by George Barna
Jesus clarified His priorities by speaking about them and then supporting those words with action. If we are to follow in His footsteps, we must embrace and pursue the same priorities to which He was committed. His mind was locked into the Kingdom of God; He even taught His followers: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33).
What are the priorities that reflect our absolute sellout to the Kingdom of God?
Obedience to God. “Anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:19).
Love. “But I say, love your enemies! . . . If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?” (Matthew 5:44, 46).
Justice. “God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).
Peace. “God blesses those who work for peace” (Matthew 5:9).
Holy living. “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16).
Integrity. “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t’” (Matthew 5:37).
Generosity. “When you give to someone in need, . . . give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (Matthew 6:2, 4).
Spiritual connection. “You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him” (Matthew 4:10).
Spiritual wholeness. “Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
Biblical literacy. “Haven’t you read the Scriptures? . . . Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures” (Matthew 19:4; 22:29).
Faith in God. “Because of your faith, it will happen. . . . You don’t have enough faith. . . . If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, . . . nothing would be impossible. . . . But with God everything is possible” (Matthew 9:29; 17:20; 19:26).
Blessing people. Jesus not only regularly taught this, but His constant healing of, training, and praying for others demonstrated how to bless them.
Disciple-making. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).
Apparently, that’s a life agenda worth dying for. . . .
His Character and Demeanor
The best intentions in the world get nowhere unless you have the character and demeanor to carry out those dreams. Once again, the nature of Christ deepens our understanding of what type of person is capable of changing the world. In His humanity, Jesus was able to develop the qualities that allowed Him to behave in revolutionary ways.
Are these same qualities evident in your life today? Are you consciously refining these dimensions so that you will be entrusted with greater responsibility for the advancement of God’s Kingdom?
Merciful and grace-giving. “God blesses those who are merciful. . . . Do not judge others, and you will not be judged” (Matthew 5:7; 7:1).
Reconciliatory. “Go and be reconciled” (Matthew 5:24).
Diligent. “Keep on asking. . . . Keep on seeking. . . . Keep on knocking” (Matthew 7:7).
Teachable. “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise” (Matthew 7:24).
Courageous. “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. . . . Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul” (Matthew 10:16, 28).
Accepting. “Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50).
Surrendered. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
Repentant. “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
Humble. “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).
Servant-minded. “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave” (Matthew 20:26-27).
Many people were drawn to Jesus by His nature, without knowing much about what He stood for or His ultimate purpose. He wasn’t a Revolutionary because He proposed a different philosophy. He was a Revolutionary because He lived differently, teaching a groundbreaking world order through His demeanor and behavior. His words simply magnified and clarified what He was demonstrating in the flesh. One lesson we can derive from His life is that if you allow God to restore your spirit, then your life may follow.
Chapter Nine
American Christians as Revolutionaries
JESUS WAS THE ULTIMATE REVOLUTIONARY. We can learn how to be agents of life transformation for the Kingdom of God by understanding how He interpreted His role in life, how He established and pursued priorities, and the demeanor that facilitated His lifestyle and ministry. But we must also shed light on the philosophy that fueled His behavior.
In America, we tend to study passages of Scripture and draw general lifestyle principles. We interpret God’s words to us through a particular analytic framework, one that is typically based on a synthesis of biblical teaching, cultural values, and familial training. But what happens if we apply a completely different framework? What if we read Scripture through the eyes of a Revolutionary? What are the seminal perspectives that the Lord divulged for us to integrate in our pursuit of a revolutionary life?
I encourage you to scour the Bible to create your own reservoir of insights into how Jesus, the Revolutionary, understood His journey. Here are a few of His perspectives that have shaped my view of what a revolutionary life is all about.
Revolutionary Perspectives
Live the Revolution
This revolution is not something you join; it’s a way of life. Jesus made clear that the entrance fee for membership in this club is repentance, obedience, love, and service. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, “The Revolution is as Revolutionaries do.” Most revolutions—American, French, Russian, digital, gay, civil rights, and others—gained ground for their cause by following a strategic plan. God’s revolution, however, has no incremental plan. This war is won by the fanatics on God’s side living in concert with the revolutionary ideals that Jesus prescribed.
This is a war that is not won by force. It is won by the daily demonstration of courageous faith—the faith to be God’s person wherever He puts you, doing whatever He calls you to do.
Don’t wait to sign up. Just live it.
Victory through Engagement
Most wars are decided in terms of territory seized or the number of enemies killed. Not this one. It is unlike any war ever waged. For starters, we already know who wins. Further, the most effective weapons are those that promote peace and understanding: prayer, love, blessing, and so forth. And, of course, the war is ostensibly invisible, although it is waged in the material realm.
In fact, unlike all other wars, this one has no innocent bystanders. All are combatants who declare their side in the conflict through their words and actions. No gray area exists: you are either aligned with God, the champion of holiness and freedom, or Satan, the challenger promoting evil and enslavement.
Revolutionaries—the frontline warriors for the Kingdom—can claim victory simply by enlisting in the Lord’s army. Embracing the role of Revolutionary and then persevering in the war does not guarantee victory—being a Revolutionary is victory. All we have to do is show up every day to fight for what’s right. Like a fixed prizefight, the outcome has already been taken care of.
Motivated by Love and Obedience
But why, one might wonder, should we bother to engage? Why not sidestep the whole messy affair and just lead a low-key, no-frills Christian life? Isn’t it enough to love Jesus, accept salvation by grace, and then live however we wish until we reach heaven?
Well, for starters, there’s that issue of bearing fruit. When Jesus told His followers, “Yes, just as you can identify
a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matthew 7:20), He was intimating that all who receive the free gift of salvation ought to be so blown away by sheer gratitude that they cannot do anything other than seek ways to change themselves and the world. Even though you cannot earn your way into God’s eternal presence, your wise choices and good deeds become the evidence of your commitment and transformation.
And forget about fear as a motivator. Yes, we may harbor a healthy dose of fear due to the awesome power and unfathomable omniscience God possesses, but genuine Revolutionary zeal must be attributable to an intense desire to worship, thank, and serve God for His goodness and greatness.
In the end, we surrender our lives to serve Him out of love and obedience. He is the only One who matters in life. His incredible sacrifice for us causes us to do no less than give everything we have back to Him as our own sacrifice of praise and appreciation.
Marching Orders from God
Americans are used to controlling their lives. What makes Revolutionaries so bizarre is that they admit they do not have control of their lives and they are not seeking to attain control. Who else would you want controlling your life besides the God of Creation?
But admitting that we do not have control is only one step in the process of successful living. The other crucial component is to listen carefully so we get our cues from God. He seeks to direct us every step of the way. However, we must be sensitive enough to receive His direction. He speaks to us in various ways—through the Bible, wise counselors, direct revelation, signs—but all the communication in the world is meaningless if we are not attuned to His message and determined to obey His commands.
A Revolutionary knows who calls the shots, and he knows what the voice of the Commander in Chief sounds like. Success is not about proving our own ability by creating and implementing our own plans; it’s all about our fervent desire to be used by God as He wills.
Leadership: Doing What’s Right
A revolution is about changing what exists. Change requires leaders who intentionally introduce new direction. Every Revolutionary, whether positioned as a leader or not, fulfills a leadership role by virtue of affecting the lives of others who have ignored or resisted the truth of the Bible.
Whether you like it or not, being a Revolutionary means that at some point you will provide leadership to someone else. That’s a privilege for which you must be ready.
One of the critical points of preparation is to make your choices based on what’s right. Jesus criticized the leaders of His day for misleading people by making choices that were popular, easy, expected, personally profitable—but wrong. A godly leader—a true Revolutionary—does whatever is right, according to God’s laws and principles. Even if the inevitable result will be resistance or persecution, Revolutionaries gladly bear any burden so long as their choices and actions honor God.
Internal Politics Are Absent
Jockeying for position occurs in most organizations, whether they operate under peaceful or wartime conditions. All the perks are up for grabs—titles, physical location, compensation, benefits, operational resources—and even the most committed players consciously grab for them.
Not so among Revolutionaries. No office politics exist because there is no office to rule, no official positions to win, and no “stuff” that matters. All that matters is pleasing the Boss. And that is accomplished by ignoring all of the usual goals in favor of being godly.
A Different Dimension
Do you get it? Being a Revolutionary is all about living life as a paradox. You win before you experience your initial skirmish. Faith triumphs over competence. Spiritual power overwhelms physical force. Humility generates attention and appreciation. Holiness defeats worldly cleverness. Those who surrender their lives defeat the enemy who seeks to destroy them.
Participating in this Revolution is not easy. Our enemy understands our objective and methods and will pull out the stops to counter our efforts. Just as victory comes through paradoxes, the performance of revolutionary tasks brings paradoxical results. Offering love will often inspire distrust and retribution. Serving those in need may trigger persecution by those being served. Living a simple life becomes exceedingly complex.
It does not matter. Focus. Be strong and courageous. You have already won. Now all you must do is persevere.
Chapter Ten
How the Revolution Shapes the Revolutionary
HAVING STUDIED two dozen historical revolutions—political, religious, cultural, and professional—I find it apparent that individuals who participate in a revolution are radically changed by their immersion in the process. The ultimate success or failure of a revolution depends on how tightly its advocates align themselves with the cause—and how open they are to becoming the embodiment of what they profess to bring to life.
This is an important phenomenon: while change agents are probably drawn to a revolution to transform their world, their personal involvement in the process changes them in significant ways. They enter the fight for change holding a few compelling ideals, but they exit the process with a different view of themselves, as well as of the fundamental meaning and implications of the revolution. I would go so far as to say that sometimes their concern about recasting the world becomes not so much secondary as invisible. Their own journey has taken them to places they never imagined.
Typically, four highly significant changes appear to be produced by a revolutionary’s investment in a revolution. Let me describe this metamorphosis in terms of the Revolution of faith that we are discussing in this book.
Realigning Personal Identity
Human behavior is a series of complex negotiations among our self-image, character, values, sense of purpose, and cultural parameters. Each choice we make is our best attempt to somehow balance the competing interests of those dimensions to optimize an outcome. Who we believe ourselves to be is a major determinant in our ability to be competent in our Revolutionary endeavors.
Your capacity to connect with God intimately and, therefore, to follow through on the challenges posed by the cause of Christ is inextricably bound to your self-image. Simply accepting Christ as Savior and having a respectful but casual relationship with Him do not give birth to a Revolutionary life.
To be a Revolutionary requires understanding the role of every human being within God’s plan. You realize that you are a special creature in His universe—created for the purpose of knowing and loving God, reproducing additional lovers of God, and living in ways that reflect being made in God’s image and for His pleasure. Amazingly, we have been invited to be His partners in developing and advancing His Creation—minority partners, certainly; not so much peers as associates—and as such we can take heart in the fact that we matter to God.
We are valuable because God considers us to be so. We need not earn our stripes—in fact, He has made clear that we cannot earn status in His eyes, except through our relationship with His Son. Our worth stems from our commitment to loving and serving Him. Our relationship with God helps us comprehend the purpose of our life and defines the direction to pursue that will please Him and thus provide us with the greatest fulfillment.
Wrap your mind and heart around this realization: You are a slave to Christ, an ambassador of God, a servant of the King, a soldier in the invisible battle of purity and evil. You will find inner peace only when you know who you truly are. Only at that point can you be authentic. Joy escapes many believers because they don’t fully grasp their identities as Revolutionaries; they labor in vain as halfhearted disciples. The emotional and spiritual ecstasy that Revolutionaries experience is linked to an awareness of their true role in the Kingdom of God. Until you become obsessed with imitating Christ and honoring God, your journey is moving in a dangerous direction. Devoting yourself to the Revolutionary way is a big step toward experiencing God’s pleasure.
Let me also point out that a major reason why most local churches have little influence on the world is that their congr
egants do not experience this transformation in identity. Our research indicates that churchgoers are more likely to see themselves as Americans, consumers, professionals, parents, and unique individuals than zealous disciples of Jesus Christ. Until that self-image is reoriented, churches will not have the capacity to change their world. After all, a revolution is a dangerous and demanding undertaking; it is not for the minimally committed.
Clarifying Core Beliefs
There is no room in a revolution for those who are ignorant of the foundational philosophy. These operations live or die on the vitality of their seminal ideas—ideas about truth, justice, value, freedom, and similarly weighty matters. God’s Revolution is no different. The soldiers in this Revolutionary band must champion the breadth and profundity of the worldview God provides. By personally embracing those perspectives, their lives are altered.
Revolutionaries have a wholly biblical outlook on life, based on the belief that the Bible is God’s perfect and reliable revelation designed to instruct and guide all people. The core beliefs of these Christ-followers relate to the existence, origins, character, and purposes of God; the origins and purpose of people; the need for and means to eternal salvation; the repository and content of moral and spiritual truth; and the existence, powers, and role of various spiritual beings. Possessing a biblical point of view on all of these matters, and allowing it to drive your moment-to-moment decisions, enables you to distinguish yourself from conventional thinking and behavior.
Know this: you become what you believe. Because your core spiritual convictions dramatically influence your life choices, your major spiritual beliefs shape your self-image and behavior. The Revolution, because it is based on applying biblical principles, constantly elevates and clarifies the central beliefs that facilitate sinners being transformed into forgiven, satisfying servants of the living God.