It occurred to me the other day just why many of us never hear God in our lives.
We seem to be in a constant war with boredom.
Technology has been a boon for spare time for those who benefit from it. Whereas at one time, most folks spent their time laboring in the field producing just enough food to scrape by, now, factory farms produce an overabundance of food so that the vast majority of people no longer have to work to produce it.
This has freed countless hours up for extra activities, and honestly, we don't know what to do with all that spare time.
First, we tried to fill it up with school and education. The printing press made books available so that we could use our imaginations. Imagination led to creativity, and we were able to create all sorts of jobs which are not agriculturally based. This managed to fill up some of the spare time we had, but not all of it. Therefore we started inventing sports and games and other such things to bide our time.
Then we had the advent of the radio. We could listen to music and commentary; however, we were once limited in the distance we could take the music and talk. Pesky electrical cords.
Ah, but that was soon resolved as radios entered our cars. Now, we could take music and talk with us as we traveled.
Television followed soon thereafter. As an extra added "bonus", t.v. enabled us to turn off our imaginations. We no longer had to construct pictures of the words coming over the airwaves.
Ah, then the computer and video games. And now IPad's, Kindle Fires, Smart Phones, IPod's. No longer do we have to be without music, entertainment, talk, or video. Every second of free time can be filled with something--engaging our brains at all moments. (Sometimes this is a blessing. I was able to stream Netflix on my Kindle to keep my kids entertained while waiting in the doctor's waiting room. I find they get in much less trouble that way. However, one must also take the bad with the good.)
And so, we no longer have quiet. We no longer have the place where we can listen to that still, small voice, the place where the voice of God comes to us without distraction.
In our war on boredom, we've destroyed quiet and reflection. Many no longer even seek it out.
And we never hear God.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
A Happy Birthday to My Son
My poor son had to share Easter with Jesus this year. He seemed o.k.. with it now, but I wonder what will happen in the future? I know his birthday will fall on Easter again. Hope he won't be disappointed in having to share, but if that disappointment begins to show, I know what I will do. I will remind him of how he really, truly is a miracle from God.
To really understand this, you have to travel back in time 12 years. As my seminary career was winding down, and I prepared to enter the ordained ministry--and become gainfully employed, my wife and I decided it was time to start our family. Well, it didn't quite work out for us to begin with.
After month after month of futility, we talked with my wife's OBGYN. She put my wife on Clomid, and we began monitoring days and awaiting ovulation. Several attempts proved unfruitful, and the emotional roller coaster my wife was riding was devastating to her.
Right about this time, I began serving Emanuel's Lutheran Church in Seguin, TX. I was blessed with very good insurance and the name of a local OBGYN who was rapidly making a name for herself in New Braunfels. We scheduled an appointment with her. My wife's new doctor quickly diagnosed her with Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Long and short of it, my wife has a major hormonal imbalance which makes it very difficult to conceive. Knowing the difficulties we had experienced with Clomid before, our new doc recommended further assistance. We consulted a fertility specialist.
We made an appointment in San Antoino with one such specialist. After running more than a few tests, we were met with grim news. My wife had one of the highest levels of testosterone she had ever seen. If we wanted to try injections, we could, but they would cost $10,000 a pop with no guarantees. That was much too steep for a couple living off one income and just getting established. The knowledge there were absolutely no guarantees didn't help matters. We knew we could go no further. "It would take a miracle for conception without treatment," the specialist told us. We thanked her, and started looking at adoption.
Fast forward several years and a move to Cat Spring, TX. We had been blessed with two little girls through the adoption process and had settled into a nice routine. My wife wasn't taking any treatments for conception; neither were we doing anything preventative. We were pretty sure we were done and our family was as large as it was going to get.
Then my wife's body started acting strangely. It began with frequent trips to the restroom followed by augmentation of particular body parts which generally stop growing after puberty. My wife became terrified. Her mother had experienced such things when her ovary blew up--a long term side effect of taking Clomid. My wife was very worried she was in trouble.
After doing some research, she informed me she either was pregnant or she had cancer.
"Either way, we've got to go to the doctor. We might as well rule at least one of them out," I replied.
A trip to Wal-Mart and a trip to the restroom later, we got one of the most tremendous blessings we'd ever experienced. For the first time, we saw a positive result on the test!
I'll not forget the next Sunday in church when I informed the congregation. I asked them to please pray for us the next week as we had scheduled a doctor's appointment for my wife because, "the test was positive." At first there was a collective gasp followed by applause when they understood what it meant.
Later that week, we got our first glimpse of a real miracle:
We heard the heartbeat and were filled with a joy that knows no bounds. That one in a million in a million chance had actually happened!
I know that people pray for miracles every day. I know some of them never receive such a thing. I know the disappointment, and I know the joy. I wish I had an answer as to why not everyone--including those who are of a deep faith--receives such blessings in their lives. I think it will ever be a mystery.
Some have tried to explain away such a thing by saying that miracles simply don't exist. All of them have a rational, logical, scientific explanation. Whatever.
I know what the tests showed us.
I know what the doctor told us.
I know what happened.
A miracle.
My son.
Don't ever, ever tell me miracles don't happen. I have one living with me.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Easter Sermon: Would You Be a Credible Witness?
My brothers and sisters in Christ, I received a very disturbing correspondence this past week. Apparently, a well-funded, start-up organization called the Athiest Agnostic Association of America has filed suit in a federal court in Houston asking the court to file a cease and desist order against the Church for proclaiming a lie. They have asked, "Just as free speech does not give one the right to lie and yell ‘fire’ in a crowded theater, it does not give people the right to proclaim falsehoods and lies about history." They continue, "Since there is no verifiable, scientific proof that one Jesus of Nazareth ever was raised from the dead, we request an order that the Church stop proclaiming such a falsity."
I don’t know how they managed to get such a lawsuit filed, but somehow they found a sympathetic judge right down the road in Houston. I took the correspondence to our Associate Member Richard Faulk who is a partner in a major law firm in Houston. I visited with Rick about this, and aside from being shocked this thing is actually going forward, we started trying to think through a defense.
Now, I don’t think I need to tell you how serious this charge is. I mean, if the quadruple A folks win, there are staggering consequences. I mean, sure, we could continue to proclaim that Jesus was a good teacher and that He wants you and I do be kind to one another and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. But if we cannot proclaim the resurrection, we are through. The resurrection is THE most important event in all of Christianity. St. Paul even wrote in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, "13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." The entire central, core message of Christianity is in trouble if we are not allowed to proclaim the resurrection!
So what can we do? What kind of defense can we offer? First off, we can’t offer scientific proof Jesus was raised from the dead. There is no way to measurably show that indeed this event happened. We can’t recreate it. We have no video evidence. Neither do we have any record noted by any people of authority. Sure, we have the Bible. We have the scriptures, but the AAAA will argue that these records are biased, taken down by Jesus’ followers and not objective observers. They will easily call them into suspicion.
Furthermore, they will call into question the validity of the Bible. They will surely point to things like our Gospel lesson this morning. They will show that the first people to go to the tomb went there and were confronted by a young man. They will argue the first reaction these women had was not joy, not elation, not a strong conviction to tell others. No. They will argue the first reaction of these women was to go home and cower in fear. They will argue that this is no such appropriate action, and even though we will counter that Jesus later appeared to His disciples and urged them to go out and tell, this primary reaction will be troubling for our defense.
As Rick and I talked we came to believe that our only defense will be to show that the witnesses of the resurrection are credible witnesses. We believe that the only way we can defend the proposition that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead is to show that the witness accounts by the earliest disciples are accurate and that they have had a lasting effect on the world. We believe that the only way we can defend the proposition that Jesus indeed rose from the dead is to show that these witnesses to the resurrection were so changed by the experience that they changed their lives and put into practice the very things Jesus taught them to do. We believe that the only way we can defend the proposition that Jesus indeed rose from the dead is to show that the risen Jesus still comes to people today to change their lives and empower them to witness to this fact of history.
Ah, but we face a daunting challenge in this defense. A daunting challenge. It is very true that we will be able to call upon a host of witnesses. We will be able to call upon the saints of 2000 years of history. We will be able to call upon the disciples who after encountering the risen Christ took His message into the world. We will be able to call upon the fact they willingly gave their lives and suffered martyrdom for Christ. We will be able to call upon the early Church Fathers who forsake glory and power and wealth and sought solitude and conversation with God in the desert. We will be able to call upon the saints who when the plague struck in the Roman empire, stayed and ministered to those sick and oftentimes dying, giving up their own lives when everyone else ran in fear. We will be able to call upon the major reformers of society who fought injustice, hunger, and poverty–St. Francis of Assissi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr. and others. We will be able to call upon the Church’s founding of education and health care as further evidence of the power of the risen Lord.
Yet, our opponents will point to the fact that for every Christian who does such marvelous things–who has had their lives transformed, there are just as many who don’t. There are just as many who call themselves Christian who have no noticeable evidence that the risen Christ has had an impact in their lives. They will point out that many who are Christian have no sense of peace and joy in their lives. They will point out that many who are Christian do not speak out and act against injustice. They will point out that many who are Christian still speak ill of others, are prejudiced toward others, and do not even follow the basic command of Jesus to love others as He has loved us.
Our only hope is to provide overwhelming numbers of people whose lives have been touched by the risen Savior. Our only hope is to produce an overabundance of credible witnesses who can show beyond the shadow of a doubt that their lives are different because they have encountered Jesus Christ. Our only hope is to have witness after witness after witness take the stand who produce the gifts of the Spirit: love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, generosity, gentleness, and self-control. It is in this alone that we can win this lawsuit. It is in this alone that we must rest our hope.
Of course, you might realize by now there is no such organization as the Athiest Agnositc Association of America. You might also realize there has been no such case filed. Yet, what if there had been? What if such a thing were ever to happen? Would we be able to call you to the stand? Would we be able to show that the risen Christ had touched your live and made a difference in it? Would you be seen as closer to those women who cowered in fear, or as those who live boldly proclaiming that Jesus is Lord and Savior of all? Would you be seen as a credible witness? Amen.
I don’t know how they managed to get such a lawsuit filed, but somehow they found a sympathetic judge right down the road in Houston. I took the correspondence to our Associate Member Richard Faulk who is a partner in a major law firm in Houston. I visited with Rick about this, and aside from being shocked this thing is actually going forward, we started trying to think through a defense.
Now, I don’t think I need to tell you how serious this charge is. I mean, if the quadruple A folks win, there are staggering consequences. I mean, sure, we could continue to proclaim that Jesus was a good teacher and that He wants you and I do be kind to one another and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. But if we cannot proclaim the resurrection, we are through. The resurrection is THE most important event in all of Christianity. St. Paul even wrote in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, "13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." The entire central, core message of Christianity is in trouble if we are not allowed to proclaim the resurrection!
So what can we do? What kind of defense can we offer? First off, we can’t offer scientific proof Jesus was raised from the dead. There is no way to measurably show that indeed this event happened. We can’t recreate it. We have no video evidence. Neither do we have any record noted by any people of authority. Sure, we have the Bible. We have the scriptures, but the AAAA will argue that these records are biased, taken down by Jesus’ followers and not objective observers. They will easily call them into suspicion.
Furthermore, they will call into question the validity of the Bible. They will surely point to things like our Gospel lesson this morning. They will show that the first people to go to the tomb went there and were confronted by a young man. They will argue the first reaction these women had was not joy, not elation, not a strong conviction to tell others. No. They will argue the first reaction of these women was to go home and cower in fear. They will argue that this is no such appropriate action, and even though we will counter that Jesus later appeared to His disciples and urged them to go out and tell, this primary reaction will be troubling for our defense.
As Rick and I talked we came to believe that our only defense will be to show that the witnesses of the resurrection are credible witnesses. We believe that the only way we can defend the proposition that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead is to show that the witness accounts by the earliest disciples are accurate and that they have had a lasting effect on the world. We believe that the only way we can defend the proposition that Jesus indeed rose from the dead is to show that these witnesses to the resurrection were so changed by the experience that they changed their lives and put into practice the very things Jesus taught them to do. We believe that the only way we can defend the proposition that Jesus indeed rose from the dead is to show that the risen Jesus still comes to people today to change their lives and empower them to witness to this fact of history.
Ah, but we face a daunting challenge in this defense. A daunting challenge. It is very true that we will be able to call upon a host of witnesses. We will be able to call upon the saints of 2000 years of history. We will be able to call upon the disciples who after encountering the risen Christ took His message into the world. We will be able to call upon the fact they willingly gave their lives and suffered martyrdom for Christ. We will be able to call upon the early Church Fathers who forsake glory and power and wealth and sought solitude and conversation with God in the desert. We will be able to call upon the saints who when the plague struck in the Roman empire, stayed and ministered to those sick and oftentimes dying, giving up their own lives when everyone else ran in fear. We will be able to call upon the major reformers of society who fought injustice, hunger, and poverty–St. Francis of Assissi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr. and others. We will be able to call upon the Church’s founding of education and health care as further evidence of the power of the risen Lord.
Yet, our opponents will point to the fact that for every Christian who does such marvelous things–who has had their lives transformed, there are just as many who don’t. There are just as many who call themselves Christian who have no noticeable evidence that the risen Christ has had an impact in their lives. They will point out that many who are Christian have no sense of peace and joy in their lives. They will point out that many who are Christian do not speak out and act against injustice. They will point out that many who are Christian still speak ill of others, are prejudiced toward others, and do not even follow the basic command of Jesus to love others as He has loved us.
Our only hope is to provide overwhelming numbers of people whose lives have been touched by the risen Savior. Our only hope is to produce an overabundance of credible witnesses who can show beyond the shadow of a doubt that their lives are different because they have encountered Jesus Christ. Our only hope is to have witness after witness after witness take the stand who produce the gifts of the Spirit: love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, generosity, gentleness, and self-control. It is in this alone that we can win this lawsuit. It is in this alone that we must rest our hope.
Of course, you might realize by now there is no such organization as the Athiest Agnositc Association of America. You might also realize there has been no such case filed. Yet, what if there had been? What if such a thing were ever to happen? Would we be able to call you to the stand? Would we be able to show that the risen Christ had touched your live and made a difference in it? Would you be seen as closer to those women who cowered in fear, or as those who live boldly proclaiming that Jesus is Lord and Savior of all? Would you be seen as a credible witness? Amen.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
A New Command
Maundy Thursday.
Maundy: from mandatum, Latin for command.
And what is the command?
34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
So much has been written; so much has been said about this command.
What more is there to write that has not already been written?
What more is there to say that has not already been said?
All that is left is to do.
At times it seems impossible with all there is to divide.
It's easier to clump with those who look like us,
...believe like us,
...act like us,
...dress like us,
...or what have you.
Such superficiality that divides.
But Jesus expects more out of those who follow Him.
Differences be damned.
"Love one another as I have loved you."
That's not a request.
Maundy: from mandatum, Latin for command.
And what is the command?
34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
So much has been written; so much has been said about this command.
What more is there to write that has not already been written?
What more is there to say that has not already been said?
All that is left is to do.
At times it seems impossible with all there is to divide.
It's easier to clump with those who look like us,
...believe like us,
...act like us,
...dress like us,
...or what have you.
Such superficiality that divides.
But Jesus expects more out of those who follow Him.
Differences be damned.
"Love one another as I have loved you."
That's not a request.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Palm Sunday Sermon
(A little later than normal.)
This week as I began preparing for this sermon, I found it interesting that the second lesson designated this week was the Christ hymn from Philippians chapter two. Many scholars believe this is one of the earliest hymns of the early Church, and it begins with a rather intriguing stanza. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. As I reflect upon that statement, I reflect upon it with some difficulty. I mean, is it possible to think with the same mind as Jesus Christ? Is it possible to entertain the idea that our thoughts should line up in the same manner as Jesus’ own thoughts? I mean, that’s a true mind stretcher if there ever was one.
For instance, let’s apply this principle to this day in the Church year. It is Palm Sunday. It is the day we remember the beginning of the end. We remember how Jesus rode on the back of a donkey into Jerusalem. The crowd is whipped into a frenzy. They are celebrating His entry and rejoicing. They are placing palm fronds and robes in His path. They are crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" There is little doubt the people believed that Jesus was there to do something spectacular. There is little doubt they believed Jesus was full of power. There is little doubt they believed Jesus came in the Lord’s name and was somehow going to be involved in the arrival of the kingdom–although we see revealed in Mark’s text they believed it would be the kingdom of their ancestor David. Apparently, they believed Jesus was going to re-establish the kingdom of Israel and overthrow those who were occupying it currently. This is the milieu Jesus is riding into.
And, to be faithful to the text in Philippians chapter 2, one must ask, "What was going on in Jesus’ mind at that point and time? What were His thoughts?"
These are tough questions. We do know in the Gospel of Luke, some folks told Jesus to silence the crowd, and Jesus responded by saying, "If they were told to be silent, even the stones would cry out." Does this mean Jesus is reveling in the attention He is getting? Does this mean that as Jesus sat astride the donkey, He was waving at the crowd, smiling, and taking in all the attention? Does this mean Jesus was caught up in the celebration and elation of His arrival into Jerusalem?
I personally have a tough time imagining this. I have a tough time imagining Jesus playing to the crowd at this juncture. Why? Because I believe Jesus knew what would be happening next. We know unequivocally that throughout the Gospels, Jesus made known to His followers the truth that He would come to Jerusalem to be handed over to the elders, chief priests, and scribes. He would be arrested, tried, and executed. We know Jesus said this earlier, and if He knew He was headed to His execution, do you think He would have seen His entry into Jerusalem as an occasion for celebration? As I said before, I have a hard time believing that.
So what was Jesus thinking? Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. As I was on one of my bike rides this week and was thinking about this text, an old hymn title popped into my head. It’s a hymn that has lost much of its luster, and some would argue that it has no place in worship any longer. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if it didn’t offer some insight into Jesus’ thoughts on that day He entered Jerusalem. The hymn is actually found in our green hymnal. Hymn number 183: "The Son of God Goes Forth to War."
The opening stanza reads:
The Son of God goes forth to war, A kingly crown to gain.
As I thought about this hymn and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, I began to wonder if there was some connection. I began to wonder if Jesus didn’t think of Himself astride His mount heading into war. No, not a war with Rome. Not a war with poverty. Not a war with injustice. Not a war with oppression. But rather a war with the root cause of all of these things. A war with the forces of evil, the Devil, and all his empty promises. A war with sin itself and everything that would draw us away from placing God first in our lives and living by God’s will and command. Jesus was marching into combat.
And just as soldiers head into combat cheered on by throngs, Jesus too was cheered on by those around Him. How often do we see video or pictures of flag waving supporters as armies prepare for war? But amidst the smiling throngs, do the generals and others buy into the flag waving and cheers? Not if they are seasoned soldiers because they know the reality of which they are facing. They know the reality of war. They know the horrors the soldiers will soon face. They know they will see death and destruction and the nastiness of humankind.
Jesus knew He would see that shortly. Jesus knew He would be attacked. Jesus knew there would be blood and sweat and tears. It’s hard to imagine Jesus smiling and cheering on such a thing as He rode into Jerusalem that day.
And as is apt to happen during war, many times the same crowd who is so anxious to cheer their soldiers on turns. We’ve seen it happen in our country numerous times. When the expectations of war are not met; when things don’t go as people see them in their heads, they rail against the war. Sometimes they even rail against the soldiers. The voices that were once singing praises begin shouting insults. It happens, and I have a sneaky suspicion Jesus realized this crowd would turn on Him as well. I have a sneaky suspicion Jesus looked at all the faces gathered there and realized their smiles and laughter would disappear into shouts of anger, frustration, and ill will. Their Hosannas! would turn into "Crucify Him!" I find it hard to believe Jesus would be smiling and laughing as He rode with this in His mind.
So what kept Him going? What kept Him focused? As He rode into this cheering throng, headed toward bloody battle with evil, knowing that these same people would turn on Him, what did He think? Let this same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus–who though He was in the form of God did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited, but rather He humbled Himself becoming obedient unto death even death on a cross.
Jesus knew the cross was coming. Amidst the celebration and the palm branches and the cloaks and the shouts, Jesus knew it was the beginning of the end. The beginning of God’s reconciling the world unto Himself. Jesus knew God’s great love for us. He knew God’s desire to defeat death and sin and the devil. He knew He was the instrument to be used to accomplish that purpose. He would ride to war even though He knew it would cost everything. But He was willing to give it because He shared His Father’s love.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Amen.
His blood red banner streams a-far; Who follows in his train?
Who best can drink his cup of woe, Triumphant over pain;
Who patient bears his cross below–He follows in his train.
This week as I began preparing for this sermon, I found it interesting that the second lesson designated this week was the Christ hymn from Philippians chapter two. Many scholars believe this is one of the earliest hymns of the early Church, and it begins with a rather intriguing stanza. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. As I reflect upon that statement, I reflect upon it with some difficulty. I mean, is it possible to think with the same mind as Jesus Christ? Is it possible to entertain the idea that our thoughts should line up in the same manner as Jesus’ own thoughts? I mean, that’s a true mind stretcher if there ever was one.
For instance, let’s apply this principle to this day in the Church year. It is Palm Sunday. It is the day we remember the beginning of the end. We remember how Jesus rode on the back of a donkey into Jerusalem. The crowd is whipped into a frenzy. They are celebrating His entry and rejoicing. They are placing palm fronds and robes in His path. They are crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" There is little doubt the people believed that Jesus was there to do something spectacular. There is little doubt they believed Jesus was full of power. There is little doubt they believed Jesus came in the Lord’s name and was somehow going to be involved in the arrival of the kingdom–although we see revealed in Mark’s text they believed it would be the kingdom of their ancestor David. Apparently, they believed Jesus was going to re-establish the kingdom of Israel and overthrow those who were occupying it currently. This is the milieu Jesus is riding into.
And, to be faithful to the text in Philippians chapter 2, one must ask, "What was going on in Jesus’ mind at that point and time? What were His thoughts?"
These are tough questions. We do know in the Gospel of Luke, some folks told Jesus to silence the crowd, and Jesus responded by saying, "If they were told to be silent, even the stones would cry out." Does this mean Jesus is reveling in the attention He is getting? Does this mean that as Jesus sat astride the donkey, He was waving at the crowd, smiling, and taking in all the attention? Does this mean Jesus was caught up in the celebration and elation of His arrival into Jerusalem?
I personally have a tough time imagining this. I have a tough time imagining Jesus playing to the crowd at this juncture. Why? Because I believe Jesus knew what would be happening next. We know unequivocally that throughout the Gospels, Jesus made known to His followers the truth that He would come to Jerusalem to be handed over to the elders, chief priests, and scribes. He would be arrested, tried, and executed. We know Jesus said this earlier, and if He knew He was headed to His execution, do you think He would have seen His entry into Jerusalem as an occasion for celebration? As I said before, I have a hard time believing that.
So what was Jesus thinking? Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. As I was on one of my bike rides this week and was thinking about this text, an old hymn title popped into my head. It’s a hymn that has lost much of its luster, and some would argue that it has no place in worship any longer. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if it didn’t offer some insight into Jesus’ thoughts on that day He entered Jerusalem. The hymn is actually found in our green hymnal. Hymn number 183: "The Son of God Goes Forth to War."
The opening stanza reads:
The Son of God goes forth to war, A kingly crown to gain.
As I thought about this hymn and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, I began to wonder if there was some connection. I began to wonder if Jesus didn’t think of Himself astride His mount heading into war. No, not a war with Rome. Not a war with poverty. Not a war with injustice. Not a war with oppression. But rather a war with the root cause of all of these things. A war with the forces of evil, the Devil, and all his empty promises. A war with sin itself and everything that would draw us away from placing God first in our lives and living by God’s will and command. Jesus was marching into combat.
And just as soldiers head into combat cheered on by throngs, Jesus too was cheered on by those around Him. How often do we see video or pictures of flag waving supporters as armies prepare for war? But amidst the smiling throngs, do the generals and others buy into the flag waving and cheers? Not if they are seasoned soldiers because they know the reality of which they are facing. They know the reality of war. They know the horrors the soldiers will soon face. They know they will see death and destruction and the nastiness of humankind.
Jesus knew He would see that shortly. Jesus knew He would be attacked. Jesus knew there would be blood and sweat and tears. It’s hard to imagine Jesus smiling and cheering on such a thing as He rode into Jerusalem that day.
And as is apt to happen during war, many times the same crowd who is so anxious to cheer their soldiers on turns. We’ve seen it happen in our country numerous times. When the expectations of war are not met; when things don’t go as people see them in their heads, they rail against the war. Sometimes they even rail against the soldiers. The voices that were once singing praises begin shouting insults. It happens, and I have a sneaky suspicion Jesus realized this crowd would turn on Him as well. I have a sneaky suspicion Jesus looked at all the faces gathered there and realized their smiles and laughter would disappear into shouts of anger, frustration, and ill will. Their Hosannas! would turn into "Crucify Him!" I find it hard to believe Jesus would be smiling and laughing as He rode with this in His mind.
So what kept Him going? What kept Him focused? As He rode into this cheering throng, headed toward bloody battle with evil, knowing that these same people would turn on Him, what did He think? Let this same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus–who though He was in the form of God did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited, but rather He humbled Himself becoming obedient unto death even death on a cross.
Jesus knew the cross was coming. Amidst the celebration and the palm branches and the cloaks and the shouts, Jesus knew it was the beginning of the end. The beginning of God’s reconciling the world unto Himself. Jesus knew God’s great love for us. He knew God’s desire to defeat death and sin and the devil. He knew He was the instrument to be used to accomplish that purpose. He would ride to war even though He knew it would cost everything. But He was willing to give it because He shared His Father’s love.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Amen.
His blood red banner streams a-far; Who follows in his train?
Who best can drink his cup of woe, Triumphant over pain;
Who patient bears his cross below–He follows in his train.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
What the Bleep Do We Know?
As I stated in a previous post, I got a kick out of watching this documentary which dealt with both quantum mechanics and brain function.
One of the interesting tidbits given by a neurologist (doctor who studies and works on the brain) was that the eye sees over two million pieces of information at one time, yet we can only focus on 2000 of those pieces. (The terminology I am using here might not be exact, but the gist is the same.) This means that we literally take in 1,998,000 more pieces of information in than we can handle at any given moment. This also means we miss a whole lot more than we are often willing to admit.
It's little wonder we can't really come up with a coherent picture of events that happened. It's little wonder we have trouble remembering the details of events.
For instance, I am notorious about forgetting things people tell me on Sunday morning before or after worship. Just the other Sunday, a member of the choir informed me they would like to sing an introductory piece before we began worship. I had just finished teaching Sunday School and my brain was still processing a few things, nature was calling, I was entering my pre-worship routine and noticing one of my kids running toward me. Long and short of it, when the appropriate time for the choir to sing arrived, I skipped right over it. My brain didn't alert me until I had a few moments to gather myself while another person was reading the lessons. With everything going on, it took several moments of quiet and reflection until my brain actually processed the choir members' request.
Now, I'm not trying to excuse myself. I didn't focus like I should, however, it's not surprising given how our brains work.
For my money, this should make us quite humble as we enter into any sort of argument or debate about things. We miss way too much of what our eyes actually see (not to mention that sometimes our brain only sees that which confirms our own viewpoints--that's another post, though). There really is a whole world out there that we are missing.
Gives a kind of fresh insight as to why Jesus called His followers do be humble, does it not?
One of the interesting tidbits given by a neurologist (doctor who studies and works on the brain) was that the eye sees over two million pieces of information at one time, yet we can only focus on 2000 of those pieces. (The terminology I am using here might not be exact, but the gist is the same.) This means that we literally take in 1,998,000 more pieces of information in than we can handle at any given moment. This also means we miss a whole lot more than we are often willing to admit.
It's little wonder we can't really come up with a coherent picture of events that happened. It's little wonder we have trouble remembering the details of events.
For instance, I am notorious about forgetting things people tell me on Sunday morning before or after worship. Just the other Sunday, a member of the choir informed me they would like to sing an introductory piece before we began worship. I had just finished teaching Sunday School and my brain was still processing a few things, nature was calling, I was entering my pre-worship routine and noticing one of my kids running toward me. Long and short of it, when the appropriate time for the choir to sing arrived, I skipped right over it. My brain didn't alert me until I had a few moments to gather myself while another person was reading the lessons. With everything going on, it took several moments of quiet and reflection until my brain actually processed the choir members' request.
Now, I'm not trying to excuse myself. I didn't focus like I should, however, it's not surprising given how our brains work.
For my money, this should make us quite humble as we enter into any sort of argument or debate about things. We miss way too much of what our eyes actually see (not to mention that sometimes our brain only sees that which confirms our own viewpoints--that's another post, though). There really is a whole world out there that we are missing.
Gives a kind of fresh insight as to why Jesus called His followers do be humble, does it not?
Monday, April 2, 2012
Some Mind Blowing Stuff
To further the commentary on quantum mechanics and faith:
Recently, I watched a documentary titled "What the Bleep Do We Know?" Part of the documentary dealt with how atoms dealt with one another.
They used an example of a basketball bouncing on concrete. They shared the fact that the atoms of the basketball never actually touch the atoms of the concrete. The atoms actually repel one another. Therefore, the ball never actually touches the concrete. (Weird, but true.)
A quantum physicist was then interviewed who blatantly said, "(This means) If we believed with every fiber of our being that we could walk on water, we could."
Actually, I was pretty dumbstruck by this comment.
"Really?" I thought.
Needing further confirmation, I inquired of this comment with my church member. "Yep!" he assured me.
Reminds me of another who talked about having faith enough to move mountains who was reported to have walked on water. According to quantum theory--such a thing is actually possible.
(So much for those who want to "demythologize" the Bible.)
Recently, I watched a documentary titled "What the Bleep Do We Know?" Part of the documentary dealt with how atoms dealt with one another.
They used an example of a basketball bouncing on concrete. They shared the fact that the atoms of the basketball never actually touch the atoms of the concrete. The atoms actually repel one another. Therefore, the ball never actually touches the concrete. (Weird, but true.)
A quantum physicist was then interviewed who blatantly said, "(This means) If we believed with every fiber of our being that we could walk on water, we could."
Actually, I was pretty dumbstruck by this comment.
"Really?" I thought.
Needing further confirmation, I inquired of this comment with my church member. "Yep!" he assured me.
Reminds me of another who talked about having faith enough to move mountains who was reported to have walked on water. According to quantum theory--such a thing is actually possible.
(So much for those who want to "demythologize" the Bible.)
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