Here we are on our second episode as we dive head first into the 3 M’s – mission, movement and multiplication. Our heart in the Open Table Cast is to inform and inspire, but more importantly to engage you in a conversation that is one where we learn together what it means to follow the way of Jesus at this time in human history. This requires both learning new things and also un-learning things we have picked up along the way that are no longer helpful.
It must be said early in these notes a couple of things pertaining to underlying assumptions.
The first underlying assumption that we hold is that the way Jesus lived, taught, demonstrated his Father’s love, is a “way” that we need to pay attention to. We think that by looking at Jesus, we learn what it means to live as God created us to live.
The second assumption that we are making, is that the biographies of Jesus and the early acts of the Church found in the New Testament are both descriptive and prescriptive, however we do not think that the goal of a Jesus way of life is to “get back” to what was, but rather to learn from the narrative of the early church and consider the Kingdom principals that are transferable for all time and in every culture.
With that being said it is clear that the narrative found in the Bible (starting in Genesis 1) is a story of a good and beautiful God who has a mission, is moving and working in his world and does this through surprising moments of multiplication. Good news (if it really is good news) is very infectious and spreads at an uncontrollable rate.
Mission: When we talk about mission we are talking about God’s mission, not ours. It is what he has done and is doing in our world, and even more specifically, in your world. The Father is at work to expand his table, inviting everyone to find belonging, acceptance, forgiveness, healing and restoration as we learn what it means to live out our identity as loved sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. To live “on mission” means simply to live as a sent person in the world. Your life is not your own. You get to share what the Father has and is doing in you with others as others do the same for you. We are restored to our human identity as we live in this way.
So, how do you see yourself? Do you see yourself as a religious person? Or how about a church attender? These are insufficient handles and only leave a deep void in our souls – religion always does. What would change for you if you really believed you were a beloved son or daughter and nothing could ever alter that truth, and furthermore, you get to join the father in extending his table…everywhere you go! More on this in future episodes.
Movement: We will discuss this much more in a future episode, however for now the take away is that the good news of God’s love and activity in the world does not just come to us but is meant to go through us to others. This is movement. We get caught up in the movement of his love, grace and beauty and then we invite others to experience the same thing. Rather than a radical focus on a location, building or program, the focus shifts to a movement that is already happening all around you and that you get to be part of. What would happen if you really believed you are part of a movement of God in the world?
Multiplication: The human job description that God gives the first Adam is to go into all of this good creation and take care of it and to be fruitful and multiply. The idea was that Adam and Eve made in the image of God were perfect, and as such would be perfect caretakers of creation and multiply perfect love, goodness and grace into the world. Rebellion always takes us away from God’s best and that’s exactly what happened in the human story. Creation care becomes the exploitation of all that is good for selfish gain and Adam and Eve do indeed multiply more humans made in their likeness who build empires, exploit creation and become skilled in the art of violence. As such their is a dehumanization that occurs. Not what God had wanted.
The second Adam (Jesus) revives the original human job description by sending his followers into the created order to make disciples of Jesus who in turn will make disciples of Jesus. The image being multiplied is not that of empire building, injustice, exploitation and violence, but a new way of love, forgiveness and grace. We might say, the way that it was meant to be in the beginning. This is a New Creation commission and it’s meant to multiply out into the entire world. More on this to come. What would change for you if you really believed that the mission of God was meant to multiply out into your world? What if you have the seeds of multiplication already in you?
As we dive into these themes in future episodes we would invite you to engage with us with questions, thoughts and comments. We believe that you are created to connect with God’s mission, participate in his movement and multiply the love, grace and goodness of the Father in your world. We are with you in this journey!