Archer and Donald, today is May 31, 2014 and tomorrow your "poppy" will give a message for graduates who are connected to our local church. It's a tradition in the "church world" to offer words of wisdom on special occasions, although it isn't easy to add much to all of the words that graduates hear at times like this. It is my prayer that I'll be around when you graduate from high school ... but just in case God has other plans for me, let me share what I consider the "secrets to a happy and full life."
As you age, you will move from "graduation to new beginning" more than once. You will discover things that give you joy and you will experience things that give you pain. You will be confirmed and challenged, afflicted and comforted, certain and confused, loved and ignored... in no particular order and with no particular frequency. I know this because life is a journey... and journeys are all about discovery and fulfillment. Each of you is on a journey now, although you don't see it as such, and for you, it's only just begun. It's going to be more and more exciting, boys. The hills are going to get steeper and the rides are going to get faster. So... hang on... and remember these words:
1. Now is all you ever have. The past is gone, and while it can be recalled, it cannot be relived. The future belongs to God. Nothing has ever been done in the future. All things are done, discovered, and enjoyed in the now! Remember to live each moment to it fullest.
2. You have a purpose in life- find it, master it, and cling to it. I don't know what your faith will be as you go through life, but I can say that your life will be much richer if you discover what God wants you to do. Examine your tears, your passions, your abilities, and find your vocation. Remember this: your vocation is that which serves the world and also fulfills you. Find it and give yourself to it.
3. We are social creatures and our relationships are (other than our faith) the most important things we have. They really are priceless, and this is especially true of the one with whom you choose to spend your life. Remember this: if you are in the right vocation, have the right partner, and nurture your faith in God along the way, you will experience considerable joy. I promise.
4. Mother Teresa noted we can't do great things... but we can do small things with great love. Remember that. Remember that what we say and do matters. Remember that we may be an angel in someone's life, and even if we aren't, remember, too, that we fill important places in one another's lives- places that are sacred and irreplaceable.
5. A writer named Robert Fulghum has noted that "sticks and stones break our bones. but words break ou hearts." Remember this. Choose your words carefully and remember to always speak the truth in love!
6. The most important things in life are invisible. Things like love, honor, faith, hope, integrity... are unseen.... We can see their results, but we can't actually see them. They are THE stuff of life, and yet we cannot grab, own, measure, or control any of them, not even for a moment. Remember this when people tell you to believe only what you see.
7. Remember this: YOU are a child of God and God loves you in ways that you will never fully understand. Boys, your "poppy" is a pastor... and a man who discovered forgiveness, freedom, and purpose... by accepting Jesus as his Christ and Lord. You may or may not make the same choice, but please remember that God loves you in the fullest sense of the word.
8. You will encounter forks in the road from time to time. Some of them will be unimportant, but others may be life-changing, even life-threatening. They will not only affect the direction in which you go, but also the people with whom you associate and even the values that define you. When you will reach forks in the road that are really, really critical. remember to take the road less traveled... always...with no exceptions.
9. Every beautiful person I know... has known pain... because pain has a way of deepening us and giving us insight into who we are and what's really important. I don't want either of you to experience pain, but when you do, remember this: never let your wounds keep you down or define you.
10 Life is an opportunity which will be richer if you know who and whose you are! From time to time, people will say, "Where did the time go?" or "Is this all there is?" or "Why am I here?" They ask these questions because they have never learned what I am asking you (and all of our church members) to remember today: the purpose of life is to"live in and out of God's grace-filled love." Do this... and you will graduate with honors... from the school of life- the only one that matters in the end. Can I hear an "amen"?
PK IN SWEDEN
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Saturday, May 24, 2014
NO GREATER LOVE THAN THIS!
There are teddy bears… and high school
rings… and old photographs that mamas bring.
There’s combat boots that he used to wear… when he was sent over there. There’s
cigarettes and there’s cans of beer and notes that say “I miss you dear.” And
children who don’t say anything at all/ There’s purple hearts and packs of gum- fatherless daughters and
fatherless sons… and there’s 50,000 names carved in the wall/ They come from
all across this land… in pickups trucks and mini vans, searching for a boy from
long ago. They scan the wall and find his name. The teardrops fall like pouring
rain and silently they leave a gift and go/ There’s stars of David and rosary
beads and crucifixion figurines and flowers of all colors… large and
small. There’s a Boy Scout badge and a
merit pin- little American flags waving in the wind…. and there’s 50,000 names
in the wall. Lyrics from a song by George Jones... to which I can only say "amen." Many of us have stood before them in awe…. because they stand for men and women who died
for our freedom.
When Sherry and I visited the Viet Nam Memorial, we walked on sacred ground. We were surrounded by people, but we walked in silence. Everyone did, and their eyes teared up as they read one name and then another. The Viet Nam Memorial is sacred, and so are the crosses that fill Flanders Fields... in memory of those who died in the war that was supposed to end all wars. Some of you will recognize the poem that John McCrae wrote in tribute to a dear friend who lies beneath one of its crosses. He wrote it in 1915 and it goes like this: In Flanders Fields the poppies blow beneath the crosses, row on row, that mark our place, and in the sky… the larks, still bravely singing, fly/ We are dead... short days ago. We lived, felt dawn, saw sunsets glow, loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields/ Take up our quarrel with the foe, to you with failing hands we throw. The torch be yours and hold it high/ If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow… in Flanders fields.
When Sherry and I visited the Viet Nam Memorial, we walked on sacred ground. We were surrounded by people, but we walked in silence. Everyone did, and their eyes teared up as they read one name and then another. The Viet Nam Memorial is sacred, and so are the crosses that fill Flanders Fields... in memory of those who died in the war that was supposed to end all wars. Some of you will recognize the poem that John McCrae wrote in tribute to a dear friend who lies beneath one of its crosses. He wrote it in 1915 and it goes like this: In Flanders Fields the poppies blow beneath the crosses, row on row, that mark our place, and in the sky… the larks, still bravely singing, fly/ We are dead... short days ago. We lived, felt dawn, saw sunsets glow, loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields/ Take up our quarrel with the foe, to you with failing hands we throw. The torch be yours and hold it high/ If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow… in Flanders fields.
My father flew a transport plane in WW2, to the front lines and back, and he took part in the liberation of prisoners from Hitler's concentration centers. My uncles, Delmer and Louis, took part in the war as well. They made it home alive, but 400,000 died in a war that still didn't end all wars- my father’s co-pilot, Kenny, included, and perhaps someone in your family, among them. There graves fill cemeteries throughout our land- and each one must be remembered because there is no greater love than to lay one’s life down and no greater honor than simply being remembered. Today, we are invited to remember. It is a day when we should slow down and let the voices of those who really did love freedom more than life... speak to us. From the first young man who died in our War of Independence to the next young soldier who will die in a foreign land, we have been blessed to walk among seemingly ordinary people who have the stuff of heroes on the inside. They have stared evil in the face. They have carried the fight to those who would take our lives. They've taken the narrow road, knowing that life is not worth the living if people can't be free. They were Christians, Jews, Muslims, and nothing at all; but they all loved honor and freedom more than life ... and we are called to remember them this weekend! I'm not against cookouts and fun in the sun. Lord knows that such moments give us joy and hold our communities together, but in the midst of the good times, we ought to embrace those who laid down their lives for us... because there is no greater love than this.
But as Christians, we are also called to remember the One who laid down his life for us! In a far away place, almost exactly 2000 years ago, a Jew hung on a Roman cross... and died to set us free from the bondage to self and sin. Despite the warnings that the prophets gave, we were never able to love God with all of our hearts or love our neighbors as ourselves. So God's Son, considering divinity as something not worth clinging to, emptied himself of it, came down to earth, and lived among us. He taught about God's love, healed the sick, and challenged practices that were punitive and unjust. He was full of beauty and grace, but still, we didn't listen. So, he paid for our sins himself and remembered a man who was being crucified next to him. Then he rose in victory over death and appeared to Mary and the others, commissioning them to go and tell the "good news" to men and women in every nation. He told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would empower them and help them "remember" what he had said and done. He also instituted the Lord's Supper, saying, "This is my body; take, eat, in remembrance of me," and concerning the cup, "whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me."
Remembering is an empowering thing. It keeps us connected and aware of who and whose we are. Remembering is an important thing... but it is NOT as important as living AS IF we remember, which may be why Jesus said, "those who love me keep my word." Those who know me will follow me. Those who love me will keep my words. They will take the same path that I have taken, They will mourn for a broken world, forgive 70 x 7, feed those who need to be fed, make praying a way of life, and lay down their lives for me. When it comes to those whom we love and admire, remembering is more of an embrace than a passing thought and when it comes to the One whom we call Lord, remembering is not a thought at all. It is a way of life. Amen!
Thursday, May 15, 2014
"JOY TO THE WORLD"- SING IT LOUD!
Take it from your Poppy, Archer- joy is an incredible thing. Money can't but it, and poverty can't snuff it out. It is bigger than fun, and it's deeper than pleasure... although I don't consider either one to be at odds with joy. Joy bubbles up from deep within, and it's a feeling of oneness with yourself and the world. When you experience joy, your skin will fit perfectly and your soul will be light- so light that you will nearly float away. It's hard to define joy, and many people mistake it for good times, and laughter, and just having things go their way. These things are not the same as joy, although I am fond of all of them, because they can all be manufactured and owned. Joy, on the other hand, is a gift that brings a gladness to your entire being.
According to the Bible, joy will come to you... if you have someone to love and be loved by, if you have something to do that's worth doing, and if your life is connected with God. According to others, joy comes to us when we have someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. Someone noted that "joy is peace on its feet," and there are literally hundreds of other opinions. Many of these opinions are offered by very wise people, but I'm content to keep these points in mind: 1) joy is a gift, which means that it cannot be created or contained; 2) joy is multiplied when its shared with others; 3) joy is a glimpse of our best self and a taste of the way things are meant to be.
I've tried to have joy on my own terms, Archer. I've insisted on it and I've begged for it. I've manipulated and I've bullied others... to get it... but it cannot be earned, stolen, or tracked down. Ir is gift- a beautiful gift. So, sing the song, Archer... everyday and to everyone. Sing it to the poor. Sing it to the hungry. Sing it to those who face obstacles that most of us never face. Sing it to those who are shut-in, shut-out and shut-away. Sing it to those who are imprisoned in all the ways we get imprisoned. Sing it to those who think that they're ugly, unimportant, and disposable Sing it to those who are invariably one step in front or one step behind the others. Sing it to those who are drowning in their own tears, and sing it to those who are drunk on their own wine. Sing it to those who are afraid to dream, and sing it to those who are just weary from the road. And sing it for me as well...
Joy to the world/ all the boys and girls/ joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea/ joy to you and me. Joy to the world' all the boys and girls/ joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea/ joy to you and me......
Saturday, May 10, 2014
MOTHER'S DAY LITANY
As a pastor, I've struggled with Mother's Day for some time now. At their best, mothers express love that is closer to God's love than any other form of love on earth. At their best, mothers love their children sacrificially and unconditionally, and they are more likely than the rest of us... to love the unlovable. But...mothers aren't always at their best. Most of them are more or less average, and more than a few are bad. Besides, there are some people who have lost their mothers to death, and others who have not been able to have a child. In short, Mother's Day brings joy AND sadness... and I haven't even mentioned that it's laced with commercialism and isn't on the church calendar.
Mother's Day is a mixed blessing and we need to be aware of that. In an effort to lift up the best of a Mother's love... and also recognize that some of us didn't experience "the best," I would like to use the following litany at this year's Mother's Day service. (The liturgist will lead the way and the community's response is in bold type).
To those who had their first child this year, we celebrate with you;
To those who lost a child this year, we mourn with you;
To those are in the trenches with little ones every day, we appreciate you;
To those who've known loss through miscarriages & failed adoptions, we cry with you;
To those who've struggled with infertility, we apologize for saying foolish things;
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms, we need you;
To those who have close & warm relationships with your children, we congratulate you;
To those whose relationship is distant & disappointing, we sit with you;
To those who have lost their mothers this year, we grieve with you;
To those who have been abused by your mothers, we acknowledge your experience;
To those who have aborted children, we remember them and you on this day;
To those who are step-mothers, we recognize your complex paths;
To those who had longed to be married, we feel your disppointment;
To those who dreamed in vain of doting on grandchildren, we grieve with you;
To those who have emptier nests this year, we share your sadness... and your joy;
To those who have met the varied tests of motherhood; we are stronger for it;
To those who are pregnant with new life, we anticipate with you.
On this Mother's Day, we thank God for your blessings when they were there, for your strength when blessings were nowhere to be found and, we embrace you. Amen.
Mother's Day is a mixed blessing and we need to be aware of that. In an effort to lift up the best of a Mother's love... and also recognize that some of us didn't experience "the best," I would like to use the following litany at this year's Mother's Day service. (The liturgist will lead the way and the community's response is in bold type).
To those who had their first child this year, we celebrate with you;
To those who lost a child this year, we mourn with you;
To those are in the trenches with little ones every day, we appreciate you;
To those who've known loss through miscarriages & failed adoptions, we cry with you;
To those who've struggled with infertility, we apologize for saying foolish things;
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms, we need you;
To those who have close & warm relationships with your children, we congratulate you;
To those whose relationship is distant & disappointing, we sit with you;
To those who have lost their mothers this year, we grieve with you;
To those who have been abused by your mothers, we acknowledge your experience;
To those who have aborted children, we remember them and you on this day;
To those who are step-mothers, we recognize your complex paths;
To those who had longed to be married, we feel your disppointment;
To those who dreamed in vain of doting on grandchildren, we grieve with you;
To those who have emptier nests this year, we share your sadness... and your joy;
To those who have met the varied tests of motherhood; we are stronger for it;
To those who are pregnant with new life, we anticipate with you.
On this Mother's Day, we thank God for your blessings when they were there, for your strength when blessings were nowhere to be found and, we embrace you. Amen.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
CHOOSE TO BELIEVE!
Like many of you, I have a handful of favorite authors. Buechner, Wangerin, Yancey, Fulghum, and Henri Nouwen, who invites us to imagine...a scenario in which two unborn twins...are having a conversation that goes something like this: "I think that there's life after birth," one of them says "out of the blue." "Ridiculous," the other replies, "What's wrong with you? This is a wonderful place, and our every need is met." "No, I really believe that we're going to a place where there is light... and freedom to move. I'm sure of it." "What in the world is wrong with you? Why aren't you ever content?" "And there's another thing I believe." ""Really? I can't wait to hear this one." "Well, you're not going to like it... but I believe there is a mother." "A mother? Where did you get that idea? There's no such thing as a mother. I've never seen a mother, and neither have you." Silence... "Don't you feel the squeezes that happen every now and then? They're quite unpleasant and even painful." "So, what if I do?" "Well... I believe that these squeezes are preparing us for another place, much more beautiful than this place, and that we will see our mother face-to-face!" Then, there was only silence... because the doubting twin was quietly praying that his "crazy" sister would leave him alone.
But it's my guess that she didn't leave him alone... because dreams and doubts, beliefs, hopes and fears- never leave us alone. They're part of our life. For reasons that probably stem from our need for control, doubt is something of a dirty word in church circles. No one ever teaches on Biblical stories that are hard to believe, or things about God that they don't understand, or on unanswered prayers that broke their hearts. We never mention these things... because we don't want to be labeled as a "doubter." There seems to be nothing much worse than being called "Doubting Ken," or "Doubting Ginny," but it's our questions, our struggles, and our doubts... that prompt us to seek deeper belief and it's often our disappointments that lead us to real faith... which brings me to the well-worn story of Doubting Thomas... and a few brief remarks on doubt.
Didymus Judas Thomas was one of the 12, and while he wasn't in the inner circle, he wasn/t invisible either. He showed courage on several occasions, and he was martyred for his faith in 72AD... but believing didn't come easily for him. We know that he founded the church in India. We know that the first gospel ever written is entitled "The Gospel of Thomas," and that there is also a book called "The Acts of Thomas," but on Easter Sunday in the year 30AD, he was not with the other disciples... when the Risen Jesus showed up. He missed it, and when the others shared their excitement with him, he could not believe it... unless he personally touched the wound in his master's side and the nail marks in his hands. He needed to see for himself... so on the second Sunday of Easter, Jesus appeared to all of them, and he invited Thomas to put his hands into his wound and to touch the nail marks in his hands. He didn't mock Thomas for doubting. He didn't label him, but responded to his doubts in a personal and vulnerable way, and that's all that Thomas needed... because his doubts gave birth to one of the greatest statements of faith in the Bible. "My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God."
It's a powerful story, but what does it have to do with us? And if it doesn't say that doubt is a dirty word, what does it say to us? Well, I would suggest this:
1) It is a blessing to believe without seeing... because that's the stuff that vision and dreams and great discoveries are made of. If you believe easily, you will be blessed frequently and comforted in any time or circumstance, and if you can live AS IF what you believe is true, you will transform your life and the lives of others. Never apologize for believing...
2) BUT doubt is NOT the opposite of belief- unbelief is- and doubt is not opposed to faith. Indeed, doubt is often part of our faith journey and can even lead to greater faith, as it did in Thomas' case. If our faith is just a way of getting our own way, it's not worth having, but if we struggle with our doubts, seek answers to our questions, confess our fears, and wrestle with God through our dark nights, we can claim a faith that cries out, "My God, My God," from a cross... or joins Job in exclaiming, "I know that my Redeemer lives," when we've lost everything dear to us. When we've done business with our living God... when we've come to realize that He gives and takes life, and when we're entirely okay with the fact that...we will have obtained a powerful and enduring faith! Don't run from your doubts. See them as opportunities for growth and deeper faith.
3) However... don't become a doubting person. Don't let your doubts have their way with you. Don't let them define you. Everyone gets angry, but not everyone is an angry person. Everyone gets depressed, but not everyone IS DEPRESSED. We don't need to become what we experience... so instead of surrendering to your doubts, open your Bibles, ask questions, get into prayer, develop spiritual disciplines. Consider the possibility that you can believe in something without knowing all there is to know about it... and keep your feet moving! Faith didn't come easy to be me,,, but I kept my feet moving. I've always been suspicious of things that seemed to good to be true... but I never quit believing. Sometimes, when I began my faith journey, I felt like a phony because other people seemed so "together," but I never quit believing. Sometimes I felt unworthy because I wasn't making the progress I should have been making, but I never let my stumbling define me. Not my stumbling. Not my sins. Not my doubts... because I had decided to believe, and if anything was going to define me. it would be my believing.
4) Our passage is about faith, not doubt and it's starring character is Jesus, not Thomas. When the disciples were hiding in fear, Jesus came to them, and when Thomas needed to see for himself, Jesus came to him and gave himself to him without insult or judgement. Never come to think that you can be too far gone or gone too long for Jesus because nothing can keep Jesus away from you- not locked doors, not fears, nor your sins, not your doubts, not your addictions, not your secrets- nothing at all. Jesus will not let you go. Believe this,
5) Our passage is John's Pentecost! It is the moment when Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive others. It is the moment when Jesus' frightened followers received Holy Ghost power and an abiding courage that never left them. And this is not for them only- it is for us too. Jesus comes to us when we need him most and he empowers us to live for him. That's why we're encouraged to remember our baptisms and invite Jesus into the locked rooms in our lives.
Some of you believe easily. You're waiting for something to believe in and you are blessed because you can trust in what you don't entirely understand or haven't seen. Some of you find it more difficult to embrace truths that you can't explain or accept claims that you haven't seen for yourself. It's just the way you are, and I would encourage you to keep your feet moving. Keep showing up, keep asking questions, keep praying, and keep inviting Jesus to show himself to you. He will you know. He will come to you through a person in your life, through a person you happen to meet, through a passage that speaks to you, through your dreams, or your tears, in the stillness of the night ... he will come to you and offer himself to you... in ways that cannot be denied... and you will find yourself crying out, "My Lord and my God!"
But it's my guess that she didn't leave him alone... because dreams and doubts, beliefs, hopes and fears- never leave us alone. They're part of our life. For reasons that probably stem from our need for control, doubt is something of a dirty word in church circles. No one ever teaches on Biblical stories that are hard to believe, or things about God that they don't understand, or on unanswered prayers that broke their hearts. We never mention these things... because we don't want to be labeled as a "doubter." There seems to be nothing much worse than being called "Doubting Ken," or "Doubting Ginny," but it's our questions, our struggles, and our doubts... that prompt us to seek deeper belief and it's often our disappointments that lead us to real faith... which brings me to the well-worn story of Doubting Thomas... and a few brief remarks on doubt.
Didymus Judas Thomas was one of the 12, and while he wasn't in the inner circle, he wasn/t invisible either. He showed courage on several occasions, and he was martyred for his faith in 72AD... but believing didn't come easily for him. We know that he founded the church in India. We know that the first gospel ever written is entitled "The Gospel of Thomas," and that there is also a book called "The Acts of Thomas," but on Easter Sunday in the year 30AD, he was not with the other disciples... when the Risen Jesus showed up. He missed it, and when the others shared their excitement with him, he could not believe it... unless he personally touched the wound in his master's side and the nail marks in his hands. He needed to see for himself... so on the second Sunday of Easter, Jesus appeared to all of them, and he invited Thomas to put his hands into his wound and to touch the nail marks in his hands. He didn't mock Thomas for doubting. He didn't label him, but responded to his doubts in a personal and vulnerable way, and that's all that Thomas needed... because his doubts gave birth to one of the greatest statements of faith in the Bible. "My Lord and my God. My Lord and my God."
It's a powerful story, but what does it have to do with us? And if it doesn't say that doubt is a dirty word, what does it say to us? Well, I would suggest this:
1) It is a blessing to believe without seeing... because that's the stuff that vision and dreams and great discoveries are made of. If you believe easily, you will be blessed frequently and comforted in any time or circumstance, and if you can live AS IF what you believe is true, you will transform your life and the lives of others. Never apologize for believing...
2) BUT doubt is NOT the opposite of belief- unbelief is- and doubt is not opposed to faith. Indeed, doubt is often part of our faith journey and can even lead to greater faith, as it did in Thomas' case. If our faith is just a way of getting our own way, it's not worth having, but if we struggle with our doubts, seek answers to our questions, confess our fears, and wrestle with God through our dark nights, we can claim a faith that cries out, "My God, My God," from a cross... or joins Job in exclaiming, "I know that my Redeemer lives," when we've lost everything dear to us. When we've done business with our living God... when we've come to realize that He gives and takes life, and when we're entirely okay with the fact that...we will have obtained a powerful and enduring faith! Don't run from your doubts. See them as opportunities for growth and deeper faith.
3) However... don't become a doubting person. Don't let your doubts have their way with you. Don't let them define you. Everyone gets angry, but not everyone is an angry person. Everyone gets depressed, but not everyone IS DEPRESSED. We don't need to become what we experience... so instead of surrendering to your doubts, open your Bibles, ask questions, get into prayer, develop spiritual disciplines. Consider the possibility that you can believe in something without knowing all there is to know about it... and keep your feet moving! Faith didn't come easy to be me,,, but I kept my feet moving. I've always been suspicious of things that seemed to good to be true... but I never quit believing. Sometimes, when I began my faith journey, I felt like a phony because other people seemed so "together," but I never quit believing. Sometimes I felt unworthy because I wasn't making the progress I should have been making, but I never let my stumbling define me. Not my stumbling. Not my sins. Not my doubts... because I had decided to believe, and if anything was going to define me. it would be my believing.
4) Our passage is about faith, not doubt and it's starring character is Jesus, not Thomas. When the disciples were hiding in fear, Jesus came to them, and when Thomas needed to see for himself, Jesus came to him and gave himself to him without insult or judgement. Never come to think that you can be too far gone or gone too long for Jesus because nothing can keep Jesus away from you- not locked doors, not fears, nor your sins, not your doubts, not your addictions, not your secrets- nothing at all. Jesus will not let you go. Believe this,
5) Our passage is John's Pentecost! It is the moment when Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive others. It is the moment when Jesus' frightened followers received Holy Ghost power and an abiding courage that never left them. And this is not for them only- it is for us too. Jesus comes to us when we need him most and he empowers us to live for him. That's why we're encouraged to remember our baptisms and invite Jesus into the locked rooms in our lives.
Some of you believe easily. You're waiting for something to believe in and you are blessed because you can trust in what you don't entirely understand or haven't seen. Some of you find it more difficult to embrace truths that you can't explain or accept claims that you haven't seen for yourself. It's just the way you are, and I would encourage you to keep your feet moving. Keep showing up, keep asking questions, keep praying, and keep inviting Jesus to show himself to you. He will you know. He will come to you through a person in your life, through a person you happen to meet, through a passage that speaks to you, through your dreams, or your tears, in the stillness of the night ... he will come to you and offer himself to you... in ways that cannot be denied... and you will find yourself crying out, "My Lord and my God!"
Friday, April 18, 2014
ARCHER'S EASTER MESSAGE
Our daughter, our son-in-law, and our 5 year old grandson, Archer, visited us this week, and like all the times before, they gave us great joy! As a family of 3 and individually, they are simply adorable, engaging, witty, and thoughtful. Each one of them is a "piece of work," and that fits in well around here.
We played Wii games... and I lost again... even though I had purchased a simpler game before Archer arrived. We went to a "bouncy house," and discovered that Archer's dad enjoyed himself... at least as much as Archer did. We visited an interactive science museum, ate a variety of meals as a family, and waved palms together at our church service. We tried to give Archer a good time, and I think we succeeded. Joy, of course, is a significant part of Easter... but Archer's Easter message is deeper than that.
Archer is a very smart little boy, and he's always had a vocabulary that "mocks" (to use one of his favorite new words) his actual age. I've known that for some time of course, but I didn't know how extremely spiritual Archer is... for a 5 year old, or for just about any age. His mother tells me that Archer either comments on, or asks about, God, Jesus Christ, Christians, Jews, and religious viewpoints... on a daily basis... and that is considerably more thought than most of our church members give these subjects. As a 5 year old, Archer is not an expert on any subject, and he is not a student of any teacher... BUT he is a theologian... and a good one at that. He gives a lot of thought to matters of faith and he definitely believes that this life- the one we're living now- is NOT the end for us. He is sure of this... at 5 years old, and his parents, although very loving and very intelligent, are not church-goers. Thus, his inquiry is honest, and with this in mind, I initiated a conversation with Archer as we walked "Rocky" around the block. I told him that "grammy" believes that there is life after death, and he said, "There is."
Then, after we had walked a short distance, he said, "There is another name for gravestones, Poppy. They are also called tombstones. Did you know that?" "Yes," I said, "I knew that." "Well," Archer concluded, "Tombstones spawn life." "Tombstones spawn life," he said. "they really do." He offered this piece of theology without a sermon, and he didn't seem to know that I have two graduate degrees in this field. He doesn't know that I've given Easter messages for more than 25 years... but he doesn't need to... because he gave an Easter message of his own! It was succinct and powerful. It was short on research, but long on truth! It was an Easter sermon every bit as profound as the one I will give Sunday. Tombstones spawn life. Indeed they do, Archer! Thanks.
We played Wii games... and I lost again... even though I had purchased a simpler game before Archer arrived. We went to a "bouncy house," and discovered that Archer's dad enjoyed himself... at least as much as Archer did. We visited an interactive science museum, ate a variety of meals as a family, and waved palms together at our church service. We tried to give Archer a good time, and I think we succeeded. Joy, of course, is a significant part of Easter... but Archer's Easter message is deeper than that.
Archer is a very smart little boy, and he's always had a vocabulary that "mocks" (to use one of his favorite new words) his actual age. I've known that for some time of course, but I didn't know how extremely spiritual Archer is... for a 5 year old, or for just about any age. His mother tells me that Archer either comments on, or asks about, God, Jesus Christ, Christians, Jews, and religious viewpoints... on a daily basis... and that is considerably more thought than most of our church members give these subjects. As a 5 year old, Archer is not an expert on any subject, and he is not a student of any teacher... BUT he is a theologian... and a good one at that. He gives a lot of thought to matters of faith and he definitely believes that this life- the one we're living now- is NOT the end for us. He is sure of this... at 5 years old, and his parents, although very loving and very intelligent, are not church-goers. Thus, his inquiry is honest, and with this in mind, I initiated a conversation with Archer as we walked "Rocky" around the block. I told him that "grammy" believes that there is life after death, and he said, "There is."
Then, after we had walked a short distance, he said, "There is another name for gravestones, Poppy. They are also called tombstones. Did you know that?" "Yes," I said, "I knew that." "Well," Archer concluded, "Tombstones spawn life." "Tombstones spawn life," he said. "they really do." He offered this piece of theology without a sermon, and he didn't seem to know that I have two graduate degrees in this field. He doesn't know that I've given Easter messages for more than 25 years... but he doesn't need to... because he gave an Easter message of his own! It was succinct and powerful. It was short on research, but long on truth! It was an Easter sermon every bit as profound as the one I will give Sunday. Tombstones spawn life. Indeed they do, Archer! Thanks.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
HIS DYING WORDS
I might as well confess it: I'm fascinated by dying words, and I love to reflect on them. Some are prophetic, some regretful, some defiant, some very hopeful. Any internet search will yield more examples of last words than you care to read... but here are a few that speak to me. When urged to renounce the devil, Voltaire uttered, "My good man, this is no time to be making enemies," and Benedict Arnold lamented, "Let me die in the old uniform in which I fought my battles for freedom. May God forgive me for putting on another." Robert Childers yelled to his firing squad, "Take a step forward lads- it'll be easier that way," and when his wife told him that it would be easier for him to breathe if he rolled over on his side, Ben Franklin replied, "Nothing is easy for a dying man." It's true of course- nothing is easy for a dying man... but faith makes a profound difference! Tammy Faye Bakker's last words were "I'm in the hands of Jesus," and one of my friends cried, "Look, I can see Jesus and my love. They're waiting for me." Sometimes, last words are just the product of pain and drugs. They don't make much sense, but when people are not out of their minds, their last words can be quite revealing. And this brings me to Good Friday... and to Jesus' final words. His death was agonizing; it was public; it was unjust and painful in every sense of the word. Most men cursed, or pleaded, as they fought to breathe, but the man from Nazareth kept his eye on his Father and on those whom he came to save.
1) Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
They are like sheep. They rush this way and that way, they are easily frightened and prone to wander. They have a hard time thinking of others and they can't get their arms around things like grace and sacrifice. They are more foolish than evil, so forgive them. Who among us has ever heard of a dying man utter, "Father, forgive them for being the... insecure, self-centered, and blustering creatures they are? Good news indeed... but who, exactly, is "them"? When he prayed, "Forgive them," was he talking about the Romans who were crucifying him, the Jewish authorities who had condemned him, the disciples who had abandoned him, the passersby who were mocking him, those of us who would add our voice to the crowd's "Crucify him. Crucify him"?
2) Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
What a wonderful thing this is to say to a man who is hanging on the cross next to you! What an amazingly grace-filled act! These words reveal a deep trust in his Father's power and an awareness that repentant "men" really will reach heaven through him. All the convicted man said was "remember me," and Jesus gave him a ticket to heaven. Wow! This is too much grace for many Christians I know because, even though they won't admit it, they continue to harbor the belief that they aren't good enough for God. Truth is- grace is both necessary and sufficient for salvation!
3) Woman, behold your son! Behold your mother!
This is another loving and other-directed thing to say. Death is a "passing" into a new realm, but for those who are left behind, life on earth goes on. For parents who have lost a child, for lover's who have lost a partner, for children who have lost parents and friends... life goes on. It goes on in an emptier way, but it goes on. Jesus knew this, and with his dying words, he responded to his mother's need for care. The first of his last "words" were other-directed, and that in itself, says a lot about the man. He died with forgiveness and salvation on his lips, and this says volumes about who he is! But then, Jesus' mind turned to his relationship with his Father, and he cried out...
4) Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani (My God, my God, why have you left, abandoned/forsaken me?
Jesus was in excruciating physical, emotional and psychological pain. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to pull his body up so that he could breathe, and the weight of our sins had separated him from his Father. So his 4th utterance concerned himself, as he cried, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," knowing that these words come directly from Psalm 22:1. As he was dying, Jesus identified with a Psalm that expresses both pain and hope. If you aren't familiar with Psalm 22, it is worth noting that the Psalmist is being ridiculed and insulted and that his feet and his hands have been pierced. Like Jesus, the psalmist' throat was dry (22:15) and like Jesus, his enemies were dividing his clothes between them (22:18). However, the 22nd Psalm goes on to celebrate God's power and proclaim a day when people will praise God with the words, "He has done it!" In other words, when he quoted Psalm 22, Jesus was acknowledging his agony and suffering, but he was not expressing doubt in His Father. It may even be said that Jesus of Nazareth died with his God's promise and victory on his lips.
5) I thirst.
This is the most ordinary of his last words and they reveal Jesus' humanity. His lips were parched, his throat had swollen, so much so that when he cried, "Eli, Eli" to his Father, many who stood beneath his cross thought that he had said "Elijah," and they thought that because he could not be understood. Nothing is easy for a dying man- so he said, "I thirst."
6) Tetelestai (It is finished)
It is finished. It is complete. These were among his very last words. At some level, of course, they could refer to his life on earth. It was very close to being finished, but at a deeper and yet still obvious level, the word "tetelestai" surely spoke to his mission, which was to save the lost and open the gates of heaven to all who believe in him. According to Paul, Jesus voluntarily emptied himself of divinity and came to earth to save sinners. He exchanged glory for a cross, so that God's children would be saved in his name. Like all of us who have a calling or a purpose of any kind, there comes a time when our work is accomplished. On Good Friday, in a far away and little known place, his work was completed... and the Nazarene uttered, "Tetelestai."
7) Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
If his first three sayings had others in mind, his last two were clearly focused on his work and his Father. He died with surrendered trust on his lips. This is fitting because it was surrendered trust that he taught- that and obedience- as a way of life. It was surrendered trust that he called for from Peter and the others, and it was surrendered trust that he reaffirmed for himself at Gethsemane. No one can earn, force, charm, or buy their way into heaven. The door is only opened by God's invitation, which came on Calvary's Hill, and lives on to this very moment... in and through His Son.
They say that you can tell a lot about a man by the way in which he dies, and according to Mark, at least one Roman soldier found this to be true... because when he saw how Jesus died, (Mk 15:39), he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God." Amen.
1) Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
They are like sheep. They rush this way and that way, they are easily frightened and prone to wander. They have a hard time thinking of others and they can't get their arms around things like grace and sacrifice. They are more foolish than evil, so forgive them. Who among us has ever heard of a dying man utter, "Father, forgive them for being the... insecure, self-centered, and blustering creatures they are? Good news indeed... but who, exactly, is "them"? When he prayed, "Forgive them," was he talking about the Romans who were crucifying him, the Jewish authorities who had condemned him, the disciples who had abandoned him, the passersby who were mocking him, those of us who would add our voice to the crowd's "Crucify him. Crucify him"?
2) Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
What a wonderful thing this is to say to a man who is hanging on the cross next to you! What an amazingly grace-filled act! These words reveal a deep trust in his Father's power and an awareness that repentant "men" really will reach heaven through him. All the convicted man said was "remember me," and Jesus gave him a ticket to heaven. Wow! This is too much grace for many Christians I know because, even though they won't admit it, they continue to harbor the belief that they aren't good enough for God. Truth is- grace is both necessary and sufficient for salvation!
3) Woman, behold your son! Behold your mother!
This is another loving and other-directed thing to say. Death is a "passing" into a new realm, but for those who are left behind, life on earth goes on. For parents who have lost a child, for lover's who have lost a partner, for children who have lost parents and friends... life goes on. It goes on in an emptier way, but it goes on. Jesus knew this, and with his dying words, he responded to his mother's need for care. The first of his last "words" were other-directed, and that in itself, says a lot about the man. He died with forgiveness and salvation on his lips, and this says volumes about who he is! But then, Jesus' mind turned to his relationship with his Father, and he cried out...
4) Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani (My God, my God, why have you left, abandoned/forsaken me?
Jesus was in excruciating physical, emotional and psychological pain. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to pull his body up so that he could breathe, and the weight of our sins had separated him from his Father. So his 4th utterance concerned himself, as he cried, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," knowing that these words come directly from Psalm 22:1. As he was dying, Jesus identified with a Psalm that expresses both pain and hope. If you aren't familiar with Psalm 22, it is worth noting that the Psalmist is being ridiculed and insulted and that his feet and his hands have been pierced. Like Jesus, the psalmist' throat was dry (22:15) and like Jesus, his enemies were dividing his clothes between them (22:18). However, the 22nd Psalm goes on to celebrate God's power and proclaim a day when people will praise God with the words, "He has done it!" In other words, when he quoted Psalm 22, Jesus was acknowledging his agony and suffering, but he was not expressing doubt in His Father. It may even be said that Jesus of Nazareth died with his God's promise and victory on his lips.
5) I thirst.
This is the most ordinary of his last words and they reveal Jesus' humanity. His lips were parched, his throat had swollen, so much so that when he cried, "Eli, Eli" to his Father, many who stood beneath his cross thought that he had said "Elijah," and they thought that because he could not be understood. Nothing is easy for a dying man- so he said, "I thirst."
6) Tetelestai (It is finished)
It is finished. It is complete. These were among his very last words. At some level, of course, they could refer to his life on earth. It was very close to being finished, but at a deeper and yet still obvious level, the word "tetelestai" surely spoke to his mission, which was to save the lost and open the gates of heaven to all who believe in him. According to Paul, Jesus voluntarily emptied himself of divinity and came to earth to save sinners. He exchanged glory for a cross, so that God's children would be saved in his name. Like all of us who have a calling or a purpose of any kind, there comes a time when our work is accomplished. On Good Friday, in a far away and little known place, his work was completed... and the Nazarene uttered, "Tetelestai."
7) Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
If his first three sayings had others in mind, his last two were clearly focused on his work and his Father. He died with surrendered trust on his lips. This is fitting because it was surrendered trust that he taught- that and obedience- as a way of life. It was surrendered trust that he called for from Peter and the others, and it was surrendered trust that he reaffirmed for himself at Gethsemane. No one can earn, force, charm, or buy their way into heaven. The door is only opened by God's invitation, which came on Calvary's Hill, and lives on to this very moment... in and through His Son.
They say that you can tell a lot about a man by the way in which he dies, and according to Mark, at least one Roman soldier found this to be true... because when he saw how Jesus died, (Mk 15:39), he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God." Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)