The Seed Grows

    Let me begin this morning by setting the stage for what is happening in our Gospel lesson from the book of Mark.  I have said before that I believe Mark is a brilliant writer and story teller and that he places things in his gospel for a particular reason.  Such is the case with our lesson today.  Just prior to this account of Jesus’ calming the wind and waves, Jesus was teaching people from this boat as they gathered to hear Him preach.  Jesus said the following:

    ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’  30 He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’  Mark then informs us that Jesus taught the crowd with such parables, but when He and His disciples were alone, Jesus would teach them in more detail.  After informing us of this, Mark delves straight into a demonstration of Jesus’ power, but I would like to argue this morning this is less a demonstration about Jesus’ power and more about who He is.

    Mark begins by telling us that Jesus tells His disciples that they need to go across to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  The phrasing of Mark here indicates that they did not stop for provision.  They did not go ashore to stretch their legs.  They didn’t take too much time to check the weather.  They took Jesus “just as He was.”  Other boats were with them as they began their trek across the waters.

    Now, for a little bit of detail about the Sea of Galilee.  It’s a body of water that rests over 600 feet below sea level.  It is thirteen miles long and eight miles wide.  It has a mountain range on one side, and it is prone to sudden and violent storms.  You see, winds oftentimes rush down the mountainsides and wreck havoc on boaters even today.  There is very much precedent for the kind of storm Jesus and His disciples were to experience, but we will get to this in just a moment.  For now, we need to turn our attention to Jesus Himself. 

    For, you see, in this little snippet, we get a very real sense of the human side of Jesus.  For it is the only time in the whole Bible we hear of Jesus sleeping.  He had spent the entire day teaching; healing; forgiving sins and the like.  Perhaps some of you here this morning have worked so hard that you could not keep your eyes open.  Perhaps some of you have engaged in activities to the point where you crash out and you wake up unbelieving that you have slept so long and so hard.  Perhaps some of you have been so tired that you fell asleep at two or three in the afternoon and then suddenly woke the next morning realizing you have slept for thirteen, fourteen, or even fifteen hours.  This is the kind of tired Jesus is experiencing.  He is wiped out.  Completely and totally.  How wiped out is He?  Mark gives us the details.

    You see, one of those sudden storms that I spoke of earlier hits the disciples as they are crossing the Sea of Galilee.  It’s not a little storm.  Not in the least.  Mark records that the boat is being swamped!  This means the waves are breaking over the top of the boat and soaking everyone inside it.  Now, this fishing boat was approximately 26 feet long.  It could hold about 15 people.  They did not have any sort of cover on it.  There was no below deck or anything of the sort.  Jesus is lying in the front of the boat on a cushion.  He is exposed to the weather.  He is having waves crash over Him, and He is not waking up.  Think about that.  When is the last time you were splashed by water while you were sleeping and you didn’t wake up?  Probably never.  Yet, Jesus is so tired.  He is so desperately weary, that He doesn’t wake up.

    And this ticks off the disciples.  Yes, you heard me correctly, this ticks off the disciples.  You see, the disciples know they are in trouble.  This is no small detail according to Mark.  I mean, we know that several of the disciples are experienced fishermen.  They have been in boats all of their lives.  They know how to handle these boats backward and forward.  They know all the tricks of the trade.  They know how to survive.  And even these disciples are afraid.  Even these disciples know that if something doesn’t occur to change what is going on around them, they will die.  At least they have the sense to go to Jesus.

    But they approach Jesus in rather brutish fashion.  “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  Let me quote to you one of the commentaries I consulted this week regarding this statement.  “Matthew 8:25 softens the reproach to a prayer, and Luke 8:24 to a plea for help.  The rudeness of Mark’s wording reflects the way frustrated and desperate people speak and is probably a verbatim reminiscence of the disciples’ response in the crisis.”  It’s telling that later writers–who probably consulted the book of Mark–softened this particular rebuke of the disciples’. 

    It’s not surprising, however.  Remember how I said earlier, this story is not so much about the disciples as it is about Jesus.  And the disciples had been around Jesus.  They had seen Him heal the sick.  They had seen Him cast out demons.  They had seen Him perform amazing acts of power and release people from trials and tribulations.  He had done all this stuff for complete strangers, and now, the very people who Jesus Himself had called to be His followers were in grave danger.  The very people Jesus had entrusted to the explanation of the parables and His teachings were in very real danger of drowning and dying.  And what was Jesus doing?  How was Jesus facing this terrible storm?  By sleeping.  This just wasn’t right.  Something had to be done.  “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

    How many times do we find ourselves just like those disciples?  How many times do we find ourselves looking heavenward and saying, “Don’t you care?”  We look around this world and see people who reap blessing upon blessing.  We look around and see people who do not go to church; who do not pray; who do not study the Bible; we see these folks reap benefits.  They seem to capture special blessings of God; but those of us who are involved in church and who strive to do the right things get caught up in storms.  I know many of those storms you face: whether it is grief at losing a loved one; whether it is battling cancer or dealing with a loved one who has serious disease; whether it is struggling with a relationship that has gone south; whether it is facing a shortage of money in your household; these are just some of the storms we all face, and our temptation is to look to God and say, “Don’t you care?  Are you asleep?  We are dying here?  Won’t you do anything?”

    And Jesus, after awaking rebukes the wind and the waves.  He says, “Peace, be still,” and there is a dead calm.  Now, mind you, when winds die down after a storm, the waves still beat back and forth until their energy is used up.  Both wind and wave do not normally cease at once, yet this is exactly what Mark tells us happens.  And it causes a great amount of awe to fall upon the disciples–an awe that is rammed home by Jesus’ words to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

    That question at the end is a bit of a rhetorical one because Jesus has just shown who He is.  How so?  I would like to take you back in time–way back in time–to the very beginning of time.  Hear now the words of Genesis chapter one: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

    I am not going to read any further because the scene becomes repetitive.  Over and over God speaks into existence the world.  By the command of His voice, all things come into being.  By the command of His voice, the chaos of water and wind and darkness is transformed into the order of creation, and now, Jesus standing in a fishing boat with a command of His voice stills the chaos of water and wind in the midst of the darkness once again.  Who is this?  This is God incarnate.  This is the One who is fully divine and fully human; who becomes so tired that He sleeps through crashing waves and who is so powerful that He stills the storm with a few words.  This is Jesus, our Lord and our Savior who is unleashing the Kingdom of God–a Kingdom that began small, the tiniest of seeds that is now growing into a huge bush.

    But, wait, you might say.  I see what Mark is trying to convey in this story, but what does this have to do with me?  What does this have to do with the storms in my life?  Let me ask you the same questions Jesus asked His disciples: “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have such little faith?”  Or, do you have such little trust? which is probably a better interpretation       

    Why would I say such a thing?  Why would I seem so callous to your inquiry?  Let me ask you this–Do you not realize what Jesus has promised you?  Do you not realize what Jesus came to the earth to accomplish?

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world may be saved through Him.

    You see, the storms you face in life are hard.  They are rough, but they are nothing compared to the storm you would face without Christ.  For we are all in the same boat as far as our relationship with God.  We all fall short.  We all miss the mark.  We all act in selfishness and self-centeredness.  I am no better than you.  You are no better than me.  We are no better than the guy who walked into the AME Church in South Carolina and massacred church goers.  We desire to be in charge and in control, and deep down, we know we do not even measure up to the standards to which we hold others.  We are tremendous hypocrites.  Deep down, I think we all know this, and if there is a Judge over the universe, we know that if we were to ever appear before Him, we would stand condemned.  We would face the ultimate storm of that Judge’s wrath.

    And we would face that wrath if it were not for the one who faced that storm for us.  We would face the horrible prospect of the wrath of God if it were not for the God incarnate, Jesus Christ, who faced that wrath in our stead–who upon the cross cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!” as He felt that storm.  But after facing it–after going through the storm of death and God’s wrath, He was raised to new life.  He was resurrected as the first fruit of a new creation–of a new heaven and earth; of a new Kingdom–a Kingdom that you and I have been invited to join through the blood of Jesus.  When we place our trust in Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross, we know our ultimate destination, and we have little to fear.

    If you trust that you are traveling with Jesus, then whatever storms assail you, you can rest assured–He has been there.  He has faced the ultimate storm.  He loves you and will never desert you.  As Martin Luther wrote in his famous hymn, “Were they to take our house, goods, honor, child or spouse.  Though life be wrenched away, they cannot win the day.  The Kingdom is ours forever!”  That kingdom begins like a mustard seed deep within your heart, and it grows as you place more and more of your trust in it.  And when you realize that Jesus is the incarnate God who died to save you when you were still a sinner, you will have peace in your storms.  Amen. 

Awe Inspiring

    This week, spurred on by conversation at our staff meeting, I began to wonder how often we are awestruck in our lives.  I mean, how often do you find yourself struck with wonder or terror to the point where you fall on your knees or are rendered completely speechless?  I asked that question of my Facebook friends this week, and the responses were actually pretty few and far between.  There was only one who claimed to have such experiences regularly, and indeed, in my own experience I would argue that we rarely experience a deep sense of wonder; awe, or even terror anymore.  I would almost like to argue that we are desensitized to it.

    You may wonder what I mean by that, so let me explain in terms of technology.  There is an urban legend surrounding one of the first motion pictures to be publicly screened.  The film’s name is “Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat” which was a silent documentary about a train arriving at a station.  The legend tells that people were so awestruck and terrified seeing a life sized train coming toward them that they ran to the back of the theater to avoid being hit!  Now, whether or not that actually happened is disputed by some, however, according to one report in Der Spiegel, folks really were this terrified and awestruck!   Fast forward several decades, and I can tell you that there were many who were awed by the film Star Wars that came out in the late 70's.  George Lukas pushed the envelope when it came to special effects, and for a good chunk of time, movies were special effect driven.  People came to be blown away by what they were seeing on the screen.  But what is happening now?  Can a film get away with simply a lot of special effects?  They cannot.  Because we can computer generate basically anything, no longer do special effects cause us any awe, wonder, or terror.  We are completely desensitized to it.

    I think I could say the same about the news.  I mean, every time you turn on the television and watch the news there is another story trying to scare you to death.  Depending on the day, we either have to worry about terrorists, murderers, kidnappers, severe weather, or some sort of disease bursting into our lives.  There have been so many crises pumped into our homes that we are no longer shocked by the stories.  We’ve heard it all and seen it all when they wanted to show us.  So we hear about the slaughter of hundreds of people by ISIS and most of us shrug our shoulders.  Meh.  What can I do about it anyway?  Desensitization.

    Oh, it happens to us as members of faith communities as well.  Either one of two things happens to us.  One, we have been a part of a church our entire lives, and when we hear the story, we’ve heard it before; we’ve heard it explained before; and it is old hat.  There’s nothing more we think we need to hear.  We’ve got it down.  Desensitized.  Or, if you are here this morning, you may hear the story and think, “What in the world does this have to do with reality?  What in the world does this have to do with the world that I live in now.  How can something weird that happened 2000 years ago on a mountain have anything to say to this world today governed by smart phones, computers, and technology?  Haven’t we moved past all that superstitious stuff?”  Desensitized.

    And yet, I know there is part of the human spirit which longs to feel awe and wonder and terror.  I know there is part of the human spirit which longs to experience such moments because it is during those moments that we most feel alive.  It is during those moments when we often feel a deep sense of the presence of the Holy.  It is those moments which leave us with a lasting sense of peace, and so often we try to manufacture them.  We try to stage things which terrify us; which exhilarate us; which bring us a few moments of peace.  But it always goes away.  It always leaves, and we try to move on to the next high–the next mountain top experience where we find some sort of glory.

    This, of course, brings us squarely to our Gospel lesson this morning from the book of Mark.  It is a mountain top experiences shared by three of Jesus’ disciples.  It was a moment of awe and wonder.  Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain, and when they reach the top, Jesus is transformed in front of them.  His clothes become dazzling white.  Then, standing with Jesus were Moses and Elijah.  The glory of God was indeed shining at that moment!  It must have been a sight to behold, and we are told that it terrified the disciples. 

    Peter even spoke up, “Master, it is good for us to be here.  Let us make three tabernacles.  One for you.  One for Moses and one for Elijah.”  We are told that Peter said this because he didn’t know what else to say.  He too was overwhelmed; overawed.  Terrified. 

    Now, some people think that Peter is sticking his foot in his mouth here.  Peter does have a habit of doing such things, but I’ve had to rethink this a little bit.  I’ve had to rethink why indeed Peter said what he said, and I’m not sure it was because Peter was ignorant or stupid.  I’m not sure it was because Peter went completely brain dead.  In fact, perhaps, just perhaps, Peter was digging deep into the faith which he had been taught as a child.  Peter was digging back to another mountaintop where the glory of God had been revealed.  Peter was digging back to Mount Sinai when the shekaniah glory of God was revealed upon that mountain; where Moses entered into God’s presence, and God gave the Law including the 10 Commandments.  When Moses came down off that mountain, he was glowing with a radiant light.  And Moses instructed the people saying that God would now dwell in their midst.  God would dwell with them...in a tabernacle.  “How good it is for us to be here, Lord.  Let us build three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.  Surely this is a sign from God that He is dwelling with us.  This will be a center of worship and power and majesty.  The glory of God has been revealed!”  In a very real way, Peter’s statement makes a whole lot of sense!  But he doesn’t get it.  Not by a long shot.

    For right after Peter finishes his statement, a cloud enshrouds Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.  This would have terrified the disciples even more, for they knew the meaning of the cloud.  They knew that God shrouded Himself in the cloud on Mount Sinai.  They knew Gold lead the people by a pillar of cloud as they fled Egypt.  This cloud only mean that God Himself was now upon the mountain, and in the other gospel accounts, we are told that Peter, James, and John fall face down on that mountain!  They are overcome with terror.  And the voice of God thunders!  “This is my Son, the beloved.  Listen to Him!” 

    That last sentence is so important–so very important.  “Listen to Him!”  Why is this statement so important?  Because of what Jesus had been teaching His disciples right before this event.  Let me give you a reminder.  Mark 8:34-35: “He (Jesus) called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

    You see, God was affirming on that mountain what Jesus was teaching.  God was letting the disciples know that Jesus was speaking the absolute truth.  It was something they didn’t want to hear.  It was something they didn’t want to consider.  It was something they never could have wildly imagined.  The Messiah’s true glory would not be revealed in dazzling white clothes, but in red, red blood.  The Messiah’s true glory would not be revealed in three tabernacles, but in three crosses.  The Messiah’s true glory would not take place on this high mountain, but on another hill outside of Jerusalem–a hill called Calvary.  For the true glory of God would be revealed as He suffered and died for you and for me.

    Oh, you may think at this point, well, I’ve heard this before.  I’ve heard it numerous times.  I know that Jesus died on the cross, but what’s so awe inspiring about that?  Why should that cause my heart to pause?  Why should that make me fall to my knees or render me speechless?  Why should it fill my heart with peace and make me feel truly alive?

    Let me start to answer in this fashion.  You know, there are numerous reasons I have heard that people don’t attend church.  Oftentimes they say: those folks are a bunch of hypocrites.  And they are right.  We are.  They also say: those Christians over there are a bunch of judgmental people.  And they are right.  We are.  They say: those Christians over there go to church on Sunday but they are right back at Crossroads on Monday living it up.  And they are right.  We are.  They say: those Christians say they believe in Jesus but you almost can’t tell the difference in their lives.  They keep doing the same stuff they’ve always done.  And they are right.  We are just like that.  We are judgmental.  We are self-righteous.  We are self-centered, and we are broken.  We have fallen fall short of the glory of God.  We don’t even come close to being the disciples that Jesus needs us to be.

    At this point, if you are here checking out Christianity and have said such things before, don’t let your chest be pumped up just yet.  Don’t start thinking you’ve nailed things perfectly and you are somehow off the hook because what are you doing by saying such things?  What are you doing by saying that you don’t hang out with a group of people because of the things they do and how they act?  What are you doing when you point the finger at those of us in church and say, “You are judgmental!”  Aren’t you judging as well?  Aren’t you being self-righteous?  Aren’t you being self-centered?  Aren’t you essentially saying, “I’m not going to hang around with you because I am better than you.  You aren’t living like you should, and I don’t want to be like you.”  Well, guess what.  You are.  You are just like me.  You are just like us.  You are just as broken, and if you are angry at me for saying that, I think it’s because you know the truth but you just don’t want to admit it.

    The fact of the matter is, we are all broken.  We are all self-centered.  We are all self-righteous, and this self-righteousness and self-centeredness is at the heart of all the division we face in society.  It’s at the heart of racism, sexism, poverty, warfare, and misery.  We’ve made a mess out of things because of it, and if God had any sense at all, He would look down at us and say, “You know, this creation of mine is too self-centered; it is too self-righteous; it is too hard hearted.  They refuse to get along with one another, and they are constantly causing one another grief and pain and suffering.  I should just wipe them out.”  That would be the most reasonable thing to do.

    But instead of wiping us out, God decided to forgive us.  He decided to wipe the slate clean.  You may be asking at this point, what does this have to do with Jesus?  Well, whenever you forgive someone, you decide not to offer retribution.  You decide to bear the cost of what harm was done to you.  If someone lies about you, rather than make them pay and lie about them, you bear the cost of the lie.  You bear the emotional pain and hurt.  Forgiveness comes with a cost. 

    Now imagine the emotional, physical, and spiritual cost of our self-centeredness and self-righteousness.  Imagine the cost of the wars that have been fought and the deaths that have been brought about by our division and hatred.  Imagine the cost of poverty and racism and sexism and fascism and all the other isms out there.  Can you imagine the burden that our self-centeredness has brought?  Can you imagine the terrible cost of humanity’s sin?

    If you can even begin to wrap your head around that, imagine the punishment due for that falling upon one man–one being who was fully human and fully divine.  Imagine that punishment falling upon the one who was there at the creation of the universe for whom and through whom all was made.  And imagine He endured that for you when you least deserved it.  When He knew you were self-centered, and self-righteous and hard hearted.  He did this for you because He loved you.

    “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world may be saved through Him.”

    Jesus revealed His glory on the cross as He did for you when you were least deserving.  If that is not enough to fill you full of awe, I don’t know what is.  Amen.

It's a Heart Thing; Or, If you Want to Lose Your Salvation, Make Your Deepest Desire Something Other than God

There are many who struggle with the concept of grace.

I understand--more than one might realize.

For it is only after really starting to get what the Gospel is all about that I can now look back and see where I was and how I preached a modern day type of Pharisaism.

Did I believe Jesus died for our sins?  Absolutely.
Did I believe we were saved by grace through faith in Christ alone?  Yep.
Did I believe that Jesus' death and resurrection were totally and completely sufficient for my salvation?  Nope.  I didn't.  I believed there was still something I had to do.  I had to maintain my salvation by living a life worthy of my justification.  And I thought it my duty to inform others that they had to live such lives as well.

You see, I believed in the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ, but I didn't believe that I was clothed in His righteousness.  I didn't realize that not only did Jesus die the death I deserved, but He lived the life I was supposed to live.  And since He fulfilled the Law, I am no longer under its discipline.

1) How in the world could I say such a thing?  2) Aren't we supposed to do good things?  3) Aren't we supposed to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God?  4) Aren't we supposed to love our neighbor as we love ourselves?  5) Aren't we supposed to strive for moral righteousness?  6) Won't we end up receiving God's wrath if we don't seek such things?

First (1), I didn't say such a thing.  I'm parroting St. Paul.  Galatians 3,

 23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, ²⁶for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.

Second, (2) yes, (3) yes, (4) yes, (5) yes, and (6) no.

But, you might point out to me, St. Paul says that we will endure God's wrath and will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  He is straight forward in 1 Corinthians 6:

9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, ¹⁰thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 

First off, please note the sequence to which Paul addresses:  These folks will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Period.  Short list.  Followed by, "And this is what you used to be."  Used to be.  But because of God's grace.  Because of Jesus life and death, you ARE NOW WASHED, SANCTIFIED, and JUSTIFIED.  You are now no longer these things because you are looked at differently.

"But," you might say, "What if I still am greedy?  (Anyone out there NOT want more money?  If you want more money to live on, you are exhibiting greed, even if it is slight.)  What if I still am an idolater?  (If you love anything more than God at any point, you are an idolater.  Most of us fit here easily.)  What if I lust after another?  (Most people still do this thereby breaking the Sixth Commandment and the direct teaching of Jesus.)  Will I still inherit the kingdom of God, or am I on the outs?  Do I still have my salvation, or have I lost it?"

Let's read verse 12 because it is vastly important.  "12 ‘All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not be dominated by anything."

The key word here, I think is dominated, or in the Greek: exousias.   The word connotes power and authority.  St. Paul says, basically, I will not come under the power of or be subject to the rule of anything--anything, that is, except Christ.

Paul is addressing the desire of one's heart, and all the things he lists in verses 9 and 10 have to do with the condition of one's heart.  "You used to be these things," because these were the deepest desires of your heart.  You wanted more money, more sex, more pleasure; these were your idols.  These were your gods.  But now, Christ reigns in your heart.  These things might rear their ugly heads from time to time, but Christ now is your ruler--you are subject to and dominated by Him.

Paul echoes Jesus here.  For Jesus explicitly talked about the nature of one's heart in regards to sin and salvation:

Matthew 5: ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

Now, we know an eye does not cause a person to sin.  Neither does a hand.  What causes the eye to look and the hand to grab?  The condition of one's heart.  If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  But it is not the hand.  It is not the eye.  It is the heart.  And lest you think I am simply explaining Jesus' words away, please note, He says so Himself a little later in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 15:¹⁸But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’ 

The deepest desire of your heart is that which dominates you.  It is that which rules you.  It is that which keeps you hungering after more and more and more.  And, unless that deepest desire is Jesus, it will never, ever be satisfied.  Never.  For all eternity.

For this is the kicker to the whole deal.  God loves you so much, He will allow you to pursue your deepest, heart's desire for eternity.  If your desire is to be separated from Him, He will grant it.  If your desire is to pursue sex for eternity, He will grant it.  If your deepest desire is for money, He will grant it.  Here's a frightening one: if your desire is to perfectly follow God's Laws so that you will not lose your salvation; God will grant this too.  If you build your identity upon these things, God will see to it that these things are yours forever.  And you will never, ever be satisfied.  You will always be hungry.  You will always need more and more and more.  Forever.

This, my readers, is hell.  Absolute hell.  Read Dante's Inferno to get a little more insight if you choose.

And speaking of choice, this is how you can ultimately lose your salvation.  Not by committing sins.  Everyone sins.  Day after day after day.   No one perfectly follows the commands of Jesus or the Old Testament Laws.  No one fulfills them.  This why we are saved by grace.  This is why our salvation is maintained by grace.  Not by our own doing, but by Jesus' doing.  And this is why we pursue Him; not the Law.  For when He is our deepest heart's desire, our salvation is absolutely assured.

Israel and Hamas

It's a poor analogy, but one I sometimes feel.

I feel as if I were watching a spectator sport and people are arguing about why you should support one side over another--which side is better--which side is more in the right than the other.

And then, there are others who claim a stance of neutrality is more appropriate.  "I don't have a dog in the fight.  Why join in?"

We must also add the voices of those who say, "Why the battle at all?  What is the need for the game?"

In this case, the game is a game of life and death; grief and destruction.

Yesterday, I sat on the porch of a house built in the 1860s.  A pastoral visit had turned into an entire afternoon of hospitality, fellowship, and revelation--revelation in the sense of getting to know you better.

The 89 year old man was a World War II veteran who participated in the Battle of the Bulge.  He has witnessed entire towns blown to rubble.  He couldn't help but feel for those who might have been in those towns.  "You have to think that those are men and women and children over there.  They are supposed to be the enemy, but they are humans.  There is no glory in war; there is only pain.  The politicians get us into war, and its the young people who suffer."

This man has had many years to reflect upon what he saw and heard and participated in.  Such wisdom tends to be missing in many of the conversations I hear about ongoing conflicts around the world.

I wonder what it is to be a pawn in someone else's game.  For that is what mostly tends to happen in such situations.  Civilians become pawns in the games of those who seek power--for is that not what war truly is?  Is that not what ultimately politics really is?  A striving for power?  A striving for control?  And if I have enough power, no one will mess with me--through power, safety and peace are achieved.

I remember an empire which expanded with the same sort of ideals (does the Pax Romana mean anything to anyone?).  It was an empire which eventually crumbled.  As do all of them.

All empires eventually crumble.  Historically, all nations eventually fade.  Maps are redrawn all the time.

And it will not change.  It simply won't. 

Because there is a part of us which desperately desires safety and control.  And the best way to ensure safety and control is to draw boundaries.  Within these borders, I am safe.  And to maintain that safety, I must be strong.  I must be powerful.  I must be willing to defend those borders, and if expansion of those borders offers me more opportunity to be safe, then so be it!  And if I show the slightest amount of weakness, then my safety is diminished.

Power and safety.  Hamas.  Israel.  The pawns: the Palestinian people.  The battle rages.  There is no glory.  Only pain.

And there will be only pain for generation after generation after generation. 

Unless something can diffuse that which dominates the human heart.  Unless something can turn us away from the hunger for power and safety.

Oh, we try to put all sorts of treaties into place.  And we always appeal to self-interest, but self interest leads straight back to power and safety.  All the time.

What can break us out of such a thing? 

Christianity offers a path--a path not based upon power and safety but upon powerlessness and risk.  It centers upon Jesus who, though being full of the power of God--God incarnate--did not choose equality with God as something to be exploited, but He gave up that power to empty Himself on the cross.  He died to reconcile the world unto God AT GREAT RISK!

What does that mean?

Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.  He died for us and offered us forgiveness before we even asked for it.  He reconciled us to God while we were and still are unlovable.  Why?  Why would He do such a stupid thing?

Because it is contrary to power and safety.  It's contrary to the nature of our own hearts.  If God can die for us and love us while we were sinners; if God can give up power and control; if God can risk it all on us to love us when we were unmerciful; if God can show that He has already given His all for us; then that can change our hearts. 

I remember reading The Cross and the Switchblade many years ago.  I can remember a powerful moment when an evangelist spoke these words to a gang banger, "You can cut me into a thousand pieces, and every one of them will scream, 'I love you.'"  At that point, one of a couple of things will happen.  You will cut the person to pieces regardless and continue on your merry way, or you will be forced to consider why it is someone would willingly offer themselves up for you.  How can someone face death and destruction so willingly?  How can someone allow another to inflict pain and suffering without seeking power and safety?

If someone takes the time to contemplate, the Gospel begins to take root.  The Gospel begins to show a different avenue to power and safety.  It's the route to love and risk.  You still may be killed.  You still may be subjugated.  But you have no need of power and safety because you know of something better--something infinitely more powerful and something infinitely more secure.

It's still very easy to jump back to the default.  I mean, I know if someone were going after my family and children, I wouldn't hesitate to use power to bring them to safety.  That default position is very, very strong.  But I hope I wouldn't demonize the one antagonizing my family.  I hope my heart has been at least changed that much by the Gospel.

That Gospel, I believe is the hope for the world.  For Israel.  For Hamas.  For the Palestinians. 

Don't ask me to be a cheerleader for any side in this conflict.  Don't ask me to be neutral.  Don't ask me why folks just can't get along.

They can't until sin is confronted.  And the only remedy for sin is the Gospel.  And the Gospel commands me to be on both sides and against both sides at the same time.  And to pray like hell for peace.

Your Prayers are too Small

    Martin Luther, the namesake of the Lutheran church wrote the following words in his Large Catechism as he explained one of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer.  He writes,

   For just as when the richest and most mighty emperor would bid a poor beggar ask whatever he might desire, and were ready to give great imperial presents, and the fool would beg only for a dish of gruel, he would be rightly considered a rogue and a scoundrel who treated the command of his imperial majesty as a jest and sport, and was not worthy of coming into his presence: so also it is a great reproach and dishonor to God if we, to whom He offers and pledges so many unspeakable treasures, despise the same, or have not the confidence to receive them, but scarcely venture to pray for a piece of bread.

    Now, what is Luther saying here?  Basically, he is saying our prayers are too small.  He’s saying that when we come before the creator of the universe–the one who made the heavens and the earth and who continues to sustain it each and every day–we ask for trifling things.  We are not audacious enough in our prayers to God.  Why so?

    Let’s delve into this by looking at our first lesson from the book of 1 Kings.  In this text, the great king of Israel, David has died and left the kingdom to his son Solomon.  Solomon is very young and unsure of himself.  God speaks to Solomon and basically says, “Ask whatever you want of me.”  Imagine God asking that of you.  Imagine God speaking to you and saying, “Ask what I should give you.”  What would you respond?  What would you say?

    Solomon, being young and unsure of himself in his new position of king gives a rather intriguing response.  He doesn’t ask for wealth or health or that he may defeat Israel’s enemies.  Solomon looks at the daunting task of ruling this kingdom, and he says, “9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”   It’s an interesting request if you ask me.  Really interesting.  Why do I find the request so fascinating?

    If you remember back in the garden of Eden when God placed Adam and Eve in it, do you remember which tree they were forbidden to eat from?  Do you remember what the name of that tree was called?  I do.  I remember it vividly.  It was named the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  “For on the day you eat of its fruit, you shall surely die.”  But wanting to be like God, the man and woman ate of the fruit after some prodding by a nasty little serpent, and all hell broke loose.  I find it interesting that thousands of years later, Solomon wants the knowledge of good and evil so that he may discern between them as he governs the people.  Anyone else find this fascinating?

    God is actually rather pleased with this request.  We are told

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. 13I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. 14If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”

    All seems well and good, and if we just read this snippet, we might think our prayers should include this petition for wisdom and the discernment of good and evil.  But, as Paul Harvey used to say, now it’s time for the rest of the story.  Solomon started out in fantastic fashion.  He made some very good decisions.  He wrote a couple of the books of the Hebrew Bible–Proverbs and the Song of Solomon.  The Kingdom of Israel grew in power and prestige and wealth.  The discernment thing seemed pretty good.  But then something started to happen.  Solomon began doing some very wise things to help the Kingdom of Israel.  He began marrying quite a few foreign women.  Now, remember, marriages in those days were not for love.  Marriages were arranged for political and power purposes.  I mean, it was very hard to attack another nation when a king’s daughter was married to that other nation’s leader.  Solomon was making very wise decisions for Israel’s future, but it came at a great cost.  Solomon’s wives did not worship the Lord, and Solomon did not require them to.  He build altars to false gods and even worshiped them himself.  What happened to the discernment for good and evil? 

    Just this, Solomon’s request was too small.  It was too limited.  One cannot know and discern good and evil when one’s back is turned from the One who established the difference between good and evil.  Because Solomon turned his back on God, he is seen as a failure as a king despite Israel’s prosperity–and when Solomon died, the kingdom of Israel split apart.  It wasn’t pretty.

    Solomon’s prayer was too small.  He didn’t make a large enough request.  So, what might be a large enough request?  What might be a request befitting the Creator of the universe that doesn’t lead down the same path that Solomon walked?

    Interestingly enough, in the Gospel of John chapter 17, Jesus prays what is called the High Priestly Prayer.  In it, He says the following,

“20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

    Now, I want you to think about this for just a moment.  I know for decades pastors like myself have talked about church unity in regards to this prayer.  Church unity is important, but I think there is something much deeper taking place.  “Let them be one as you and I are one.”  What does this mean? 

    Remember, Christians profess God to be the Trinity.  From eternity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have glorified, loved, and honored each other.  From eternity, these three have been in an inseparable divine dance filling each other with love and adoration.  They pour themselves into each other; never becoming empty; always remaining full of love and adoration.  As such, in their relationship, they are complete.  They are full.  They are completely and utterly satisfied, and Jesus prays that His followers may experience the same thing.

    How could such a thing be possible?  Let’s come back to asking God for something in prayer.  What is the most audacious thing we could ever ask for in prayer?  If, as Luther suggests, our prayers are too small, what could we ask for that would give God great honor and be so audacious as to seem over the top?  As I thought about this, it hit me: what if I prayed, God, give me You.  Yes, God, give me You.  I want You.  Nothing else is large enough.  Nothing else could satisfy.  Nothing else could bring comfort and peace and joy and security.  God, give me You!  What do you think God would say to such a request? 

    I’ll tell you what He’d say.  He’d say, “I already have.”

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him.  While we were still sinners, God took on flesh and lived among us.  God became incarnate in Jesus and poured out His life for each and every one of us.

    St. Paul puts it this way in the second chapter of the book of Philippians:

    5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.  9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

    God emptied Himself for you, and He still empties Himself for you.  Each time we receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, we hear the words, “This IS the body of Christ given for you.  This IS the blood of Christ given for you.”  God gives Himself to you!!!  And we are told the Advocate, the Holy Spirit is our constant companion who lives in us and guides us in our daily activities.  God gives Himself to you!!!

    And yet, most of the time, we don’t even realize it.  We don’t realize that God has given Himself to us and delights in giving Himself to us–filling us so that we can pour ourselves out to Him and to each other.  We are constantly asking for health, wealth, healing, protection, peace, happiness, joy, and such things–which are not bad things, but they are too small.  They are bread crumbs compared to the one thing which can bring all of those things and much, much more.  The next time you ask God for something, be audacious.  Ask Him to give Himself to you, and don’t be surprised when you find: He already has, and He always will.  Amen.

Be an Example of Jesus!....???

Perhaps it was youthful exuberance.

Perhaps it was a core thought and belief.

I'm not sure.

While attending a recent worship service, we were summarily dismissed with the following words or something similar:

Go into the world!  Be an example of Jesus!

The one dismissing us changed the wording in the bulletin which read this or something similar:

Go into the world following the example of Jesus!

Roughly a year or so ago, I'd not have given such a thing a second thought.  Roughly a year or so ago, I would have heartily done the exact same thing without reservation.  But now, I'm not so sure.

BE an example of Jesus.

How does one do that?

Now, if we are supposed to be great moral teachers expounding on what it means to love our neighbor as we love ourselves or teaching time and again what it means to treat others as we wish to be treated, then I suppose BEING an example of Jesus wouldn't be to difficult a thing to accomplish.  It's pretty easy to go around telling others what they should be doing.

But is that the sum and substance of what Jesus was about?  Was Jesus just an example of what it means to live with God and with one another?

As I read through the Gospels, I see Jesus wearing multiple hats.  First, He was a healer--and not just in the physical sense.  Yes, He cured diseases.  It was an integral part of His ministry.  But those healings had a greater significance.  They also were about wholeness--the healing of one's entire being.

In Jesus' day, if you were sick, then folks thought it was because something you had done to deserve it.  God was punishing you.  Illness not only carried a social stigma--no one wanted to be around a sick person; it also carried a religious stigma--you were on the outs with God.  When Jesus healed someone, He literally was showing God loved that person and had forgiven them.  It was a complete restoration of body, mind, soul, and community.  This is the healing Jesus offered then.  Am I capable of providing such healing?

Hardly.  I am far too limited in my abilities to do such a thing.  God has not granted me those kinds of healing capabilities.  As far as I know, I haven't really seen anyone who has the kind of healing capacity Jesus showed in the Gospel Narratives.  The only one who can bring that kind of healing, in my estimation, is Jesus.

Secondly, Jesus led with grace every time He encountered someone who was not of the religious establishment.  That's important in my estimation.  Every time He encountered someone the world had labeled "sinner", Jesus offered healing, salvation, hope, and even literal life saving.  Now, when He encountered the religious establishment, He kicked tail and took names.  He knew the difference between the two groups.

I'm not too sure I have that capability.  I like to tell folks how it "should" be.  I like to tell folks what they should be doing--regardless of where they are in life.  I don't like offering them love and compassion and grace right off the bat.  That costs me something.  They might not reciprocate.  They might thumb their nose at me in the long run.  They might abuse my niceness.  I'm guarded.  Plain and simple.

Jesus wasn't guarded.  He bestowed grace and healing.  He gave people wholeness and then asked them to respond.  He didn't expect them to do anything first.  He acted first and then asked for obedience.  It's just too darn easy to do things the opposite way.

Thirdly, Jesus' main purpose was the reconciliation of the world with God.  There really is no need to delve deeply into this one in this post.  Such a thing can only be accomplished by God and I can't eve come close to that example.

BE an example of Jesus!  How?  Is it even possible?

No.

I don't think it is.

This is why I believe Christianity isn't about what we do.  We can't do what Jesus did unless we are simply trying to tell everyone else what to do.  And if we take this approach, well, then, we will get nailed by the "do as I say and not as I do" crowd.  For if we preach the life Jesus called us to live and we cannot live it....

Grace leads me to follow Jesus with the knowledge I do it imperfectly.  Grace leads me to strive to walk in His footsteps as best as I can knowing I'll never even come close.  Grace leads me to strive to imitate Jesus knowing I will stumble and fall long before I accomplish such a task.

Before I encourage anyone to be an example of Jesus, I'm going to make darn sure that person knows the grace of Jesus.  Only He can orient a heart to follow Him.

Religion Versus Grace

    When I was in first grade, I didn’t have any of my closest friends in my homeroom class.  This made life particularly difficult at lunch since I didn’t have anyone really to cut up with and talk to at the lunch table.  I longed for a friend to share that time with.  I don’t know if Jimmy picked up on my desires or if it was something else, but one day, as he sat across from me, he said, “Kevin, I will be your friend...if...if you give me your dessert.”

    You see, when I was in first grade, I wasn’t necessarily enthusiastic about eating in the cafeteria too often.  My mom fixed me a lunch most of the time.  There was always a sandwich and some chips, and for dessert, I usually had one of the several varieties of Little Debbie snack cakes.  For the early months of first grade, this was usually enough to satisfy my hunger easily, and to begin with, I felt like I could spare the calories.  I wanted a friend, badly, so I gave up my dessert.

    Each day, I’d give Jimmy my dessert, and each day he’d proclaim his friendship of me.  But then there came a day...  Yes, then there came a day when my stomach cried out in hunger.  I was a growing boy, and I had played to my heart’s content at recess, and I wanted to eat my dessert.  “Jimmy, I am really, really hungry today.  I really, really want to eat my dessert.”

    “But then I won’t be your friend.”

    “But I’m hungry.”

    “I won’t be your friend.”

    I thought for just a few moments.  I desperately wanted a friend, but I was hungry.  As I thought, I also came to the conclusion that I was tired of giving Jimmy my desserts. 

    “I’m going to eat my dessert.”

    “I’m not your friend.”

    And so it is with much of life.  For the most part, if we want to receive anything, we have to pay a price for it.  If we want a particular item in the store, we have to pay money.  If we want a good paying job, we have to pay to go to school or spend years climbing the corporate ladder.  If we want to be respected by others, we have to accumulate wealth or wisdom.  If we want to be loved, we have to show love to another.  There always seems to be strings attached–with a price tag–for things and for relationships.  Some even extend this particular aspect of human life to our relationship with God.

    The thinking goes, “If I want God to love me, then I have to be obedient to Him.  If I want to get God’s attention, then I have to do the things He commands me to do.”  This is what is at the heart of what many people in our society today consider religion.  If I am obedient, then I will get the blessings. 

    If I believe enough in God and trust God enough, He will bring me wealth.

    If I pray a certain amount each day, my sickness will be healed.

    If I put enough in the offering plate, the Lord will multiply it 10 fold.

    If I work hard enough for justice, the Kingdom of God will come to earth.

    If I use my prophetic voice and speak against wealth and privilege, then people will see how radical faith is and flock to church.

    If we do the right things, then we will experience the blessings.  Do you see how this supposedly works?

    In many congregations today, our first lesson will be read, and many will pick up on the final verse read.  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this verse repeated by colleagues who are focused almost completely on the concept of justice, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.”  Micah 6:8 This is what the Lord requires of us, and we have to do it!  All the focus and attention will go here, and many will begin proclaiming their vision of what it means to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.  Many will talk about feeding the hungry, combating systemic poverty and racism, and treating others with kindness and respect.

    These are not bad things in and of themselves.  In fact, these things are indeed part of the Christian walk.  These are things we are called to do, but because our society today is so biblically illiterate, they come to think that this is what faith is all about–they come to think faith is about what we do, and they miss something so precious, so central, so important to what it means to be a believer in God and a follower of Jesus Christ.

    So much attention will be drawn to Micah 6:8 that Micah 6:3-5 will oftentimes be overlooked.  “O my people, what have I done to you?  In what have I wearied you? Answer me!  4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.  5 O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”

    What is going on here?  Why are these verses so important?  They show us God’s actions toward Israel.
They show us what God has done for the people:

    1. He delivered them from Egypt and the house of slavery.

    2. God sent them leaders who gave them law and order.

    3. God delivered them from King Balak when Balak ordered Balaam to curse them.  God appeared to Balaam and prevented this from happening. 

    4. God gave them the land from Shittim to Gilgal and helped them conquer it, aiding Israel against their enemies.

    In each of these instances, God blessed His people.  God freed them, supported them, guided them, and established them.  God showered His blessings down upon them time and time again, and it is only after the blessings that the words are uttered, “what then does God require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” 

    The blessings come first, obedience follows.

    That is the tremendous difference between religion and grace.  Religion says, “Do this and you will be blessed.  Be obedient, and you will receive blessings.”  Grace says, “You are accepted, now do this.  You are blessed, then be obedient.”  Religion requires someone to work toward God and emphasizes our actions.  Grace celebrates what God has done and then asks for a response to what God has done. 

    And what has God done?  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him.

    The grace and mercy of God was poured out for all of us on the cross where Jesus hung and died to redeem us from our sin.  On that cross, God paid the price for healing broken relationships, and three days later, God showed us the promise of eternal life.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has opened the kingdom of Heaven to all who are brought to faith by His Spirit.  God has revealed and given His blessings to each and every one of us, and He didn’t even ask for even as much as our dessert before giving it to us. 

    These are the blessings of God showered down each and every one of us.  Grace.  Pure and simple.  And how will we respond?  Will we seek obedience?  Is God’s mercy and grace and sacrifice enough to cause us to seek to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God?   Sure.  At least it should be.  And it is definitely a part of how we Live God’s Word Daily.  Amen.

The Foolishness of Grace

    St. Paul says, “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

    When I was young, I stumbled upon Greek and Norse mythology.  I loved it.  I was enamored with the stories about the gods who lived on Mount Olympus or in Asgard.  I read about the exploits of Zeus, Hera, Ares, Hermes, and all the other Greek gods.  I loved the tales of the demi-gods Theseus, Perseus, Hercules, and others.  Their uncommon strength and power made me imagine that I too was stronger than others and capable of doing heroic things.  I’d imagine myself taking on 12 tasks that required all my great strength or battling mythic monsters.

    Or, I’d imagine myself wielding Mjolnir, the mythical hammer of Thor.  I’d imagine myself fighting frost giants and soaring into the air sending lightning bolts into my enemies.  I’d imagine having to deal with the mischievousness of Loki or overseeing all of the realms as did Odin.  These stories fascinated me.  Why?

    Because of the power these gods wielded.  They were powerful.  Nothing seemingly could defeat them.  They conquered in battle.  They had their way with less powerful beings.  In fact, the idea of a god taking on human flesh was not unique to Christianity.  The Greeks had myths about such things happening long, long before the faith called Christianity or the birth of Christ.

    But there is an important difference between Greek mythology and Christianity–a very important difference.  Nowhere in Greek mythology does a god come to earth in self-sacrificial terms.  Nowhere in Greek mythology or Norse mythology does a god come to earth to offer himself or herself for the sake of others.  In almost every case the gods come down to partake of something they desire for themselves; never do they come down for the sake of the world.  And they certainly do not die for the world.  The gods of Greek and Norse mythology are all about power; rarely do they ever come to serve, and they certainly do not die for us.

    This is one of the reasons the message about the cross was seen as absolute foolishness.  No one would believe that God would come to earth and die.  No one.  The Greeks had their myths, and their gods didn’t die.  The Jews believed in an Almighty God who was one; who was immortal; who was beyond the earth; who was all powerful; and that God would not die either.  It was humankind who had to work hard to earn the favor of God.  We had to strive to do the right things or face God’s wrath.  That was the way things worked.  It was the way things had always worked.  To claim anything else was utter foolishness.

    I mean, who in the world would ever think that God would take on flesh?  Who would ever think that God would take on mortality?  Who would ever think that God would impose upon Himself such limitations?  How dare anyone thing that God could catch a cold?  Or have to feed Himself?  Or have to have parents who cared for Him as an infant changing His diapers?  Who would dare to think that God would suffer from heat exhaustion, or hunger, or thirst?  Who would dare to claim that God suffered pain or sadness?  Such things were almost beyond human comprehension.

    And it would be utter foolishness to claim that God would die.  God doesn’t die.  God is immortal.  God is all powerful and all knowing.  Such a being is beyond death–beyond the limits of our physical capability or incapability. 

    Push that a little further and try to grasp the idea that God would die so that humankind might live.  Now, we’ve entered into a whole new realm.  This idea is so far-fetched, it’s quite amazing.  But is it?

    Just this last week, I was asked by one of my children, “Dad, why did God die?”  Yeah, try answering that question for a five year old. 

    I responded, “Let's pretend for a minute.  Let's say that Daddy told you not to drink Dr. Pepper and play with his Kindle at the same time.  But, one day, you decided to do that."

    "I'd NEVER do that!"

    "I know, but let's pretend.  Let's pretend that you did anyway, and you spilled Dr. Pepper on my Kindle. 
The Kindle got broke and wouldn't work anymore.  Could you fix it?"

    "No."

    "Who would buy me a new one, then?"

    "I would."

    "Do you have any money to do that?  Could you buy it for me?"

    "No.  I couldn't."

    "But someone has to pay for it?  Who else could pay for it?"

    "You could."

    "That's right.  I could, and I would.  But I would still have to pay for it.  If something gets broken, it has to be fixed, and somebody has to pay for it.  If you can't pay for it, I can, and I can forgive you.  That's what God did on the cross."

    "How?”

    "Adam and Eve broke the relationship with God."

    "How'd they do that?"

    "They didn't listen to God, and they didn't trust God."

    "Oh."

    "And when they didn't listen to God and trust God, it allowed all the bad stuff to happen in the world.  It allowed death; it allowed pain; it allowed sickness.  It was bad.  And the punishment had to fit the crime.  Adam and Eve couldn't fix it.  We can't fix it.  Adam and Eve couldn't pay for it.  We can't pay for it.  So, who had to pay for it?"

    "God."

    "That's right.  God."

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him.

    And here’s the icing on the cake.  God died and doesn’t demand that we change.  God died for you and me and then says, “I have shown you how much I love you.  I have prepared a place for you.  Now, it’s up to you how you choose to live your life.  You can continue to do the same things you did before.  You can continue to rebel against me and seek your own self-interest above the interest of your neighbor.  Or, you can spend the rest of your life in thanksgiving for what I have done and seeking to love me and love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

    What foolishness!

    Imagine God saying such a thing!  I mean, in our society today, we know how it really works.  We have to pass laws restricting people.  We have to come up with all sorts of punishments to make sure people fear breaking the law.  If you step out of line, well, then you will face the consequences.  Keep people in fear, and they will toe the line.  Force them to care for one another.  Force them to pay to take care of the poor.  Force them to buy certain cars and light bulbs.  Force them to respect their neighbor’s property.  Keep them fear-full.  It’s the only way to make change happen.

    You certainly cannot allow them freedom.  You certainly cannot love them first and expect them to change because of that love.  You can’t expect them to change because someone would be willing to serve them and love them first.  That is utter and complete foolishness...

    ...to those who are perishing.  But for those of us who have experienced the grace of God; for those of us who know the message of the cross; for those of us who know Christ died for us and freed us from the wrath of God; this is how we Live God’s Word Daily.  Amen.

Good News for Everyone

I wish I could remember the exact setting where I heard the teaching.  Time has clouded my memory.  I'm sure it will continue to happen.  Sometimes I wish I had a pensieve as Dumbledore did in the Harry Potter novels.  That way, I could dig through and find all the memories I know are there and revisit them in their detail.  Forgive me for forgetting the entirety of the context, but the teaching was very important.

I remember clearly a conversation about reading the Bible.  The presenter/teacher said with conviction, "As you read the Bible, much of what we read can be seen as either Law or Gospel depending upon who hears it."

I was intrigued, and listened further.

"If you take for instance the teaching 'Blessed are the poor...', a poor person hears that as good news.  A wealthy person hears it as law.  It depends upon who hears what is written."

The teaching made perfect sense--from a certain point of view; irony noted.  For it is indeed true that certain portions of Scripture are clearly good news for some while bad news for others.  It is indeed true that depending upon one's particular situation in life a particular teaching from Scripture will either step on toes or reinforce one's conviction that he or she is on the right path.

But, I have begun to question whether or not this is indeed how the Law/Gospel distinction should be made.  I believe this distinction is rampant throughout American Christianity, and more and more, I am convinced it is one of the main drivers in Christianity's loss of authority within society.  Why?

It is actually works/righteousness in disguise.  It is nothing more than legalism with a sugar coating.  Why do I say such a thing?  Let me lay out my argument.

Let's first travel to the right hand side of Christianity in the U.S.  The implicit message in many of those congregations is, "Jesus died for you, so be as moral and upright in your life as you can be so that you will get to heaven.  Do not drink, smoke, cuss, and what have you.  Keep appropriate marriage and sexual boundaries, and by doing so, you will live a life pleasing to God."  Notice the emphasis.  Notice also what is missing: any corporate responsibility for care and concern for the poor.  The "right" hand side of Christianity emphasizes personal morality above corporate morality and reassures its members they are right with God because of what they are doing.  And if you are not showing forth exemplary moral righteousness in your life, then you are excluded.  There is good news for those who are striving to live a moral life and law for those who aren't. 

It depends upon how one hears the Scripture...

Let's now travel to the left hand side of Christianity in the U.S.  The implicit message in many of these congregations is, "Jesus died for you, so work for justice and peace in the world.  God has a preferential place in His heart for the poor, and so we must work to eradicate poverty, hunger, injustice, and ensure that everyone has access to health care.  We must work to make the kingdom of God happen right here on earth for those who are in need."  Notice the emphasis.  Notice also what is missing: any personal responsibility for living an upright and moral life.  The "left" hand side of Christianity emphasizes corporate morality over personal morality, and it reassures its members they are right with God because of what they are doing in their struggle for justice or solidarity with the poor.  And if you are not showing forth exemplary means of working for justice, then you are excluded.  There is good news for those who are striving to work for justice and peace and law for those who aren't.

It depends upon how one hears the Scripture...

I submit that these tracts are absorbed in the Law and have missed the Gospel.  I submit that each of these tracts are absorbed in works/righteousness instead of living by grace.

Grace does not divide.  The Gospel does not draw lines.  The Gospel abolishes, destroys, manhandles all the exclusionary tactics of the Law.  The Law can be seen as good news for some, bad news for others.  The Gospel is good news of great joy for ALL PEOPLE!!!

At the heart of the Gospel is the God made flesh who died for us, reconciling us unto God WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.  At the heart of the Gospel is the God made flesh who took upon Himself all our sin, all our guilt, all our shame, all our hopelessness, all of our pain, all of our misery, all of our suffering, even death itself to defeat it and give us hope that transcends any and every distinction we might like to draw.

Note: Each "side" as defined above will give lip service to this, but it is not at the core of their teaching.  Not in the least.  The core of the teaching is works/righteousness, not grace.  This works/righteousness plays out as lines get quickly drawn between these two branches of Christianity, and they wantonly attack each other as failing to embody of what God wants us to do.

The Gospel, the good news of God's reconciliation of the world through Jesus, does not allow anyone to make any sort of distinction because all fall morally short and corporately short.  No one can measure up to the moral standard of life as articulated by Jesus.  Neither can anyone measure up to fully working for justice and peace.  Yet, many congregations harp and harp and harp on these things.  It's no wonder people eventually leave.  They become discouraged because they simply cannot fulfill what is demanded of them.

Not so with grace.  The embodiment of Grace leads one to accept both moral and corporate responsibility.  It leads one to strive to live an upright life abstaining from personal sin to the best of one's ability, and it leads one to engage in helping the needy, poor, and distressed to the best of one's ability.  Not because one feels guilty or believes one is going to change the world into the image of the kingdom of God, but because of joyful obedience to the God who first suffered and died for us.

Good news must be preached before people are willing to respond.  Good news, not just for some, but for everyone.

The "War" on Christmas

There's always a news story or two about the war on Christmas.

• A nativity scene is forced off a public place because of a lawsuit.
• Store employees forced to say "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas.
• Someone stealing baby Jesus from a church nativity scene.
• Children not being allowed to wear red and greed or holiday attire at school.

It's pretty inventive what the news media will do to promote anger, fear, and aggression during a time dedicated to peace on earth.

Oh, I know there are those who are truly concerned that Christian values are under attack, and that we should fight back with all of our might.  But I would like to submit to you that the real war against Christmas has been going on a long, long time, and the things we see now are simply logical manifestations of what many in our nation have allowed Christmas to become.

For instance, I believe we started losing the war on Christmas when the day became more focused on getting the perfect gift (for the one's you love) instead of celebrating the receiving of the gift of Jesus.

I believe we started losing the war on Christmas when the day became more focused on generating the perfect setting with the perfect family atmosphere, with the perfectly prepared meal (works/righteousness) instead of simply celebrating what God has done for us in the midst of family and friends--no matter what the external things might be (grace).

I believe we started losing the war on Christmas when many bought into the idea that one should not have any space left under the tree because the presents had take up all the room, instead of the idea that quality instead of quantity is important.

I believe we started losing the war on Christmas when we became more worried about whether or not someone would like the gift we gave them instead of simply enjoying the ability to give.

I believe we started losing the war on Christmas when we became more interested in what kind of things we could buy for cheap and what kind of sales were going to take place instead of taking an interest in the free gift of grace initiated by God's intervention in the world through Jesus.

Indeed, in many cases, Christians have led the charge (and charged a hell of a lot) to "make Christmas special" by decorating, and baking, and shopping, and running around, and wrapping, and worrying and fretting, and what have you.  We have failed to realize that Christmas is special in and of itself--regardless of gifts, and meals, and cards, and wrappings, and decorations, and what have you.

Dr. Seuss tried to make that point in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  You can't steal it.  It's an impossibility.  Yet, in our efforts to make it absolutely special and overwhelming and the "best Christmas ever," we've managed to steal much of the joy out of it.

And I have become more and more convinced, winning the war on Christmas does not mean fighting to have nativity scenes placed in public places; or allowing Christmas carols sung in school programs; or convincing people to say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays."  I am convinced, the war on Christmas can only be won by a change in our hearts--a monumental shift in focus--from what I have to do to what God has done, is doing, and will do.   If we, as Christians, set our hearts on this, then we have no worries or concerns about what is going on with schools or stores or in public places; for we carry the joy of Christmas within us as we remember the babe who lay in a manger also lives in our hearts.