I'm an ordained pastor in a "mainline" Christian denomination. I've received a Master's degree and an earned Doctorate... from a well-respected seminary. I am not primitive, phobic, vile, or hateful. I've been committed to a variety of civil rights causes in the course of my life, and I've supported Israel at every turn. Ordinarily, it's my tendency to live and let live, even though I try hard to preach the gospel every time I enter the pulpit. I don't like conflict, but I dislike bullies even more... so I am weighing in... in support of Phil Robertson and Bible-believing Christians throughout the world! Phil and I do not agree on the interpretation of every verse in Scripture... but we do agree... that Scripture IS God's word... and I am alarmed that, in a country like ours, a man of faith can be censured and punished for citing God's word. If we take...a) the condescending arrogance of those who mock Christianity, on the one hand, and b) the silence of misguided Christians, on the other hand... we have a one-two punch that will kill the very values that gave birth to our country.
Friends, it is time to speak out. There's something oppressive and unsavory going on here, and it's beginning to alarm me. I am frustrated when I see retailers, who are making a fortune off of Christmas, forbid their employees to say "Merry Christmas." If they don't believe in Christmas, then they should close their stores. At least that would show some conviction. Just now, I see that a middle school on Long Island systematically removed any reference to Christ from "Silent Night," so that they wouldn't offend anyone! Hello! How about those of us who believe? It seems that we have reached a point in time where right is considered wrong, and wrong is considered right. Why are Christians- of all stripes- putting up with this? Why? We've known for years that money-makers and power-brokers want us to keep our mouths shut... while they co-opt one of the most sacred days in history... but now... we are expected to sit idly by...while a man of faith is condemned for paraphrasing the Bible... in response to a direct question... during an interview... that he granted.
Friends, all Christians should be offended by this because their own faith demands that they also live by God's word. According to Jesus (and here I paraphrase) any one who follows Him will be persecuted for living out his/her beliefs" Why? Because being a Christian is a way of life. People who have surrendered to Christ and who live their lives for Him,,, ARE the Chirstians. They live for Christ and stand on the Bible as THE source of morality and direction in life. Thus, when you ask born-again Christians what they consider to be a sin ... you are simply toying with them because they will always tell you what they've learned in their Bibles and heard in their pulpits! How could it be otherwise? When Phil gave an interview to a national magazine, which had nothing to do with Duck Dynasty or A&E, he was asked about his own opinion on homosexuality... and he gave the answer... that anyone should have expected from an evangelical Christian. He said that, based on Scripture, he considers homosexuality to be a sin and that he personally doesn't see how any man could have sex with another man. He concluded by saying that, as a Christian, he loves all of God's people and would never harm anyone. Amen, You can disagree with this. You can laugh at it. You can call it outdated, even hateful and vile (as one personality did)... but you have to admit that it IS the word of God. Consider these verses:
(As a punishment for their ongoing disobedience) God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degradation of their bodies with one another... Because of this, even women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women... Men committed indecent acts with other men... furthermore... they abandoned their knowledge of God and became filled with evil, greed, murder, strife, deceit, and malice, They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters.... ROMANS 1:24ff
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders... will inherit the kingdom of God.... I CORINTHIANS 6: 9ff
Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother... do not have sexual relations with your sister... do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable... do not have sexual relations with an animal... anyone who does any of these detestable things (will be) cut off from their people.
LEVITICUS 18
Now, if I were teaching a class on these passages today, I would put them in their historical, cultural, and theological context (as I see it)... but millions and millions of my Christian brothers and sister take them at face value and strive to live by them! If I asked any one of them to list the behaviors that they considered to be sins... I would expect to hear the very things I cited above. Indeed, I would be disappointed if I didn't! That's what evangelical Christians throughout the world will say every single time they're asked... because that is what they believe! If I were to ask my many Jewish friends for their opinion on Jesus' divinity... I know what they would say because I know what they believe. In short, Phil Robertson is being condemned for saying what everyone knew he would say. What is he supposed to do? Deny his own faith? Undermine the word of God? If the interview itself wasn't a "set-up," surely A&E's suspension of Phil, was a repudiation of Bible-believing Christians everywhere. I find A&E's and GLAAD's actions to be so offensive that I could write a book about it... but I will close with three thoughts:
First, let's admit that this is a war on Christianity, or at least a war on the Bible. I don't interpret Scripture in the same way Phil does... but I certainly know that he was citing Scripture... and that he could've cited many other passages. Therefore, people who find Phil's comments to be vile and
hateful ... are actually indicting Scripture... that is sacred to billions of people, are they not? Are we crucifying Phil... for believing the Bible? Call the Bible vile, if you think it is. Call conservative Christians hateful, if you think they are. Call Paul, the original author of Phil's statement... vile, if you feel that way... but don't call a man vile and hateful when he refers to Scripture and pretend that Scripture has nothing to do with it.
If God's word is passe' or a source of mockery in America, Christians ought to either rise up and demand respect... or pack it in and go golfing. Secondly, I'mconcerned about the intolerance shown by GlAAD and others who have picked this fight. If the American public finds Phil Robertson's comments to be offensive, they won't watch his show and his ratings will fall. They will speak out in that way, without being told what to believe, or being bullied! Until now, things have been going very well for GLAAD and for the cause of the entire LGBT communinity. More Americans, and more Christians, have supported their cause... but they've done so in the name of tolerance. But now, it seems that GLAAD'S heavy-handed approach to Phil's beliefs violate their own claim to tolerance. Crushing the views and rights of people in my own family whom I respect and adore is not a position that I will ever endorse!
Finally, I return to my fear of the coalition of people who don't believe in God's word and those Christians who don't believe it is worth fighting for. Please, please, take a stand. Don't support A&E, put a nativity scene in your yard, vote for men and women who are Christians, say "Merry Christmas" to everyone you meet. Christians in America have never been told to either shut up or say what they are told to say! Never. and it should not start now! I just read a comment from GLAAD, in which their representative noted that they had to attack Phil because... there comes a time when "staying quiet" is unacceptable. He and I could not agree more on this particular point!
PK
PK IN SWEDEN
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR ME... AND MAYBE, YOU TOO
A FEW OF MY
RESOLUTIONS FOR 2014
(and a couple for
you)
every
now and then)
In 2014…I resolve to write the book I’ve wanted to write for
years
(or
at least to begin)
In 2014…I resolve to work on my abs (don’t laugh)
or
at least…unpack the weights I bought last summer
In 2014…I resolve to spend much more time
learning
the languages I’ve been studying for years
In 2014…I resolve to double my prayer time,
which
wouldn’t be… all that difficult to do
In 2014…I resolve to live as an “intentional” Christian…
who puts on the
armor of God when he gets dressed
In 2014…I resolve to begin each day with this question:
“What
does Christ want me to do and say today?”
In 2014…I resolve to claim the Imago Dei within me,
and to embrace the
Imago Dei in others
In 2014…I resolve to be an authentic, engaging and caring
leader
and
to visit every single church member at least once
In 2014…I resolve to be the “poppy” that my daughters and
my
grandchildren deserve (and this includes Donald IV as well)
In 2014…I resolve to take myself less seriously and the joys
and
the
pains of others… more seriously
In 2014…I resolve to be the husband that my wife thought I’d
be…
all
those years ago.
Well, 12 is a good Biblical number, and so, I will stop,
knowing and admitting that I could list 120, or 1200, worthy goals that would
make me more fully human. It is my fervent prayer that our elders will be more
intentional servants in 2014 and that God will inspire many of you to join
them… on a path that leads to… Bible study and spiritual growth.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
SHOTGUNS, BOWLING BALLS, & CHRISTMAS EXPECTATIONS
When I was a kid, Christmas was a mixed blessing. We didn't believe in much, and we didn't even stay home. Usually, we drove out to the Grundon's for Christmas Eve, which was okay (if not overdone)... but Jack Daniels always joined us. Alcohol filled our Christmases with tension...but still, I harbored my wishes and expectations. Yes, I had my expectations... and I had a script in my head of what people needed to do and say... and what gifts I needed to receive... to make my Christmas "good." I had definite expectations of what would make Christmas "good," but I was disappointed more than once. My greatest disappointment came on the Christmas when I wanted a bowling ball with all my heart. I really, really wanted a bowling ball of my own- one drilled just for me, with my name on it... but my father decided to get me and my two brothers new shotguns. He liked to hunt and my brothers liked it as well... but I kept telling mom to get Larry and Randy a shotgun for Christmas... but to get me a bowling ball instead. Well, come Christmas morning... I had shotgun... and very little faith in either Jesus or Santa.
I was brokenhearted because Christmas didn't meet my expectations! It was a terrible Christmas because I didn't get what I expected. It was an awful Christmas because it didn't meet my expectations, and if truth be known, I still get disappointed when things don't meet my expectations. Whether it's a project at work, the outcome of a game, or the way in which a relationship unfolds- things seem wrong when they don't meet my expectations. A lot of people are like me. Things are good when they meet their expectations, and they need to be fixed when they don't. It's that simple. Many people evaluate things through the lens of their expectations, and when they don't match up, they are upset... disappointed... sometimes to the point of looking for something... or someone... else. Embracing a role model, a spouse, even a savior, AS THEY ARE can be very difficult... because our expectations get in the way!
This may have been John the Baptist's problem when he asked Jesus if he was the Anointed One or if he (John) should look for someone else. Scholars have made other guesses, but I suspect that John's own expectations blinded him to Jesus' identity. Otherwise, John's question makes no sense at all,,, because according to Scripture, John had baptized Jesus and pointed him out as "The Lamb of God." Putting aside the fact that John and Jesus were related, the Bible makes it clear that John told Jesus that he wasn't even worthy to untie Jesus' sandals. Friends, there's no doubt that John thought Jesus was the Messiah...at one time... back when he thought Jesus would meet his expectations ... before he was thrown into Herod's dungeon... before time began to drag... with no changes, not even any tough talk. John was a man of action,,, and perhaps... he began to think...maybe- just maybe- Jesus was not the man. Jesus was not living up to John's expectations of what a Messiah should do and say, and John was beginning to wonder... if Jesus was the one.
Many Christians have a similar battle with their expectations when they start their faith journeys. They're excited about Jesus in the beginning. They buy a Bible, even two. They study, join things, and attend worship services... religiously... but then the pastor says something they don't agree with, or the youth group isn't led in the way that they would lead it, or the wrong songs are sung... and they're gone... disappointed because the church did not meet their expectations. Or take a couple who've been been active in church for a long time. They seem to have mature faith. They're involved in everything and they talk all of the talk... until their marriage crumbles... or a child dies... and then they lose their faith altogether... because God did not met their expectations. If they were God, they figure, they would not have let bad things happen to good people like themselves...so a God who stands with them in the midst of their loss... isn't worth the time of day. Their own expectations separate them from God at the very time when they needed Him most.
It's easy to get so caught up in what we think should be happening... that we fail to see what's actually happening. So, John sent his disciples to Jesus with a direct question: are you the One? Are you the one? Isn't this a powerful question? Didn't Jesus ask his disciples- who do you say that I am? And isn't Jesus asking you and me this question now: Am I the One you have been waiting for? This is a life-changing question, and Jesus simply invited John to open his eyes. Tell John, he responded, to quit looking for what he wants to see... and to start seeing what God is doing! People who haven't seen for years...nothing or dimly... no light, maybe shadows... are seeing clearly; people who've never heard good news.... can hear me whisper, I love you, and I would die for you; people who are poor (in all the ways people are poor) are richer than rich; people who haven't been touched in years... are being greeted and hugged; and those who've been given up for dead... are being reborn! I feel confident that He didn't need to say anything more- not to John- because the Baptist knew his Bible. He knew that these very things- new life, vision, love, hope- are signs of the Kingdom. We know it too... but sometimes... we get so caught up in ourselves- in our own expectations and needs- that we just don't see clearly.
Friends, I can't make Christmas "good." My father couldn't make it good, and neither can you. It IS good. Moreover, we can't manage Christmas. We can decorate our homes, turn Christmas music on, and set snacks on every table, but Christmas comes to us as a gift of grace. Of course, we want to be good hosts and generous givers, and all good Presbyterians will make their homes orderly... but Christmas isn't about us- it's about Jesus. He's the giver of new names, forgiveness and salvation... and these gifts have nothing whatsoever to do with shotguns and bowling balls.
My dad's been dead for more than 35 years now... but if I could do it all over again, I'd get my expectations out of the way... and say, "Thanks dad! This is a beautiful gun. Do you have the time to take us out shooting this weekend?" Amen.
I was brokenhearted because Christmas didn't meet my expectations! It was a terrible Christmas because I didn't get what I expected. It was an awful Christmas because it didn't meet my expectations, and if truth be known, I still get disappointed when things don't meet my expectations. Whether it's a project at work, the outcome of a game, or the way in which a relationship unfolds- things seem wrong when they don't meet my expectations. A lot of people are like me. Things are good when they meet their expectations, and they need to be fixed when they don't. It's that simple. Many people evaluate things through the lens of their expectations, and when they don't match up, they are upset... disappointed... sometimes to the point of looking for something... or someone... else. Embracing a role model, a spouse, even a savior, AS THEY ARE can be very difficult... because our expectations get in the way!
This may have been John the Baptist's problem when he asked Jesus if he was the Anointed One or if he (John) should look for someone else. Scholars have made other guesses, but I suspect that John's own expectations blinded him to Jesus' identity. Otherwise, John's question makes no sense at all,,, because according to Scripture, John had baptized Jesus and pointed him out as "The Lamb of God." Putting aside the fact that John and Jesus were related, the Bible makes it clear that John told Jesus that he wasn't even worthy to untie Jesus' sandals. Friends, there's no doubt that John thought Jesus was the Messiah...at one time... back when he thought Jesus would meet his expectations ... before he was thrown into Herod's dungeon... before time began to drag... with no changes, not even any tough talk. John was a man of action,,, and perhaps... he began to think...maybe- just maybe- Jesus was not the man. Jesus was not living up to John's expectations of what a Messiah should do and say, and John was beginning to wonder... if Jesus was the one.
Many Christians have a similar battle with their expectations when they start their faith journeys. They're excited about Jesus in the beginning. They buy a Bible, even two. They study, join things, and attend worship services... religiously... but then the pastor says something they don't agree with, or the youth group isn't led in the way that they would lead it, or the wrong songs are sung... and they're gone... disappointed because the church did not meet their expectations. Or take a couple who've been been active in church for a long time. They seem to have mature faith. They're involved in everything and they talk all of the talk... until their marriage crumbles... or a child dies... and then they lose their faith altogether... because God did not met their expectations. If they were God, they figure, they would not have let bad things happen to good people like themselves...so a God who stands with them in the midst of their loss... isn't worth the time of day. Their own expectations separate them from God at the very time when they needed Him most.
It's easy to get so caught up in what we think should be happening... that we fail to see what's actually happening. So, John sent his disciples to Jesus with a direct question: are you the One? Are you the one? Isn't this a powerful question? Didn't Jesus ask his disciples- who do you say that I am? And isn't Jesus asking you and me this question now: Am I the One you have been waiting for? This is a life-changing question, and Jesus simply invited John to open his eyes. Tell John, he responded, to quit looking for what he wants to see... and to start seeing what God is doing! People who haven't seen for years...nothing or dimly... no light, maybe shadows... are seeing clearly; people who've never heard good news.... can hear me whisper, I love you, and I would die for you; people who are poor (in all the ways people are poor) are richer than rich; people who haven't been touched in years... are being greeted and hugged; and those who've been given up for dead... are being reborn! I feel confident that He didn't need to say anything more- not to John- because the Baptist knew his Bible. He knew that these very things- new life, vision, love, hope- are signs of the Kingdom. We know it too... but sometimes... we get so caught up in ourselves- in our own expectations and needs- that we just don't see clearly.
Friends, I can't make Christmas "good." My father couldn't make it good, and neither can you. It IS good. Moreover, we can't manage Christmas. We can decorate our homes, turn Christmas music on, and set snacks on every table, but Christmas comes to us as a gift of grace. Of course, we want to be good hosts and generous givers, and all good Presbyterians will make their homes orderly... but Christmas isn't about us- it's about Jesus. He's the giver of new names, forgiveness and salvation... and these gifts have nothing whatsoever to do with shotguns and bowling balls.
My dad's been dead for more than 35 years now... but if I could do it all over again, I'd get my expectations out of the way... and say, "Thanks dad! This is a beautiful gun. Do you have the time to take us out shooting this weekend?" Amen.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FAIRNESS
Recently, my grandson, Archer (age 5) asked his mom if other children were blessed with parents who loved them as much as his mom and dad loved him.. and she answered... "no." Many, many children are blessed with loving and attentive parents. They're tucked in at night and they are heard during the day. They have boundaries, but their boundaries are part of the love they have come to trust. There are also many children who receive all the love they need from single parents and parents who have adopted them... BUT there are countless numbers of children... who hear more sobs than laughter... and who live with deep needs and an haunting emptiness... day after day after day. "No, Archer," she said, "There are all sorts of children who do NOT receive as much love and comfort as you receive"... and Archer broke down and cried! That's not fair, he said. it's not fair!
To which I can only say, "Amen. Nothing in life is fair, Archer. Nothing at all." Some kids are born into families... who want for nothing, and other kids are born into families...who have nothing. Some people are pretty, and other people are not. Some kids are affirmed and encouraged, and others are criticized and broken. Some kids are born in America, but some are born in Somalia. Some kids follow a family tradition of attending an Ivy League school, while other kids follow a family tradition of going to prison. Most kids grow up to be healthy men or women... but more than a few...die in tragic accidents... and from rare diseases... and fairness has nothing to do with it! In fact, thinking that things ought to be "fair" is one of the primary causes of discontent in our society.
As an ordained minister, I've read the Bible several times... and I've never seen the word "fair" (as we use it) a single time. I've encountered "love," "grace," "justice," "mercy," "forgiveness," "surrender," "righteousness," "peace," "contentment," "courage," even "punishment,"... but I've never encountered "fairness," as a theological theme. Like Job, we complain when things don't seem "fair," and like the prophets of old, we wonder why the "good die young"...which is why we need courage, perseverance,
and God's amazing grace. Archer, there's nothing "fair" under the sun. Give up on it. Instead, be content with what you have. Rejoice in the grace you've received. Be grateful for the love you've been blessed to give and receive... and give as much love to others... as God has given to you! Don't worry about fairness, Archer, because it doesn't exist. But never quit opening doors for others and lifting them up. This, itself, is not fair, but it sure is loving and just. Amen.
To which I can only say, "Amen. Nothing in life is fair, Archer. Nothing at all." Some kids are born into families... who want for nothing, and other kids are born into families...who have nothing. Some people are pretty, and other people are not. Some kids are affirmed and encouraged, and others are criticized and broken. Some kids are born in America, but some are born in Somalia. Some kids follow a family tradition of attending an Ivy League school, while other kids follow a family tradition of going to prison. Most kids grow up to be healthy men or women... but more than a few...die in tragic accidents... and from rare diseases... and fairness has nothing to do with it! In fact, thinking that things ought to be "fair" is one of the primary causes of discontent in our society.
As an ordained minister, I've read the Bible several times... and I've never seen the word "fair" (as we use it) a single time. I've encountered "love," "grace," "justice," "mercy," "forgiveness," "surrender," "righteousness," "peace," "contentment," "courage," even "punishment,"... but I've never encountered "fairness," as a theological theme. Like Job, we complain when things don't seem "fair," and like the prophets of old, we wonder why the "good die young"...which is why we need courage, perseverance,
and God's amazing grace. Archer, there's nothing "fair" under the sun. Give up on it. Instead, be content with what you have. Rejoice in the grace you've received. Be grateful for the love you've been blessed to give and receive... and give as much love to others... as God has given to you! Don't worry about fairness, Archer, because it doesn't exist. But never quit opening doors for others and lifting them up. This, itself, is not fair, but it sure is loving and just. Amen.
Monday, November 25, 2013
WITHOUT FAITH, LIFE IS A B......
Tuesday, I conducted a funeral service for a good man. He wasn't famous... or wealthy...or the life of the party. He wasn't notorious... or particularly witty... but he was a good man. He was committed to his wife; he was committed to the scouts, rearing all four of his sons to become eagle scouts; and he was a committed to his country, serving in the Navy during WWII. He was also a man with a strong faith, and we played "The Old Rugged Cross," during his service. During his eulogy, we focused on his life and faith, and offered a story or two about his war experience... but there was one moment that I found particularly poignant. When everyone else had left the room, Fred's four sons stood in front of their father's coffin. They just stood there for what seemed to be the longest time. They didn't speak to one another. They simply stood together, one and then another wiping away a tear, and occasionally, reaching out to touch their dad. I've seen this moment before...but when I watched these men, now on the brink of being old themselves, struggle to say goodbye, I was struck by their vulnerability. The pain of losing a loved one, it seems, never lessens, no matter how old we may be.
On Thursday I visited one of our seniors in his hospital room, which I've done several times before... because he's been in and out of the hospital for a couple of years now. He's recovering from another surgery and doing well, I think, but his bigger struggle... is with God, who either "allowed" or just "stood by and watched" as his only daughter passed away last year. She was a lovely "girl"- a great mother- a doting daughter- engaging, intelligent, beautiful...in every way... and now she's gone... and my friend can't get over it. His emotional pain is much deeper than his physical pain, and while I pray that he'll find the faith to embrace God's Easter promise, I suspect that his life here on earth... will never be as bright or as full as it used to be.
On Friday, I received a phone call from a young woman who is a good friend of mine. She said that her husband's cancer had "grown and spread" while he was fighting another life-threatening infection. These results were not surprising... but still disappointing... and we will continue to walk with both of them... as my friend continues his journey of courage and grace. Perhaps I'm too personally involved with this couple... but I find myself feeling a good measure of the fear, hope, and anxiety that they must be feeling. I feel good that they've developed a strong faith in recent years, but I feel bad... knowing that they're going to need it.
What does it all mean? What does it add up to? Simply this: without faith, life is very, very difficult!
On Thursday I visited one of our seniors in his hospital room, which I've done several times before... because he's been in and out of the hospital for a couple of years now. He's recovering from another surgery and doing well, I think, but his bigger struggle... is with God, who either "allowed" or just "stood by and watched" as his only daughter passed away last year. She was a lovely "girl"- a great mother- a doting daughter- engaging, intelligent, beautiful...in every way... and now she's gone... and my friend can't get over it. His emotional pain is much deeper than his physical pain, and while I pray that he'll find the faith to embrace God's Easter promise, I suspect that his life here on earth... will never be as bright or as full as it used to be.
On Friday, I received a phone call from a young woman who is a good friend of mine. She said that her husband's cancer had "grown and spread" while he was fighting another life-threatening infection. These results were not surprising... but still disappointing... and we will continue to walk with both of them... as my friend continues his journey of courage and grace. Perhaps I'm too personally involved with this couple... but I find myself feeling a good measure of the fear, hope, and anxiety that they must be feeling. I feel good that they've developed a strong faith in recent years, but I feel bad... knowing that they're going to need it.
What does it all mean? What does it add up to? Simply this: without faith, life is very, very difficult!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
An Attitude of Gratitude-My Head is Filled with Dirt
Gratefulness, someone said, is the fullest expression of the human heart... but I often take my blessings for granted. Another person once told me that my life would be better if I took the time to write a gratitude list every morning. He said that this would center me and lift my spirits as well, but I forget to do it, and even when I do remember, I'm too busy... so I plod along, wandering why I don't receive as many blessings that others seem to have. This way of thinking is wrong of course. In the 12 Step world, they would call it "stinking thinking." It's self-defeating and counter-productive... so today... as another Thanksgiving nears... I will write my Gratitude List. Today, I am grateful for...
Christ, Golgotha, and the Easter Promise...
my wife, my family, and others who have actually loved me for better or worse...
friends who have gone out of their way to overlook my faults and shortcomings...
Today, I am grateful for...
the joy of laughter when it's vulnerable and the depth of honest tears...
my vocation, adult baptisms, surrender, and second chances...
unexpected generosity... and people who dance with life.
Today, I am grateful for...
the oldies station, praise music, classic country, and old-time gospel music...
for the thread of hope that runs through Christian funerals...
and people who die with grace.
Today, I am grateful for...
good coffee, bad coffee, cold coffee, and reheated coffee...
mulligans, do-overs, and 2nd, 3rd, 10th chances... and forgiveness.
Today, I am grateful for
an oncology nurse named Maria and a preacher named Lu...
friends like Edna Baker, Bill Maule, Bus Iglehart, and Kelly Arduser, and
of course, being saved in and through Christ Jesus.
I've read that the Masai people say, "My head is filled with dirt," when they are grateful. Rather than saying "thank you," they say, "My head is filled dirt"... because, when they are grateful, they fall on their knees and actually put their foreheads in the dirt. This is much too vulnerable for most of us, but when you've been saved by grace and showered with unmerited blessings... what else can you do...
but fall to your knees and say, "My Lord and my God, my head is filled with dirt"!
Christ, Golgotha, and the Easter Promise...
my wife, my family, and others who have actually loved me for better or worse...
friends who have gone out of their way to overlook my faults and shortcomings...
Today, I am grateful for...
the joy of laughter when it's vulnerable and the depth of honest tears...
my vocation, adult baptisms, surrender, and second chances...
unexpected generosity... and people who dance with life.
Today, I am grateful for...
the oldies station, praise music, classic country, and old-time gospel music...
for the thread of hope that runs through Christian funerals...
and people who die with grace.
Today, I am grateful for...
good coffee, bad coffee, cold coffee, and reheated coffee...
mulligans, do-overs, and 2nd, 3rd, 10th chances... and forgiveness.
Today, I am grateful for
an oncology nurse named Maria and a preacher named Lu...
friends like Edna Baker, Bill Maule, Bus Iglehart, and Kelly Arduser, and
of course, being saved in and through Christ Jesus.
I've read that the Masai people say, "My head is filled with dirt," when they are grateful. Rather than saying "thank you," they say, "My head is filled dirt"... because, when they are grateful, they fall on their knees and actually put their foreheads in the dirt. This is much too vulnerable for most of us, but when you've been saved by grace and showered with unmerited blessings... what else can you do...
but fall to your knees and say, "My Lord and my God, my head is filled with dirt"!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
GOD'S NEW THING
In 1921, a new warden showed up at New York's infamous Sing-Sing prison. His name was Lewis Lawes and many believe that he turned this prison around... but today, I want to talk about his wife, Catherine... because she's the one who introduced scores of violent inmates... to the new thing that God is doing in our midst. Never afraid, she frequently attended events and activities with the inmates... believing that God would keep her safe, and she had a personal interest in each prisoner. She met with each one and knew them by name. Once, when she found out that one of the prisoners was blind, she learned Braille herself... and then taught it to the man... so that his life would be richer. On another occasion, she learned sign language to enrich the life of a prisoner who was deaf. In short, Catherine Lawes was a disciple who worked steadfastly to bring light where there was darkness, hope where there was despair, and empowerment, even to those behind bars... but one day, she was killed in a car accident... and the next day, the prisoners knew that something had gone terribly wrong. Well, it had... and the men grieved as arrangements were being made for her visitation. They implored the Assistant Warden to let them pay their respects to this woman who loved them unconditionally... and he relented. "Go ahead," he said, "But make sure and check in tonight." So, they did. Without supervision, they walked the better part of a mile to pay their respects... and they returned to Sing-Sing prison- every single one of them- because they had experienced God's abiding grace, His empowering love, His healing touch. They were still prisoners, but never again were they quite the same, because in Catherine's presence, they were somebody worth knowing and loving!
New beginnings. Renewed hope. Liberty, empowerment, purpose, peace, unity, love. These are the signs of God's new thing, whether we're talking about the Jews who had returned home after years in exile in Isaiah's world, the Jews who lived under the weight of the law and Roman rule in Jesus' day, or the Christians who call South Park Presbyterian Church home today. Of course, we live in an age where new things are a way of life. Change has become our new constant, but change alone is NOT God's new thing. Scientifically (for example)... things are changing at a staggering rate... and although there are unforeseen consequences to the introduction of any new thing... I suspect that these changes are mostly for the better. In 2013 alone, scientists...discovered a gene linked to longevity... and the cause of human allergies to cats, cured blindness in mice; introduced a bionic hand that can perform the most delicate of tasks and an "intelligent surgery knife" that can differentiate cancer cells from others; developed a 3-D printer that produces clusters of living stem cells, the first mind-controlled prosthetic leg, a camera that produces 3-D images, a way of converting sugar into fuel, and a blood test for babies that predicts their health and rate of ageing later on; sequenced the Neanderthal genome, cloned human embryonic stem cells, and witnessed the first hamburger made entirely in the lab! All of this, and more, in a single year! Yes, when it comes to science, we're doing a new thing and while God may well be pleased with many of these breakthroughs, they are not the new thing that Isaiahwas talking about... because they don't give us the joy of knowing that God wants us to be all that we can be in Him, and the purpose we find when we serve others in His name.
Culturally... things are also changing at a staggering rate... and these changes are bringing both the good and the bad. Any of us can access any subject on Google... simply by speaking into the screen. Say "Colonial America family life," and a library of information will be provided. Say "Baseball Records," and you'll have access to every record ever set. That's good... but... the same person can type or say, "pornography," or "ways to make a bomb," and that's bad. We see young people texting one another (sometimes when they're in the same room), or gazing at little screens in their hands (instead of looking at the people with whom they've gathered to eat. So, their ability to communicate with greater numbers of people is enhanced, but their ability to communicate in depth is down... and this is not a good thing. In the last few years alone, we've been introduced to internet addiction, cyber-bullying, cash machines that ask if we want "English" or "Spanish," an avalanche of politically correct words and phrases, and terrorism.
Yes indeed, with any doubt, change is everywhere. It's certainly no longer my father's world, and in some ways, it's no longer quite my world... but despite all of the changes that are spinning around us... our need for God's new thing is at least as strong today as it has ever been! We're busier than our ancestors were, but not more fulfilled. We're freer to do our own thing, but more enslaved to the things others are doing. We hide behind an ever-growing number of devices, but we're increasingly afraid of being naked. While our ancestors were victims of circumstance, we're often victims by choice, and we're no more happier, no more secure, no more confident, no more aware of who we are, no clearer on where we're going... than they were! We are as least as lost as our ancestors were... which is not to say that they weren't lost... for despite the nostalgia that many of us have for yesteryear, the record shows that spousal abuse abounded in colonial America, that the primary function of parents was too "break the will of the child," and that, by the middle of the eighteenth century, 40% of brides were already pregnant when they married, It was simply tough to eke out a living, let alone achieving a purpose or living a dream. Surely, returning to the past... cannot be God's new thing, any more than rushing into a future without strong anchors and faith can be His new thing.
Friends, our God is not in the memory business, but He's not in the chaos business either. He's in the invitation and enrichment business... and that's His new thing! Our God wants us to be all that we can be in Him... and He wants us to enjoy the fruits of living for Him. These fruits include peace, love for self and others, laughter instead of tears, and a transforming connectedness with all that God has created. God wants us to be blessed, not judged, whole, not broken... and it is this promise and invitation that IS God's new thing. Consider the words of Isaiah in the 65th chapter of the book that bears his name, and listen as if you were there. Our exile is over. We are home, but what will our lives be like? Will we continue to be a people without hope, purpose, or promise? Will we still be in the hands of an angry God? Will we continue to wander our own way, or be tempted beyond our ability to cope? Will our lives always be filled with suffering and pain? No, no, no! For God has done a new thing. From this moment on- you will be God's people and He will be your God. You will never wander or be exiled again, and here's the good news- you won't even want to wander away from God
You are in God's hands, people of God, and you are free. What is more, your lives will be blessed in ways you never imagined, and you will be a blessing to others... which brings me back to Catherine Lawes, the good Samaritan, and the widow who shared her last meal with Elijah, and to each one of you... who takes the time to know and love others, to listen to them and build them up... who goes to the effort of setting a stage... where others can forget their scars and their long held opinion that they are not worthy. You are not Christ, but you know what He said- so tell them that Christ came to the world to save it. Tell them that God doesn't want anyone to be lost. Tell them that Christ said, "Father, forgive them," and "Today, you will be with me in Paradise," even as He hung on the cross. Tell them this. Show them this in what you say and do... and I can assure you that, for most of them, it will be a new thing. Tell them that, since the flood, God makes new things by working with what is and not by destroying everything in sight, Tell them that God is not only offering them a new beginning, but that they are part of God's new world. Tell them these things, show them God's love, learn their names, help them get stronger. Do this and you will be a disciple like Catherine Dawes. Do this... and we will be one step closer to the time when the wolf will lie down with the lamb!
New beginnings. Renewed hope. Liberty, empowerment, purpose, peace, unity, love. These are the signs of God's new thing, whether we're talking about the Jews who had returned home after years in exile in Isaiah's world, the Jews who lived under the weight of the law and Roman rule in Jesus' day, or the Christians who call South Park Presbyterian Church home today. Of course, we live in an age where new things are a way of life. Change has become our new constant, but change alone is NOT God's new thing. Scientifically (for example)... things are changing at a staggering rate... and although there are unforeseen consequences to the introduction of any new thing... I suspect that these changes are mostly for the better. In 2013 alone, scientists...discovered a gene linked to longevity... and the cause of human allergies to cats, cured blindness in mice; introduced a bionic hand that can perform the most delicate of tasks and an "intelligent surgery knife" that can differentiate cancer cells from others; developed a 3-D printer that produces clusters of living stem cells, the first mind-controlled prosthetic leg, a camera that produces 3-D images, a way of converting sugar into fuel, and a blood test for babies that predicts their health and rate of ageing later on; sequenced the Neanderthal genome, cloned human embryonic stem cells, and witnessed the first hamburger made entirely in the lab! All of this, and more, in a single year! Yes, when it comes to science, we're doing a new thing and while God may well be pleased with many of these breakthroughs, they are not the new thing that Isaiahwas talking about... because they don't give us the joy of knowing that God wants us to be all that we can be in Him, and the purpose we find when we serve others in His name.
Culturally... things are also changing at a staggering rate... and these changes are bringing both the good and the bad. Any of us can access any subject on Google... simply by speaking into the screen. Say "Colonial America family life," and a library of information will be provided. Say "Baseball Records," and you'll have access to every record ever set. That's good... but... the same person can type or say, "pornography," or "ways to make a bomb," and that's bad. We see young people texting one another (sometimes when they're in the same room), or gazing at little screens in their hands (instead of looking at the people with whom they've gathered to eat. So, their ability to communicate with greater numbers of people is enhanced, but their ability to communicate in depth is down... and this is not a good thing. In the last few years alone, we've been introduced to internet addiction, cyber-bullying, cash machines that ask if we want "English" or "Spanish," an avalanche of politically correct words and phrases, and terrorism.
Yes indeed, with any doubt, change is everywhere. It's certainly no longer my father's world, and in some ways, it's no longer quite my world... but despite all of the changes that are spinning around us... our need for God's new thing is at least as strong today as it has ever been! We're busier than our ancestors were, but not more fulfilled. We're freer to do our own thing, but more enslaved to the things others are doing. We hide behind an ever-growing number of devices, but we're increasingly afraid of being naked. While our ancestors were victims of circumstance, we're often victims by choice, and we're no more happier, no more secure, no more confident, no more aware of who we are, no clearer on where we're going... than they were! We are as least as lost as our ancestors were... which is not to say that they weren't lost... for despite the nostalgia that many of us have for yesteryear, the record shows that spousal abuse abounded in colonial America, that the primary function of parents was too "break the will of the child," and that, by the middle of the eighteenth century, 40% of brides were already pregnant when they married, It was simply tough to eke out a living, let alone achieving a purpose or living a dream. Surely, returning to the past... cannot be God's new thing, any more than rushing into a future without strong anchors and faith can be His new thing.
Friends, our God is not in the memory business, but He's not in the chaos business either. He's in the invitation and enrichment business... and that's His new thing! Our God wants us to be all that we can be in Him... and He wants us to enjoy the fruits of living for Him. These fruits include peace, love for self and others, laughter instead of tears, and a transforming connectedness with all that God has created. God wants us to be blessed, not judged, whole, not broken... and it is this promise and invitation that IS God's new thing. Consider the words of Isaiah in the 65th chapter of the book that bears his name, and listen as if you were there. Our exile is over. We are home, but what will our lives be like? Will we continue to be a people without hope, purpose, or promise? Will we still be in the hands of an angry God? Will we continue to wander our own way, or be tempted beyond our ability to cope? Will our lives always be filled with suffering and pain? No, no, no! For God has done a new thing. From this moment on- you will be God's people and He will be your God. You will never wander or be exiled again, and here's the good news- you won't even want to wander away from God
You are in God's hands, people of God, and you are free. What is more, your lives will be blessed in ways you never imagined, and you will be a blessing to others... which brings me back to Catherine Lawes, the good Samaritan, and the widow who shared her last meal with Elijah, and to each one of you... who takes the time to know and love others, to listen to them and build them up... who goes to the effort of setting a stage... where others can forget their scars and their long held opinion that they are not worthy. You are not Christ, but you know what He said- so tell them that Christ came to the world to save it. Tell them that God doesn't want anyone to be lost. Tell them that Christ said, "Father, forgive them," and "Today, you will be with me in Paradise," even as He hung on the cross. Tell them this. Show them this in what you say and do... and I can assure you that, for most of them, it will be a new thing. Tell them that, since the flood, God makes new things by working with what is and not by destroying everything in sight, Tell them that God is not only offering them a new beginning, but that they are part of God's new world. Tell them these things, show them God's love, learn their names, help them get stronger. Do this and you will be a disciple like Catherine Dawes. Do this... and we will be one step closer to the time when the wolf will lie down with the lamb!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
PLEASE! THE CHURCH IS NOT A BUSINESS!
If I've heard it once, I've heard it a hundred time- the church is just like a business. Whenever "church" is discussed, someone is likely to say- often with the words, "I hate to say it but," as an introduction, "The church is just another business." Well, it's not, and never can be because Jesus Christ is the acknowledged head of the church.
I spent many years as an executive in the business world and I've taught management, leadership, and business classes for a number of colleges. I know business and I know church, and I can assure you that neither one would be very comfortable in the other's shoes. I suspect that some of those who say that the church is just a business... are trying to say that the church is an organization... and there is no doubt about that. In the churches that I am familiar with, there are rules and procedures to follow, employees and bills to be paid, orderly ways of recognizing achievement and welcoming guests, and a slew of committee meetings besides. In the churches that I know, there are also budgets, clear lines of authority (in most cases), and the need to discuss things like FSA, ADA, and EEO. Yes, your church is very much an organization, and more than that, if it's faithful, it's committed to growth and transformation- just like any other organization. But... your church is not and never can be like a business... because Christ is its Lord!
When I was in the supermarket business, Mr. Monasee was our President, and when I was in the Department store business, Mr Gordman was our CEO... but now.... Christ Jesus is my boss (period). Of course, I work with a leadership board and they expect a lot from me. Moreover, I'm accountable to everyone of our members. I'm expected to attend certain meetings, show up at our community events, and keep office hours. In short, I have all sorts of obligations and responsibilities, and that's the way it should be... BUT Jesus Christ... is my director and my Lord... and this makes all the difference in the world in the way I lead, interact with others, and measure success. In the world's view, winning the race is all that matters- in the church "finishing the race" is more important. In the business world, it's every person for him/herself- in the church, we are called to love one another. In the corporate world, "perception is everything"- in the church, perception (as a standard) is nothing at all. In the business arena, competitiveness is the norm, but the church is based on cooperation. In the businesses I've known, getting (bonuses, perks) is far more important than giving, but in the church, it is better to give than receive. Who has ever seen a Performance Review that rates humility, gentleness, patience, or even honesty? But these lie at the core of what it means to be a Christian. The goal in business is to make profits- the goal in church is to serve Christ, Businesses seek to get bigger- churches seek to be more faithful. Businesses seek to the reward their high performers- churches seek to strengthen those who are in danger of getting lost.
I could go on and one. I could list many more differences, but the point is clear: the church is not (and can never be) a business... because Jesus Christ is the CEO. The entire way of seeing and measuring success, the interactions among people, and the values that are taught and expected- all of these (and more) are totally at odds between churches and businesses. Clearly, churches and businesses share the ability to provide community, fellowship, and purpose, and both of them give more to the poor and needy... but only one of them calls Jesus Lord. Only one of them is in the soul business. Only one even considers forgiving 70 times 7, and there's not a business leader in the world who would hang on a cross for any of us. Amen.
I spent many years as an executive in the business world and I've taught management, leadership, and business classes for a number of colleges. I know business and I know church, and I can assure you that neither one would be very comfortable in the other's shoes. I suspect that some of those who say that the church is just a business... are trying to say that the church is an organization... and there is no doubt about that. In the churches that I am familiar with, there are rules and procedures to follow, employees and bills to be paid, orderly ways of recognizing achievement and welcoming guests, and a slew of committee meetings besides. In the churches that I know, there are also budgets, clear lines of authority (in most cases), and the need to discuss things like FSA, ADA, and EEO. Yes, your church is very much an organization, and more than that, if it's faithful, it's committed to growth and transformation- just like any other organization. But... your church is not and never can be like a business... because Christ is its Lord!
When I was in the supermarket business, Mr. Monasee was our President, and when I was in the Department store business, Mr Gordman was our CEO... but now.... Christ Jesus is my boss (period). Of course, I work with a leadership board and they expect a lot from me. Moreover, I'm accountable to everyone of our members. I'm expected to attend certain meetings, show up at our community events, and keep office hours. In short, I have all sorts of obligations and responsibilities, and that's the way it should be... BUT Jesus Christ... is my director and my Lord... and this makes all the difference in the world in the way I lead, interact with others, and measure success. In the world's view, winning the race is all that matters- in the church "finishing the race" is more important. In the business world, it's every person for him/herself- in the church, we are called to love one another. In the corporate world, "perception is everything"- in the church, perception (as a standard) is nothing at all. In the business arena, competitiveness is the norm, but the church is based on cooperation. In the businesses I've known, getting (bonuses, perks) is far more important than giving, but in the church, it is better to give than receive. Who has ever seen a Performance Review that rates humility, gentleness, patience, or even honesty? But these lie at the core of what it means to be a Christian. The goal in business is to make profits- the goal in church is to serve Christ, Businesses seek to get bigger- churches seek to be more faithful. Businesses seek to the reward their high performers- churches seek to strengthen those who are in danger of getting lost.
I could go on and one. I could list many more differences, but the point is clear: the church is not (and can never be) a business... because Jesus Christ is the CEO. The entire way of seeing and measuring success, the interactions among people, and the values that are taught and expected- all of these (and more) are totally at odds between churches and businesses. Clearly, churches and businesses share the ability to provide community, fellowship, and purpose, and both of them give more to the poor and needy... but only one of them calls Jesus Lord. Only one of them is in the soul business. Only one even considers forgiving 70 times 7, and there's not a business leader in the world who would hang on a cross for any of us. Amen.
Monday, November 4, 2013
A GRATEFUL PASTOR
There's a time for every season- a time to laugh, a time to cry, a time to be born, and a time to die. There's a time to say "yes," a time to say "no," a time to hang on... a time to let go. There's a time for everything under the sun... and now is the time for me to say "thank you" to the members of my church family... who surprised me with a Pastor Appreciation Potluck (we're big on potlucks) last evening. They blessed Sherry and me with their generosity and their thoughtfulness, and we are very grateful! We enjoyed food and fellowship, and we left with our arms full of cards and gifts. The gifts were thoughtful, and I received enough cash to buy a golf pass next spring... but it was the appreciation and love that really touched my heart.
Seth wrote, "Thank you for being my pastor, teaching me about God, and being funny and nice," and Olivia added, "Pastor Kenn, I love you so much." Seth and Olivia are two of my favorite kids, and their words are like treasure to me. One of our members called me his friend, and another couple thanked me for "making this church a 'family' again." Actually, a number of people commented about the changes that have occurred in the church, and I thank them for their affirmation. Maverick (another one of my favorite kids) said I was the "best pastor ever," and several people were kind enough to affirm my sermons. There were many other words that touched both Sherry and me, but I will finish by letting you know how much I valued the cards that affirmed me for "being real" because "being real" is very important to me. When I started my ministry in Joliet, I encountered a woman who was cautious around pastors because she thought they were more likely to "talk the talk" than "walk the walk." She was resistant to pastoral care, but one day my persistence paid off, and she told me that I was the "real deal." The real deal. The real deal. That's really all that I have ever wanted to be, and I pray that my words and deeds will always bear witness to innermost self.
Christ saved me from a living hell. He really did. No one else did... because no one else could. I never even tried to save myself, but Christ saved me anyway. I know this to be true because I was there when it happened. I have many, many shortcomings. I still have too much pride, I tend to be impulsive. I'm impatient, and I should think before (rather than after) I speak. I know all of this and more about myself... but I also know that I am "in Christ," and nothing could ever be more real to me than that! Being talented is a good thing, but it's worthless unless you're real, and being real, on the other hand, is more than enough to get someone's attention, When I was at bottom in my life, Pastor Lu told me that God had forgiven me on Calvary's cross, and that, if I put my trust in Christ, my life would be filled with purpose and joy in this world...and in the next. Now, everyday, I feel an obligation to share the Good News with someone I love... and one of you noted that I had helped a loved one of yours...face death with peace and hope. Thanks for sharing that story with me. It made my day!
It's been five years since I arrived on the river, and I who must offer words of appreciation... to the people of "my" congregation for their support and love. Sherry and I are blessed to be here, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Several of you mentioned transformation in one way or another, and I thank you for that. "Stirring things up," and adding numbers has always been important to me. At one time in my ministry, it was Most Important... but then I came to believe that spiritual growth (growing in Christ) is a greater priority. Inviting others into our church family, helping them grow in their faith- they are both important- but neither is worth much unless we love one another as Jesus loved us. Loving people as we find them, and helping them become their best selves in Christ... is my new priority. Therefore, as I said at the potluck, I see myself more and more as a servant, and less and less as a commander, with each passing day.
YOU have helped me grow as a pastor and as a person, and I thank you for that! As I look through our church directory, I can sincerely say that I love and value each face that I see. For the first time in my journey, I feel the love of God's people. For the first time, I don't even care if the grass is greener somewhere else. I get paid for loving others and being loved in Christ's name! What sort of a fool would turn away from that?
Seth wrote, "Thank you for being my pastor, teaching me about God, and being funny and nice," and Olivia added, "Pastor Kenn, I love you so much." Seth and Olivia are two of my favorite kids, and their words are like treasure to me. One of our members called me his friend, and another couple thanked me for "making this church a 'family' again." Actually, a number of people commented about the changes that have occurred in the church, and I thank them for their affirmation. Maverick (another one of my favorite kids) said I was the "best pastor ever," and several people were kind enough to affirm my sermons. There were many other words that touched both Sherry and me, but I will finish by letting you know how much I valued the cards that affirmed me for "being real" because "being real" is very important to me. When I started my ministry in Joliet, I encountered a woman who was cautious around pastors because she thought they were more likely to "talk the talk" than "walk the walk." She was resistant to pastoral care, but one day my persistence paid off, and she told me that I was the "real deal." The real deal. The real deal. That's really all that I have ever wanted to be, and I pray that my words and deeds will always bear witness to innermost self.
Christ saved me from a living hell. He really did. No one else did... because no one else could. I never even tried to save myself, but Christ saved me anyway. I know this to be true because I was there when it happened. I have many, many shortcomings. I still have too much pride, I tend to be impulsive. I'm impatient, and I should think before (rather than after) I speak. I know all of this and more about myself... but I also know that I am "in Christ," and nothing could ever be more real to me than that! Being talented is a good thing, but it's worthless unless you're real, and being real, on the other hand, is more than enough to get someone's attention, When I was at bottom in my life, Pastor Lu told me that God had forgiven me on Calvary's cross, and that, if I put my trust in Christ, my life would be filled with purpose and joy in this world...and in the next. Now, everyday, I feel an obligation to share the Good News with someone I love... and one of you noted that I had helped a loved one of yours...face death with peace and hope. Thanks for sharing that story with me. It made my day!
It's been five years since I arrived on the river, and I who must offer words of appreciation... to the people of "my" congregation for their support and love. Sherry and I are blessed to be here, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Several of you mentioned transformation in one way or another, and I thank you for that. "Stirring things up," and adding numbers has always been important to me. At one time in my ministry, it was Most Important... but then I came to believe that spiritual growth (growing in Christ) is a greater priority. Inviting others into our church family, helping them grow in their faith- they are both important- but neither is worth much unless we love one another as Jesus loved us. Loving people as we find them, and helping them become their best selves in Christ... is my new priority. Therefore, as I said at the potluck, I see myself more and more as a servant, and less and less as a commander, with each passing day.
YOU have helped me grow as a pastor and as a person, and I thank you for that! As I look through our church directory, I can sincerely say that I love and value each face that I see. For the first time in my journey, I feel the love of God's people. For the first time, I don't even care if the grass is greener somewhere else. I get paid for loving others and being loved in Christ's name! What sort of a fool would turn away from that?
Saturday, November 2, 2013
WHY MEMORIES MATTER
When your memories outweigh your dreams, you are old (at any
age), and when “what-used-to-be” gives you more joy than “what-might-be,” you’ve
reached a place… where you don’t even try to build or envision. The measure of
our youthfulness lies in our anticipation of what is yet to come, and not in
the number of our days. If we’re 102… and still invest in high tech stocks, or
plant saplings to beautify our property, we are young… because we’ve set our
faces toward the future. I’ve always believed this, and as a shepherd, I
continue to embrace the most of it… but over the course of time, I’ve come to
see how much we are “one” with the events and people who wrote much of our own
personal stories… and with one another, through our shared stories-as a church,
as a nation, and as a people. Over time, I’ve grown old enough, or spiritually
mature enough, to see that I’m part of a whole- unique within it- but affected
by all of it, and that I’m neither self-made nor all alone.
In recent years, I’ve come to believe that I am spiritually
and deeply connected with those who lived before me. I feel a deep connection
with the boys who died at Gettysburg Jamestown Salem
My father was a pilot in WWII, and he saw a lot of action.
He didn’t have anything good to say about Franklin Roosevelt- ever- but he
didn’t put his life on the line for him. I doubt if he voted at all…but he knew
that there were far worse things than dying. This, I pray, is part of my
legacy, as are the soup lines of the depression and the freedom marches of the
sixties. I am connected to all of this, and much, much more. You are too, and
who among us can walk through the Viet Nam Memorial or the graves on Arsenal
Island
Friends, people whom we love- or who have just left an
imprint on us- they never, ever die. Thus, as we live out our own lives, we owe
a debt to those who’ve gone before us… and we have an obligation to those who
are on their way. We are not a nothing in a nowhere, but part of God’s ongoing
creative work… and therefore, we must honor those who have left their marks on
us, even as we invest in those who will make up… the future. Like the Roman god,
Janus (for whom January is named), we’re called to face both the past and the
future, as we live in the present. As Joshua (ch. 4) knew so very long ago, it
is very, very important to remember… officially… and with ceremony… because
memorials and ceremonial rituals… give people a chance to connect. They give
our kids a forum for questions- who gave these stained glass windows, who was
Mr. Schroder- and who are George Shumaker, Bob Coatney, Jim and Helen Peak,
Craig King, Max and Rachel Fisher, Don Sale, Addy Heitzman, Thomas Cheney- and
why are their names on our patio, our benches, or in front of the trees that make
our grounds beautiful? They give us a chance to answer these questions, and our
ceremonies give adults the affirmation that we need to keep on going. Our
memories serve to etch our identities deeper and deeper. Yes, I am an America
Thus, it is very important to remember, and on this All Saints
Sunday, we will officially honor those who’ve died within the past year, and also
remember those who passed on… before then. In the Protestant church, we’re all
saints “in Christ,” and thus, as Christians, we’re connected with the men and
women we will mention in a moment… in deep ways. This is also a Communion
Sunday, and we believe that in a powerful (yet mysterious) way, when we come to
the table, we come with Christians in all times and place (period). Finally,
when we’ve completed our liturgy of Remembrance, I encourage you to thank God
for those who touched your lives and made you who you are today. Please open
the insert entitled, “Remembrance of the Deceased.”
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
LOVE THAT KNOWS NO END
Yesterday, I sat for awhile... and stared at a picture on the wall. It's a picture of our grandson, Archer, staring back at the world, and I could see nothing but joy in his eyes. His mother was holding him in her arms and her eyes sparkled with the same unfettered joy. It was compelling, and I couldn't turn away from its radiance. As every preacher knows, while we only have one word for love in English, there are several words for love in the Greek language. "Agape" is something like God's love. It is far bigger than self and counts neither giving nor receiving. "Philia" (as in Philadelphia) is the love of friend for friend, and it can be very deep, even sacrificial. Eros is an intimate love, from which we get the word erotica. It is tempting to dismiss it as lust, but in truth...it, too, can be a powerful expression of deep feelings and true commitment. Then there is "storge," which is a general affection that people share when they are related in some way. There is room for all of these "loves" in our lives (although the latter three can be contaminated with self and sin)... but when I looked into Kendra's and Archer's radiant faces, I knew that I was being blessed with a love that I cannot even express. My heart filled with joy, my eyes watered a bit, and I knew for sure that I would do or give up anything for either one of them.
There are others who have touched my heart in depth as well. My wife, Sherry, our daughers, our granddaughters, and our little great-grandson, Donald, are at the top of this list. I rejoice when I hear their good news or see their smiles, and I'm burdened when they feel sad and troubled. It will always be so... because I love them in a way that I cannot find the words to express... and I find that time and distance do not diminish the depth of this sort of love. For instance, I haven't seen Donald since he was an infant, and I suspect that I won't see much of him as he grows up because he lives in North Carolina ...but when I stare at his beautiful face and see his wonderful twinkling eyes, I love him with all of my heart and, even across three generations, I feel a "oneness" with him. In short, with people you truly love, their joy is your joy, and their pain is your pain. You can't take all of their pain away, or even make them happy by yourself, but like God, you will always be present to them. I can't imagine hurting any of them in any sense of the word!
It's been more than two years now since Sherry and I took our dog, Nikki, to the Vet. Her pain was non-stop and she was getting up in years, but still, I intially thought that we were making a routine visit. Until I found out it wasn't, that Sherry could know longer bear her suffering, and that it would be Nikki's last ride. When we arrived at the Vet's office, he conducted the same examination he had conducted a dozen times before, and when he finished, he reached the same conclusion: Nikki's condition was bad and would only get worse. So, the three of us went into a back room, and someone gave Nikki a shot, and she was quiet... as we held her. All three of us (Sherry, Nikki, and I) were down on the floor, and I remembered the times when she and I walked through the woods together in Michigan, and how she would run like the wind when I let her off the lease. I looked into her eyes, and I wanted to cry out, "Stop this. Right now! I will leave her here until the drug wears off, pick her up as I always do, and pay you for your time." But the Dr. came in and gave her a final shot. Her heart stopped and my heart broke. I looked into her eyes and my heart broke... at a depth that I didn't even know I had. Her face, though not as cute as Archer's and Donald's, was beautiful to me, and her eyes, though not as lively as theirs, contained the same inexpressible love that I saw yesterday, when I stared at the pictrure on the wall.
Oh, the heights and depths of honest-to-God, no-strings-attached love. In English, I have only one word to use for "love," and I use it to say "I love ice cream," and "I love America." In Greek, I could use other words- some spiritual, some relational, some physical- and in Hebrew, I could say, "I would die for you-ani met aleha," or "You are my soul-nishoma sheli." Actually, these do get at some of what I am trying to say... but they fall short. The sort of love that I have in mind "hangs on a tree and forgives." This, of course, is God's love... and I'm not claiming to reach that high. But more and more, I encounter a love that both surrenders and triumphs; that yearns to fly, but never alone; and laughs and cries when someone or something that is a part of it... is born or dies. Good bye, Nikki, and as for the rest of you, Poppy will be around for a while.
There are others who have touched my heart in depth as well. My wife, Sherry, our daughers, our granddaughters, and our little great-grandson, Donald, are at the top of this list. I rejoice when I hear their good news or see their smiles, and I'm burdened when they feel sad and troubled. It will always be so... because I love them in a way that I cannot find the words to express... and I find that time and distance do not diminish the depth of this sort of love. For instance, I haven't seen Donald since he was an infant, and I suspect that I won't see much of him as he grows up because he lives in North Carolina ...but when I stare at his beautiful face and see his wonderful twinkling eyes, I love him with all of my heart and, even across three generations, I feel a "oneness" with him. In short, with people you truly love, their joy is your joy, and their pain is your pain. You can't take all of their pain away, or even make them happy by yourself, but like God, you will always be present to them. I can't imagine hurting any of them in any sense of the word!
It's been more than two years now since Sherry and I took our dog, Nikki, to the Vet. Her pain was non-stop and she was getting up in years, but still, I intially thought that we were making a routine visit. Until I found out it wasn't, that Sherry could know longer bear her suffering, and that it would be Nikki's last ride. When we arrived at the Vet's office, he conducted the same examination he had conducted a dozen times before, and when he finished, he reached the same conclusion: Nikki's condition was bad and would only get worse. So, the three of us went into a back room, and someone gave Nikki a shot, and she was quiet... as we held her. All three of us (Sherry, Nikki, and I) were down on the floor, and I remembered the times when she and I walked through the woods together in Michigan, and how she would run like the wind when I let her off the lease. I looked into her eyes, and I wanted to cry out, "Stop this. Right now! I will leave her here until the drug wears off, pick her up as I always do, and pay you for your time." But the Dr. came in and gave her a final shot. Her heart stopped and my heart broke. I looked into her eyes and my heart broke... at a depth that I didn't even know I had. Her face, though not as cute as Archer's and Donald's, was beautiful to me, and her eyes, though not as lively as theirs, contained the same inexpressible love that I saw yesterday, when I stared at the pictrure on the wall.
Oh, the heights and depths of honest-to-God, no-strings-attached love. In English, I have only one word to use for "love," and I use it to say "I love ice cream," and "I love America." In Greek, I could use other words- some spiritual, some relational, some physical- and in Hebrew, I could say, "I would die for you-ani met aleha," or "You are my soul-nishoma sheli." Actually, these do get at some of what I am trying to say... but they fall short. The sort of love that I have in mind "hangs on a tree and forgives." This, of course, is God's love... and I'm not claiming to reach that high. But more and more, I encounter a love that both surrenders and triumphs; that yearns to fly, but never alone; and laughs and cries when someone or something that is a part of it... is born or dies. Good bye, Nikki, and as for the rest of you, Poppy will be around for a while.
Friday, October 25, 2013
HOW MUCH FORGIVENESS DO YOU NEED?
SALIGIA. S-A-L-I-G-I-A. This is a clever mnemonic that
helps us remember the 7 deadly sins… and if you were confirmed in the 14th
century, you would’ve learned that Superbia (pride),
avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath),
and acedia (sloth) are the seven deadly sins. Except for the 10 Commandments, the 7 deadly sins have framed the church's thinking about sin since the Middle Ages... and in a quest to discover if we're sinners ourselves, let's see if these ancient seven are still around. Pride is unreasonable and inordinate self-esteem and in my experience, it is pride, not guilt, which prevents people from
accepting God’s grace. How many of you know someone who is filled with inordinate self-esteem? Greed is an insatiable desire to have more
wealth. Consider Ebeneezer Scrooge. Consider the rich man in hell- the one who passed by Lazarus every day- but remember- greed is not having it all. It is
wanting it all- so badly, that getting it justifies sins like lying, cheating, and many others. Lust is an intense feeling that knows no boundaries, and ever since Jesus said “Whosoever looks on a woman to lust has already
committed adultery in his heart” (Mt. 5), we think of sex when we think of lust, although a person can lust after other things, such as your neighbor’s house
or oxen (Ex. 20:27 ). Envy is a feeling of uneasiness, even mortification, when someone else receives honor, riches, or happiness... and by
definition, it is suspicious and hostile to others. Do you know of anyone who would refuse to applaud if you won the lottery? Gluttony is eating too much, too extravagantly, or too
eagerly… all of which suggest a lack of balance or self-control. Wrath is anger on steroids. It is forceful, often
vindictive, and all-consuming... but all of these sins want all of us. Rather than being a little bump on an otherwise smooth road, they lead us down a different road altogether. They set us... in opposition to God, and sloth is no exception. A slothful person may be lazy, apathetic, or
bored, but for whatever reason… his service to others and his stewardship for
God… is less that it should be. The 7 deadly sins. How many of us know someone who has been in the hands of one or more of them? And how many of us... would they know by name?
Well, in our quest to find out if we're sinners or not, let's consider the 10 Commandments, which could be summarized in this way. Thou shall worship God with all of your heart, mind, strength, soul, and with every fiber of your being… and never worship yourself or anything that exists in your world- not Wall Street, main street, the corner office, not even the NFL, and certainly not the Cubs- not even really good things, like family country, and church. God first, last, and everything in between- this is the greatest commandment. Have you ever fallen short of this standard? Have you ever failed to honor His name or to keep His Sabbath day sacred? The second part of God's commandments deal with family and neighbor, and the love and respect we show them. Honor your father and mother. Keep your hands and thoughts off your neighbor and his things. Do not murder, steal, commit idolatry, bear false witness, or covet what he has! Well, it's not easy to keep these commandments, is it? Of course not, and, and apart from God's grace, it's not even possible to fulfill these commandments... but I get ahead of myself... and there are other sins to consider, like the list of the things that God hates, from Proverbs (6)- a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief, a deceitful witness that utters lies, and a man who sows discord among his brother and sisters. Have you ever told a lie, been involved in a scheme to hurt someone, engaged in gossip, sown discord in a community… deliberately? Who among us has never committed any of these sins?
Still, there are more sins to avoid. At one time or another, and in differ places, the church has considered the following behaviors to be sins. How about you? Homosexuality, girls in low-cut tops and mini-skirts,
dancing, rock music, adult movies, movies period, wearing blue jeans to church, wearing blue
jeans to golf, smoking, drinking, swearing, voting Democrat, having a beard, voting
Republican, waging war, letting pedophiles and other deviants out of jail,
nonfat foods, flirting, fantasizing, wealth, and poverty? In a recent poll by
Gallop, Americans ranked sins, and here are the top five: #5 pornography, #4 suicide, #3 cloning humans, #2 polygamy, and #1… adultery! They also thought that
divorce, gambling, stem-cell research, and Dr.-assisted suicide were prominent
sins, although not at the top.
Well, how about it? Have you committed any of the sins we've mentioned? Are you a sinner, and if so, are you as bad as other people? In the 18th chapter of Luke's gospel, we encounter two men, both of whom are praying in the temple. One of them is a well-respected Pharisee, who offers a prayer of gratitude, thanking God that he, himself, is not a sinner. The other man is a despised tax collector, who offers a prayer that is little more than a plea for mercy. The text invites us to identify and join with one of these two men. Indeed, it insists that we do because, if we are to encounter God at all, it must be as a righteous man... or as a person in need of grace. One or the other. When we offer our prayers of confession, we will offer the prayer of a grateful non-sinner... or the words of a sinner in need of grace. One or the other.
Let's close with one of two prayers. If you don't consider yourself to be a sinner, or if you feel that your sins are less serious than those committed by other people, let the words of Luke 18:11 be your prayer: Lord, I thank you that I am not like those here today who have committed adultery or gotten a divorce. I am neither a pedophile nor a glutton… but if, in some small way, I have inadvertently disappointed you, I seek your understanding. Amen. However, if you have sinned in some, many, most, or all of these ways- and are, in fact, a sinner- join the tax collector (Luke 18:13) and say this prayer with me: God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner, and I’ve been a sinner throughout my life. I love you, Lord, but apart from your grace, I will never see your face. I cannot save myself- so, I put my trust in Christ Jesus, who has already saved me onCalvary ’s Hill. I put my
trust in Him, Holy God, knowing that, in Him, I am reborn and free. May I
continue to grow in my faith; may I continue to serve you in more and bigger
ways, and may I never forget… that I am saved by grace… and grace alone.
Amen.
Well, how about it? Have you committed any of the sins we've mentioned? Are you a sinner, and if so, are you as bad as other people? In the 18th chapter of Luke's gospel, we encounter two men, both of whom are praying in the temple. One of them is a well-respected Pharisee, who offers a prayer of gratitude, thanking God that he, himself, is not a sinner. The other man is a despised tax collector, who offers a prayer that is little more than a plea for mercy. The text invites us to identify and join with one of these two men. Indeed, it insists that we do because, if we are to encounter God at all, it must be as a righteous man... or as a person in need of grace. One or the other. When we offer our prayers of confession, we will offer the prayer of a grateful non-sinner... or the words of a sinner in need of grace. One or the other.
Let's close with one of two prayers. If you don't consider yourself to be a sinner, or if you feel that your sins are less serious than those committed by other people, let the words of Luke 18:11 be your prayer: Lord, I thank you that I am not like those here today who have committed adultery or gotten a divorce. I am neither a pedophile nor a glutton… but if, in some small way, I have inadvertently disappointed you, I seek your understanding. Amen. However, if you have sinned in some, many, most, or all of these ways- and are, in fact, a sinner- join the tax collector (Luke 18:13) and say this prayer with me: God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner, and I’ve been a sinner throughout my life. I love you, Lord, but apart from your grace, I will never see your face. I cannot save myself- so, I put my trust in Christ Jesus, who has already saved me on
Saturday, October 19, 2013
A LOVE NOTE TO MY WIFE
This is Saturday, October 19, and Sherry is taking a nap on our couch. Since she has Multiple Myeloma, she takes frequent naps... but she looks especially at peace today. Yesterday was her 68th birthday, and it was a good day for her. She heard from her "kids," and received a lot of cards and FB messages. I earned some points with the card I selected, not to mention the candy and a nice dinner at a new Indian restaurant in town.
I had coffee and lamb. She had wine and chicken, and we talked about her journey with cancer. It was on October 6, 2002, when our family physician in Peoria sent her to a specialist because her blood counts were startling to him. Well, as it turned out, he had reason to be concerned, and on election day, Sherry received a phone call from the specialist. "You have an incurable blood cancer," he said, "and you must see an Oncologist asap." This is what she heard in the early afternoon, but she didn't tell me until I picked her up from work... and then I fell apart! I really did. It was as if her news sobered me up, although I had not enjoyed a drink in years. I had lost my father and my youngest brother; I'd been in and out of a treatment center; I had seen marital counselors and family counselors; I had done enough sinning and enough praying to know both sides of the street... and I am proud to say that I handled (or took) it all... like a man... but when I was told that my wife had just received a death sentence, I fell to pieces.
I looked up Multiple Myeloma online, and saw that the median life expectancy was 1-3 years (it's much higher now). I made it a goal to find a specialist for Sherry, and I did. That was 11 years ago, and I am writing these words as she sleeps. We've been married since August, 1967, and it seems so far away now. Sherry had no way of knowing that I was not prepared for marriage at the time. I had neither seen nor knew much about love, and I was essentially a frightened, immature brat. She put up with this, and she endured all of my tantrums along the way. She was pleased to go with me to Omaha and start a new life, but disappointed to find that life with me was pretty much the same as it had always been. I was driven to become a success in business and frustrated that I had to take out time to run errands and handle family needs. Sherry didn't drive and I was gone 3-6 weeks at a time, and with the needs, fears, guilt, and other pressures, our life together was often tumultuous. Encounters became a way of life, and at times, we both felt trapped in some sort of crazy, dysfunctional dance... but she stayed. She stayed with me and loved our girls. She went to great efforts to get things done, and she did. She even left Omaha (and she loved Omaha) to join me in student housing in Hyde Park. We traded the best of woodwork... for duct tape... and she stayed at my side.
And so it went- from Joliet, to Kalamazoo, to Peoria, to Rock Island- and I am watching her... as she sleeps. Over the years, our family has grown. We have two beautiful daughters, two beautiful granddaughters (I use the word "beautiful" intentionally), and two wonderful little boys. I love each one of these people in ways that words cannot express! But it was Sherry Cox Wick, who had a uphill journey in the first place-who now has cancer and glaucoma, worsening vision and fibromyalgia- who has walked with me... every step of the way! Without Sherry, I certainly would not be a Minister, and there's a high chance that I might not even be here. Without Sherry, I would have lost the very things that make life worth living... and without her fervent and persistent prayers, I would still be lost spiritually. Sherry has been on the Myeloma Chatline for years now, and all of the names that she first saw in that community, save 3, are gone now.
Still, she sleeps on- we will leave for Trivia Night soon- and she continues to teach me that love is a much deeper and more sacred thing than being "in love." Praise God, I have learned this... but I am also beginning to see that you can love someone from the depths of your soul and be "in love" with her... at the very same time! Well, she's awake now. So I will close. I just wanted to say that I have a deep and abiding love for the one I am in love with. Happy Birthday, Sherry!
I had coffee and lamb. She had wine and chicken, and we talked about her journey with cancer. It was on October 6, 2002, when our family physician in Peoria sent her to a specialist because her blood counts were startling to him. Well, as it turned out, he had reason to be concerned, and on election day, Sherry received a phone call from the specialist. "You have an incurable blood cancer," he said, "and you must see an Oncologist asap." This is what she heard in the early afternoon, but she didn't tell me until I picked her up from work... and then I fell apart! I really did. It was as if her news sobered me up, although I had not enjoyed a drink in years. I had lost my father and my youngest brother; I'd been in and out of a treatment center; I had seen marital counselors and family counselors; I had done enough sinning and enough praying to know both sides of the street... and I am proud to say that I handled (or took) it all... like a man... but when I was told that my wife had just received a death sentence, I fell to pieces.
I looked up Multiple Myeloma online, and saw that the median life expectancy was 1-3 years (it's much higher now). I made it a goal to find a specialist for Sherry, and I did. That was 11 years ago, and I am writing these words as she sleeps. We've been married since August, 1967, and it seems so far away now. Sherry had no way of knowing that I was not prepared for marriage at the time. I had neither seen nor knew much about love, and I was essentially a frightened, immature brat. She put up with this, and she endured all of my tantrums along the way. She was pleased to go with me to Omaha and start a new life, but disappointed to find that life with me was pretty much the same as it had always been. I was driven to become a success in business and frustrated that I had to take out time to run errands and handle family needs. Sherry didn't drive and I was gone 3-6 weeks at a time, and with the needs, fears, guilt, and other pressures, our life together was often tumultuous. Encounters became a way of life, and at times, we both felt trapped in some sort of crazy, dysfunctional dance... but she stayed. She stayed with me and loved our girls. She went to great efforts to get things done, and she did. She even left Omaha (and she loved Omaha) to join me in student housing in Hyde Park. We traded the best of woodwork... for duct tape... and she stayed at my side.
And so it went- from Joliet, to Kalamazoo, to Peoria, to Rock Island- and I am watching her... as she sleeps. Over the years, our family has grown. We have two beautiful daughters, two beautiful granddaughters (I use the word "beautiful" intentionally), and two wonderful little boys. I love each one of these people in ways that words cannot express! But it was Sherry Cox Wick, who had a uphill journey in the first place-who now has cancer and glaucoma, worsening vision and fibromyalgia- who has walked with me... every step of the way! Without Sherry, I certainly would not be a Minister, and there's a high chance that I might not even be here. Without Sherry, I would have lost the very things that make life worth living... and without her fervent and persistent prayers, I would still be lost spiritually. Sherry has been on the Myeloma Chatline for years now, and all of the names that she first saw in that community, save 3, are gone now.
Still, she sleeps on- we will leave for Trivia Night soon- and she continues to teach me that love is a much deeper and more sacred thing than being "in love." Praise God, I have learned this... but I am also beginning to see that you can love someone from the depths of your soul and be "in love" with her... at the very same time! Well, she's awake now. So I will close. I just wanted to say that I have a deep and abiding love for the one I am in love with. Happy Birthday, Sherry!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
THE 4 P'S- PERSEVERANCE, PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE, & PROMISE
Among many other things, Winston Churchill once said, "If you're going through hell, keep going," because he believed that perseverance will get you through anything. But he wasn't the only one. Thomas Carlye observed, "Permanence, perseverance, and persistence, in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak." And Calvin Coolidge summed it up: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent; genius will not, unrewarded genius is almost a proverb; education will not, the world is filled with uneducated derelicts. Persistence and determination (perseverance) alone are omnipotent." The prize belongs to those who finish the course- this seems to be an undeniable truth- whether we're talking about a youngster taking accordian lessons (yes, that happened in the old days), a person working on a graduate degree (one of my professors told me that, to get a Doctorate, one needs nothing more than a modicum of intelligence and a wealth of perseverance), a soldier trying to take a hill somewhere, or any parent with a teenage child. In all of these cases, uncontrollable factors are affect one's fate... but the person involved... can (and must) keep moving... and not quit.
Sometimes, of course, perseverance leads to unexpected victory. We all know Lincoln's story. He failed in business at 22, was defeated for congress at 23, failed again in business at 24, was elected to congress at 25, only to have a nervous breakdown at 27. He was defeated for Speaker at 29, defeated for congress altogether at 34, and again at 39 (he won a seat when he was 37). He was defeated for the Senate at 46, defeated for Vice President at 47, defeated for the Senate again at 49... and elected President of the United States at 51! What incredible perseverance. Anyone in his or her right mind would have closed up shop and gone fishing somewhere along the way. But according to his dairy, John Wesley had much the same experience. Here's one of his entries: Sunday morning, May 5- Preached at St Anne's. Was asked not to come back anymore. Sunday afternoon, May 5- Preached at St John's. Deacons said, "Get out and stay out." Sunday morning, May 19- Preached at another church. After service, Deacons held a special meeting and determinedn that I was not welcome. Sunday morning, May 26- Preached in a meadow. Chased out of the meadow when a bull was released during the service. Sunday morning, June 2- Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway. Sunday afternoon, June 2- Preached in a pasture. 10,000 people came out to hear me!
There are many of these stories, but for those of us who are responding to God's call in our lives, perseverance is its own reward. If we're following God's call, if we're about the Lord's business, there is great joy in just doing it... and besides, we know that our Master will see us through. When he had lost yet another battle in his quest to end slavery in England, William Wilberforce, discouraged, sat alone and thumbed through his Bible, and as he was doing so, a note that John Wesley had written him, shortly before he died, fell to the floor. Wilberforce picked it up and his spirits were lifted when he read these words: Unless God has raised you up... I see not how you can persevere in your glorious enterprise (of opposing slavery), which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Oh, be not weary of well-doing. Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might.
Go on, go on. Going on in the name of God. That's what perseverance is about. That's why perseverance is so important. Each of us has work to do for God, and we've all been equipped to get it done. We are all capable of making a difference for Christ... and we must not quit! Our work is too important. Our promise is too great. If we prepare ourselves for service, if we keep ourselves spiritually fit, and if we "go on," we can do wonderful things for Christ. This is much of what Paul said in most of his letters, and certainly in his 2nd letter to Timothy. Paul was nearing the end of his life, and as he awaited his prize, and he offered Timothy a bit of wisdom. Things are going to go from bad to worse, he said, and people are going to become even more resistant to the Word of God than they are now. Expected to be persecuted. Indeed, anyone who does anything worth doing for Christ, Paul notes (3:12), will be persecuted. (Get involved and get persecuted- how about that for a church growth theme?) So, be prepared. Keep preaching to people... who are reluctant to listen and continue to counsel, encourage, and admonish them with God's word, even if they resist your words and reject you. Doing God's work, the apostle noted, is not easy.. and you, Timothy, will need all the prayer and perseverance that you can muster. But God will always be with you. You know this. You've known it for a long time, but you need to recall it everyday... because knowing (really knowing) that you're in God's hands will see you through anything! Don't quit, Timothy! Don't ever change your message ...just to please others. Keep yourself strong, stay in touch with God, and keep on keeping on. This then is Paul's simple message to us. 1) Keep yourself spiritually fit, 2) stay in touch with God through prayer, 3) study God's word, 4) find a way of serving, and 5) keep on. Whatever your task for Jesus, keep on. Perseverance is more important than all of the charm, money, and education in the world, and it is ours for the asking. If we stand on God's word (please join one of our adult classes and learn the Bible) and invest in our own spiritual fitness (prayer, devotions, church groups)... we will soon be spiritually mature enough, as people and as a people, to discern God's call in our lives and to start taking steps down the path less traveled. Can we do this? Can we equip ourselves... for bold and faithful service to Christ? Of course we can, and what is more, once we begin our journey, we will see it through. After all, perseverance is a gift of the Spirit and we know, deep in our hearts, that God is walking with us. Rather than just gathering together every Sunday (as nice as it is), let's begin a journey together.
I doubt if 10,000 people will turn out to hear me, and I suspect that none of you will be elected President... but our prize awaits and besides, we will find great joy in the persevering!
Sometimes, of course, perseverance leads to unexpected victory. We all know Lincoln's story. He failed in business at 22, was defeated for congress at 23, failed again in business at 24, was elected to congress at 25, only to have a nervous breakdown at 27. He was defeated for Speaker at 29, defeated for congress altogether at 34, and again at 39 (he won a seat when he was 37). He was defeated for the Senate at 46, defeated for Vice President at 47, defeated for the Senate again at 49... and elected President of the United States at 51! What incredible perseverance. Anyone in his or her right mind would have closed up shop and gone fishing somewhere along the way. But according to his dairy, John Wesley had much the same experience. Here's one of his entries: Sunday morning, May 5- Preached at St Anne's. Was asked not to come back anymore. Sunday afternoon, May 5- Preached at St John's. Deacons said, "Get out and stay out." Sunday morning, May 19- Preached at another church. After service, Deacons held a special meeting and determinedn that I was not welcome. Sunday morning, May 26- Preached in a meadow. Chased out of the meadow when a bull was released during the service. Sunday morning, June 2- Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway. Sunday afternoon, June 2- Preached in a pasture. 10,000 people came out to hear me!
There are many of these stories, but for those of us who are responding to God's call in our lives, perseverance is its own reward. If we're following God's call, if we're about the Lord's business, there is great joy in just doing it... and besides, we know that our Master will see us through. When he had lost yet another battle in his quest to end slavery in England, William Wilberforce, discouraged, sat alone and thumbed through his Bible, and as he was doing so, a note that John Wesley had written him, shortly before he died, fell to the floor. Wilberforce picked it up and his spirits were lifted when he read these words: Unless God has raised you up... I see not how you can persevere in your glorious enterprise (of opposing slavery), which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Oh, be not weary of well-doing. Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might.
Go on, go on. Going on in the name of God. That's what perseverance is about. That's why perseverance is so important. Each of us has work to do for God, and we've all been equipped to get it done. We are all capable of making a difference for Christ... and we must not quit! Our work is too important. Our promise is too great. If we prepare ourselves for service, if we keep ourselves spiritually fit, and if we "go on," we can do wonderful things for Christ. This is much of what Paul said in most of his letters, and certainly in his 2nd letter to Timothy. Paul was nearing the end of his life, and as he awaited his prize, and he offered Timothy a bit of wisdom. Things are going to go from bad to worse, he said, and people are going to become even more resistant to the Word of God than they are now. Expected to be persecuted. Indeed, anyone who does anything worth doing for Christ, Paul notes (3:12), will be persecuted. (Get involved and get persecuted- how about that for a church growth theme?) So, be prepared. Keep preaching to people... who are reluctant to listen and continue to counsel, encourage, and admonish them with God's word, even if they resist your words and reject you. Doing God's work, the apostle noted, is not easy.. and you, Timothy, will need all the prayer and perseverance that you can muster. But God will always be with you. You know this. You've known it for a long time, but you need to recall it everyday... because knowing (really knowing) that you're in God's hands will see you through anything! Don't quit, Timothy! Don't ever change your message ...just to please others. Keep yourself strong, stay in touch with God, and keep on keeping on. This then is Paul's simple message to us. 1) Keep yourself spiritually fit, 2) stay in touch with God through prayer, 3) study God's word, 4) find a way of serving, and 5) keep on. Whatever your task for Jesus, keep on. Perseverance is more important than all of the charm, money, and education in the world, and it is ours for the asking. If we stand on God's word (please join one of our adult classes and learn the Bible) and invest in our own spiritual fitness (prayer, devotions, church groups)... we will soon be spiritually mature enough, as people and as a people, to discern God's call in our lives and to start taking steps down the path less traveled. Can we do this? Can we equip ourselves... for bold and faithful service to Christ? Of course we can, and what is more, once we begin our journey, we will see it through. After all, perseverance is a gift of the Spirit and we know, deep in our hearts, that God is walking with us. Rather than just gathering together every Sunday (as nice as it is), let's begin a journey together.
I doubt if 10,000 people will turn out to hear me, and I suspect that none of you will be elected President... but our prize awaits and besides, we will find great joy in the persevering!
Monday, October 7, 2013
GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER!
In the fall of 1968... I interviewed for a job with the Iowa Commission for the Blind, and during the interview, Kenneth Jernigan, Director of the Commission, asked "How much do you want?" And I said, "$6800 per year." It was strange question for him to ask, but my answer was even stranger. Indeed, it was foolish... because $6800 a year wasn't enough money to live on, not even back in '68. In any event, he hired me (at a slightly higher wage), and I absolutely loved my job! I loved visiting my clients; I loved teaching white cane travel (although I never taught it particularly well), and I loved selling White Cane Candy in the factories of Dubuque and on the streets of Fort Dodge. Although I wasn't getting rich, I had a purpose that seemed bigger than money to me, and I threw myself into my work. In time, we moved to Omaha, and over the years, I held positions that provided much greater salaries and significantly more perks than I ever would've received with the Commission. However, it was in downtown Des Moines,where I learned that giving is a source of joy... when you're in love with a purpose... and I did love the idea of helping others find dignity and opportunity. When you give to something (or someone) that is every bit a part of you... the giving brings you great joy... and enriches your soul.
Now, in the fall of 2013, I'm a pastor in the Presbyterian Church, and it's "stewardship time" again. Year after year, we hand out commitment cards; year after year, we ask you to pledge; year after year, we ask people from the congregation to tell you why it's important to give generously; and of course, we always set aside a Sunday (or two, or three) for a stewardship sermon. For those who are practically minded, we cite the expenses we have to pay- which, given the size of our building, are very real. For those who are program-oriented, we note that it takes money to fund Learning Centers and Tutoring programs, and it does! For those who are faithful to God's word, we anchor our requests in Biblical terms, and for those who see giving as an investment, we cite all the things that God can do with our contributions. There is merit in all of these. We do have bills to pay. God will bless our giving, and there's no doubt that God commands us to give. However...none of these reasons will accomplish much.... without love! Unless we give out of our love for Jesus, we will only... and always give on our own terms. We will never give sacrificially... unless we are in love! This is a spiritual axiom, and it's corollary is this: if we are in love, no power on earth can keep us from giving all that we are and all that we have... to the person or object we love!
Unless you're passionate about the person or cause, "joyful giving" will forever be an oxymoron. In a phrase, love is the key to stewardship because love demands giving. Tell a man who has fallen in love with golf... to play the game that he loves just every once in a while... and watch as he spends money (and time) on lessons, equipment, and as many rounds of golf as he can. Why? Because he's enthused, en fuego, in love. Tell a young man who has fallen in love with the woman of his dreams... to quit buying her flowers, dinners, and other tokens of love... and see how that works! Tell a young girl who has given her heart to the piano... that she needs to have a more balanced life... and note that she will forsake all others, even the boys, and practice by the hour, without ever being nagged... because she finds deep joy in giving to what she loves. Tell a Christian who is on fire for Jesus, to "cool it," and you'll find that you might as well be talking to the wall... because he is driven to give everything he can... to his Lord and Savior! Love is the key to generous giving... and this is especially true of money ... because only love is strong enough to sever the delicate cord that connects the heart and the purse.
Even the best of church members are prone to give in a measured way... unless they are "in love with Christ" but if they are... they will give and give and give and count it all joy. Unless giving gives us joy, we will never do much of it, and it will only give us joy... if we truly believe that, in giving, we will become rich.
So, our stewardship campaigns take place in the midst of a conundrum: if you are on fire for Christ, you don't need the campaign... but if you aren't in a place spiritually where "joyful giving" makes much sense to you... all of the reasons why in the world won't affect you much, Thus, when all is said and done, we simply remind some of you that it's time to give joyfully, and encourage others... to discover the joy of giving by tippy-toeing into the waters of faith. If you are at a place spiritually where you simply can't give joyfully, let me suggest that you give 1, 2, 5, 10% MORE than you are comfortable with...and discover how rich you feel. ! Amen.
pk
Now, in the fall of 2013, I'm a pastor in the Presbyterian Church, and it's "stewardship time" again. Year after year, we hand out commitment cards; year after year, we ask you to pledge; year after year, we ask people from the congregation to tell you why it's important to give generously; and of course, we always set aside a Sunday (or two, or three) for a stewardship sermon. For those who are practically minded, we cite the expenses we have to pay- which, given the size of our building, are very real. For those who are program-oriented, we note that it takes money to fund Learning Centers and Tutoring programs, and it does! For those who are faithful to God's word, we anchor our requests in Biblical terms, and for those who see giving as an investment, we cite all the things that God can do with our contributions. There is merit in all of these. We do have bills to pay. God will bless our giving, and there's no doubt that God commands us to give. However...none of these reasons will accomplish much.... without love! Unless we give out of our love for Jesus, we will only... and always give on our own terms. We will never give sacrificially... unless we are in love! This is a spiritual axiom, and it's corollary is this: if we are in love, no power on earth can keep us from giving all that we are and all that we have... to the person or object we love!
Unless you're passionate about the person or cause, "joyful giving" will forever be an oxymoron. In a phrase, love is the key to stewardship because love demands giving. Tell a man who has fallen in love with golf... to play the game that he loves just every once in a while... and watch as he spends money (and time) on lessons, equipment, and as many rounds of golf as he can. Why? Because he's enthused, en fuego, in love. Tell a young man who has fallen in love with the woman of his dreams... to quit buying her flowers, dinners, and other tokens of love... and see how that works! Tell a young girl who has given her heart to the piano... that she needs to have a more balanced life... and note that she will forsake all others, even the boys, and practice by the hour, without ever being nagged... because she finds deep joy in giving to what she loves. Tell a Christian who is on fire for Jesus, to "cool it," and you'll find that you might as well be talking to the wall... because he is driven to give everything he can... to his Lord and Savior! Love is the key to generous giving... and this is especially true of money ... because only love is strong enough to sever the delicate cord that connects the heart and the purse.
Even the best of church members are prone to give in a measured way... unless they are "in love with Christ" but if they are... they will give and give and give and count it all joy. Unless giving gives us joy, we will never do much of it, and it will only give us joy... if we truly believe that, in giving, we will become rich.
So, our stewardship campaigns take place in the midst of a conundrum: if you are on fire for Christ, you don't need the campaign... but if you aren't in a place spiritually where "joyful giving" makes much sense to you... all of the reasons why in the world won't affect you much, Thus, when all is said and done, we simply remind some of you that it's time to give joyfully, and encourage others... to discover the joy of giving by tippy-toeing into the waters of faith. If you are at a place spiritually where you simply can't give joyfully, let me suggest that you give 1, 2, 5, 10% MORE than you are comfortable with...and discover how rich you feel. ! Amen.
pk
Saturday, October 5, 2013
WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME
This morning, we have the privilege of participating in the baptisms of Jack Carmon-Castillo and Lynn Deitz. One of them is a toddler... the other is grown-up, but in both cases, baptism is a sacred, kairos moment... with life-changing power. In Jack's case, we are celebrating the fact that he is now "in Christ" and "Spirit-filled." He was a child of God in the first place... but today, God has surely laid His hand on him and blessed him with the Holy Ghost. Lynn comes to the water as a adult, and while we still believe that she comes in response to God's call, she nonetheless, on this day, is making an intentional decision to die to her old nature and to live for Christ from this moment on. As she is baptized, Lynn will be entirely new in Christ. She will be born-again, and she will have the God-given opportunity to live as a new creation. Being called into a new community always changes everything. The people who have been joined will never be the same, and the one(s) who is joining will never be the same... because we are interrelated- brothers and sisters- in Christ.
Friends, today we celebrate two baptisms...and the joy of welcoming Bianca, Karen, Charlene... and Lynn (again) into membership. Their joining us... will change the both of us, and even as they are picking up the responsibilities of membership, we also know that our Lord has commanded us to love them... as He has loved us. In just a few minutes, two new saints have been ushered into the kingdom, and four Christians have committed themselves to SPPC. They've confessed their faith in Christ, and they've pledged to share their time, talent, and treasure with us, even as we share ours with them. As a people, we've vowed to love, teach, welcome, and know them, and to open up doors of service and ministry unto them. The words that we've said today are meant to be taken seriously... because we need one another! In a world filled with critics, we need cheerleaders, and in a world where people are inclined to tell us what we want to hear... we need people who will tell us the truth in love.
We need to embrace our new members and to let them embrace us... because we have work to do for Christ. As Peter noted (1 Ptr. 2:1-10) we are being built into a holy priesthood, where the word "holy" means to be "set apart" and the word "priest" suggests that we ought to mediate God's grace to one another. In other words, we are called to let our light shine in at least two ways- by the way we live and by the love we show to one another. Concerning the way we live, it is important to remember that you may be the ONLY Christian another person knows. To someone, YOU ARE THE CHURCH
and they will form opinions about us (and perhaps even our Lord) based on your words and actions! Concerning the love we show in His name, it must take many forms. As "priests," we mediate Christ's love when we... pray for one another, listen to one another, involve one another, affirm one another, empower one another, teach one another, visit one another, cry with one another, laugh with one another, trust one another, and share with one another...to name a few. Priestly acts like these built up the body of Christ... and they attract people who don't yet know God's love. Friends, there are all sorts of clubs where people can meet friends and find a committee to join. There are alot of places where people can hear songs... but no one can preach, teach, and live out the good news with greater power than a Spirit-filled church (no matter it's size). People need to love and be loved. They need to be known and accepted. They need to experience Christ's forgiving love for themselves... and for many people, SPPC will be their ONLY HOPE!
So... let's be holy. Let's march to a different drummer and lift up different values than those around us... and let's also be priests! Let's mediate God's love in every way we can... using the talent and treasure he has given to each one of us. We have only one job really- to proclaim Christ crucified and risen... and to live as a forgiven and saved people! This is our job. It has always been our job, but today, we will do it in ways that we could not have done it yesterday... because Bianca, Karen, Lynn, Charlene, and Jack have been added to our family. Praise God!
Friends, today we celebrate two baptisms...and the joy of welcoming Bianca, Karen, Charlene... and Lynn (again) into membership. Their joining us... will change the both of us, and even as they are picking up the responsibilities of membership, we also know that our Lord has commanded us to love them... as He has loved us. In just a few minutes, two new saints have been ushered into the kingdom, and four Christians have committed themselves to SPPC. They've confessed their faith in Christ, and they've pledged to share their time, talent, and treasure with us, even as we share ours with them. As a people, we've vowed to love, teach, welcome, and know them, and to open up doors of service and ministry unto them. The words that we've said today are meant to be taken seriously... because we need one another! In a world filled with critics, we need cheerleaders, and in a world where people are inclined to tell us what we want to hear... we need people who will tell us the truth in love.
We need to embrace our new members and to let them embrace us... because we have work to do for Christ. As Peter noted (1 Ptr. 2:1-10) we are being built into a holy priesthood, where the word "holy" means to be "set apart" and the word "priest" suggests that we ought to mediate God's grace to one another. In other words, we are called to let our light shine in at least two ways- by the way we live and by the love we show to one another. Concerning the way we live, it is important to remember that you may be the ONLY Christian another person knows. To someone, YOU ARE THE CHURCH
and they will form opinions about us (and perhaps even our Lord) based on your words and actions! Concerning the love we show in His name, it must take many forms. As "priests," we mediate Christ's love when we... pray for one another, listen to one another, involve one another, affirm one another, empower one another, teach one another, visit one another, cry with one another, laugh with one another, trust one another, and share with one another...to name a few. Priestly acts like these built up the body of Christ... and they attract people who don't yet know God's love. Friends, there are all sorts of clubs where people can meet friends and find a committee to join. There are alot of places where people can hear songs... but no one can preach, teach, and live out the good news with greater power than a Spirit-filled church (no matter it's size). People need to love and be loved. They need to be known and accepted. They need to experience Christ's forgiving love for themselves... and for many people, SPPC will be their ONLY HOPE!
So... let's be holy. Let's march to a different drummer and lift up different values than those around us... and let's also be priests! Let's mediate God's love in every way we can... using the talent and treasure he has given to each one of us. We have only one job really- to proclaim Christ crucified and risen... and to live as a forgiven and saved people! This is our job. It has always been our job, but today, we will do it in ways that we could not have done it yesterday... because Bianca, Karen, Lynn, Charlene, and Jack have been added to our family. Praise God!
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
ARE YOU... A FOOL FOR CHRIST... OR JUST A FOOL?
In the fall of 1976, Lu Ratmeyer led me in the "sinner's prayer," and in the spring of 1977, I joined a church for the first time in my life. Actually, I threw myself into as if my life depended on it. There were Sunday morning services, Sunday evening services, midweek services, adult education classes, youth events, and of course, Evangelism Explosion. Initially, everyone I knew was happy for me. They knew what I had been through, and they felt that any new version of "me" had to be better that the one they had known. However, when they saw how enthused I was about the gospel, they became concerned. Everything is better in moderation, they suggested, and they certainly didn't want me to become a "fanatic," or "a fool for Christ." It is good, they thought, to make faith part of your life, but it is foolish... to let faith direct your life. Well, as you can tell, I didn't listen to them. I couldn't listen... because I knew that my very life was at stake. If I had any hope of living a full and joyful life, or of being any good to anyone, I had to be "a fool" for Christ, which meant that I had to surrender completely to his Lordship and serve him with every fiber of my being.
So, not thinking that I had a choice, I became a "fool for Christ," but in becoming a fool- in trusting Him instead of myself- I was liberated from the second-guessing and people-pleasing that had dominated my life. I was free to take risks and to be vulnerable, and besides, I found myself in very good company! Paul noted that he was a "fool for Christ" because he preached nothing more than Christ crucified and risen. Yet, even Paul was just one more in a long list of fools... Noah was the first "fool for God." He took God at His word and built a boat on dry land. It wasn't a small boat either. It was a big boat and he led all sorts of animals into it. He was like the man we see on a street corner- the one with a sandwich board saying "the end of the world is at hand"- and he must have been mocked and ridiculed every single day... until the first raindrop fell. Abraham was the next fool in line. He was born in modern-day Iraq, and his family had worshiped the gods in that place for who knows how long. Abram, as he was known then, was neither a Christian nor a Jew, but in response to a new voice, he pulled up his stakes and wandered as an alien land for the rest of his life. He trusted in God, it seems, to the point of appearing foolish. He was willing to take his son, Isaac, up Mount Moriah, believing somehow that God would provide the sacrifice. Leaving the known for the unknown, tying your son up on a sacrificial altar- these acts are not reasonable. They are not measured, and there is no doubt that Father Abraham was a fool for God.
The prophet, Isaiah, walked naked and barefoot for more than 3 years to make a point for God. Hosea married a prostitute, and gave his children odd names, for the same reason. God told him to do these things because Israel was unfaithful. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness. he ate locusts for dinner, and he looked like a wild man. He was another fool for God, as was Peter and the others, who immediately left their jobs and followed Christ. They, and the generations who preceded them, made their living as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee... until Jesus said, "Follow me," and then, they threw down their nets and followed him. Today, we are prone to read this story as if it is reasonable... but how many of us would leave our jobs and businesses to follow Christ... with or without giving notice? Not one, I would guess, because radical, faith-based decisions are NOT reasonable. How could they be? They are based on faith. According to the world, a wise man would never leave the security of home, unless he had a nest egg hidden away and his other bases covered. Finally, let's consider our Lord. From the world's perspective, there was never a bigger fool for God than Jesus of Nazareth. He never once listened to the voices of reason; he never once diluted his message or minimized the cost of discipleship. Bonhoeffer noted that, when Jesus calls a man, he bids him, "Come and die," but what kind of church growth slogan is that? It's foolish, but no more foolish that believing that you can change the world... without money, power, or press coverage. Even Satan pointed out that Jesus could accomplish his mission by making a name for himself and by taking matters into his own hands. When we were uniting two churches in Peoria, one of our elders gave an impassioned plea against the union, telling everyone in attendance that "Pastor Kenn and the leadership board were going too much on faith!" Yes, that's what he said... and his message makes sense to many people who have come to believe that the church is mostly a "business." Start with a prayer- certainly; sing a sweet song if you must; be a little bit bold and chalk it up to faith... BUT make your decisions on the basis of facts and reason. Living on faith never makes sense, and it never will. Thus, if you pick up your cross and live by faith, you will be a "fool" for Christ. If you share what you have with the poor, if you love your enemies, if you forgive 70 times 7, and in other ways, act like someone who has been born again, you will be labeled as a "fool for Christ," but in the process, you will claim the fullness of life. Your cup will overflow and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!
Jesus talked about money a lot- a fact that many of us forget... because he often talked about it 1) in the sense of NOT falling in love with it and 2) in the sense of using our wealth to clothe the naked and feed the hungry. Money, as an object of our love, or as our own exclusive source of pleasure and comfort, was never condoned by our Lord (period). There was a very rich man (Luke 16:19-31) who dressed in purple and dined in luxury every day of his life. We don't know how we got his wealth, but we do know that there was a desperately poor beggar lying beside his gate. The beggar, whose name was Lazarus, was covered with sores. He was ill, and he was starving. Indeed, he was "longing" to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. In the hierarchy of living things, Lazarus had even slipped below the dogs, who came and licked his sores whenever it pleased them. There is no evidence that the rich man (aka "Dives") gained his wealth dishonestly or used it in unsavory ways. Nor is there any evidence that Lazarus brought his troubles on himself. All we know is that there was a very rich man who drove by a very poor man day after day... without sharing what he had, or even looking him in the eyes. In a story that stands in contrast to the "good Samaritan," the man who is lying beside the road is allowed to lay there... and die! Of course we all die, and Dives does too, but the story goes on: in the afterlife, Lazarus is in heaven and Dives is in Hades. "Father Abraham," the Dives cries out, "Please warn my brothers. Tell them not to live as I lived... so that they won't have to endure this hell." "If they haven't listened to God's word," Abraham concluded, "They will not listen to me." Let those who have ears hear: if you are blessed with great wealth, share it with those who are lying by your gate!
There are two comments that I will never forget from my time in Peoria. One (about me relying too much on faith) has already been mentioned. The other came from a friend of mine who had been blessed with a very good year. He said, "Pastor, I'm going to buy another silo for one of my farms. I need the tax deduction so that the government won't get all of my money." Wow, I thought, how about the church? Or just the poor? For the record, this man is a devout man, and in many ways a generous man. My point is simply this: it's very easy for a rich man to slip into thinking that what he has is his. To illustrate the dangers of living for wealth, (Luke 12:13ff) Jesus told a young man this story: there was a certain rich man who was blessed with a bunker crop. In fact, his yield was so great that he was not able to store all of it. So, he thought to himself, "What shall I do?" Then it came to him- I will tear down all of my barns and build bigger ones. Bigger ones that will allow me to store up my excess and take life easy. "I will eat, drink and be merry," he said, but... God interrupted him with challenging words, "You fool! You poor, poor fool. You never got it. You ignored my words. You never considered your neighbor's needs, and now, tonight, as you approach your death bed, you're drawing plans for bigger barns.You poor, poor fool." Whoever told you that it was all about you? What made you think that the future was yours?
Christ crucified, Paul noted, is foolishness to the Greeks, and we still marvel at those who let go of what they have for Christ's sake. We want to admire them, but there's part of us that considers them fools. When Christ hung on his cross, they laughed at him. "Look at the fool hanging there," they might have said. "His back his shredded, his head is bleeding and bruised, we can hardly understand a word that he says... and he thinks that He's some sort of Savior." What a fool! And what fools we are to believe that... by trusting in this man ourselves... our own sins are forgiven! What could be more foolish than to trust in a crucified man for eternal life? Unless of course, it's true. Then it's not foolish at all, is it? CS Lewis noted that, given who Jesus claimed to be, we cannot call him an enlightened man or a good teacher... but must either embrace Him as Lord and Savior, or dismiss him as a fool. There are only so many Biblical passages we can ignore... without admitting that we really aren't taking Christ seriously... and after hearing all of this, some of us will continue to put our trust in bigger barns. Some of us will always be bigger fans of the Bears than we'll ever be of Christ's, and this is foolish indeed. Friends, we can be a fool for the world and trust in gold, or we can be a fool for Christ and trust in His Word. We can be a fool for Jesus, or just a fool-I really don't think there's any in-between. Amen.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
EDNA BAKER: WE LOVE YOU!
Yesterday, Sherry and I drove to Peoria to see an angel named "Edna." It was the last time we will see her... and we will certainly miss her! Edna is dying now. Her time has come, but it didn't come until she had touched hundreds- perhaps thousands- of lives... through her teaching, her tutoring, and her contagious faith.
When we arrived at their home, Don met us and showed us to their bedroom, where Edna was resting. She was on oxygen, and the cancer had dimmed her vision. She was gaunt and weak, but alert, and she welcomed us warmly. Sherry asked her if she would like a back rub, and Edna said that she would love it. So, with a little effort, she rolled over on her side and Sherry rubbed her back for several minutes while we talked. We shared a little small talk, but only a little, because the moment begged for talk of love and grace. It wasn't a time to talk about the weather, or even the good times that we had enjoyed together. I mentioned the trip that Edna and Don had taken to Germany, and Don mentioned the time the four of us attended a Righteous Brother's concert, but the moment was too sacred for such things.
Sherry told Edna how much she loved her and noted that when she gets to heaven herself, she hopes that Edna will be one of the first to meet her. Edna said that she would be there to greet Sherry when her time came. Sherry told Edna how much she meant to us, and I asked Edna if she was afraid to die. Without hesitating, she said "no." She said that, while she didn't like the dying process, she would willingly endure it because "the reward will be so great." "Jesus is reaching out to me," she said, "and I can't wait to meet him face to face."
"Oh Edna," I replied, "I know it's true. Jesus is reaching out to you. I see him smiling, almost eager now, to embrace you and to show you around his mansion." "Edna," I went on, "You say that you've been blessed... and I agree. You have been blessed in many ways, but what is also true- every bit as true- is this: you have been a blessing! You have blessed me in powerful ways. You have blessed Sherry and Don (of course), but that's just the tip of the iceberg. You've blessed countless numbers of young people through your teaching and your tutoring, and you've blessed at least two grateful congregations here in Peoria. You have spent your life investing in God's people, Edna, and you have served our Lord in all that you've done. Yes, you have witnessed to His love and His grace. You have been a practicing Christian, and that's a much rarer thing that you might imagine. Over the years, I've tried to get you to "see the light," but you have steadfastly clung to your Missouri Synod roots. You are a proud German Lutheran, Edna, and you've never once lost sight of who or whose you are! You have a strong, unquestioning, and contagious faith in Christ, and you've given a thousand great sermons... in the way you live and love. You've been a real partner to Don, Edna. You were created for this partnership. You are exactly what Don Baker needed to be complete. Don needed just the right person to march with him, and you walked with him- every step of the way, and always with grace. Edna,you've left a huge imprint on the stage we've been blessed to share with you, and whenever you showed up, things were a little brighter. You have an engaging smile; you have a great mind; you have a heart for our Lord... and for those of us who need a helping hand; you have vibrant and courageous spirit; and you have a genuine love for humanity. You have 'star power,' and you, Edna Baker, are a spiritual hero of mine. Sherry and I both love you, Edna, you and Don both, and we want you to know that... here on this sacred day. Thanks for allowing us to be with you."
We held hands- the four of us- and we shared a heartfelt prayer, thanking God for blessing us with a servant like Edna Baker, and asking him to watch over his servant, Don Baker in the days, months, and years ahead. I'm glad that we had a chance to pray together. I'm glad that we had the chance to hug her and to also hug Don. Our Lord knows that these are two people who have made it their business to make the world a better place. Finally, as Edna tired, her attendant was called back into the room. Sherry and Don left, but I lingered ... and I bent down and kiss her hand. "Edna," I concluded, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Our world is a better place for you being here, and you will live on. You will live in His mansion, that's for sure, and you will live in our hearts as well. As long as faith matters and good people are remembered, you will live on. Goodbye. We will see one another again." Then, to my surprise, Edna rolled over to face me and she lifted her self up. She looked directly at me. "Thank you so very much for taking so much time- you and Sherry- just for me."
I could see her eyes wide open. I could see the depth of her expression, and I could've touched her face. Between you and me, I've seen Edna when she was prettier... but never when she was more beautiful! Edna died as she had lived- with Christ Jesus on her mind! I'm really impressed with her steadfast faith, but I shouldn't be surprised. After all, she is an angel.
When we arrived at their home, Don met us and showed us to their bedroom, where Edna was resting. She was on oxygen, and the cancer had dimmed her vision. She was gaunt and weak, but alert, and she welcomed us warmly. Sherry asked her if she would like a back rub, and Edna said that she would love it. So, with a little effort, she rolled over on her side and Sherry rubbed her back for several minutes while we talked. We shared a little small talk, but only a little, because the moment begged for talk of love and grace. It wasn't a time to talk about the weather, or even the good times that we had enjoyed together. I mentioned the trip that Edna and Don had taken to Germany, and Don mentioned the time the four of us attended a Righteous Brother's concert, but the moment was too sacred for such things.
Sherry told Edna how much she loved her and noted that when she gets to heaven herself, she hopes that Edna will be one of the first to meet her. Edna said that she would be there to greet Sherry when her time came. Sherry told Edna how much she meant to us, and I asked Edna if she was afraid to die. Without hesitating, she said "no." She said that, while she didn't like the dying process, she would willingly endure it because "the reward will be so great." "Jesus is reaching out to me," she said, "and I can't wait to meet him face to face."
"Oh Edna," I replied, "I know it's true. Jesus is reaching out to you. I see him smiling, almost eager now, to embrace you and to show you around his mansion." "Edna," I went on, "You say that you've been blessed... and I agree. You have been blessed in many ways, but what is also true- every bit as true- is this: you have been a blessing! You have blessed me in powerful ways. You have blessed Sherry and Don (of course), but that's just the tip of the iceberg. You've blessed countless numbers of young people through your teaching and your tutoring, and you've blessed at least two grateful congregations here in Peoria. You have spent your life investing in God's people, Edna, and you have served our Lord in all that you've done. Yes, you have witnessed to His love and His grace. You have been a practicing Christian, and that's a much rarer thing that you might imagine. Over the years, I've tried to get you to "see the light," but you have steadfastly clung to your Missouri Synod roots. You are a proud German Lutheran, Edna, and you've never once lost sight of who or whose you are! You have a strong, unquestioning, and contagious faith in Christ, and you've given a thousand great sermons... in the way you live and love. You've been a real partner to Don, Edna. You were created for this partnership. You are exactly what Don Baker needed to be complete. Don needed just the right person to march with him, and you walked with him- every step of the way, and always with grace. Edna,you've left a huge imprint on the stage we've been blessed to share with you, and whenever you showed up, things were a little brighter. You have an engaging smile; you have a great mind; you have a heart for our Lord... and for those of us who need a helping hand; you have vibrant and courageous spirit; and you have a genuine love for humanity. You have 'star power,' and you, Edna Baker, are a spiritual hero of mine. Sherry and I both love you, Edna, you and Don both, and we want you to know that... here on this sacred day. Thanks for allowing us to be with you."
We held hands- the four of us- and we shared a heartfelt prayer, thanking God for blessing us with a servant like Edna Baker, and asking him to watch over his servant, Don Baker in the days, months, and years ahead. I'm glad that we had a chance to pray together. I'm glad that we had the chance to hug her and to also hug Don. Our Lord knows that these are two people who have made it their business to make the world a better place. Finally, as Edna tired, her attendant was called back into the room. Sherry and Don left, but I lingered ... and I bent down and kiss her hand. "Edna," I concluded, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Our world is a better place for you being here, and you will live on. You will live in His mansion, that's for sure, and you will live in our hearts as well. As long as faith matters and good people are remembered, you will live on. Goodbye. We will see one another again." Then, to my surprise, Edna rolled over to face me and she lifted her self up. She looked directly at me. "Thank you so very much for taking so much time- you and Sherry- just for me."
I could see her eyes wide open. I could see the depth of her expression, and I could've touched her face. Between you and me, I've seen Edna when she was prettier... but never when she was more beautiful! Edna died as she had lived- with Christ Jesus on her mind! I'm really impressed with her steadfast faith, but I shouldn't be surprised. After all, she is an angel.
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