Jesus Today . . . What is He Up To? Is He in Authority in Heaven and on Earth?

It’s been weeks since I blogged. I paused working on the new book Come and See, leaving off with the voice of Jesus during His first miracle that publicly began His reign as Sovereign over the earth. It was His first public act of supernatural authority. So extravagantly done, it was actually humorous of Him. With joy and ease, Jesus began to take back what Satan had stolen from humankind. I hardly wanted to move on in the story, it moved me so much.

Since then I’ve been engrossed with someone else’s book, a meaty, eloquently and thorough work by biblical historian N.T. Wright titled SIMPLY JESUS: A NEW VISION OF WHO HE WAS, WHAT HE DID, AND WHY HE MATTERS.

What a gift this book is to followers of Jesus or anyone wanting to know the truth about God’s Kingdom and purposes on earth. Wright makes sense of the whole picture, and delves deeply into the meaning and purposes of what God has done from the beginning, until the present, while creating expectation and confidence in what lies ahead. What a timely book this is, not only in my life, but in the life of the Church.  Praise the Holy Spirit in and through this man of excellent learning and profound insight and faith. I smiled while realizing that the novel I wrote called His Kingdom Come, about the days Jesus began His kingly reign, seems to artistically complement Wright’s ideas of what Jesus was all about when He first came and established God’s kingdom on earth. Of course biblical fiction is vastly different than a work of theology and scholarship. But how wonderful it is that God uses our talents and gifts to reveal His ways and purposes so diversely and meaningfully. I believe every believer has their own unique stuff to do, everyone, everywhere. Because this IS the coming of God’s Kingdom — through all of us who are His. We are so connected; we are a working body.

I appreciate how Wright explicitly shows his readers how Jesus is already an active, reigning King. Some people think Jesus is not bringing His Kingdom until He returns to earth in all His glory. Well, the Kingdom has been coming all along and won’t be completely here until we see His face.  Until then, we who belong to Him actually embody Him and are doing his work on earth. He truly is ruling over all things, working in the nations and events of history, as well as in small ways, planting seeds that become movements of grace and change.

It is amazing to realize: God put on flesh and became one of us, fulfilling His own promise to unite heaven and earth. It takes Holy Spirit enabled eyes to see it and participate in it.

Wright put it this way: “When God wants to change the world, he doesn’t send in the tanks. He sends in the meek, the mourners, those who are hungry and thirsty for God’s justice, the peacemakers, and so on. Just as God’s whole style, his chosen way of operating, reflects his generous love, sharing his rule with his human creatures, so the way in which those humans then have to behave if they are to be agents of Jesus’s lordship reflects in its turn the same sense of vulnerable, gentle, but powerful self-giving love. It is because of this that the world has been changed by people like William Wilberforce, campaigning tirelessly to abolish slavery; by Desmond Titu, working and praying not just to end apartheid, but to end it in such a way as to produce a reconciled, forgiving South Africa; by Cicely Saunders, starting a hospice for terminally ill patients ignored by the medical profession and launching a movement that has, within a generation, spread right around the globe.”

Actually, and I know W.T. Wright would probably agree, sometimes God does send in the tanks and heroes, after all, He is in charge. If you haven’t seen the movie Act of Valor – do yourself a favor. God is fighting through heroes, strong, brave soldiers — who pray and who fight with the hearts of lions. I am just saying that God is using people to run the world, just as Satan uses people to fight against God and His purposes. We know, though, who wins in the end.

Jesus will restore all things to their proper order. It will be completely “on earth as it is in Heaven” one day. The way this is coming about, though, has been happening through history, since Jesus walked among us. Since then, He gives us His Spirit to reside within us. We are connected to Him! We only need to be aware of what our own unique participation is as we participate with Him in building His Kingdom.  Each believer has his or her part. As Wright so simply put it: “One small action can start a trend.”

This is how God’s kingdom is being established in our world. I agree with Wright when he says:  “Jesus has all kinds of projects up his sleeve and is simply waiting for faithful people to say their prayers, to read the signs of the times, and to get busy.”

I used to think priests had the job of forgiving sins because they were God’s representatives. When the resurrected Jesus gave the authority to His apostles before leaving for heaven, He gave the profound power and authority to them to forgive people’s sins. Actually, that authority was not just for them, but it was for every single believer who had the job of making disciples of the nations… You see, forgiveness is really a matter of reconciliation with God. Forgiveness, true forgiveness and reconciliation involves real confrontation with what has gone wrong.”

We are about the business of reconciliation. Out the window goes the notion of priests and confessionals. Jesus intended so much.  All along, He wanted to give His followers His own authority and power, because it was to transform everyone and bring change. Jesus wants to bring His light into the dark recesses of hearts and nations through us.

Wright eloquently says it this way: “The poor in spirit will be making the kingdom of heaven happen. The meek will be taking over the earth, so gently that the powerful won’t notice until it’s too late. The peacemakers will be putting the arms manufacturers out of business. Those who are hungry and thirsty for God’s justice will be analyzing government policy and legal rulings and speaking up on behalf of those at the bottom of the pile. The merciful will be surprising everybody by showing that there is a different way to do human relations other than being judgmental, eager to put everyone else down, ‘You are the light of the world,’ said Jesus.’You are the salt of the earth.'”

He announced and stated these things as fact. He invites his hearers, then and now, to join Him in making it happen. Yes, He is in heaven. But at the same time, His presence is in the form of His Spirit inside of us, breathing through our lungs, speaking through our mouths, touching with our hands. He creates through us and heals through us. He is bringing restoration to all things through us. This is, quite simply, what it looks like when Jesus is enthroned.

The Extravagant Bridegroom (the story of Jesus' first miracle)

The Extravagant Bridegroom

 

He thus revealed his glory,

and his disciples put their faith in him.

John 2:11b

 

 

Jesus, Heaven’s Bridegroom . . .

I’d been away from home for several weeks and my mother was glad to see me, although she had no idea how different my life would be from now on. I was to marry the world, it seemed to me. Even though I was prepared to sacrifice everything for her, my bride would be a reluctant one.  I thought this during the wedding ceremony in Cana as I watched the young couple pledge themselves to each other through sacred vows.  I silently prayed mine.

I had traveled to the wedding the day after I asked Nathanael to join us. The timing was perfect. After a month- long fast in the desert, I’d spent a few days in Judea with the prophet sent to prepare my bride for me and now I had several eager men following me. I sat at table with them until my mother put a challenge to me, “They have no wine.”

“What has that to do with me?” My adult son-to-mother tone did little to put her off and the look on her face continued the conversation. I glanced down at my hands, folded on the table in front of me.  I wasn’t about to discuss this in front of the others.

“My hour has not yet come,” I said in a lowered voice. I hoped she’d leave it at that. Instead, she looked from my face to those who sat beside and across from me.

My eyes followed hers and when I saw such open, expectant expressions, I felt overwhelmed. In that moment the idea came to me to make so much wine that our hosts wouldn’t know what to do with all of it. After the week long wedding feast, they’d need to tell the whole town to bring their own containers so they could give it away.

I began to laugh to myself at the thought. My mother wildly gestured to the servants within range. As it was, they were walking towards us with empty pitchers in hand, explaining to a person here and there that they had no more wine to give them.

I stood just as two servers stepped up to us. “Do whatever he tells you to do,” my mother said to them, and then she squeezed my arm to thank me.

“Take me to the water you have stored for the rite of purification.” The reality of the opportunity at hand thrilled me. This had everything to do with me. Who runs out of wine this early in a wedding feast? Since early childhood I had learned to pay attention to what my Father in heaven was doing, to notice things as special invitations to bless people. This was one of those times—of course, this should be my first display of Heaven’s love and power. What better way than at a wedding banquet?  I was beside myself with joy.

***

 

 

No one at the wedding banquet knew that the Divine Bridegroom was a guest there. Nobody realized what surprise the Father in heaven had in store that day. Neither did the two bridegrooms know beforehand what transformation was about to occur. The one just married sat beside his bride at the table, his heart sinking as the wine vessels were drained. The other unrecognized Bridegroom dreamed of his Bride as he quietly watched the wedding ceremony.

This was the setting for Jesus’ first supernatural sign. As with most miracles, this one came out of crises. It wasn’t a life-threatening need. It was a threat to the life of a party. The panic was in the eyes of the bridegroom and his family. It involved shame for them and disappointment for their guests. But was this just cause for Divine intervention?

What might Jesus have thought as he approached the six clay water jars, sitting in a row nearby? According to eyewitnesses, he had just changed his mind. At first, he hadn’t thought the time was right to work do a miracle.

It’s amazing to delve a bit deeper into the symbolism of this wonder he performed. At the start of the meal, the guests were provided with water to spiritually purify themselves before they ate. There was plenty of water left in the jars to serve Jesus’ purpose, but he instructed the servants to fill them to the brim. Then, without any dramatics, he told them to serve the water-become-wine to the headmaster, and then to all the guests.

Here, now, were gallons and gallons of this “purification” water turned into an inebriating beverage. The servants were in awe. The headmaster was puzzled. The bridegroom and his family were relieved and stunned. And all the guests had a good time.

Laughter and dancing faced off with religious legalism!

It is quite telling to think that Jesus’ first miracle was to give people a good time—and extravagance was part of it.  Let’s open our hearts to receive God’s extravagant favor and kindness! Two thousand years later, God’s gifts continue still, repeatedly, in many forms and ways. The Divine Bridegroom hasn’t changed a bit.

 

What a wonder . . .

 

Even as believers, sometimes the love of God escapes our grasp for the simple reason that it just seems too good to be true. Often, we miss the real message of Jesus’ first miracle. We miss the true gift in this story—God’s extravagant, non-legalistic grace. As Christians, we know that we have been called out of darkness and into the light. Not sure how to respond, we become self-righteously pious, and our faith and love for God become a legalistic and idealistic taskmaster. God never intended this to happen.

There is nothing legalistic, boring, or even “religious” about Jesus. That’s not the life Jesus came to bring us. If we truly knew God’s heart, we would realize that he is an extravagant, fun-loving, lively, and passionate Person.

“God prefers mercy to sacrifice,” Jesus said, quoting a Scripture he had grown up with. Just what does that mean in our modern-day language? It means that God has a forgiving and loving heart and doesn’t require us to work hard to please him. It means love is the religious expression God desires us to experience. It means God wants our hearts to become like his.

Well, what is he like? Look closely at this miracle. What did the Lord do? What was his purpose? How much wine did he make? Have you ever heard the argument that Jesus’ miraculous wine was unfermented? The people of his day would not have been impressed!  Anyone who believes this has completely missed the point. God have mercy!

The reason Jesus performed this miracle was for one reason only—to give the wedding guests a good time. Jesus showed us that God delights to delight us.

Just think about how the Lord gave his all to and for us. This is the God who loves us and wants us to come near. If we would just relax and let him have what he wants. If we would place ourselves upon his breast, breathe deeply and listen intently, then we’d know. He’s crazy in love with us. That’s the truth. He’s not looking for us to perform or abstain from enjoying ourselves. This is the message of Jesus’ first miracle: because of his presence, people had a very good time. This is quite telling about his character, don’t you agree?

In your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand

there are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

 

Just imagine . . .

 

Enter into the story of the wedding banquet at Cana. Become one of the characters in the story. Watch and experience the miracle. What are Jesus’ reactions—his facial expressions when he sees how surprised the servants are when they witness this miraculous transformation of water to wine?  Watch Jesus as he interacts with the people who, because of him, greatly enjoy themselves. How does Jesus act during the party, especially after the miracle? Can you see him enjoying himself too? Do you think he even danced? Ask the Lord to reveal his character, his true self and heart to you.

 

Journal Exercise  . . .

 

The wedding in Cana turned into a wonderful celebration with Jesus. Just imagine the banquet in heaven he has been planning for us. The miracle of Jesus transforming water into wine is all about freedom and God’s extravagant surprises he has in store for us. Let this reality sink in: Jesus is a bridegroom. We are, each of us, his bride—and the sum of all believers are his bride. If you love God and want to please him, then you can, in practical ways, follow your love for him. If you have God first in your life and love him above all else, then you can follow that inner leading, because your own heart is in union with God’s. He wants to be your number one love. He’s extravagant in ways you cannot fathom.

Write your thoughts and experiences from this chapter in your journal. What is God saying to you through the story of the wedding in Cana, Jesus’ first miracle, freedom from legalism, and Jesus’ intentions through a profound display of extravagance?

What it means to live for God …. (from His perspective)

One of my favorite authors is Brennan Manning. His books are filled with deep understanding of God’s love—and I don’t just read his books once—I return to them over and over again. He knows how to take the words of Scripture and make them apply to my life in ways that reach down deep inside me. 

Something I read today in his small, but powerful book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat, went hand in hand with a Scripture verse I also read today. Here are the two quotations:

John 10:10

“I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

When Jesus uttered these particular words, I can imagine the angels of heaven standing in awe as they listened—because they knew what it cost Him in order to personally say them:

Brennan writes:

“The sorrow of God lies in our fear of Him, our fear of life, and our fear of ourselves. As a father gathers his children into his arms at the end of a long and tiring day, so God longs to draw us into His embrace. No matter what your past or present, come; lean back in the shelter of His love and listen to the Rabbi’s heartbeat. Let Him teach you about life, death, and eternity as Abba’s beloved child. Take an unflinching look at yourself as you really are. Then look at who you are meant to become as you travel this earth as a child of God on the journey called life.”

 

This is a little conversation, as recorded in my prayer journal tonight, that I think illustrates these things.

The Lord: “What does it mean to live for Me? I am asking what it means to you. “

My reply: “It means that everything I do is for You—that I belong to You and want to please You—because I love You.  And now that I am saying these words, I realize I don’t live for You in realty, do I?“

The Lord: “This is what it means to Me.  If you want to live for Me, then do this: Be yourself fully and let Me love you. Then, when you begin to grasp what I love about you, and when you discover how much I love you, and when you can see that I would do anything for you, perhaps then you will know that you are living for Me so that I can enjoy you.”

“Lord, this is astounding. I can hardly take in what You just said.  I need to think about the fact that You desire me to be more attentive to your Presence … to share my life with You as though we walk side by side. I am not mindful enough of You.”

“If you realized my Presence moment by moment, our relationship would be beyond what you can imagine. And, it is possible, it is so possible.”

After this, I read the next few pages of Brennan’s book, and amazing enough, it is an excerpt from his prayer journal:

 

 “To feel safe is to stop living in my head and sink down into my heart and feel liked and accepted … not having to hide anymore and distract myself with books, television, movies, ice cream, shallow conversation … staying in the present moment and not escaping into the past or projecting into the future, alert and attentive to the now … feeling relaxed and not nervous or jittery … no need to impress or dazzle others or draw attention to myself… Unselfconscious, a new way of being with myself, a new way of being in the world … calm, unafraid, no anxiety about what’s going to happen next … loved and valued … just being together as an end in itself.”

 

If we could just focus on being with God and not let so much in our lives distract us FROM Him, perhaps we’d grasp what it really means to live for God. Imagine how different our lives would be.

Wow! So much to absorb—It’s simply amazing. God is here!  Now.  Always. What He wants most is to enjoy me being me with Him. He wants us all to realize His love, His particular love.

I have a new website about my books – you can download samples, listen to the audio book GOD IN SANDALS, read 100 pages of HIS KINGDOM COME…http://www.wix.com/mmontreuil/author-site

Good News! Many are Following Jesus Here

As you can see from the FOLLOW video located at this website http://www.elevationchurch.org
, something quite extraordinary is going on at Elevation Church in Charlotte. I’m seeing that more each week.

My daughter, age 28, had been through life-threatening lows lately and recently gave the direction of her life to Jesus. She found this rather “new” church, which started I think less than five years ago, and asked if I’d like to go with her. I happily went along to support her. Oh my … words cannot express the amazing things going on there and how PERFECTLY-TIMED the messages and such have been for my daughter.

Far from being “typical”, the vibrant church uses cutting-edge technology and media, plus “Rock Concert” worship, passionate and gifted talent that is reaching and connecting people with God’s powerful, relevent message of life-transforming, inclusive love. This church gets it – this isn’t tame, nice people simply following the traditions they’ve been brought up with … this is what Jesus was like — shaking things up, making a big noise, not mincing words, not watering down the Gospel. This is what Jesus died for – people who know what it is to be SAVED and act accordingly. What a dynamic thing to be caught up in and be a part of!

My daughter is among those who spontaneously answered the call to be baptized on the spot after a sound, short teaching on what BAPTISM MEANS TO JESUS. The Baptism event wasn’t even announced beforehand. See what I mean about not being typical?

Besides the free T-shirts, towels, and necessary hygiene products freely given to those ready to obey the timeless call of Jesus to follow Him and publicly proclaim it through water baptism, the entire event struck me as being so relevent. Jesus is RELEVENT.

I hope you will feel the tangible joy of that morning.

A week before the baptism event, the church was featured on prime time news. The news crew visited and documented the church’s “growth explosion” and aired the story with wonder. God is celebrating and is spreading the Good News of what it looks like to follow Jesus in our days, in our city.