Thursday, July 31, 2008
Family Reunion
As it turns out, our hastily thrown together trip to Arkansas could not have come at a better time. We didn't know for sure that we were coming until Sunday; with Roger and so many more gone on the Mexico trip this week, getting someone to preach for me Sunday was problematic (thanks to Jeff Denton for taking on that task). As it turns out, we were able to be in Little Rock at the same time that my niece Martha and her family were coming through town. We had not seen Martha and Keith and their children in four years... which means we had never seen her two youngest. It was good to meet them for the first time. And we also got to see more of Lezley (another niece) than we have ever seen before-- she is expecting her first child this fall. Sonya (my sister) and Darcy (her seven year old) drove in with us from Nashville, so we were practically all together for a big (Mom must have cooked for 3 days) family reunion meal tonight with only three of our extended family (my girls and Bob) missing. Angelynn will be here tomorrow for her fourth year at Harding; we'll go ahead and count her as here-- she's usually a little late anyway!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Summer Slump
We are in the midst of our summer slump. Traditionally during this time of the year, we have a big dip in our attendance and contribution figures. So many of our Denbigh people aren't from around here, when the summer comes, they end up taking trips to wherever it is that they have come. (It is NOT that we are too busy at the beach and lake to come to church; our folks are much too spiritual for such things!). While our numbers are off, that is not the slump I'm talking about.
My "summer slump" has to do with the fatigue that comes from all the stuff we have going on in the summer combined with the people that are gone. We have had all kinds of extra activities going on in the summer-- Upwards Soccer/Cheer Camp, our week at Idlewild Christian Camp, Mexico Mission Trip, and Vacation Bible School. We have these labor intensive activities at the precise time when we have so many people gone for summer. It would be better if we could schedule summer activities at some time other than the summer! Lynn and I have had about 10 days this summer that weren't prgrammed for some scheduled activity! No next year, I think will have summer during another time of the year.
To protest against the busy summer schedule... we're leaving Wednesday for a unscheduled quick trip to Arkansas to see my folks. Can't let those 10 unscheduled days go to waste!
My "summer slump" has to do with the fatigue that comes from all the stuff we have going on in the summer combined with the people that are gone. We have had all kinds of extra activities going on in the summer-- Upwards Soccer/Cheer Camp, our week at Idlewild Christian Camp, Mexico Mission Trip, and Vacation Bible School. We have these labor intensive activities at the precise time when we have so many people gone for summer. It would be better if we could schedule summer activities at some time other than the summer! Lynn and I have had about 10 days this summer that weren't prgrammed for some scheduled activity! No next year, I think will have summer during another time of the year.
To protest against the busy summer schedule... we're leaving Wednesday for a unscheduled quick trip to Arkansas to see my folks. Can't let those 10 unscheduled days go to waste!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
For Such a Time As This
The book of Esther (my OT reading for today) tells the story of the deliverance of the Jewish people from the plot of the wicked Haman during the reign of Xerxes, king of Persia. The book reads like a series of fortunate coincidences that saw the Jewish people saved from the hand of a megalomaniac intent on destroying them.
When Esther hesitates to risk her life to use her position to intervene with the king to save the Jews, Mordecai says, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). That becomes an interesting question given the fact that there were no burning bushes or shaking Sinai. Moses didn’t have wonder what it was that God wanted him to do; God’s voice from the bush and the mountain were breathtakingly clear. But Esther didn’t have that clarity. What Esther had was an opportunity, faith, a lot of uncertainty and a pretty insistent cousin. She made her choice based on faith, and God honored that choice and worked through it. That’s what you and I are called to do today.
Wayne Watson has a great song that is inspired by the Esther story reminding us that we all have been placed upon the earth for such a time as this.
For Such A Time As This Wayne Watson
- Queen Vashti was deposed and a Jewish girl named Esther was chosen as the new queen of Persia, but she just happens to keep her Jewish heritage a secret.
- Mordecai, the cousin who raised Esther, just happened to overhear the plot to assassinate King Xerxes; he revealed the plot to Esther who then revealed it to the king.
- The king just happened not to be able to sleep one night, and he just happened to have read to him the chronicles of the kings read to him, and the selection that was read just happened to include the story of Mordecai and Esther saving his life.
- So when Esther reveals the plot of Haman and her Jewish ancestry, the king just happens to side with Esther, executes Haman and spares the Jews.
When Esther hesitates to risk her life to use her position to intervene with the king to save the Jews, Mordecai says, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). That becomes an interesting question given the fact that there were no burning bushes or shaking Sinai. Moses didn’t have wonder what it was that God wanted him to do; God’s voice from the bush and the mountain were breathtakingly clear. But Esther didn’t have that clarity. What Esther had was an opportunity, faith, a lot of uncertainty and a pretty insistent cousin. She made her choice based on faith, and God honored that choice and worked through it. That’s what you and I are called to do today.
Wayne Watson has a great song that is inspired by the Esther story reminding us that we all have been placed upon the earth for such a time as this.
For Such A Time As This Wayne Watson
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Old and New Testaments
I think it’s interesting the way we have often used the Old Testament. When we find something we like “back there” in the Old Covenant, then it provides an illustration for us. After all, “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us” (Rom 15:4). But when we come across something back there we don’t like so much, we dismiss it with one of those “but that is just the Old Testament.” So Noah’s gopher wood and the “strange fire” of Nabab and Abihu apply to us. But Nehemiah’s restoration of Israel’s worship in song (today’s reading in Nehemiah 12) through instruments and choirs doesn’t apply to us because it is just the Old Testament. In fact, for many of us Nehemiah’s instruments and choirs ARE gopher wood and strange fire. (I bet if I looked hard enough through my old sermons, I’d find that point in there somewhere.)
Our reading today does illustrate one huge difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and it has nothing to do with worship styles. In our Old Testament reading from Nehemiah 13, Nehemiah’s final reforms focus on the removal of Gentile influence from Jewish life. Gentiles had intermarried with Jews and Gentiles were even using storeroom in the Temple itself. In fact, the biggest Gentile enemies of Jewish restoration (Sanballat and Tobiah) are mentioned here. Jewish religion had to remain pure from pagan influences, and this demanded that Jews separated themselves from Gentiles.
In our New Testament reading from Acts 13, Paul is preaching for the second time in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia. The is an organized opposition from the Jews there, and Paul ends his sermon by saying, “We had to speak the word of God to you [the Jews] first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). Paul applies the prophecy of Isaiah to himself, “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13:47).
For Nehemiah, faithfulness meant excluding Gentiles. For Paul, faithfulness meant including the Gentiles. Paul says that the cross tore down the dividing wall that the Law (a covenant between God and Israel) had created (see Eph 2:14-16). The difference between the Old and New Laws is not really about worship forms and formats; Paul was perfectly comfortable with Jews carrying over many of those forms and formats from the Old Testament to the New... as long as they didn't bind them on Gentiles. The real difference is that now as we are brought to God through Jesus, we are also brought together as one people, one church.
Our reading today does illustrate one huge difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and it has nothing to do with worship styles. In our Old Testament reading from Nehemiah 13, Nehemiah’s final reforms focus on the removal of Gentile influence from Jewish life. Gentiles had intermarried with Jews and Gentiles were even using storeroom in the Temple itself. In fact, the biggest Gentile enemies of Jewish restoration (Sanballat and Tobiah) are mentioned here. Jewish religion had to remain pure from pagan influences, and this demanded that Jews separated themselves from Gentiles.
In our New Testament reading from Acts 13, Paul is preaching for the second time in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia. The is an organized opposition from the Jews there, and Paul ends his sermon by saying, “We had to speak the word of God to you [the Jews] first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). Paul applies the prophecy of Isaiah to himself, “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13:47).
For Nehemiah, faithfulness meant excluding Gentiles. For Paul, faithfulness meant including the Gentiles. Paul says that the cross tore down the dividing wall that the Law (a covenant between God and Israel) had created (see Eph 2:14-16). The difference between the Old and New Laws is not really about worship forms and formats; Paul was perfectly comfortable with Jews carrying over many of those forms and formats from the Old Testament to the New... as long as they didn't bind them on Gentiles. The real difference is that now as we are brought to God through Jesus, we are also brought together as one people, one church.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Back From Camp
The ol' blog was off-line all last week because I and 32 folks from Denbigh (16 staff and 12 campers) spent the week at Camp Idlewild in Surry, VA. This was my 31st year at Idlewild (I started when I was 9) after taking 12 years off. This year we worked with kids in grades 4-8, a span of ages from 9-14 years old. I have never had a year where so many of the people there came from my own church family. It really was a lot of fun. I had intended to post to the blog from camp, but there was never enough spare time to indulge in such frivolities!
It was in one sense a blessedly uneventful week compared to some weeks in the past. No one exploded poisonous gas bombs outside the girl's cabin or threw cherry bombs into the campfire... both of those have happened in the past. Two precious souls were baptized, and that is certainly not uneventful! The kids really seemed to get closer to each other as the week wore on. And they were really more into singing than in past years; we must have sung "Prince of Peace" 25 times.
It was a great week. I have to say that I have missed ol' Camp Idlewild for the last decade or so. And I don't mind admitting in this public forum wouldn't mind doing it all again next year. But then again, this public forum does have an edit feature!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Sue the Bible Guys!
A man named Bradley Fowler is suing Zondervan, the Bible publishing company, for $60 million because the company published a version of the Bible that translated the word for “homosexual” as “homosexual.” Fowler claims that because his pastor used a Bible published by Zondervan, he preached that homosexuality is a sin, and thus Fowler's “family considered him a sinner and he suffered.” So now he is entitled to $60 million to compensate for “the past 20 years of emotional duress and mental instability.” (Well, he does seem to have proved the "mental instability" part of his lawsuit).
In the list of sins that keep one from inheriting the kingdom of God in 1 Corinthians 6:9, the Greek word arsenokoites is rendered as “homosexual offender” in the NIV. The KJV renders the word as “abusers of themselves with mankind” (not as clear and apparently not as offensive to Mr. Fowler). Because the NIV is clear, it is being sued! (The NET better really look out; it redners the two Greek words here as “passive homosexual partners" and "practicing homosexuals.” One might could get the impressiion from that translation that homosexuality is a sin ).
OK, not everyone believes the Bible. And not everyone believes that homosexuality is a sin. And some scholars do suggest other possible translations of the sins Paul condemns. But to sue a company that publishes (they didn’t do the translation themselves) the Bible because your preacher takes it seriously and his preaching makes you feel bad? Come on!
I'm not one to pound the podium agaihst homosexuality as being the worst of all sins. It is a perversion of nature... but so is gossip, which is actually condemned more in the Bible. But let the Bible say what it says! I once heard a panel discussion of scholars debating what the Bible says about homosexuality. The scholars that defended homosexuality as not sin made this statement, “Except for the Old Testament and the writings of Paul, the Bible doesn’t really condemn homosexuality.” That is a pretty sizable chunk of the Bible.
In the list of sins that keep one from inheriting the kingdom of God in 1 Corinthians 6:9, the Greek word arsenokoites is rendered as “homosexual offender” in the NIV. The KJV renders the word as “abusers of themselves with mankind” (not as clear and apparently not as offensive to Mr. Fowler). Because the NIV is clear, it is being sued! (The NET better really look out; it redners the two Greek words here as “passive homosexual partners" and "practicing homosexuals.” One might could get the impressiion from that translation that homosexuality is a sin ).
OK, not everyone believes the Bible. And not everyone believes that homosexuality is a sin. And some scholars do suggest other possible translations of the sins Paul condemns. But to sue a company that publishes (they didn’t do the translation themselves) the Bible because your preacher takes it seriously and his preaching makes you feel bad? Come on!
I'm not one to pound the podium agaihst homosexuality as being the worst of all sins. It is a perversion of nature... but so is gossip, which is actually condemned more in the Bible. But let the Bible say what it says! I once heard a panel discussion of scholars debating what the Bible says about homosexuality. The scholars that defended homosexuality as not sin made this statement, “Except for the Old Testament and the writings of Paul, the Bible doesn’t really condemn homosexuality.” That is a pretty sizable chunk of the Bible.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Family Values Statement
One of the first US laws to legitimize divorce took place in 1787 when a prominent gentleman named Isaac Governeur petitioned the New York Legislature for a divorce from his wife who had been unfaithful. The petition was referred to a committee chaired by Alexander Hamilton (yes, that Alexander Hamilton). The committee decided that divorces could be granted by the courts of new colony only on the grounds of adultery. Ironically, Governeur’s divorce attorney that successfully represented him in that divorce lawsuit was Alexander Hamilton.
Hamilton’s legislation remained in effect in the State of New York until the 1966 New York Divorce Reform Law. Until that time, the only way to secure a divorce was on grounds of adultery. What if you wanted a divorce and your spouse would nor cooperate and commit adultery. You could hire someone who would claim to be the other woman (or man, I suppose) for the purposes of divorce. One 20-year-old mother of three named Sarah Ellis was named as the “other woman” in 35 divorce cases in 18 months. She was paid $10 per divorce for her services.
There is an old saying, “You can’t legislate morality.” Of course, that is exactly what we legislate! The things that are illegal are so because they are wrong. But then illegal actions that come to be accepted will eventually cease to be illegal. Over time, the grounds for divorce were expanded to include things other than adultery. And now in most states today, adultery is not even permitted as a legal grounds of divorce. My how times change?
Want to make a strong statement about family values and the sanctity of marriage? Make your marriage work. Granted, that kind of statement takes time; my own family values statement has taken 30 years up to this point. But it is gaining credibility, I think. It is rather ironic that so often the political candidate that supposedly supports family values is the one who has himself been divorced. Not a very stable family values platform.
Hamilton’s legislation remained in effect in the State of New York until the 1966 New York Divorce Reform Law. Until that time, the only way to secure a divorce was on grounds of adultery. What if you wanted a divorce and your spouse would nor cooperate and commit adultery. You could hire someone who would claim to be the other woman (or man, I suppose) for the purposes of divorce. One 20-year-old mother of three named Sarah Ellis was named as the “other woman” in 35 divorce cases in 18 months. She was paid $10 per divorce for her services.
There is an old saying, “You can’t legislate morality.” Of course, that is exactly what we legislate! The things that are illegal are so because they are wrong. But then illegal actions that come to be accepted will eventually cease to be illegal. Over time, the grounds for divorce were expanded to include things other than adultery. And now in most states today, adultery is not even permitted as a legal grounds of divorce. My how times change?
Want to make a strong statement about family values and the sanctity of marriage? Make your marriage work. Granted, that kind of statement takes time; my own family values statement has taken 30 years up to this point. But it is gaining credibility, I think. It is rather ironic that so often the political candidate that supposedly supports family values is the one who has himself been divorced. Not a very stable family values platform.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
The Aroma of Christ
In his book What’s So Amazing About Grace, Philip Yancey tells of an experiment he conducted several years ago (the book is copyrighted in 1997). He asked every non-Christian person that he came in contact with, “What comes to mind if you hear the phrase 'evangelical Christian'?” He says that the answer that he most often gets has to do with political positions on what what Christians are against-- anti-homosexual, anti-abortion, pro-censorship of the web, etc. He says that he even hears some people mention “The Moral Majority.” a group that disbanded years ago. What most non-Christian people don’t seem to connect with “Christians” today is Jesus Christ. Yancey writes, “Not once—not once— have I heard a description redolent of grace. Apparently that is not the aroma that Christians give off in the world.”
So what’s the point? Yeah, that’s what I want to know! What is the point of wearing the name of Jesus if we are unsuccessful of bringing Him to the minds of people around us? The fact is, Jesus had a pretty “street cred” with the marginalized, powerless, sinful and unchurched of His day. Maybe we need to do better?
So what’s the point? Yeah, that’s what I want to know! What is the point of wearing the name of Jesus if we are unsuccessful of bringing Him to the minds of people around us? The fact is, Jesus had a pretty “street cred” with the marginalized, powerless, sinful and unchurched of His day. Maybe we need to do better?
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
They Humbled Themselves
Our Old Testament reading for today (2 Chronicles 12) tells of Solomon’s son Rehoboam and his first "official act" as the first king of the divided kingdom of Judah (often referred to as “Israel” in Chronicles since the Chronicler doesn't cover the northern kingdom called “Israel” in Kings). Rehoboam’s first official act as king was to be invaded and overwhelmed by Shishak, the king of Egypt (2 Chron 12:6). God makes it plain that this crisis was brought about because Rehoboam and his people were not following God. Rehoboam and all the people repent, and God acts to remove the Egyptian threat. Notice just a smattering of verses from this story—
We aren't very good at grovelling, are we? We tend to apologize by defending our actions as if they were really understandable reactions to circumstances beyond our control. We say things like, “I sorry I said those things, but I had this really bad day at work…” That suggests that our really bad day somehow justifies (or at least mitigates responsibility for) our bad behavior.
One guy that I once went to school with did some terrible things that created some very serious legal problmes for him (and even more serious problems with God). He went forward one Sunday night to "repent," and part of his statement to the church was to read a couple of passages on forgiveness and inform the church that they were now required to forgive him. That not really repentance, is it?
Even Rehoboam, who was no spiritual giant, understood that repentance meant throwing down all pretext of pride and falling down before God begging for His grace. We would be better at repenting—to God or to one another—if we understood this as well.
- “The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves” (6)
- “The LORD saw that they humbled themselves” (7)
- “Since they have humbled themselves” (7)
- “Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD’s anger turned from him” (12)
We aren't very good at grovelling, are we? We tend to apologize by defending our actions as if they were really understandable reactions to circumstances beyond our control. We say things like, “I sorry I said those things, but I had this really bad day at work…” That suggests that our really bad day somehow justifies (or at least mitigates responsibility for) our bad behavior.
One guy that I once went to school with did some terrible things that created some very serious legal problmes for him (and even more serious problems with God). He went forward one Sunday night to "repent," and part of his statement to the church was to read a couple of passages on forgiveness and inform the church that they were now required to forgive him. That not really repentance, is it?
Even Rehoboam, who was no spiritual giant, understood that repentance meant throwing down all pretext of pride and falling down before God begging for His grace. We would be better at repenting—to God or to one another—if we understood this as well.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Solomon and Me
2 Chronicles 9 tells of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon to discover for herself whether the reports of his great wisdom and wealth were true. When she got there, she played “stump the wise guy,” but none of the questions that she asked were too hard for Solomon to answer. The text says that when she saw his wisdom, his palace and all the trappings of his wealth, she was “overwhelmed” and said—
Solomon’s reign was not about making his people happy. And it was not about making God happy. Solomon’s reign came to be all about Solomon. All his wealth, building projects, wives, foreign treaties and power were the attempts of a man who had everything to get just one more thing. Solomon chronicles all that for us in Ecclesiastes, and in the end he found it all to be a “chasing after the wind,” and a “vanity of vanities.”
Solomon had everything and he had nothing. Solomon had all the trappings of wealth, power and prestige, but there is no indication that he was ever happy. Maybe we need to remind ourselves of his story the time we decide that we just have to have that one new thing that will make us happy.
“The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. (2 Chr 9:5-6)Solomon was an impressive guy. Based on the gifts that she brought him at the beginning of her visit, the Queen of Sheba was not without resources. And yet Solomon impressed her. One translation said that Solomon’s wisdom and wealth “left her breathless and amazed” (2 Chr 9:4). Well, Solomon did have a way with the ladies! It is what follows that I find interesting. Immediately after she makes her statement about the reports not even being half right, she says—
How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! (2 Chr 9:7).Solomon’s people must have been so proud, so happy because of his greatness and majesty. Well, not really. The beginning of the next chapter tells us that Solomon was not cold in his grave before the 10/12’s of the nation rebels against his son because of the severity of the taxation that Solomon had to impose on his people to put on the kind of show of wealth and power that left the Queen of Sheba so giddy. Solomon's people were not happy because of his wealth; they were oppressed because of it.
Solomon’s reign was not about making his people happy. And it was not about making God happy. Solomon’s reign came to be all about Solomon. All his wealth, building projects, wives, foreign treaties and power were the attempts of a man who had everything to get just one more thing. Solomon chronicles all that for us in Ecclesiastes, and in the end he found it all to be a “chasing after the wind,” and a “vanity of vanities.”
Solomon had everything and he had nothing. Solomon had all the trappings of wealth, power and prestige, but there is no indication that he was ever happy. Maybe we need to remind ourselves of his story the time we decide that we just have to have that one new thing that will make us happy.
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