Faithfulness in Real Life

Tuesday morning at 11:00 a.m. at our building we will say our final good-bye and pay our last respects to our sister May Rhodes. May passed away last week after a valiant battle against a host of health issues. May is an great example of someone who refused to let her struggles get the best of her, an example of faithfulness in real life.

Life was not easy for May when she was a girl or a young woman. If she ever shared her story with you, you'll know that this is a tremendous understatement. And in recent years, May's multiple health issues have been a constant and continual struggle for her. And yet, every Sunday that May could possibly and physically be here, she was right here at church, wearing her trademark hat and giving her trademark answer, “I’m doing all right.”

 At May’s side for the last 41 years were husband Gene, also an examples of faithfulness in real life. I don’t know how one holds down a full-time job and then also serves as a full-time care-giver and encourager, but Gene did. He was always here with May and always has a smile on his face, even if sometimes that smile was one of sheer exhaustion. One of the lines from the traditional marriage vows pledges faithfulness “in sickness and in health.” Gene was a man who took that promise seriously and thus provides the rest of us an example of what faithfulness looks like in real life.

How many people use problems in their past or our struggles in their present as excuses to give up on living life with joy and faith that God will make every all right? How many husbands and wives give up on their marriages because of problems and issues that really don’t look all that great when compared to those May and Gene faced every day? Faithfulness in real life is keeping your focus on God and your commitments to one another as you just put one foot in front of the other day after day. Sometimes life doesn't come easily, but God is always good. Thanks May and Gene for showing us what faithfulness looks like in real life. And may God's richest blessings be on the entire family during this difficult time.

Camp Idlewild 2013

Another year of Camp Idlewild is in the books. Camp has been a labor of love for me since I went for the first time when I was 9 years old. There haven’t been too many summers in my life that I wasn't trudging around many of those 72 acres in Surry County, As I get more mature (i.e. “old”), it is harder to generate the needed energy for camp each year, but I am always glad that I went back.

The 2013 installment of Camp Idlewild was one of our best. We certainly were blessed with the best weather ever; I didn't have to reschedule a singe event because of rain or heat (first time that has happened). Our overall numbers were off a bit— 17 girls and 9 boys, but what we lacked in sheer numbers we made up with enthusiasm and volume! We did have one serious injury as Esther Stevens broke her collarbone the very first day, but we are glad to hear that she won't need the surgery they feared that might be required. In fact, Esther went back to camp this week with the senior high group.

Our theme for the week was “The Amazing (G)Race.” We looked at the "Amazing Race" we are called to

live in the Christian life and we can only live in through God's grace. Our Bible classes were based in Philippians and God’s call to “press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Our devotionals at night looked at the “Fork in the Road” decisions that some Old Testament characters (Daniel, Joseph, David, Abraham, and Josiah) had to make in their amazing race and how we make many similar decisions that impact our lives both now and in the future. The kids did a great job staying with us in classes and during devotionals. One highlight was when Peter Stephens and Jacob Potts stepped in to lead singing at devo after Roger and David left camp earlier Friday.

Thanks to all who worked so hard to make camp such a success-- Roger Brown (my right hand man who abandoned us a day early... though I have no hard feeling), Sean Goodyeon (our wild and crazy athletic director), David Stevens and Sarah Reasons (who did a great job as Bible Teachers), Lynn Tucker (our camp nurse), Bruce Gaynon and Scott Carr (our “Energizer Bunny” handymen who never stopped the whole week), Cindy Byrd and Dawn Tanner (great job with crafts, canteen and several other jobs), Wally Nooner (our intrepid head cook) Sara Goodyeon (Wally right-hand assistant) and Angela Johnson (who took care of the dining hall). I can say enough about the job Will Respess, Jacob Potts, Afton Adkins, Kimberly Respess and Crystal Sweatt did as my youngest group of counselors ever... and some of the best.

Thanks to everyone who made this week special-- campers, staff, our Denbigh church family... and especially thanks be to our God.

Being Smart

I was watching a newscast the other day on PBS about a new law recently in D.C. requiring that large companies that operate in the district pay a “living minimum wage” of $12.50 an hour. Wal-Mart has threatened to shelve plans to expand into the area if this law is passed. Two financial experts with opposing views presented the pros and cons of this law, disagreeing strongly with each other. It wasn't their points I noticed; it was how they conducted themselves.

Both of the experts were respectful, they never interrupted one another or attacked each other even though they plainly disagreed and clearly thought the other guy was completely wrong. There were no personal attacks or charges how “you people” always are. I didn't just think they were both smart guys; I also thought they were nice guys. How different is that from the sideshow of CNN, Fox News or MSNBC where people scream at each other, wave their arms and constantly interrupt as they talk over and past each other. It was just refreshing to listen to an exchange of ideas without all the theatrics.

In Acts 17, Paul is invited to speak before the philosophers and at the Aeropagus in Athens. They were people who had nothing to do but sit around and talk “about and listening to the latest ideas” (Acts 17:21). Paul had to have been a little annoyed at this point; he had just been run out of Thessalonica and Berea, and all the shrines to pagan idols around him were bothering him. So how does Paul conduct himself as he speaks to these pagan professors? Well, Paul compliments them on their displays of piety and faith (17:22), points to one of their shrines (17:23), and even quotes from their poets (17:28). His presentation of God and faith is respectful, He seems to go out of his way to find both common ground and something to commend about their beliefs. He doesn’t compromise anything about the message of the gospel, but he wants to find the best way to communicate. He refuses to be argumentative or combative. He isn’t about winning arguments; he is trying to win hearts and souls.

Maybe there is a reminder here when we get into discussions of issues, politics or even our faith. Volume and theatrics may make a good show, but they don’t convince anyone who doesn’t already agree with you anyway. Maybe in our discussions, we need not to not try so hard to be smart... and try harder to be nice.

Teens for Him

Our teens did a great job last night sharing some of their experiences from the Mid Ohio Valley Work Camp (MOVWC) that they participated in last month.  One of the inconveniences that happens when you have small groups on Sunday nights (rather than a single large group gathering) is that you don't have ready-made opportunities to have special events shared with the church family.  I'm glad we had this chance to get all the teens that participated up front of the church talking with us about this special time of service and sharing with youth groups from all over the eastern part of the country.

Below is the quickly thrown together (but then extremely low quality) video that we showed last night of the specific houses that our teens had a hand in painting.  These were all houses that shared two things in common-- they desperately needed a coat or two of paint and their owners were not financially or physically able to do the work themselves.  If giving a cup of cold water in Jesus name doesn't loose it's reward, how wonderful is it to paint someone's entire house!



 What a great opportunity to serve others in the name of Jesus and meet other teens that were committed to serving in the same way.  Below is a link to local news coverage of this ministry.

http://www.thenewscenter.tv/home/headlines/MOV-Work-Camp--212392081.html

Jesus Friend of Sinners

A church recently observed a special anniversary as a congregation, and everyone who had ever attended there was invited to come back for a special service. A facility was rented for an after-church meal and several past and present preachers were asked to speak. People travelled from far and wide to attend this special service. In fact, the service was so special that one family member who had not been to any church churches in more than thirty years decided to come to honor the memory of a grandfather who was a former elder and “who would want me to be there.”

Timing (as they say) is everything. It just so happens that the week before this anniversary, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and refused to reinstate Proposition 8, cases that both have a profound impact on the recognition of same-sex marriage. One of the speakers for this special anniversary service used the event as a bully pulpit to rail against the Supreme Court, the homosexual agenda and called the church to take a stand against militant homosexuals. There were stirring “amens” as many agreed with his points. But as it turned out, the family member who had not been in church in more than thirty years is a homosexual. He is not “militant,” but he is indeed smart enough to know where he is not wanted— and he will likely never come back to that church. Or nay church.  Jesus was known as someone who “receives sinners and eats with them.” Sadly, His church has never seemed to work very hard to build up that same reputation.

I understand the frustration many feel with “the direction of our country.” I sympathize with those who fear our culture is going to hell in a hand-basket. I pray that our country’s leaders will lead us in the ways of peace and holiness even as I doubt that they can really lead us anywhere at all. I do believe that the practice of homosexuality is a sin… just as I believe that heterosexual sex outside of marriage, divorce for reasons other than adultery, and married people abusing alcohol are all sins as well. All of those things are legal. All of those things are bad for the institution of marriage. None of those things were prohibited by the Defense of Marriage Act.

Christians must stand for Christian morality, but we do that by living it. Seriously. Graciously. We do not stand up for Christian morality by holding up signs (literally or metaphorically) proclaiming that God hates certain people. We do not stand up for Christianity morality by standing in our pulpits railing against people  that we don’t think are there anyway. Jesus never attacked the sins of His culture of his day by standing on a street corner or in a pulpit screaming at people. He attacked the sins of His culture by sitting around a table and eating with sinners and calling them to “go your way and sin no more.”

Standing up for Christian morality has nothing to do with the political direction of our country and everything to do with us as sinners holding up the crucified Christ so He draws other sinners to Himself. We will never be followers of the One who was a friend of sinners if we are intent on driving sinners away from Him. We are not the true friends of sinners if we say nothing to them about Jesus and His will for their lives, but the chances are pretty good that we will never get to do that if we are too busy screaming at them. I can't help but think of the words of a song by Casting Crowns—

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners,
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy;
 Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Such a Worm as I

Hymnal editors have this tendency to edit hymns to make them more “theologically sound” (i.e. “politically correct”). Ellis Crum’s old Sacred Selections had dozens of examples.  "When We All Get to Heaven" became "When the Saved to Get Heaven" (we don't want people to think we are universalists). The line in "Amazing Grace" that originally read, "How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed" became "the hour I first obeyed" (There will be no  faith-only here). And "Doxology" became "Praise God" (we didn't want anyone to think we were a high church church… not much of a problem if you are singing from Scared Selections). 

Sometimes songs are edited evidently to protect our own shaky egos. One hymnal changes the line in "Amazing Grace" to read "that saved and set me free"  rather than "that saved a wretch like me."  We don't want our people to feel bad about themselves. Our current hymnal (yes, we have one; we just don't use it) does the same thing with "Alas and Did My Savior Bleed." We sing "would He devote that sacred head for such a one as I?" What Isaac Watts wrote was, "for such a worm as I?" Worm? We don't want to damage our sensitive self-images by referring to ourselves as "worms." I'm a bit surprised we didn't rewrite "I Need Thee Every Hour" to read "You Need Me Every Hour" and include a version of the Mac Davis’ classic, "Lord It’s Hard to Be Humble When You're Perfect in Every Way."

So David was wrong to lament that he was a worm (Psa 22:6). And Job was wrong to feel hopeless, like his mother was a worm (Job 17:14) and Bildad was wrong to agree with him (Job 25:6). And maybe Paul was being too hard on himself when he said, "What a wretched [or "miserable"] man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Rom 7:24). The only other time that this word “wretched” is used in the New Testament is in Jesus’ description of the proud Laodicean who were actually "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Rev 3:17). They could not repent and change until they recognized their true condition before God. Without God, we are all miserable worms without hope... beyond a place where worms don't die.

We do need to have a healthy self-image (a smart, good-looking guy like me recognizes that).  But that self-image needs to be healthy in the sense of accurate, not simply positive or inflated. Paul writes--

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us,” (Romans 12:3, NLT). 

The beginning of a true and proper self-image is in seeing how desperately we need God.  We need to understand that our worth and our value depends on Him and not upon us. We are not basically good people who get can pretty close to heaven's entry requirements on our own and who only need God's help to get us over the top with the few things we can't do ourselves. We are all wretched and miserable worms who are transformed into the children of God only through His goodness and grace (1 John 3:1-3).

Lessons from a Shredder

Last night, I finally finished the overhaul of our home financial records that I began two weeks ago. To suggest that I’m not the most organized person is an understatement. We have a two-drawer fire file that was jam packed with receipts, canceled checks and paid bills from 2005 to the present that weren't so much "filed" as crammed crammed together waiting for someone to let loose the shredder.  And that's what I did. Along with the receipts and bank records that I needed to keep were all kinds of useless things that were there just because I hadn't taken the time to throw them out...

• Owner’s manuals for appliances we haven't owned in ten years. 
• CD-ROM’s of software that won't run on our computer 
• CD of classical music (I think it came with a copy of TurboTax). 
• A 3-year warranty on a dishwasher we just replaced (after 10 years) 
• Proof-of-Purchase info for things I had forgotten I ever owned 

Not everything I discovered was such junk. I did find (stuck in a old folder of computer documentation) the original 1977 copy of our wedding certificate! That one I kept. But much of the stuff discovered is so worthless that calling "junk" doesn't do it justice! All of those manuals, sales receipts and warranty cards represented purchases of things that at one time were sources of great joy or at least great relief. Buying the new microwave and dishwasher that allowed life as we knew it to continue. When did things that we at one time knew to be optional luxuries suddenly become absolute necessities?

What this exercise in my lack of the spiritual gift of organization reminded me-- we spend a lot of time accumulating things that don't really matter all that much... things that won't matter at all ten years down the road. Jesus words in the Sermon on Mount came back to me as I was sitting there in front of the shredder destroying all the old records that were at one time brand new—

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) 

God expects us to be good stewards of the material things with which He blesses us.  And there is certainly nothing wrong with buying a new dishwasher or microwave. But we had better make sure that we are storing up much of our material stuff in a format that won't get old or shredded. Brand new shiny things always quickly become rubbish unless we use them to the glory of God. When we use our stuff to bless the lives of others, then we convert our material things into a format that will last forever, and we create a record that the shredder can never touch!

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Get Some Joy

When I was eleven or so, our family went to the state fair in Richmond. I really don't remember much about the trip, except riding a rickety roller-coaster that felt like it would fall over the whole time. And I remember is Dad dragging us to “The History of Coffee” exhibit. Now this would be fascinating to me today, but at the time it was much less interesting than the cotton candy vendor working the next tent down. I griped and complained just long enough (for Dad, that’s about 3 seconds) for him to to point at me and say, “Listen friend, you are going and you are going to like it.” Can you really do that? Can you command an an eleven year old to have a good time at the history of coffee exhibit? Well, I went.

The book of Philippians is the go-to New Testament book on the subject of joy. There are all kinds of refrigerator-magnet type statements to remind of the joy we have in Christ. However, I think there is something about these familiar lines that we can miss if all we do is read them as inspirational statements on joy.

• So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Phil 2:18) 
• Further, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! (Phil 3:1) 
• Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Phil 4:4) 

And there are other such statements.  But while Paul does talk about joy in this book, he never really accuses the Philippians of having any! These are all hortatory or command statements— he is commanding them to “get some joy.” In fact, Philippians 4:4 can be translated, “Get some joy in the Lord. I’ll say it again: Get some joy!” So Paul sounds just a bit like Dad telling me, “You will do it and you will like it.” We don’t think of it that way, but Paul commands joy the same way that he commands prayer and thankfulness (see 1 Thess. 5:16-18). OK, we might want to say, "But I'm not by nature one of those a happy, joyful people." Paul seems say, “That's OK…  REPENT and go out get some joy!”

If we find ourselves complaining about everything and being critical of everyone, then it just might be that we're missing something important about the kingdom of God. Rome was a church that was fussing and feuding over the critical issues of Christian faith and practice… like observing holy days and eating certain meats. Which is silly, of course. They should know have known that the really critical issues to argue over have to do with praise teams and whether women can service communion like they do every other church meal! Actually Paul’s point here is somewhat different—

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17) 

If we aren't experiencing the joy of the Holy Spirit, then we aren't doing something right. Get some joy!

Sunday Nights and Disposable Time

Our Sunday night “Body Life” small groups are on hiatus for the summer, and we're trying something a little bit different. We're not going to meet together at the building in a reprise of the traditional Sunday night service. One former member used to call this “The J.V. Service,” a basic repeat of the Sunday morning format using “Junior Varsity” songleaders, scripture readers and prayer leaders. What we're going to do this summer is much more radical (radical for us) than it sounds:

• Sunday Night Live: The second Sunday night of each month will be a big blowout worship service at the building. Our praise team will lead us in worship (including learning one new song a week) and I'll lead a discussion-based Bible study (Francis Chan is team-teaching with me this week… though he doesn't know it). We'll have child-care, a potluck and we're appealing to everyone (not just the usual Sunday night crowd) to join us for these three special services during the summer.
• Sunday Night Group: Our building group will continue during the summer as well. We have people who always come on Sunday nights, and we don't want to discourage them. And we have some who only come on Sunday nights, and we certainly don't want to discourage them. But everyone else, do do kinda want to discourage coming... because we want to emphasize part three.
• Sunday Night Service: We are asking those who don’t come to the building to use Sunday night as a time for fellowship and service. Invite people over to your house for Sunday night dinner… using Jesus’ guidelines about who to invite (Luke 14:12-14). Visit people who Jesus says needs someone to visit them (Matt 25:35-36). Take on a project as a family (or group of families) to serve someone who needs a little light in their lives (Matt 5:14-16). 

One of our former elders used to say that most people have only a limited supply of "disposable time."  The more you ask people to spend time unproductively or less productively, the less time they will have to spend on things that really matter.  We hope this will be a better use of our disposable time.

Something has been bothering me (well, enough to bother me, but evidently not enough for me to do something about it). We have a great group of young adults and young families who are part of our church, but when I look around on our traditional Sunday night and Wednesday night gatherings, they aren't here.  What I see is people who look a lot like me-- older (not old) people. People who attend these services are folks who have always attended every service "every time the doors are open."  But our younger people aren't there. Why?  Is it because they just aren't as committed to God? No.  It’s because they don’t gauge their commitment to God solely and primarily on the basis of attending a church service three times a week.  They don't have the disposable time for something they really don't connect to serving God in the first place.

I read recently that about 15% of our “Millennials” (young people born between 1980 and 2000) are “Christian” in any real sense of that word. About 70% of Millennials believe that churches—all churches—are completely irrelevant to modern day life. And the Millennial who has parents who are only nominal Christians (or church goers) will likely completely divorce themselves from Christian faith rather than adopt their parents’ lukewarm faith. Changing around our services is not going to make much of a difference. But we do need to face the fact that equating “Christian faith” with “going to church three times a week” isn't really working for us. And to continue to do the same thing while expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

Make the World Go Away

Talk about someone who quits preaching and goes to meddling! Pastor David Barton told the morning gathering at Whitesburg Baptist Church that they would all have to quit drinking Starbucks coffee and find something else to spend their $5 bucks on. Why? Starbucks “come out” (pun not intended, but I decided to leave it in) in support of gay marriage. Actually, Starbucks was one of 70 companies in 2011 that filed a brief in federal court opposing the Defense of Marriage Act restricting the definition of marriage to that between a man and woman. If I was really serious about this blogging gig, then I spend some time tracking down the rest of those companies, but I trust that you can use Google as well as I.

Should we boycott companies that support things that we oppose? I remember the time when preachers urged us not to buy groceries at any grocery store that sold beer and wine. You don't hear that much anymore… we'd all starve!  I also remember the discussions back when Bush Gardens first opened in Williamsburg,  Can Christians work for a beer company? Can we buy tickets that will profit a beer company? Believers have to wrestle with questions like these as long as we live in the world and yet seek not to be of the world. Are these simple questions? Pastor Barton thinks so— 

Biblically there is no way a Christian can help support what is attacking God. I am sorry. You have got to find something else to drink. You can't drink Starbucks and be biblically right on this thing. It is just a real simple principle.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I took a sip of Starbucks after I typed that last line.  But it's OK-- I brewed it myself and didn't actually set foot in a Starbucks.  At least, I hope that's OK!

Seriously, are some good reasons to "boycott" Starbucks… like paying $5 for a cup of coffee!But saying that we can never do business with a company because they support things that we don’t think they should support will  limit where we can do business… and how we can influence our world.  Paul tells us that to “boycott” those in the world who are immoral would mean that we would have to "leave the world" (1 Cor 5:9-10). He asks, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?” (5:12). Too many of us want the world to behave and be more moral so that it will be easier for us to be Christian. So let’s make it illegal to be sexually immoral. Let’s boycott and drive immoral companies out of business! Let’s make sure there aren't any immoral shows on TV. Sounds like we're singing the old Eddie Arnold tune, "Make the world go away."  Well, it won't.  The world isn't going to behave... we have to! 

Jesus was constantly condemned by the Pharisees because he spent too much time getting much too friendly with tax collectors and sinners. If Jesus was here today, He just might be hanging out at Starbucks buying them all a cup of coffee.

On Speaking Salty Words

Last month, 75-year-old Marion Shurtleff walked into a newly opened used bookstore and bought a very old and used Bible. It was a different version from the one she usually reads, and she thought it would be nice to be able to compare how the wording has changed. She found much more in that Bible than she expected. Inside her brand new old Bible was a folded up sheet of yellowed paper. When she unfolded it, the first thing she noticed was her own name. The paper was an essay on “Be Kind to Animals” that she had written as a young girl to earn a Girl Scout merit badge. The essay had been written more than 60 years before and 2000 miles away in her hometown of Covington, KY. She has no idea how it got there, but she is now busy playing Colombo trying to retrace the travels of her long forgotten essay.

This unusual story of coincidence reminds us of the fact that we don’t live isolated lives. We impact others. The things that we say and actions that we take today can have an influence on the people around us., and that influence can last far beyond today. Like Marion Shurtleff, we may find those words and acts impacted us in the future. Paul says,

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6) 

The problem is we never know which of our words will be the ones to have a lasting impact on someone. Hey, if you knew which one of your essays would turn up 60 years down the road, then you could give special attention to make sure that was a good one. And if you knew which one of your words or actions will be the one that will have a lasting impact on the people around you, then you could give special care to make sure that the word or action really counted.

That's the problem.  We don't know which words or which action will be the one that someone will remember and be impact by. These words may be the careful, prayerful invitation you make to a neighbor to visit church with you; they also might be the kind words you speak on the fly to a cashier who was just  treated rudely by the customer in front of you. Your words that last just might be the Sunday School lesson that you teach after hours of preparation; but they also might be something you say off the cuff that encourages someone in the middle of a particularly bad day. We don't know which of our essays will turn up down the road… so make them all count. Make the most of each and every opportunity to speak words that are seasoned with salt.

From Out of the Whirlwind

What was the first thing that you thought of when you heard a massive tornado had struck Moore, OK, leaving dozens dead, including 9 school children? Likely it wasn't, “I should quote where Job’s kids are killed in a tornado. That is exactly what John Piper tweeted-

“Your sons and daughters were eating and a great wind struck the house, and it fell upon them, and they are dead.” (Job 1:19) 

Many saw that as a wee bit insensitive, although I'm not sure but that Piper was just looking for some Bible words that fit the situation.  At any rate, he quickly took down the tweet. The reason that many saw the tweet in a negative light is that Piper has something of a history when responding to similar tragedies. When a tornado hit his hometown of Minneapolis, he attributed it the Evangelical Lutheran Church  convention softening its stance on homosexuality. He’s made similar statements on things like the Asian tsunami (2004) and the Minneapolis bridge collapse (2007).  Read this post by Rachel Held Evans for longer look at some of Piper's past statements on tragic events.

John Piper is perhaps the best known leader in a modern revival of  Calvinism, the doctrine that says that everything that happens is predetermined by an all-sovereign God who gives life and salvation at His whim with no regard for human faith nor repentance. God predestined some people for hell, and He gives them no choice and no room to repent. Jesus didn't even die for them; He only died for the elect-- who themselves have no freedom to reject God’s saving grace. We choose nothing; everything that happens in the world does so because it has been determined by God. So if God wants to kill some kids in Oklahoma for no reason, well then that’s up to Him.  When you are a Calvinist, there can be no explanation for anything that happens in the word other than God did it.

God does indeed speak out of a whirlwind in the book of Job, but it was not the storm that killed Job's children. That tornado was generated by Satan to hurt Job and prove that his faith would buckle under pressure. Sure, God allowed Satan to have free reign, but God most certainly did not plan the tornado. The whirlwind from which God speaks in the Book of Job is at the end where God does come to job, but not with the explanation Job wanted.  God essentially says,

“Job, there is so much that you can’t understand; it should not surprise you that you can’t understand your suffering. Just trust me here.” 

And Job does. And so must we. In times of tragedy and heartache and loss, there are no easy explanations.  All there is faith.

I believe that Piper’s explanation fails precisely because it is an explanation. Sure, I believe it’s an explanation based on false theological presupposition that is wrongly forced on life to explain a tragedy. But it ultimately fails because it tries to explain in human terms the “why” when that is the one thing that human understanding can't handle. Job wanted to understand why. And God spoke from the whirlwind to say, “You can't understand, but you can always trust.” And that’s what we need to do.

What I Have I Give You

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6, Tuesday's Daily Bible Reading)  

What would have happened if Peter and John would have been on their way to the bank rather than to the Temple when they met the lame man? If they had silver and gold in their pockets, would they have just given the man a denarius and gone on? Probably not! Peter and John were called to shared what they had— and that was Christ. No, they didn't go out that day to specifically look for a chance to preach. But they were willing to share what they had. They began with the physical (health) and then they shared the story of Christ.

Are we willing to share what we have so that the story can be told?  God has blessed us with so much— both His physical blessing and saving grace.  Some were blessed to grow up in Christian families, being taught from the cradle about God.  Others came to know about Him because someone was ready and willing to share what they had been given of God's mercy.  We know the word of life because God placed someone in our lives who knew Him and who were willing to share what they had. Are we? 

Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy told of an aunt who didn't seem to have the time to answer his questions about Auntie, why did they torture Him?" she said, "Because they were wicked." Tolstoy inquired further, "But wasn't He God?" and he asked her to explain more about the crucifixion    But instead of explaining the story,  she said, "Be quiet; I'm going to the dining room to have tea." This left young Tolstoy greatly frustrated. Calvin Miller would comment on this scene—

Tolstoy found it incomprehensible that Christ had been brutalized and his aunt was not interested enough to stay a little past teatime and talk about it. 

We say that the story of the cross is at the center of our faith.  Do we act that way?  Are we willing to share with others what have?

All the Difference in the World

Someone has suggested that Easter in our materialistic world is something of a “cosmic Freudian slip.” In a world totally dedicated to the stuff of the here-and-now, the hereafter somehow sneaks in and makes itself known at Easter time. Because this traditional holiday is traditionally connected to the story of the resurrection, people will pause amid the bunnies, baskets and bonnets to ponder the story... and for a moment, the possibility of eternity sneaks in. And that is a good thing.

Or is it?  Why is it that singing “Joy to the World” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” somehow seems out of place at any other time of the year except Christmas? It's because we have so connected the story of the birth of Jesus to the holiday of Christmas that the holiday is the only time that we think much about it? I wonder if we do the same thing with Easter? Is the resurrection such a traditional Easter message that we think about it only during the Easter season? I did a very quick look back through some of my old sermons (spending too much time doing that is depressing). From what I could tell, about half of the sermons I have preached on the topic of the resurrection have been around Easter time. That sort of makes sense— I know I'm preaching an Easter-theme sermon, so I save the resurrection-texts for that time of year. So has resurrection become a seasonal message?  I hope not.

In the New Testament, the power of the resurrection is a daily spiritual force in the life of the Christian. The resurrection isn't just a historical fact for us to believe; it is the in-breaking of God into our lives. Paul talks about the new life we have through the resurrection (Rom 6:4). We're raised to live above sin in this resurrection power (1 Cor 6:14-15) that is at work within us (Eph 1:18-20). It was that resurrection power that Paul wanted through knowing Christ (Phil 3:9-10). The power of the resurrection is not just a comforting message for us as we contemplate death in the future; it is the power of God in us for in LIFE in our present.

This story that we read yesterday and today as we closed our reading John's gospel is not just God reminding us that He can raise the dead. He is also reminding us that He has power over the train wreck of our lives to raise us to live this life anew. That’s why the story of the resurrection is of first importance (1 Cor 15:3-4). It makes all the difference in the world.

Are You Blind?

In our reading for today from John 9, a man that had been born blind was miraculously healed by Jesus. Not knowing what else to do with him, his friends brought him to the Pharisees. A blind man receiving his sight would normally be reason for rejoicing by all... except for two things. It was Jesus who had healed the blind man and he had healed him on the Sabbath... and the  Pharisees did not appreciate either of those two things.  They immediately dismissed the healing and began to attack the healer, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath" (9:16). They could read the calendar, but they could not see a miracle! Unschooled common folk may mistakenly focus on the miracle, but the Pharisees knew that the critical issue here was the day upon which it occurred. God wouldn't work on the Sabbath, so this could not be from God!

So the Pharisees began to pressure the formerly-blind man, trying to distance him in some way from the miracle... and the miracle worker. But the formerly blind man was seeing things clearly, and he saw right through the pettiness of these Pharisees! The man states simply that Jesus must be a prophet (9:17). When the Pharisees insisted that Jesus of was a sinner (after all, he healed on the Sabbath), the man sarcastically responds, "Whether he is a sinner or not I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see” (9:25). This formerly-blind man saw things much more clearly than did the Pharisees. For him, the essence of religious truth was not to be found in dusty tomes or trust tradition or lumbering logic; it was rather seen in the power of a changed life. The Pharisees could argue tradition and theology until they were blue in the face. The one thing he knew was that his life had been undeniably altered by the power of God and by a miracle-worker who had come from God.

Do you really want the world to see the truthfulness of your Christian faith? By all means, study the scriptures so that you can make an informed case for Christianity. By all means, prepare a line of reasoning so that you can present faith to others in a logical way. But when you get right down to it, most people are pretty pragmatic. Your logic and scripture will mean very little if you are not living a positive, dynamic and holy life that shows that your faith makes a real difference. Peter put it like this in 1 Peter 2:12--

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

If your faith in God makes you a better friend, a better co-worker, a better family person, a better neighbor, a better person, then people will listen when you talk about it. But if faith doesn't have any real impact on your life in any visible way, then why would they want to listen to you talk about it? The greatest argument for the truthfulness of the faith is the lives of people who take it seriously! Otherwise the world will continue to be blind to the power of Jesus.

Why Do We Follow Jesus?

Today's daily Bible reading from John 6 is a transition text in John’s account of the ministry of Jesus. It is also  one of those texts that demands that we question why it is that we are disciples of Christ in the first place. Jesus has just performed his most public and celebrated (it's in all four gospels) miracles. His support is now at its highest point— the people want to make him king whether he wants to be or not (6:15). Jesus evades this crowd in a rather dramatic fashion (6:16-24), but they are persistent and pursue him to the other side of Galilee. 

Jesus knows why this crowd is persistently dogging him-- they want free bread (6:26).  He uses that to transition into teaching a spiritual lesson about the bread of life (6:33-35). and it is right here that Jesus loses much of his audience. He starts talking about the Father’s will (6:35-40) and demanding they eat His flesh and drink his blood (6:52-58). Remember, this crowd wants to force him to be king and is following him only because he is giving them free food. But Jesus wasn't interested in making those the point of his ministry. His will was to do the will of the Father (6:38).

Question: Are many who follow Jesus today doing so because they are trying to make him king (politics) and want him to give them free food (material things)? When people who aren't Christians stumble across people talking about Jesus on TV, what message is usually being touted? Why is it that people follow Christ, at least in the minds of people who don't?

• Politics: One of the biggest complaints non-Christians (especially young people) have about the church is that it is too political. Evangelical Christians are known for a particular political point of view and agenda. Are there still disciples who still want to make Jesus an earthly, political “king” even though Jesus is clear that he had no desire to be one.
   
• Food: The most visible media presentation of the church that people see is the “Health-and-Wealth” idea that touts Jesus as power to give you stuff that you “name and claim” in his name. Faith in Christ is the power to have what you want… even though Jesus called the crowd’s bluff when he saw they were only interested in free food. 

To a politically and materialistically motivated crowd, Jesus taught and demanded “hard things” (6:61) that caused many to stop following him. He wanted those who were his disciples to be so out of a desire for the things that he was about. He wants us to be so consumed with him that it is as if we eat his flesh and drink his blood. Just as Jesus came to do the will of the One who send him, so we are to do the will of the one who sent us. We need to make sure that we're following Christ’s agenda and not our own.

More Marlarkey

This past Sunday I mentioned in passing the popular (false) doctrine of goes by titles like “Word of Faith Movement” or the “Prosperity Gospel” or the “Health-n-Wealth Theology.” The basic idea is that we are God's children and He wants his kids to have the very best of everything—jobs, cars, houses, clothes and (perhaps) Rolex watches. Those who have real faith in God and who act on their faith in the right way will receive these material blessings from God. I suggested that the Greek word for this (with a nod to our vice-president) is "marlarkey."

I didn't realize that my sermon illustration Sunday was “ripped from the headlines.” I happened across these two stories in the news aggregate this morning—

• Peter Popoff, the controversial televangelist who amassed millions from his so-called "prophetic anointing" is now hawking baggies of "miracle spring water" that promises to rid its drinkers from financial debt. The wealth-attracting water is being marketed through Popoff's website and cable TV infomercials.
• Todd Coontz, the founder of RockWealth International Ministries and a national televangelist is telling viewers that if they will act obediently and send his ministry a minimum of $300 (“a recovery seed donation”), they will receive a “supernatural change” in their lives and be blessed with “God's triple favor anointing.”

Why do to these guys make such ridiculous claims? Well, because people send them huge amounts of money! Popoff was rather famously exposed on the Tonight Show years ago (back when some guy guy named Carson was doing it). Watch this clip from Inside Edition—



Popoff is now back on TV with a whole new following doing the same old shtick and making millions hand over fist. Should that surprise us? Peter says “in their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories?” (2 Pet 2:3). He calls them “experts in greed” who follow in the steps of Balaam the prophet (2 Pet 2:14-16). Jude warns about “shepherds who feed only themselves” (Jude 12). Paul says they these guys “think that godliness is a means to financial gain” (1 Tim 6:5). So it should not come as a total shock to us that there are shady charlatans who try to use God as a way to make a quick, dishonest buck.

The question is. “Why do people keep sending them money?” I mean, how hard is it to Google “Peter Popoff” before you send in your check for the miracle water cure for financial debt? It took me 10 seconds to find the above clip on YouTube (I had seen the segment years ago live on Johnny Carson... back when I could sit up past 9:30 at night). This information is there for anyone to check, and yet this guy makes money hand over fist claiming to be have little baggies of holy water from God. Ultimately, Popoff and his ilk are making millions telling people what they want to hear. False teachers will be held responsible to be sure (2 Pet 2:3), but then so will hears with itching ears who pay these guys to tell them what they want to hear  (2 Tim 4:3-4)

3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Jesus and Gun Control

Some time ago long before Newtown and right after a highly publicized church shooting, a reporter from the Daily Press called to ask me what I thought about armed church members during worship. I said that I didn't know exactly what I thought, though I leaned toward the view that fewer places with people packing heat was generally to be preferred over more places. I do think having armed brethren and sisteren while discussing church music or some other issue is not a great idea. Frankly, I have brothers and sisters on both sides of the gun control debate—

• Some believe that all guns should be outlawed or strictly controlled… or strictly controlled and then outlawed.
• Some believe that guns should be not be controlled at all and that bullets should be handed out like Halloween candy.

Me?  I always stand with my brothers and sisters! Personally, I think there would be less violence in the world if there were no guns than there would be of everyone had a couple-- so that's the direction that I would prefer moving.  But then is that either logical or realistic? Of course not! But the one thing that doesn't seem to be required for a position on gun control is being logical or realistic. I surely don't have any definitive answers… but neither does anyone else!

Our reading today from Luke 22 is one the texts that comes up in gun control discussions among Christians. Jesus is preparing the apostles for his coming crucifixion. After the Last Supper and the prediction of Peter’s denial, Jesus says, "Remember when I told you not to take any money, a bag or extra shoes with you on your ministry? Well, now you need all that stuff… and a sword to boot!" (See Luke 22:35-36). In fact, he told them to sell their coat to buy a sword!  (I'd like to know where you can get a sword for the price of a used coat!) The apostles probably didn’t understand this anymore than they understood the prediction of his coming crucifixion and resurrection, but they respond, "We have couple of swords between us." Jesus says, "Two is enough."

Why does Jesus want the apostles armed? Later when he is betrayed, Jesus stops the apostle ot apostles who use the two swords to defend him (Peter swinging both swords?  Sounds like him).   Jesus heals the man hurt by the sword play before Jesus stepped in to stop it (Luke 22:51). He clearly contrasts His ministry and movement with a rebellion led by people with swords and clubs (Luke 22:52). It seems that Jesus wanted his disciples armed but He did not want them using the swords in His name. He wanted them and the world to know that He was giving himself over to be crucified because that was His choice and not because His servants would not fight to protect him.  Christians should never use violence to promote or defend the kingdom of God. The use of the sword is part of the kingdom of men (Rom 13:4), but Jesus sees a marked difference between the kingdom of men and the kingdom of God (Mark 10:41-44). Power and violence have their place in the kingdom of men; the only power in the kingdom of God is that of service and a cross.

But what does this text have to say about guns and Christians today? Some see it proving that Jesus approves of His disciples OWNING firearms? Other argue that it shows that Jesus prohibits his disciples from USING firearms. I think Luke 22 probably proves the same thing that modern statistics prove about gun violence and gun control-- it proves whatever you believed before you read it!

Me?  I think two swords are enough!

Kingdom Come

Years ago, I bought entitled Soothsayers of the Second Advent by William Alnor. I bought the book for two reasons— it had a catchy title and it was (literally) in the bargain bin for $1.97. The book was written 25 years ago and most of the end-time predictions with which it deals are too dated to be directly helpful. He mentions things like--

• The Jupiter Effect: The rare alignment of planets that was seen as Revelation's “signs in the sky” that would usher in the end-time.
• Identification of Antichrist: Various suggestions from Henry Kissinger to Pope John Paul II to Ronald Reagan.
• Mark of the Beast: Its our VISA card (VI= 6, zeta= 6th letter, and “a” is backward 6). OK, once a month I'm willing to entertain the idea of VISA as the mark of the beast.
• Gog and Magog: The former leaders of the USSR were Gromecho, Ogarkov and Gorbachov.  God!  Give me some time and I could probably find a Magog in there someone too.

The book was written before the Y2K, Harold Camping or Mayan calendar debacles, so it misses many newer examples of this same end-time frenzy. Alnor debunked the hot end-time theories of his day and provides a warning for the soothsayers of the present. You'd really think that eventually the soothsayers would cease saying sooth, but then people keep buying what they're selling!

Jesus himself tried to derail some soothsayers in our reading for today in Luke 19. He was coming near Jerusalem, and there were those who thought “the kingdom of God was going to appear at once” (NIV) or “immediately” (ESV). The NLT puts it, “to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.” In other words, many of the Jews expected that the Messiah would come and immediately establish his kingdom in Jerusalem. They had the end-time all figured out, and if Jesus was the Messiah, then they had him all figured out as well. In fact, they were ready to make him their king whether he wanted to be or not! (see John 6:15). As Jesus draws near Jerusalem, there was an expectation that something was about to happen (it did, but not the something they expected). So Jesus told a parable to stress that God’s kingdom was different type of kingdom (Luke 19:12-24)

This "Parable of the Minas" is very similar to the "Parable of the Talents" in Matthew 25, though it has a slightly different setting.  Here a nobleman goes to a distant country to have himself declared king and leaves servants in charge of his estate. This actually has something of a “ripped from headlines” quality—Herod Archelaus travelled to Rome in B.C. 4 to secure permission from Caesar to take his father’s title as “King of the Jews.” As in the parable (v. 14), a delegation went to Rome in protest… and lost. As in the parable, Herod Archelaus killed his political rivals on ascending the throne. So Jesus seems to use a familiar story as the basis of this parable.

The basic details here are the similar to as the more familiar parable in Matthew 25. The master goes away and the servants don't know exactly when he will  return— only that he would return. The servants had to be ready for their master's return, and the way they were to be ready was to use the money that he left behind in their care. The specific financial details of the two parables are different--

• In the Parable of the Talents, the servants are given different amounts with the productive servants making the same return.
• In the Parable of the Minas, the servants are given the same amount, but they present a different rate of return to the master.

In both parables, the servant that is not ready (who has not put his gift to work) is condemned. And the basic point of both parables is the same—we don't know when the master  is coming, so we must use what he gives us now so that we will be ready when he comes.

Remember, Jesus told this parable to people who thought that “kingdom come” was coming at any minute. He isn't trying to disabuse them of that believe; He is rather trying to get them to see that coming means. And what it means is that we must be ready at all times because we can't know when kingdom come will come. Does the Bible leave the impression that Jesus is coming soon?  No!  It comes right out ands says it!

• Romans 13:12- "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here"
• James 5:8- "Stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near"
• 1 Peter 4:7- "The end of all things is near"

Jesus really is coming soon, but soon is always God's own timing and not our own. When one days is like a thousand years, then how soon is soon?  Soon could be at any time. And if the end could come at any time, then it could be NOW!  That doesn't mean that we should look for signs in the sky or climb tree to get closer to him when he comes. The point is that we'd better be busy doing kingdom work now so we will be ready for kingdom come when kingdom comes. All of those "coming soon" texts are ETHICAL in nature. Jesus is coming soon, so we'd better be living in a certain way.  We'd better be spreading our talents and minas around now so that we'll be ready for kingdom come--

• Romans 13:12- "…so let us put aside the deeds of darkness."
• James 5:9- "Don’t grumble against each other or you too will be judged"
• 1 Peter 4:7- "…Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled."

It's Our Job!

Steve Raab went with us on one of our mission trips to Ukraine. Actually, I should say Steve returned with us from one of our trips to Ukraine. He couldn't leave at the same time as the group, so he travelled by himself and joined us a few days later. On the bus ride across New York City from JFK to LaGuardia (or visa versa), Steve’s bus had a near miss with a taxi cab. After exchanging a few words through the window, the driver got off the bus and screamed at the taxi driver for a couple of minutes. He then got back on and was preparing to drive off when he turned to his passengers and said, "Hey, it's my job!"

"It's my job."  What do we do as disciples of Jesus that isn't part of our job? We are way too good at compartmentalizing our lives, breaking it down into parts that belong to work, family, and recreation with a little left over for God and church. We fit in part of our lives for God, but a lot of it seems to get squeezed out by other things.  The only thing wrong with that idea is that it's wrong. Our daily Bible reading from Luke 17 reminds us that nothing we do us above and beyond the call of our duty—

7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? (Luke 17:7-9)

In the first century, most slaves were “household slaves” who were owned by families who could afford only one. So the slave was expected to work hard all day, do household chores, take care of kids and cook the food. (OK, that’s sounds a lot like my wife, but I digress). This household slave worked hard and wore many different household hates. And Jesus asks, “Does one serve your slave dinner or even thank them after they've worked all day?” We would, but you have to remember the culture. The slave existed for the benefit of the master, and everything the slave does is for the mater.  It was their job.

OK, Jesus, so what’s your point? That's the problem; His point is obvious.  We just don't like it very much. There’s no “above and beyond the call of duty” for the slaves of the Almighty God. Everything that we do, we are to do in God’s name and for His glory. Whether we are at church, at work, with our family or pursuing our hobby—it’s for all God. Why? Because He is God and we're his slaves. We must to serve Him. It’s our job!

16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:16-18)