THINKING ABOUT A JESUS REVOLUTION
Last Night I watched the new movie about the “Jesus Freak” movement when hundreds of thousands came to Christ, “JESUS REVOLUTION”
Can I encourage you, you should watch it!
My own father was saved during this period through a Christian community called “The house of the gentile bunyip” , yep a little unusual but God is in the habit of using the unusual and unusual people.
You can see the trailer here
I am inspired by a moment that became a movement. I am inspired in a fresh way to see a lost generation know the father.
However, I also think there are some lessons to be learned, particularly around Lonnie Frisbee and the relationship with Chuck Smith.
Chuck Smith was a classic Pastor teacher in gift. He systematically taught the scriptures.
Lonnie Frisbee a Prophetic evangelist, a heart for the lost, a heart to see them experience the presence, power and enabling of the Spirit.
From this came an apostolically (sent) oriented movement.
On one side, Chuck, a conservative personality, concerned about foundations, Lonnie more with the flowing of the Spirit.
Together, they were an amazing team, yet, reliable accounts show that Lonnie became, so to speak, focused on the theatrics and on his own gifting and position.
You can see more on Lonnie’s life in Greg Laurie’s blog.
“The long and strange trip of Lonnie Frisbee”
Lonnie ultimately left Calvary Chapel, having a split with Chuck. He wandered, connecting himself with questionable teaching and teachers, living largely without accountability, even walking away from his relationship with Christ, embracing the futility of thinking (Eph 4:17) and bearing the consequence, only coming back to Christ later yet dying at 43 years old.
What could have been?
There are some lessons we need learn both from this account and of course, from the scriptures.
1. THE GIFTS WORKING TOGETHER BRING HEALTH.
Paul says in Eph 4:11 -
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to EQUIP HIS PEOPLE FOR WORKS OF SERVICE, SO THAT the body of Christ may be built up 13 UNTIL we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and BECOME MATURE, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 THEN we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 INSTEAD, speaking the TRUTH IN LOVE, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
2. THERE IS NO CALL THAT IS DISCONNECTED FROM CHRIST OR HIS BODY (the Church)
“16 FROM HIM the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, GROWS AND BUILDS ITSELF UP IN LOVE AS EACH PART DOES IT’S WORK.”
There is no ‘MY gifts” or ‘MY call’, each of these belong to Christ, for service, to build up the Church.
If I can’t describe how I am using the Gifts on my life or stewarding my call to build up the Church, it is likely no longer about Christ but myself. I then am taking a track similar to Lonnie.
The gifts are not about my self-esteem but about service.
I can tell when it has become about me, I complain that no one appreciates me.
My affirmation is to come from Christ not from the praise of people.
3. WE MUST NOT FALL BACK INTO FUTILITY OF THINKING OR LIVING.
In Eph 4: 17, in connected thought, Paul says…
“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.”
Continue to read Ephesians 4 and you will see what Futility of thinking looks like.
FUTILITY OF THINKING SOUNDS LIKE....
Futility – but I was born this way! Just accept yourself, express your authentic self. Instinct is thus justified.
Truth: We must be born again! Living by the Spirit and his word, inspiration is pursued. (Eph 4:21 – 24) Deny yourself and follow Jesus, submitting the flesh to the Spirit.
Futility: But what about MY call / gifting. Truth: my gifts are given in sacrificial service to build the body. (Eph 4:25)
Futility: I don’t need Church, I have Christ. Truth: If you had Christ, you would not live isolated from his body.
Futility: I act like this because ‘They did’ Truth: I live only because Christ gave (Eph 4:31 – 32)
Of course, I could go on but we must be reminded in all of this.
“…put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
The Jesus revolution was an inspirational movie highlighting an inspirational moment and movement in history but it is also a warning we must heed.