My Dear Shepherds,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m often struck by how ordinary church people are. That\u2019s not a put-down. I admire the ingenuity of our disguises. Years ago, Stuart Briscoe asked a young woman what she did for a living. She replied, \u201cI am a disciple of Jesus Christ very skillfully disguised as a machine operator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are<\/em> ordinary. In fact, by worldly standards we\u2019re under-ordinary<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things\u2014and the things that are not \u2014to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.<\/em> (1 Cor. 1:26-29)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s been God\u2019s way from the beginning. \u201cThe LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his wonderful wisdom, the Lord doesn\u2019t leave us as he finds us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God\u2014that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.<\/em> (v.30)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n God\u2019s wisdom transforms the likes of us by this triple cord of the gospel, three twined miracles that make the foolish wise, the weak strong, the lowly highborn, and the despised to be beloved sons and daughters of God. We learn that rebirth<\/em> is not too strong a word nor new creation<\/em> a hyperbole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s in our nature to boast if we can find even one shred of status or accomplishment to wave. It\u2019s like a mutant spiritual gene. But salvation is gene therapy, turning our boasting to praise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, as it is written: \u201cLet the one who boasts boast in the Lord.\u201d<\/em> (v.31)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n That boasting that God promised through Jeremiah is that \u201cthey have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight\u201d (Jer. 9:23-24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Christ, we find new uses for our superlatives and speeches, for our songs and palm branches. Our old spotlights are too dim to show the glory of God in Christ so we worship him. We testify and spread the good news in every language we can learn. We raise our hands and bend our knees. We rehearse in full voice for the anthems we will sing together around the throne of God and the Lamb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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