Understanding how the Lordship of Jesus Christ extends to all areas of life.
“Genius” is a new and chilling movie based on the life and tragic murder of John Lennon. The Producer of the Los Angeles-based film company, Ray Comfort, said, “It’s chilling because it reveals what people will do for money. There are ordinary people out there who would kill you. All they need is the right amount of money and the belief that they won’t get caught.”
Photo: Each of these people freely admitted that they would murder for money.
Comfort said, “Many think that John Lennon was a musical genius. His music has crossed cultures and even generations — the Beatles have sold more than 2,303,500,000 record albums, and in June of 2012 they hit number one on iTunes. They are as big now as they ever were and they’re half dead — with the tragic loss of Lennon and Harrison.”
Ken Mansfield, the former U.S. Manager for Apple Records said, “Genius will open your eyes.” Other reviewers have called it “fast-paced, thought-provoking and compelling.” It is being promoted as “33 minutes that will rock your soul.” Comfort’s last movie “180″ received more than 3.7 million views on YouTube and aired on television around the world. “Genius” has been released for free viewing onwww.GeniusTheMovie.com to coincide with the December 8th anniversary of the death of John Lennon.
Comfort added, “Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored.’ That’s what John Lennon did. He pushed the musical envelope of creativity.”
The Genius trailer: youtu.be/ZW2lhWfa28g
Matisyahu
World-famous Reggae / Hip Hop artist, Matisyahu, shocked his fans recently by posting a picture of a freshly shaved version of himself on Twitter. Most people don’t make news when they shave, but this iconic pop star has become known for his close ties to Hasidic Judaism, and his traditional, almost Orthodox garb.
His explanation on his website said:
“No more Chassidic reggae superstar. Sorry folks, all you get is me…no alias When I started becoming religious 10 years ago it was a very natural and organic process. It was my choice. My journey :to discover my roots and explore Jewish spirituality—not through books but through real life. At a certain point I felt the need to submit to a higher level of religiosity…to move away from my intuition and to accept an ultimate truth. I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules—lots of them—or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and my divine mission.“
He told Rolling Stone magazine:
“The group I was heavily into said you can’t cut (your beard) even if you want to. Besides, it’s a representation of God’s mercy. If you cut that off, you’re like, cutting of God’s mercy. So I bought into that, for a long time…Then I realized that some of my ideas, at least for me at this at this point, were not true anymore. I think it’s a symbol, and symbols aren’t the thing itself. If I’m connecting with God internally, if I believe in my own goodness and God’s goodness, than that idea (not cutting his beard) just didn’t resonate with me anymore.”
In an interview with WNYC Radio, he said:
“What happened was that I recently realized that God’s mercy can’t possibly be connected to me shaving or not shaving. Over the last few weeks I went through a pretty major transformation, probably bigger than any in my life, due to several things, but a lot of revelations and a lot of realizations starting coming clear to me. The idea that God’s mercy is connected to whether or not I shave, is ludicrous. I need to just trust myself. If I’m deserving of God’s mercy, I’ll get it.”
From my point-of-view, I’m glad to hear that Matisyahu is wrestling and grappling with his faith. I think it is important for all of us to continue to grow, to reexamine, and to struggle. A faith that can’t handle such searching certainly is a crippled and impotent faith.
For me as a Christian, I feel that Mayisyahu is getting very close to the truth. He is sensing the inadequacy of law-keeping as a means to making you holy. He realizes that it is not his outward expressions of devotion or worship that makes him right with God, but rather his heart.
“For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice,
And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6)
“Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)
My hope for Matisyahu is that he will recognize the logical contradiction in his view of God. Indeed, if we can deserve God’s mercy, then it is no longer mercy. I hope he will discover, as did the radically Orthodox Jew, Saul of Tarsus (who became Paul the Apostle), about two thousand years ago:
“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” (Romans 9:16)
We are unworthy on our best days, and unworthy on our worst. But thankfully, for our sakes, God has shown mercy on us, not because of our merit, but because of the sinless life of His son, Jesus Christ, and our trust in His payment for our sins. When Paul came to grips with this, he wrote:
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:15-17)
“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:2-4)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Israel Wayne is an author and conference speaker who works with Wisdom’s Gate Ministries.
Bob Dylan
Today is Bob Dylan‘s 70th birthday. The outspoken “prophet” of the turbulent 1960′s has never ceased to be an enigma to many of his friends, and adversaries.
During the “Jesus Movement” Dylan found his way into a California Vineyard church and began studying the Bible. Dylan attended a course held at the Vineyard School of Discipleship, which ran four days a week over the course of three months.
“At first I said, ‘There’s no way I can devote three months to this,’” Dylan would say in a 1980 interview. “‘I’ve got to be back on the road soon.’ But I was sleeping one day and I just sat up in bed at seven in the morning and I was compelled to get dressed and drive over to the Bible school.”
I remember growing up listening to Dylan’s gospel albums (yes, those black vinyl discs that look like frisbees), bank in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s. It’s amazing how bold and direct his message was. Especially now as we are swimming in Postmodern uncertainty, it is refreshing to hear a voice of clarity promoting moral absolutes. Dylan proclaimed:
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
I mean, think of what a radical thing it must have been for the hippie generation to hear their icon declaring:
I was blinded by the devil
Born already ruined
Stone-cold dead
As I stepped out of the womb
By His grace I have been touched
By His word I have been healed
By His hand I’ve been delivered
By His spirit I’ve been sealedI’ve been saved
By the blood of the lamb
Saved
That’s telling it straighter than most preachers today! Dylan was booed by his fans and concert attendance dropped off dramatically. Dylan once lamented:
Years ago they … said I was a prophet. I used to say, “No I’m not a prophet” they say “Yes you are, you’re a prophet.” I said, “No it’s not me.” They used to say “You sure are a prophet.” They used to convince me I was a prophet. Now I come out and say Jesus Christ is the answer. They say, “Bob Dylan’s no prophet.” They just can’t handle it.
Somewhere in the mid-1980′s Dylan became disillusioned with at least institutional Christianity and distanced himself from public proclamations of faith. Regardless of Dylan’s own personal faith (or lack of it) today, he has left a body of work exploring the Christian faith that is well worth considering.
Don’t let me change my heart
Keep me set apart
From all the plans they do pursue
And I, I don’t mind the pain
Don’t mind the driving rain
I know I will sustain
’Cause I believe in you
Israel Wayne is an author and conference speaker who writes on cultural issues from a Biblical worldview.
Originally recorded by Depeche Mode and later by Johnny Cash and the anti-Christian icon, Marilyn Manson (among others), the song “Your Own Personal Jesus” has been ranked #368 in Rolling Stone‘s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, and was voted as one of the “100 Greatest Songs Ever” in Q magazine.
I am posting the Johnny Cash version of the song, because I find the other video versions offensive.
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who’s there
Feeling unknown
And you’re all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
Ill make you a believer
Take second best
Put me to the test
Things on your chest
You need to confess
I will deliver
You know I’m a forgiver
Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith
Your own personal Jesus…
Feeling unknown
And you’re all alone
Flesh and bone
By the telephone
Lift up the receiver
Ill make you a believer
I will deliver
You know I’m a forgiver
Reach out and touch faith
Your own personal Jesus
Reach out and touch faith
Each version of the song was recorded with a different intent depending on the artist. Depeche Mode intended it as a statement of how people are so co-dependent in their human relationships that they idolize each other to the point of worship and express undue adulation. Their version also is heavily laced with sexual innuendo. Marilyn Manson intended it as an irreverent mockery of Christians and their “need” for faith. Johnny Cash meant it sincerely, demonstrating the genuine need of every person to find forgiveness through Christ.
The song has been going through my head the past couple of days as I have been thinking about the state of the American evangelical church world. I think this song could very well be the theme song of contemporary Western Christianity. I’ve heard a zillion sermons that sound like they could have been lifted from this very rock tune.
“The Gospel” is presented in most preaching today as being all about the individual and their needs. You need a “personal savior” to help you to “Become A Better You” so that you can have “Your Best Life Now.” They say, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for you life, so why don’t you take five minutes and ask Jesus to come into your heart and be your own personal savior? That’s all there is to it! Just believe (doesn’t matter much WHAT) and you will be saved.” Despite the fact that the Bible never uses this terminology or methodology, it has become the de facto method of evangelism in our day.
The “Personal Jesus” that is preached today is the “therapeutic, self-help Jesus who helps you to cope with life, and feel better about yourself.” I wish I could break this to you gently…but salvation is NOT ALL ABOUT YOU!!!
The focus of the gospel is not based in us, or anything related to our needs. It is about the Lord Jesus Christ receiving the reward of His suffering! It is about Him receiving the Bride that He bled and died to redeem. Yes, you are forgiven, yes, you get to go to heaven when you die, yes, you get to live a life of peace and joy. Yes, there are great rewards for forsaking your former love of sin and self and turning to Christ. But this is not all about you. It’s all about Jesus. Not your personal Jesus, but the Jesus of history and eternity who created everything that is FOR HIS PLEASURE and has redeemed a people to Himself. We need to start proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ, not on the psychological needs of fallen humans. The self-help gospel is an incomplete gospel. Jesus is the focus of the gospel, not us. I love how Paul Washer puts this:
Jesus didn’t die for your sins. He died for YOU. He didn’t want your sins. They were just what separated you from Him. He had to get rid of your sin so that He could have YOU! What he wanted was to have all of YOU, completely under His Lordship. What will your new life look like if you truly surrender to Christ? Check out this powerful message by Steve Lawson:
Don’t come to Jesus because you need help coping with your life. Come to Jesus because He is worthy to receive all of you, because He created you, and purchased you with His blood. He is worthy, that is why we love and serve Him.
