Revolution Within

Game-Changing Christianity: How the early Christians so radically influenced their world and what we can learn from them "Nobody disputes it. The first 300 years of Christianity were epic years. They were the legendary years of unparalleled gospel pe*******on. In them we find the storied days of the church’s radical, wholesale participation in spreading the gospel’s stunningly good news far and wide. Somehow—wit...

The true bond of Christmas...

The True Bond of Christmas

by Dwight Edwards

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:…Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar,…Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth…David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah…And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Mtt.1:1-16

The gospel of Matthew was written to a Jewish audience with the intent of demonstrating that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the awaited Messiah, rightful Heir of the throne of David. For the Jews, pedigree was not important...it was absolutely essential. Thus, very understandably, Matthew begins by a detailed genealogy of Jesus Christ as both the Son of David and the Son of Abraham. This had to be established before he could go any further.

What isn’t so understandable is why five women are included in the account. There was no compelling, historical need for their names to be included. What isn’t so understandable is why at least three, if not four, were Gentiles. What isn’t so understandable is why three of them had less than stellar reputations. What isn’t so understandable is why two of them engaged in prostitution (Tamar, Rahab). Why in the world choose these women to help prove the royal blood of the Messiah? For that matter, when was the last time you heard of a daughter named Bathsheba, Tamar, or Rahab?

But the fact of the matter is that grace is never understandable. Never has been, never will be.The people God specializes in reaching out to and working through in this world are most often the broken, desperate, and foolish.

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” I Cor.1:26-29

His grace is best tasted by those men and women who are broken enough to fully recognize and embrace their own sinfulness. Desperate enough to give up their own idolatrous strongholds and flee to the Rock that is higher than them. Foolish enough to simply take God at His word. Nieve enough to trust in His simple, naked promise of forgiveness and restoration.

Indeed, the recorded genealogy of Jesus Christ provides hope of stunning proportions. Hope that no failure need be final. Hope that God eagerly invites wayward sons and daughters back to the banquet table of restored, vital intimacy with Him. Hope that He uses only one kind of person to accomplish His work through – those who have failed. He simply has no other material to work with. And so maybe it’s a bit more understandable why Matthew, the former tax collector, included these women in his genealogy. Radically forgiven sinners feel a special bond with other radically forgiven sinners. And if we even remotely know ourselves, we too will join him in that same bond. The true bond of Christmas.

Flashpoint: Christmas is the joyous reminder of the shocking lengths God went to in bringing back frail, fallen, rebellious people to Himself. Those people are you and me; if we know ourselves at all. And that my friends, is the true bond of Christmas.

The True Bond of Christmas

by Dwight Edwards

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:…Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar,…Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth…David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah…And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Mtt.1:1-16

The gospel of Matthew was written to a Jewish audience with the intent of demonstrating that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the awaited Messiah, rightful Heir of the throne of David. For the Jews, pedigree was not important...it was absolutely essential. Thus, very understandably, Matthew begins by a detailed genealogy of Jesus Christ as both the Son of David and the Son of Abraham. This had to be established before he could go any further.

What isn’t so understandable is why five women are included in the account. There was no compelling, historical need for their names to be included. What isn’t so understandable is why at least three, if not four, were Gentiles. What isn’t so understandable is why three of them had less than stellar reputations. What isn’t so understandable is why two of them engaged in prostitution (Tamar, Rahab). Why in the world choose these women to help prove the royal blood of the Messiah? For that matter, when was the last time you heard of a daughter named Bathsheba, Tamar, or Rahab?

But the fact of the matter is that grace is never understandable. Never has been, never will be.The people God specializes in reaching out to and working through in this world are most often the broken, desperate, and foolish.

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” I Cor.1:26-29

His grace is best tasted by those men and women who are broken enough to fully recognize and embrace their own sinfulness. Desperate enough to give up their own idolatrous strongholds and flee to the Rock that is higher than them. Foolish enough to simply take God at His word. Nieve enough to trust in His simple, naked promise of forgiveness and restoration.

Indeed, the recorded genealogy of Jesus Christ provides hope of stunning proportions. Hope that no failure need be final. Hope that God eagerly invites wayward sons and daughters back to the banquet table of restored, vital intimacy with Him. Hope that He uses only one kind of person to accomplish His work through – those who have failed. He simply has no other material to work with. And so maybe it’s a bit more understandable why Matthew, the former tax collector, included these women in his genealogy. Radically forgiven sinners feel a special bond with other radically forgiven sinners. And if we even remotely know ourselves, we too will join him in that same bond. The true bond of Christmas.

Flashpoint: Christmas is the joyous reminder of the shocking lengths God went to in bringing back frail, fallen, rebellious people to Himself. Those people are you and me; if we know ourselves at all. And that my friends, is the true bond of Christmas.

Click on https://youtu.be/Lf8RQ2WhIGs to see a 24 minute video of this same message.

The Radicalness of Christmas

by Dwight Edwards

"And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.” Rev. 12:3-5

We do well to remember that Christmas did not go unopposed. Not by a long shot. The baby in the manger was, in actuality, the safe landing of a King. The King. C.S. Lewis put it so well,

“One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe – a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease, and sin…Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong… we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.”

I love his thought, “Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise…” Fact of the matter is - Christmas is the celebration of the greatest undercover operation this universe has ever beheld. Think of it:

The King slips into enemy territory under cover of night, disguised as a helpless infant of two Jewish teenagers. The drop-off zone is ingenious. He lands in an obscure, out-of-the-way village called Bethlehem. On top of that, He is not even born in the local inn but in a nearby stable (which essentially was a cave). His first night He slept in a feed-trough with straw as His mattress. What kind of king was this? A very different kind of King to be sure. A king who wielded His power through the most unlikely of scepters – breathtaking humility. Phil. 2:5-8

As soon as His feet the ground, two Special Ops forces go into action. Special Ops force number one is composed of the “down and outs” of the day - lowly, despised, Jewish shepherds. Their mission? To announce to the world that Operation Salvation was a “go”. “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.” Lk. 2:17

The second Special-Ops force was made up of the “up and outs” of the day – wealthy, highly-esteemed, Gentile wise men. Their mission? They arrive about two years later to worship the King Whose star they had been following. “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Mtt. 2:11 But they did more than worship. I love what Dr. David Anderson, president of the Grace School of Theology (http://www.gsot.edu/ ), says about this. He notes that Joseph is about to take his family to Egypt for the next couple of years. The Egyptians were fierce separatists, and Joseph could never have made a living in Egypt as a Jewish carpenter. The money which came from “their treasures” is what kept the family alive during their time in Egypt! Special Ops force number two then returns home...mission accomplished.

Not long after the landing however, there were casualties. “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.” Mtt. 2:16 What would cause a well-established king to so fear an infant child? Only one reason – Satan himself. “And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” Rev.12:3-5 Herod no doubt was powerfully influenced by the dragon to destroy this King in disguise. But the One destined to “rule all nations with a rod of iron” had landed safely, and was beginning preparations for His own campaign which would ultimately crush the head of the dragon. Gen. 3:15

Lewis is so right. Christmas is rightfully a time of great celebration and joy. But let us never, ever forget that most of all it is “the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.” You see my friend; the two Special Ops forces have done their job. We are now God’s “boots on the ground”, if you will. Let us pick up where the shepherds and wise men left off. First and foremost, let us follow in the footsteps of the wise men and be great worshipers. May a white-hot love affair with our Redeemer be the unrivaled, preeminent pursuit of our lives. Then out of the fullness of that pursuit, let follow the lead of the shepherds. Tell everyone who will listen that Operation Salvation is no longer a “go”, but a “done.” Can there be any greater use of our few, short days on this spiritually war torn world? I think not. Merry Christmas my friend!

Flashpoint: Follow the lead of the shepherds and wise men. Not just at Christmas but all year long.
Copyright © Revolution Within 2014, All rights reserved.

The Militancy of Jesus - Dwight Edwards Jesus, meek and mild? Think again. Yes He was meek - the most stunningly humble individual that has ever walked this earth. But mild? Not a chance. Jesus of ...

The White Side of the Cross

by Dwight Edwards

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” Jn. 12:24-26

"So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life." Mk. 10:29,30

True life always involves death. Death to self, denial of self. The "grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies” before it produces “much grain.” The disciple must leave "house or brothers, or sisters, etc."" before receiving a "hundredfold" in return. Denial of self is a non-negotiable, essential part of discipleship. Our Lord never hid this fact from His followers. But that is only half of the story. Let me say it again...that is only half of the spiritual transaction Jesus is inviting His followers to. The other side is Jesus's promise, "... who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions." Obviously, He is not talking about literally receiving a one hundred percent increase in houses...lands, etc. What He is promising is a monumental upgrade in quality of life for those who are willing to risk going His way. Even at great personal cost.

Denial of self is never, ever an end in itself. The denial of self is designed to give God enough space to thrill our souls as only He can. We give up the peanuts so that we can dine on the filet mignon. We are willing to lay down earth's toys so that there is enough room in our hands to squeeze hold of the very best God has to offer - Himself. Samuel Rutherford was persecuted for many years because of his faith. He knew intimately the cost of self-sacrifice and personal denial; yet could write to Hugh Mackail in 1636,

“Believe me, brother, I give it to you under mine own handwrit, that whoso looketh to the white side of Christ's cross, and can take it up handsomely with faith and courage, shall find it such a burden as sails are to a ship or wings to a bird. I find that my Lord hath overgilded that black tree, and hath perfumed it, and oiled it with joy and gladness.”

There will always be the dark side of the cross; "that black tree" as Rutherford refers to it. Christ’s requirement to join His band of disciples is that we deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him. This calling cannot and must not be minimized. But just as surely as there is the dark side; there is also what Rutherford calls “the white side” of the cross – the untainted delight and blessedness of fresh communion with God. The deep-seated joy and unrivaled satisfaction of being used by God to advance the only Kingdom that really matters. And none of the toys this earth has to offer can compare to it.

Samuel Zwemer is often referred to as “the apostle to the Muslims”. In 1897 he and his wife and two daughters sailed to the Persian Gulf to work among the Muslims of Bahrain. Their evangelism saw little fruit. The temperatures soared regularly to 107 "in the coolest part of the verandah." In July of 1904 both of their daughters, ages four and seven, died within eight days of each other. Nevertheless, fifty years later Zwemer looked back on this period and wrote, "The sheer joy of it all comes back. Gladly would I do it all over again."

The white side of the cross. Most often it is preceded by the dark side. But it is oh so worth it!

Flashpoint: Christ's calling on our life is not so much to "give up" as to "trade up."

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