Jesus had boundaries.
He had never read the book, “Boundaries”, not having created the authors of that book yet. However, he knew that doing everything and being always with everyone was outside his reason for being.
So he went away.
The text at the end of the fourth chapter of Luke suggests that he had pulled a ministry all-nighter. People showed up sick and he sent them away well. It started in the evening and went until daylight. Finally, he went away.
He went to a secluded space. And the crowds came looking. And he said, “no”. Actually, he said that saying yes to helping them was saying no to every other city and every other synagogue and every other person who needed his words. His reason? He was sent to preach the kingdom of God.
People were seeking him not as a kingdom speaker but as a healer. To be blunt, they wanted what would make them feel better rather than what would make everyone whole. And so Jesus moves on. He refuses to be the Jesus that they want him to be. He has to be the Jesus he was sent to be. He took his direction not from people but from God.
And in that, he sets a wonderful example.
Tags: , advent, advent 2007, focus
December 17, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Thank you Jon. This is a beautiful perspective. We put so much of ourselves into making Jesus to be what we want Him to be. It’s a lovely lesson, not only about boundaries, but in thinking about what we expect from Him.
December 18, 2007 at 1:13 pm
when i think of how often i think…’He’ll love this, He’ll bless this’ …and neglect that voice that reminds me, ‘but I’m doing what I do for My glory, not yours’…
I love the way you say it, Rob. “We put so much of ourselves into making Jesus to be what we want Him to be.” We could, I suppose, try the abandonment of our selves that He offers and therein discover who He really is.
December 18, 2007 at 2:20 pm
‘abandonment of ourselves’ scares me Jon, it always has. Is that what it takes, or does he want us to realize ourselves fully to serve Him.
I’m not sure, in wondering about your intent, that there is a difference in what you and I have said. But words, especially ones like abandonment of self in our fiercely individualistic culture, carry such weight. I struggle with that one in particular.
So, what are we asked to give up really? I pray for that answer, but I think you hit on one answer in the first part of your comment; Glory. As always, all Glory and Honor is yours Almighty Father forever and ever.
Amen.
December 18, 2007 at 4:02 pm
maybe it’s “abandonment of our selfishness. ”
Maybe that’s it. I think that sometimes what we think of as tending to ourselves is actually a selfishness.
or maybe it is “abandonment of pleasuring ourselves”, of making our own pleasure our first priority.
Jesus found His pleasure in doing exactly what He was called to do, what He came to do. Which of course literally meant dying to self.
You raise an absolutely fabulous question, Rob. There is a linguistic issue here which matters immensely in helping understand what being a Christ follower means. Thank you.
December 19, 2007 at 1:46 pm
good topic, it has made me think a lot because it is someting i struggle with. like you Jon i say “this will make him happy” or “this will bring him glory” not paying attention to the fact that my selfishness stealing the reward for myself instead of putting it where it belongs. i also sturggle with the abandonment of my self. last night i was praying trying to see how/what i should abandon, while also trying to reason with God why my actions are ok (i have not been in a good mood latley and have been being selfish, not purposely though just stressed). when i finnaly stoped talking and tried to listen i felt that i’m not supposed to abanden myself, just who i think i’m supposed be so i can be who he made me to be. just like i should not abanden who jesus, is just who i made him to be in my head. does that make much sience?
December 19, 2007 at 4:39 pm
yes, it does make sense.
Madelaine L’Engle talked about how we are often most ourselvees when we are not thinking about ourselves but are being ourselves, when we are putting ourselves into using who we are for others. For example, I find great delight in decorating for Christmas. Really. But my focus isn’t on how i feel, it’s on creating an effect for others, it’s, this year, celebrating the fact taht nancy and I have been an item for 25 Christmas’s. So the theme is…silver. I’m looking for silver, I’m abandoning myself to the creativity. And am using the creativity that I am built with for the delight of others.
I’m thinking this is going to turn into a levite post. hmm. thank both of you for pushing this conversation.
December 20, 2007 at 8:44 am
I keep thinking about this Jon. Particularly in relationship to religious relativism or in my religion, cafeteria Catholicism. I am wondering though, if this isn’t an entirely bad thing…
So, let’s think about a person who is not comfortable with the entirety of the teachings, can’t fully get their head around the do’s and don’ts. If they can look at an aspect of Jesus’ teachings that they like or identify with it can become for them an image that is appealing. It is an entry point. We all have them, there is something that draws us in, that draws us to Him. It is not, I dare say, the entirety of Christ that we enter into…initially.
The question then, is what becomes of that image and who are we serving? Do we construct it? Does it unfold? Is it revealed? How do we know and see and experience truth through this image?
I imagine, that we must remind ourselves constantly and question who we are serving as we ‘construct’ our image. In this, I am not sure there is a right or a wrong, but honesty or deception with our self.
December 20, 2007 at 11:49 am
caveat: I’m just thinking here.
If you are getting to know a person, you start with what you know of them. Across time you get to know more about them. Maybe you move from commenting to emailing to iming to calling to meeting face-to-face. Maybe you move from acknowledging their existence to talking with them. Maybe you know they like Dylan and then discover they like dark chocolate and they like T.S. Eliot and they like bowling. With each new peice of information, you grow in clarity and maybe in affection. But you know that your are getting to know a person.
If, however, when you find out they like Dylan, you assume they wear certain things and like certain foods and drive certain cars without ever talking with them, and then you find out about the bowling, which deosn’t fit, you have construted a persona rather than getting to know the person. The former isn’t real.
Gotta run. But making sense?
Oh yeah, if there is a person, then reveling and unfolding are the more accurate words.
December 20, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Thinking with you.
Yes, you are describing relationship and learning about someone and the process of getting to know. Yes, the former construct (Dylan =) isn’t real or fair and with new knowledge(Dylan +Bowler) you have cognitive dissonance that you must wrestle with to create your new understanding. Very Hegelian too.
One difference I see though in getting to know Jesus, is that He asks some very specific things from us and perhaps sometimes in no uncertain terms. Is he not saying, do this? Is He not asking us to follow his lead?
This then is different than human relationships. This adds a stark, new dimension. Particularly when we don’t like to feel less than the other in a relationship.
What then does it mean to enter into a relationship when you are not equal? When that person makes a request of us, how then do we respond? Do we fulfill the request at all or just as we think we heard it (not fully understanding the request), as we want to hear it (not fully understanding the request), as we want to hear it (understanding the request and not being honest with ourselves)?
What does it mean, that our contribution to this relationship might only be service? How then does the relationship become dynamic?
So as you can see, I am right back to “what’s in it for me?”.
So, do relationship analogies work? Perhaps. I think though that when they do work, it is as an entry point? The hard work though comes when you are asked to give more than the other (still a relationship) but in ways that no human relationship asks (divergence).
December 21, 2007 at 8:30 am
Don’t you do some of thee same things with the three incredibly cute people in the picture I received yesterday? What can they give you that you don’t already have? As they shop for gifts for you, don’t you give them the money to do it? Don’t you askt hem to do specific things and then help them do them and correct them when it isn’t done right and….
I know. the analogies break down at some points. But they are analogies that we didn’t create…they were offered to us as ways to understand God…by God.
And now I’m going to spend the morning preparing for Sunday morning. And as I do, i’m very grateful for this (ongoing) conversation which is making me think in very important ways.
Thanks Rob.
December 22, 2007 at 1:44 pm
i love watching the lord connect things in life. Thursday night i went to a moni-vie meating (witch i should talk to you about jon it has antinflammatories which help prevent migrians from all sources) and the lady that spoke was talking about her friend who signed her up for this drink. when the speaker signed up she asked her friend what to sign up for and did not do her own research, she trusted what her friend on what to do because she knew her best interests were in her friends heart. then i came home and read your comment rob which i think can tie into what this lady was talking about. i think we should look at what jesus says the same way. we should not listen based on the fact he has power over us but because we have a relationship with him and trust that what he has us do is for our best intrests. i was also talking about my these comments with my accountability partners and he (doug if you were wondering jon) pointed out that when we are looking at who we are we should look at what controls us. it is caffeine, nicotine, drugs, work, people, reputation, money ect, God. and of all the things i let control me only one of those i bealive has a good interest in me. this has been an interesting and has expanded my apperation for the importance of relationship with people and god. it is things like this that add growth to my life. i thank both of you. also i love how you brought up the analogie of kids jon it reminds me of the importance of relationship with them instead of just being there authority figure.
December 23, 2007 at 12:53 am
john 15:13-15 “greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his freinds. you are my friends if you do what i command. i no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master’s business. instead, i have called you freinds, for evertyhing that i learned from my father i have made known to you.” this reminded me of when i first fell i love with sara. i would do anything for her, i had to drive 8hrs just to see her the first many times. and i wondered why/where i let that spark go which convicted me for not having it anymore but also reminded me of how i do love her and need to still make that spark and make love into an action again not just a thought or feeling. Then i also realized how much i don’t do that for God either and how i need to show him i want to be his friend.