The Ascension: WIJD

Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension (40 days after Easter) in the liturgical calendar. Some thoughts from Ted Schroder at Virtue Online

Andrew Purves in The Crucifixion of Ministry takes issue with the theology of WWJD: “What would Jesus do?” He argues that it turns Jesus into a teacher of fixed moral ideas which must be imitated, i.e. a moralist not a Savior. Even with a little help from the Holy Spirit, it sounds like a religion of obedience to moral laws. This is to define Christian activity as something we do in Jesus’ name. But the Gospel is the good news about what Jesus does, not what we do. Our ministry in Jesus’ name derives from and is dependent upon the continuing ministry of Jesus. “The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.” Instead of WWJD we should speak of WIJD – “What is Jesus Doing?” God is acting today through the continuing ministry of Jesus who is present to us through the Holy Spirit. This is the significance of the Ascension.

From VirtueOnline - WIJD? THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ASCENSION:

Hat Tip: Euangelion

BTW, The Crucifixion of Ministry is a great book! I've read it and recommend it.

The Defining Matter

What does everyone think of this statement?

"The defining matter of the church's life is not to convert and bring people to faith (the evangelical heresy) or to bring in the ethical commonwealth (the liberal heresy). The defining matter for the church's life, for which the church exists, is to bear witness to Jesus Christ. He, not we, converts people and brings in the reign of God."

The Crucifixion of Ministry, page 132

Personal Relationship with Jesus

"Most of us are familiar with the concept of a personal relationship with Jesus. The problem in common understanding is that we imagine it is something we do and over which we have control. A relationship with Jesus, rather, is his act in the freedom of his love, through the work of the Spirit, in which he binds us to share in his life as the truth of God. It is not truth as an idea, an argument or a proposition. It is truth as personal being who encounters us on his own terms by being in relationship with us. Here is knowing on a wholly new level."

Andrew Purves, The Crucifixion of Ministry, pages 95-96

The One Who Both Speaks and Hears the Word for Us

Here's a Christmas thought from the Andrrew Purves book which I've been reading (and quoting, and highlighting profusely)

The point is that Jesus is both God's Word spoken in our flesh and received and heard as a man is a truly radical theological insight...

...The argument presupposes that even were God to speak, outside of the Spirit of the Son hearing on our behalf, we would not hear and receive that Word, for only the Son can hear the Word of the Father. So Christ is not only the One who spoke forth the Word of God, but also the One who received the Word of God when he took flesh, not for his own sake, but for our sakes. (The Crucifixion of Ministry, page 81)

By The Scruff of Our Necks..

Here are some more great quotes from a great book - The Crucifixion of Ministry by Andrew Purves.

“Christian faithfulness is possible only because Jesus Christ has us grasped firmly by the scruff of our spiritual necks and will not lose hold.” (Page 48)

“Our response of faith, repentance and obedience is the Spirit-led consequence of Christ having seized hold of us, not the condition for it.” (Page 77)

Only Jesus' Ministry is Redemptive

Has anyone read The Crucifixion of Ministry by Andrew Purves? I just started it, so I can't give a complete review. However, I found so many good quotes in the first 20 pages or so that I just had to share them.

"Ministers can't forgive sinners, raise the dead or bring in the kingdom of God. Neither can we grow congregations, convert sinners or heal the dying...Jesus has to show up and do what he has promised to do." (pages 9-10)

"Ministry should be understood as a sharing in the continuing ministry of Jesus Christ, for wherever Christ is, there is the church and her ministry." (page 11)

"...Jesus is God active in the life of the world, in our personal lives and in ministry at every turn. The issue is not How does Jesus get in on our ministries? Instead, because he is the living and reigning Lord, the issue is now What is he up to, and how do I hitch a ride on whatever he is up to? (page 12)

"Displacement literally means the death of our ministries. All that we think we should do and can do and are doing in ministry must be put to death. Why? Because too often our ministries are in the way. Even when we conduct them from the best spiritual, therapeutic and moral motives, they are not redemptive. Only the ministry of Jesus is redemptive." (page 13)

I think I'm going to really like this book!