Advent 2015 - Love

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

The fourth Sunday of Advent is all about love. It is fitting that the Advent season culminates in love as we head into the final stretch before Christmas day. The incarnation of Jesus is all about love. Love was the motivating factor for God to send Jesus to earth to become the savior of all who would believe in Him.

If all we get out of Advent are the Hope, Peace and Joy from the first three Sundays, and miss out on Love, we've missed the point of this annual observance. Hope, Peace and Joy are for our benefit. Love is for the benefit of others. Without Love, we become self-absorbed and insular, content with our spiritual goodies, but not necessarily willing to share them with others. Love compels us to spread the goodness that we have received through our relationship with the Christ child to all those around us.

One of the Christmas traditions that has taken on a life of its own is that of gift giving. Originally, token gifts were distributed at Christmas as an acknowledgment of the gift that God gave humanity in the form of the baby Jesus (and, to a lesser extent, following the example of the magi who presented gifts to Jesus). Sadly, as time went on, this tradition became commercialized to the point now where most people no longer even know why they are giving or receiving gifts. This activity has become an entitlement rather than an expression of thanksgiving for what God has sacrificed for each one of us. Love has been replaced with obligation.

I am fairly confident that Jesus finds no pleasure in most of the hustle and bustle that characterizes the season during which we are supposed to be observing the miracle of His incarnation. I also find it rather comical, if not downright hypocritical, how so many Christians wage a crusade against this commercialism by crying out "Keep Christ in Christmas" while simultaneously engaging in the same frenetic behaviors that they claim to disdain. I have no hard data to back this up, but I imagine that if every Christian family in America gave all the money that they spend on Christmas to the causes of homelessness and hunger, these would be eradicated in no time. That would truly be "keeping Christ in Christmas".

Love compels us to do selfless things for those around us. Not out of obligation or guilt, but because we mirror the love that God has for each one of us. Christmas tends to bring out the best and worst in people; while many get caught up in the frenzy of shopping, decorating, and entertaining, many people also become more philanthropic during this magical time of the year. Unfortunately, that spirit of giving doesn't seem to last much beyond December 25. As Christians, we should be exemplars of love throughout the year, not just between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Jesus told His disciples that the hallmark of those who follow Him is love (John 13:35).

My prayer for each one of us is that our lives will be beacons of love, not just at Christmas time, but throughout the year. That is the best gift we can give Jesus.

Have a blessed week and a wonderful Christmas!
Pastor David

Advent 2015 - Joy

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Luke 2:8-12 

The third Sunday of Advent focuses on Joy. Joy is a central theme of the birth narrative recorded in the book of Luke. The angel's proclamation to the shepherds was one of profound joy - "great joy for all the people". The song Mary sings upon arriving at her cousin Elizabeth's home is filled with joy. What was it about the birth of Jesus that elicited such joy?

Place yourself in the story, if you will. The Jews in first century Palestine had a difficult time under the oppressive Roman occupation. For centuries, they had been awaiting the promised Messiah, the One who would finally deliver them from all of their enemies - political and religious. Their ancestors had endured waive after waive of invading Gentile armies - Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and now the Romans. While the Romans allowed the Jews to maintain their religious practices, they detested the bloody temple sacrifices and looked down upon the locals as backwater hicks. The Romans lacked any compassion toward these strange foreigners, and didn't pull their punches in order to keep the Jews in line. Abusing their positions of power was seen as a badge of honor.

The Jews longed to be free from this oppression and endless taxation. They held on to the hope that one day the Messiah would finally come on the scene and set things right. I imagine they envisioned a return to the golden age of Israel as it might have been under the reign of King Solomon. Surely the Promised One of Israel would restore the "good old days".

And then the seemingly impossible happened. A young woman in a small village received a visit from a celestial messenger telling her, "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:31-33) Mary may not have been educated like the good Jewish boys, but surely she knew enough of her nation's history and the Scriptures to recognize that this was the beginning of the fulfillment of the Messianic prophesies. I imagine she was quite giddy by the time she reached Elizabeth's home, in spite of the scandal she represented.

It's also interesting to note that joy bookends the story of Jesus' life here on earth. Not only was it a major theme of His birth, but also of His resurrection. Matthew speaks of the joy the women experienced upon finding the empty tomb (28:8), and Luke records the joy the disciples displayed at the time of His ascension back into heaven (24:52). In between, the crowds were filled with joy as Jesus entered Jerusalem prior to His arrest, trial and execution (Luke 19:37). In Jesus' final discourse with His disciples the night He was betrayed, He spoke repeatedly about joy (John 16).

If joy was such a central part of the life and ministry of Jesus, it only stands to reason that it should also be central in the life of His followers. Sadly, we regularly encounter "Christians" in the media who seem to be totally devoid of joy. There seems to be no end to the fear-mongering and misguided hatred coming from people who should be exemplifying joy. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, and truly believe the things He taught, there should be no reason for not having joy in your life.

Joy is more than just a feeling. Joy is not dependent on external circumstances. Happiness depends on such things, and can be fleeting. True joy wells up from deep within a person's spirit. It comes from knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Savior and that He has entrusted us with the gift of His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us while we walk along our spiritual journey. Nothing can take our joy away from us - but we can freely give it up when we choose to focus on the temporal things of this world - pain, sorrow, anger, betrayal - that gladly fill the vacuum when we release our joy.

True joy also cannot be kept to oneself. Joy naturally spills out and blesses those around us. No one wants to be around someone who is sullen and grumpy all the time. It has been said that Christians should be the happiest people on the planet, but that is not always the case.

The trappings and traditions of Christmas tend to reignite the joy that we sometimes allow to flounder in our spirits. Unfortunately, for some people, that joy seems to go back in the closet along with the decorations after the tree has been put out on the curb. My prayer for each one of us is that we can experience and exude the joy of Christ(mas) all year long.

Have a blessed (and joyous) week!
Pastor David

Advent 2015 - Peace

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

The focus of the second Sunday in Advent is Peace. Last week we looked at the concept of Hope, and how that helps us look beyond the immediate and keep the future in our sights. Peace is Hope's companion. Peace is not the absence of conflict and strife, but rather the calm assurance in the midst of such turmoil that, in the long run, everything will be okay. 

Coupled together, Hope and Peace help us to keep things in perspective. One of my favorite mantras for when things are especially rough is, "This is just temporary". No matter what is going on, and what emotions I'm experiencing, it's only a temporary situation. Even in the face of great loss, how I respond and what I feel is tempered by knowing that this is not the end of the story.

One of the great benefits of Jesus walking in the flesh and sharing our human condition is that He was well-acquainted with the daily struggles that we all face. He also knew that, just because He came as a ransom for humanity, these struggles would not suddenly cease to exist. He bluntly reminded His disciples that troubles are part of the deal. As long as we draw breath on this earth, we will face troubles. But He also gave us an antidote - the peace of knowing that He has overcome the world and all its troubles.

What does it mean for us when Jesus makes this claim of overcoming the world? For me, it means that, in spite of appearances, everything really will be okay. He has the ultimate victory over everything that is broken in this world. While I may not be able to see that victory right now, I know that it is an irrefutable spiritual truth, and therefore I can have peace in this confident assurance.

True inner peace that comes from Jesus isn't just some warm and fuzzy feeling or the result of positive thinking. It is something that wells up in our spirit and reassures us that no matter what we may be going through, He's got it covered. I can sleep at night knowing that nothing is going to happen that He doesn't already know about and has worked out the resolution according to His perfect will.

It is no coincidence that the greeting of the angels on the night of Jesus' birth included the blessing of peace:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

Jesus imparted peace to His disciples, and continues to impart it to those of us who believe in Him. May your Christmas season and all the coming days be filled with this amazing peace.

Have a blessed week!
Pastor David

Advent 2015 - Hope

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:23-25)

As we enter the Advent season this year, I find a strange paradox in place: while this is supposed to be a season of celebration of all that is good, we are faced with the reality that our world is a mess. The news is filled with stories of terrorist attacks, the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, wars on multiple fronts, political candidates stirring up hatred and fear among their supporters, and so much more. We are daily reminded that a large part of this world in which we live is in turmoil, and that people are in desperate need of hope.

Hope is a funny thing. Proverbs 13:12 tells us:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Yet, hope is also what can sustain us in times of despair and disappointment. When we cling to the hope of something better, yet see no evidence of its fulfillment, our faith can easily waiver. This was the case during the days of the early Church, and is still the case today. In the months and years following the ascension of Christ, the Church held on to the expectation of His imminent return. Yet, as time passed, people began to doubt whether Jesus really was coming back, and many abandoned the faith as their hope faded.

Here we are, 2,000 years later, and we're still waiting for Jesus to return and fulfill His promise. That promise holds out the hope that, one day,  we will have a life free from pain, disease, heartache and death. Poverty, turmoil, conflict and oppression will fade into history, and a golden era of peace and prosperity will be ushered in. At least, that's what we've been told. And we desperately want to believe it because, face it, life is pretty hard right now. Granted, we Americans have it better than most of the people in the world, but our personal struggles are no less real. Human suffering knows no nationality, no political affiliation, no economic status. We all experience pain, sickness, broken relationships, death. Spend five minutes browsing a news site and this is more than confirmed. Life here is fragile and fleeting, and we need something better to pin our hopes to.

Those of us who claim the name of Christian have that hope, but it sometimes seems elusive and tardy. How many of us have said to ourselves or others, "Today would be a good day for Jesus to come back"? We try to find the good in the people and things around us, but sometimes the suffering that we see and experience can become overwhelming, overshadowing the good. And that's why we mark the seasons with celebrations, as a reminder that the best is yet to come.

The first Sunday in Advent reminds us to hope. Hope in the goodness of God and His ability to fulfill the promises He has made to us. That first Christmas was the beginning of that fulfillment, when the Creator of the universe took the form of human flesh, so that He could give is the hope of redemption from this life of woe. After the birth of Jesus, when He was presented at the temple, his appearance was seen by the saints as the fulfillment of their hopes. All that they had longed for throughout their lives was right there, wrapped up in a little bundle of squirming flesh. They didn't live to see the final outcome of the ministry and sacrificial death of Jesus, but they left this earth knowing that all would be well.

What is it you hope for this Christmas season? Better health? Financial security? A devoted spouse? Inner peace? Whatever it is that you long for, be assured that God already knows your needs and desires, and wants to bless you as His beloved child. Never lose hope in a better tomorrow, whether in this life or the next. In spite of all that is going on in the world, know that none of this escapes God's attention. He has not abandoned us, nor forgotten the promises He made so long ago. Hold on to your hope and be patient. It really does get better.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David
 

Lions, Poachers and Protesters, Oh My!

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Matthew 25:34-36

The news and social media have been filled with stories and commentaries this past week regarding the hunting and slaughter of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe. The man who killed Cecil is an American dentist who claims to have thought he was within the bounds of the law to hunt and kill this lion. The outrage that ensued around the globe has been somewhat overwhelming. This dentist has received death threats, had to close down his practice, and has gone into hiding. Rallies have occurred around the world protesting this senseless act of savagery. Or so the hyperbole goes.

I do not support the sport of trophy hunting in any manner, and I think it is rather barbaric to lure a beautiful stately creature like Cecil to an unprotected area where he could be wounded with an arrow, and then tracked down for a day before finally being put out of his misery. I'm all for conservation and protecting animals that are dangerously close to becoming endangered species. But I find the public reaction to this situation to be somewhat puzzling.

How many people would have cared about this poaching if the target hadn't been Cecil, practically a national mascot in Zimbabwe? Would they have had the same response if the lion was just another nameless big cat shot down for his head and skin? After all, these types of things happen all the time without warranting so much as a headline, let alone an international scandal.

As much as Cecil's demise is most regrettable, I wonder how outraged the masses would be if they bothered to learn about all the other senseless deaths that occur every day around the world. Deaths that do not make headlines, and do not result in rallies and protests.

I'm not talking about animals being poached. I'm talking about children. Millions of children. Here are a few statistics that no one is talking about:

• More than 70 percent of the world's 146 million underweight children under age five years live in just 10 countries, with more than 50 per cent located in South Asia alone;
  (Source: Progress for Children: A Report Card on Nutrition, UNICEF, 2006)
• 10.9 million children under five die in developing countries each year. Malnutrition and hunger-related diseases cause 60 percent of the deaths;
  (Source: The State of the World's Children, UNICEF, 2007)
• The cost of undernutrition to national economic development is estimated at US$20-30 billion per annum; (Source: Progress for Children: A Report Card on Nutrition, UNICEF, 2006)
• One out of four children - roughly 146 million - in developing countries are underweight;
  (Source: The State of the World's Children, UNICEF, 2007)
• Undernutrition contributes to 53 percent of the 9.7 million deaths of children under five each year in developing countries. (Source: Under five deaths by cause, UNICEF, 2006)

Until last weekend, I was unaware of the magnitude of childhood hunger and malnutrition around the world, especially in developing countries. Clarke and I were privileged to spend a couple of hours last Saturday assembling meal packets for an organization called Feed My Starving Children (www.fmsc.org). FMSC delivers millions of these meal packages to agencies and ministries around the world, where they are provided to the most vulnerable children. I encourage you to visit their website to learn more about what this Christian organization does.

I wonder how many more children in the world would be given the opportunity to grow up and live healthy, productive lives if the same amount of energy and resources being spent over the death of one lion was used to benefit organizations such as FMSC.

Jesus taught us that we will be commended for feeding the hungry. He never mentioned anything about lions. I'll take my chances and strive for the former. How about you?

Have a blessed week!
Pastor David

God In A Box

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."
John 21:25

Having spent the better part of my life as a fundamentalist, I am all too familiar with the rigidity of the doctrinal orthodoxy related to this particular brand of Christianity. Somewhere along the way, we concluded that everything we need to know about God (and life) was conveniently contained between the pages of Genesis 1 and Revelation 22. If it wasn't in the Bible, it wasn't true or worth discussing.

This line of thinking places God in a very small box. Not only does it confine Him to a specific collection of ancient texts, but it ignores the fact that those texts are merely snapshots of the intersection of divinity and humanity. Furthermore, they are only concerned with God's interactions with a very small subset of humanity, and only those interactions which the authors felt were worth recording.

I find it rather audacious to think that everything we can know about God - His character, His power, His infinite wisdom and love - can be contained within the pages of 66 books. Even John admitted in his gospel that there was no way to record everything that Jesus did in his short time on this earth. How much more so all the vast works of God throughout the ages?

When we limit God to what we know about him as recorded in the Bible, we strip Him of the ability to do amazing new things in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We tend to think that God's story ended with Revelation 22, and there was nothing left to say about who God is and how He wants to relate to His creation. Nothing could be further from the truth. God's story is still being written every day in the hearts and minds of His followers. The official canon of scripture may have been closed centuries ago, but God continues to reveal Himself to us in new and astounding ways, if we allow Him.

We must be careful to never think that God can't do this or that, simply because there is no precedent for it in Scripture. God is unlimited in His creativity and imagination. If he could create all of the plants and animals and minerals and stars and planets and galaxies, and things we don't yet even know about, who is to say that He doesn't have new ways of healing and restoring and blessing His people?

It's time we let God out of the tiny little box that we've created for Him called "the Holy Bible". I have come to a place in my spiritual journey where I am no longer content to think that everything I need to know about who God is and what He can do is contained within these pages. My God is bigger than that, and I marvel every time He reveals some new aspect of Himself to me.

Jesus told His disciples that we can only truly enter into the kingdom of God if we approach it as little children. Children have an innate ability to see the world around them with awe and fascination, free from the jaded cynicism that comes with adulthood. I want to foster that "gee whiz" mindset in my life, always waiting to see what new and amazing thing God wants to do in me and through me.

How about you? Is your God stuck in a box, or free to work wonderful new things in your life?

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

"Christians" Who Hate Jesus

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
John 14:22-24

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."
John 15:12

My Facebook newsfeed has been filling up lately with links to a plethora of articles regarding various religious and political leaders around the country speaking out against marriage equality. What is so disconcerting about these statements is just how vitriolic and hateful they have become. It seems that it is no longer sufficient to just claim that they oppose same-sex marriage (as if anyone really cares what they think). But now, seeing that the tide of public opinion has shifted toward marriage equality, and the seemingly imminent decision by the Supreme Court to make it the law of the land appears to be looming in the very near future (June, to be exact), they have dug in their heels and escalated their tirades to apocalyptic levels.

These are the blood-curdling screams of creatures facing extinction.

Sadly, these so-called "Christians" have resorted to fear-mongering, lying and political machinations to try to suppress anything that they disagree with, all in the name of God. Some recent examples:

In response to same-sex marriage, Mike Huckabee last week said, “Christian convictions are under attack as never before. Not just in our lifetime, but ever before in the history of this great republic. We are moving rapidly toward the criminalization of Christianity.”

This week, End Times broadcaster Rick Wiles said, “I believe I am speaking under the unction of the Holy Spirit. I’m telling you there will be swift, sudden and devastating consequences for the United States of America. America will be brought to its knees, there will be pain and suffering at a level we’ve never seen in this country. The word that I hear in my spirit is ‘fire.’ I do not know if it refers to riots or looting or war on American soil or a fireball from space. I simply know that a sweeping, consuming fire will come across the United States of America and this country will be charred and burned.”

Political activist Alan Keyes has gone so far to say that marriage equality is grounds for a civil war: "The United States Supreme Court may presently make a decision discarding marriage as an unalienable (natural) right. By defect of reason and respect for the Constitution, the decision will return the people of this country to the condition of constantly impending war characteristic of the human condition when and wherever the just premises of government are abandoned."

Bill Johnson of the American Decency Association stated, "If the Supreme Court announces that it will approve same sex marriage when it makes its historic announcement sometime in June, be ready for an assault on the Freedom of Religion that will surely come. Pastors and non-profit Christian organizations as American Decency will be targeted for merely preaching and teaching the counsel of God - what God’s word has to say about many things including homosexuality."

On Thursday, Pat Robertson warned that the U.S. will face divine punishment if gay marriage becomes legal nationwide.

I could go on. There are volumes of such alarmist speeches and broadcasts readily available  across the internet.

The one glaring omission in all of this is Jesus. He is nowhere to be found among all of the anti-gay, anti-marriage equality rhetoric. It strikes me as rather odd that the very people who call themselves Christians aren't doing and saying the things Jesus did and said. My understanding of the term "Christian" is that it signifies one who follows Christ. A person who follows Christ naturally will emulate their Master. In contrast to the multitude of laws embedded in the Old Testament, Jesus handed down so few "rules" that they can be counted on one hand: 1) Love God, 2) Love your neighbor as yourself, and 3) Obey my teaching (see 1 and 2 above).

In Matthew 25, Jesus told the parable about the sheep and the goats. He said that whatever we do to the least of society's outcasts, downtrodden, and marginalized people (the "least" of these), we do to him. Good or bad. The people who are blatantly fighting to ensure that an entire class of Americans are kept sitting in the back of the bus are fighting against Jesus.

Jesus never screened the people He ministered to. He didn't withhold love, compassion and mercy from people unless they met specific criteria. He lavished these things on people indiscriminately. He gladly fed thousands of people without first making sure that there were no "undesirables" in the crowd. He healed Gentiles and Jews alike. He sat and talked with a Samaritan woman and hung out in her village for a couple of days ministering to the hated half-breeds. The only people Jesus criticized were the self-righteous religious and political leaders of His day.

I do not believe that you can love Jesus and not do the things he did. If you are actively engaged in doing the exact opposite of what He did, and the opposite of love is hate, then do you not hate Jesus? I would never call into question a person's salvation - that is between them and God. But don't call yourself a Christian if you are doing and saying things diametrically opposed to the teachings of Christ.

Jesus was all about love. And that's what He wants us to be all about. My prayer is that love will prevail against those who seem to have forgotten what love is.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

The Saturday of Not Knowing

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.  (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes."

John 20:1-10

(From a sermon I preached on Easter Sunday, 2007)

For centuries, countless sermons have been preached on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus during this holy season the world calls “Easter”. I'm sure every preacher tasked with delivering a message on this most important day of the Church calendar has struggled with trying to bring some new revelation to the table about the passion, suffering and disgrace our Lord experienced on Good Friday, or what new angle of wonderment can be achieved by revisiting the amazing story of the empty tomb?I seriously doubt that there is any shred of truth left uncovered after two millennia of Holy Week observances.

We are all too familiar with the events of Friday and Sunday. But what about Saturday? The fact is, there is very little information in Scripture regarding what happened on Saturday. 

Sure, we know that Jesus was somewhere in the nether world releasing the captives who had previously died in sin.

And we know that the chief priests went back to Pilate to have the tomb sealed.

But where were the disciples? Where were the women who had followed Jesus to care for His needs? Where were His mother and brothers?

After what had just transpired on Friday, one would hardly expect that they were in temple as usual Saturday morning. We do know that the disciples were holed up some place, because when Mary returned from the empty tomb, she found them all together. The fact that Peter and John were the only ones who went to investigate the tomb indicates that the other nine weren’t about to be seen in public. And even after they saw the tomb and the grave clothes for themselves, they still wouldn’t allow themselves to believe that Jesus was really alive.

After all, John was an eyewitness of the final moments of Jesus’ life. There is no indication that any other disciples were even at the crucifixion, since John is the only one mentioned in any of the Gospels. He saw Jesus take His last breath. He saw the soldier plunge a spear into His side, and water and blood gush out. He saw Nicodemus and Joseph take down the body and wrap it in linen strips and spices. He saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. He saw the rock rolled in front of the cave. There was no denying it – Jesus was dead.

The one whom Jesus loved had just seen all of his hopes and dreams dashed to the ground like discarded pottery. Everything he had trusted in, believed in, put his faith in, was lying in a dark cave. John had to have been wracked with grief and agony. What was ahead, now that Jesus was gone? What would he do? The religious leaders surely would be looking for the disciples soon enough, to do the same thing they did to Jesus. I seriously doubt that John had any idea what was about to happen on Sunday.

Yet Sunday came, and with it, the unbelievable news that Jesus was alive! How could this be? 

Sure, Jesus raised others from the dead. But could He raise Himself back to life? John held in his hands the empty grave clothes that had bound the body of the Lord just two days earlier. Everything was so neat and orderly - hardly the work of grave robbers. Could it be that this is what Jesus meant when He said that the Son of Man would be betrayed, tortured, crucified, buried, and resurrected? Later that day, John’s questions were answered, when Jesus appeared to His disciples in the flesh once again.

But what if John and the others hadn’t waited until Sunday?

Judas didn’t wait, and he sealed his fate for all eternity. The others could have run back to Galilee. They could have hidden in their fishing villages, going back to their former professions, and putting the whole nightmare behind them. But they didn’t.

Somewhere between the tragedy of Friday and the triumph of Sunday, the Saturday of not knowing occurred.

There was no way that the disciples could have known for sure that Jesus would be raised to life on Sunday. They may have wondered if it was going to happen. But according to the repeated accounts of their disbelief, it is almost certain that they didn’t hold out much hope. Yet they held on.

The “Saturday of not knowing” in our lives can be a very difficult place to dwell. When we are going through the midst of Friday’s tragedy, it is very difficult to hold out hope for a triumphant Sunday. Even when we know that Sunday is on the way, we don’t know what Sunday is going to look like.

And what if Sunday comes late, or even worse, not at all? What if the rest of our life is meant to be lived in Saturday?

It is during the Saturdays of our lives that verses like Romans 8:28 (“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”) can be very irritating. We can’t always see how God is working in our Friday tragedies. Sometimes we don’t even care if He is working in them. We just want Sunday to come and bring us some relief.

But God never promised that we won’t have to experience the Friday tragedies in life. But He did promise that there would always be a triumphant Sunday. The hardest part is getting through the Saturday in between Friday and Sunday.

Unlike a real Saturday with exactly 24 hours in it, these virtual Saturdays can seem to last a lifetime. They’re even worse if we’ve experienced a string of Fridays, loss upon loss, grief upon grief. We begin to wonder if it could possibly get any worse. That’s when we need to hold on tighter than ever to the truths and the promises of God’s Word.

When every sentence of the Bible seems to fly in the face of reality, we have to remember that we serve a God that transcends our physical plane. The God who created the physical realm cannot be limited by it. The disciples did not know what would happen on Sunday. As far as they knew, Sunday could have been just as bad as Saturday, or maybe even worse. But they still held on. Out of fear, or confusion, or grief, we don’t know, but they held on.

And then, miracle of miracles, Sunday did come, and the news of a risen Savior lifted their spirits, and eventually turned the world upside down.

What would have happened if the disciples gave up on Saturday and left town? What if the women had gone back to their homes and families?

Would anyone have noticed that the tomb was empty?

Would anyone be around to see the holes in Jesus’ hands and His side?

Would anyone have been there when He stood on the mountain and proclaimed the great commission?

Would anyone have stood there gazing up at the sky as Jesus ascended to His Father and His heavenly throne?

Would we be here today if the disciples had not made it through Saturday?

There are many examples throughout Scripture where people missed out on God’s blessings because they couldn’t wait for their Sunday.

Lot’s daughters didn’t know if God would provide them husbands after they fled Sodom, so they committed incest with their father, and the result was the birth of two nations that would be a constant source of struggle with Israel (Genesis 19:30-38).

Abram and Sarai got tired of waiting in their “Saturday of not knowing” and decided to take matters into their own hands when God took too long to make good on His promise. The result was the birth of Ishmael, the forefather of the Arabs, and ultimately, the Muslim religion (Genesis 16:-16).

King Saul decided his Sunday wasn’t coming, and so he disobeyed a direct order from Samuel, and lost his kingdom as a result (1 Samuel 13:5-14).

No matter what we go through on Friday, Sunday will come. But we have to hang on through the “Saturday of not knowing”. That’s when we need to stick together, to encourage and support each other, just as the disciples did. And when Sunday finally arrives, we will be able to stand and shout a victory cry: "He is not here, He is risen, just as He said. Hallelujah! Amen." 

Have a joyous Easter and a blessed week!

Pastor David

Imaginary Doors

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

I watched an interesting video this past week. It is a compilation of dogs refusing to walk through doorways that had always been a barrier to them, but the glass panes or screens had been removed. Here's a link to the video so you can get the context.

After a lifetime of encountering these barriers, these dogs refuse to pass through the now open spaces, regardless the amount of coaxing from their masters. In the dog's mind, the barrier still exists because it has always existed.

The video is at once both entertaining and sobering. It's entertaining because we, as rational humans, think the dogs are being silly for not availing themselves of the freedom that awaits on the other side of the imaginary doors. It's also sobering to think that we "rational" humans exhibit some of the same behaviors when it comes to casting off the remnants of the past that keep us bound from enjoying the freedom we have in Christ.

In church today, Pastor Nathan spoke about the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14). But how often have we missed some of those spiritual blessings because we still feel bound by the imaginary doors of our past? We've all been held captive by something in our lives, whether bad habits, negative attitudes, past mistakes, abuse or injustice that we've endured, or any number of things that have created a virtual prison.

When we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are set free from the bondage that kept us back from receiving all of the spiritual blessings that God has prepared for us to enjoy: peace, forgiveness, joy, hope, love, faith, and so on. But often times, we fail to recognize that there is no longer a barrier separating us from those blessings. Christ has removed their power over our lives. But there we stand at the threshold, paralyzed by the things of the past, and unable to move toward the Master. 

Like some of those dogs, we may whine and cry and bemoan our fate, failing to see that there is nothing left to hold us back. It's interesting to see that there is an occasional dog who gladly walks or runs right through the imaginary door. These are the ones who trust their masters enough to know that it's okay to pass that threshold. They represent the believers who have found their freedom in Christ and are no longer restrained by the barriers of the past.

What's holding you back today and preventing you from experiencing all the wonderful spiritual blessings that God wants to bestow upon you? Your sins have been canceled out; they have no power over you. Your mistakes are in the past and do not define you. Those negative tapes that someone else recorded in your head when you were a child are lies and need to be replaced with the tapes of God's message of love, acceptance and deliverance. The people that abused you, bullied you, or deprived you of love and security as a child can no longer hurt you. Walk through those imaginary doors and enjoy the freedom that was bought with a great price, just for you.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Should ISIS Be Forgiven?

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-16

I read an article this past week where the author made the audacious case that Christians are hypocrites if they are not willing to extend forgiveness to ISIS (Islamic State). He drew that conclusion based on his understanding that Christians are commanded to forgive the sins of others. Since so many people who claim to be Christians are calling for the total annihilation of these murderous thugs, they must therefore be hypocrites.

I am bothered by this concept on a couple of levels. First, the author never offered any solution to the ISIS problem. His take was simply to castigate anyone who would call himself or herself a Christian and yet dare to want to put an end to the scourge of ISIS in the Middle East. Secondly, he has a very poor understanding of the Biblical concepts of forgiveness, which has allowed him to draw this conclusion. It is this second issue which I want to address today.

Throughout the Bible, the concept of forgiveness is divided into two distinct classes: those things that humans are supposed to forgive, and those things that God will forgive. In all of my studies of Scripture, I have never found anything that would suggest individuals are required to forgive offenses that only God can forgive. In fact, every command in the New Testament directed at believers is couched in terms of forgiving offenses against you. Some examples:

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (Mark 11:25)

Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. (Luke 11:4)

So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. (Luke 17:3)

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

In contrast, Jesus went around forgiving sins of people who had not sinned against him, because He knew He had that authority as the Son of God.

Based on this concept of forgiveness for personal offenses, it is rather illogical that I, as a Christian individual in America, have the ability or responsibility to forgive the actions of an entire army of people in a foreign land. That's not my job.

It's interesting that my very first post in this blog was about my love for Muslims. However, I do not believe that the people who comprise ISIS are true Muslims, for they do not say and do the things that Muslims do. They have shocked and outraged the greater Muslim community by their vile and heinous acts of cruelty, torture and murder. These people are guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and deserve to be punished the only way possible - total destruction. They will never surrender or agree to a truce. They are bloodthirsty, evil monsters who have indiscriminately destroyed countless thousands of lives. They make no distinction between Muslim, Christian, or anyone else in their quest for power. All are dispensable in their eyes.

That said, it is also not my responsibility (nor any individual's) to mete out justice to these villains. That is the purpose of world governments. The governments of the nations are responsible for maintaining law and order, and have no mandate to forgive criminals. If it were not so, we would live in an uncivilized society where crime and injustice would run rampant without fear of reprisal. Even if a person is forgiven by their victim for an offense, that forgiveness does not diminish or negate the consequences of that offense. The forgiveness simply precludes the offended party from exacting any punishment or revenge on the offender.

Many people are criticizing our current Administration for not doing more to stop the spread of ISIS' evil in the Middle East. It's easy to sit at your computer and play armchair Commander-In-Chief, but foreign policy, military strategy and international warfare are not games, nor are they easily navigated. As Christians, we should be spending more time praying for our President, Congress and world leaders to make the right decisions, and less time criticizing them. My prayer is that the scourge of ISIS will soon be extinguished. May it be, Lord.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Don't Give Up!

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
Luke 5:4-7

About 15 years ago, I landscaped my front yard with drought-resistant plants and trees, and decorative rock. The idea was to have a low-maintenance yard. Over the years, a narrow strip of the yard to the north of my driveway began to be overtaken by some variety of unknown grass. Never mind that I had originally placed heavy landscaping plastic under all of the rock to prevent this from occurring. It was a constant battle to remove the grass, which refused to yield to any tactic I employed, whether spraying it with herbicides or pulling it up by the roots.

Finally, I had enough, and last year I pulled up all of the rock in this section (several tons), and removed all of the old plastic. I then scraped the ground to remove all of the grass and its roots. I then put down new weed barrier fabric, and replaced all of the rock that I had removed. Once again, that section looked as beautiful and pristine as the day I first landscaped it.

For about three months.

And then the grass came back. With a vengeance. Again, I have tried everything short of nuclear warfare to remove it, but it persists. With all of the recent rains, it now looks like I have a lawn with rocks.

As I was looking at this yesterday and shaking my head in disgust, I began to think about the tenacity of that grass. Against all odds, it has not only survived, but thrived. I wondered what our lives would be like if we had that kind of persistent tenacity when we face adversity and setbacks.

How often do we give up on a dream or a goal because there are simply too many obstacles, too many failures, or too many naysayers telling us it will never happen? How often do we give up on our friendships, our romantic relationships, or even our family members because it's just too much work to overcome the struggles, conflict and friction that is inherent in human interactions?

How often do we give up on the Church or God's people because they are so unlike God?

In the passage quoted above from Luke, we find Simon (later called Peter) and his partners discouraged after a fruitless night of fishing, having caught nothing. They had given up hope for a haul, and were prepared to go home empty-handed. But Jesus told them to give it one more try. What would have happened if Simon had refused, "knowing" that it was pointless? If they hadn't caught any fish all night long, when the fish normally are closer to the surface, why would they catch any now, in the heat of the day? But there was something about the way Jesus spoke, perhaps with authority, that made Simon turn around and go back out one more time. I can imagine him muttering under his breath, "This guy doesn't know anything. I can see from his hands and clothes that he's not a fisherman. Probably some carpenter that wouldn't know the difference between a herring and a halibut. I'll humor him just to shut him up."

When the fish started swarming into the nets, I'm sure Simon's tired eyes opened extra wide and his jaw dropped to his chest. It's interesting that they didn't just catch a few fish, but rather took in such an abundance that their boat and that of their back-ups began to sink.

In my experiences throughout my walk with Jesus, I have often found this to be true: If we just hang on a little bit longer and trust the Lord, He will pour out abundant blessings in our lives. When you feel you've given everything you've got, and there's nothing left to hope for, that's the time you need to take a deep breath, remind yourself that it's not over yet, and hold on to what you know is true: God always keeps His promises; He loves you and wants the very best for you; and His timing isn't always our timing.

Hang in there. The best is yet to come!

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Perfect Christian, Perfect Church

"Perhaps our imperfections make us perfect for each other."
George Knightly, from Emma by Jane Austen

I watched the 1996 movie, Emma, the other evening, and was taken by this quote toward the end of the film, as Emma and George are discussing their flaws as possible obstructions to them having a happy marriage. As I pondered on that thought as it pertains to romantic relationships, I also started to think about how it might be applied in a larger context, such as to the Church.

It is no coincidence that my pastor preached a message this morning about the importance of the regular assembling of believers. I took that as confirmation that I should share my thoughts on the topic of perfection as it pertains to Christians and the Church.

Whenever someone tells me they are looking for a church, I always tell them, “Don’t look for a perfect church. If you find one and join it, it won’t be perfect any more.” It seems that there are some people who refuse to go to church because of all the imperfect people there. Irony much?

The bumper sticker that proclaims, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven” is true. But it’s no excuse for trying, either.

As Pastor Rodger mentioned this morning, iron sharpens iron; it is by regularly brushing up against other imperfect Christians that we slowly wear away those imperfections to become the people that God desires.

In Colossians 3, Paul challenges us to strive for perfection in our lives, individually and collectively. After all, the Church is simply the reflection of the people in it. What if the church took this passage seriously and literally? What if each of us as individuals took this passage seriously and literally? Could this be the blueprint for “The Perfect Church?”

In 17 verses, the Apostle Paul lays out a comprehensive instruction manual on proper Christian conduct.

Let’s look closely at these instructions to see what is required of us:

Loyalties And Priorities (vv1-4)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

What occupies our hearts and minds?

Are we weighed down by the cares and concerns of daily life? Or do we regularly refocus on heavenly purposes?

Are we concerned with achieving satisfaction and success here on earth? Or is it our greatest goal to carry out the Great Commission so we can take as many people with us as possible when we leave this world?

The Greek word ZETEO is translated here as “set your heart”. It means to seek or strive for, and is the same word used in Matthew 6:33, where Jesus said,

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." 

What are we seeking or striving for in life? Where are our loyalties and priorities? 

Cleaning Out The Gutter (vv 5-10)

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

At some point, we all have to acknowledge that sin is sin. Sin is an integral part of our earthly nature, and does not go away without a fight. Paul tells us that we must put our sin nature to death. If we simply wound it, it will recover.

One should not think that this is an exhaustive list of sins. It is simply a sampler of some of the uglier ones. These sins seem to fall into two categories: what we think (and consequently act upon), and what we say. The mind and the mouth are sometimes our worst enemies. This is why Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, 

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. 

And James 3:6-8 says, 

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 

Paul gives us the motivation for cleaning up our act. He tells us that we have put on the “new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Who likes to put clean clothes on a dirty body? Likewise, it does not make sense that we should try to clothe ourselves with Christ while we continue to wallow in the gutter of sin.
 

One For All and All For One (v11) 

Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 

Paul makes it quite clear that there should be no natural or artificial distinctions between believers. We should embrace each other without regard to race, nationality, economic status, profession, education, talent, appearance, ability, or any other factor. All of these distinctions will pass away when we enter into eternity, and only our immortal soul will remain, which is what God sees in each one of us. We need to learn how to look at each other the way Christ looked at us the day He hung on the cross.
 

All Dressed Up (vv12-14)

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

Paul’s antidote to the nasty habits in the previous verses is found in 12-14. He suggests that we put on these positive, uplifting virtues as we put on our clothing. 

What if we were to take this instruction to heart? As you dress yourself each morning, equate each article of clothing with a virtue:

• Underwear: humility (covers our unmentionables)

• Socks: gentleness (provides cushioning and warmth)

• Shirt: compassion (covers our heart)

• Pants: kindness (consideration for others)

• Shoes: patience (learn how to walk in another person’s shoes)

• Coat: love (covers everything else)

We are instructed to forgive each other and bear with one another. We must always remember this simple fact: if God was as quick to give up on us when we fall short as we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we would all be toast by now.

The only sin you can hold against another believer is the one that God has not forgiven you through Jesus. And since He has forgiven your every sin, your only response to the one who offends you is to do the same. 

When All Is Said And Done (vv15-17)

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 

How many of you enjoy living a life of drama and turmoil? We are called to live lives of peace. Strife and conflict in our lives are usually the result of us not yielding to God’s way of dealing with situations. The saying is true that it takes two to argue. Don’t let another person drag you into chaos.

We are instructed to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” This word “richly” is the Greek word PLOUSIOS, which means abundantly. The more Word we pour into ourselves, the more Word will come back out as we converse with each other. 

The Word is given for us to teach and admonish one another, not to condemn and criticize. The word “admonish” means to warn by instruction. We must always be on the lookout for each other, to guard against those things which will come against our fellow believers. 

Paul goes on to say that this Word which indwells us should infuse our praises as well. This is why we sing so many songs based directly on Scripture. What greater honor can we give the Author of the Bible than to sing back to Him the very words He inspired?

Paul sums up all of these instructions with verse 17, a sentence that is probably one of the most challenging in the Bible:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

To do or say anything in the name of Jesus means that we are acting as His power of attorney or personal representative. 

Honestly now, do you really think that Jesus would have done or said some of the things that you perpetrated on the human race this past week? I know that I regularly misrepresent Him as I go about doing my own thing. 

The motivation for doing everything in the name of Jesus is the gratitude that we are supposed to have because of all the things He has done for us. God knows that if we regularly refocus ourselves on Him and the love and grace that we have received from Him, then our outward responses and behaviors will greatly improve.

My personal goal is to strive for these ideals in my life, and I challenge you to do the same.

We need not worry that we might become perfect Christians or a perfect church in doing so, because we will never fully achieve these benchmarks of perfection.

However, in working toward them, we will become a perfecting church filled with Christians who are being perfected into the likeness of Christ.

Have a blessed week!
 

Pastor David