of how death brings new life. Like the seed that must die, planted in the ground, brings about new life, so the crucifed Christ must die, planted in the ground, and brings about new life.
Die and let live.
And Jesus asks His followers to do the same. Die and let live.
As Freedom River considers bringing this ministry to a close, we must find hope in the fact that death brings about new life. While we don't have the perspective of time, I truly believe that the dying "seed" of FRCC can bring new life in many ways, to many other churches. It's one of the most counter-intuitive you can imagine. The death of the church actually bringing life.
Die and let live.
I realize that so many of us are struggling with feelings of failure. That's certainly understandable. But research about church planting reveals some very sobering statistics. Depending on your source, 70-80% of all church plants fail. I think that points to the fact that the only real failure is not trying at all.
Is Freedom River a failure? Well, the apostle Paul never led a mega-church. Matter of fact, several churches he planted closed their doors. Was Paul a failure? I don't think so. How about the eleven apostles. Ten of the eleven were martyred for the sake of the Christ. Were they failures? Not in the least. Again, the only real failure is not trying at all.
There is life in death. There is hope in failure. God makes sure that absolutely nothing is wasted!
Die and let live.
In Christ,
Jay
From a sermon at Freedom River Community Church in Raleigh, NC on September 21, 2008.
Jesus provides us a classic example when He teaches about dying in order to bring life in John 12:20-26. He tells His disciples that we must die and let live.
It all begins when a group of Greeks in town for the Passover ask Philip for an appointment to see Jesus. One of those "have your people talk to my people" kinda moments. When He hears of their request, Jesus' response seems out of left field.
23 Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory.
24 The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone—a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.
25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 All those who want to be My disciples must come and follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And if they follow Me, the Father will honor them.” (John 12:23-26 NLT)
But the Savior was saying, "They want to see Me, huh? Well, just wait until Friday when they see Me on the Cross. Just wait until they see Me laid in the tomb. But most of all, just wait until they see Me on Sunday, the Risen Lord!"
The heart of Jesus' teaching is the counter-intuitive idea of how death brings new life. Like the seed that must die, planted in the ground, brings about new life, so the crucifed Christ must die, planted in the ground, and brings about new life.
Die and let live.
And Jesus asks His followers to do the same. Die and let live.
As Freedom River considers bringing this ministry to a close, we must find hope in the fact that death brings about new life. While we don't have the perspective of time, I truly believe that the dying "seed" of FRCC can bring new life in many ways, to many other churches. It's one of the most counter-intuitive you can imagine. The death of the church actually bringing life.
Die and let live.
I realize that so many of us are struggling with feelings of failure. That's certainly understandable. But research about church planting reveals some very sobering statistics. Depending on your source, 70-80% of all church plants fail. I think that points to the fact that the only real failure is not trying at all.
Is Freedom River a failure? Well, the apostle Paul never led a mega-church. Matter of fact, several churches he planted closed their doors. Was Paul a failure? I don't think so. How about the eleven apostles. Ten of the eleven were martyred for the sake of the Christ. Were they failures? Not in the least. Again, the only real failure is not trying at all.
There is life in death. There is hope in failure. God makes sure that absolutely nothing is wasted!
Die and let live.
In Christ,
Jay
From a sermon at Freedom River Community Church in Raleigh, NC on September 21, 2008.
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