Letter to Diognetus

10.20.11

This morning I was reading through the October 27^th devotion in the book Common Prayer and I was amazed at the timing of the following excerpt which I’d like to share with you.  It comes from a manuscript called the Letter to Diognetus, which is believed to be written somewhere between the late 1^st Century to the 2^nd Century and I believe it really captures how a relationship with Jesus looked like to the early believers:

The ancient Letter to Diognetus records these observations about the early church: “The Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor by language, nor by the customs that they observe; for they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. They marry, as do all others; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet they make many rich; they are lacking all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are spoken of as evil, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and blessed; they are insulted and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evildoers.” (Common Prayer, Zondervan, 2010, pg. 494)

When I look at the descriptions of Christians in the early church, I can’t help but be encouraged in my faith.  As I read the comparison between the lives of Christians and the lives of those in the world around them, it’s impossible to deny a vast difference.  Which makes me wonder… if someone was paying attention enough to the movement of Christ 2,000 years ago, and he noticed a difference in the life of a Christian, would they see the same thing today? 

Last night we discussed that religion without relationship can absolutely destroy what God desires for your life.  Religion is about the outward appearance; its focus is on the actions. 

This part of the Letter of Diognetus was not written about people who practiced a religion. 

These Christians were in a relationship with Jesus. 

They were living proof of what happens when we surrender to him.

As you can see, when we give our lives to Christ, we are transformed.

Read Acts 9:1-3 & Acts 9:13-14 to see how Saul was prior to his relationship with Jesus.  Now check out what he looked like after his relationship with Jesus had begun.

Acts 28:30-31

Not only is being a Christian life transforming, but it is also about surrender.

Read Romans 3:21-26 & John 3:16-17.

We are called to surrender ourselves to Jesus.  The Christians we read about in the letter above had completely surrendered their lives to Christ. 

By surrendering to Christ, they allowed him to make a difference in their lives, which influenced the world around them.  They lived in their world, but they were not of it.  They treated one another with love…they even loved those who hurt them.  They shared a common table (meals) but didn’t sleep around with each other (this type of purity must’ve stood out in this culture for it to make it into this letter).  They were human, but they didn’t seem to pursue selfish desires of the flesh as the rest of the world did.  They lived on earth, but they lived in a different world (the kingdom of God).  They shared things with one another, gave honor when disrespected and blessings when they were cursed. 

They were different because of their relationship with Jesus.

Which begs us to answer this question: am I different than the world around me because of Jesus? 

And I don’t mean in an “I go to church, I help others once in a while, I try not to cuss, I don’t do drugs, I’m a good person” type of different.  All that stuff can be done as a practice, as a religion. 

I’m talking about our hearts.  Is my heart different because of Jesus?

As we ask that question, if you’re like me, it will only lead to you to this next question:

What must I surrender to Christ in order to grow closer to him so that I can be changed from the inside-out?

Rhythm

Thanks for joining us last night at Impact:Connect.  I hope that you were able to continue growing in relationship with the family of Christians we call Impact, and that in our time of praise led by our Patrick Slaven & friends you were able to connect with God. 

In the video we saw called Rhythm, we learned that God is really everywhere.  As Rob spoke in the video, he shared that God is like a song being played in the world around us and that each one of us is part of this song.  We have a role; let’s say an instrument to play... possibly a tapping of the triangle, a booming of the bass, the clashing of a cymbal, a strum of the guitar, or a gentle hold of a piano key.  We all have a role in the playing of this song, in this relationship with God. 

Rob shared, “Jesus is like God in taking on flesh and blood, and so in his generosity, in his compassion, that’s what God is like.  In his telling of the truth, that’s what God is like.  In his love, and forgiveness, and sacrifice, that’s what God is like.  That’s who God is.  That’s how the song goes.”

God = compassion, truth, love, forgiveness, & sacrifice.

Jesus = compassion, truth, love, forgiveness, & sacrifice.

Rob continued sharing that, “The song is playing all around us all the time, the song is playing everywhere, it’s written on our hearts, and everyone is playing the song.  See, the question isn’t whether or not you’re playing a song, the question is, ‘Are you in tune?’” 

Are you in tune? 

What would your answer to that question be? 

Is your life in the correct key?

If not, what is it that needs to adjust in order to get it in tune with God?

In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

May you, this week, in learning to live the way Jesus taught us to live, in being in tune with the song, find out that you “have life, and have it to the full.”