The Ministry of Emptying

    “And the Word became flesh and dwelled among us…” I had never thought about how difficult this was until recently. I mean, I (Daniel) have lived away from home a number of times. I spent a semester in Greece, a summer in Germany, another summer in Papua New Guinea, and visits to Peru, Honduras, and Belize on mission trips, as well as the blessing to travel. But I’ve never experienced a culture in-depth like I have here in Buenos Aires.

   We’ve built amazing friendships in the church. We’ve been taken into people’s homes and lives. We’ve laughed, cried, shared, joked, and loved over a meal together or a coffee. We’ve opened up about our faith, taught about God, learned about culture, and shared our lives with others.

   We’ve also experienced the struggles of expressing ourselves in a new language, learning how to get food at the super-market, and buy cell phones. We’ve wrestled with making ourselves understood. We’ve cried over the bad decisions present in our friends’ lives. We’ve been frustrated over crowded subways and buses, broken ATMs, and things that aren’t like home. We’ve missed family, friends, and peanut butter. We’ve survived, we’ve adapted, and we’ve been changed. We have been blessed by this experience, and it has forced us to grow in new and exciting ways. We’ve learned a lot about ourselves, and a LOT about God.

   How amazing is it that Jesus chose to do this intentionally for us! Jesus willingly left his home in Heaven and came to earth! That is a greater change than we have ever experienced. Jesus learned a new language. He taught the truths of God in new ways. He laughed, cried, shared, joked, played, learned, and taught. He came to share the truth about God and to change the hearts and lives of the people.

   Jesus has cried over people’s bad decisions. He’s rejoiced as they respond in faith. I am sure there were times when he simply wished like things were the way they were at home.

   “And the Word became flesh…” Paul writes that Jesus “made himself nothing…” He emptied himself, he gave up what he knew to bless us! How amazing is it that Jesus gave up everything, EVERYTHING, in order to win us back.

   Are we willing to do the same? Are we willing to give up everything for the sake of Christ? To make ourselves nothing, to take the nature of a servant? To become all things to win some? God, give me the ability to empty myself for your glory.

We recently took a trip to Iguazu Falls! Stay tuned for insights about God's marvelous creation, as well as some amazing pictures!

Lamps and Lights

The Word is the teacher... and we are the illustration.

This is the mantra of Let's Start Talking, and I love the focus. It really summarizes well the theology of Karl Barth, a German theologian of the 19th century. When people have questions, refer them back to the text. When in doubt, preach the word. Teach people what God says. Help them understand his message. God's word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path, so let the word be the guide.

God's word is powerful, and makes a huge difference in people's lives. It is amazing to watch as people read Scripture and are confronted by its message. Here are just a few examples from the past week:

One reader, who is a devote Catholic, recently told an LST worker, "I think I've had the order of baptism wrong all these years..."

Another read the story of the Prodigal Son and felt ANGRY that the Father would take the younger son back with no punishment, no consequences, simply grace. "The world SHOULDN'T work this way. It isn't fair!" Isn't it great that grace isn't fair?!?!?

Another reader, who calls himself "agnostic," told me the other day that he likes the teachings of Jesus, that he's never really read them for himself before.

It is amazing to see how God is using His word to touch hearts and lives here in Buenos Aires.

Our next post will focus on the idea that we are the illustration. However, I want to ask: How have you seen the power of God's word in your own life or in the lives of others?

Resurrection

Recoletta Cemetery is a beautiful landmark in Buenos Aires. Considered the most expensive (and exclusive) real estate in the city, it is a monument to life and death. The other day, my family was walking around the cemetery, when we saw this sight. What a great reminder that death isn't final, that there is a resurrection.

No parking!

1 Corinthians 15

"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

Communion thought this week...

This was my Lord's Supper talk this week. First in Spanish, then in English...

A veces, la vida está llena de dolor y las dificultades. Esta fin de semana, vi la películaLuna de Avellaneda. En la pelí, el protagonista, Ricardo Darín, tuvo muchos problemas en su vida: estaba separado de su esposa, su relación con su hijo fue tensa, odiaba su trabajo, y su pasión, su club, iba a cerrar. Darín se sintió triste y enojado; he perdido sus sueños. En una parte de la película, Darín oró a Dios y dijo, “Sólo una vez, ¿puedo tener un polo sin jabón? ¿Por qué no podés hacer más fácil mi vida?” Su oración es similar a las palabras de Habacuc en Hab. 1:2 --¿Hasta cuando, Señor, he de perdirte ayuda sin que tú me escuches? ¿Hasta cuando he de quejarme de la violencia sin que tú nos salves?

Esto ha sido una semana difícil aquí en Buenos Aires. Muchas personas han muerto en el accidente. Las vidas de muchas familias han sido destrozadas. Todos nosotros sentimos el dolor y la tristeza. En este momento, compartimos su aflicción.

Es natural que nos preguntemos, “¿Dónde está Dios? ¿Por qué pasó esto?” Es natural las tener preguntas y dudas.

Los antiguos griegos creyeron que los dioses no podían sentir las emociones. Había cristianos herejes que argumentaron lo mismo, que Dios también no podía sentir las emociones: felicidades o tristezas. Pero esto es falso. No es la verdad. Dios lo entiende nuestro dolor. El Señor se siente nuestra pena.

Hay un versículo muy profundo en Juan 11:35. Jesús ha perdido su amigo, Lázaro. Jesús tenía el poder para salvarlo; pero no lo hizo. Sin embargo, cuando llegó Jesús, habló con la familia y las hermanas de Lázaro, María y Marta.

Juan 11:33-35

Al ver llorar a María y a los judíos que la habían acompañado, Jesús se turbó y se conmovió profundamente.

—¿Dónde lo han puesto? —preguntó. —Ven a verlo, Señor —le respondieron.

Jesús lloró.

Después, Jesús levantó a Lázaro, pero no quiero que extrañemos las emociones: Jesús lloró. El dios del universo, nuestro Creador, lloró. Se sintió el dolor y la aflicción de la familia y sus amigos. Y él todavía se siente nuestro dolor hoy. Entiende nuestras aflicciones. Cuando Dios se hizo hombre en Jesús, se hizo como nosotros en todos los aspectos, todas las maneras. “El Verbo se hizo hombre y habitó entre nosotros. ” (Juan 1:14). Dios nos entiende, y se siente nuestro dolor en este momento. Jesús conoció personas que murieron. Jesús lloró, y llora con nosotros hoy.

En la cena santa, celebramos a Jesús y sus acciones por los pecadores. Pero también quiero que recordemos al Verbo que se hizo hombre. El Dios que entiende nosotros, porque nos creó y habitó entre nosotros. Demos gracias a Dios por su entendimiento y amor.

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Sometimes, life is full of pain and difficulties. This last weekend, I watched the film Luna de Avellaneda. In the film, Ricardo Darin, the main actor, plays a character with lots of problems in his lief: he is separated from his wife, his rlationship with his son is strained, he hates his job, and his passion, his sports club, is going to be closed. Darin feels sad and angry; he has lost his dreams. At one point in the film, Darin looks up and prays, "Just one time, could I have a pole without soap? (An alusion to something else in the film.) Why can't my life be easier?" His prayer is similar to the words spoken by Habakkuk (1:2) -- "How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you don't listen? Or cry out to you 'Violence,' but you do not save?"

This has been a difficult week here in Buenos Aires. Many people have died in a train accident. The lives of many families have been destroyed. All of us feel pain and sadness. In this moment, we share in their grief.

It is natural to ask ourselves, "Where is God? Why did this happen?" It is natural to have questions and doubts.

The ancient greeks believed that the "gods" couldn't feel emotion. There were Christian heretics who argued the same, that God couldn't feel happiness or sadness, the same emotions that we do. But that is false; it isn't the truth. The LORD understands our grief; he feels our pain.

There is a profound verse in John 11:35. Jesus has lost his friend, Lazarus. Jesus could have saved him, but he did not. He arrives late, on purpose! However, when Jesus arrived, he spoke with the family and Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha.

John 11:32-35

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

Jesus wept.

Afterwards, Jesus raised Lazarus. But I don't want us to miss the emotions: Jesus wept. The God of the universe, our Creator, cried. He felt the pain and grief of the friends and family. And he also feels our pain today. He understands our grief. When God became flesh and dwelled among us in Jesus, he became like us in every aspect, in every way. "The Word became flesh and dwelled among us..." (John 1:14). He understands us, and he feels our pain in this moment. Jesus lost friends who died. Jesus wept, and he still cries with us today.

In the Lord's Supper, we celebrate Jesus and his actions for sinners. But I also want us to remember the Word who became flesh, the God who understands us because he created us and lived among us. Let us give thanks to God for his understanding and his love.

Lord's Supper thought this week

Good friends

Hemos sido bendecidos con muchos amigos...

We have been blessed with many friends. When we talk about what we most love about Buenos Aires, it isn't the city, the museums, the food, or the atmosphere. It's the people: our readers, our friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

One of the things that gives us the most satisfaction is inviting people over too our home. Last night one of my (Daniel's) good friends came over for dinner and stayed until after midnight. We are constantly invited to spend time with our friends here in BsAs at their homes, out to dinner, or in the park. One of our favorite activities is tomando un café, taking coffee with a friend. There are confiterías on every corner, and every neighborhood has their own favorite places to stop in for a coffee. We practice our Spanish, talk about ideas, and share faith over a coffee (or tea, soda, licuado, etc.)

We are truly blessed by the friendships we have made here. We are surprised at how close you can grow to people in the course of 6 months. We already have students telling us that they are going to miss us when we leave (which is 6 more months away!)

It brings to mind the passage that Paul writes to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 -- "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well." It is great to be in a wonderful place with amazing people... In fact, it is the people that make this place so wonderful!

Thanks for your continued prayers and support!