more on revolutionary counterculture

I woke up this morning with the term, revolutionary counterculture, on my lips.

Then the Holy Spirit alerted me to 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Jesus came to make a difference. He revolutionised the world at that time by introducing a new concept of intimacy with God, whom He called "Father". He showed the disciples how to pray by addressing God as Heavenly Father.

Jesus demonstrated the heart of Abba Father when he healed the sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf, the mute, and the broken-hearted. He was tender towards the children, compassionate towards the people of God without a shepherd (spiritual leader), loving towards the physically hungry.

His power and authority displayed in the way he spoke and taught, Jesus amazed the spiritually 'empty' leaders of that time with his wisdom and boldness. He saw beyond their superficial practises into their hearts.

We are called to be His disciples. As born-again believers, God placed in us the Holy Spirit, full of power and glory, so that we can do the same works, and even greater works, because of the sheer numbers that we can form.

Brennan Manning understood this when he concluded that the Work of the Kingdom is not to be carried out by individuals here and now. We can never accomplish this vast work of bringing many souls into the kingdom of God by ourselves.

Instead, we are to proclaim His praises, His excellencies as a generation, a priesthood, a nation, a people. He chose us, and because He called us, He gives us His gifts and His grace to enable us. We are royal, His very own children, belonging to His family, joint heirs with Jesus Christ - this means we have a position and an inheritance. We are seated in the heavenly places in Christ, and are thus able to see things from a high perspective. Moreover the inheritance given to us is unprecedented and unsurpassed - whatever Jesus has, we have, being joint heirs with the Son.
We are holy, even as our heavenly Father is holy, a people set apart for Him and His purpose. Because of Jesus Christ, we are made the righteousness of God. From that position of righteousness, we are able to follow the ways of the Lord and live holy lives. As a special people belonging to the Lord, we walk out His divine plan, fulfilling His divine purpose - TOGETHER.

We form a counterculture when we boldly walk out the truths in God's word, not conforming to the world, but even as we are transformed, other lives are impacted FOREVER.

Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

A counterculture is formed by a people daring to be different, not for the sake of being different, but because the God-kind of life placed in our spirits is flowing out. Jesus was that kind of a person. God in Him made Him different. He drew controversy not because he liked or enjoyed it - in fact, it could have pained him - but because He spoke the truth, inevitably stepping on the toes of tradition and meaningless rituals. However, he was unfazed by the accusations and criticisms when He knew that He was following God. He did and said what He saw and heard His Father do or say.

It is time for us to look beyond ourselves.
It is time for walls of indifference - in ourselves, in the church - to crumble.
It is time for to live out who we are in Christ.