The Unworthy Saint

Someone once described walking as the process of falling forward, catching yourself, and doing it again. Our hair grows out, we cut it. Our car slowly (or quickly if you have an SUV) runs out of gas, and we must fill it up again. We work through the day and finally lay down at night to go to sleep – to restore our energy. We eat only to burn off what we ate in activity. There’s a constant wave to life – a cyclical up and down. Should we then be surprised when we fall into sin? Should we mourn the fact we’re no longer “on top of the mountain”, but we’re now in the valley? No. I think not.

I whole-heartedly believe we must mourn our sin – our soul must be grieved when we rebel against the Almighty God of the universe. But that is all. Do not mourn that you’ve fallen from some high place, do not be shocked when you sin next. Life is falling and rising again – it is a process. It is the process of death or sanctification depending on your path – if you are walking on the path of sanctification there is hope, there is grace, there is love. You will be tested, you will fall – but your falling is to be expected – we are weak vessels – we are not the Christ.

Mourn your disobedience to the Father, mourn the fact that your sin put Christ on the cross, but do not mourn beyond that, and end your mourning in repentance and the knowledge that your sin is paid for – we live on earth, a wholly fallen and sinful place. You will rise, and you will fall – it’s guaranteed here, in this time. But know that soon the sin cycle will pass and we’ll be in Heaven with our glorious King.

I have a few thoughts on money, the rich and the poor, and transforming people groups.

There’s no middle class – there is the rich and the poor.  The rich are those who have surplus, who are not in debt.  The poor are those who are in debt and do not have surplus.  The majority of the “middle class” that I know are in debt and living as though they had surplus.

If you want to influence a community of a poor people for Christ, if you truly want to be the most effective, move in with them.  Live among them.  Think about it – that’s what Christ did.  He became poor, He gave up His status in Heaven, humbled Himself, became a servant – He became poor so that we might become rich.  So what would it mean for us to truly minister to the poor around here?  Much more than Transform this summer, we need the body of Christ to not just give to a community, but to move into a community and live radically, not just give radically every once in a while, but live radically day in and day out, giving the excess to those in need – giving up status, a life of wealth, and pouring ourselves into the poor.  And I’m not saying you quit your job and become poor in that sense, no you keep it but live on the same amount the poor people do, then take the excess and give to the people around you, spending on ministry rather than yourself.

So if I lived this out, I would move into the trailer park and help my neighbors get out of debt, help them fix their trailers, have them in my home, cook for them, keep their kids, take them to church, love on them, share the gospel, invite my friends to spend time with all of us, have football parties, play soccer and basketball in the neighborhood, etc etc…

All of this scares me.

This song just has me on my knees right now. I can’t help thinking that little kids need heroes (and ultimately a Hero) – I think true heroes are the ones who lay their cape and then themselves at the foot of the cross. We need to be the heroes that little kids can look up to… and I’m on my knees pleading to God that I would be worth to be called a hero someday.

—

Hero by Steve Taylor

When the house fell asleep there was always a light
and it fell from the page to the eyes of an American boy
in a storybook land I could dream what I read
when it went to my head I’d see
I wanna be a hero

But the practical side said the question was still
when you grow up what will you be?
I wanna be a hero

chorus:
Hero
it’s a nice-boy notion that the real world’s gonna destroy
you know
it’s a Marvel comicbook Saturday matinee fairytale, boy

Growing older you’ll find that illusions are brought
and the idol you thought you’d be was just another zero
I wanna be a hero

Heroes died when the squealers bought ‘em off
died when the dealers got ‘em off
welcome to the “in it for the money as an idol” show
when they ain’t as big as life
when they ditch their second wife
where’s the boy to go?
gotta be a hero

(chorus)

When the house fell asleep
from a book I was led to a light that I never knew
I wanna be your hero
and he spoke to my heart from the moment I prayed
here’s a pattern I made for you
I wanna be your hero

—

About The Song
>From Clone Club News Flash Spring/Summer 1984:

“['Hero'] is the most personal song on the album. I remember as a boy I’d pull a book out from under my bedcovers after my parents had turned out the lights and read by streetlight outside my window. My favorite books were biographies of presidents or generals or kings and queens, but as I’d grow older and read more in-depth accounts, I’d discover that my heroes weren’t all they were made out to be. Yet the more I read about Jesus, the more I realized that He was the one hero who wasn’t going to disappoint me, and that I could pattern my life after Him.”

>From the Now The Truth Can Be Told Song-By-Song Essays:

“And sometimes, by the grace of God, we get it right. My eyes went bad at an early age from all the books I read late at night using the streetlamp outside my bedroom window (this wouldn’t have happened if I’d watched more television…). Biographies were a favorite, but the accounts I’d read at age nine didn’t necessarily tell the whole unvarnished story. The more I’d read, the more my heroes (except for maybe Abraham Lincoln) tended to shrink in stature, eventually causing my adolescent psyche no small amount of post- Watergate disillusionment (‘Dad, what does ‘expletive deleted’ mean?’).

“Role models may vary in quality and consistency, but all are ultimately born to disappoint. Jesus is the only hero worth having.”

These are the instances where Jesus essential said, “well done” or “your faith has made you well” or “i’m astonished at your faith” etc… This is Jesus talking to an actual person and does not include parables, only when he essentially praises someone – responds to a behavior or a way of thinking positively.

Matt 8:5-13

Matt 9:20-22

Matt 9:27-31

Matt 11:7-15

Matt 15:21-28

Matt 16:13-20

Matt 19:27-30

Matt 20:29-34

Matt 26:6-13

Mark 1:40-45

Mark 5:25-34

Mark 7:24-30

Mark 8:1-2

Mark 10:13-16

Mark 10:46-52

Mark 12:41-44

Mark 14:3-9

Luke 5:12-17

Luke 7:2-10

Luke 7:24-30

Luke 7:36-50

Luke 8:43-48

Luke 10:38-42

Luke 17:11-19

Luke 18:35-43

Luke 19:1-10

Luke 21:1-4

Luke 23:39-43

The qualities of an overseer (1 Tim 3:1-7)

• Above reproach
• The husband of one wife (not given to trading spouses in divorce)
• Temperate
• Prudent
• Respectable
• Hospitable
• Able to teach
• Not addicted to wine or pugnacious
• Gentle
• Peaceable
• Free from the love of money
• One who manages his household well – keeping his children under control with all dignity (if he has any)
• Not a new convert
• Must have a good reputation with those outside the church

The qualities of a deacon (1 Tim 3:8-13)

• Man of dignity
• Not double tongued
• Not addicted to wine
• Not fond of sordid gain
• Holding to the mystery of faith with clear consience
• Tested as being beyond reproach
• Husbands of only one wife
• Good managers of their children and their own household

Show yourself to be a believer through (1 Tim 4:12)

• Speech
• Conduct
• Love
• Faith
• Purity

Pursue (1 Tim 6:11)

• Righteousness
• Godliness
• Faith
• Love
• Perseverance
• Gentleness

Misc

• Someone who prays for all who are in authority (1 Tim 2:2)
• Someone who receives all created things with gratitude (1 Tim 4:4)
• Discipline myself for the purpose of Godliness (1 Tim 4:7-8)
• Not neglecting the spiritual gifts within me (1 Tim 4:14-15)
• Pay attention to myself and my teaching – persevere in both for the sake of salvation for myself and those who hear (1 Tim 4:16)
• Honor widows (1 Tim 5:3)
• Be content with food and covering (1 Tim 5:8)
• If I am rich, be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share (1 Tim 6:18)

How to be a good workman (2 Tim 2:14-26)

• Accurately handle the word of truth
• Avoid worldly and empty chatter
• Fleeing from youthful lusts
• Pursuing righteousness
• Pursuing faith
• Pursuing love
• Pursuing peace
• Refuse foolish and ignorant speculations
• Not quarrelsome
• Kind to all
• Able to teach
• Patient when wronged and gentle in correcting opposition

Always ready to (2 Tim 4:2)

• Reprove
• Rebuke
• Exhort
• With patience and instruction

Misc

• Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord but join in suffering for the Gospel (2 Tim 1:8)
• Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 2:1)
• Work hard at the faith (2 Tim 2:4-6)
• Persevere in the thing you have learned (2 Tim 3:14)
• Preach the word; be ready to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction (2 Tim 4:1-2)