It seems clear that followers of Jesus are sent into the world the same way God sent Jesus into the world. John 3 says that Jesus was sent out of love, that He was sent to redeem, and that He was not sent to judge. I’m not totally sure if this is how most Christians see themselves, or if this is how others see them.

In Matthew 13 Jesus tells a very interesting parable about some weeds sown among some wheat. When His servants ask if they should pull up the weeds He tells them not to worry about it; when the time for harvest is right, His harvesters (the angels) will separate the weeds from the wheat and will be disposed of. A couple insights on this from Sunday evening: First the wheat and the weeds grow together in the field (the world). This is a given. No where does Jesus say the wheat is enclosed in a protected greenhouse with plenty of pesticides and herbicides. The whole point is that the wheat and the weeds grow together in the field. How opposite is this from the way many churches have isolated themselves from the evil influences of the world. Second, it’s impossible to tell the difference between the wheat and weeds until the harvest. Not only that, but Jesus says to wait on judging what is a weed because His servants might make a mistake. Oh if only we as Jesus-followers would take this to heart. Perhaps then we might be known by our love and the hope we profess rather then our judgmental attitudes and hypocritical condemnation.

Let’s spend some time looking at another of Jesus’ parables and how it relates to how we are called to live and act in our world:

Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

What do you think the most unbelievable part of this parable would be for Jesus’ hearers? For us today? Which person in this parable do you think is most like Christians? Who does Jesus seem to be addressing this parable too? Does that add anything to our understanding of it?

Here are some other parts of Scripture that seem to connect with this:
Luke 6:37-42
John 20:19-23
Titus 3:3-8

I’d really love to hear your thoughts on what you think this means for followers of Jesus as we interact with God’s creation and the people God loves.

Each week I hope to post the Scriptures we will be discussing on Sunday evenings. Please feel free (or even obligated) to post some of your own thoughts here. If you are unable to be a part of our gathering on Sunday evenings please consider including your insights, questions, and comments here. Think of it as a virtual invitation into our discussion. All are welcome, and no point of view is excluded.

This past weekend we looked at the first part of what I think is one of the most interesting parts of Scripture, Jesus’ prayer in John 17. This week we are continuing that process as we discuss Jesus praying for His followers:

John 17:13-26

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

A few observations and questions jump out to me. Obviously, Jesus’ desire is that His followers remain in the world, but He makes a very interesting statement when He says “As You sent me into the world, I have sent them”. How was Jesus sent? And what the heck does it mean to be sanctified and why/how did Jesus do that to Himself?
Jesus also makes it pretty clear how His followers are to be know. How are we (His followers) doing with that? What can we do differently to be more know by our love, unity, and connection with Jesus?

Here are some additional Scriptures that really got me thinking about those questions (and a whole lot more). I’d love to read your comments on how they intersect (if at all) with Jesus’ prayer and how His followers are called to live. Don’t be shy, post a comment.

John 3:16-21
Matthew 5:13-16
John 12:44-50
Matthew 13:24-43
2 Corinthians 5:16-21

One thing I have always enjoyed being a part of is the coffeehouse scene. To me it seems a natural place for people to interact, hang out, and connect. One of my joys within the church was the chance to start-up and run a coffeehouse/concert venue (A BIG shoutout to The Fire Escape and Undergrounds!). It’s almost as if God has been calling me into something for 10 years. As I looked back on life in the church and looked forward to the next phase of life, incarnating Jesus in the community, things began to come together.

Our dream is to open a caffeine bar in Reno that would serve as a safe place to build relationships, express the love of God, and serve our community and world. A place where Christians and not-yet Christians could interact and build friendships without the stereotypes and agendas of “church”, and where those interested in following Jesus could be encouraged, equipped, and sent out.

We desire to be a venue that builds relationships within the local community and to provide a way to be a part of community events. We hope to not only offer ways to help families in our neighborhood (practical classes—such as budgeting, cooking, parenting, music, and hobbies—tutoring, concerts, meeting place, etc.), but also to be an active part of community and city-wide events which are already going on. We also see this venture as a way to highlight the arts in our area (music, spoken word, and display art) because as of right now there is no real venue for that on the south side of town. We plan to be socially and environmentally conscious in all we do and sell, and to be a real active participant in our neighborhood as a “3rd place”

According to Ray Oldenburg a 3rd place is a place outside of the home or work where people can relax, get to know others, and build essential community. We desire the creation of a new type of 3rd place where authentic followers of Jesus and not-yet-Christians can interact meaningfully and non-judgmentally with each other. Rather then expecting people to come to us, we desire to engage the culture on its own turf. This process of engagement requires a new type of missional thinking, so we are now thinking through “missionary” type questions. “What is good news for this people group in south Reno? What would the church look and feel like outside of a building among this people group? These types of questions assume we don’t know the answers until we ask them in the active context of mission. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I’ve never started a blog before (or read the first post of a blog for that matter), so I’m not really sure how these things go. Let me introduce myself and fill you in on a little of what makes my heart beat.

My name is Darrin, I’m almost 33 years old. I love Jesus. I live in Reno Nevada, and I recently “left” my youth pastor job at a large local church. I had been working there for over 12 years and over that time I became more and more troubled by the institutional church. It seemed we were really good at providing programs for people “like us”, but making little impact in our overall community. How was I bringing the kingdom of God (His love, grace, forgiveness, joy, and peace) to Reno? If the church disappeared would it make any difference to the people around us that didn’t attend there? Was God’s concept of “church” intended to be a social club or elite society that told outsiders how wrong they were? These questions began to haunt me and so I began to dream….

I dreamt about what our community would look like if followers of Jesus were known by their love. I dreamed about a group of people who were dedicated to living the way of Jesus and impacting the larger community. I dreamed of building bridges between people with different viewpoints and different understandings of God, and I dreamed of moving the concept of “church” away from its association with a building (I go to church) and back to it’s connection with God and His people (We are church together, and when we bring grace, love, and hope we “do” church together). I shared these dreams and frustrations with the leadership at the church I worked at and they listened, agreed, and finally fired me. I don’t blame them. I would of probably fired me too. My dreams didn’t (and don’t) fit in the concept of an institutional church that is focused on attracting people into a building.

This was the best thing that ever happened to me. But that is a different story…