There’s different views of God. Spiritually renewed person is drawn to God. They sense His presence, His guidance in their lives. They see real answers to their prayers. They trace His hand in the circumstances of their lives. They hear Him speak through His word. They’re, they’re, they’re, they’re finding answers to life by a God that is living within them and speaking into them. And it’s all of grace. It’s all of mercy. But there’s this whole new sense that God is not a heavenly policeman. I got to measure up to. God is my father. God is my friend. Christ is my brother, as he describes himself in the book of Hebrews. And then there’s a different view of living with God. The spiritually alive person finds their motivation to live with God is one of joy, not ultimately of obligation.
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Pastor Mark Willey
Excerpt from “BC to AD”
Video Transcript:
There’s different views of God. Spiritually renewed person is drawn to God. They sense His presence, His guidance in their lives. They see real answers to their prayers. They trace His hand in the circumstances of their lives. They hear Him speak through His word.
They’re, they’re, they’re, they’re finding answers to life by a God that is living within them and speaking into them. And it’s all of grace. It’s all of mercy. But there’s this whole new sense that God is not a heavenly policeman. I got to measure up to. God is my father. God is my friend. Christ is my brother, as he describes himself in the book of Hebrews.
And then there’s a different view of living with God. The spiritually alive person finds their motivation to live with God is one of joy, not ultimately of obligation. I’d just like to read an excerpt from a book that I deeply enjoy. It’s called Hope Has Its Reasons by Becky Pippert. And then I’m going to wrap up.
Here’s what she said. I was living in Israel. I took the bus to go home from downtown Jerusalem, but I inadvertently got off at the wrong stop and was promptly lost, lost. Not an unusual state of affairs for me. I began peering around at street signs to discover where I was. Suddenly I heard a voice behind me saying, slightly halting English, Can I help you?
I turned around and, to my astonishment, saw an Orthodox, Hasidic Jew. He was a vision in black, dressed in the attire of typical of the Orthodox community of his 18th century Polish predecessors, a long black cloak, over black trousers, a long white fringe hanging from his belt, bearded with ear locks that came down to his chest, pale skin reflecting the Hasidic male’s devotion to the intense daily indoor study of Torah.
It is hard to convey to Western Gentiles how extraordinary it is for a Hasidic man from the ultra Orthodox neighborhood to speak to a woman, particularly a Western woman. I probably could not conceal the amazement on my face and he said, sometimes we are permitted to help people in distress. Where do you need to go?
To my further astonishment, he accompanied me on the street and told me his name and that he lived in ultra orthodox community in Jerusalem, although he was raised in Chicago. His accent indicated that he spoke more Yiddish and Hebrew than English. I tried to establish some common ground, but found that our worlds were so dramatically different that small talk was impossible.
I decided to try a different tact. We do share something in common, I said. What is that, he asked. We’re both religious. That’s wonderful, he shouted in reply and immediately began a discourse on one of the tractates from the Mishnah, Jewish writing. Then he noticed that I had paused and he said, Are you Jewish?
No, I’m a follower of Jesus, I answered. He said, Are you serious about your faith? I assured him I was. This is fascinating, he said. I have never talked with a religious Christian before. There is much that I would like to ask you, but it is so difficult. If anyone in my community saw me holding a long conversation with you, it could be very awkward.
I have to be so careful. Yet, when will I have this opportunity again? Well, I don’t expect you to understand. You, Goyim, that’s named for Gentiles, wouldn’t understand our ways. But would it interest you to have a religious dialogue? He asked nervously. I would love to talk to you, I answered, sensing how sincere he was.
But I could also see his discomfort as he constantly peered over his shoulder to see if we were being watched I took a deep breath and I said I would be honored to have you as a guest in my home He hesitated glanced around and said in a cloak and dagger manner. Let us go quickly So off we went to my apartment, my ultra Orthodox friend, with his earlocks flying in the breeze, and me.
Once we were seated in my living room, he began to pepper me with questions about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. His questions were theologically astute and probing. There were two things that interest him the most. First, he wanted to know what happened to human nature as a result of being in relationship with God through Christ.
I explained that when we come to put our faith in God, he gives us his spirit, who transforms us day by day and enables us to live as new people with a new power. What is the essence of this new nature, he asked. So I quickly went over the list of the fruit of the spirit from Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
And I started to go on. And he said, wait! Say those words again. So I recited them again. Say them again, he asked. I did. What beautiful, beautiful words, he said. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Imagine it. All of these qualities come into your heart as a result of being in relationship with God.
Just think to receive the very nature of God as a gift. No more beating down the evil inclinations with negatives, but rather fighting evil with positives with the very attributes of God himself. Ah, what a precious gift you have inherited, Becky. Do not take it lightly. He was doubly right. They are a precious gift and we do often take them lightly.
I went on. Please don’t think I’m suggesting that all of these qualities are mastered by us overnight. Living the resurrection isn’t magic. We don’t turn to God in faith and suddenly plug into all these qualities. They’re cultivated over time through obedience and through God’s grace. Of course, I know it can’t happen quickly, he mused.
We’re still human beings who by nature are self centered and self absorbed. But what hope it must give to have God’s power working in you, to enable you to forgo the old ways and live the new way. Becky said, I could not remember when I have heard a simpler or more eloquent explanation. of the meaning of Christian conversion than from this orthodox Jewish friend sitting in my living room.
What also interested him was how I sensed the presence of God in my life. Then I told him a story of how God had helped me through a recent time of crisis and fear by giving me just the right word from scripture. I had awakened one morning feeling overwhelmed in a time of crisis, sorry, overwhelmed by fear, but then I had, I read the appointed Bible verses for that day in my devotional.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1, 9. Suddenly he clapped his hands together, stood up, and to my amazement shouted, That’s it! That’s it! That is what it is all about! My daughter, you have it! Only God could have given you those words at just that time.
It was an indescribably joyful moment. The only sad note in our conversation was the ending, Becky said, because he told me that we could never meet again. He instructed me that if I should see him on the street, I was not to acknowledge him, for it would endanger his stance in the community. But he said this to me, imparting, We have begun a friendship of faith, Becky.
I will not forget what we have talked about. Not ever. And he left, leaving me far richer for the experience. To be spiritually alive is to live with God in a personal, vital relationship. It’s what A. D. world is in Christ.