"Jesus took Peter, James, and John and went up on some mountain. While they were up there, Jesus changed and became all bright and shiny with some white robes. About the same time, Moses and Elijah appeared also looking bright and shiny. Peter saw all this and suggested that they build a house for each of them. Then Jesus changed back and the other two desappeared and the disciples were told to tell no one." MXPB (My Xtremely Paraphrased Bible)The big thing that stuck out to me today was the idea of Peter wanting to build houses for them.
I heard someone preaching about this story one time, and I can honestly say I cannot remember one word of what they said. However, I do remember my impression from it. I remember thinking about what Peter was acutally suggesting and the reaction to this suggestion. Peter was suggesting that they build a house for God. However, he was not merely suggesting that they build a place for God to rest his head at night. He was suggesting that they build a place where they could know God would be. His suggestion was not really a house. It was a cage.
When you think about it, building a house for God is really a ridiculous idea. He has the entire world in which he can reside. Why would he choose to limit himself to one little man-made building? He made a beautiful world in which he could float around if he would choose. Why would he let himself be trapped?
Jesus seemed to think along these same lines, because he didn't even acknowledge Peter's suggestion. In fact the Bible immediately says that Peter had no idea what he was saying.
Looking at this, it's easy to say that Peter was being silly, but have you ever considered the possibility that you are trying to do the same thing? Have you tried to cage God?
So often these days, people believe that they have figured God out. People proclaim on their cars' butts, "WWJD," but do they really know what Jesus would do? Once you believe that you have God figured out, you have put him in a cage. Jesus is know as the Lion of Judah, lion being the king of all beasts. When you put him in a cage, you are truly caging the king of beasts.
Is it possible that God can be found where you don't expect him to be? YES! More than possible, it's likely!
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or turning." James 1:17 (NKJV)Did you hear that? Read it again:
"EVERY good gift and every perfect gift is from above . . . "Every single wonderful thing that has happened to you or anyone else is the work of the Father. Every single good thing that anyone has ever done is a gift from above. Since Eden, humanity has been a fallen race. Human nature is sin.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 (NKJV)If every good and perfect thing is from above, how can anyone say that a non-Christian is not doing God's work? Nothing good can happen without God.
Because we are a corrupted race, every bright spot within us is the light of God. Suggesting that God can only work through a Christian is putting him in a cage. Claiming that one particular form of worship is better than another is putting God in a cage. Making any statement that limits the power and reach of God's unfailing unlimited love is putting God in a cage.
Many of Martin Luther's hymns are written to the tune of drinking songs from his time. He did this in order to make them memorable to people. He did this the make the gospel relatable. My pastor said today that when the jungle changes, the animals must adapt. When the animals don't adapt, they go extinct.
I have heard more than once from fundamentalist Christians that contemporary worships are not really worship. They say that people go to these places to be entertained and not to praise God. I say that these people are dead wrong. While some would view changing the gospel into more hip forms as selling out, I view it as adapting. Martin Luther understood this. Jesus understood this. He came into the world and told the religious authorities of the time several things they were doing that didn't really matter. Both of these revolutionaries understood a very simple idea: people want to hear the godpel in their language. The gospel must adapt or go extinct.
God works through non-Christians just as well as he works through Christians. Contemporary worship is just as meaningful as traditional worship. Any statement to the contrary is caging God. Caging a beast.
"Sometimes when you cage the beast, the beast gets angry." Wolverine (X-Men 3)The gospel is not only in the Bible. The good news of Jesus Christ is found in EVERY good work on Earth. It is found in EVERY form of praise and worship to the Father of lights. You cannot cage God's love. Nothing is big enough to hold that.
How have you tried to cage the king of kings?
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