New Testament

The Capernaum Strategy

October 8, 2020 by David Noland Leave a Comment

When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
Matthew 8:5-13

Portrait of Roman Centurion outdoors in front of rocks

Capernaum, translated in the Greek as “Village of Comfort.” Capernaum was a small town in its heyday situated on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, near where the northernmost extension of the Jordan River flowed into it. Based on its name, it is possible that this was the home of the Old Testament prophet Nahum. This made Capernaum a strategic fishing port as fish would flow into the Sea from the River following the current of the river. This was the city that was the home of a couple of fishermen who would go on to become fishers of men – Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew.

Due to its strategic importance as a fishing port, a Roman garrison of 100 soldiers was stationed there. Their leader was an officer – unnamed, except for his title of centurion. The centurion knew his place and his position of authority, yet he also knew his limitations. More importantly, he was familiar with this Jewish rabbi who defied human limitations. Obviously he was a man who cared deeply for his charges. Otherwise, a servant would be considered replaceable. But this centurion had enough of a relationship with his servant to seek out the only one who he had heard of that could heal him.

Perhaps it is out of desperation that he reached out to Jesus for help, but that is just fine. “He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.'” (Matthew 17:20) All it took was this centurion taking a step of faith to ask Jesus to heal his servant. In fact, Jesus offers to go and touch him, but the centurion out of humility simply acknowledge the omnipresent power of God to heal with but a word. And it was so. And Jesus praised the faith of this centurion.

All too often we place our faith in our marketing strategies and our programs. We spend crazy amounts of money investing in finding the right location, location, location – believing that to be enough to draw in the fish. We cast our nets far and wide and we are astonished when they come up empty. But Jesus, who is known by his reputation for kindness and grace and mercy to those who would simply believe, has the power to simply speak and heal. He is able to heal the broken hearted and the afflicted. He can heal the confused mind and restore the wayward child if only we approach Him with faith, not our strategies and plans. Jesus is not confined to our strategic plans. He will not be boxed into a program or a formulaic approach to religion. He desires faith and relationship.

Is the Jesus you reflect kind? Do you exhibit mercy and grace to those around you? That is what will inspire faith in others, not our superficialities. Jesus was in Capernaum because that is where the fish were that He was trying to catch. In the process, He caught the attention of a soldier and inspire the faith of a man to heal his servant, for whom he was responsible. Oh, that we could learn so much more from this simple act of faith in our King of kings.

Let us cling to Jesus instead of our programs. Let us demonstrate His kindness that is representative of His Kingdom instead of being activists for the kingdoms of this world. Let us love and demonstrate grace and mercy in a world that is lacking of these highest of virtues. Let us show the world who Jesus really is – the Son of the most high God – who can simply speak the word and our world can be healed by His power.

The Phalanx Unity

September 21, 2020 by David Noland Leave a Comment

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in one spirit, intent on one purpose.
Philippians 2:1-2

It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to our society at large. The extended global isolation from one another has brought about the demise of millions of jobs and the shuttering of untold numbers of small businesses. Beyond the economic toll of the pandemic is also the psychological toll as mental health issues have risen at unprecedented rates across the country. Communities continue to struggle relationally as people continue to feel isolated from one another. Fear plagues various communities that continue to struggle to contain the pandemic in their areas.

In some areas, spiritual darkness has begun to take root and government entities have been overstepping the limits of their authority by imposing excessive restrictions upon houses of worship in areas that have already seen significant recovery from the pandemic (Here’s looking at your Grace Community.). As institutions of higher learning were forced to switch gears with minimal notice to online offerings in order to provide students with opportunities to complete their classes, our seminaries were no exception.

Recently, the presidents of two Southern Baptist Convention seminaries – Dr. Adam Greenway of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX and Dr. Jamie Dew of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary – held a live Zoom conversation discussing the two seminaries’ plans for the future as they look forward to extended precautions imposed in the wake of COVID-19. One thing was made abundantly clear between the two gentlemen was that while they have experienced success with their switch to online teaching and local churches have experienced continued stability and marginal growth in the midst of this grand paradigm shift, both agreed there is no substitute for human contact and in-person community.

As quoted in the Southwestern News, Dr. Dew stated “If COVID-19 has done anything, it has given us a scenario that reminds us of how much we need each other. We need each other relationally, we need each other psychologically, we need each other spiritually, we need each other missiologically. And so it’s given us a context now that should forever change the way we celebrate and embrace public gathering.”¹

Dr. Dew’s statement perfectly encapsulates Paul’s encouragement to the church of Philippi. Paul, writing from his prison cell in Rome, encourages the persecuted believers at Philippi who were beginning to feel the effects of Nero’s cruelty. It was during Nero’s reign that most of the apostle’s were martyred, including Peter and Paul. It was Nero who coined the term “Roman candle” to describe the tarring of Christian prisoners and lighting them on fire in order to light up his late night feast in his golden palace. And Paul offered these words of strength in the midst of the struggle:

“Only let your manner of life be worthy[h] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.” (Philippians 1:27-30)

Acknowledging the trials that the church at Philippi was enduring, Paul laid out a four-fold foundation of unity and interdependence that is intended as a message of hope for the believers of his day, as well as an encouragement for believers today. Unity within the body of Christ is about interdependence upon one another. Our American society has become some consumed with individualism and personal expression, that the church has forgotten the call to be interdependent upon one another within the body. This is distinguished from dependence as the body of Christ was never intended to be a source for leeches who absorb from the community but never contribute to the community. God has gifted each believer with unique gifts and talents for the purpose of building up of the body of Christ together.

However, in the midst of our devotion to our Lord, we are called to live in unity with one another:

Unity of mind (psychologically) – “being of the same mind” – having our minds mutually made up that unity for the sake of the Kingdom is THE priority.
Unity of heart (relationally) – “maintaining the same love” – intentionally seeking to maintain healthy relationships with one another in spite of our challenges.
Unity of spirit (spiritually) – “united in spirit” – empowered by the Holy Spirit of God and sensitive to His leading and comfort in the midst of our challenges.
Unity of purpose (missiologically) – “intent on one purpose” – intentionally seeking opportunities to advance the Kingdom of God in spite of our circumstances.

The Roman military utilized a special type of unit called a phalanx. A phalanx was a troop of soldiers that worked in unison with one another both offensively and defensively. A phalanx of soldiers would march arm in arm, interlocked together, as they advanced towards their goal. They were often armed with spears, pikes, or other similar pole type weapons with a long reach, but their most important tool was their shield. When necessary for the defense of the troop, the commanding officer would order a defensive position that would mimic that of a turtle as a shield wall would form around the entire troop and internal troops would raise their shields to protect against arrows raining down (see image above). In so doing, these troops were not only protecting themselves, but they were protecting one another from the enemy’s attack.

All too often today, the church has been beset with attacks from within. Either by false teachers, or individuals more interested in being right than in being in a right relationship with one another for the sake of the kingdom. Personal self-interests have outweighed the interests of the body of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We have been divided by heresies and hatreds of one another. We have allowed our differences of opinion to turn us into enemies of one another, while a greater enemy eager waits to slip in and attack and win the day.

The phalanx works best when the troops work together for each other’s sake. In fact, the words “unit”, “unity”, “union”, and “unison” all originate from the same word that means “one” or “as one”. That is why Paul goes further to say “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

It is time for the phalanx of the Body of Christ to rise up. It time for us to start looking to one another to build each other up in our faith, rather than compete against one another for attention. To echo the words of Philip Yancey “How great it would be if believers would compete to outgrace one another!”²

Footnotes:
1. “Greenway and Dew Discuss Leading In and Beyond COVID-19”, Southwestern News, Summer 2020, Volume 78, Issue 01
2. What’s So Amazing About Grace?, Yancey, Phillip. c 1997, Zondervan Publishers

A New Journey

September 17, 2020 by David Noland Leave a Comment

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for taking the time to wonder through the wilderness with me as we study God’s word as it pertains to the Kingdom of God. Your encouragement over the last several weeks has been invaluable and greatly appreciated. I am humbled by the response and look forward to providing more content to you in the near future.

Over the next few weeks, Sara and I will begin a new journey as we are relocating to Ft. Worth, TX. Starting in January 2021, I will begin attending seminary at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, pursuing my Masters in Theological Studies degree, majoring in Cross-Cultural Missions. This is the fulfillment of a lifelong pursuit that the circumstances of the last year have finally made possible for us. God has been so good to us this year and look forward to the next year and beyond with much anticipation of what He will continue to do in and through us going forward.

As such, due to the demands that will be required of us for this relocation, I will be taking a break from writing on a day-to-day basis in order to be a proper partner to my bride and work towards focusing on our relocation efforts, and all of the little tasks that come with that. I may occasionally report on different things or write a short article as time allows, but we will pick back up in November with more consistent publication schedule.

Additionally, I will be preparing a new podcast series that we hope to begin production on in December to plan for release in early 2021. I’m really excited about what God is teaching me in my studies about the Kingdom of God and what it means for the Church at large and how we can mobilize to be more effective for the Kingdom, especially in these trying times that we face.

In the meantime, rest assured that I will continue to pursue my own personal study of the Scriptures as I have time marked out every morning, dedicated to seeking the heart of our Father as revealed in His word. Additionally, know that if you have any prayer needs, I am always available to approach the throne of God with your petitions on your behalf. You can submit any prayer requests you have here.

In conclusion, I encourage you to open the Scriptures for yourself on a daily basis. Study them and seek the heart of the Father. Examine the word not for what you can get out of it, but for what God wants to reveal to you about Him. And remember, the overarching theme of the Scriptures is that He loves you and is always seeking a way to draw His people back to Him.

Grace to you, my friends. For the Kingdom…

The Touch of the Kingdom

September 16, 2020 by David Noland Leave a Comment

“When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
Matthew 8:1-3

There is power is the simple act of human touch; how much more so is the power of a touch from God! As Jesus leaves the mountainside following the sermon that has “blown the mind” of his audience, the crowd just can’t get enough. They want more of this teaching and encouragement from this new teacher that shows them a way that even the current foremost experts of scripture of the day couldn’t enunciate. Jesus spoke of seeking out God’s kingdom and releasing our worries and that our Heavenly Father would pursue us and protect us and give us a foundation upon which to build a steady life.

Out of the midst of the crowd, with the rich and powerful still looking on from the sidelines, a man steps forward. Not just any man, but a man who was considered ritually unclean in accordance with the scripture as he had a debilitating skin disease. Leprosy was a highly contagious bacterial infection that easily passed from one person to another through touch from one infected person to another. It caused skin lesions and nerve damage, often leading to the loss of fingers, toes, eyes, nose, and other parts of the skin.

In the first century AD, people who contracted leprosy were confined to leper colonies and were forbidden to be in public. They were required to cover their faces and other parts of their bodies in order to not only hide their affliction, but also prevent spread of the contagion to others. This resulted in the stigmatization of an entire segment of society in the name of “public health”. Lepers were routinely spit upon by the “clean” of society and shunned and pushed away, separated and left to die alone and abandoned.

Today leprosy is easily curable through proper treatment and sanitation, although in some parts of the world the cure in unavailable. Mother Teresa spent the majority of her life among this caste of “Untouchables” in India, ministering to the afflicted and the orphaned children wrought by this terrible disease. While today, leprosy is considered a very rare disease with fewer than 20,000 cases per year in the US, treatment requires medication and extreme sanitation measures. The disease is also spread by airborne droplets found in sneezes or other bodily fluids. And anyone who contracts leprosy will experience chronic pain for years after, if not for the rest of their lives. Sound familiar?

While the circumstances of COVID-19 are significantly different and statistically lower fatality rate among the afflicted, the societal response to it is no different. We treat people who we deem a potential threat for not wearing a mask as “unclean”. If anyone sneezes because of allergies, panic ensues. In some cases, people seem to go out of their way to speak judgement against one another in the midst of this pandemic.

I’m not suggesting that the public health measures that we have instituted aren’t warranted. That’s a different debate colored by too many variables and interpretation of data that I don’t have the time or space for. My opinions on the matter are irrelevant and everyone is too emotionally attached to their own perspectives for anyone to change anyone’s mind. That is not what the scope of this article is about.

However, we have reached a point in our society that we have become isolated from one another as a people, afraid to even shake someone’s hand or give someone a hug of comfort out of fear of contraction of a non-manifested disease or judgement from government authorities for not abiding by the mandates of our “benevolent overlords in power.” We have effectively eliminated the power of human touch to lift up the lives of our neighbors.

But Jesus didn’t care about the conventions of the day. A man stepped out of the crowd and mustered up the courage to ask the one person who had demonstrated His power and love to the crowds before teaching them on the mountainside to perform one more act of kindness – to touch him and make him clean. Imagine the gasps of horror escape the crowd as this diseased man approached Jesus. Obviously, there was even some apprehension within his own heart, because he asked “if you will, you can make me clean”. There was some human doubt, but there was also trust in the divine power of Jesus to be able to heal him of his affliction.

And Jesus didn’t hesitate as He stretched out His hand and touched him. He touched Him. A man afflicted with disease that could infect Him and His followers. He touched Him. But He didn’t just touch His body; He touched His soul and heart. He healed not only His physical malady, but He healed his broken heart and loneliness and isolation. He restored his mind and gave him a reason to rejoice.

There is great power in graceful act of a kind touch from another human. A handshake. A fist bump. A warm hug from a friend. There is even more power when that touch is infused with the grace of God by the Spirit of God. It heals the heart. It releases the pain of loneliness. It increases the production of endorphins into the body – the happiness hormone.

Conversely, there is also great power in the violent act of an unkind touch from another human. When we strike one another in anger. When we withhold kindness and shrink away from one another in horror and fear. When we seek to destroy others instead of build them up. This creates pain and isolation. It destroys communities and divides nations.

If you want to see healing in your world, hug a friend. Shake the hand of a colleague. Kiss your spouse with passion. Give out of the goodness of your heart. Let the Spirit of God move you to be neighbor that seeks the heart of God. Be a force for healing in our world. There is enough violence in the world without us adding to it out of fear and anger and bitterness of our own. But when seek the heart of the Father, it renews our mind and transforms our heart and gives us the strength to touch the hand and heart of our neighbors and families and friends. It gives us the ability to bring healing to the hearts and mind of those around us. Most importantly, it gives us hope for a brighter, healthier tomorrow.

Author’s note: COVID-19 is indeed a real phenomenon, with far reaching public health risks. In no way is this article intended to minimize the risks of this pandemic, nor is it in any way intended to be a form of medical advice. Please, exercise wisdom in the application of common sense health and sanitation measures as a matter of good public health policy and personal practice. If you believe that you have been exposed to COVID-19, please see your doctor immediately for proper medical guidance.

The Comfort of the Kingdom

September 11, 2020 by David Noland Leave a Comment

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

mother holding a child’s hand, close-up hands, nature in background.

During my childhood growing up in the 1970s and 80s in southeast Louisiana, it wasn’t that uncommon that my mother would take me to the store with her every other weekend. Occasionally, we would drive all the way into Baton Rouge and visit the former Cortana Mall. Once situated in one quarter of the cloverleaf intersection of Florida Boulevard and Airline Highway, Cortana Mall was essentially the place to go when you went to the city. Across the highway used to be a bowling alley that my church youth group would frequent, where I once bowled better than a 200 (but only once.)

Being as we lived about 30 minutes away in the country, these trips to town back in those days often felt like a huge treat to get to experience a different side of life that we didn’t experience daily in our quiet, serene lives in Pine Grove. On rare occasions as I got older, my mother would “release the leash” and let me roam the mall by myself or with a friend who was invited along in order to cure my boredom with perusing the giant clothing outlets.

However, as a younger child, I wasn’t allowed to stray far from my mother’s sight. And if I somehow wandered off and got lost, I would become fearful and cry out for her. Sometimes a store employee would see me and offer assistance with a kind smile in the hopes of calming my fears and anxieties until my mother could be located, usually only a few feet away.

Just as my mother was nearby and I was not out of her sight, in spite of my own blindness, our Abba Father is always near – His eyes ever watching and His hands ever guiding and comforting. Even when we can’t see Him, He sees you. He rejoices over you in your victories and offers comfort in the midst of your pain. Just because you don’t see Him in the midst of your darkness doesn’t mean He shut off the lights. And when you experience pain and disappointment and discouragement, He is there offering a gentle hand of peace.

But all too often, because we become fixated on our circumstances, we lean on our own pride and humanity to pull us up by the bootstraps and push through the pain and the circumstances. Yes, it is true that God gave us a brain to use and think and reason with our situations, but sometimes, we reach a breaking point where the circumstance is beyond our competencies. Our natural response is to respond with fear or frustration or anger, which blind us to the comfort that is waiting for us if we simply stop and breathe Him in.

We can rejoice in knowing, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, the Lord is near, waiting for us to crawl into His lap to comfort us as His child. While our circumstances may exceed our competencies, His peace is capable of overcoming that beyond our own understanding. When we begin with the realization that the Lord is always near, we can stand in confidence knowing that even if we don’t understand what is going on, His peace is readily available. He will help to guard our hearts and minds and remind us of the grace and love that He has for us as citizens of His Kingdom and Princes and Princesses of His realm. He will never abandon you in your pain. In fact, He comes running to our aid, pleading for you to cling to Him.

Let His peace reign in your heart and mind. Rejoice in the presence of the King of Creation! For you are a prince or princess of the Universe and He adores you. If you don’t know Him, I urge you don’t delay. He is waiting for you on pins and needles, longing for you to lift up your eyes and see Him for the truth that He is. While the door to the Kingdom is narrow, and path to the gate is difficult, the door is open to anyone who would walk through it. The rewards of Kingdom citizenship far outweigh the riches of this world.

If you want to know more about what it means to be part of the Kingdom, I’m just a quick click and an email away. There is nothing more important to me in this world than knowing that you know my Abba. If you don’t know Him and want to know more, don’t wait. Run! Peace to you, my friends, from the Father of all Creation.

The Unity of the Kingdom

September 10, 2020 by David Noland Leave a Comment

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
Philippians 2:1-2

Unity does not equal uniformity. God has uniquely created and gifted you for a specific purpose within His Kingdom. We all have a role to play, but we all must learn what it means to synergize for the sake of the Kingdom. As a new creation in Christ, it takes time to renew our mind and restore our vision for the world around us. In the end, it is our love for Christ and our love for one another that must bind us together with a singleness of mind, heart, spirit, and purpose.

Unity of mind begins not with everyone believing exactly the same trivialities, but it does mean we are focused on the absolute truths of the essentials of our faith. Most specifically it means that we have an understanding of who Jesus is and that His authority overrules everything, even our own selfish desires. And that requires a new way of thinking about the world around us. It requires a new way of thinking about the people around us and how we ought to treat one another for the sake of the Kingdom.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

Unity of heart will only happen after we have experienced a renewal of the mind, but it is an ongoing process that will last as long as we are on this earth. When we “maintain the same love” for one another within the Kingdom, by extension we supernaturally extend that same love beyond the borders of the Kingdom. It’s more than just a passing affection for one another, but it is love that must be maintained through pain and disappointment and discouragement and disagreement. When our need to be right becomes more important than our need to be in a right relationship with one another, we are no longer maintaining the same love for one another.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:7-8

Unity of spirit means getting deeper than the heart of the matter and recognizing that it is the Holy Spirit of God that must drive our decision making and our vision for the Kingdom. Not our own pet projects and causes. For too long we have begged and pleaded with God to bless the work of our hands. It is time that we start seeking the heart of the Father and earnestly seek out what God is doing in our world and join Him, because His work is already blessed.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets it desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Galatians 5:16-17

Unity of purpose will come only after we have experienced unity of mind, heart, and spirit. It takes renewed thinking, restored love, and reconciled Spirit in order to full comprehend and contextualize the purpose that we have in unity for the Kingdom. Our purpose in this world is a very simple calling, but it is one that requires a proper mindset, a submissive heart, and Spirit-led discernment acting in unison with one another to fulfill. The advancement of the Kingdom of God is the fulfillment of the Great Commission – to make disciples. This is not a responsibility of the clergy, but rather it is the responsibility of the entire Body of Christ.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commended you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20

The advancement of the Kingdom of God is made effective through a collective unity of mind, heart, spirit, and purpose. Paul’s ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-20) was all about building up the body of Christ so that each of us together can further the cause of the Kingdom. However, that requires that we understand what it means to be reconciled to God and to one another within the Kingdom before we do the work of expanding the Kingdom. The gifts and empowering of God in us are for the purpose of “equipping the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity fo the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs in the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12-13)

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