It is no wonder that children are the one’s that most appreciate the arrival of Christmas. After all, they are the one’s that benefit the most from its celebration. This is not a bad thing in itself until, that is, parents realize that they can’t always fulfill their own and their children’s expectations of the Christmas prize—presents, presents, and more presents—that very special gift that each and every Child is hoping for, each in their own special little heart of hearts.
In my years as a pastor, I have heard more than once a father or mother decry the Christmas season with a bemoaning “I am not able to …” or “I was not able to …” or “I will not be able to … give my kids the Christmas that I would have liked” or “that they deserve” or “that they were looking forward to”; Or, “This year’s Christmas is not going to be as good as some previous Christmases. Hopefully next year will be better.”
Such statements invite commiserating sentiments of sympathy, sadness, pity and compassion. But remember the saying, “It’s not the gift, it’s the thought that counts”? At this point I have to ask, what are we thinking? When one considers the very first Christmas and its real significance, assuming that the accounts reported in the Christmas story are real historical events, how could anyone—all right, any Believer—say that this year is going to be a “bad” Christmas, or that this Christmas is not going to be as "good" as last Christmas? Is the joy, fun, and celebration, of Christmas really to be measured by the size, cost, quality, and quantity of gifts exchanged? Are we teaching our children that the only true account of Christmas is the checking, savings, or credit card account?
Obviously if one does not believe in the details proclaimed as historical truth surrounding the very first Christmas—Jesus, Son of God, born of a Virgin: “The angel said to [Mary], ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God’” (Luke 1:35; NRSV)”—then one may make of Christmas what one wills, for good or bad. But if one believes this account to be true and truly of God, there can be no bad Christmas, can there? Not really. That very same child of Christmas, we have learned, has grown to be realized as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is indeed our everlasting hope for a future and eternal prosperity in heaven with God. By means of this child, the now resurrected Lord, we are secured grace, peace, salvation, renewal, and much, much more. Jesus went around Judea proclaiming that, because of His arrival and presence, the Kingdom of God is at hand! And it still is!
So let us celebrate Christmas for what it really IS. The very first Christmas was the concrete and actual beginning of God’s promises to humanity coming to completion—that there will someday be a better world where there will no longer be suffering, pain, torture, agony, heartache, the loss of a loved one, young or old, aging, and death and dying. Whether we are presently rich or poor, in good health or bad health, the actual meaning of Christmas and its implication for the future of humanity has not changed.
It is a light beam of hope for all, most especially the ill, suffering, injured, sick, hungry, poor, and dieing. It is my hope as well as yours, OUR hope, the hope of humanity all around the world. It is God’s answer to the outcry, “Will we ever have peace in this world?” Yes! And that peace is in this child that was born now more than 2000 years ago.
As Luke reports: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising god and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and onearth peace among those whom he favors!’” (Luke 2:13-14; NRSV.)
Merry Christmas!!
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Is Time merely a matter of Money?
Time is money! I’m tired of hearing that, aren’t you? Does time not have any truer value than money? What can or should we do with our time other than make money? After all, it is a given that our time is limited. Is it not? It may be today, tomorrow or many years from now, but it WILL happen—each one of us will run out of time.
Time is money only because money is the means of exchange for the goods and services we need to survive, not to mention the items we want in order to survive with pleasure! Time is money because it takes time to work, produce, invest, and earn it. “Work” is the operative word here. But what is work? Does work have any meaning beyond the making of money?
And thirdly, in time, we ourselves will return to the ground from which we came—earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust...
What does work mean in this context? Short and simple, it means survival! Yet, I think it is safe to say that most of us are not living in “survival” mode, materially speaking. We are clothed, we are sheltered, and we are far from dying of hunger. Most of us have never had to ask, “Will this be my last meal?” when sitting down to eat. Nor have we had to ask, “Where am I going to stay for the night? Or, “How shall I protect myself against the cold? We are most likely unfamiliar with living at this level of survival mode.
So, even though “work” is survival oriented, driven by the basic necessities of life—the need for food, water, clothing, and shelter—work means much more to us than merely surviving. What do we do with our time after our needs our met? We play, we explore, and we create; we paint, draw, read, write, dance, and sport all kinds of activities. Indeed creative work and play can become one and the same. We call it the creative arts or the fine arts.
But a job that provides money to pay the bills is simply that. It is a job. It is a source of monetary income to cover the basic “necessities” of life. But for many, real “meaningful” work is a kind of “calling” or “vocation,” a creative, enjoyable, celebrative and productive engagement with the earth, adding value to life beyond merely surviving.
Are you working at a job or on a vocation?
1. Making a distinction between a job (survival mode) and a “calling,” (creative mode), what would you do if you didn’t have to make a living? Why?
2. If you come up with a total blank and are unable to identify a “calling” (in distinction to that of a job, which only brings you an income), what do you think might be blocking your vision:
2. Ask, “Can I do anything about it?” Is it a question of time? Is it a lack of confidence? What is it that keeps me from translating my gifts and talents into positive and exciting productive action?
3. Evaluate our present condition? Are you pleased with what you have become or who you are becoming? What changes would you make in your life if you fell sick one day and a prophet came and told you, “Thus says the Lord, set your house in order for you shall die; you shall not recover” as the prophet Isaiah once said to King Hezekiah when he fell ill? (2 Kings 20.)
Time is money only because money is the means of exchange for the goods and services we need to survive, not to mention the items we want in order to survive with pleasure! Time is money because it takes time to work, produce, invest, and earn it. “Work” is the operative word here. But what is work? Does work have any meaning beyond the making of money?
For those of you who know the Bible, the first thought that may come to mind is the curse that God pronounced against Adam after the fatal eating of the forbidden fruit. “And to the man he said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, “You shall not eat of it,” cursed is the ground because of you, in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’” (Genesis 3:17-19)
Observe:
First, the foundation for our existence—earth—is now cursed; the ground itself fights against our very survival (thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you).
Secondly, because of number one above, we must now “work” (toil and sweat) the ground in order to reap its benefits. The ground will no longer provide for us “freely.”
And thirdly, in time, we ourselves will return to the ground from which we came—earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust...
What does work mean in this context? Short and simple, it means survival! Yet, I think it is safe to say that most of us are not living in “survival” mode, materially speaking. We are clothed, we are sheltered, and we are far from dying of hunger. Most of us have never had to ask, “Will this be my last meal?” when sitting down to eat. Nor have we had to ask, “Where am I going to stay for the night? Or, “How shall I protect myself against the cold? We are most likely unfamiliar with living at this level of survival mode.
So, even though “work” is survival oriented, driven by the basic necessities of life—the need for food, water, clothing, and shelter—work means much more to us than merely surviving. What do we do with our time after our needs our met? We play, we explore, and we create; we paint, draw, read, write, dance, and sport all kinds of activities. Indeed creative work and play can become one and the same. We call it the creative arts or the fine arts.
But a job that provides money to pay the bills is simply that. It is a job. It is a source of monetary income to cover the basic “necessities” of life. But for many, real “meaningful” work is a kind of “calling” or “vocation,” a creative, enjoyable, celebrative and productive engagement with the earth, adding value to life beyond merely surviving.
Are you working at a job or on a vocation?
1. Making a distinction between a job (survival mode) and a “calling,” (creative mode), what would you do if you didn’t have to make a living? Why?
2. If you come up with a total blank and are unable to identify a “calling” (in distinction to that of a job, which only brings you an income), what do you think might be blocking your vision:
A lack of faith or belief that you could possibly have anything like a calling?
A lack of perspective?
A lack of perspective?
A lack of time? Are you too busy working in ‘survival mode’ that you are unable to contemplate living and working in a “vocational” or “calling” mode?
Is it possible to discover a calling? Perhaps if we …
Is it possible to discover a calling? Perhaps if we …
1. Think differently and put on a new perspective. Ask yourself, if I didn’t have to work for a living, how would I spend my time? What are my particular abilities, talents, strengths, and gifts? What do I enjoy doing for the sheer fun of it? How might this translate into a fruitful vocation or calling, adding value to Life?
2. Ask, “Can I do anything about it?” Is it a question of time? Is it a lack of confidence? What is it that keeps me from translating my gifts and talents into positive and exciting productive action?
3. Evaluate our present condition? Are you pleased with what you have become or who you are becoming? What changes would you make in your life if you fell sick one day and a prophet came and told you, “Thus says the Lord, set your house in order for you shall die; you shall not recover” as the prophet Isaiah once said to King Hezekiah when he fell ill? (2 Kings 20.)
Ask the “God question”: What is God’s creative purpose for me? What might God want me to do or accomplish here on earth before I die? How might I align myself up with God’s will and purpose for my life?
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Lady Liberty... or Kingdom Come?
Recognize the following words?
“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightening, and her name ‘Mother of Exiles.” From her beacon-hand glows worldwide welcome; her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame:
‘Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she with silent lips. ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door!’”
____________
So reads a plaque at the pedestal’s entrance to the Statue of Liberty. A sonnet written by Emma Lazarus in 1883 to help raise money for the building of the pedestal upon which stands Lady Liberty, which was sent from France as a gift in commemoration of the friendship between the two nations after the Civil War.
The sight of Lady Liberty, representing the very heart and soul of America, has evoked the passion of many an immigrant seeking the right and freedom to pursue Life, Liberty, and Happiness. Many a tear have rolled down the cheeks of new arrivals, tears of gratitude, tears of hope and faith for a bigger, better, brighter future, thanks to Lady Liberty.
Who can’t help but to be moved by the ideal, the vision, the dream we call “America the beautiful,” the “American Dream”! And in times of danger and trial, we can’t help but to stand proud as a unified nation. “One Nation under God,” we like to say. “God Bless America!” we cry out. As if to say, God is on our side; and if God is on our side, who dare be against us?!
Yes, in times like these we are proud to be Americans, proud to be from the land of the free, the land of plenty, the land of destiny! From the mountains to the valleys, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, we believe that we are one nation and one land, under God—a nation of law and order. We believe in freedom and equality, justice for all, and equal opportunity for all.
What a land of opportunity we have, what a wonderful country of which to be a part. We like to say that anybody, of whatever social, economic, or even racial background, can become president, if they put their mind to it. Is there any other nation like this? Is there any other land like ours? Is there any better government, any better judicial system, any better legislative process than the one we have? We think not! We are proud to be Americans and we like what we’ve got! “American and proud of it!” so we like to proclaim.
There is no shame in being patriotic, is there? There is no wrong in supporting our nation’s cause, is there? There is no guilt in defending one’s homeland, is there? No, when looking straightforward from the human perspective, “No,” there is no shame, no wrong, and no guilt in simple loyal stand-by-your country” patriotism.
In fact, such patriotism calls forth all the highest virtues that a human being could muster—the courage to sacrifice one’s life for the protection and welfare of your fellow citizens, the strength to live and work and suffer together for one’s national honor and respect, and the commitment to obedience and action to do the bidding of a superior officer even if it means the loss of life or limb—courage, honor, loyalty, and faithfulness to the cause, a higher cause than our own peace and comfort, in order that others might have peace and comfort in the future.
With such lofty words and high aspirations it is hard to imagine that there is any higher calling or greater cause. Yet, does not one’s faith in Jesus as a Christian require an even higher allegiance, above and beyond mere nationalism? Does not the very nature of who Jesus is—Son of God, King of kings, Lord of Lords, Savior of the world—not to mention what He proclaimed and taught, require us to look into the heavens and own a greater allegiance and respond to the higher calling of obedience to the rule of God’s Kingdom, the Eternal Kingdom, of which Jesus Himself is Lord and King?
According to the apostle Paul, when we respond to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives, God transfers us from the power of darkness into the “kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13)
The apostle Peter writes to faithful followers of Jesus Christ who are dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. He calls them, “exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.” Specifically, Peter proclaims these Christians of the Roman Empire to be “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9.) Furthermore, Peter uses words like “aliens and exiles to describe their earthly condition, while enjoying the privileges provided by the then great governing authority known as the Pax Romana, the Roman Empire.
I ask this of any and all believers, followers of Christ: what has the great priority, the Kingdom of God (Christ!) or the United States of America? What if this were not our homeland? What then? What if we were but mere strangers and aliens to this nation, citizens of a different land, owing allegiance to a different ruler and government, that government commanding a loyalty and obedience far superior than any earthly rule or kingdom can require? What then? Do we expect Chinese Christians to put China above the Kingdom of Christ? Should Chinese Christians support all decisions by their governing leaders even though it may hurt citizens of the U.S.?
Acts 16:19-24 & 35-40 and 22:22-29
Take note, I was born an American, in a great American city, and I was born of parents who were also born as American citizens. In fact, I am a third and fourth generation American citizen. And I want you to know that I am glad of it, and that I am happy to be able to say that, “Yes, I am an American, born and raised so.” But, I am glad and proud of being an American in the same way that the Apostle Paul was glad and proud of being able to say that he was a Roman Citizen, born and bred.
If you read the New Testament carefully you might be surprised to discover that the Apostle Paul used his Roman Citizenship wisely but prudently, respecting its laws and its heritage. Indeed, the Apostle Paul often invoked his rights as a Roman citizen. He was loyal and faithful to Rome’s government and laws as much as was possible within him. Nevertheless, Paul’s prior and primary loyalty was to an even greater master and ruler, the one he had come to know as the Lord Jesus, God’s anointed King of all kings.
Paul seemed to understand that Rome was not an end in itself. In short, Paul knew that Roman Empire would not last forever. The Roman Empire was a means to an end, not an end in itself. Rome was not the destiny.
My point therefore is twofold. First, in light of the call to national pride, support, and a unified effort to defend our nation’s security, we must not lose sight of our primary loyalty to a King and Kingdom that is NOT of this world. The Bible clearly says that all who follow Jesus give themselves over to a greater loyalty and allegiance than any temporal government or nation. Jesus is a foreign King to all nations because His kingdom is not of this world. Our ultimate loyalty is to Christ and the “the Kingdom of Heaven.”
2 Peter 3:3-13
From a Biblical point of view, if you will, history is moving toward an irreversible clash with destiny, a rendezvous with the end times sooner or later. Not wanting to be an alarmist, nor claiming to be a prophet, I do know that the Bible is clear about the fact that there will be an “end of the world,” as we know it. And I do know that the Bible is clear about the fact that certain things are going to take place as we race headlong toward its final destiny with God. For example, we are clearly told that “nation will rise against nation,” and there will be famines and earthquakes and that the world will suffer great ecological disasters.
So why am I telling you this? Do I want to sound the panic button and send everyone off to the mountains with fear in their hearts, like Chicken Little crying out that “the sky is falling, the sky is falling”?
No, what I want to do is to bring an eternal and heavenly perspective to very real but time-bound earthly events. I want to say that, as Christians, we must uphold a far greater cause and speak of a more far-reaching message than any one nation’s honor or livelihood. For example, what shall we do or say in response to events that may lead us down the road toward an international one-world government, guarantying peace to the nations, but will be ruled by what the Bible describes as the Anti-Christ?
The way to avoid losing our way through the events of history as history unfolds itself toward the final destiny of humanity toward the second coming of Christ and the eventual “end of the world” as we know it, is to keep our focus on the Lordship of Christ and do and act as HE would have us do and act at all times in world history.
Are there any guidelines?
1. We can recognize that we are caught between two kingdoms and two loyalties. That our first loyalty is to the Kingdom of Heaven and our second loyalty is to our nation, not the other way around!
2. We can obey the laws of our nation, work along side our neighbors and fellow citizens in the effort to bring safety, peace, and welfare to our communities and learn to be inclusive, without compromising our own faith commitments.
3. We can learn to first respond always to the higher calling of Jesus—to be a people whose citizenship is not of this world, whose citizenship is of a Kingdom not yet come in its fullness, that is, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God.
Therefore
1. We must always be prepared for events that may meet the prophetic fulfillment of Biblical proportions. So for example, are we ready to be persecuted for our faith if need be?
2. We must try to act always as Christ would act:
a. Maintain the integrity of our faithfulness to Jesus Christ even while showing love and respect to people of differing faiths and traditions.
b. Make a distinction between national interests and the interests and purposes of God through Jesus Christ, recognizing that our national government and the Kingdom of Christ are not one and the same.
c. And finally, understand that Christians disagree as to the particular level of participation in choosing to fight for one’s country. In times of peace and prosperity this disagreement bothers very few people. But in times of war, it becomes a very serious issue. Do we or do we not fight along side our fellow citizens when our country is called to war? Many faithful and obedient followers of Christ will say, “But of course we do, without question!” But there other faithful believers (Church of the Brethren, Quakers, Mennonites, Amish, etc.) who will say, “My obedience to Christ tells me that I cannot pick up the sword to fight in any war for any cause outside the cause of Christ and the coming of His kingdom.”
It is neither wise nor beneficial for Christianity to be perceived on by the world as siding with any one government, political persuasion, economic system, or national interest. We are missing the point as followers of Christ if we let any worldly or earthly authority become larger, greater, and/or more immediate to us than the authority of Christ Himself in our lives. It’s that simple. I believe that the conservative Evangelical Christian Right movement is in danger of doing exactly that. And that is not good for the Church, of which Jesus is the Head.
“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightening, and her name ‘Mother of Exiles.” From her beacon-hand glows worldwide welcome; her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame:
‘Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she with silent lips. ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door!’”
____________
So reads a plaque at the pedestal’s entrance to the Statue of Liberty. A sonnet written by Emma Lazarus in 1883 to help raise money for the building of the pedestal upon which stands Lady Liberty, which was sent from France as a gift in commemoration of the friendship between the two nations after the Civil War.
The sight of Lady Liberty, representing the very heart and soul of America, has evoked the passion of many an immigrant seeking the right and freedom to pursue Life, Liberty, and Happiness. Many a tear have rolled down the cheeks of new arrivals, tears of gratitude, tears of hope and faith for a bigger, better, brighter future, thanks to Lady Liberty.
Who can’t help but to be moved by the ideal, the vision, the dream we call “America the beautiful,” the “American Dream”! And in times of danger and trial, we can’t help but to stand proud as a unified nation. “One Nation under God,” we like to say. “God Bless America!” we cry out. As if to say, God is on our side; and if God is on our side, who dare be against us?!
Yes, in times like these we are proud to be Americans, proud to be from the land of the free, the land of plenty, the land of destiny! From the mountains to the valleys, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, we believe that we are one nation and one land, under God—a nation of law and order. We believe in freedom and equality, justice for all, and equal opportunity for all.
What a land of opportunity we have, what a wonderful country of which to be a part. We like to say that anybody, of whatever social, economic, or even racial background, can become president, if they put their mind to it. Is there any other nation like this? Is there any other land like ours? Is there any better government, any better judicial system, any better legislative process than the one we have? We think not! We are proud to be Americans and we like what we’ve got! “American and proud of it!” so we like to proclaim.
There is no shame in being patriotic, is there? There is no wrong in supporting our nation’s cause, is there? There is no guilt in defending one’s homeland, is there? No, when looking straightforward from the human perspective, “No,” there is no shame, no wrong, and no guilt in simple loyal stand-by-your country” patriotism.
In fact, such patriotism calls forth all the highest virtues that a human being could muster—the courage to sacrifice one’s life for the protection and welfare of your fellow citizens, the strength to live and work and suffer together for one’s national honor and respect, and the commitment to obedience and action to do the bidding of a superior officer even if it means the loss of life or limb—courage, honor, loyalty, and faithfulness to the cause, a higher cause than our own peace and comfort, in order that others might have peace and comfort in the future.
With such lofty words and high aspirations it is hard to imagine that there is any higher calling or greater cause. Yet, does not one’s faith in Jesus as a Christian require an even higher allegiance, above and beyond mere nationalism? Does not the very nature of who Jesus is—Son of God, King of kings, Lord of Lords, Savior of the world—not to mention what He proclaimed and taught, require us to look into the heavens and own a greater allegiance and respond to the higher calling of obedience to the rule of God’s Kingdom, the Eternal Kingdom, of which Jesus Himself is Lord and King?
According to the apostle Paul, when we respond to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives, God transfers us from the power of darkness into the “kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13)
The apostle Peter writes to faithful followers of Jesus Christ who are dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. He calls them, “exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.” Specifically, Peter proclaims these Christians of the Roman Empire to be “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9.) Furthermore, Peter uses words like “aliens and exiles to describe their earthly condition, while enjoying the privileges provided by the then great governing authority known as the Pax Romana, the Roman Empire.
I ask this of any and all believers, followers of Christ: what has the great priority, the Kingdom of God (Christ!) or the United States of America? What if this were not our homeland? What then? What if we were but mere strangers and aliens to this nation, citizens of a different land, owing allegiance to a different ruler and government, that government commanding a loyalty and obedience far superior than any earthly rule or kingdom can require? What then? Do we expect Chinese Christians to put China above the Kingdom of Christ? Should Chinese Christians support all decisions by their governing leaders even though it may hurt citizens of the U.S.?
Acts 16:19-24 & 35-40 and 22:22-29
Take note, I was born an American, in a great American city, and I was born of parents who were also born as American citizens. In fact, I am a third and fourth generation American citizen. And I want you to know that I am glad of it, and that I am happy to be able to say that, “Yes, I am an American, born and raised so.” But, I am glad and proud of being an American in the same way that the Apostle Paul was glad and proud of being able to say that he was a Roman Citizen, born and bred.
If you read the New Testament carefully you might be surprised to discover that the Apostle Paul used his Roman Citizenship wisely but prudently, respecting its laws and its heritage. Indeed, the Apostle Paul often invoked his rights as a Roman citizen. He was loyal and faithful to Rome’s government and laws as much as was possible within him. Nevertheless, Paul’s prior and primary loyalty was to an even greater master and ruler, the one he had come to know as the Lord Jesus, God’s anointed King of all kings.
Paul seemed to understand that Rome was not an end in itself. In short, Paul knew that Roman Empire would not last forever. The Roman Empire was a means to an end, not an end in itself. Rome was not the destiny.
My point therefore is twofold. First, in light of the call to national pride, support, and a unified effort to defend our nation’s security, we must not lose sight of our primary loyalty to a King and Kingdom that is NOT of this world. The Bible clearly says that all who follow Jesus give themselves over to a greater loyalty and allegiance than any temporal government or nation. Jesus is a foreign King to all nations because His kingdom is not of this world. Our ultimate loyalty is to Christ and the “the Kingdom of Heaven.”
2 Peter 3:3-13
From a Biblical point of view, if you will, history is moving toward an irreversible clash with destiny, a rendezvous with the end times sooner or later. Not wanting to be an alarmist, nor claiming to be a prophet, I do know that the Bible is clear about the fact that there will be an “end of the world,” as we know it. And I do know that the Bible is clear about the fact that certain things are going to take place as we race headlong toward its final destiny with God. For example, we are clearly told that “nation will rise against nation,” and there will be famines and earthquakes and that the world will suffer great ecological disasters.
So why am I telling you this? Do I want to sound the panic button and send everyone off to the mountains with fear in their hearts, like Chicken Little crying out that “the sky is falling, the sky is falling”?
No, what I want to do is to bring an eternal and heavenly perspective to very real but time-bound earthly events. I want to say that, as Christians, we must uphold a far greater cause and speak of a more far-reaching message than any one nation’s honor or livelihood. For example, what shall we do or say in response to events that may lead us down the road toward an international one-world government, guarantying peace to the nations, but will be ruled by what the Bible describes as the Anti-Christ?
The way to avoid losing our way through the events of history as history unfolds itself toward the final destiny of humanity toward the second coming of Christ and the eventual “end of the world” as we know it, is to keep our focus on the Lordship of Christ and do and act as HE would have us do and act at all times in world history.
Are there any guidelines?
1. We can recognize that we are caught between two kingdoms and two loyalties. That our first loyalty is to the Kingdom of Heaven and our second loyalty is to our nation, not the other way around!
2. We can obey the laws of our nation, work along side our neighbors and fellow citizens in the effort to bring safety, peace, and welfare to our communities and learn to be inclusive, without compromising our own faith commitments.
3. We can learn to first respond always to the higher calling of Jesus—to be a people whose citizenship is not of this world, whose citizenship is of a Kingdom not yet come in its fullness, that is, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God.
Therefore
1. We must always be prepared for events that may meet the prophetic fulfillment of Biblical proportions. So for example, are we ready to be persecuted for our faith if need be?
2. We must try to act always as Christ would act:
a. Maintain the integrity of our faithfulness to Jesus Christ even while showing love and respect to people of differing faiths and traditions.
b. Make a distinction between national interests and the interests and purposes of God through Jesus Christ, recognizing that our national government and the Kingdom of Christ are not one and the same.
c. And finally, understand that Christians disagree as to the particular level of participation in choosing to fight for one’s country. In times of peace and prosperity this disagreement bothers very few people. But in times of war, it becomes a very serious issue. Do we or do we not fight along side our fellow citizens when our country is called to war? Many faithful and obedient followers of Christ will say, “But of course we do, without question!” But there other faithful believers (Church of the Brethren, Quakers, Mennonites, Amish, etc.) who will say, “My obedience to Christ tells me that I cannot pick up the sword to fight in any war for any cause outside the cause of Christ and the coming of His kingdom.”
It is neither wise nor beneficial for Christianity to be perceived on by the world as siding with any one government, political persuasion, economic system, or national interest. We are missing the point as followers of Christ if we let any worldly or earthly authority become larger, greater, and/or more immediate to us than the authority of Christ Himself in our lives. It’s that simple. I believe that the conservative Evangelical Christian Right movement is in danger of doing exactly that. And that is not good for the Church, of which Jesus is the Head.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
A Case for Faith: why theology does matter ...
We are intelligent beings.
- We have the knowledge, skill, and ability to build on what we know.
- We can actually change the course of nature.
- We have big dreams to reach beyond ourselves.
- We explore the unknown and the inexplicable.
Yet we have not been able to fix humanity’s most basic problems (hatred, greed, lying, cheating, death).
- Reality Check: We are helpless to powers & forces beyond our grasp, we just refuse to admit it.
There is a “Disconnect” between our knowledge and know-how and our most basic human need for safety, security, love, and acceptance. We can neither control human nature nor Mother Nature, yet we live and act as if we can. There is more to nature and human nature than we are willing to admit. Yet we refuse to acknowledge that there is a God to whom we will be held accountable.
We are emotional and relational beings.
- We long for meaningful connectedness, a “oneness” with others as well as with nature itself.
- We do not want it at the expense of our own individuality and personal freedom. We neither want to be bound by nature nor overly restricted by people.
- We recognize our desire & need for intimacy with others but can’t seem to find the inter-dependent balance between an overly detached individuation (I am a god, an island unto myself) and an overly enmeshed dependency (I can’t live without you, you are my god, my all) with others.
There is a “Disconnect” between our need and want for intimacy—other-connectedness—and our need and want for individuation—personal freedom and the integrity of self. We tend to have love-hate relationships with ourselves and others.
We are moral beings.
- We have a strong sense of personal justice—right and wrong, good and bad—especially when we are the ones that have been wronged.
- Yet we often refuse to admit our own personal failure when we fail to live up to the selfsame standards of justice and fair play that we demand of others.
- Indeed we fear the exposure of our own weaknesses & failings because others are so quick to judge and condemn us (as we are quick to judge and condemn others).
- Though we are quick to judge and condemn others for their failings, we are just as ready and quick to excuse ourselves when we are at fault.
There is a “disconnect” between our high moral sense and our ability to live up to it. We are unable or unwilling to recognize the essential nature of true justice and righteousness along with its source. We want justice for others but not for ourselves. We want trustworthiness in others but cannot ourselves always be trustworthy. We want honesty from others but are not ourselves always honest with others, etc., etc.
We are spiritual beings as well as physical animals.
- The post-modernist has come to realize that there is more to us than what we experience through our five senses.
- The physical & material world is not enough to give meaning and purpose to our lives.
- We are now ready to come back to our ancestor’s experience of the world as a place of mystery. There is much, much more to Life and the universe within which we live than we can know and understand by the scientific method of discovery.
There is a “disconnect” between our spiritual side and our day-to-day life. We ignore the realm of the mysterious, the realm of the spirit, to our peril. We are at a loss for true meaning.
THE POWER OF ONE MAN …
1. Jesus points to a power over and above nature. This concept is not so hard to accept, is it? There really is no logical reason in-and-of-itself why one should assume that there is no greater power than that which we experience “naturally.” Turning water into wine, walking on water, calming the storm, healing the sick. Jesus shows that there IS a power over and above (behind or beyond) that of nature. In short, He is saying, “Yes, there IS someone else above it all.” (He stills the waters à Matt. 8:23-27; He tells Pilate that he would not have this authority if it were not given to Him à John 19:8-11.)
2. Jesus points to the God who is there. “I have come from above,” Jesus says. This can’t be so difficult to believe, can it? For the sake of argument, if we start with the premise, “Yes, there IS a God,” it is not so far fetched that the God who is there would be able to send someone like a Jesus (who could speak to us at our level, in human terms) to let us know that God is, in fact, there? Jesus claims to be able to enter into our lives at the most intimate level of soul and spirit. (John 14:7, 18-24. 1 John 4:13-19.)
3. Jesus points to a justice that redeems our failures and shortcomings without compromising perfect standards of righteous, justice, and goodness. He understands human nature to the core. Yet, he chose not to reject or condemn us outright. (He knows what’s in us, John 2:23-25; The woman at the well, John 4:14-16; He heals/forgives the paralytic Matt. 9:2-8; The woman caught in adultery John 8:1-11; see also Romans 7:14-23; Heb 4:14-16.)
4. Jesus comes down from above connecting the two worlds. Philippians 2:6-11; John 1:1-4, 14-16; 1 John 1:1-4; see also Eph. 2:1-10.) Is it really all that difficult to believe? Not really.
- We have the knowledge, skill, and ability to build on what we know.
- We can actually change the course of nature.
- We have big dreams to reach beyond ourselves.
- We explore the unknown and the inexplicable.
Yet we have not been able to fix humanity’s most basic problems (hatred, greed, lying, cheating, death).
- Reality Check: We are helpless to powers & forces beyond our grasp, we just refuse to admit it.
There is a “Disconnect” between our knowledge and know-how and our most basic human need for safety, security, love, and acceptance. We can neither control human nature nor Mother Nature, yet we live and act as if we can. There is more to nature and human nature than we are willing to admit. Yet we refuse to acknowledge that there is a God to whom we will be held accountable.
We are emotional and relational beings.
- We long for meaningful connectedness, a “oneness” with others as well as with nature itself.
- We do not want it at the expense of our own individuality and personal freedom. We neither want to be bound by nature nor overly restricted by people.
- We recognize our desire & need for intimacy with others but can’t seem to find the inter-dependent balance between an overly detached individuation (I am a god, an island unto myself) and an overly enmeshed dependency (I can’t live without you, you are my god, my all) with others.
There is a “Disconnect” between our need and want for intimacy—other-connectedness—and our need and want for individuation—personal freedom and the integrity of self. We tend to have love-hate relationships with ourselves and others.
We are moral beings.
- We have a strong sense of personal justice—right and wrong, good and bad—especially when we are the ones that have been wronged.
- Yet we often refuse to admit our own personal failure when we fail to live up to the selfsame standards of justice and fair play that we demand of others.
- Indeed we fear the exposure of our own weaknesses & failings because others are so quick to judge and condemn us (as we are quick to judge and condemn others).
- Though we are quick to judge and condemn others for their failings, we are just as ready and quick to excuse ourselves when we are at fault.
There is a “disconnect” between our high moral sense and our ability to live up to it. We are unable or unwilling to recognize the essential nature of true justice and righteousness along with its source. We want justice for others but not for ourselves. We want trustworthiness in others but cannot ourselves always be trustworthy. We want honesty from others but are not ourselves always honest with others, etc., etc.
We are spiritual beings as well as physical animals.
- The post-modernist has come to realize that there is more to us than what we experience through our five senses.
- The physical & material world is not enough to give meaning and purpose to our lives.
- We are now ready to come back to our ancestor’s experience of the world as a place of mystery. There is much, much more to Life and the universe within which we live than we can know and understand by the scientific method of discovery.
There is a “disconnect” between our spiritual side and our day-to-day life. We ignore the realm of the mysterious, the realm of the spirit, to our peril. We are at a loss for true meaning.
THE POWER OF ONE MAN …
1. Jesus points to a power over and above nature. This concept is not so hard to accept, is it? There really is no logical reason in-and-of-itself why one should assume that there is no greater power than that which we experience “naturally.” Turning water into wine, walking on water, calming the storm, healing the sick. Jesus shows that there IS a power over and above (behind or beyond) that of nature. In short, He is saying, “Yes, there IS someone else above it all.” (He stills the waters à Matt. 8:23-27; He tells Pilate that he would not have this authority if it were not given to Him à John 19:8-11.)
2. Jesus points to the God who is there. “I have come from above,” Jesus says. This can’t be so difficult to believe, can it? For the sake of argument, if we start with the premise, “Yes, there IS a God,” it is not so far fetched that the God who is there would be able to send someone like a Jesus (who could speak to us at our level, in human terms) to let us know that God is, in fact, there? Jesus claims to be able to enter into our lives at the most intimate level of soul and spirit. (John 14:7, 18-24. 1 John 4:13-19.)
3. Jesus points to a justice that redeems our failures and shortcomings without compromising perfect standards of righteous, justice, and goodness. He understands human nature to the core. Yet, he chose not to reject or condemn us outright. (He knows what’s in us, John 2:23-25; The woman at the well, John 4:14-16; He heals/forgives the paralytic Matt. 9:2-8; The woman caught in adultery John 8:1-11; see also Romans 7:14-23; Heb 4:14-16.)
4. Jesus comes down from above connecting the two worlds. Philippians 2:6-11; John 1:1-4, 14-16; 1 John 1:1-4; see also Eph. 2:1-10.) Is it really all that difficult to believe? Not really.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
What can One Do?
One day a man bought a stallion, and all of his friends said, “That’s good.”
The next day the stallion ran away, and all of his friends said, “That’s bad.”
Two weeks later the stallion returned with a herd of mares. His friends said, “That’s good.”
The next day his son broke his shoulder when the stallion threw him off. The friends said, “That’s bad.”
The next month war broke out. But because the boy was injured, he could not go to war. The friends said, “That’s good.” ... We could go round and round calling an event “good” and then again calling it “bad” depending on its perceived consequences or results.
Or, we can look toward God and ask, "How does this fit into the BIG scheme of things. Where am I and where is God in this picture? “Might God be saying something here? What is God’s perspective; is he active here? Does God have me in mind?”
Is there a plan of God at work in this world? Or, is everything simply mere chance and happenstance, a chaotic rolling of the dice, good luck verses bad luck?
ESTHER’S story (see the book of Esther in the O.T.)
Haman plans to destroy the Jews.
Mordecai says to Esther: you are in the best position to do something about this.
Esther says, you are asking me to risk my life in doing this.
Mordecai responds:
1. You are not insulated from the danger. You will be destroyed by Haman’s plan as sure as everyone else will.
Evil threatens to destroy us (God’s people, humanity).
Earthly position, place, power, wealth, and alliances are no protection.
2. God will do His work regardless (save His people). But you will not be part of God’s saving plan if you do not participate now (when it is not safe to do so).
God is working even now to fulfill His own purpose(s).
Are you participating in His work or not? If not do not expect to participate in the results of His work.
We are co-writers in the script of life.
3. Perhaps God has placed you where you are just for such a reason as this.
God’s Providential guidance provides us opportunity.
Be prepared so that when opportunity does knock, you are ready to answer.
4. Pray and fast for me.
If I perish I perish. I will have done God’s action/will.
What I can Gain?
1. Acknowledging God’s loving presence, concern, and will for our lives keeps us in touch with His presence, control, and power over our lives.
2. We have an active part to play in God’s plan. We can make a difference. We can get involved and “make things happen.”
3. We can have confidence in our responsiveness to God:
God has a hand in this. It is God’s will. We’ve sought his purpose in this. He will engage one way or another.
When we are willing to do God’s will, we find “fittingness” with who we are and what we are becoming.
4. Cultivate listening to God speak: find confirmation and validation through active reponsiveness.
Conclusion:
The convergence of people, place, and time is no accident.
God’s providence is at work.
Our responsiveness is also at work when we are willing to let it come together. We proactively seek God’s blessing in this by being responsive (Prov. 16:3).
We can therefore expect and anticipate action/results from God.
We must prepare for change, correction, and counter action moving causes friction (tire on the road, airplane repairs, etc.).
Problems
Often we are unwilling and therefore unable to hear God’s voice and therefore His direction.
We are distracted and fail to hear God’s voice correctly.
We are in a mode of self-deceit and chose to listen to other voices.
We are confused and not sure that we are hearing correctly.
The next day the stallion ran away, and all of his friends said, “That’s bad.”
Two weeks later the stallion returned with a herd of mares. His friends said, “That’s good.”
The next day his son broke his shoulder when the stallion threw him off. The friends said, “That’s bad.”
The next month war broke out. But because the boy was injured, he could not go to war. The friends said, “That’s good.” ... We could go round and round calling an event “good” and then again calling it “bad” depending on its perceived consequences or results.
Or, we can look toward God and ask, "How does this fit into the BIG scheme of things. Where am I and where is God in this picture? “Might God be saying something here? What is God’s perspective; is he active here? Does God have me in mind?”
Is there a plan of God at work in this world? Or, is everything simply mere chance and happenstance, a chaotic rolling of the dice, good luck verses bad luck?
ESTHER’S story (see the book of Esther in the O.T.)
Haman plans to destroy the Jews.
Mordecai says to Esther: you are in the best position to do something about this.
Esther says, you are asking me to risk my life in doing this.
Mordecai responds:
1. You are not insulated from the danger. You will be destroyed by Haman’s plan as sure as everyone else will.
Evil threatens to destroy us (God’s people, humanity).
Earthly position, place, power, wealth, and alliances are no protection.
2. God will do His work regardless (save His people). But you will not be part of God’s saving plan if you do not participate now (when it is not safe to do so).
God is working even now to fulfill His own purpose(s).
Are you participating in His work or not? If not do not expect to participate in the results of His work.
We are co-writers in the script of life.
3. Perhaps God has placed you where you are just for such a reason as this.
God’s Providential guidance provides us opportunity.
Be prepared so that when opportunity does knock, you are ready to answer.
4. Pray and fast for me.
If I perish I perish. I will have done God’s action/will.
What I can Gain?
1. Acknowledging God’s loving presence, concern, and will for our lives keeps us in touch with His presence, control, and power over our lives.
2. We have an active part to play in God’s plan. We can make a difference. We can get involved and “make things happen.”
3. We can have confidence in our responsiveness to God:
God has a hand in this. It is God’s will. We’ve sought his purpose in this. He will engage one way or another.
When we are willing to do God’s will, we find “fittingness” with who we are and what we are becoming.
4. Cultivate listening to God speak: find confirmation and validation through active reponsiveness.
Conclusion:
The convergence of people, place, and time is no accident.
God’s providence is at work.
Our responsiveness is also at work when we are willing to let it come together. We proactively seek God’s blessing in this by being responsive (Prov. 16:3).
We can therefore expect and anticipate action/results from God.
We must prepare for change, correction, and counter action moving causes friction (tire on the road, airplane repairs, etc.).
Problems
Often we are unwilling and therefore unable to hear God’s voice and therefore His direction.
We are distracted and fail to hear God’s voice correctly.
We are in a mode of self-deceit and chose to listen to other voices.
We are confused and not sure that we are hearing correctly.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Notes on Spiritual/Character Development
PHASES OF FAITH:
Growing Bodies, Maturing Souls
1. The goal of Discipleship is Spiritual Maturity. But what IS Spiritual Maturity and why should it be a priority in our life’s development?
The goal of Spiritual Maturity is fullness and completeness in God.
What physical health is to the body, spiritual maturity is to the soul.
2. Just what does a Spiritually Mature soul look like?
The mature one is at peace, trusting in God when there is much agitation and turmoil on the outside.
The mature one is stable, balanced, and connected to God, therefore having no need to be personally intrusive, defensive, or reactive toward others.
The mature one is positive and constructive, adding to the building of a life.
The mature one is fun and enjoyable to be with, bringing delight, humor, and laughter to others.
The mature one knows why he or she IS.
3. How do we get there? What must we do to become spiritual mature ourselves?
Never stop learning. Always remain teachable.
Never assume that accumulating head knowledge is the same as learning. Real learning is putting knowledge into practice. So, always put into action the truths and/or principles you are learning, if you want it to become your own learned experience.
Look for role models and learn from other people’s mistakes as much as possible!
Never lose sight of the purpose. Why is it that you are growing, learning, developing, and reaching for the sky? Because to know God (His Love and Glory) is the greatest experience one could ever have, for it is why we were created!
Growing Bodies, Maturing Souls
1. The goal of Discipleship is Spiritual Maturity. But what IS Spiritual Maturity and why should it be a priority in our life’s development?
The goal of Spiritual Maturity is fullness and completeness in God.
What physical health is to the body, spiritual maturity is to the soul.
2. Just what does a Spiritually Mature soul look like?
The mature one is at peace, trusting in God when there is much agitation and turmoil on the outside.
The mature one is stable, balanced, and connected to God, therefore having no need to be personally intrusive, defensive, or reactive toward others.
The mature one is positive and constructive, adding to the building of a life.
The mature one is fun and enjoyable to be with, bringing delight, humor, and laughter to others.
The mature one knows why he or she IS.
3. How do we get there? What must we do to become spiritual mature ourselves?
Never stop learning. Always remain teachable.
Never assume that accumulating head knowledge is the same as learning. Real learning is putting knowledge into practice. So, always put into action the truths and/or principles you are learning, if you want it to become your own learned experience.
Look for role models and learn from other people’s mistakes as much as possible!
Never lose sight of the purpose. Why is it that you are growing, learning, developing, and reaching for the sky? Because to know God (His Love and Glory) is the greatest experience one could ever have, for it is why we were created!
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