Author: Jonathan Dodson

St Augustine tells the story of passing by an inebriated beggar on his way to deliver a speech. As, he passed the drunk, he noted that this beggar was making jokes, in great spirits, possessing a joy, albeit temporary, that he himself did not possess. Augustine recollects his feeling of being “dragged along by his unhappiness,” in pursuit of glory, recognition before men as a great orator. The beggar was full of temporary joy and Augustine with persistent worry. Augustine was concerned about the outcome of his speech. Would it rouse the applause, the awe of men?

He pondered the estate of the beggar. He was torn. Partially envious of the beggar, of his joy, and on the other hand, assured that he had the more noble vocation and higher learning. Augustine wanted to be both himself and the beggar, joyful and praised. The beggar found his joy in wine, Augustine in glory. In his reflection, Augustine concluded that they were both bereft of true joy and true glory.

He opens this narrative with the following line: “I looked with longing at honors, wealth, and marriage, and you laughed at me. Perhaps wealth is no great longing for us, but what of honors and marriage? What of people who like our sermons, people who read our articles, people who are amazed at our insights? Ahh, and marriage, what a haven, a place of untold acceptance, banishing loneliness forever and inviting unwavering intimacy of every kind? These things do not offer true glory or true joy, but call us beyond themselves to deeper joy, and perfect glory.

All men seek glory–praise, acceptance, recognition, worth. I was struck by this fact when watching the very funny Nacho Libre. Nacho (Ignacio), a cook in a Mexican monastery, sets his sights on becoming a Lucha Libre wrestler, a famed wrestler. Wrestling by night and cooking by day, Nacho’s dual lifestyles are in conflict. Wrestling is not permitted by the church priests. Nevertheless, he pursues the glory of “winning” and hearing the crowds shout his name. Nacho is seeking glory, fame, worth, acceptance. It is the heartbeat of every human.

The only path to true glory and acceptance is through Jesus and in God the Father. Those who set their sights on a life of faith-filled following after Christ will be met with the glorious words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:23). Our praise is from God (1 Cor 4.5). The pursuit of glory was placed in the heart of men, a glory that can only be conferred by the infinitely glorious one, an acceptance and praise that flows from the king of Glory and to whom our glory bows.

True glory, true joy can only be found in the gospel of the glorious God. All other glories and joys must bow before Him, well crafted, well delivered sermons, godly marriages, and great wealth. Augustine recalls his deliverance from petty glory and fleeting desires: “Amidst such desires I suffered most bitter troubles, but your mercy was so much greater according as you let nothing prove sweet to me that was apart from yourself. Behold my heart, O Lord, for it is your will that I recall all this to memory and confess it to you! Now let my soul cleave to you, for you have freed it from so fast a snare of death…so that it might leave all things and be converted to you, who are above all things, and without whom they would be nothing.” (Confession, VI.6.9)

Chuck Colson has a good, brief Breakpoint on Worship this week. Bono and Reggie Kidd weigh in beautifully.

If you are looking for soul-nourishing, heart-instructing, mind-renewing resources on anything from battling cancer to Accountability groups, the Spring issue of The Journal of Bibilcal Counselingoffer it! The issue opens with John Piper and David Powlison addressing the issue of cancer from thier own current battles in “Dont Waste Your Cancer.” In fact, the JBC and its parent ministry CCEF offer great counseling resources from a Reformed perspective.

Yes, and it so happens that this issue also contains my first printed article on “Accountability Groups.” I hope you find the articles a blessing. An electronic copy of my article is located on the Resource page

Missional prayer leads to conversational mission. As Tom Nelson has said, it isn’t sufficient to stand on a shovel and pray for a hole. The gospel of Christ and the Christ of the gospel do not call us to prayer and inaction. He calls us to prayer and mission. Prayer and mission go hand in hand and are not optional; they are essential. Paul tells us to conduct ourselves with wisdom towards outsiders. What wisdom? The wisdom is living like Christ, living redemptively. In Christ are hidden all the riches of wisdom and knowledge. Who are the outsiders? The outsiders are the Gentiles, the nations, those outside the temple-city of Zion that God has called us to pray for and converse with. They are your co-workers and your neighbors, your family and your friends. How do we make the most of our time? This could be translated “redeem the time.” We redeem the time with our seasoned speech, our words of witness, with our conversations. This brings to mind Col 4.4-7:

pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison – 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

When Paul requested prayer for a door for the word, he also asked that he would speak clearly. He could have used any word to describe this witness—proclaim, preach, announce, declare—but he chose conversational words: speak, answer, speech. Preaching is just one way for the gospel to be communicated. Conversation is an equally important way. We need to speak the mystery of Christ in the vernacular of the culture. This means we need to know Christ and live Christ, to think theologically and live redemptively. We are to do so with grace, which does not mean you should memorize pat apologetic answers. We are to consider each person, which does not mean win the argument, lose the person. Instead, we need to engage in missional conversation, conversation that lovingly and relevantly presents the gospel and looks to God to open the door of the heart. David Powlison says we should do three things in conversation: 1) listen to others’ stories 2) empathize with their story and 3) redemptively retell their story.

A number of weeks ago, I walked into the Sportsman to get my haircut by Marlene. As she was cutting, we began talking.(I have known Marlene for several years, and as far as I can tell, she is not a disciple of Christ.) I looked for an opportunity to listen and to love, to find a place in the conversation where the gospel could speak…and the door opened. After some conversation about God and life, she shared: “I second guessed God this week.” So I asked her how. She told be about a highway patrolman who died last week, leaving a wife and seven kids behind. “That’s terrible, awful,” I said. “Where did it happen?” “Why?” she asked. “Why does he allow stuff like that?” I replied by telling her that was a good question, a difficult question. I asked he if she knew how the car wreck happened. She didn’t. I told her that God does care about that kind of stuff, but so does Satan. Satan wants it to happen and causes suffering. But, I said, he won’t forever because God has promised to right all wrongs, to secure justice forever; it’s just a matter of time. I continued, “The world is fallen; it’s a screwed up place. There’s all kinds of crap. But Satan isn’t the only problem. We’re also the problem. People are responsible for what they do—drugs, rape, and alcohol if it was involved in the accident. Stuff like this accident reminds us of our need for redemption. The world isn’t as it should be, but that’s why Jesus died, to set it all straight. She just listened. I continue to pray. God calls us to missional prayer and conversational mission. In fact, missional prayer will always lead to conversational mission.