Merry Christmas? Weighing in on the Controversy

There is a "koan" (a Zen Buddhist literary device intended to shock the hearer/reader), attributed to 1rst Century Zen Master Linji Yixuan, that states "if you meet Buddha on the road kill him."  There are varying interpretations of this koan out there but nearly all assume a single notion--if one meets Buddha it will not be the REAL Buddha (only a false one or a perception--because Buddhist are pantheist the true Buddha exists in all things--not in a single entity).

I have thought MUCH about this lately...having tried my hardest to ignore, what seems to me like stupidity (?), on the part of so many who seem to have so little understanding of the faith that they pretend to profess.  In an attempt to be fair I want to, at least, hope that these zealots are well-intending, and actually THINK that they are doing the right thing (I am trying to be gracious and give some credit where it is due)...but instead they are actually making our lives more difficult.  Let me give you a couple of "for instances":

(1). Keeping CHRIST in Christmas
To start with...Christ IS Christmas (and by that I do not mean Dec 25th!)--therefore, you cannot remove Christ from Christmas. By definition Christ IS Christmas...so stop complaining that the world is being the world and instead SHOW them the Christ of Christmas by your attitude, generosity, etc... The "far right" (add your own definition) would have us to believe that our "rights" are being violated or that we are being repressed, at WORSE...persecuted. We are being NONE of those things (I know that is a grammatical nightmare...but grant me a little latitude here). Our rights are not being trampled on...we have just as much right to say "Merry Christmas" as anyone else has (at any time or any place)--but our constitution also grants that same right to anyone who may want to say "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Kwanzaa" or "Happy Hanukkah." If postmodernism has done anything--it has made it clear that we are all on the same footing. This line of logic is the same naive realism that assumes that someone who was not born in the US should adopt English as their primary language (while I agree that everyone living in the U.S. should be able to speak the language to a certain degree--to be able to communicate--that is NOT the same mentality that says, "love it or leave it.") Remember the lady in the harbor "give us your poor...huddled masses"--her name, I think, is "Liberty"--I guess those concepts are not as important as they used to be.  If you want to say "Merry Christmas"--feel free it is your right--simply don't assume that your right should be adopted by everyone everywhere--if people don't wish you a Merry Christmas don't feel violated or go into a tirade about how people are taking Christ out of Christmas--instead let your speech be "seasoned with salt"--"let your gentleness be evident to all" "let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

(2) Prayer in Schools
Why do Christians assume that we alone have the right to exercise our "freedom of religion."  I believe (though I am not a legal scholar) that the freedom of religion clause in our constitution allows everyone equal "freedom" to practice.  If you want your children to pray to God in school then be prepared for Buddhist, Muslims, Satanist, Jews , etc...to recognize their deity as well (and for atheist to deplore and be against ALL deities!). No one can stop you or your children from praying during school hours or on school grounds--the school simply cannot publicly recognize one above the others...and clearly to allow time for all would take too much time away from the educational process (the concept of education in the U.S. is a whole other post!). We are not being persecuted when we are told that the school system cannot publicly sanction prayers at events--rather, we are being told that our constitution is being interpreted to its logical conclusion--there is room for everyone. Remember the pledge of allegiance to our flag "with liberty and justice FOR ALL"--or are those words intended to mean "only people like us who believe the exact same things as us?" PRAY--the bible commands it and it is vital to the health of our spiritual vitality ("pray without ceasing" is a command in the original language)--feel free to do it at every sporting event, throughout the entire event if it so pleases you--you can even pray aloud if you like--you just can't force everyone there to pray with you AND you are not being persecuted if they choose NOT to join you!

There are MANY other examples (the Ten Commandments, and others) but I think you get the idea. Recent research from Lifeway suggests that growing anti-Christian sentiment in the U.S. will actually have favorable results...as it has in other cultures this growing cultural tide of anti-Christian sentiment will once and for all kill off the "American Jesus" (and that will be a good thing!). Eventually so many now who claim to be "Christians" (by name only Christians who want salvation without Lordship, and would rather attend Church than be a disciple of Jesus) will be driven away and those who are actively seeking Christ and pursing a relationship with him by acting out their faith will actually cause the Church to grow.  In other words, persecution is coming (and Christians are actively being persecuted in our world)...but persecution is NOT...not having your way (or the way it has always been in America...at least over the last 200 or so years--cause clearly American history is more important than world history--BOTH have an important place).

"If you meet Buddha on the road kill him."  I like it! It suggests that we need to ALWAYS be re-evaluating our perceptions. In the U.S. we hold no more sacred perception than that of our "American Cultured Jesus"...but does that perception seem to "hold water" when we read Scripture? Christ IS Christmas: go and live like this is true in your life: feed the hungry, love the unlovely, treat your enemies well, shelter the homeless--it is NOT about "social justice" (the whole "social gospel" thing has already been tried and found wanting--Google: Walter Rauschenbusch)--it IS about continually negating the effects of worldliness and radically transforming our minds so that we can perceive what God's good, pleasing, and perfect will is for us in Christ Jesus (cf Rm 12:1-3).

"I believe, help me in my unbelief"

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas... "God bless us...everyone!"  

The Myth of the Ugly Bride

I have titled this post the "myth" of the ugly bride because I don't think that there is such a thing as an "ugly bride" (I COULD be wrong...maybe that is where the tradition for the bride to wear a veil came from??  But there is some helpful info about brides and veils here assuming you might be interested in that line of thinking). Having just turned fifty years old I have had the occasion to attend, be a part of, or officiate over a LOT of weddings and in each case, I believe, in some how and in some way, to some person...the bride was beautiful. When speaking of brides during the month of October, our minds often move quickly to the image above...the "Bride of Frankenstein"...the quintessential "ugly bride."

Brides are an ongoing part of the biblical narrative (cf Jacob working to gain a bride [Gen 24]; The entire book of the Song of Songs; and the prophet Hosea who is told to marry a prostitute, etc...), however the most vivid depiction of a biblical "bride" is ongoing. In the closing chapters of the book of Revelation the Spirit shows John vivid imagery of a bride, a bridegroom, and the wedding of the Lamb (who can be known from the imagery in Rev. 5 as Jesus). Just like today...in biblical times brides, grooms, and wedding were BIG deals...sometimes they were parties that lasted for days! It is hard to believe that any account of such a thing could be in any sense "ugly."

However, if you are a user of social media, you know that the biblical bride of Christ (the Church) has taken a beating. Postmodernity rightfully leveled the playing field and here in America our illusion of a "Christian Nation" has come crashing down around our heads. The Church has finally been revealed for what it REALLY is: FULL of broken, sinful, hypocritical, well-intending but sometimes downright hurtful, PEOPLE who are in desperate need of redefining our relationship with Jesus.  The truth that no one is confessing is this...biblically, this has been the case all along...READ THE WORD!! The problem is that this fact, in the world of modernity, has been covered up and everyone was told that Christians, who make up the Church, were striving for perfection and it was really quite the "angel factory"--quietly pumping out morally superior humans who had their "stuff" together...but it was all an illusion.

All that being said...an astounding Truth comes to light...it has been that way all along AND in spite of THAT very situation (the illusion mentioned above) God has chosen the Church to carry his message to the world...they are to be His hands and feet. Paul says it like this...the Church are (yes I know that the form of the verb to be is improper but so is the typical grammatical use of the word "church"--by using "are" plural I am implying that the term "Church" means the people of Christ...NOT a structure) Jesus' AMBASSADORS to the world. I dislike the political connotation of the term "ambassador" but it IS correct..think of it in these terms...in the Ancient Near East an "ambassador" was someone who brought greetings to/from and on behalf of a king.  Paul's word picture here is simple...the Church (christians) are to bring a message from the King to the people.  The disappointing fact is that THIS is exactly what has been happening...the problem is that it has too often presented the wrong greeting and message.

Because of this the bride is looking a little "used" in our world today.  What once appeared as beautiful, and unsoiled...surrendered herself to the villain of the culture of modernity and lost her "first love." But the God who sent the Spirit to "call out" and create the Church on the Day of Pentecost...is a HUGE God...a God of a bigger vision, and fortunately for me...a God of second (read MANY) chances.

I am convinced that the Church remains God's greatest tool for reaching a lost and hurting world with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Are there problems that need to be corrected? YES! Do things need to change? YES! In spite of what you might have read or heard (and YES statistically it appears that the Church is declining..but stats don't often tell the entire story) the Church is NOT, and will not Die (until God is done with her!).  The Church remains the "bride of Christ" but she is not an "ugly" bride (a myth perpetuated by those who are broken but do not yet know that they need "fixed")--she may be down but she is certainly NOT out, she may be soiled but can be CLEANSED, she may have faltered or chosen unwisely in some of her relationships but she REMAINS God's instrument of love, grace, peace, and hope:

⁷ Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” ⁸ It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8)

I believe...help me in my unbelief.

"Pastor Appreciation Month" Again...ALREADY???

Each year in the month of October I try to say something about pastor appreciation since October is "Pastor Appreciation Month." In my mind it is a "made-up holiday" to increase sales at the local Christian bookstore. Pastor's SHOULD BE appreciated every month...but since we are forced to "pigeon-hole" a month to celebrate allow me to elucidate.

I am a child of the 70's.  As such, at least growing up in my parents house, I listened to whatever music they listened to (at least until I broke the yoke of music slavery!)...which in my case was country music...and a LOT of it!  I don't listen to country today (it is really just bad rock) but I can recall a few songs here and there of what I was reared on...my mom was a Conway Twitty fan, and at some point he released a song called "Happy Birthday Darlin'." In this song he assures his "darlin'" that he didn't get her any fancy presents, instead he wants to take a few things away. You can check out the song in the video below:

If you have continued to read to this point you are probably confused...(it's okay I was confused when I typed it!). Here is the bottom line...your "pastor" (a term I am not wild about but will continue to use for the sake of clarity and continuity) is not looking for a gift or recognition.  If it comes from the local christian bookstore he already has it or doesn't want it...SO...perhaps this year you, like Conway Twitty, can give him something truly helpful and try to take away a few things that are making his life, his vocation, and his ministry more difficult than it has to be. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Take away his insecurity. Don't "appreciate" him once a year or a month of every year. Let him know that you continue to pray for him. Send him emails and cards, post on social media how much you appreciate all that he has given up to help lead you and your congregation ALL YEAR LONG!

2. Take away his burdens. Most people don't realize that pastor's are really only burdened about a few things: their family, the congregation they serve, and those dying without Jesus (and not necessarily in that order).  You can help alleviate some of that burden by helping him to care for his family (offer to babysit, give them a gift card for a night on the town, send cards and gift boxes to their children in college, etc...). He is making sure your family is cared for...why are so many pastoral families NOT cared for?  You can ease his burden by offering to help (it is required in Scripture) serve others in your congregation by whatever means that God has gifted you. You can free up more of his time...which is ALWAYS a gift.

3. Take away disunity and gossip. I know...we are mumbling to ourselves that we are not the cause of such things in our congregations...OF COURSE WE AREN'T!! But our stubborn refusal to participate in some things because it is "not for us" or "I don't like it" is a link in a chain that binds the pastor. Our backbiting and talking behind the backs of others is another link in what often seems to the pastor to be a "ponderous chain" (with apologies to Charles Dickens). Grumbling about things that are mere "likes and dislikes" prevent God from the blessings that your pastor is seeking on your behalf...we are not ready for it yet because we cannot stop dealing with the small things.

4. Take away his worry. As a small church pastor I can attest that their are fewer people to do everything that needs to be done to make ministry happen. Small things like making communion for worship, making sure that grass looks nice in the summer and the snow is shoveled in the winter, making sure there is toilet tissue, that the heat/air are properly adjusted...all these tiny details are things that small church pastors worry about because they don't have staff or people to take care of them. Can you be one of those people? I hope the pastor is delegating so that they are not doing all of these things (if they are there is a problem elsewhere!!) But trust me...these are things that WILL get blamed on the pastor if they are not taken care of.  He is the one who will get the call on Monday if it is too hot or cold during the worship service on Sunday. He is the one who will get the call if the grass is not cut or the sidewalk is not shoveled.  Instead of worry...give him peace of mind by taking on responsibility so you will know he won't get a call.

5. Take away his need. Most pastors feel a compulsion to make sure everything gets done that is on their "to do" list. If you have a few free minutes (and let's face it we probably do even though we lie to his face and tell him we don't because our schedules are already filled up with things that WE want to do)--why not help with his "to do" list?  Instead of feeding his compulsion...allow him more time to be in the Word, with his family, doing what HE loves for a change...because a lot of the time those things go undone because there is too little time left over in his schedule once he serves the needs of the congregation.

There are many more things that could be taken away but I think that you get the idea (thank Conway!). Before I close I MUST make this disclaimer...some people might read this and think that I am being harsh on the pew sitters.  Asking them to add to their already too busy lives seems a LOT to ask!!  I understand that. However, pew-sitters need to understand this...your lives are busy because YOU choose for them to be. There are only 24 hours a day---after sleeping, eating and work/school is taken away the rest of the time is for YOU to decide...MOST today do not choose wisely--they overcrowd their schedules with activities for themselves and their children that make their lives frenetic, chaotic, and impossible to manage. You pastor probably does that too...but he has also assumed responsibility for your life too, and the lives of every person in your congregation, not to mention those outside the congregation he is endeavoring to have an influence on.  He is not responsible for everything that goes on in your life...but because God loved him and called him he readily accepts that responsibility because God's love overflows through him to you and your family...so yeah...I'm a little hard on pew-sitters because so few understand what it is like to live in the ministry bubble...but in the end...they chose it because they feel called to it and you are a part of their calling...and you can help share the burden of their call by taking a few things away that tend to make life "inside the bubble" much more difficult than it has to be. As a congregant you are a joy to him...aren't you?

Pastors who may be reading this...I'm praying for you.

I believe help me in my unbelief.   

From Docile to Volatile

Watch the video below before moving on...

This clip from Tolkien's LOTR Fellowship of the Ring has long been a favorite of mine. If you are familiar with Tolkien's stories you will probably understand. But those who have not read The Hobbit or the LOTR trilogy (or seen the movie versions) may wonder what I am about to be driving at.

This scene, and the opening scenes of LOTR The Return of the King (Smeagol's transformation) show the depths of the effect that the "ring of power" has on the people it touches. Jackson hints at this from the very opening scene of The Fellowship movie when we hear Galadriel give a brief narration of the forging of the ring. For whatever reason, everyone who comes into contact with the ring is ill effected (we assume because it a source of evil power and corruption).  The longer the contact...the greater the effect of the ring (the very essence of understanding Frodo's character progression in the 3 books/movies...remember the phrase when speaking of Gollum.. "I have to, because I have to believe that I can come back" from the effect of the ring).

The scene above shows that even Biblo, docile, not given to fighting or dissension, Bilbo is not immune from the effect of the ring...he moves from docile to volatile at the mere sight of it!! 

Power is like that in our lives. It almost always has an adverse affect. Regardless of whether the power is real or perceived...it changes the way we approach life.

Nowhere is this more true than in the pew of the average church.  Power, whether perceived or real can be a dangerous thing.  When power is in balance there will be little problems...when it shifts things are going to change (remember...some people only PERCEIVE to have the power...but for them the actions are real all the same).

I recently heard a "leadership expert" (fill in your own definition of that term here_________) use a phrase the at first caught me off guard but then rang true with my experience... "the sheep bite!"

Having grown up in farming country I've been, at one time or another, around nearly every farm animal that you can mention...and some have NASTY dispositions..and they bite. Perhaps the only farm animal who has a decent reputation are sheep.  The tend to be docile, they herd well, and they are not difficult to keep because they don't appear to be the sharpest animal in the barnyard.

Perhaps that is why the Bible pictures Jesus as a shepherd and those who follow him as sheep? (hey wait a minute..I resemble that remark!!) I think, like most animals, if they are treated well they will treat us well...but there are exceptions...when they are ill treated they become ill tempered...even docile animals can be driven to violence when there is a perceived power shift in their lives.

So it is in the church...too often "the sheep bite!" People can move from docile to volatile in a very short period of time if they perceive a shift in their existence that they don't like. Unlike Bilbo in the clip above...they won't apologize for lashing out (because they think that they are right and justified in doing so)...but the CAUSE is the same, and that is what I'd like to leave you with.

What causes sheep to bite or Bilblo to lash out...the lingering effect of sin and evil in our fallen world.  When good has been diminished it changes people (to the core) and that is why God used such strong measures to deal with it by sending Jesus to the cross.  Only the cross can change people at the core--we cannot do that ourselves...it is NOT in our nature!  And once we have accepted God's gift it is a long and arduous process to becoming something other than what we were...so there are probably reasons why sheep bite!  I'm not excusing it...heaven knows I've been bitten more than a few times...but I've also bitten people.  I rather think that I like blessing people better than biting people.  The hard part is blessing the people who bite you...but it is what we must do to be like Jesus.

I believe help me in my unbelief.

Staying On Task Or Missing the Mark?

The older I get the more difficulty I have staying on task.  I am easily distracted and my mind is prone to wander from project to project. Perhaps I worry more? Heaven knows that there is a LOT to worry about these days.  I know lots of parents worry about their kids when they are small but I really didn't...however, now that my kids are at a critical point in life--I worry about them more than ever. I worry about our church...which in a way is worry about my own situation. When I sit at my desk or computer to study or plan my mind goes in a million different directions because there are SO MANY things that need attention. I watch the news...I worry about our world...Russia, Muslim extremism, Human rights, gender, race, the economy, what it means to be "an American," poverty, evangelism, education, the zombie apocalypse (which now...fundamentalist will say is a certainty because they are adding an openly gay character to "The Walking Dead")..the list is never ending.

I would NEVER want to go back in time to try and redo what has been done. It is over. Unlike many Arminianist who are really closet Calvinist, I do not believe that God has a plan for everything AND in the notion of free-will. If we have free will we play a part in directing the course of our lives and of human history. If we do not...then we are simply puppets dancing at the end of God's strings....as much as people want their "cake and to eat it to"--you cannot have it both ways. But I must confess that life was simpler back then...there was MUCH less to worry about (not in the world just in my life..naivete is a WONDERFUL thing). Not that am I old enough (I guess) to think of those times as the "good ole days." Every day is what we make of it...get over the past and yourself. The "good ole days"---without electricity, indoor plumbing, air conditioning, hot showers, and pop tarts (without those things NOTHING could be called "good")---instead what we mean is "days where we felt more comfortable" with ourselves and our surroundings.  The older we get the less "native" (to borrow a phrase from Len Sweet) we are because as the world quickly changes we become slower to adapt to the change--when it overwhelms us we begin to yearn for "the good ole days" when life was _______________________ (fill in the blank). Truth be told they were no better or worse...just different.  My church says...we want to sing the "old" songs...so I plan hymns from the 18th century--strangely...they don't know them...so I ask...what do you mean by "old?" I come to understand it means songs that they grew up with...songs that they are "comfortable" with.

But I don't want to be too hard on them...or me.  We were not the first to make comfort a priority. In Mark 10 Jesus teaches the "rich young ruler" that he cannot enter the Kingdom of God unless he sells all that he has and gives it to the poor.  The rule cannot accept Jesus' teaching because he is overly reliant on his material possessions for security.  Likewise, Jesus then teaches his own disciples how difficult it is for the wealthy to enter into the Kingdom. The clearly understand his teaching...being of good Jewish stock they realized that being wealthy and socially prominent were signs of God's blessings...however if the rich and well connected could not enter the Kingdom, Peter asks on behalf of the twelve, "then who CAN be saved?"

Jesus' reply is quite simple...salvation is the work of God (for us through the blood of Jesus) and He doesn't need any help...rather, he needs only one thing...a commitment.

It is at this point in the narrative that the disciples become all too human (and comfortable). "We have left everything to follow you!" (a.k.a. "what's in it for us?")--Jesus was making them uncomfortable! The threefold promise that Jesus makes SHOULD have helped, at least encouraged, but as far as we know it did neither...I believe it leaves the disciples DUMBFOUNDED (because that is the way that it leaves me). (1) to receive back in their life a hundredfold of what they have lost.  [Some will attempt to twist this to make it sound like material gain.  But how could that be when Jesus just taught them not to be reliant on material things? It is a promise...but not for material wealth on earth...but for something better.] (2) to be the object of suffering and persecution (now I am even MORE uncomfortable--suffering is the gift that no one wants!) and (3) to have eternal life in the age to come. FINALLY...some good news...but wait, the "age to come" sounds distant and not really relevant to the "here-and-now" (how will I pay my bills THIS MONTH???).

At another point, in the not too distant past (cf Mark 8:34-35) Jesus had given his disciples the requirements for being a follower of Jesus, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever want to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it." (I guess it didn't sink in too well??).

Discipleship (following Jesus) is about staying on a single task and not wandering (or wondering!) from it. Discipleship, by design, entails service and suffering (NOT comfort). We must enter into discipleship based on one thing...a radical commitment to love God and others through Jesus Christ...we cannot follow Jesus because of some hope that we will be rewarded (either in this life or in the next)--if we do---we will be disappointed EVERY time--it is the WRONG motivation to chose to follow Jesus simply to avoid hell or to get to heaven. What makes hell...hell is that God is not present there; and what makes heaven...heavenly is that we will dwell with God in perfection (all the things that make life here difficult [sin, death, tears, pain, temptation, suffering, etc...] will be done away with--the things that were "cursed" by the Fall [cf Gen 3] will be reversed and humanity will be restored to perfect fellowship with God and his Son--MUCH like life in Genesis chapters 1-2). These are the wrong things to motivate our relationship with Jesus.  We must enter into the relationship with our eyes open knowing the demands that will be put upon us (it was never intended to be easy!)...but we also enter with two VERY important promises. We will NEVER be alone, and we will be given the power of the Holy Spirit to allow us to overcome. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well" (Jesus in Matt 6:33).

I believe...help me in my unbelief.

Disappointed with God???

Have you ever been disappointed with God? Ever thought He was not holding up His end of the bargain? Seemed as though He was getting a little lax in keeping all those promises that He made that you frivolously applied to your own life? You are not alone! But maybe it is not God's fault...
 
Since 1938 when "Action Comics #1" (the comic where Superman FIRST appeared) hit the market America has been in love with superheroes. Don't believe me? Four significant stats...2012's "The Avengers" ranks third on the all-time money making list for films (it cost $220 million to make--to date it has earned over $1 billion); and recently, out of the 120 known to exist, an authentic "Action Comic #1" sold at auction for over $2million! Two words...Comic Con. Lastly, major studios have contracted for a slew of new superhero movies to be made through 2019. But why do we have such an obsession with superheroes?

First we must understand the culture that birthed the superhero. In 1938 (though Superman was certainly NOT America's first exposure to a superhero persona I am using him as an accurate test sample) the US was just getting over the Great Depression and WWI.  F.D.R. had promised Americans a "New Deal," but in Germany Hitler had already named himself the Fuhrer and was about to invade Czechoslovakia (which would eventually turn into WW II).  Let's face it...we needed a hero who, even though he was an alien, could move "faster than a speeding bullet," was "more powerful than a locomotive," and was "able to leap tall building in a single bound!"  LOOK..UP IN THE SKY...eventually he came to uphold such stalwart traits as, "truth, justice, and the American way!" It appears as though he was just the kind of hero we needed.

But to really understand HOW that happened we need to go beyond 1938.  One thing I neglected to tell you was that in 1938 the "Father of Modern Psychology" was nearing the end of his life. Sigmund unbeknownst to him, entering the last year of his life. It was his ground breaking and provocative work, "The Future of Illusion" (1927) that hold the key to this riddle.  Freud thought that one thing common to all humanity was fear. It was fear that drove the psychosis which lead to delusional thinking. Because of our unwarranted fears, Freud said, we "project" a defender. He said that because we have a sense of what is just and right we are offended when injustice occurs yet we are helpless to avoid it or overcome it...it is at that moment that our fears cause us to project a defender.  So, Freud concluded, because we fear death we project a "heavenly Father," because we fear the unpredictable and the unknown we project a "protective father" (Savior), and because we fear each other we project a God who is a "just judge" that will eventually set everything right.
Freud was,

So clearly...at least my understanding of Freud states that we want God to be our superhero when things are tough...He shows up and saves the day.  He is greater than all of our foes, and arrives in the "nick of time" to triumph over our foes and to stand for "truth, justice, and the American way!" Or does He?

It may be what I EXPECT...but, at least in my life, that has not always been the case. Is it possible that we have a wrong view of God?  Is it possible that we should NOT personify Him as a "superhero?" Don't be confused...I believe He IS just and righteous and at some point He will set ALL things straight, in His own way (not to be confused with my own perception of justice or rightness).

But our perspective is skewed because of our view of God.  Note this...John chapter 13 describes Jesus showing his 12 disciples the "full extent of his love"--when he took the role of servant and washed their feet...telling them...if you understand what I have done for you...you should do this for others.  In fact, he tells them that they will be "blessed" (a word we really have no grasp of) if they do it! So the way to save the world is to serve it.  PIECE OF CAKE!! 

An often overlooked fact concerning John 13 is this...Jesus, knowing full well who would betray him...served Judas...he washed Judas' feet to show him "the full extent of his love." WOW!! So we save the world by serving the world....ALL of the world...people who are not like us, not the same culture as us, not the same background as us, not the same color as us, not the same "religion" as us, people who don't even like us, people who will betray us!! YES YES YES YES!!! It is a risk we are commanded to take!! Jesus didn't just die for the Church, for Americans, for Republicans, for heterosexuals...HE DIED FOR ALL HUMANITY!!! To save the world we must risk serving the world in the way that Jesus did.

Just in case you aren't "getting" this...we show the world that God is a superhero who empowers us to be on his team. It is the love of God in the blood of Jesus displayed through believers that demonstrates to the world that God is good, and just, and that someday soon he WILL send Jesus to ride in on a white horse to take charge...but for now...the world needs servants, willing servants, who are not interested in going to church...but who are interested in being the Church. God is SO much bigger than "truth, justice, and the American way"...we live in a hopeless world, that needs hope...can you help?

I believe...help me in my unbelief.

Take the Long Way Home...

I have noticed lately that two words have pierced our postmodern vocabulary... "ON DEMAND."  With our current technology you can get nearly anything "on demand." Don't believe me...just take a quick look at the pictures below..

 

 

Is there anything that we cannot get "on demand?"  After all, the phrase, "there's an app for that" didn't just happen...it was guided by humanity's endless need for instant gratification (ever found yourself staring into the microwave thinking, "this is taking WAY too long!"). "On Demand" has become a way of life and is now beckoning believers to join the journey.

Unfortunately, churches have bought this mentality...that what the Kingdom of God needs to offer the world is "God on Demand" (hint God has always been there "on demand" it is called prayer!!). However, in our attempt to be "relevant" have have offered a less than biblical approach to salvation and discipleship where "on demand" tends to be something more akin to "as you wish" (remember The Princess Bride?) 

The problem is that is that following Jesus has NEVER been about ease, or comfort...it is NEVER "easy" to deny-self and to carry a cross (just ask Jesus!).

The New Testament talks frequently about "persevering" (the OPPOSITE) of "on demand." Paul reminds us that:
Love perseveres (1 Cor 13:7)
We are to persevere in life and doctrine (1 Tim 4:16)

James tells us:
Blessed is the one who perseveres (James chapter 1)
Blessed are those who HAVE persevered (James 5:11)

Even the Spirit praises the church in Ephesus:
"You have persevered and endured hardship...and not grown weary" (Rev 2:2)

But alas there is more... "you have forgotten your first love."

Love..by definition cannot be "on demand."  You cannot demand that someone love you (you can but it won't do any good!).  God cannot command us to love him and expect we will, like robots obey (you cannot offend free-will), and we cannot expect that God will love us "on demand" if we have not shown our lives to be willingly in submission to Him.

Yes we now live in an "on-demand" world, but followers of Jesus cannot allow this cultural trend to mandate our spiritual relationships...relationships take time to cultivate, navigate, and fulfill...on demand is fine if you want to watch a movie...but it will result in frustration if you expect to cultivate spiritual intimacy with the One who loves you most.  It was so well put by earlier "philosopher/musicians" Supertramp...back in the 80's when they said... "Take the Long Way Home!"

I believe...help my unbelief. 

A "NEW" Threat???

Garter Snake

In the scope of Scripture (especially in the creation narrative, and the book of Revelation) Satan is pictured as a serpent (snake). I have encountered MANY "snakes" (note I am using the word negatively but the bible does not always do so) in my time.  Some of these "snakes" were ACTUAL snakes that I ran across in the wild. As a boy in the Midwest I LOVED finding garter snakes. They were generally small,  non-poisonous, and NOT ill-tempered--the PERFECT pet for an enterprising youngster in the wilds of the Midwest.  But we always released them after a day or so to go back and do whatever it is that garter snakes do.

I have also met other varieties of "snakes" that were loathsome, and gave every appearance of "evil" (even though I now live in an area where there are rattlesnakes in the wild--I have yet to encounter one), and SOME of them were ACTUAL snakes that crawled on their bellies!

Recently, while researching something else I came across a snake that is, in my mind, the epitome of why Satan is often viewed as a snake...it is the African Rock Python (whose usual domain is in Africa [hence the name--where it is known as the "largest" snake] but has now infested, the already overpopulated with reptiles, US state of FL. Below are two pictures of the same snake that managed to gorge itself on a farmers' livestock and then get caught in his electric fence (not in the US).

NOW...let me give you a few facts about these particular snakes:

• They have "bent" teeth (see second picture) that are used to grab and hold their prey (these rows of bent teeth make it virtually impossible to escape once caught). However, they are not venomous, nor do they kill their prey by biting (since they don't inject venom).

•  They kill their prey by "constriction" (they are in the constrictor family!) That is to say that they "encase" their prey and squeeze. BUT...the prey does not die from the constriction (squeezing)...rather zoologists believe that the snake's coils put so much force on the prey that their body forces their heart to work too hard (just like blood pressure issues in humans) and the heart explodes/implodes within the prey because of the pressure put upon it to keep up.

• Once dead the snaked eats its prey head first (as do most snakes).

•  These snaked grow quite large and can eat an animal the size of  an antelope (there have been known human attacks and fatalities). Because they often eat larger animals (when available) they sometimes only feed sporadically (months at a time--depending on the size of the meal).

Now let me draw some conclusions...this snake's behavior, to me, in particular (and I am not "dissing" the snake--it is what it is) seems like a vivid and lifelike illustration of how Satan operates.

First he grabs and holds on tenaciously (until we fall prey to temptation--regardless of how "evil" it might be). Second, without the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, Satan will encase our very existence and begin to "constrict" whatever it is that God has in mind for us.

Left unrestrained he will eventually cause our hearts to work too hard (from the pressure that we are feeling, and our constant attempts at escape) and we will die.  Then Satan will consume our being, "head first" (so as to consume all the vital organs: brain, heart, lungs, etc... first)---we might still be kicking...but he knows that fight is over. Once the process is complete (bones and all) there is nothing left, no evidence, no marks, no suggestion that we ever existed...and that is EXACTLY what Satan wants...to steal your very existence.

It all seems quite gruesome doesn't it. Jesus states it rather eloquently when he states in John 10:10, "the thief (Satan) comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full (in abundance)."  Which life would you rather live?

I believe...help my unbelief...

"The REST of the Story"--The Bible

Paul Harvey

I grew up listening to Paul Harvey tell, "the rest of the story." It was an interesting gimmick. He would tease you with a portion of a great, but brief story, and then break for a commercial. Following the commercial he would detail the ending of the story, and end the broadcast by saying..."and that's the REST of the story" (or some variation like that). All those years listening I understood what he was saying but I never thought much about someone not having ALL of the story.

The medium of storytelling has ALWAYS been an important part of the human experience. Anthropologist tell us that truth was often handed down in story form in order to make it easier to remember. Biblical scholars tell us that the earliest Scriptures were first transmitted in an oral tradition (meaning more storytelling than oral teaching). Jesus himself was a master storyteller. Yet, somewhere down the line our notion of how important it was to tell stories was lost. Perhaps it because people were led to believe that "storytellers" were liars?  My grandmother, when I was younger, would always ask me, "are you telling me a story?" What she really wanted to know was... "are you lying to me?" When "tellin' stories" become too closely associated with "making up truth" we, being the enlightened and rational folk that we are, decided that storytelling, was less than honest and it lost its place in our culture.

Today, however, we are rediscovering the power of storytelling. I say "rediscover" but the truth is...it was NEVER lost.  As long as there has been art (in any form or medium) there has been story...we simply chose to ignore that aspect of it (although the shift to "reality TV" makes me wonder if we are more interested in "drama" than "story?"  It seems to me that MUCH of what is on TV today is no longer a narrative but personal drama lived out in the viewers eyes. It is not telling the story of the person, but rather forcing us to intrude on their existence...I loathe it!).

THE POINT...for many years academics downplayed the notion that the entire bible was a narrative (a story)--rather it was "two testaments" or a "book of law and a book of grace." But the truth is that the bible IS a grand story...not the story of origins or of human history of it is the story of what God has done in human history, (and what he is STILL doing and will continue to do), until everything that He began...He finishes. As so many preachers have previously stated, it is HIS-STORY.

When I teach my students about the bible...I teach it as a grand narrative. You cannot understand the end unless you understand the beginning and visa-versa. If you are not seeing the bible as a narrative you are not getting "the rest of the story."  I urge you to read and study the bible as an entire story (not picking and choosing)--at times it does seem like a puzzle but trust me the puzzle goes together MUCH easier when you can see the picture on the box (i.e. when you get the whole picture)!! To that end I want to share some resources that should help you along your way. I have used ALL of these, at various times, and in various ways, in my ministry and recommend them for your benefit (listed in no certain order):

 

The Bible as Narrative

The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story (Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen; Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI; ©2014 [2^nd edition]; ISBN #978-0801049569 ).

This may be my favorite of the lot. It is slightly more academic than the others but still very readable for anyone. It really does not employ any "gimmicks" or literary devices that are intended to be helpful. Rather, it is straight forward and well written from beginning to end...this book should be required reading for every believer.

 

Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples (Francis Chan and Mark Beuving; David C. Cook, Colorado Springs, CO; ©2012; ISBN #978-0781408233).

This little book is different than the rest. Its purpose is NOT to focus on the bible as a narrative (so it is odd that it should make the list!). However, in teaching disciples how to "multiply" Chan DOES deal with the bible as a narrative and leads the reader through the narrative of scripture. This book would be GREAT for small groups (the use I believe it was actually written for). It is not academic, it has a lot of helpful "surplus" materials that will facilitate further discussion, and it is intended to "deepen the well" from which discipleship flows. It is a quick and helpful read for anyone interested in making disciples (or getting a grasp on the narrative flow of scripture).

 

God's Big Picture:Tracing the Storyline of the Bible (Vaughn Roberts; IVP Books, Downers Grove, IL; ©2000; ISBN #978-0-8308-5364-9).

I have used this book for my "Introduction to the Bible Class" at the college level. It is a little too simplistic and not in-depth enough to REALLY do the job that it was intended to do (that is where Bartholomew shines over this volume) BUT it does it well enough to recommend it.  Roberts traces the concept of the "kingdom" (the coming kingdom, the lost kingdom, etc...) throughout the biblical story...and it works...but it seems a little elementary to me (however, when combined with Scot McKnight's book on the Kingdom--it would make a WONDERFUL study). It is a quick and easy overview and would be GREAT as a first time introduction to the concept of the narrative of Scripture.

How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth [4^th edition] (Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart; Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI; ©2014; ISBN #978-0310517825).

I was first introduced to this work when I was in college. Now, ??? something years later I find myself going back to it again and again. It is just that good. I also use this as a text for my "Introduction to the Bible" class at the college level. It is academic but not difficult. The fact that it is now in its fourth printing is a testimony to its value and effectiveness. If you have not read this book you MUST before you die. This volume opened my eyes to the bible in the same way that Mortimer Adler's classic "How to Read a Book" opened my eyes to ACTUAL reading (as opposed to what most people THINK that they do). Every believer should own this book and return to it frequently!

The Story (Max Lucado and Randy Frazee; Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI; ©2011; ISBN #978-0310950974).

This is EXACTLY what it claims to be. It is the bible in narrative form. It is a useful tool and it does what one would expect. However, it should NOT be confused with The Holy Bible (regardless of what version of THE bible you choose) it is NOT the bible...it is the bible story...there is a distinction. This is NOT another version of the bible (God's Word) it is the story of the bible in narrative form. It does help the reader see the narrative behind the Scriptures but it fails to BE Scripture itself (even though it is based on Scripture). Do NOT buy this thinking you are buying a bible!!!!! All that being said...this is an enjoyable read...it shows the narrative flow of Scripture and helps to see how all of the parts are tied together in a grand narrative scheme. I know several churches that have used this in small groups or entire congregational studies..and they have been effective.  This is a helpful tool used in conjunction with some of the other works that I have mentioned.

"I'm Baaaaaaccccckkkkkk!"

It has been a LONG time since I have even thought about this blog...much less DOING anything with it!! Before your exasperation sets in...please allow me to explain:

1. I started the blog as a catharsis during a difficult time. "Times" have gotten better but I am still not on "steady ground" by any stretch of the imagination. However, unlike others, I did not want this blog, nor the Internet world, to be my "confessor" so I managed to find other outlets that I hoped would be more productive and allow me to keep what little sanity I have left---to date it has worked out okay.

2. Blogging is HARD! I can imagine being a "good blogger" (perhaps even one who receives compensation for blogging) spends a vast majority of their time trying to stay fresh and have something meaningful to say.  As a preacher I have always struggled with why anyone would want to sit through one of my sermons...I feel the same way about blogging (thank GOD the sermons are His words by the power of the Holy Spirit...and he allows me to share them). After all, I don't want to diminish the "blogosphere" thus making it lose its edge like Facebook (which started out as a unique form of media and now it is just a way to stir the drama in people's lives, rant about your political views (and those opposed to them), and post pictures of cats [which I detest])--so I didn't want to evolve into something that somehow seemed out of my control, and I was finding it difficult to find things to share that seemed meaningful...so I stopped.

3. At first, it came from an overflow, probably of fears that I was feeling, once the fears subsided other things took over. I developed some bad habits (when I should have been improving on what should have already been "good habits") during that period and when the overflow dried up--so did the reasons and the things that I wanted to share about.

My life has been nothing but hectic (and I don't mean that in the same sense that we ALL have hectic lives these days) for the past three years with worry upon worry and a truly chaotic sense of being. For the moment things have settled into more of routine (which is a GOOD thing for me) and I am hopeful that some sense of routine will root out the chaos and allow me to settle into better habits that will allow the overflow to begin flowing once again. To that end I want to try and share some things that I probably should have already been sharing...they are not new or novel or drama-laden but they are a testimony to what God has been doing and will continue to do even when I don't notice...and I suspect we all need some reminders of that. I will not make promises that I know I cannot keep..it won't be daily, maybe even not weekly (though that is what I am shooting for) but I am going to make an earnest effort to "revive" what is left.

"I believe...help my unbelief"