Standing at the edge of eternity

Who is this Jesus? [Part 7]

2011-04-15T14:48:00.011-05:00

The entire account in John has been drawing toward this point of crisis. This is the time at which all of God’s purposes will be accomplished. The disciples and Jesus are in the Garden. Judas the betrayer shows the enemies of Christ the place they often went in the evening. This brings us to the account of Jesus’ betrayal into the hands of his enemies, his trial, and his crucifixion.

Jesus is the Willing Sacrifice.

John 18:1-8 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.”

According to the Latin Vulgate an armed cohort came to arrest Jesus. The more familiar term cohort is a Roman military term for the Greek military term used in this text speira. This is between 256 to 480 men, plus officers. They came with overwhelming force in order to prevent any opposition. When Jesus uttered the words I AM those who came to take him backed away and fell down to the ground. Think how this must have impacted these soldiers. They had the numbers, but Jesus had the power! The authority and power of Jesus was such that they could not stand before him.

We have mentioned all through this study the implications of the emphatic phrase I AM. We have shown that it was used in the Greek Old Testament to identify God. The Judean party understood that it was a statement indicating Deity and sought to stone Jesus on more than one occasion. By the eleventh chapter of John they had determined to destroy Jesus because of his use of this Divine self-identification and because of the powerful proof of this claim when he raised Lazarus from the dead. Here, a military detachment with orders to take him fell back to the ground because of Jesus’ use of the divine words of identification—I AM. They could not take him by force. He went with them willingly because this is what was necessary for him to finish his work of redemption.

Jesus himself indicates that he willingly accepts the coming suffering and death when he refuses to allow Peter to resist the soldiers. John 18:6, 11 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground . . . So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” The cup Jesus is given to drink is his coming suffering and death, by which he bears the penalty of our sins upon himself.

Jesus had said earlier in John that he would give his life of his own accord. John 10:17-18 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” Jesus also said in these verses that he would take his life up again. The resurrection is the proof of the validity and efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews talks of this willing sacrifice by which Jesus has perfected for all time those who are saved. Hebrews 10:5-7, 14 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” . . . For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Jesus willingly gave himself for you and me. He took on our sins, our death, and our punishment, that we might have forgiveness, life, and salvation. Everything that God requires is accomplished in Jesus’ sinless life and his willing, atoning sacrifice.

Jesus is the King.

The power, authority, and royal dignity of Christ caused the soldiers to fall back. However, in submitting to their desire to take him, Jesus cloaks himself in humility and willingly suffers a criminal’s death. Paul writes, Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. His Royal Glory is hidden in the Passion. Even so he has a crown and a throne. What is Jesus crown? What is Jesus throne?

Jesus says to Pilate that he is King. John 18:36-37 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

The soldiers mock his royal person and beat him. What King ever put up with such abuse so humbly? They place upon him a royal garment that then becomes stained with his blood and a crown of thorns pressed into his head. His head is not anointed with oil but with his own blood. John 19:2-3 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.

So Jesus is handed over to sinners who nail hands that had blessed and healed many people to a crossbeam. He is hoisted up between heaven and earth, naked for all to see. His placard declared his name and his title. His retinue is two condemned criminals. What a throne God has chosen for himself!

John 19:16-19 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

How do I know that what Jesus endured has any value at all? First, Jesus himself said that the job was finished. John 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Second, as we shall see in the following verses, Jesus rose from the dead. Third, fifty days after the resurrection, Jesus confirmed that he had ascended to God and that the sacrifice was accepted. The promise was that when he went to the Father he would send the Holy Spirit upon his believers. This indeed happened as promised. John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” Peter proclaimed the same in Acts 2:32-36 “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing . . . Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Jesus is Lord and God!

We have just noted that Peter says that Jesus is Lord and Christ. The term Lord, Kurios, is equivalent to the Hebrew term used in the Old Testament for Yahweh, Adonay. Christ is the Anointed One. In order to leave no doubt about what he has been writing concerning Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior, John records the testimony of one who doubted and did not truly believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. What does a skeptic say about Jesus? Remember they had seen Jesus taken and crucified. At first most of the disciples thought that those who had first seen him raised from the dead were hysterical and were not reliable witnesses. Then Jesus appeared to everyone except for Thomas who was absent. When Thomas came back to the group, he still could not believe it. Then, eight days after the resurrection and his appearance to the other disciples, Jesus appeared to Thomas and the disciples again. He pointedly offered the very proof that Thomas himself had previously demanded to see for himself before he would believe.

Thomas' declaration about Jesus, John 20:26-29 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Notice that at this time the disciples were all hiding because they were afraid. A fourth reason to believe that the resurrection really happened is the change from cowards to fearless witnesses that takes place in the disciples’ lives. All of the Apostles would die willingly as martyrs with the exception of John who was tortured and exiled but lived to an old age. Thomas himself went east to India and died there as a martyr.

We have come to the end of this brief study. Many other things could be said. John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Ultimately, faith comes from God as a gift. It is his Spirit who creates it in a person who hears the Gospel. If you believe what the Word says, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Savior for you, then you have life in his name. I pray that this is true of each person who might happen to read these lessons. Amen.

Who is this Jesus? [Part 6]

2011-04-11T12:40:00.003-05:00

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

We are still in the Upper Room with Jesus and his disciples. Jesus had told them that one of them would betray him and that he himself would be going away. This troubled them greatly. So, after Judas Iscariot left them to betray Christ, Jesus begins to speak comforting words of assurance to them. Though he was leaving them soon, he promises them a forever home in the God the Father’s household. They didn’t understand or perhaps could not bring themselves to accept what Jesus was saying. Thomas asks about where Jesus is going and the way to that place.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

The way to the Father is through Jesus. This is what Jesus meant when he said that he was the Door of the Sheepfold. Why is there a need for Jesus to make himself the way to the Father? This is closely connected to the Tabernacle and Temple with their restricted access into the Holiest Place and to the closed access to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden that was lost after the fall (Genesis 3:24). God did not want mankind to eat of the Tree of Life and so live forever as lost sinners. God forbid anyone but the High Priest to enter the Holiest. The entire Old Testament shows us the broken relationship and loss of access to God. Then how was he going to make a way for humankind to return to him? How was he going to restore this lost relationship?

Many instances in the Old Testament teach us about this. Immediately after the fall God promised a coming Redeemer who was to be the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). He would crush Satan’s head. Abraham said that God would provide a Sacrificial Lamb (Genesis 22:8). This Lamb is one of the main themes of the Old Testament. The entire Mosaic Covenant centered on the Tabernacle and Temple. Here a holy God would meet with sinful humans. They could only approach him with the atoning blood of the sacrificial animal (Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:22). The animal sacrifices were a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice that Christ would make. The entire Old Testament looked forward to the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). And as God’s True High Priest Jesus has opened the way for us into God’s presence through his own Atoning Blood. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf . . . he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:24, 26

Not only is Jesus the way to the Father, Jesus is the truth about the Father. When Jesus speaks God speaks. When Jesus acts God acts. When you behold Jesus you see God the Father. Words, actions, and a person’s very appearance show us things about the person. Every word and action of Jesus shows us the Father. Philip questioned Jesus. He wanted to see the Father. Jesus replies to Philip with a mild rebuke because Jesus had been showing them the Father all along. John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

What does Jesus show us about the Father? He shows us in three-foot high, bold-print letters that God loves us and has come to bring us forgiveness through his Son. I remind you once again of the great and precious promise of God,

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

Additionally, Jesus is the life of the Father. What does this mean? God has the power of life and death. Nothing that lives could live apart from God’s sustaining power. Apart from God the universe would cease to exist. The Apostle Paul wrote of Jesus in Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews wrote of Jesus that He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power, Hebrews 1:3.

Furthermore, eternal life is only possible if God gives it. All humans die, but then what? Remember that Jesus said earlier in John 5:21, 26 “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will . . . For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.”

Eternal life is Jesus’ gift to give. Do you believe this? Jesus is not making fanciful claims. He is not giving us false hope. He says that he speaks with God the Father’s authority. John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Jesus gives us the promise of eternal life. The reality of the promise rests in what he did for us. The certainty of the promise is proved through an empty tomb. Paul says,

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:4-9

Jesus is the True Vine.

The next three chapters occur on the way to Gethsemane. Jesus and the disciple rose to leave the Supper. On the way to the garden Jesus speaks concerning their relationship to him and to the Father.

John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

The idea of a vine speaks of abundance and joy in this culture. A person in abundance sits under his vine and enjoys the fruit. The idea was spoken of in connection to the last days in Micah 4:1-5. The last days are the time of the Messiah including the His Advent and Second Coming. In Micah the idea bespeaks of peace, safety, and eternal joy.

Micah 4:1-5 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

In the Bible the Vine metaphor also speaks of God’s people who were expected to be his joy. God’s people were spoken of as God’s vine and God’s vineyard from which he expected fruitfulness. However, Israel failed to be the fruitful vine God expected.

Isaiah 5:4, 7 What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? . . For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!

In John’s Gospel Jesus says that He is the True Vine. What God expected of his people Israel has been fulfilled in Christ. An Old Testament scholar has said that Jesus is Israel reduced to One. That is, Jesus is the righteous servant who fulfilled all God’s requirements.

Acts 10:36-43 “As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Jesus fulfilled righteousness for us and so we have righteousness before God in Him. From Jesus flow all the blessings of God on those reckoned righteous through faith in Him. This life and these blessings—the fruit that the branches bear because they are in living connection to the Vine—flow to all those who trust in Jesus’ righteous life, his atoning death, and his resurrection from the dead. Or, as Jesus says in John, these blessing flow to those who abide in him. Abiding in him means to continue to trust in the gift that he gives—forgiveness, life, and salvation. He is the source of life. He is the source of fruitfulness. He is the source of joy. He is the vine from which all the branches draw their life.

[Part 7 will conclude this study.]

Who is this Jesus? [Part 5]

2011-03-27T15:35:00.011-05:00

Jesus claims to be the Resurrection and the Life.

The Bible teaches that at the last day all the righteous, that is, those who trust God’s promise of forgiveness, life, and salvation in Christ, will be raised to everlasting life.

Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Isaiah 25:6-8 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

Job 19:25-27 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

A friend of Jesus in Bethany named Lazarus was sick. Jesus was summoned by Lazarus’ family to come heal Lazarus before he died of the illness. But Jesus delayed coming. Finally, after the delay, he went back to Bethany in Judea, but Lazarus had died four days before this. It seemed to be too late. Martha, Lazarus’ sister, met Jesus outside the house where the family and friends were sitting Shiva (seven day’s of Jewish mourning ceremonies). Jesus promised that Lazarus would rise again. Martha thought Jesus was speaking of the resurrection at the last day. Jesus was speaking of something much more immediate.

John 11:25-27 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Jesus is saying that he is the power of resurrection, that he is everlasting life. In saying this Jesus makes an astonishing claim. Apart from Jesus there is no life. Apart from Jesus there is no hope for resurrection. Who alone could claim such a thing? The only One who did claim such a thing and then proved it is Jesus. Paul wrote, Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord . . .

Martha, Mary, and all the mourners did not yet fully understand who Jesus is. Jesus saw that they were unable to accept the truth he spoke about himself. It troubled him greatly, John 11:33, 38. Even Martha who just confessed her faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, could not accept that Jesus had power to raise a person who had been dead for four days. Jesus prayed aloud for the sake of those witnessing this miracle and commanded Lazarus, who was bound head to toe in grave cloths, to come forth from the grave, John 11:43-44 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of those who heard Jesus words and saw what was done believed in him.

Jesus demonstrated his power over death in raising Lazarus from the dead. It is a preview of the final resurrection. What does this miracle demonstrate for those who believe in Jesus’ promise of eternal life? If Jesus himself is the Resurrection and the Life, is there any resurrection or life apart from him? John 5:25-26 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.”

Others who saw the miracle ran to Jesus’ enemies to report on the events in Bethany. As a result of this the enemies of Christ met in a council and began to conspire to kill him in order to protect their own power and interests. This miracle happened just before the Passover. It is a turning point in the narrative. From this time onward, Jesus moves steadily toward his crucifixion. The crisis has been reached. The enemies are resolute. Jesus’ hour has come. The irony of this is that Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, will suffer death on behalf of the entire human race. However, death ultimately has no power over him. Peter preaches this in Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”

In the intervening verses between Lazarus’ being raised and the Last Supper, Jesus speaks about his coming sacrificial death when Mary of Bethany anoints him (John 12:7), when some Greeks sought him in Jerusalem (John 12:24), and before the crowds in Jerusalem (John12:27, 32). His last public statements call on those who heard him to believe. John describes how many did not believe, or if they did believe, nevertheless hid their belief because of fear or a desire to have the approval of others.

After this Jesus withdraws from the public to celebrate the Last Supper, with his twelve disciples.

Jesus is the Suffering Servant.

The first part of John has been called the Book of Signs. The second part of John begins here, called by one scholar the Book of Glory. Notice that the word love occupies a prominent place in the section. The glory revealed here is the love that Christ shows his disciples and the world through his atoning death. The first part of this section is Jesus at the feast with his disciples. Here he shows them and teaches them about love. After the supper they go to the garden where Jesus is betrayed, then taken and tried, executed, buried and finally, raised to appear to his disciples.

The feast begins in an unexpected manner. Jesus, the Lord and Master, shows himself to be a lowly servant. In this culture the servant who washed the feet of guests was the lowest, most humble of all servants in a household. If you consider what kind of filth sandaled feet picked up in the streets, this was not a pleasant job. Jesus shows us that he came to serve us—ultimately by giving his life. He mentions that he was to be betrayed by one who was there with them, namely Judas. He tells the disciples that he knows what is coming, his betrayal and his death.

John 13:18-19 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

The example of doing the dirtiest and lowest job in the household is an anticipation of the manner in which Jesus would suffer for the sins of the world. What could be more dirty, more lowly, than bearing upon himself the sins of the world? The prophet Isaiah described it in what some call the Suffering Servant passage.

Isaiah 53:3-11 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Why is this part of the John’s Gospel called the Book of Glory? Here Jesus faces betrayal. He faces the Cross. His disciples fear his departure. Just what is glorious about this? The glory is in the immensity of his love. His betrayal, suffering, and death for us is how Jesus is glorified. The self-sacrificial love of Christ is the glory of the Book of Glory. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, gives his life for us because he loved each of us.

The Apostle Paul speaks of this great love in what is known as the Song of Christ (Carmen Christi) , probably an early Hymn of the church.

Phil. 2:5-11 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

[Part 6 will continue this study.]

Who is this Jesus? [Part 4]

2011-03-08T13:46:00.007-06:00

Jesus claims to be the God of Abraham.

This section continues the long, heated debate between Jesus and the Judean party. Jesus had said to the people that if they would believe the truth he was teaching that they would have true freedom from sin, John 8:31-32. The outraged Judean party said that they were never in bondage, claimed Abraham as their ancestor, implied that Jesus was born as a bastard, claimed God as their father, and accused Jesus of being demon possessed, John 8:33, 39, 41, 48, 52-53. They were saying that everything about Jesus and everything he said was a lie.

Jesus confronts them about their unbelief and the reason why they did not believe, John 8:42-45 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.”

Jesus clearly claims to have come from God the Father. He claims to be speaking the truth that God has sent him to speak. Why do those who do not want to accept his teaching reject the truth he tells them? Remember, Jesus said “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” John 3:19

He denies their accusations and yet, despite their hatred, he offers life to anyone who would believe his teaching. John 8:49, 51 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

What does it mean to keep his word? It is another manner of describing those who trust him, those who believe his promise. The Judean party could not understand nor believe in Jesus. He offers them life and they cannot accept it. Abraham and all the prophets had died. How could Jesus claim to give never-ending life to anyone? This leads us to the crux of the issue. Who is this Jesus? In answer to that question Jesus makes a claim that is astounding.

He then tells them that he existed before Abraham, John 8:56-58, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Remember this is said in the context of Jesus’ other claims. Jesus here claims to have existence before Abraham existed using terms of self-identification commonly used by the God of Abraham in the Old Testament. Note the introduction to John’s Gospel, John 1:1-3, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. The introduction to John clearly makes the claim that Jesus is the eternal Word of God, Creator of all things.

The Judean party heard these words through ears accustomed to hear such language about God alone. Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty . . .” If Jesus is the same God who appeared to Abraham and who created the world, then are his other claims impossible?

The Judeans' reaction indicates that they knew exactly what Jesus was saying. Jesus had already claimed to be from God the Father, claimed to be one with the Father, claimed to be the Messiah, and claimed to give eternal life. The Judean party clearly thought Jesus to be speaking blasphemy. The penalty for this was stoning, John 8:59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. Compare with John 5:18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

If Jesus is who he claims to be, would his assertions be blasphemy? If Jesus is God, what would rejecting his claims amount to?

What kind of life is Jesus offering? Is this life offered to anyone who rejects Jesus’ teaching?

Jesus calls himself the Door of the Sheepfold and the Good Shepherd.

In chapter nine, Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. The point of the chapter, coming immediately after Jesus’ claim to be the God of Abraham, is that some people are willfully blind. Those who reject Jesus despite the abundant evidence to the contrary are blind and condemned by their sins.

John 9:39-41 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.”

Those claiming to be wise, to know the truth, and yet are rejecting the True Word, Jesus, are condemned because they have rejected the only One who can give them Light and Life.

In his interaction with the blind man Jesus claims to be the Messiah (using the Son of Man language from Daniel 7:13-14). The healed man worships Jesus, John 9:38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Ironically, a blind man sees and responds to Jesus. Those who claim to know everything are truly blind

This contrast between those who acknowledge Jesus and those who reject him leads immediately to chapter ten. The dialogue actually continues from chapter nine. In John chapter ten Jesus uses the well-known imagery of a sheepfold and a shepherd. The idea is that the sheep are God’s people. The sheepfold is the place of safety for the sheep. The sheep follow their Shepherd because they know him and recognize his voice.

The imagery of sheep, sheepfold, and shepherd have important connections to David, the Shepherd-King. A descendant of the Shepherd-King would come to shepherd God’s people. This One was known as the Messiah. Ezekiel tells about this time to come: Ezek. 34:15-16 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. Ezek. 34:23-24 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken.

How do the sheep enter the sheepfold? A sheepfold was a walled enclosure with only one door. The only way in and out was through the one door. Jesus teaches them that he is that door. John 10:7, 9 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep . . . I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

Entering the sheepfold through Jesus is the way of salvation. Jesus does not teach that there are many doors or many ways of salvation. There is one door, one way of salvation. What does entering by the door mean? It means entering through Jesus and what he has done for us. It is another way of teaching about faith in Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, the One who gives his life for his sheep. What does Jesus give to anyone who enters through him, anyone who trusts in him? John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus shifts his imagery slightly. He has told them that he is the door, the only way into the sheepfold. Now he tells them how he makes this possible, how he can offer life to all who come into his flock through the door.

John 10:11, 14 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep . . . I am the good shepherd.”

This imagery picks up the idea that the shepherd will sacrifice his own life in order to save the lives of his sheep. In the context of John, Jesus speaks frequently about his crucifixion using the idea of being lifted up, John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32. The idea of sacrifice is also used, John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” The Lamb of God is the sacrificial lamb, the sin atonement for the whole world. That sacrifice, that laying down of his life for his sheep, happens on the Cross, John 19:16-18, 30 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him . . . When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The crucifixion is not the end of the story. Jesus clearly speaks of his resurrection in John 10:17-18 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

What man has ever claimed this power--not only to give his life, but then to take it up again? The resurrection validates this claim. If Jesus truly rose from the dead, then everything he has taught is also true.

Much like the Judean party who rejected Christ even though they had seen the evidence that proved Jesus’ claims, many people today reject Christ because they cannot believe he rose from the dead. They cannot believe that he truly is the Son of God. They are blind even though Christ offers them light and life.

John 10:24-26, 30-33 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock . . . I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

Jesus has clearly said that he is both the Messiah and the Son of God. The Judean party wanted to kill him for these claims. The next chapter is the crisis chapter. From this point on Christ’s enemies conspire together with the Jewish authorities to kill him.

[Part 5 will continue this study.]

Who is this Jesus? [Part 3]

2011-02-28T13:54:00.008-06:00

Jesus says that He is the Light of the World

Opposites are common in the Gospel of John. For instance the opposites of Life & Death or Light & Darkness.

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

Life & Death are clearly opposites to each other. A person is either alive or dead. However, a person can be alive in this world and yet dead to God. This is why Jesus taught that a person must be born anew.

John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

A person who is not born anew of God cannot enter God’s Kingdom. A person who is not born anew is a “dead man walking,” that is, already condemned and heading for judgment. John 3:18, 36 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God . . . Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

Light and Darkness are another pair of opposites in John.

John 12:44-46 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

Light & Darkness are another way of describing two states of being. Light refers to one in whom the truth has worked to change them from unbelieving to believing. Darkness refers to someone who does not believe or who rejects the truth.

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Notice that the encounter with the men trying to stone an adulterous woman comes immediately before Jesus’ statement in John 8:12. When Jesus stooped to write in the dirt what do you think he was writing? Why did the men leave one by one? Does God’s truth about us ever cause us to feel guilty?

What did Jesus do to take away the woman’s guilt? John 8:10-11 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Jesus forgave her. He forgives us also if we trust his promise.

Jesus is the Light, he is the revelation of God’s truth, to the world. This is why he is called both the Word of God and the True Light in John 1:1, 4-5, 9 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it . . . The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. The Word expresses, communicates, and reveals God’s truth to us just as Light makes all things visible.

Jesus is God’s revelation to the world. What is the truth that God reveals through Jesus? That God has sent his Son to die for the sins of the world, that the Redeemer has come, that God offers forgiveness, life, and salvation to all mankind through His Son.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

When a person turns on the light in a room what happens? God comes to us through his Word to turn on the light in our hearts. It is God’s Light. He shines it where he will. But what happens if a person turns off the light? If we reject Jesus’ gift what happens to the light of life?

John 3:16-19 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

The statement in John 8:12 leads to Jesus’ further explanation in the following verses.

Jesus claims to be the True Witness sent by God the Father

The Judean party could not accept Jesus’ statement. Consider what Jesus has been claiming. He has claimed to be the Messiah, to be equal with God, to be the Son of God, and to be the source of eternal life. They could not accept these claims. They accuse Jesus of lying. Jesus replies,

John 8:18 “I AM the one bearing witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” (my own translation)

Notice that the emphatic “I Am” must have grated on their ears. They knew what he was saying when he used the language of God’s self identification from the Old Testament. Furthermore, in using this language he asserts his authority to speak. Yet not only does he speak but God the Father confirms his words.

How does the Father bear witness concerning Jesus, confirm Jesus’ words? God’s witness concerning Jesus is revealed in the Spirit coming upon him at his Baptism, the Miracles, Old Testament prophesies about the coming Messiah in the Word of God, the Transfiguration, and later the Resurrection.

The Baptism: John 1:32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.” Luke 3:2-221 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

The Transfiguration: Luke 9:35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

By this time these people had seen abundant evidence concerning Jesus in the Miracles and in his teaching. What does Jesus say to those who do not believe in him? John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I Am he you will die in your sins.” Jesus tells them that they must believe his claims, including his use of “I Am” in his self-identification.

The Crucifixion and Resurrection are the ultimate witness concerning Jesus. John 8:28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.”

The theme of the Son of Man being lifted up refers to Jesus' Crucifixion. John 12:28-32 “Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

The Apostle Paul declares that the Resurrection is God’s imprimatur on Jesus finished work of salvation. Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord . . .

Do you believe Jesus’ promise? Then you have life and freedom through his promise, through his word. John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This entire section including the next passage is Jesus’ self-defense concerning his identity and his purpose in coming. Next time the Judean party will really be outraged.

[Part 4 will continue this study.]

Who is this Jesus? [Part 2]

2011-02-22T11:51:00.006-06:00

Jesus shows Himself to be the Lord over the created world.

In chapter five Jesus shows by a miracle that he is more than just a good man or wise teacher. He healed a man who was a life-long invalid on the Sabbath. When challenged by the Judean party for breaking the Sabbath, Jesus claimed God as his Father, claimed to be doing God’s will, and claimed to be able to give eternal life. The Judean party knew what he was claiming. John comments on the situation: John 5:18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

In chapter six Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee and fed more than five thousand people with only five loaves and two fish. This is not a matter of people being satisfied by eating only a small pinch of food. They all had enough to eat (John 6:12). The left-over food filled twelve medium sized baskets.

John 6:14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” They recognized that such a powerful miracle could only be accomplished by the promised Messiah. However, in order to avoid a wrong-headed political movement to make him their king, Jesus left them to go be alone in the mountain. This should begin to tell us what sort of King Jesus is. He is not a political king. As we will see later he is not the King that the people expected.

He deomonstrated his claim to be God’s Son by healing a man and miraculously feeding a very large crowd. This is the setting for what follows. Now he is about to demonstrate that he is the Lord over creation. The disciples had gotten into a boat to cross the Sea of Tiberius (Galilee). At night his disciples were in a boat, rowing across the sea, in a storm, about three or four miles out from the shore. The storms on the lake are notoriously violent. They come up suddenly and grow to treacherous proportions quickly. This was a very dangerous situation. In the middle of this situation, Jesus came to them walking across the water. This breaks all the physical laws of the created world. Imagine if you will the startling effect this must have had on the men. They were justifiably afraid.

John 6:20 But he said to them, “It is I (literally- I Am); do not be afraid.”

What does the fact that Jesus healed a long time invalid, claimed equality with God, miraculously fed a large crowd, and had the ability to set aside the laws of the physical world say what about who he is? His actions show us that he is truly who he claims to be, the Son of God, the Lord of Creation.

Do we need to fear Jesus? It depends upon what he is for you. Is he your judge? Is he your Savior?

Revelation 19:11-16 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Psalm 2:10-12 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Hebrews 9:27-28 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Jesus calls himself the Bread of Life.

Some of the people who were fed miraculously earlier in this chapter found Jesus after he crossed the sea. He begins to teach them about their true need and the gift that he offers. They were following him because of the miracles. He tells them there is something much more important. He uses imagery taken from the miracle of feeding five thousand to explain what he offers to them.

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I Am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (See also John 6:48, 51.)

What is the basic, most fundamental, human need? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is often used in counseling. (It is not without its critics, however.) Imagine a pyramid beginning on the bottom and moving toward the top the needs that Maslow proposes are: physiological, safety, love-belonging, esteem, self-actualization. Do you notice a glaring omission in this list? Like all of us, the people Jesus talks to in this chapter have their focus on what they can see, taste, or feel. They miss the most important thing.

Jesus uses the language of essential physical needs, hunger and thirst, to speak to their most important need. A basic understanding of Jesus’ focus is that while he does have concern for our physical existence, his real purpose in coming is to meet the greatest need of all.

So, what is the emphasis of Jesus’ promises--material blessings, personal advantages, power and influence? John 6:27 “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem (House of Bread), is the source of this promised eternal life. He offers to give us eternal life by giving himself.

Remember, apart from Jesus we are already condemned, John 3:18-19 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” Before God, what do condemned sinners need most of all? What is Jesus offering us?

Jesus tells them that Moses had given them bread from heaven (manna), but God has sent true bread, that is Jesus himself (John 6:32-33). Even though Jesus speaks clearly here--he says that he is the true bread from heaven that gives life to the world (John 6:34-35)—they misunderstand this language. They think that Jesus is saying that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:52). Others are offended because they do not believe Jesus has come from heaven (John 6:42). Of course this implies something very disturbing to them—Jesus truly is God’s Son.

Jesus explains that the eating and drinking is believing in him as to who he is and what he has come to do. A person receives the promised blessing by faith in Christ’s sacrifice.

John 6:35, 47-48, 51 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life . . . I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Here eating and drinking are figurative ways to speak of believing that the sacrifice Jesus made, in giving his body to death on a Cross, is for our sins. Anyone who believes in him will have eternal life. The Bible teaches that we receive this promised, gracious gift of God through faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Both salvation and the faith that receives the promised salvation are God’s gift. God’s gracious act of offering and giving life comes to us through faith. We are empty handed before God. God gives us the gift, freely, graciously. What does Jesus do to make this gift possible? Jesus' flesh and blood speaks of the sacrifice he made on the Cross. Those who believe the promise he makes receive the benefits of that sacrifice.

Does Jesus ever reject someone who believes in him?

John 6:35, 37, 44 Jesus said to them, “I Am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst . . . All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out . . . No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

Who enables us to come to Jesus, that is, to believe in him? Can we believe in Jesus apart from God’s work in our lives?

[Part 3 will continue this study.]

Who is this Jesus? An Amazing Truth, A Lunatic's Ravings, Or The Biggest Lie?

2011-02-15T11:55:00.010-06:00

[Part 1]

Below is an early Christian symbol that summarizes what Christians believe about Jesus. You have probably seen this symbol on bumper stickers or jewelry.
The Greek word for this symbol of a fish is ICHTHUS (Iota-Chi-Theta-Upsilon-Sigma), which is an acrostic for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior" (Iesous Christos, Theou Uios, Soter). This symbol was an early recognition symbol between persecuted believers. It was also an early confession of who those early Christians thought Jesus to be.

Is this who Jesus really is? If so what does it mean? What does it mean that he is a Savior? Three logical options are possible:
1) Jesus is who he and those who knew him personally say he is.
2) Jesus is a deluded mad man who deluded others.
3) Jesus is the world's greatest con man and liar.

The arguments about Jesus have gone on since he first revealed himself to the world. You have probably heard many of the arguments made pro and con. I do not intend to make these arguments again here. What I intend is to present what Jesus said about himself and most particularly certain statements as recorded in the Gospel of John. What Jesus said leaves no room for at the same time rejecting him as Lord and Savior and yet thinking him to be a good teacher, or a good example. You cannot just accept the parts of Jesus with which you are comfortable and reject those parts that confront you with the difficult truths.

We will look at Jesus’ "I Am" statements in John to find out what Jesus said about himself and his work. There are several instances in John that are marked by a particular kind of Greek phrasing. The "I Am" statements are emphatic in Greek. The emphatic pronoun is added to the verb and makes a very strong statement which, as we will see in what follows, connects to certain statements found in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint or LXX, commonly in use at the time of Jesus.

I unapologetically accept the Gospels as accurate historical and theological documents. The evidence supporting this assumption is easily available to anyone who will honestly take the time to evaluate it. In any case that is my starting assumption.

Before looking at the "I Am" statements in John, it is clear that John is not the only place one can find these statements in the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The other instances are found in several places. Matthew 14:27 and Mark 6:50 record the statement also made in John 6:20 to the frightened disciples as Jesus walked on the storm tossed water toward their boat. Matthew 24:5, Mark 13:6, and Luke 21:8 record Jesus’ warning about false Christ's who would claim to be the true Christ using the emphatic "I Am" language. Mark 14:62 records Jesus' answer when asked by the High Priest if he were the Christ, the Son of the Blessed (God). Jesus answers emphatically, "I Am!" Luke 24:29 records a post resurrection appearance by Jesus to the Disciples.

One last preliminary thing to note is an explanation of Jesus' name. Jesus’ name is the Latinized Greek version of Yehoshua or Yeshua meaning “savior.” This can be found in Matthew 1:21 "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (All verses quoted are the ESV translation unless otherwise noted.)

The question that must be asked is what does the necessity of a Savior imply about us?

Jesus' surname is not "Christ." Christ is a title not a name. It is from the Greek version of the Hebrew term Messiah. Both Hebrew and Greek terms mean “anointed one.” In the Old Testament period prophets, priests and kings were anointed. Prophets were God's spokesmen and proclaimed God's covenant promises and warnings to the people. Priests made sacrifice for sins, prayed for the people, and taught God’s truth. Kings led, ruled, and protected God’s people. The title “Anointed One” evokes these offices in connection with Jesus. Jesus, the Savior, is also Prophet Jesus, High Priest Jesus, and King Jesus.

Why use John's Gospel to answer the question "Who is this Jesus"?

I picked this Gospel because it is unique in the many emphatic self-identification statements made by Jesus. I wanted to let Jesus' statements speak for themselves. However, there is much background to these "I Am" statements. They do not stand naked and alone. John gives them a meaningful historical context.

What is John's purpose in writing? John’s Gospel gives a theological-historical account of Jesus life and ministry. He intends to answer the question we are asking: John 20:30-31, Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

In the next chapter John speaks about the veracity of what he wrote and the fact that he selected only some of what Jesus said and did. Being truthful and yet selective is a necessary part of any historical record. John 21:24-25 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John is being truthful and telling us what we need to know in order to receive the gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

John's selection of materials intends to evoke well-known accounts in the Old Testament such as Creation, Sinai, and the Passover. For instance see John 1:1-5 in which he clearly intends to evoke Genesis chapter one. In John 1:17-18, he compares Moses the Law-giver and Jesus the Life-giver. In John 1:29 John the Baptist, who John the author of the Gospel quotes, calls Jesus "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" This identification evokes the entire history of salvation in the Old Testament especially the Passover Lamb (see also Genesis 22:8). It is John's way of saying that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

Jesus' "I Am" statements as recorded in John have their background in Exodus 3:6, 14, 20:2. In these passages God identifies himself. The translators of the LXX used the emphatic pronoun and the verb.

Ex. 3:6 And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

Ex. 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM.”

Ex. 20:2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

What does this connection imply about Jesus? I believe John intentionally evokes these well-known statements by YHWH in the Old Testament when he selects to record what Jesus said. A reader of the Gospel of John could very properly think that Jesus himself intends to make the claim to be the same One who appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Isaiah when he used the emphatic statements. There are frequent statements made by God in many places in OT "that you might know that I am the Lord" and in similar phrases that use the emphatic pronoun in the LXX translation. One such emphatic statement from Isaiah is sufficient to illustrate this.

Isaiah 45:22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.”

Jesus claims to be the Messiah.

In John chapter four Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman. It is important to understand just how much hatred there was between the Jews and the Samaritans. Jews were forbidden to marry them, have any social interaction with them, even to walk through Samaria. Defilement was the result of any contact. The barriers existed on both sides of the conflict between the Jews and Samaritans. The strongest racial epithet was to call a person a “dog and Samaritan.” Jesus broke all the customary practices in going through Samaria and in speaking to the woman. Furthermore, the time of day in which the woman was at the well implies that she was somewhat of a notorious sinner among her own people. Women normally went to the wells in the cooler parts of the day, mornings and evenings. She went in the hot part of the day because others shunned her. Perhaps, her own sense of shame made the whispered comments and looks of others too uncomfortable to endure.

While Jesus was sitting by the well the woman came out to draw water. She was startled that a Jew would be there, speak to her, and ask for a drink of water. Jesus ignored every prejudicial, social restriction. Using her surprise as an opening Jesus told her that he could offer her “living water.”

John 4:10, 13-14 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water . . . . Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Later in the Gospel a further explanation of the “living water” idea is given by John when he explains what Jesus meant.

John 7:37-39 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

What is Jesus offering to this woman? He is offering her eternal life. This is the life given freely by God to anyone who comes to Jesus. Jesus’ disregard for social prejudice shows us that the offer of eternal life is for each and every person regardless of who they might be. Why? Because we all need it. We are perishing whether we know it or not.

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

As they talked Jesus spoke about very personal details concerning the woman’s life. Because of this revelation of private details she thought Jesus to be a prophet (John 4:19). This sets the stage for her hope that Jesus is more than a prophet, but that he is The Prophet who was to come, that is the Messiah (John 4:25).

God told Moses that another greater Prophet like Moses would come and speak God’s words. Deuteronomy 18:18-19 “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.”

Prophet is one of the three offices of the Anointed One, Prophet-Priest-King. In John Jesus shows himself to fulfill these expectations. Here he acts as a prophet. In chapter seven he claims the role of a High Priest. A tradition of pouring out water by the altar during the Feast of Tabernacles, commemorating the water from the rock in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6), was carried out by the High Priest. Jesus claimed to be the one who gives the true living water (John 7:37-38).

When the woman mentions the Messiah, Jesus emphatically says, "I AM he, who is speaking with you.” John 4:26 (my own translation). At this declaration by Jesus the woman went to her village and told everyone about him. Her excitement and their own desire to see for themselves resulted in Jesus staying with them for two days.

John 4:39-42 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Jesus clearly claimed to be the promised Messiah. These people believed in him after their own personal seeing and hearing. In making the claim to be the Messiah and in promising to give the true living water of everlasting life Jesus claims to be greater than Moses, greater than the priesthood. He claims to be the very One who Moses and the priesthood anticipated would one day come to save the world.

[Part 2 will continue this study.]

Numbers Don't Lie--Or Do They?

2010-08-31T13:22:00.006-05:00

The political season is all revved up. Ads, phone calls, and junk mail are taking up time, space, and attention. I am so tired of it all--the half truths, innuendoes, and political posturing. The news media spends much of its valuable time covering this rat race. The other big story is the economy. Are we doing better? Are we doing worse? What is the outlook for the next year? Power and money, numbers and manipulation. Everything focused on changing some number, some count, some indicator. Its all about numbers.

This world runs on numbers. Most of our attention is on counting numbers--seeking to get more money, or lower that cholesterol number, or drop those pounds we gained last year, or pay off that student loan, or save for a vacation, or hope for a better job evaluation, or raise our grade average, and so on. Even in the church we find that numbers count--the size of the offerings, the number of people attending Adult classes and Divine Worship, the number of Baptisms. So, before I criticize numberolatry, please understand that I understand that we cannot get away from numbers. They are everywhere because it is one of the main ways in which we evaluate things.

Recently Matt Harrison was elected, and will assume his duties tomorrow, as President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. (Elections rely on numbers too!) His election can be accounted for by a reaction against the wrong use of numbers on the one hand and a desire to recapture a faithful confession and practice within the LCMS on the other. God grant him the grace and wisdom to be a faithful confessional pastor to us all!

The previous administration had emphasized church growth/seeker friendly theories and methodologies. A central aspect of that movement focuses on numbers--how to attract larger numbers to the church. It drives their methodologies. Thus, the Law is toned down, the Gospel muddied, the Sacraments are confused, "how to" sermons predominate, musical content is replaced by catchy praise bands. We are all familiar with the standard package designed to sell the church. The whole point is to attract crowds. But what attracts crowds becomes the means of keeping them also. What happens to content, to the message when crowds are the point?

We were told that we must change or die. (Who is the Lord of the Church anyway?) So the new methods would save us! They would lead onward and upward to new heights of glory! The call was to do something different. The liturgy holding up the Word and Sacraments was not enough. They are old hat. We've moved on. Our society doesn't relate to them. My question is this--what establishes the Church and keeps it? Is it not Christ and his Word?

I believe this perversion of the church has happened in our country because we have adopted political/business models for the church. In so doing we are trying to control things. We want a positive change in numbers. This requires power to do it our way. Centralization of authority, muting the opposition, doing whatever works to attract more people. Look at the bottom line, the numbers don't lie. Or do they?

The Church is a unique. We live in the world but are not of the world. We are to be harmless like sheep. Using brute power is not our way. We are to be wise, but not deceptive or manipulative. Our only weapon in the battle for hearts and minds is the Word of God. We are simply witnesses to the truth in word and deed. But it is God who changes hearts not our methods. The simple message of the Gospel is powerful because the Spirit of God is at work through it. Of this we can be certain even when the numbers don't seem to be there!

If we want to evaluate ourselves--which I don't think is that useful other than in confession and absolution, and in preparation for the Lord's Supper--what standard can we use? Attendance, the budget, the bank account, our facilities? Would it not be better to evaluate ourselves at the one point in which God requires it of us? "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1 Cor.4:2) We are called to be faithful to the mysteries of God. This means first of all faith in God's Word and faithfulness in our proclamation of that Word in our preaching, our teaching, our music, our practices, our personal witness. Everything should focus on getting the message right and getting it out. Each of us has a part in this through word and deed, both as congregations and individuals. And even if we have a heart to do this, we won't get it right all of the time. But God is greater than our failures. He is greater than our best attempts. He is greater than our successes! He alone is the Mighty God, the Lord, the Captain of the Host.

In the Old Testament two interesting narratives of counting heads occurred. In the book of Numbers there are two census takings, Num. 1:2-46 and Num. 26:2-62. This records all the men of fighting age by families. The story between the first and second census is the story of human failure and unfaithfulness to God. The reason for the census is to show that God means what he says. God's evaluation of this story is found at the end of the second census, "But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun." (Num. 26:64-65) Why were Joshua and Caleb allowed to survive their generation? Because they were faithful. They trusted God's promise even when it was not popular, even when they faced the threat of death (Num. 14:6-10). The second account records David's census of the people (2 Sam. 24). This is also a narrative about God's judgment upon his people. God was angry with them because of their rebellion against God's anointed king. In the pride of his heart David wanted to know how great he had become once his kingdom was restored to him. The plague that resulted was curtailed only by God's mercy. As a result of this David built an altar on the place where the plague was stopped. That threshing floor later became the site of Solomon's Temple.

Pride, rebellion, and unfaithfulness are themes of these stories. They are warnings to us that our prideful rebellion and unfaithfulness is an ever present temptation even to persons who are otherwise people "after God's own heart." We may think we can do it our way, in our strength, for our aggrandizement. If we think this we are going to die as a church. The change needed is not new methods but repentance for our sins and faith toward God. But a greater theme of these stories is God's mercy. In his mercy he gave David a kingdom and a promise. The Temple was built. Into that Temple the Son of God, David's greater Son, came to proclaim the Kingdom of heaven. Upon that mountain the Lord Jesus paid the price for our sins, including our prideful rebellion and unfaithfulness. So we have life, not death. God's promise to us is sure even when the numbers don't say so!

A Skunk at the Garden Party

2010-07-14T10:37:00.003-05:00

Positive news from the LCMS Synodical Convention—Matt Harrison has been elected as the new President of the synod. This change at the top is a reason to rejoice, not because of political power issues, but because President Elect Harrison has exhibited a firm commitment to the Holy Scriptures and to the Lutheran Confessions, has sounded a needed note of repentance, and emphasizes the Gospel message proclaimed through Word and Sacraments, which is illustrated in acts of mercy to our neighbor. God have mercy upon us to give us all repentance and a renewed dedication to the faith we have received in Christ.

As much as I rejoice in this, I have some concerns. Within the Synod there are deep divisions. At every level within the synod there are those who have embraced ideas and practices which are not in keeping with the Scriptures and the Confessions. I am concerned that they may not respond to President Elect Harrison's leadership. I am even more concerned that they may seek to undermine his call to return to our traditional theology and practice. As he has stated, his leadership will not be through coercion. If God does not grant us mercy and repentance we can expect these individuals and congregations to continue on a path that will lead them into doctrines and practices even further removed from orthodox Christianity.

Furthermore, I am concerned that the political world view is so entrenched in the synod on both sides of the issues that many will be incapable of hearing the Word of God when it rebukes our pride, our greed, our stubborn rebellion, and our hunger for control. Political thinking looks at everything pragmatically. It focuses on what promotes our agenda, our influence, our power. These things are contrary to God's purposes. We may find ourselves thinking that we are doing a service to God when in reality we are his enemies. If we continue to think that we are okay and that our agendas are God's will how can we see the need to repent?

I am truly concerned that this task is overwhelming. My only plea is that God have mercy upon us and that he strengthen our Pastor Harrison! The Lord be with your spirit!

I do not want to be a skunk at the garden party. But we need to be aware of the enormity of the task and the importance of the issues. If the LCMS is not to become part of a footnote concerning those church bodies who have turned away from the Word of God and faded into obscurity, we must all repent.

Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O LORD,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:17 (ESV)

Difficult Questions?

2010-06-30T11:42:00.006-05:00

If you are a political junky like me you know that the phrase, "That's a difficult question," is often used by politicians when they are asked questions on a hot button issue. The purpose of the phrase is multifaceted. This statement makes the person look to be thoughtful, intelligent, and informed. The statement gives the person a moment to collect thoughts without looking like he is unsure how to answer. The statement may signal that the person answering is aware that the hearers may not like his answer. It is an easing into a reply. Sometimes the statement is preparatory for a non-answer, political doublespeak, or obfuscation. This is to be expected when political leaders speak. They are often trying to hang onto polling numbers and power through the path of least resistance. That is, they speak with an eye on the weather vane of public opinion. Such courage and forthrightness! Such fearless leadership!

This kind of language also finds its way into the religious realm and seemingly for the same kinds of reasons that politicians use it. Shamefully religious leaders have adopted the political model of leadership. When the Vatican has spoken about priests abusing children their responses were often couched in carefully worded non-answers. The ELCA's recent acceptance of homosexual priests was laughably attributed to a "bound conscience" which was a shameful misquote of Luther's statement at the Diet of Worms. In defense of this absurd action the difficult question apologia was used. Emergent/Emerging leaders are artists at speaking out of both sides of their mouths. They can accept almost anything as truth except orthodox Christianity as expressed in the Scriptures and the Creeds. This mindset of avoiding clearly stated commitment to right doctrine and practice can be found almost anywhere you look in American Christianity. We are afraid to speak plainly. The cultural ethos of so-called tolerance and pc-speech effects too many Christian pastors and leaders.

The problem is a lack of the courage of our convictions. We are terrified of the accusations that we are being intolerant, narrow minded, ignorant, and bigoted. We don't want to appear to be insensitive to the feelings and opinions of others. (Perhaps we should be more concerned with the eternal destiny of others!) In the process of avoiding giving any offense we dilute our message into meaningless drivel. How sadly this contrasts with the exhortations found in God's Word to speak and testify clearly about what God says. I cite the following Biblical texts from the ESV with my own summary headings.

Speaking with authority because we speak God's Word: 1 Pet. 4:10-11 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God...."

No double talk: 2 Cor. 1:19 "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes."

A clear message: 1 Cor. 14:8-9 "And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air."

Pleasing God: 1 Th. 2:3-4 "For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts."

Most of the crucial issues we face in the public square, around the water cooler, or over the back fence are not difficult questions. Even if we don't have a Biblical answer for a particular question, we can always go find it and bring a clear answer to those with whom we interact. We have in the Bible God's truth about the issues we face and God's answer to the real need in each person's life through the sinless life and atoning death of Jesus Christ for us all. We are witnesses, not politicians. A witness bears testimony to the truth regardless of what anyone else might think. So, we speak in order to testify about Christ, not to make ourselves look good. We speak clearly and truthfully because the so-called "difficult questions" have their ultimate answer in the Cross.

Two Tiered Christianity

2010-05-28T11:22:00.007-05:00

Throughout the history of the church there have been movements that attempted to promote a two tiered view of the church. The gnostic heresies talked of those without liberating knowledge, the unenlightened, and those "in the know." Today such ideas can be seen in differentiating between believers and seekers, believers and Christ followers. The monastic movement saw a difference between those concerned with living every day lives and those who separated themselves to chastity, poverty, and obedience within the cloister. The radicals of the Reformation proposed doing away with every vestige of the medieval church. They sought to return to primitive christian practices, believer's baptism, and a holiness based in the Law of God. These ideas are around today in popular American evangelicalism. Dichotomies such as: Jesus as only Savior or Jesus as also Lord, a christian or a disciple, weak believers or mature believers, cheap grace or costly grace, carnality or Spirit baptism, etc.

I do not dismiss some of the distinctions made in the past. But have you noticed one glaring problem? The distinctions in our perceptions about ourselves and others all revolve around us and what we do. We must seek gnosis. We must be Christ followers. We must separate ourselves from the world. We must make Jesus Lord. We must go beyond being merely a christian and become a disciple. We must show that we appreciate the cost of grace by our lives of sacrifice. We must be Spirit filled and speak in tongues. Each of these distinctions, that focus on what we do in contrast to others who don't, feeds our pride. We are better than them. We are mature. They are still babies. Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 10:12 "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."

When we compare ourselves to one another of course we can find others who don't measure up to "our standard." Believe me, that many of those who don't measure up are aware. We don't let them forget. Some of them will eventually become despondent. They will walk away from the church. We will have committed a grave sin of pushing sinners away from God. You think this is unreasonable and overstated. I am one of those who could have walked away. I knew many who did. The common factor was the bait and switch move from the Gospel to the Law. Sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus changes to our own efforts to keep a self imposed list of rules, even rules based soundly in Scripture, in order to be all we can be. Those who think they have attained some measure of success in doing so feel good about themselves and their attainments.

After all a disciple, so the argument goes, is self-disciplined. Get with it! Just try harder. Develop good habits. Get off your lazy butt and do what God commands. However, the transfer of discipline, and hence self-discipline, from the term disciple is illegitimate. It is based in English not Greek. In Greek the term disciple, mathetes, at its most basic meaning is "a learner, a pupil." One could say that for a christian the focus should be on the One teaching us through his Word. Who talks about or remembers a great teacher's pupil? The focus is on the Teacher!

In the Bible there is no distinction between a christian and a disciple. In The Gospels the term disciple, mathetes, is almost exclusively used of the twelve. The Gospels do not present a flattering picture of the twelve. They look and act a lot like us with their jealousy, pride, selfishness, and even unbelief. In Acts the term expands to include all believers. In Acts 11:26 the term christianos is equivalent to mathetes, "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." Paul, the apostle who was certainly a disciple, called himself the chief of sinners (in the present tense not past tense, 1 Tim. 1:15). He showed the struggle he had against a contrary law in his members at conflict with what he wanted and should do (Rom. 7:23). I can understand Paul's struggle. The longer I have been a christian the less holy I feel. I see so much more about me that doesn't measure up to God's absolute standard. Perhaps the problem with two tiered christianity is simply that we think in the wrong terms. We are measuring ourselves by the wrong standard. We pick a standard that we can achieve either by actually doing it or by fudging a bit and excusing ourselves from perfection. In our pride we deceive ourselves that we actually do what God expects! But if we measured ourselves against perfection which of us could claim any level of attainment? "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

Luther taught that the christian life is a life of repentance. When we truly measure ourselves by God's standard we can fully understand why he said this. In fact, we don't know the half of it. I am sure that I don't always recognize when I fall short of God's standard. This is especially true when it concerns doing good works. In my opinion we need forgiveness as much for our good works as we do for our sins! I need forgiveness for this blog and for my last sermon! Perhaps we should say that even our best works are tainted and corrupted by sin. Good news! Christ didn't just die for our sins. He lived for us. In Heb. 5:8 it says, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." The term "learned" in Greek is manthano. Guess what term it is closely related to? Your right, the term is a cognate (very closely related term) of the term disciple, mathetes. Christ's perfect obedience before God is the perfection of what we call discipleship! Though I could never be the perfect disciple, Jesus was, for me! So, even though we try hard, we fail to be what God wants us to be. Thank God Jesus served God without sin for us. Therefore God forgives my imperfect obedience in Christ.

Then why do any good works? Why go to church, why study the Bible, why do good deeds for others? We go to church and study the Bible to learn from Christ and receive his gifts. We do good deeds for our neighbor in order to bear testimony of our gracious Lord. In all of this as christians, as disciples, we live in God's forgiveness for all of our sins, even those that are called good works. We all live in the same forgiveness as sinners saved by grace alone!

Are we becoming a three ring circus? The Abuse of the Call in Missouri.

2009-12-09T08:32:00.005-06:00

[Issues, Etc. Blog of the Week 12/11/2009]

The Augsburg Confession teaches: "Concerning church government it is taught that no one should publicly teach, preach, or administer the sacraments without a proper [public] call." [Augsburg Confession, Articles of Faith, XIV. Concerning Church Government] (Kolb, R., Wengert, T. J., & Arand, C. P. (2000). The Book of Concord : The confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.] Note that this article is undisputed. It is the norm accepted by the whole church at the time of the Reformation!

Since becoming a Lutheran I have been concerned about an ongoing constellation of problems concerning the office of the ministry in the Missouri Synod. I cannot deal with all of them here. I want to briefly describe some things I have personally observed concerning what I will name as the "Abuse of the Call."

One note before describing the problem is that these abuses have become so common and in some cases so long standing that long time LCMS folks may not give them much thought. I hope that this will stir you up to revisit the Lutheran Confessions and other books concerning the Office of the Ministry (by such men as Chemnitz and Walther).

The first ring of abuse, and the highest in the hierarchy of the church, is at the level of District Presidents. Two main areas have been noted. I review them here.
1) Removal of men from their calls without proper reason and process (Todd Wilken, Martin Noland, et al.) -or- allowing a congregation to do so. This is often followed by activity noted below.
2) Hindering confessional men from receiving a call through active and passive acts, i.e. acts of commission or omission. Actively blocking the call process through various bureaucratic means, providing unwarranted negative input about a man (perhaps in violation of the 8th commandment), unilaterally taking names off of a congregation's call list, refusing to pass a name on to another district. Passively doing nothing to help a man, not following up in necessary steps to help a man to receive a call -or- "not so benign" neglect.

Note that this kind of abuse is despite the fact that DPs have no constitutional or confessional authority to hinder or abuse the call process. The Power of the Keys, and thus the power to call belongs to the Church and by extension and in practice to the local congregation!

The second ring of abuse is when churches do not take seriously their responsibility/authority to properly call a man.
1) This often happens due to ignorance or lack of understanding concerning the Power of the Keys and the authority to call a qualified man. This often exhibits itself by churches allowing a DP to usurp the congregation's responsibility/authority. Nature abhors a vacuum.
2) Another reason is due to lack of finances. There are many (small) churches that have severe financial issues. "Pay scale guidelines" can serve as a further obstacle to calling a man. However, so called "tent maker" options could be explored (i.e. a man has a part time job and serves the congregation). Many men are willing to serve for less than pay scale guideline levels. Willingness to share a man with other small congregations might work in such cases. A local congregation might need to re-examine its priorities. They may have more resources than they think. Churches must take the initiative to explore their options.
3) The most disturbing problem is due to convenience/lack of commitment. Some churches are more than willing to allow a "fill-in" pulpit supply situation to be the regular, ongoing situation. I won't discuss the problems with many ad hoc or fill-in pulpit supply situations here. The issue is congregations that for various reasons do not regularize their public ministry through a proper call. This neglect of their congregational responsibility/authority is a serious problem. In the Saint Louis area, as in any seminary/graduate school town, such ad hoc arrangements are common. However, is this truly what the confessors taught in AC XIV?

The third ring is by servants of the Word themselves:
1) The most common is politicking for a call. We have all seen the process abused when men use personal influence to get a call. Walther considered this to be illegitimate (cf. Walther's Pastoral Theology).
2) Another abuse is contributing to the degradation of the office of the public ministry by participating in invalid or illegitimate situations. I have come to the conclusion that in doing so many servants of the Word have unintentionally contributed to the problem. Too often many "logical" reasons are given for such ad hoc arrangements--but how many are truly emergencies? Once again does AC XIV allow for such ad hoc arrangements? And even if a theological argument can be made for such arrangements is the situation presently such that faithfulness to the Lutheran Confessions requires a strict adherence to the doctrine in order to restore proper order?

Finally, the issue at stake is not merely organizational. The real issue is the proclamation of the Gospel and confidence that the man in the pulpit is speaking for God, that the man at the altar is forgiving sins by the authority of Christ through Word and Sacraments. With such treasures given to the Church by our Lord why would we settle for uncertainty, confusion, and lack of proper order?

The Citadel (a cautionary tale)

2009-03-23T15:26:00.006-05:00

The smoke and dust rose in an ever increasing pillar. Our beloved city was gone. In a moment of time it was no more. We stood together, in a small cluster, on the hillside, weeping and singing our laments. "Oh, Citadel, fairest of cities, beautiful sanctuary, our home in this new land. Gone! Gone! Nothing remains. Gone!"

We had come to the new land years ago. We were seeking a sanctuary, a place of freedom, a place to worship God in Spirit and truth. The road was long and difficult. Across the sea, down the rivers, to the west, toward the setting of the sun. For centuries we had been a people sojourning first here then there. Ever gong on, ever westward. We longed for a settled life, a place of security.

When we arrived at the valley we beheld the fertile lands, the merging of two great rivers, the rich forests. This was a place to settle, to build, to grow, to prosper. There was no king, no emperor, no supreme pontiff. We would be governed by the sacred scriptures, by the faith of our fathers that is found in them. In our new homeland we would trust in our God and serve our neighbor. Each man would contribute to the whole. Each week we would join together to hear God's truth and receive his gracious gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Then we would go out into the land and live in faith toward God and in love toward one another.

This was our hope. It was the plan. But the plans of sinful men often go astray. Even at the beginning we encountered problems. Some of our group wanted to adapt our ways to the ways of the people of the land. They did not think it wise to be different, to stand out. "We must make them trust us, to feel comfortable with us." Others would claim, "They will be more likely to join us in our faith if we put away the old dusty ceremonies and non essential dogmas of the past."

So, we split into two factions. One was always changing. Always trying out new ideas from the people of the land. In short order they no longer taught the faith as our fathers passed it on. Their doctrines changed. They held ceremonies that resembled the ceremonies of other faiths. They thought us foolish for hanging on to the old ways. "You cannot keep your grandfather's ways forever!"

We thought them foolish and unfaithful to our faith for abandoning the ancient ways. How could one claim to be a follower of the faith when throwing away its teachings and changing the very ceremonies that helped to teach its truth and give its blessings?

Many of our people did not understand the fuss. "Why are your two groups always fighting? Can't we all get along?" An uneasy truce was reached. Both sides gathered with their own. Both looked with suspicion on the other. Both became certain that they were right.

Each side occasionally tried to exert control over the other. Neither succeeded until the last days of the Citadel. A man arose who used political power and rhetoric to fool those in the middle who just wanted to get along with everyone. His conciliatory words and his promises of better days caused them to give him support. "After all," they claimed, "if we agree on a few basic things it is enough." He was elected the First Servant. As First (as he liked to be called) he packed his Council with friends and fellow "new way" believers. Through executive privilege and through sweeping changes in the rules he forced the people to accept his ideas.

Those of us who thought the First to be teaching errors and leading the people in the wrong direction began to talk about leaving. It would be hard to leave behind our friends on the other side. But our people had left other places before. We had survived. We could do so again. Most of our group thought we should wait. "Maybe things will change. It will be alright if we just have patience." The few who saw the danger ahead reminded the others of the problems in the old land. "The First has taken on powers that are not in keeping with the scriptures and our father's faith. He is not acting like a servant, but like a dictator!"

At this time cracks in the Citadel walls began to appear. The builder's guild began to search the chambers below the Citadel to discover the problem. After surveying the storage rooms near the foundations of the walls they came back with distressing news. Their report said, "Years of neglect and certain unwise practices have created a dangerous situation. Some of the foundation bedrock has been weakened by cutting into them to expand the archives. The old theology books and histories of the people were placed in these rooms by the First to make room for the new library in the Council chambers. We had to move aside stacks of books and records to find this problem. Our recommendation is that the rooms be cleared out so new buttresses might be constructed to strengthen the walls. Remember the builder's maxim, when the foundations are weakened, the walls cannot stand." The report was not made public. The First demanded that the builder's guild swear an oath of secrecy. "We do not want to alarm the people with this news until we assign a task force to look into these opinions."

We got a copy of it. The next day it was published in the Daily. The uproar was amazing. That night the First addressed the people in the plaza. "This report in the Daily is not true. There is no danger. We will assign a blue ribbon task force to look into these allegations. But, I speak with every confidence that we are entirely safe. Please return to your homes and live your lives with the knowledge that your First is always vigilant and concerned about your welfare." That night we made plans to leave the Citadel.

On the last day our small group gathered by the west gate with our carts loaded with our few most prized possessions. As the first rays of dawn lightened the eastern sky and the first birds began to sing, the gates creaked open. The gatekeeper looked at us and remarked, "Headed west then? Wher'ya goin'?" We handed him a copy of the Daily and left the Citadel. As we reached the top of the hill the ground began to shake. A loud crack boomed across the valley. We all turned to look. In stunned silence we saw the walls begin to fall inward and disappear in a cloud of dust and smoke. The entire city was gone. When the foundations are weakened, the walls cannot stand.

"Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle to no avail."

2009-02-07T12:12:00.005-06:00

[Issues, Etc. Blog of the Week 2/13/2009]

"Invincible stupidity"—What a great summarization of the shenanigans at LCMS, Inc. in regard to the entire Issues, Etc. debacle. In a recent broadcast Todd and Jeff briefly mentioned the ongoing silliness perpetuated by the Purple Vatican as they try to silence the voice of Confessional Lutherans within the LCMS. After Issues, Etc. (hereafter simply IE) was canceled, the Purple Vatican (hereafter PV—Purple Vatican) probably thought that IE would simply wither away. The explosion of support for IE and the response of their listeners was not expected. The voice they sought to silence is now speaking even more pointedly to the issues of the day. By means of their "Christ Centered and Cross Focused" broadcasting and web-casting, IE exposes the false and fruitless fads in the church. The fact that the PV has clearly signed on for the faddish approach to "doing church" is not the fault of those who speak the truth.

Without the PV restrictions Todd and Jeff are free to do shows on any topic that needs to be addressed. This unbridled freedom to speak must be galling to those in the PV who have an agenda to silence all opposition to their plans. But what kind of personal animus would motivate the PV crowd to perpetuate the controversy? Evidently the attempt to trademark the IE "brand-name" is being opposed by the PV. They oppose IE's desire to keep their name! This for a show that the PV did not support and did not want. But this is not enough for the corporate lawyers and bureaucrats. They have threatened Todd and Jeff with personal legal action. Why would they waste their time and effort on this nonsense?

The problem with the PV is that it is run by people who have no grasp on reality and no desire to act as Christians. Think for a moment about the way they are acting. They are suing to stop IE from using their name. They are threatening Todd and Jeff with personal lawsuits. This is not an attempt to further the preaching of the truth. This is a calculated and evil desire to silence those with whom they disagree. It is another attempt to use power for ungodly purposes. On top of this one must wonder why they would waste the time and money on such legal battles when the PV finances are in such a mess?

Invincible stupidity is an apt appellation for this behavior. Sadly, one can almost expect it from that crowd. A playwright wrote, "Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens." Die Jungfrau von Orleans; Friedrich von Schiller. "Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle to no avail."

Flip Wilson for Synod President

2008-12-06T13:10:00.004-06:00

I know you think this is a crazy idea—Flip Wilson, the comedian, who passed away ten years ago for Synod President? Are you kidding? Well, yes I am, in part. Some of you may not even know who Flip Wilson was. Flip Wilson portrayed humorous characters. The most famous was perhaps Geraldine the flirty black woman, "What you see is what you get!" Fewer people outside of Flip's fans will remember that he also portrayed Reverend Leroy, a smooth talking con–artist, "The devil made me say that!" Rev. Leroy was pastor of a storefront congregation, The Church of What's Happening Now. "We don't care 'bout what went on yesterday. We don't care 'bout what's going to happen tomorrow. We're talkin' about what's happening right now!"

The skill of Flip Wilson's comedy was the way in which he captured the odd aspects of life in America. The Church of What's Happening Now truly represents the silliness that has happened in much of American religious experience. American "evangelical" churches of every stripe have largely forgotten where the church came from. They have forgotten the two millennia of church history. They have forgotten the universal character of orthodox Christian doctrine as confessed in the Three Ecumenical Creeds. They have forgotten what truly made them evangelical—the Evangel, the Gospel. Even once confessional churches are showing signs of erosion.

Few average American Christians realize how narrow our understanding of the church has become in America. For instance the "altar call" is such a common part of certain segments of the church that they think it was practiced by the apostles. How many recognize that it entered into the American religious scene through a heretical theologian Charles Finney? This kind of "altar call" mentality has forgotten that the church gathers around an altar where we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. The true altar call isn't making a decision for Christ at a mourners bench. It is receiving Christ's gifts given "for you" at the altar of the Lord's Supper.

Another related aspect of the American religious scene is the emotional emphasis of much of the church. Manipulative music, group–psychologically driven experiences, pseudo signs and wonders are common fare. Witness the fiasco of Todd Bentley and the phony Florida revival. He is not the first such shameful con–artist to claim divine sanction. He will not be the last. But we love our charlatans in America as long as they stir us up.

Now the emotional mindset in American religious experience is branching out into meditative techniques, some of which are not even Christian. If incense floats your boat—burn it. Do you like chanting—do it. Lectio divina—empty your mind, don't worry about content, just experience it. Whatever gives you an emotional high is the current "drug" of choice. The only reason to consider the past is to survey the religious smorgasbord of experiences and techniques in order to fill your plate with whatever suits your taste. Pick and choose. You are in control! No norma normans of Scripture. No universal truth of the creeds. To play on the final words of the poem Invictus—I am the master of my faith, I am the captain of my soul. We are a self–centered and selfish church! The odd thing is that much of this is considered new and ground breaking. It isn't. Most of what passes for relevant is really passé. Most of what is ground breaking is simply digging up the garbage of previous heresies.

Because—"We don't care 'bout what went on yesterday"—we are doomed to repeat its mistakes and forget its truths. This focus on the present experience, the pop–culture, the latest fad, our personal "felt needs" while ignoring the past and not caring about the future makes us short-sighted in the extreme. Western culture can be characterized as short-sighted. We want immediate results, instant gratification—"We're talkin' about what's happening right now!" Demonstrate increases in attendance regardless if the pews are filled with people who haven't the foggiest idea of the Christian faith. Preach sermons with catchy, faddish topics. Forget that old tired message of the Cross, of sins forgiven, of life everlasting. We want what we want and we want it now! Don't bore us with something we've heard before. Entertain us! Tickle our ears! Scratch that itch!

Ten years from now the fad will move on. What's happening now will change. Ten years from now those mega–churches will have moved further away from God's Word. They will no longer resemble the relevant churches of today. They will move on and in the process cease to have any connection with the church universal. Like Reverend Leroy's church, few will remember them any more. But the true church goes on in the truth of God's Word. The Church abides because it is built on the Rock!

Frog Soup

2008-11-24T15:02:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving is fast upon us. About seventy-two hours from now the smell of turkey, dressing, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie will begin to fill homes all over America. Thanksgiving is a peculiarly American holiday. It is not technically part of the traditional church calendar, but most churches have a service of thanksgiving of some sort. It is one of the many ways that the church has accommodated itself to the culture of our nation. And rightly so in this instance. There is nothing wrong with giving God thanks for his many gifts to us.

Not all accommodations are so harmless. Some have serious consequences. For instance, a trendy pastor recently gave out a seven day sex challenge. He wants his married parishoners to have sex for seven days. This trivialization of the church's raison d'être is characteristic of a certain kind of pastor and church in America. In an frenzied effort to become relevant he elevates sex to something akin to a sacrament in which God works in a special way. His sermon was laced with sexual innuendo, not so clever word play, and just plain silly assertions. In our over-sexed society in which sexual sins are so prevalent could this pastor be throwing obstacles in the path of recovering sex addicts. How about single members of his church? They are left out all together. Teens struggling with temptation are not helped to overcome their lust. On top of all the sex talk, very little Scripture was used by this pastor. (My understanding is that this is typical of his church.) Christ and forgiveness, life, and salvation were not the message given to the people.

I wrote in another place the following:

"This Dallas pastor is trivializing the purpose of the church. Can you imagine the Israelites doing this before the altar of a temple? Oh—that's right, they did. When Ba'al worship was mixed with Yahwism they did have sex as part of their worship. You connect the dots!

God gives us many good gifts (1st article gifts) but not all of them have a place in the divine service apart from our regular giving of thanks for them. Will we need to have a seven day food challenge next? How about a seven day wine challenge? Or a seven day shopping spree? These kind of emphases puts the gifts, not the Giver front and center. Is this part of worshiping and serving the creation and not the Creator?"

This kind of neglect of the Scripture, treating the Gospel of Christ and his saving work as if it were a boring old cliché, stealing the focus from God and his gracious work for us to place the spotlight on ourselves is characteristic of much of the evangelical "church" today. The worship service has become a sex workshop, a self-help pop-psychology group, a seminar on financial freedom. The Divine Service in such churches is no longer divine. God could be left out altogether and the message would not change that much. Substitute any other motivational idea for God and you would probably find the same seven steps to success.

We have become so comfortable with our culture's ideas, methods, goals, and standards that we are no longer salt and light. In an effort to make the world welcome among us we have become like the world. This hasn't happened overnight. It has been going on for a very long time indeed. We are like the proverbial frog in a pot of water. The temperature has been slowly raised to the boiling point. What you get when the church accommodates itself to the world is frog soup!

The Truth About Barak Obama (Part Two of Two, continued)

2008-11-03T00:53:00.001-06:00

The following article was written by a Baptist pastor in New Jersey. As an African–American he says some very sobering things about abortion and moral issues in the Black Community that all citizens and all Christians in the USA should take to heart. I am providing the text of this article in full (in two installments) because of its importance at this time.

"The Complete Story on Barak Obama"
by Rev. Clenard H. Childress Jr.

African Americans make up 12% of the population, but account for over 50% of all new cases of HIV. African American women account for a staggering 68% of all newly diagnosed HIV positive women in the United States. These women primarily contracted HIV from heterosexual sex. Now, with that said, 60% of all new aids cases in America will be the result of the violation of Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:27 (men having sex with men).

Martin Luther King, Jr., who never marched one step for “Gay Rights,” said, “The contemporary church is often a weak ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is often the arch-supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power of the average community is consoled by the churches silent and often vocal sanctions of things as they are.”

No greater tune of uncertainty was ever played so loudly and with more confusion then the opening number sung by Rick Warren at The Saddlebrack Church. Yes, entering stage right is the Author of one of the best selling Christian books of our time. “The Purpose Driven Life”

Pastor Warren, which I want to believe with good intentions, invited Senator Obama to speak at the “Global Summit On Aids And The Church”

Despite every sociological indicator and warnings from the medical profession, Senator Obama still endorses and is an advocate for same-sex marriage. Same- sex marriage gives sanctity to a union that promotes the practice that accounts for 60% of Aids cases which is ravaging the African-American community. What message has Rick Warren sent to the millions that have read his book on “purpose”? Why did he accept this role in this Howard Dean production? Obama’s antithetical stand on the issues that are decimating the Afro-American community and the nation at large should have disqualified him from presenting at this event. It would be like Planned Parent Hood inviting me to speak at their next rally.

Can you imagine how fearful they would be at what I might say? It is amazing to me that it didn’t make Rick Warren and his staff concerned about what Senator Obama might utter across the sacred desk. This is a subliminal endorsement of a man who presently advocates the slaughter of innocent babies and the destructive gay agenda. Does this not diminish the Churches responsibility to remain true to the teaching of the word of God? Hasn’t this weaken the position of those actively working to stop the killing of infants?

In a statement made to the Philadelphia Inquirer Pastor Warren said, “One of my goals is to take evangelicals back a century, the 19th century said Warren. That was a time of muscular Christianity that cared about every aspect of life. Not just personal salvation but social action, abolishing slavery, ending child labor and winning the right for women to vote. It’s time for modern evangelicals to trade words for deeds and get similarly involved. “

A few things jump up at me here when I read this article, things like every aspect of life! Trade words for deeds sounds so moving! His reference to slavery and child labor laws should touch the heart of every Christian. Why? A nation is judged by how it treats it’s weakest and most venerable.

Now as I see it we definitely need to prioritize things just a little. At the end of this year 20,000 people will die of aids and more than half of them will be Black. Ok that’s about 10,000 Afro-Americans. 1.2 million will die from abortion. 36% of them will be African American. That’s nearly 500,000 Afro-Americans. After doing the math it is quite apparent we need to address this devastating scourge that is affecting every aspect of life. We need a significant deed! Pastor Warren I know just what we need. “A Global Summit on Abortion and The Church” With 150,000 babies murdered each day in the world, yes 150,000; surely the church should convene and caucus. The 19th century anointing is well over due and I believe with all my heart that anointing would cause the Church to be a clear clarion voice that Martin Luther King referred to that put an end to infanticide. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever!

I in no way want to minimize the horrendous effects of slavery, child labor and denying women to vote but in comparison to the decimation of our community by abortion they are mild at best.

Christianity Today.com gave this report recently from the autobiography of Billy Graham.

In the heat of segregation and racial injustice, when racial tensions were peaking, Evangelist Billy Graham invited Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King

To discuss the racial situation with him and his colleagues. Then before a capacity crowd at Madison Square Garden he called Martin Luther King to the platform and to lead the congregation in prayer. In his introduction he said, “a great social revolution is going on in the United States today.

Dr. King is one of its leaders and we appreciate his taking time out of his busy schedule to come and share this service with us tonight.” The words did not explicitly endorse King and King’s prayer called for nothing more revolutionary than a “brotherhood that transcends color” but the implication was unmistakable: Graham was letting both whites and Blacks know that he was willing to be identified with the revolution and its foremost leader, and King was telling Blacks that Graham was their ally. Billy Graham’s voice was important in declaring that Christian racist was an oxymoron.

When Graham invited King it was to set the captives free and identify with the segment of society that was denied the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It was to ensure the civil rights of others.

What was the implication of Pastor Warrens calculated embrace of Senator Obama to the thousands in attendance?

It implies that over 45, million babies killed by abortion are not relevant. It implies that the definition of marriage between one man and one woman is not important. It means the church can remain with a deaf ear to the cry of innocent blood coming from our ground to God’s ear.

Like Senator Obama, I would also like to refer to the Sermon on the Mount in Mathew 5-13. We are to be the purging agents God declares that we may avoid consequences for being less, “Ye are the salt of the earth if the salt has lost his savour, wherewith Shall it be salted? It is henceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under the foot of man.”

Church, where are you?

You have heard my review of this masterful political production concerning Sen. Obama and a few of his cast. There is undoubtedly more to come.

Suffice it to say, the prospect of Sen. Barack Obama becoming President of the United States poses a real threat to African Americans.

Cathy Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, conducted a survey tracking the attitudes of nearly 1,600 young people of all races nationwide. The professor did one of the most comprehensive studies with the focus on African Americans 15-25 ever performed.

The survey shows that young African-Americans are more conservative than their white counterparts when it is comes to same-sex marriage and abortion. There has been consistent data that shows African-Americans are pro-life and oppose same-sex marriage. An Obama presidency would certainly not reflect Afro-American youth or the nation he’d be leading. In fact, his position on these issues would be ensuring their present destructive trend.

Black Enterprise magazine did a survey in which 58% of its participants viewed the NAACP’s pro-choice stance as wrong. As a role model, Barack Obama would be stirring the cauldron of confusion and mixed emotion. Many people would be happy for his success, because he is black, but vexed by his immoral position on the critical issues.

Obama’s use of the presidential bully pulpit would be a boost for the culture of death and the homosexual agenda.

As President, there would also always be the threat of a veto of any significant pro-life or pro-family legislation. Additionally, Obama would undoubtedly nominate pro-abortion justices to the US Supreme Court, which could etch Roe v. Wade into stone for generations.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Any success achieved at the expense of our children is no success.” I and many other African-Americans long to see the day of an African-American President, but not at the expense of our children and our values.

Remember, all significant social change which empowered and eradicated injustice has come from the Church not congress, from Pastors not the president. Politicians often join in the cause later, but social reform always starts in the Church. To keep this better in mind I will close with another quote from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter from a Birmingham Jail:

There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period when the early Christians rejoiced as they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.

God help us to be a thermostat.

-------------------------------
Rev. Clenard H. Childress Jr. is the Senior Pastor of New Calvary Baptist Church in Montclair, NJ. He hosts “The Urban Prophet” which takes the pro-life, pro-family message into the urban areas. Rev. Childress is the author of “No Shepherd’s Cry.”

From— http://www.theurbanprophet.org/obamanation.htm

Obama and the Born Alive Infants Protection Act

2008-11-03T00:38:00.005-06:00

Watch this YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypDwNpgIUQc

And note these two political cartoons:

The Truth About Barak Obama (Part One of Two Parts)

2008-11-02T16:24:00.001-06:00

The following article was written by a Baptist pastor in New Jersey. As an African–American he says some very sobering things about abortion and moral issues in the Black Community that all citizens and all Christians in the USA should take to heart. I am providing the text of this article in full (in two installments) because of its importance at this time.

"The Complete Story on Barak Obama"
by Rev. Clenard H. Childress Jr.

The Democratic Party has for years given lip service to the African-American community. They have talked about prominence without fulfilling the promise. They patronize without empowering. Worst of all, this unholy bond has done more to decimate and deplete our community than slavery and Jim Crow laws ever could have accomplished. This allegiance has destroyed millions of our children; children created but denied access to the American dream, children aborted.

The Democrat Party has been a major contributor to the African American slippery slide down the slope of depravity. It has caused our community to deny the God of our Fathers and ignore the counsel of His Word. This Word brought us up and out of Egypt. This Word broke the chains of a terrible bondage and established us in the path of upward mobility and prosperity.

Our loyalty to this political regime has vexed our leaders and organizations. Institutions that were birthed to advance the causes of Afro-Americans, now in their ignorance, lobby for our decline. NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus, Rainbow Coalition, Urban League, the list goes on and on. All of these were once heralded groups with a noble past and great historic accomplishment. Today, they are stymied by this ungodly tie. Rev. Jessie Jackson, AL Sharpton, Julian Bond, Joseph Lowery are all allied in party and, in the process, have lost their souls. What happened to the God of Dr. Martin Luther King?

Despite this deplorable behavior of our perceived leadership, the winds of change have begun to blow. Pastors and leaders in the Black community have begun to remember their roots and realize they are chained to mediocrity and complacency. There has been a consistent flow of Afro-Americans making their way back to freedom. This has sent shock waves through the present Democrat leadership. While we are yet somewhat in a vacuum of solid Afro-American leadership with true integrity (there are many on the horizon not yet recognized), we are once again being wooed by the oppressor’s ploys to stay on the plantation. Staying where there is little reward and where our lives and votes are taken for granted. Once again it is someone of our own ethnicity, our own race being used. The Democrats have deployed a new pied piper in a desperate attempt to preserve their self serving party.

New face, same tune. The song being played is from the movie “The Culture of Death.” The goal is to fill the seats with Afro-Americans in the theater of apostasy. Why? Because if the current trend continues the Democrat party could soon be performing in their final act.

Enter Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill), who is truly turning out to be one of the greatest performers of all times. Obama’s biggest act is that he calls himself a Christian.

Howard Dean, Chair of the Democrat National Committee, scripted most of the scenes in this production starring Obama. Dean outlined an approach that will emphasize outreach to evangelicals. He said, “People of faith are in the Democratic Party including me.” (Now if you believe that, I own a cute bridge in Brooklyn still available at a great price!)

Listen to this line. Obama stated, “As I travel around this state, I don’t get asked about gay marriage, I don’t get asked about abortion, I get asked ‘How can I find a job that allows me to support my family?’ I get asked, ‘How can I pay those medical bills without going into bankruptcy.’” (Taken from a reply to questions asked during the Ill. Senate campaign)

As an African-American male and a Pastor of a Baptist Church, I am deeply troubled, but not surprised at the Senator’s remarks. One would only have to look at Obama’s consistent support and advocacy for the gay agenda and the abortion industry to understand. As a longtime activist for children in the womb (the most discriminated against segment of our society) and proponent for family values, I am horrified at this man’s voting record. Anytime Planned Parenthood gives you a 100% rating, all Americans should cringe in fear because they are the leading abortion provider in the nation.

Each day, 1452 African Americans are murdered by abortion. 4,000 children over all.

There have been over 15 million African American children dismembered in the womb by the abortion holocaust and as many women victimized.

As an elected official, should anyone have to ask you about abortion to make it your concern?

Marriage, since the 1970s, is down 17% in America and in the African Community it’s down 34%, which is twice the national average.

Should Barack Obama again have to wait until someone asks him about the fundamental building block of all society? Shouldn’t he protect the sanctity of marriage? The truth is, someone has asked and how he has answered the question was abysmal.

The question was asked of Obama, should the heinous act of partial birth abortion be outlawed in America? Twice Senator Obama answered no! When he was asked if a child, who might miraculously survive the sentence of death by abortion, be protected from an abortion doctor after surviving? Senator Obama said no! (See Born Alive Victims Protection Law.) Has he no conscience? Is he misinformed on the facts of these barbaric practices? His response to these questions is not indicative of the Black community’s beliefs, and certainly shows a low degree of conscience and moral fiber.

These six things the lord hates, yea seven are an abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood. (Proverbs 6:17)

There is no candidate running for the office of the presidency with a worse record than Sen. Barack Obama. His hands have aided and abetted the abortion industry’s slaughter of the innocent and no other community is affected by it more than the African American community. It’s an industry that targets Afro-Americans for profit at the expense of our children’s lives and the pain of Black women.

This charade has been quite a production. It is now playing and coming to a theater near you!

Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in his letter from a Birmingham jail, “The early church put an end to such evils as infanticide (infant killing).”

From a jail in Birmingham, AL, without any other source of reference but his heart and the Bible, Martin wrote to some Bishops and Pastors who were not in favor of the demonstrations he was leading. They felt that it was counter productive and not in the best interest of the Negro people. Martin Luther King, Jr. felt quite differently, he chided church leaders for their reluctance to join him in the struggle for freedom. King’s reference to infanticide pointed to the legality of infant killing under Roman law in the first century. Martin Luther King, Jr. pointed to the practice of Christians to rescue babies left on the side of the road to die, because their parents did not like their complexion, eye color, hair color or viewed the child as an inconvenience (sound familiar?) First century Christians rescued those babies and raised them as their own children.

The early Church defied unjust laws even when the consequences could have meant their own death for doing so. Oh, if that kind of love and courage could be demonstrated today by our leadership, it would begin to heal our land.

Sen. Obama has written, “I am not willing to have the state deny American citizens a civil union that confers equivalent rights on such basic matters as hospital visitation or health insurance coverage simply because the people they love are of the same sex – nor am I willing to accept a reading of the Bible that considers an obscure line in Romans to be more defining of Christianity than the sermon on the mount.”

Sen. Obama, did you say obscure? That would tend to lead unlearned listeners to believe that the Bible is vague or obscure on the subject of homosexuality.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Nearly half of the 32 verses in the first chapter of the New Testament book of Romans were dedicated to warning the early church about sexual perversion. The Apostle Paul warned that perverse thinking and the habits they create were due to the fact that “they did not want to retain God in their knowledge.” That verse truly reflects much of the cast in the Democrat Party.

I would like to ask Sen. Obama the question, “How obscure is this verse?”

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with woman kind: it is an abomination.

That sounds pretty definitive to me.

It would appear to me that Sen. Obama as well as many others shun and ignore the obvious and cloak the true causes of our problems.

(part two continued tomorrow)

I'm Voting for the Children

2008-11-01T12:38:00.003-05:00

The beginning and conclusion of the article below is provided here to give you an idea of the author's point of view. People often accuse pro-life voters of being single issue voters. The intention of our pro-murder critics is to dismiss us as irrelevant because we are so myopic, irrational, narrow minded, and extreme. Keep in mind the issue that we are speaking about is the extermination of 50 million or more infants since 1973. To dismiss pro-life voters as irrelevant is to think of 50 million lives as expendable, unimportant. The moral bankruptcy of this is so apparent that I find it astounding we still need to say this!

==========

"Commentary: I'm Not Voting for a Man, I'm Voting for Generations of Children and Their Right to Live" by Randy Alcorn, guest columnist

As a Christian, should we vote for who we think should lead our country solely based on their stance on abortion?

The Bible is emphatically clear on when human life begins. On the same issue, science is equally clear.

Every Christian should take these teachings seriously. Is the unborn an innocent human being? If you claim to be pro-life, then your answer is yes. Is abortion the shedding of innocent blood, the taking of human life created in the image of God? If you say you are pro-life, your answer must be yes.

So, is the candidate’s stand on the issue of shedding innocent blood important enough to disqualify him as a candidate? Yes. While a single issue can’t qualify a candidate, it can disqualify him. In my opinion, this issue clearly disqualifies Barack Obama.

(Much of this article has been edited out of this post due to its length.)

But PLEASE don't just mindlessly say "I'm pro-life" then contradict that statement by saying you are supporting a candidate for president who is utterly committed to not only maintain legalized abortion through policy and appointment of judges, but who also HAS PROMISED to try to reverse pro-life state legislation passed in the last 30 years.

The full text of this good article on Abortion and the election is found at:
http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000008537.cfm

Abortion is Genocide—Especially in the Black Community

2008-10-31T15:43:00.006-05:00

Barak Obama is considered to be one of the most pro-murder candidates to ever run for office. Strangely, the very community which looks to him with such admiration, is the same community decimated three times over by the kind of abortion policies he is so radical in advocating. The statistics below are stark evidence of a modern day genocide of a minority community in our land.

[Statistics below from—http://www.blackgenocide.org/black.html]

Minority women constitute only about 13% of the female population (age 15-44) in the United States, but they underwent approximately 36% of the abortions.

According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, black women are more than 5 times as likely as white women to have an abortion

On average, 1,876 black babies are aborted every day in the United States.

This incidence of abortion has resulted in a tremendous loss of life. It has been estimated that since 1973 Black women have had about 16 million abortions. Michael Novak had calculated "Since the number of current living Blacks (in the U.S.) is 36 million, the missing 16 million represents an enormous loss, for without abortion, America's Black community would now number 52 million persons. It would be 36 percent larger than it is. Abortion has swept through the Black community like a scythe, cutting down every fourth member."

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On a personal note— Today a wonderful Christian layman at our church, who was the father of nine, beautiful, Christian children, was buried. Each Sunday as his family filed into the Divine Service, filling an entire pew, I used to think how blessed he was to have such a wonderful family. Several of his kids are prodigies with a variety of musical instruments. They often played music during special feast days at church.

He exemplified all that is best about being a Christian father. He and his wife loved children. Each new life was God's blessing to them including one of their sons that is a special needs child. What a contrast this Christian family is in comparison to the selfishness of so many in our society who see a child as an inconvenience or a burden. May God strengthen Larry's wife and family with a continued devotion to Christ and to one another! We will all miss him. Our prayers are with his dear wife and the kids as they go through the grieving process.

Abortion is Genocide Redux

2008-10-30T08:38:00.004-05:00

It is time to speak up, to vote, to be active protecting the unborn. If we do not speak up for the least among us, someday we may find no one to speak up for us!

I am reminded of a poem about the Nazi regime attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller:

"In Germany, they came first for the Communists,
And I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Communist;

And then they came for the trade unionists,
And I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a trade unionist;

And then they came for the Jews,
And I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Jew;

And then . . . they came for me . . .
And by that time there was no one left to speak up."

My own addition to the poem:

Daily they come for the weakest among us.
And too many do not speak up
because it is too much trouble.

They will come again when we are old and weak.
And multitudes of children will not speak up
because they were murdered.

Here is an article that you should read before Election Tuesday.
For full text of this lengthy article go to: http://www.evangelizationstation.com/
Follow the links: >Moral Theology >Abortion and the Catholic Church >Why Abortion is Genocide

"Why Abortion is Genocide"

Gregg Cunningham

RATIONALE FOR THE GENOCIDE AWARENESS PROJECT (GAP)

As part of its Genocide Awareness Project, The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform exhibits large photo murals comparing aborted babies with Jewish Holocaust victims, African Americans killed in racist lynchings, Native Americans exterminated by the US Army, etc. Our purpose is to illuminate the conceptual similarities which exist between abortion and more widely recognized forms of genocide. This is important because perpetrators of genocide always call it something else and the word "abortion" has, therefore, lost most of its meaning.

GENOCIDE AS INDESCRIBABLE EVIL

Visual depictions of abortion are indispensable to the restoration of that meaning because abortion represents an evil so inexpressible that words fail us when we attempt to describe its horror. Abortion will continue to be trivialized as "the lesser of two evils," or perhaps even "a necessary evil," as long as it is allowed to remain an invisible abstraction. Pictures make it impossible for anyone with a shred of intellectual honesty to maintain the pretense that "it's not a baby" and "abortion is not an act of violence." Pictures also make clear to people of conscience the fact that abortion is an evil whose magnitude is comparable to that of any "crime against humanity." Educators properly use shocking imagery to teach about genocide and we insist on the right to do the same.

(Much of this article has been edited out of this post due to its length.)

Dr. Martin Luther King was often castigated by racists who unjustly blamed him for the violent unrest which sometimes followed his peaceful but confrontational demonstrations. Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago argued that if Dr. King would stop exposing racial injustice, black people would be less likely participate in the riots which left many dead and injured (The Civil Rights Movement, Steven Kasher, Abbeville Press, 1996). In his "Letter From The Birmingham Jail," supra, Dr. King rebutted this dishonest attempt to change the subject:

In your statement you asserted that our actions, though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence .... [I]t is immoral to urge an individual to withdraw his efforts to gain ... basic constitutional rights because the quest precipitates violence .... Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such a creative tension that a community ... is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that is can no longer be ignored.

In a speech delivered just months before he would be murdered, he restated the imperative of confronting a complacent culture:

... [U]ntil our problem is solved, America may have many, many days, but they will be full of trouble. There will be no rest, there will be no tranquillity in this country until the nation comes to terms with our problem.

Neither will there be tranquillity until the nation comes to terms with the "problem" of abortion.

Abortion is Genocide!

2008-10-29T09:41:00.011-05:00

From— http://www.evangelizationstation.com/
Follow the links below:
Moral Theology
Abortion and the Catholic Church
Why Abortion is Genocide

"Why Abortion is Genocide"
by Gregg Cunningham

Cunningham notes, Webster's New World Encyclopedia, Prentice Hall General Reference, 1992, defines "genocide" as "The deliberate and systematic destruction of a national, racial, religious, political, cultural, ethnic, or other group defined by the exterminators as undesirable."

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An unwanted baby is not undesirable. It is not an inconvenience. It is a human being with intrinsic value to be protected with all the care we would want for ourselves.

Friends, our nation is sowing for a terrible harvest; Hosea 8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind....

The Next Genocidal Regime?

2008-10-27T13:33:00.010-05:00

Some of you may find this offensive. I am not sorry. The real offensive thing is the murder that takes place thousands of times each day. One of the presidential candidates has pledged the most aggressive pro-murder policy ever desired by the murder for money lobby. God have mercy on us all!

Addressing the Planned Parenthood Action Fund (7/17/2007), Obama promised that the first thing he would do as president is to sign the Freedom of Choice Act. The Freedom of Choice Act would invalidate any “statute, ordinance, regulation, administrative order, decision, policy, practice, or other action” of any federal, state, or local government or government official (or anyone acting under government authority) that would “deny or interfere with” a woman's right to an abortion. This includes overturning the following: parental consent and notification laws, restrictions on government (tax-payer) funding of abortions, and legal protections for health workers who refuse to participate in abortions due to conscience. Heil Obama!

The Economics of Sin

2008-10-22T12:30:00.005-05:00

History should teach us something about ourselves. Sadly, the aphorism by George Santayana that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it is true of us also. We are pig headed and do not learn from the past. We are determined to make the same kind of mistakes over and over again. The sins of previous generations are repeated among us.

I recognize that history is not always easy to understand. Put three historians in a closed room and you will get four theories about what happened, eight theories about their meaning, and sixteen ideas about the manner this should influence our national policies. Santayana also said, "History is a pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren't there." Caveat lector!

Three statistics to consider:
1) Joseph Stalin is thought to have been responsible for 20 million deaths.
2) Adolf Hitler is generally acknowledged to be responsible for 42 million deaths.
3) All the Wars of the US (Revolution to Viet Nam) took approximately 1.1 million lives.

These three statistics represent staggering loses personally. The economic losses are probably beyond accurate counting. No reasonable person admires Hitler or Stalin. They are bywords for great evils committed on the basis of evil ideologies. We mourn the deaths of American citizens in her wars. As evil as Stalin and Hitler were, as sad as the death of our soldiers is to us, we tolerate something far worse in our nation.

Another staggering statistic:
Since 1973 an estimated 52 million deaths by elective abortion have occurred in the USA!

We are approaching a national election. The biggest issue is the economy, followed by health care, terrorism, Iraq, and immigration. Pro-life issues do not even make the key issue list in the polling. About half the voters consider abortion to be not that important. Of those who do consider it to be an important factor, not all are in favor of making it illegal. What does this say about our national priorities? We have brutally murdered about as many infants as the total deaths attributed to Stalin and Hitler combined. (Not to even argue that the ideology of the "culture of death" is very much like Stalin and Hitler's ideologies.)

Recently there have been several news items indicating that some supposed "pro-lifers" are voting for the Obama/Biden ticket because of economic problems in our nation. (I am sure other factors are part of these defections but the economy is cited.) Obama and Biden both have pro-abortion voting records. Economics trumps morality!

This is where the title of this article comes in, just what are the economics of sin? Is the dollar more important than morality? Can we be bought off so cheaply?

I am not that enamored of McCain's stand on all of the life issues (especially embryonic stem cell research). However, in good conscience I cannot vote for candidates and a party (Democrats) that stand firmly in the death culture camp. The Republican candidates have their own problems, but they at least do not vote for the culture of death agenda.

Another question concerning the economy and abortion—how do we dare think that God overlooks this evil? If God does not bring upon our heads the recompense of our sin, then he will have to apologize to Stalin and Hitler. But our economy apparently comes before morality. This is a building built over an abyss. We carelessly live as if there is no Judge and no judgment.

Gal. 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

So, I will vote, but not for those who support abortion. I may not like my choices. I may have to hold my nose as I pull the lever. But I will never vote for those who think that killing an infant is a choice.

The Christian I Should Be

2008-08-31T14:55:00.008-05:00

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
August 30, 2008—Pentecost 16

Romans chapter twelve begins the practical section of the book. Paul’s letters usually have two main sections. The first is typically doctrinal then follows the second practical section that is based on the first. These kind of practical exhortations are called parenetic teaching. This two main genre pattern (doctrinal & practical) is one of the most characteristic things about Paul’s letters.

Paul bases his parenetic teaching on what Christ has done for us, that is, because Christ has redeemed us, we should live in this manner. For instance, in Romans 12:1 he writes, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God... Paul’s appeal to live as Christians begins with the reason we should obey. God shows mercy to us in Christ so we should respond in obedience. Chapter twelve of Romans deals with how Christians should live with other Christians. It is how we are to act toward fellow believers.

OK. We understand. This should be pretty straightforward. We have all read and heard such passages as this before. There is very little argument about the rightness of Paul’s parenetic teachings. Just look at our text for a moment. Christian virtues such as love, zeal, hope, patience, prayer, generosity, hospitality, harmony, returning good for evil, peace—I mean—who could object to such things. These kind of virtues describe what a Christian is like.

So as we read or listen to such passages as this one, our minds go on autopilot. We know what to expect. We know what the right response to these verses should be—Yes, Amen. We all agree with Paul’s teaching. Who would deny that this is God’s will for the Christian? We are about to turn the page and go on. Then, a moment of hesitation, a second moment of thought.

Let me go back and read that again.

Let love be genuine... An unsettling doubt begins to rise up in my heart. When has my love for other Christians been entirely genuine, without hypocrisy, without playing a part? How many times have I winced inwardly because a difficult person ties to corner me about something? Oh no, here we go again. I cringe and try get away... Is this genuine love?

Suddenly I am gripped by the fear that I might be a failure at being a Christian. Am I a phony, saying one thing and doing another? I read on and my fear grows. I do not hate every evil as I should. I hold on to the good rather lamely. I am lazy when I should show zeal in my service to God. I would rather turn on the mind numbing television than read or study God’s Word. I would rather hang out with my friends than help someone. How many times have I held on to my billfold as if my life depended on it? Please God, don’t ask me to talk to that poor person—I can’t afford it right now. O God, the last thing in the world I want to do is have them over for dinner. I laugh inwardly when that jerk gets his “come-upins.” I can’t get along with him! I’ll show him that he can’t do that to ME!! Heap burning coals on his head, with pleasure!!!

Paul’s words condemn me. Rejoice in hope? Patient in trouble? Constant in prayer? Yeah, right!

In disbelief and shock, I think, Paul must be a madman. This is so unrealistic. Who can do all this? Oh we might try—even try hard. But no one really acts like this. Not really. Not always. But—God expects really and always. Who am I to question God? This is the Christian I should be.

A sick feeling in the pit of my stomach tells me that I am doomed. There is no way that this sinful man can ever measure up to this long list of expectations. Call them what you will, they are all law and death to me. They kill me with their rightness and their goodness and their kindness.

Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips.

But then, a faint echo from Paul’s letter stirs something in me, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God... The mercies of God! Mercy means that God doesn’t kill me outright for my sinful ways. Mercy means that he still calls me his child when I am rebellious and willful. Mercy means he shows me love when I am hateful.

But how do I know he is merciful to such a sinner as I am? He has proven his mercy when Christ took MY penalty of death for MY sins. Unlike me, Christ set his mind on the things of God and willingly went to the Cross. Unlike me, Christ gladly gave up his life so that I could live. He paid for all my sins—even my failures at being the Christian I should be.

Perhaps I should read the text again. Has anyone ever truly lived like this? Genuine love—Jesus did. Hate evil, cling to the good—Jesus did. Be zealous—Jesus did. Fervent—Jesus did. He served God. He gave himself for all of us needy sinners. He welcomes all who come to him—the poorest, the rejects, the unlovable, even enemies like me.

He rejoiced in hope—Jesus for the joy that was set before him...

He was patient in trouble—Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame...

He was and is constant in prayer—Jesus is at the right hand of God, always living to make intercession for us.

Jesus is the Christian I should be.

So Paul isn’t a madman. Paul understood.

We have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in God.

We have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us. And the life we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us.

The mercies of God! Jesus died for me. Jesus lived for me. Yes, He is the Christian I should be—for me. So, Jesus lives for me and prays for me. I now read this text with new eyes. I see Jesus there. And in seeing I live, free from condemnation. And in my life, daily, as I die and rise again with Jesus, He lives out the Christian life in me. So that even in my imperfect obedience, God sees Jesus in me—really and always. Amen.

Snake Oil and Used Cars

2008-08-22T22:50:00.006-05:00

I know I have mentioned previously that I was formerly a pentecostal. Because of this I know something about religious hucksterism. I have seen the religious fads come and go and have heard the sales pitch of some of the best religious pitchmen. I can smell snake oil a mile away. I know that smooth sounding engine will begin to smoke and stall just a short time after it leaves the lot. No matter how enthusiastic the pitchman might be, or how much he raves about his product, it is still snake oil medicine or a lemon of a car.

"Walking Together – The LCMS Future, Proposals and Possibilities for Consideration and Discussion, Presented by Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance" is just the latest in a long list of ideas whose time should never come. There is already a lot of discussion about the particulars of these proposals on the web. Many are already commenting on the manner in which it would concentrate even more power SPK's hands. The high sounding language hides the nasty little secret--or maybe not such a secret--that this is a power grab. With such power comes potential coercion and with coercion comes bondage.

Walking together? Hardly. Walking away from the Synod's original raison d'être. Walking away from the Synod as a servant of the churches. Walking away from sound doctrine and practice. Do we really trust the firm that brought us such wonderfully thought out products as Yankee Stadium or Ablaze? Will Synod Inc. truly help us walk in the truth of God's Word and the Lutheran Confessions?

Walking together means we value the same things. Should we value SPK's leadership thus far? Mmmm? Should we wish to give him even more power and less accountability? Mmmm?

Well, if that is how things are then maybe we had better walk away. Snake oil won't cure us. That lemon won't get us there. God's Word and the Confessions show us how to walk together. The founders of this Synod truly valued them and relied on them. With those who value the Word and Confessions we can walk.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics--Ablaze(?) Disrobed

2008-08-19T01:57:00.006-05:00

The title for this blog post is from a famous quote by Mark Twain: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” This jibe has been used often when someone is critiquing the misuse of numerical data which has been used to prove a point, tweak an image, propose a program, maintain a direction, adopt a strategy, and so on.

Statistical analysis is a mine field. The variables which effect data are so numerous that even the most well designed studies often prove to be in error. We have all heard reports in which further analysis has disproved a previously held opinion. This danger of error is often ignored by those who use statistics carelessly with a presumptive outcome in mind.

Why would any organization use faulty and carelessly acquired data to prove some desired point? There must be an agenda beyond the mere reporting of facts.

This illegitimate of use of numbers is the point of Twain's quote. Such statistics are worse that damned lies because the are double lies. They lie as to the facts. They lie as to their nature. Numbers used in this way are inferring an unassailable status as truth. You "can't argue with the numbers" -or- "numbers don't lie." But the people who misuse them do!

In the decades since the 1970s various church bodies have promoted world-wide evangelistic outreach programs (partly inspired by the Lausanne Congresses on World Evangelism, partly inspired by marketing strategies and Church Growth Movement theories). I have personally been witness to more than one of these campaigns. Usually these programs have a target goal by which they urge adherents to action. Sometimes they have a countdown, to-date, thermometer indicating their progress toward their goal. As the numbers rise it serves to encourage others to get on board and be part of the victory!

Oh, this sounds so good. Look at the scoreboard. We are on the winning side. We are doing something for God. It is something people can get excited about. It feels so right. It looks so good. It must be God's will.

The LCMS is one of the latest churches to adopt this strategy. They have named the campaign Ablaze. Their own web page declares the goal of reaching 100 million unreached and uncommitted people with the Gospel by 2017 (see http://www.lcms.org/pages/default.asp?navid=5247 ). Their own countdown thermometer indicates 8,664,671 people reached in 2509 events. This is an average of 3453 people per event. Wow, the day of Pentecost happened at 2509 events! [These numbers as of 8/12/08.]

Looks impressive, right? Wrong. It is deceptive. I ask once again, why would an organization use statistics in this manner?

The way in which the numbers have been acquired is questionable. They are obtained from reports by pastors and districts. As a pastor holds Ablaze events he reports the numbers for his events. Now these pastors want to look good so the temptation to inflate the numbers is is always present. Numbers are so important to show that a pastor is busy "growing the church." District presidents want to look good. Perhaps the numbers are further inflated. "Our district wants to be seen as a progressive district." The Synod wants to look good so they may "fudge" a little more, ad naseum. Self promotion is the dirty little secret behind the facade.

The basis of the numbers is a bigger problem. What constitutes an Ablaze event? What constitutes whether a person has been "reached"? The entire assumption behind the idea of "reached" is problematic. How can one measure this? One might ask what are the numbers concerning baptized and catechized believers as a result of these events? If one must "measure" success numerically why not use measurements that indicate relatively accurate results rather than some nebulous, ill-defined "event"? Reason--it wouldn't look as good.

Paul ran into a similar mindset. There were people who preached better than Paul, looked better than Paul. In my mind's eye I see a little, bent over, extremely nearsighted, Jewish man with a weak voice and a thick accent. Not your typical CGM leader. Yet he took the Gospel to the Gentile world and led a revolution by preaching nothing among them but Christ Jesus and Him crucified! He did not worry about image. He did not tickle ears with the sweet siren song of the latest fad. He preached the clear, unvarnished truth of God's Law and the Good News of forgiveness, life, and salvation in Christ. Read the following quote from Paul:

2 Cor. 10:10-12 [ESV] For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

Paul hits at the core of this wrongheaded thinking. They are evaluating themselves by the wrong standards. Anyone can make himself look good. Simply pick a standard of measurement that can be manipulated to make the results look good. The Pharisees did this by easing the requirements of the Law. The CGM does this by counting the crowds. Damned lies and statistics! Exactly where does God command us to evaluate ourselves, our success, with numerical data whether numbers of people at our events, numbers of commandments kept, numbers of events held, or numbers of purposes fulfilled. His own standard is different, faithfulness. His own standard is His Son Jesus Christ, perfection. We are far from his standard; a 10% improvement on nothing is still not 100%. God help us!

What is the sin at the heart of this mindset? We do these things to build up our own self image as individuals and our public image as organizations. Look at me! I'm a success! Image is the goal and the problem. What is an image? It is another word for an idol. We like to stroke our egos. We like to have our egos stroked. Mmmm, feels so good. Look at me! You like me, you like meee! From the pulpit to the board room the common factor in each of us is our own little stinking idol, Me-Myself-I. We can hide it behind all kinds of high sounding rhetoric. We can whitewash the building with holy words. We can polish it with PR. It is the same stinking idol.

We need to get over ourselves. We are sinners. Without the graciousness of God our Father for the sake of Jesus his Son we are doomed. Our lofty opinions of ourselves and our programs need a reality check. Christ Alone is our hope! His gifts given to us in Word and Sacraments are God's means of life. His life lived through us in our vocation of loving service to our neighbor in the world is God's method. These are the spiritual tools for reaching the world.

2 Cor. 10:3-5 [ESV] For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. . . .

Our programs, our damned lies, our statistics won't help us. God considers only One, the Righteous One, Jesus as a success. Apart from Him we have nothing. In Him alone are we given the victory of forgiveness, life, and salvation!

Amen.

Deja Vu All Over Again?

2008-08-14T11:27:00.003-05:00

[Issues, Etc. Blog of the Week, 8/15/2008]

All our idols fail us. Over and over again we see idols come crashing down. In America we have many idols--celebrities, financial and commercial giants, government and private institutions, politicians, leaders, sports figures. I am sure you could rattle off many others. In each category we have seen astounding failures. Corruption, sin, and law breaking by our own favorites fill our nightly news headlines with disturbing frequency.

For a number of years I was a pentecostal. Pentecostals have their idols. In pentecostalism one of the most important components of the movement is the charismatic evangelist. These men and women have been the hallmark of pentecostalism from its earliest days. People idolize these individuals and follow their activities closely. They are like rock music stars in their popularity among adherents. The charismatic personality really sets the agenda of the pentecostal and charismatic movements. It is rather ironic that these same charismatic leaders have been and are the focus of the most public failures. The moral and financial sins of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker, and Kenneth Copeland are famous examples.

Lutherans have their heroes also. Luther, Chemnitz, Walther come to mind quickly. However, the respect given to such men is different. It is their teaching, their doctrine, that sets them above many others. They are not "rock stars" in the same sense as the televangelist is among pentecostals. They are respected teachers of God's Word. So in modern Lutheranism the individual personality has not been nearly so idolized. Among modern Lutherans a greater emphasis is placed on the organization, the Synod. There is a reverence for the organization that is unlike anything I have seen before. For instance, despite the steady downward spiral of the two largest Synods in America, many people can not envision life without them. The ELCA is a few years ahead of the LCMS in is degeneration. But the LCMS appears to be on a similar path.

In any case I am wondering if there may be an underlying similarity among all these failures. Certainly individuals making sinful and foolish choices in behavior are common. Greed and abuse of power may also be shared issues. The one issue that might be most instructive, in my opinion, is idolatry. In pentecostalism and Lutheranism a very basic component of the makeup of the two groups has failed publicly. It is very unsettling to the adherents of the different groups. The thing upon which so much rests is shown to be sand, not the rock.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. Such failures confront us with the idolater who lives in our old man. He constantly wishes to worship something or someone other than God. It may be that God has allowed these public failures to take place in order to turn attention from that thing that has usurped His rightful place as God alone. Ex. 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me." If these failures turn us to God alone in repentance for our idolatry, good! If these failures refocus our trust on Jesus Christ alone, good! If these failures cause us to hold on to God's Word alone, good! If these failures cause us to rely on God's grace alone, good! We have been comfortable, even asleep, in our complacency.

Rom. 13:11-12 [ESV] Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Eph. 5:14 [ESV] Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Triumphalism in the LCMS-- A Theology of Glory

2008-07-30T17:26:00.007-05:00

In American culture there is a certain triumphalism which impacts almost every area of life. We are Americans. We can do it better. We are the brightest, the best generation. (I won't consider the error of this hubris here. However, we largely neglect, as a culture, to acknowledge that we stand on the shoulders of true giants like Paul and Luther!) Triumphalism is especially problematic in theological circles. It reasons something like this:

We are wiser than previous generations with their old fashioned ideas. We are more aware of the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. We have a better handle on the needs of the unchurched. We have new methods that are more in tune with the society at large. We can do it better. Our methods will bring more people into the church. Underlying this thinking is the unspoken criticism of the past. They were a bunch of stodgy old fuddy-duddies. They just didn't/don't get it. They were/are unwilling to change. They didn't/don't care about the lost. Notice that what is new, what brings change, what has cultural "relevancy," what can be measured numerically are given an automatic status of irrefutable truths, or undeniable good.

There is often a certain blindness in those afflicted with this malady. There is an irrational estimation of their own powers and their true situation. It is believing one's own PR. Turning a blind eye to problems. Thinking that one knows what is best for everyone else. Statements such as "we have never been more united," or "this is not your grandfather's church," or reaching "100 million unreached or uncommitted" by 2017 might be cited as indications of the triumphalist's PC-speak. We are marching to Zion! Look out, we are on our way!

(Note that the LCMS' Abalze program keeps a running count of their results on its home page. However, by their own numbers it averages 3500 people "reached" per event! This is as if we have had the day of Pentecost over 2400 times since Ablaze began! This seems kind of inflated, perhaps even to the point of being a lie. The other problem is that there is no evidence that those "reached" have been converted, baptized, or catechized. Does an Ablaze event always include a clear presentation of the Law and Gospel? Doubtful.)

This triumphalism toots its own horn. Look at us. We are more committed to the lost. We have better ideas. We are more faithful to mission. We have the vision. This is entirely a theology of glory. It looks good, it sounds good, so it must be good. But Luther warned us, "Although the works of man always appear attractive and good, they are nevertheless likely to be mortal sins." Heidelberg Disputation, Theses 3.

Since only the new, change, relevancy, and numbers count to some men, the supposed lack of growth in numbers previously implies a dishonoring of generations who have gone before. This isn't your grandfather's church. How do we answer such hubris? First, another theses of Luther says, "A theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theologian of the cross calls the things what it actually is." Heidelberg Disputation, Theses 21. The Theology of the Cross demands that we recognize our sinfulness even when our works look good. The Theology of the Cross demands that we speak the truth about ourselves. Here is the truth.

The direction of the LCMS at the present time dishonors previous generations of faithful confessional Lutherans by despising their faithfulness to the methods given by Christ to carry out the mission of the church. "This isn't your grandfather's church." New methods are in vogue. Play down the old methods. Abandon the old hymnody. Get with the program!

Here are some passages in the Old testament I would like to consider briefly in relationship to this dishonoring of previous generations.

Deut. 19:14 You shall not move your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Deut. 27:15 ‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the LORD, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
Deut. 27:16 ‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Deut. 27:17 ‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Deut. 27:18 ‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Deut. 27:19 ‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

The book of Deuteronomy contains Moses' teaching to the Israelites just prior to their entrance into the land of promise. They were about to take possession of their inheritance. The land was a key part of God's teaching to his people. It foreshadows the New Testament teaching about the benefits given to us in Christ. One might say the land is to the Old Testament what the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation in Christ are to the New.

These passages warn the Israelites against moving the landmarks, that is the boundary markers. To do so would rob another person of their inheritance. God commands the people not to do this. In the litany of curses in chapter twenty seven those who do this are to be cursed.

In the Church our landmarks and our inheritance are the Word and the Sacraments. These have been given by the Lord to his people as both their inheritance and the means of carrying out the mission of the Church. The Word (spoken and visible) bestows what it says, forgiveness, life, and salvation. It creates faith. It accomplishes what it promises. It is the work of God, not our work. The means of grace are the way the Church grows. Here are some of the key authorizing texts for this view of the means of grace:

Matt. 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to rthe end of the age.

Augsburg Confession
V. [The Office of the Ministry]
To obtain such faith God instituted the office of the ministry, that is, provided the Gospel and the sacraments. Through these, as through means, he gives the Holy Spirit, who works faith, when and where he pleases, in those who hear the Gospel. And the Gospel teaches that we have a gracious God, not by our own merits but by the merit of Christ, when we believe this.

VII. [The Church]
... This is the assembly of all believers among who the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel....

If a church abandons its heritage of the Divine Means of Grace to carry out its mission, it does so at its own peril and brings the curses of God's law upon it. Consider again the litany of curses cited above. The first five sins which are cursed are: idolatry, dishonoring parents, moving landmarks, misleading the blind, and perverting justice for strangers, widows, and orphans. In my opinion, some men are making an idol of an organization, the Synod and its programs. Some men are dishonoring their fathers and mothers, the previous generations of Lutherans who held fast to the Divine Means of Grace. Some men are pushing aside the landmarks of our inheritance, the same Divine Means of Grace which are presented in a God honoring liturgy. Some men are misleading the blind by misrepresenting the truth, leading them into the dead end reliance on human means to accomplish God's work. Some men are perverting justice by abusing their authority to push the widows and orphans (the small, old fashioned congregations) aside to make room for the new, progressive, relevant assemblies. A five-fold curse of God's law is upon us unless we repent and turn in faith to the Lord.

Joel 2:12-13 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

Amen.

Finney and the American Religious Mind-Set--Pragmatism Gone Awry

2008-07-30T13:47:00.002-05:00

American Christianity is deeply impacted by revivalism. Hardly any "outreach" done by diverse groups such as Pentecostals, charismatics, Evangelicals, Baptists, Emerging/Emergent church, church growth cannot be traced in some manner back to Charles Finney. This short excerpt from a paper I wrote in Graduate School describes Finney's views at key points:
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Of all the revivalists of the nineteenth century, Charles Finney is probably the most famous. His methods were widely imitated and touted even among some Lutherans. However, Finney’s theology and practice has some serious problems for a confessional church. His theology is extremely man-centered. In his lecture, What a Revival of Religion Is, he states, “Religion is the work of man. It is something for him to do. It consists in obeying God.” [1] Later in this same lecture he says that the sinner’s actions are necessary for salvation and that conversion consists in obeying, doing, and acting.[2] In another lecture he asserts that Scripture ascribes conversion to men.[3] This ignores the depravity of man and his inability to do anything for his own salvation. Miyakawa notes that for Finney sin was voluntary self interest not an inherited depravity.[4]

Finney also considers a revival to be something that men have power to bring about. By simply using the appropriate means men can bring revival. These means have a “natural tendency to produce revival.” [5] His view is something like a cause and effect principle or the exercising of the powers of nature.[6] He goes further to denigrate the notion of the sovereignty of God in spiritual matters such as revival.[7] Revivals in this view are not the result of grace alone.[8]

Another aspect of his theology and practice is emotionalism. He says “. . . it is necessary to raise excitement among them, till the tide rises so high as to sweep away the opposing obstacles.” [9] Finney does wish for a time in which this spasmodic religion were not necessary. However, in the present economy of things this will remain essential.[10]

Finney’s view of how one should preach the Gospel is also problematic. He states that “All preaching should be practical.”[11] By this he means that all preaching should lead to action. This action is what brings about conversion as noted above. In this view he confuses the Third Use of the Law with the Gospel. His entire lecture How to Preach the Gospel is filled with words such as must, should, and ought.[12] His concept of how one preaches the Gospel has a law orientation. Related to this is the fact that Finney advocated perfectionism.[13]
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The methods of Ablaze, Willow Creek, purpose driven churches, Church Growth, the Emerging/Emergent church, and many Evangelicals all have a mind-set that derives from Finney's Lecutres: "...these means have a 'natural tendency to produce revival.' His view is something like a cause and effect principle or the exercising of the powers of nature." The term revival could be replaced by church growth, relevancy, meeting felt needs, or any other outcome oriented theological term.

The pragmatic oriented methods also make use of group psychology: "Another aspect of his theology and practice is emotionalism. He says '. . . it is necessary to raise excitement among them, till the tide rises so high as to sweep away the opposing obstacles.'" This is where pentecostals/charismatics have been very influential upon American religious ideas. The exciting music, the praise bands, the large arenas, the highly charge atmosphere all derive from Finney's New Measures. It is not the Word working by the Holy Spirit where He will in whomever He will that converts. It is the group dynamic.

I do not believe that many Lutherans are aware of Finney's heretical influence. Perhaps some Lutherans simply do not care. Methods do matter. By adopting the mind-set advocated by Finney, sound theologically based evangelism (Word and Sacrament ministry, personal witness) is replaced by a wide range of pragmatic methods. This pragmatism might get "results" but the unintended consequences in many instances will be the damnation of souls for whom Christ died. One cannot be saved by Christ plus something else! The Confessional principles of the Solas rules out the methods of Finney and his theologically bankrupt great-grand-children.

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[1] Charles Grandison Finney, Lectures on Revivals of Religion, edited by William G. McLoughlin (Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1960), 9.
[2] Ibid., 18.
[3] Ibid., 194.
[4] Scott T. Miyakawa, Protestants and Pioneers: Individuality and Conformity on the American Frontier (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1964), 171.
[5] Finney, 13, 15.
[6] Ibid., Introduction, by William G. McLoughlin, xxiv; Miyakawa, 171.
[7] Finney, 14.
[8] The Oxford Disctionary of the Christian Church, 3rd edition, s.v. “Finney, Charles Grandison.”
[9] Ibid., 9-10.
[10] Ibid., 11.
[11] Ibid., 198.
[12] Ibid., 194 passim.
[13] The Oxford Disctionary of the Christian Church, 3rd edition, s.v. “Finney, Charles Grandison.”

End Game

2008-03-28T00:42:00.008-05:00

For those of you who do not play chess the end-game is the point at which strategies for closing the game by checkmating the opponent come to the forefront. Even the lowly pawn becomes important as there are fewer pieces available to move. The goal is to win, or at least not to lose by bringing the game to a draw.

Chess is not the only place that end-game strategies are used by "players." Recently I heard about a controversy in a church organization that illustrates how end-game political strategies are used. In this church a decades long disagreement has been festering and occasionally erupts on the surface like a boil. The latest eruption involved the firing of two personnel at the organization's radio station and the canceling of the only show in their line-up that consistently brought in donations. This happened on Holy Week!

One must ask why the leadership of this church would either carry out, allow, or refuse to stop this action. Evidently it was because these broadcasters consistently took positions at odds with one faction (the ruling faction) of this church. I might add that the positions advocated by these broadcasters were conservative and traditional in the sense of upholding the church's own confessed doctrine.

To understand the end-game strategy of such an action by church leaders one need only consider three key goals of the end-game: destroy or neutralize the opponent's most powerful pieces, move the opponent into a relatively weak position on the board, and use your power to checkmate your "cornered" opponent.

These church leaders have silenced one powerful voice for the conservative position. By silencing the "Issues, Etc." program widespread and effective communication of traditional Lutheranism has lost a powerful outlet. Their next goal will probably be to maneuver conservatives to the sidelines throughout the church. Since their national hierarchy has increasingly asserted dominance in many key functions of this church, their opponents have less and less say about what goes on in the church. For instance, the insistence that district presidents control which qualified men congregations might consider as potential pastors. This kind of control is not part of the church's original organizing purpose or constitutional foundation. However, by assuming this prerogative the ruling faction can weaken the entire conservative base of the church. One can almost envision certain individuals gloating as they anticipate victory.

Already, denials of culpability have begun. The president of this church has denied that this action was by his order or direction. He does admit that he was aware that it would happen. Did he try to discourage or prevent the action? One must wonder why he could not even counsel that this action should wait until after Holy Week!

Perhaps the reaction of the listener's of "Issues, Etc." is greater than expected. A petition on the web against this cancellation and firing has over 5000 signatories as of this evening.

In any case I am reminded of a scene in the movie "El Cid." Prince Alfonso was to be crowned king of Spain after the murder of his older brother. All the lords of the realm were assembled outside the cathedral to swear fealty to their liege-lord King Alfonso. Everyone kneels, except El Cid. He stands until confronted by the king before the whole assembly. When asked why he alone refuses to swear fealty, El Cid replies that though all were kneeling none were sure that Alfonso was not guilty of murder. El Cid forces Alfonso to swear on the Scriptures that he was in no way complicit. After doing so El Cid kneels and kisses the ring.

What has this to do with the controversy described above? All denials without complete honesty and transparency will ring hollow. Many may not speak, but the question will always be there. It won't go away. It might even be too late to repair the damage done by such obtuse actions.

The complete lack of sensitivity to others within the church exhibited by this action really calls into question the leadership and integrity of those responsible. They should not be surprised if the fallout from this results in the serious erosion of trust by the rank in file of the church, a decrease in participation by congregations in national programs, and a further loss of income at the national level. These leaders have forgotten that even pawns are important in the end-game!

One last thought, the end-game has a double entendre. I will use a mixed metaphor to explain it. The games that hierarchies play can have unintended consequences. The persons involved in these maneuvers to gain power and control the church want all the pawns to bow and swear fealty. However, El Cid (that is the LORD) stands in condemnation of their actions. They cannot wantonly destroy God's people in order to aggrandize their own position. In their hunger for control that little which they have might just be taken from them. When the LORD returns he will not accept denials or excuses. He won't be impressed by plans and programs. He will look for repentance and faith. Their game will end!

2008-01-01T13:39:00.000-06:00

Will 2008 Be the End?

Yesterday the news media spent a lot of time looking back on 2007. Aside from the fact that it is a cheap way to fill broadcast time and earn advertising dollars, these year-in-revue shows do little to educate anybody. A person would have to have lived on Mars to not already know what happened in 2007. Even worse is the fact that an inordinate amount of time is wasted on "celebrities." Can we move on already! I have had enough of who-is-doing-what-with-who at this-or-that club/resort/jail/rehab center!

Another big non-story is the annual forecast about anything and everything by supposed experts. Most of their predictions are either so obvious, or so fuzzy, or so silly that they would be better to have been left in the circular file.

Religious people are not immune from such silly predictions. It is the twentieth anniversary of "88 Reasons Why Jesus Christ Will Return in 1988." Twenty years! In spite of the notorious failure of this pamphlet to prove to be accurate, the fad of prediction keeps popping up in various ways. Few people will step out on such a limb and predict that 2008 is the year Jesus Christ will return. But there are droves of people predicting that it will be soon. Often events in the EEC or the Mideast "prove" their scenarios. They rush their latest book to the publishers with their secret inside info about why they are certain that this is the year, season, decade, century, or era! Of course, if you make a prediction broad enough someone will prove to be right. But then any believer who confesses the Apostles Creed already knows that Christ will return at the end of the age!

I do not spend much time looking back. Of course I do look back in order to confess my sins to God. But dwelling on the past is a sure way to fail to step into the future. I come from pioneer stock. My family were the kind of people moving west. I guess I have that flowing in my blood. Looking and moving ahead from where I am to where I hope to be is a process of taking the first step and following it with a second one and so on. The future is unknown and therefore limitless. No small step forward is really wasted effort. We go forward, or learn something, or experience something, or meet someone that prepares us for the future.

You might wonder why I asked a question in the heading above—Will 2008 Be the End? It is pretty nebulous. The end of what? I do not expect war, famine, hatred, crime, tyranny, or greed to stop in 2008. We are all much too selfish and sinful for that to be likely! I do not expect the present age of human history to end in 2008. However, no one knows when Christ will return so it isn't impossible. I do not even know if my life will end in 2008. None of us really knows the time of our death. If we are honest with ourselves we have very little control about any of the big issues in life, so we cannot predict the end. Even our New Year's resolutions are pretty iffy. If you made any last year did you really succeed in keeping them?

So what could this question be about? Perhaps I could ask another question. Will 2008 Be the Beginning? The end or the beginning of hope? Some of you reading this have lost hope. You have decided to give up. Life is dreary and meaningless, you think, what's the use? So obsession, addiction, empty activities become your means of deadening the pain. Is there any hope left for me, you wonder?

I have hope. I don't say it to make you feel bad or envious. I want you to find the same hope. I really do! I have hope because God has given me a gift. I don't deserve it any more than you which is to say I don't deserve it at all. I didn't do anything to earn it. It is a free gift! God has given me forgiveness of my sins, life beginning now and continuing forever, and salvation at the end of time! God offers this same gift to you! As 2008 begins will you receive the free gift of God? He offers it to you because Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead! Your hope is that God promises you that he will raise you from the dead also to live forever in his Kingdom! Life lived in this world with the hope that comes from God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is new and fresh every day! May 2008 be the end of your despair and the beginning of hope in Christ!

Hummers and Evolution

2007-11-28T14:47:00.001-06:00

As I sat here looking out the window, thinking, I saw a "personal" version of the Hummer go by on the street below. What exactly is the reason for owning such a huge vehicle? Is the person expecting to have to storm a Starbucks or the cupcake shop down the street this morning? Will there be coffee or cupcake riots? Perhaps a group of terrorists are holding the Latte machine hostage! He didn't have a 50 cal. mounted on the roof. I wonder how much armor he has welded onto the bottom to protect his family jewels from IEDs?

I notice that there are quite a few large pickups and SUVs here in Saint Louis. Most of them are shiny and clean. Not a speck of mud. Hand polished surfaces all gleaming like they were just driven out of the showroom. Obviously they are not used on unpaved roads, wilderness areas, or combat zones. Why do we continue to throw money away on such "useless" vehicles? Useless? Well, useless in an urban area.

Before someone cries out that I am a tree hugging kook—I am somewhat conservative. I like to hunt, fish, hike, etc. I dislike intrusive government. I distrust anyone who thinks they have the wisdom or the right to dictate my own personal choices that are legal. I do not need a nanny or a big brother!

However, I am also a citizen. Is it good citizenship to burn two or three times as much gasoline as is even reasonable by generous guidelines? If the macho man or the macho woman (women drive these hogs also), who think their status is displayed by the vehicle they drive, would be honest with themselves, they would have to admit that they do not need a Hummer, or a Land Rover, or any other "outback" kind of vehicle. Those huge tires are not proxies for testicles, breasts, or brains. If they get their self esteem stroked by such empty gestures, then perhaps I am speaking in the wind.

But really, wouldn't it be refreshing to see more public spirited actions by those who insist they have the right to drive what they want. Yes, they have the right. I do not think anyone should pass laws against their right to buy the gas hogs. Having said that, I note that conspicuous consumerism is not a civic good. It is a sickness or a madness that leads people to do what is really not in our best interest as a society. Self destructive behavior is usually not so pretty or shiny. Nevertheless, we are burning up the future for the sake of vacuous thrills. Perhaps a kind consumer evolution needs to take place. When the cost of a vehicle, insurance, and gas reach certain levels these vehicles might go the way of the dodo bird. Unfortunately, everyone will be paying higher prices before that happens.

The flip side of this is the slow response of our government and industry to tackle the alternatives to petro-fuels and internal combustion engines. Hmmmm—Perhaps the Hummers of every type do serve a useful purpose. When things become too expensive for most people to afford, solutions will be sought in earnest. The Hummers can only make that happen sooner.

We get exactly what we deserve, usually!

2007-08-25T11:38:00.000-05:00

The political season is ramping up again. I almost want to put on a DVD and ignore all of the hype, spin, political-speak, and lying that dominates the news to an even greater degree than normal. I keep hoping that Americans will tune these weasels out and quit voting for them. I keep hoping that a ground swell of public minded patriotism will lead this nation to elect good leaders.

Perhaps we are not as involved in our nation as we should be. Our voting percentages are shameful. (I confess I avoid local issue voting unless it is in conjunction with national elections.) Perhaps all the negative ads and remarks are what we really secretly want to hear--the latest slam on the opponent of our favorite politico. (I laugh when I hear an especially good slam just like you do!) But does this really serve our national interest? Does it really serve freedom?

I have heard people try to rationalize about the process, that it weeds out the less-fit-to-serve. I do not accept that as fact. I think we weed out most of the best-to-serve before we even get a chance to hear what they think. Who in their right mind would put themselves through this grief?! Those who are willing to do so must have either a real hunger for power or be shameless--something akin to Jerry Springer guests. No shame, I will let it all hangout (pun intended) and lie, deny, spin it into irrelevance. Is there something basically off-center about a person who seeks national office?

I would like, just once, to see a person who really wishes to serve the people out of noble motivations. But I am afraid that lawyers, business tycoons, and entertainers are all we are likely to get. (Lawyers, business tycoons, and entertainers are not usually known for nobility and service for the greater good!) So when I enter the poling booth I will once again have to hold my nose, suppress my gag reflex, and vote. When I get home I will have to take a bath. And for the next four years I will have to shake my head in dismay as the same ol' same ol' business as usual continues. Please, give me a person to admire, to actually be proud of! Well, I can keep hoping anyway (sigh)!

Welcome to my musings about life in this world. . .

2007-08-18T12:24:00.000-05:00

I am Traveler. Like all people in this world I have opinions, questions, joys, frustrations, and loves. Here I will share what I discover as I journey through life. Read if you wish, agree or disagree, it is free for the taking. All it costs you is a little time.