A Sense of Urgency

Kelsey and I with Bishop John Rampei's family before leaving Ntulele last Sunday. They were wonderful hosts for us in our 4 weeks there. 

Today will be the last blog I do this year! I hope everyone has enjoyed reading them and seeing the photos. Kelsey will write one more blog two weeks from today. She should have lots of pictures and updates from our final month here in Kenya. For my final blog, I want to take the opportunity to really share what is on my heart.

This year we have been to many different places, seen ministry done in many different ways, encountered lots people with hearts for Christ and His Gospel, read numerous books, and listened to countless numbers of sermons. My prayer is that our hearts have become more like the heart of Jesus and that we have a better understanding of His plans, purposes and ways through all of it. I feel confident that through His grace alone, that is the case. 

Celebrating September and October birthdays!

This week there was a story all over the news about a twenty-six year old missionary named John Chau. John was a man with a heart for people. He loved people so much that he refused to sit idly by while others died and went to Hell. He had previously served working with a soccer ministry in Iraq and in South Africa to help reach poor children in those countries. John also had a desire to share the gospel with the Sentinelese people in North Sentinel. This is an island located in the Andaman Islands chain in the Bay of Bengal (an Indian territory). This is an unreached people group with a habit of shooting arrows at outsiders. John Chau knew that he could lose his life. In one journal entry he wrote to his family, "You guys might think I’m crazy in all this, but I think it’s worthwhile to declare Jesus to these people." John came to the island via kayak with his bible, gifts and food. A few days later fishermen saw tribesmen drag Chau’s body along the beach and bury his remains.

Why do I start my blog with this sad story? Because stories like this and many of the responses that follow show how many who call themselves Christians have a complete lack of understanding of the Gospel. Where is our sense of urgency as believers to reach the nations, our neighbors, literally anyone, with the Gospel!?

Some of the things I see posted in comment sections about this story (many posting who would identify as Christians) look sort of like this:

"He should have known better than to go there."

"The government warned him!" 

"The people there don't have immunities to disease. He was putting their lives at risk." (The irony of this one)

Where is the disconnect? When I read this story, I thought of something else:

"They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."

Revelation 12:11

John Chau got it. He knew what his purpose on Earth was. He took the great commission literally. He was not interested in watered down messages and living his best life now. Instead, he was aware of the over 6,000 unreached people groups in the world and was ready to do something about it. He was building up treasures in Heaven and denying himself. I never met John Chau, but I believe he is rejoicing with our Savior now. In one of his last notes, John said, "I hope this isn’t one of my last notes but if it is ‘to God be the Glory.' " John Chau was clearly more concerned with the eternity of others than his short life in the flesh. The people that commented the things I shared above are having a hard time seeing eternity the way John did. Someday, someone else will reach the people of the North Sentinel Island with the Gospel. How do I know? It is God's plan, and His word makes it so clear:

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:9‭-‬10 

John Chau understood the heart of God so much that he loved Jesus more than his own life. That is the call to every believer! If Jesus has rescued you from your sin and depravity by grace alone, that is your calling! Every believer isn't destined to die on the island of North Sentinel, but every believer should be willing! 

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Matthew 16:25

Some more pics from Ntulele.

Porridge time!

Last photo with students at Calvary Christian Academy. 11-17-18

After church before coming back to Tigoni. 

In the Bible, there is a story about a rich young ruler who wants to know the way to Heaven. He approaches Jesus to learn the way. Jesus knew the man's heart, so He puts him to the test. First, Jesus rattles off some commandments and the man assures Jesus he has kept these from his youth. Of course, we know this isn't true (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23). Jesus then tells the man,

“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Luke 18:22 

We then learn that the man goes away saddened because he had great wealth and posessions. Jesus is making such a vital point here. He is interested in us surrendering our whole hearts to Him. If we love anything more: family, wealth, education, even our own lives, He says we aren't worthy of being His disciples (Luke 14:26-27).

A lot of times in our churches this is simply not the message being preached. It's not the most popular, and it doesn't necessarily keep the lukewarm around. They either listen to the conviction and obey or get mad and leave. Every believer is called to be a disciple, and Jesus makes it abundantly clear what a disciple is. In a book I am reading, "Live life on Purpose" by Claude Hickman, he addresses this calling for those who have been born again. If you are my friend on FB you have have probably seen me quoting this book a lot lately. One of the points I shared last night was that "The Gospel has the authority to interrupt the course of your life." Often, we are our own gods. We talk the talk. Most of us are very familiar with Luke 9:23, but living it is a different story. We want God to join us in OUR journey. We choose OUR careers, make OUR goals, and start OUR families, and then ask God to join us and bless us where we are at. God calls us to surrender to Him!

"The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you."

Genesis 12:1

Abram didn't know where he was going. He just knew God said "go." I could go through Moses, David, Paul, Peter, John etc, but I think you get the point. Claude Hickman puts it like this, "God isn't interested in joining your journey. You were created for His." Jesus did not just die to save us from Hell. Don't get me wrong, that was certainly significant!! However, God has a plan that shows up from Genesis to Revelation. It is one large narrative that leads to His name being glorified throughout the universe. When someone is born again, God is glorified. When someone takes the Gospel to others, God is glorified. This is our purpose. This is the purpose of all of creation! John Piper says, "Missions exists because worship doesn't." I love in the gospel of Luke when Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey and the people praise Him and call Him Lord. We see the Pharisees tell Jesus to rebuke these people. Jesus responds with this, 

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:40

All of creation will glorify our God! We have a purpose as believers and followers of Jesus to help that happen by fulfilling the great commission. He wants to use us for this very specific calling. Let's not run from it because we find more pleasure in our own lives and our own plans for life. God doesn't take joy in this. He never wanted us to appear more Christian. He wants us to crucify ourselves with Him! (Gal 2:20). Here are a few other quotes from the book I shared this week that further elaborate on this point: 

"If you live without a vision of the glory of God filling the whole earth, you are in danger of serving your own dreams of greatness, as you wait to do the "next thing" that God tells you. There are too many over-fed, under-motivated Christians hiding behind the excuse that God has not spoken to them. They are waiting to hear voices or see dreams -- all the while living to make money, to provide for their future, to dress well and have fun." -Floyd McClung "As we look around, the lifestyle and pursuits of the average Christian can look extraordinarily similar to the lifestyle and pursuits of the average non-Christian. Comparing yourself with others does not lead to the direction of God. Comparing your life to the heart of God and His purpose in His Word is the only way to get the right direction." -Claude Hickman 

I really want to address the last quote from Hickman before I close. I'm not sure when we got off the boat (I would imagine it has been a struggle since the earliest days of the church), but where does the Christian life promise to be easy? Where do we see that friendship with the world is a good thing? Of course Jesus loved sinners (all of us) and spent time with them, but He certainly never left it up for debate on where He stood when it came to repenting, believing and following Him. He loved us way too much for that! Spending time with people while turning a blind eye towards sin is not loving anyone. This is convicting for me because I have done it far too often in my life. I am sure you have heard someone say that Jesus loved people enough to tell them the truth. It's true! This belief that everyone loved Jesus and He was just this cool guy who everyone wanted to hang with simply is not biblical! Sure, people followed Him and wanted to see a miracle. Then many of them disappeared when he started speaking truth that was considered "hard teaching" (John 6:60-66). 

"But Clark, don't judge!" I don't think any verse is taken more out of context. Jesus teaches us to judge righteously, to remove the log from our own eye so we can help our brother get the spec out of his. Dragging people along in a church setting while they live lukewarm lives without ever presenting truth is even worse. If everyone loves you, something is probably off. Don't believe me? 

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." John 15:18‭-‬19 

"Everyone will hate you because of me."

Luke 21:17 

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

James 4:4 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 

Jesus came, and His apostles after Him, preaching a message of repentance and belief. Many of them were hated because of it. We shouldn't be surprised if the same happens to us when we decide to truly follow Christ.  

Back to Limuru Children's Centre this past week.

Awesome soccer field in the distance where we go. It's in the middle of the tea fields!

Lion.

Kelsey managed to make us a pretty solid Thanksgiving dinner from Kenya.

Finally, I just want to encourage everyone reading to get in the game. Jesus didn't die for you to sit on the bench and listen to a pastor once a week. God has equipped every born again believer with His Holy Spirit and gifts that benefit the Body of Christ. We are doing a disservice to our God and to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ if we aren't using them to further His kingdom. We must show awareness of those around us and around the world who are hurting and perishing and then have some urgency to proclaim the name of Jesus to them - for their sake and for His glory.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11‭-‬13 

God has taught Kelsey and I so much this year. People ask us about our future plans and I tell them "I don't know." This isn't just because I want to end the conversation, but it is true. I want to follow Jesus no matter where He leads. Paul says that everything else is garbage compared to knowing Christ (Phil 3:8). I want to believe this rather than just saying it and thinking "Wow, what a cool verse." We have to follow God one day at a time. We have to submit to His plans and purposes above our own. If you are one who prays for us, I ask that you would pray this above all else. We will do the same for each of you!  

Thank you so much for reading my blogs this year! Maybe I will write something again one day. Kelsey will wrap it up on here with something great in two weeks I'm sure! 

Clark