–

POST-SCRIPT ;]

this is an intimate and exploded view of my thought/heart processes:

i saw– reminiscent of isaiah’s ‘vision’ in chapter six and the source of divinity therein. also, i think of yeshua looking upon the crowds and being moved to gut-level compassion…

wounded healers and generous thieves — characteristic of a community who is moving deeper into community and therefore becoming communitas; also embracing the hope that those yet to be reborn are being drawn to and met by the community, thus becoming a gathering of some who worship GOD and some who doubt (mt 28.17).

serving and loving their neighbors well; — we’re serving all with humility and equality (jn 13) and we will be known by our love (jn 13.35) – tangibly so because our faith is a verb (!*) therefore, our good works (eph 2.10) will be fleshed out as we serve and love.

where we are literally becoming GOD’s will being done on earth– maybe this language sounds a bit odd to most readers, but think of it like so: we often pray, “may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” and rightly so, but we understand that to begin with us – therefore, i see a community who is literally becoming GOD’s WILL in action – being done – fleshed out. this is also known as, being the body.

as we are forgiving completely, this is the first summation of three parables as used by yeshua to describe what the kingdom of heaven is like – as found in matthew 13 – the wheat and the weeds. we are to aphete/forgive/allow/let. and the word ‘completely’ is actually a reference to the mt 18.21 passage about forgiving “seven times seventy”, but the idea is not a numerical formula: rather, it is symbolic of a whole and complete forgiveness.

living vulnerably, also from mt. 13, the parable of the mustard seed which completely upends the ways of the kingdoms of this world: where the field is the world, and the seed, which is the agent of transformation, dies into the field! what’s more, is that the purpose is to bear fruit in such a way where all benefit; where all find a home in the kingdom, because of our vulnerability.

and seeking to ruin every one and every thing for anyone other than YHWH.– the idea behind the third parable in that mt 13 triplet, the yeast hidden/concealed in the dough: it was understood that even the tiniest amount of yeast/leaven would absolutely ruin an entire batch of dough – and yet, here we find yeshua making it a primary descriptor for what the kingdom of heaven is like! we are to be about corrupting the corruption: being ministers of reconciliation: ruining every THING and every ONE (institutions and forests and peoples and hearts ad infinitum) for anyone other than YHWH: where everything either finds it’s purpose or finds it’s home in being reconciled to/used by the one true and only living god.

behold, even the very skyline of !@#$%^&* is becoming new! — i think this rides on the heels, obviously, of the previous thought, but with a heightened reminder that, just like the walls of a canyon are made and remade by the wind and water cutting back and forth, so it will be within a city where the kingdom of heaven is advancing: even the very geological landscape, the landmarks, the street signs, the bookstores, the coffee shops, the parks – everything will change: everything must change under the weight of such glory. and i see that happening!

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by following hard after and falling madly in love with yeshua.– suffice it to say, this isn’t an all-inclusive, paid trip to some remote island, complete with daily spa and massages, and an island-wide david crowder*band concert every single night and live tapings of wipeout every morning with the afternoons free to just chill. you know, this is not the end-all statement about HOW-TO. but i think it is the one vital element in how to become.

obviously, it presupposes that we believe yeshua to be who he says he is: the son of GOD. the son of man (bar nasha). the messiah. the christ. the annointed one. the king of kings of kings.

furthermore, it finds it’s base in this truth: that yeshua did only what he saw the father doing.

even more so, we know that he did those very things by living dependently upon the spirit.

there’s a lot in between that this statement carries…but let’s just skip to the end with this epic bombshell: in him (yeshua) we live and move and have our being (acts 17.28). and in him (yeshua, the christ) all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form (colossians 2.9)! and dare we remember, that will do even greater things that he!?

need i say more?

as part of a second-round interview process with a local church i was asked to provide a few things: my philosophy of (vocational) ministry, a few mp3′s of conversations/talks, and my vision statement.

i have just revisited my philosophy of vocational ministry – in the form of moonshine, nonetheless! i can burn some mp3′s no problem. but a formal sort of vision “statement” would be new ground to break. not that i haven’t had a “vision” per se. but i have never formulated said vision into a living, breathing, statement of sorts.

and so began a prayer-induced, somewhat critical look into this thing called, ‘a vision statement.’

long story short. i did what any justin heap would do:  i waded in to the deep etymology of vision. of course, it resulted in things like chazown (hebrew), horasis (greek), google goggles (not really, but still, a VERY cool google labs mobile development app) and a general search of where/how this word is used throughout the scriptures.

next was to hit up some of my web-connected local churches i follow and review their vision statements.

and then i just listened…it’s a lot like standing at an overpass on I-40E: a lot of motion, sounds and colors all fighting for your attention: but one thing remains constant: the road beneath. and if one were to look a bit more intensely, one might find what has been there all along: a grey canvas with cracks, grooves, and (dis)coloration: a canvas existing beneath the chaos in perfect quietness, receiving the traffic with a grace all it’s own.

my experience was kind of like that. and what follows is that canvas of constant, with it’s cracks, no doubt – but it’s at least something honest and concrete to begin with – and hopefully – to live with: something that can withstand the traffic of life, so to speak.

first what i came to understand/see: a vision, as understood against the story of scripture, is a specific dream or hope for a specific people, tribe, land, etc. it’s not a goal. it’s not a motto. it’s not even actually a statement, per se. it’s a divine picture.

then what i noticed: a lot of local churches confuse vision with mission. or vision with doctrine. or vision with a slogan. or all of the above. again, it’s not so much a picture for their community and city as much as it is a goal to be achieved or a bullet point to check off – very little conveyance of a dream or a hope or a picture at all – and in some cases, not even really about their community.

but then i saw/heard: a vision “statement” if there is to be one, should exist as an organic response to this question: TELL ME, WHAT DO YOU SEE for this people/community?

selah.

(i wonder if too many people looking to take up the joyous burden of vocational ministry don’t consider this question with the respect it’s due: is it possible that GOD has not given you a vision for/of this people and this community at this time in history? you shouldn’t have to force that vision. it’s a divine picture, which implies that it didn’t come from you! haha.)

so i prayed and ate that question. with a certain amount of tip-toeing into the question, because i recognized that GOD may not have a divine picture to give me for this certain local church. but i was willing to ask the question. (i think we must be willing to ask that question, and even continue asking that question throughout our journey as leaders in the local church.)

but i did see a divine picture, born, yes, out of my research and life experiences, but also given life by the city in which i live, the gospel which i preach, the parables of yeshua specifically, and the last few days of prayer…so, after a few drafts of putting it into words, this is the word-picture, the:

i saw wounded healers and generous thieves serving and loving their neighbors well; where we are literally becoming GOD’s will being done on earth as we are forgiving completely, living vulnerably, and seeking to ruin every one and every thing for anyone other than YHWH. behold, even the very skyline of !@#$%^&* is becoming new!

and finally, i heard a follow up question: in a succinct and incredibly distilled phrase, how does that picture/vision become a reality? and again, these words took shape:

by following hard after and falling madly in love with yeshua.

+

i have been living most of my days vicariously through matthew the last couple of months. my fear is that i will only become familiar with the words while never drawing nearer the word.

but as yeshua has continued to gently remind us: everyone will know us by our love: just as a tree/vine is known by it’s fruit.

when we follow/akoloutheo yeshua, we attach ourselves to him; it shares it’s meaning with a most political concept: that of choosing a side, or a party. and in world where yeshua is the king of kings of kings, once we choose that side, we can be sure we will face either embrace or persecution.

when we love the way he loved, we will inevitable look undeniably foolish to some, and unbelievably free to others. when we serve GOD and not mammon/money/wealth, we will look financially ridiculous to some, and compassionately generous to others. when we align our life with the manifesto of the kingdom of heaven, we will surely be persecuted by some, and embraced by others.

this whole thing is a mirror! isn’t it interesting: when we love as yeshua loves, we will gain enemies who will persecute us, who we will pray for. it’s like a rare foolproof formula/cycle to never leave us without people to pray for, haha! it’s a mirror revealing our fruit revealing our enemies revealing our love revealing our fruit!

Q/ are we following/attaching-ourselves-to yeshua rather than drawing near to the words? and do we even have enemies to pray for?

a parable from peter rollins seems most fitting, it’s called, ‘no conviction’:
In a world where following Christ is decreed to be a subversive and illegal activity you have been accused of being a believer, arrested and dragged before a court.

You have been under clandestine surveillance for some time now and so the prosecution has been able to build up quite a case against you. They begin the trial by offering the judge dozens of photographs which show you attending church meetings, speaking at religious events, and participating in various prayer and worship services. After this they present a selection of items that have been confiscated from your home: religious books that you own, worship CDs and other Christian artefacts. Then they step up the pace by displaying many of the poems, pieces of prose, and journal entries that you had lovingly written concerning your faith. Finally, in closing, the prosecution offers your Bible to the judge. This is a well-worn book with scribbles, notes, drawings, and underlings throughout, evidence, if it were needed, that you had read and re-read this sacred text many times.

Throughout the case you have been sitting silently in fear and trembling. You know deep in your heart that with the large body of evidence that has been amassed by the prosecution you face the possibility of a long imprisonment or even execution. At various times throughout the proceedings you have lost all confidence and have been on the verge of standing up and denying Christ. But while this thought has plagued your mind throughout the trial, you resist the temptation and remain focused.

Once the prosecution has finished presenting their case the judge proceeds to ask if you have anything to add, but you remain silent and resolute, terrified that if you open your mouth, even for a moment, you might deny the charges made against you. Like Christ, you remain silent before your accusers. In response you are led outside to wait as the judge ponders your case.

The hours pass slowly as you sit under guard in the foyer waiting to be summoned back. Eventually a young man in uniform appears and leads you into the courtroom so that you may hear the verdict and receive word of your punishment. Once seated in the dock the judge, a harsh and unyielding man, enters the room, stands before you, looks deep into your eyes and begins to speak,

“Of the charges that have been brought forward I find the accused not guilty.”

“Not guilty?” your heart freezes. Then, in a split second, the fear and terror that had moments before threatened to strip your resolve are swallowed up by confusion and rage.

Despite the surroundings, you stand defiantly before the judge and demand that he give an account concerning why you are innocent of the charges in light of the evidence.

“What evidence?” he replies in shock.

“What about the poems and prose that I wrote?” you reply.

“They simply show that you think of yourself as a poet, nothing more.”

“But what about the services I spoke at, the times I wept in church and the long, sleepless nights of prayer?”

“Evidence that you are a good speaker and actor, nothing more.” replied the judge, “It is obvious that you deluded those around you, and perhaps at times you even deluded yourself, but this foolishness is not enough to convict you in a court of law.”

“But this is madness!” you shout. “It would seem that no evidence would convince you!”

“Not so,” replies the judge as if informing you of a great, long forgotten secret.

“The court is indifferent toward your Bible reading and church attendance; it has no concern for worship with words and a pen. Continue to develop your theology, and use it to paint pictures of love. We have no interest in such armchair artists who spend their time creating images of a better world. We exist only for those who would lay down that brush, and their life, in a Christ-like endeavor to create it. So, until you live as Christ and his followers, until you challenge this system and become a thorn in our side, until you die to yourself and offer your body to the flames, until then my friend, you are no enemy of ours.”

–

so the phone rang. and one of the first things out of the bag was: we have about 30 minutes. now, i am not blaming the pastor of said local church – but i am hereby declaring my reason for just unloading a monstrosity of verbiage on the poor guy. anyone who knows me knows that i am a word addict; who are we kidding, nearly every barista at sbux knows this about me! but the fact remains, i came with a fury and, truth be told, i am not even sure i remember much of what i said.

i feel like i just tried to pour every ounce of my passions, story, life, and knowledge through the droid and across state lines in less than thirty minutes: the result was, at one point, a bit of vernacular confusion: maybe i misunderstood a question, or maybe i read in to the question something that wasn’t there…i don’t know. but i have since read through their entire membership packet, reread some portions of scripture in relation to the question, spoken, albeit briefly, with trisha (too briefly in fact. she is a deep well of knowledge, and a fantastic thermometer in discerning truth), and have been meditating on it pretty much since i hung up the phone.

the question was simply, “WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?”

now, now. don’t go getting all in a huffy criticizing me for not understanding the question. i have been a follower of yeshua – not always the closest follower, but always back there somewhere – for pert’ near a dozen years now. so i KNOW what the gospel is…but my overreactive little brain got the better of me, which isn’t entirely bad, and i processed his question as, “WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS?” i heard one thing, but it came through a filter – as everything does. and i am not ashamed to say that, apparently, after so many years, i am beginning to have a somewhat eastern/jewish filter*. i heard one thing, but i reformed the question and responded to: “WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF YESHUA?” let’s break this down:

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
for starters, gospel is the english equivalent of “good news” or euangelion in greek. eu = good + angelion = message. it’s how we arrive at evangelize, evangelist, and evangelism. and let’s be clear, all of these terms were redeemed and recreated by the mouth of yeshua – they are not christian terms. for example, we read from a roman account in 6 B.C.,

“Augustus has been sent to us as Savior. . . the birthday of the god Augustus has been for the whole world the beginning of the gospel.”

wow! it’s vitally important to understand that there were evangelists before paul: there was a gospel before yeshua: the feet of other messengers were bringing a a different gospel to peoples and nations proclaiming the way of rome: specifically a message of victory and peace through war, strength, and domination – complete with all of the roman hierarchies, ways, and systems of that kingdom.

so. that’s how i made the jump to, “GOOD NEWS.” and then of course, i just presumed he meant the good news of yeshua. which leads to the next deal,

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF YESHUA?
this is sort of a tricky question because, 1) the grammar can sneak up and bite ya! and B) because it invokes an enormously rich sense of wonder/history in the very name, yeshua/jesus.

are we asking what the good news about yeshua is? or are we asking what was the good news yeshua proclaimed?

and this is a critical difference.

most local churches and individuals find their default in the former: they understand the gospel of jesus to be, at least finding it’s beginning place in, his virgin birth, his sinless life, his atoning death, his very real burial, and his miraculous resurrection. and this, you need to believe in order to be saved. that is the gospel. that is the good news of jesus. i do not disagree with any of this, and in fact, proclaim it and live by it, in essence, with every breath i take: for i no longer live, but christ lives in me!

but understand this very real difference. that is not the good news yeshua proclaimed. it’s not even why he says he came. don’t stone me yet. hold on tight, this will be short and sweet**.

mark records at 1.14,15:

. . . yeshua came to the galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of GOD/heaven, and saying, ‘the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of GOD is at hand. repent, and believe in the gospel.’

matthew, after yeshua’s baptism and subsequent temptation in the wilderness records at 4.17:

from that time yeshua began to preach and to say, ‘repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

luke also records as yeshua is in a solitary place with people trying to keep him from leaving at 4:43:

but he (yeshua) said, ‘i must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of GOD to the other towns also, because that is why i was sent.’

so we see that yeshua’s good news (gospel) was in keeping with the vernacular of the day, it was about a kingdom: the kingdom of GOD/heaven. yeshua’s good news of the kingdom is then proclaimed, announced, and continued by a few different expressions: through parables/teaching, through miracles/healing, and through various fellowship experiences.

his message is that there is a new kingdom at hand: and what is this kingdom like!? it’s like…a pearl. dot, dot, dot. it’s like a woman who conceals yeast in dough. dot, dot, dot. it’s like, hey watch me as i am fully dressed in traditional jewish clothing proclaiming my cleanliness while i eat with matthew the tax collector and our friends who the religiously corrupt are proclaiming unclean. it’s like, healing the blind and raising the dead. it’s resurrection and redemption in every breath and at every turn and for every thing.

oh, and here’s the kicker: it comes not by way of the tyrannically oppressive powers, but through the meek: it’s like a mustard seed. it comes not by force and violence, but by service and love. it doesn’t even need to defend because it always protects. it doesn’t have to kill because it will die. and on and on and on.

the good news of the kingdom of heaven is what yeshua taught, shared, and lived. it was not actually about his birth, death, and resurrection: though this certainly became a prominent part of the teachings of the apostles and certainly needs to be proclaimed today. it’s what makes it possible for us to LIVE LIKE YESHUA: that is, to proclaim the same good news of the kingdom as yeshua, we have to be citizens of that kingdom! and there is only one way in to the kingdom and in to the family, through yeshua: and that, because we, too, have died with him, and are raised by that same power! he has made us righteous. messiah makes all things new!

okay. so maybe not so short. but still. pretty sweet, no?

needless to say, that’s how i arrived at, “WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF YESHUA?”

exhale. breathe. so again, in the interest of clarity: there is nothing wrong with the phrase, THE GOSPEL OF YESHUA/JESUS/CHRIST, and i will still use that phrase, share that gospel…but it is not the same as THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN THAT YESHUA PROCLAIMED…for example.

and, to be honest, the way i read the old and new covenants, i think it’s fair to say, the gospel of christ is contained within the gospel of the kingdom of heaven and not the other way around. no matter what, it finds it’s purpose in CHRIST. for as john 1.1 declares, in the beginning was the logos, the word, and the logos was with GOD and the logos was GOD – where yeshua is that logos! and paul writes in colossians 1.17 that in him (yeshua/christ) all things hold together.

–

so. i don’t know if i will have a second interview with this pastor/local church – but i am incredibly thankful for the pursuit he pushed me toward this afternoon. i have no doubt we believe the same thing(s), but, at the time,  i had something else in mind, haha!

i welcome your thoughts, questions, and insight. what say you?

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*by beginning, i mean, i recognize there is a wealth of history and knowledge and resources and prayers that i have yet to even crack. but. i also know that my heart is slowly becoming aligned with GOD’s heart for israel and i have developed a humble appreciation and respect that warrants more study of the ancient eastern histories, people, and the jewish people as a whole.

**you’re not really expecting this to be short, are you?

the low-down is basically a walk through matthew’s accounts and the various uses of the truly epic and oft-misunderstood phrase, “the kingdom of heaven/GOD.”

taking a page out of the rabbinical school of study, we’re first looking closely at the law of first mention(s) – both in the first and new covenants, considering the radical* birth of the kingdom of heaven/GOD and the inherent questions it raises for us today.

i am using the word ‘lost’ because as much as yochanan (john), yeshua (jesus), and the apostles used the phrase [kingdom of heaven/GOD], it seems the body of christ has largely swept it under the gospel-rug. and make no mistake, yochanan was certainly not the first one to coin that phrase: it stems from a history of empire and power and spheres of power or control; what may also be described as the dome of a king: a kingdom.

i am also using the word ‘lost’ because many of the symbols themselves have been, in a sense, lost unto us 21st century sojourners of the way: followers of the christ. we read his parables, we envision his symbols, then our minds go blank as we search for a mustard seed and plant around our neighborhoods in suburbia, and finally (most of us) skip – er, skim – the rest of the chapter, taking refuge with a familiar verse from psalms. note the bit of sarcasm…

we live in such a dome today. a nation of boundaries governed by a modern-day king-of-sorts: a president: one who presides, sits in front of.

it would not be far-fetched to say that we find our legal citizenship in the kingdom of america, for example.

so, does it matter and what does it mean that there exists another kingdom in the very midst of the one we’re in? how are we to make our living in light of this reality? etcetera and ellipsis.

Q/ what is the most recent conversation you have had regarding the “kingdom of heaven/GOD?” or do you find that you are not having very many conversations at all about it?

*radical. used here not to elicit images of mohawks or lady gaga; rather, in reference to the word’s origin, from radish: of or having roots. that is, being radical or, going back to the roots, to the beginning.

in patience,

.

with all the light the sun has to offer

and with all the rain the cloud has to bring

.

that we may become an offering

of patience

.

from death we grow underfoot of soil

so bring your march with all your plight!

and bring your chaos and floods of hate!

and bring your reign you crowds of might!

but only watch and simply wait.

from death you will rise, the hope of our toil!

.

with all the light the sun had to offer

and with all the rain the cloud had to bring

.

so you might be loved, and often sing

of patience

(c) 2010 Justin P Heap

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Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden…

“Let those who dwell in the dust / wake up and shout for joy…” – Isaiah 26.19

“Little girl, I say to you, get up!” – Yeshua to the dead daughter of Jairus

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for some time now, i have had this grand dream of writing a book. a short book, no doubt, but a book nonetheless. along the way, many chapters have been titled and many chapters have been given the ole backspace protocol. many ideas have been born, some better and more economically beneficial than others: it’s a hard thing writing a book.

however, the central theme has remained the same: resurrection always follows death: only the sleeper can awaken: guilt must be plead in order to receive mercy.

and as with most recurring experiences along the quest in the kingdom, if it is an overarching principle, it is probably a daily principle: if it is true for a thousand days, then it is probably true for a single day.

so it is with salvation. so it is with resurrection. so it is with prayer. and on and on.

i am reminded every day of GOD’s desire to restore and heal and bring shalom. i don’t think i am worthy, but i know i am not worthless, either. this gem of a truth wrecks me most days: GOD is interested in restoring and redeeming all things, and for some insane reason, he uses people as unworthy as myself to be a part of this movement.

but you can’t be healed unless you’re broken. the seed can’t give birth to life, except it die. GOD says he is our shield, but a shield only protects that which is behind it; we must see ourselves as being in constant need of rescue if we are to live lives outside of the grave, with new eyes and GOD as our shield.

yeshua’s own words to the little girl in mark five are absolutely proposterous when you consider that he was actually speaking to a dead girl. why speak to a dead girl in the first place…unless you first believe you have the power to raise her?! then comes the precious words: little girl, i say to you, get up! talitha koum.

selah.

and i believe, to a point, these are the words the spirit of yeshua speaks to each of his followers at each new dawn. rise from your sleep, δευτε οπισω μου, cast off the grave clothes and let’s bring this kingdom of heaven to all the hells we’ll encounter…beginning with those places nearest your own heart and mind.

i desperately want to make loving GOD and loving others my only purpose(s) in life. i know i have hurt so many people along the way and across the years, and it is often hard to press on when the voices of this world remind me of the damage my hands and words have wrought. but then blows a gentle wind, the very πνευμα of GOD, and i am reminded that, lo and behold, i am a ‘son of the resurrection’. when my hands are busy holding onto GOD, i find i must put down any stones still in my palms: either the stone of burden, or the stone of accusation.

“for when heaven comes, i swear it comes in love.” – as cities burn

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despite my unbelief, i believe that who i am is a son of the only living god & king, YHWH [blessed be his name]. a son of the resurrection. a son of the wind which bends all things.

“The beginning of knowledge is the fear of the LORD.” – Proverbs 1.7

some things are just forever and uniquely connected. the candle, the flame. a bride and her groom. the king and his reign.

and to jump in the same river as a.w. tozer, i would suggest, the most revealing thing about yeshua is what the church is saying or not saying and doing or not doing. they are uniquely and forever connected.

it’s like the cyclical process of rain and evaporation and cloud cover and water migration ad infinitum: the most revealing thing about the church is her idea of GOD: which forms the message to the masses: which is supposed to be the very thoughts and dreams of GOD to the masses.

we are the body of christ. selah.

every time i read those six words, my heart skips a few beats. the christ, which i believe to be found in yeshua, is the head. the imagery could not be any clearer, but is so often glossed over, so as to be obscured beyond recognition.

how is it that one person knows what another person is thinking? obviously, by how the eyes dance, what the mouth says, and the actions the body makes: moreover, it is how all these parts work together that will most powerfully display the thoughts and dreams of this one person!

and to top it all off; to add the whipped cream, if you will: when yeshua established the new covenant, he also conferred upon his disciples his very kingdom. that is to say, we carry with us, at all times, the kingdom of heaven and the dreams of GOD. what are kingdoms made of? people. bodies. and make no mistake, we, collectively, are the body of christ.

the kingdom coming comes through us and we are to be his will being done.

but of course. the most revealing thing will be our idea of GOD. ergo, the beginning of knowledge is the fear of the LORD.

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despite my unbelief, i believe that who i am is a son of the only living god & king, YHWH [blessed be his name]. a son of the resurrection. a son of the wind which bends all things.