A Little Bird Told Me

One of my favorite Christmas time stories tells of a man who was not really much of a Christian. In fact, he considered himself more of an agnostic. He would believe in God if he could see any sense in it, but he never really went to church, because he felt no need. His family, however, and especially his wife were very devout. They went regularly to services and worshiped with the others there.

One Christmas Eve, the family dressed and went out into the cold and snowy night to church. The man preferred to stay home by the cozy, warm fire and read. As he was sitting there alone, he heard a thump or a crack at the window. He looked out, but saw nothing. Then he heard it again. It was as if someone were throwing something against the glass. When he went over to the window, he saw a tiny sparrow lying stunned in the snow, and he watched with interest as the little bird slowly got up and fluttered to a nearby branch. The poor creature sat there all huddled and cold looking in the window where it was obviously warm and dry. Then it flew toward the window and hit the glass with a thump. Again, it fell back into the snow.

Finally, the man realized what the sound he had heard was. It was the sparrow trying to get to a place that was warm and dry. The man felt sorry for the little bird, and decided to let it in. He opened the window, but the bird became frightened and fluttered away. Then the man went to the door, and opened it, but the bird only hopped to another branch further from the large scary figure of the man. The more the man tried to encourage the bird to come in and be warm, the further away the bird went, until, finally it flew away all together.

This bothered the man extremely, and he couldn’t say why. He thought of all the ways he could have tried to get the little bird to come in. He might have put out some seed or suet to lure it in. He might have left the door open and gone away, but then the house wouldn’t have stayed warm and inviting for long. He thought of all kinds of things, but the only way he could think of that would have effectively gotten that little bird to come into the house would be if he could become a bird himself. Then he could have told the bird that the man wasn’t so frightening, that he meant no harm. He could have led the way, showing the bird how to come in and where to get warm.

Just then his family arrived home, with the children all excited and singing merrily. And his wife asked him how his evening had been. He thought about it a moment and then he said, “Very good, indeed. A little bird came and told me a Christmas story about how God came to earth to be human like us, and to show us the way to heaven.”

Help in the Midst of the Storm

This week has been one of worry and even a sense of panic for many people on our island of Grand Bahama. We have all watched the devastation of Hurricane Harvey in south Texas, and now there is Hurricane Irma breathing down our necks. Many of us have barely recovered from Hurricane Matthew, and many have not recovered yet. The question that keeps coming up over and over again is, “Where is God in all of this?” Some theologians have suggested that it is the failure to answer this question adequately that has led to so much apathy and agnosticism about God and faith in our world today.

            Whenever I deal with this issue in a sermon or Bible study, people are eager and anxious to get answers to the questions they have been wrestling with, sometimes for years. This is no exception. How and why are we seeing one hurricane right on the heels of another?

            You all know I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe God guides our steps and orders our path. This week, we looked at Romans 8:35, where Paul says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” An excellent question, to which Oswald Chambers responds, “God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, “I will be with him in trouble . . .” (Psalm 91:15). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. “In all these things we are more than conquerors . . .” (Romans 8:37). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real. And he said we are “super-victors” in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.

“Shall tribulation . . . ?” Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to “separate us from the love of Christ.” Never allow tribulations or the “cares of this world” to separate you from remembering that God loves you (Matthew 13:22).

“Shall . . . distress . . . ?” Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?

“Shall . . . famine . . . ?” Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be “more than conquerors,” even while we are being starved?

Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. “Out of the wreck I rise” every time.

The thing to hold on to as we face difficult and uncertain times is that God is with us, even in the midst of the storm. When we ask, “Where is God?” the answer is, “He is right by our side.”

The Sin of Racism

 This week I did something I have never done before in 35 years of pastoral ministry. I preached a sermon on racism. It seemed odd, because racism is one of those topics I had assumed that everyone understood was wrong. I always thought it was something that was self-evident, like love your neighbor. Apparently that is not the case.

I was reminded of that very clearly this week by the events in Charlottesville, VA. A group of white supremacists, including neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Clan, planned a rally to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a local park. But it turned violent when the group was met by another group of counter-protesters. Fists flew, the police were called in, three people lost their lives and dozens more were injured. It was clearly one of the darker days in American history.

What fascinates me is that people on both sides of the issue are claiming that God is on their side, that faith and religion plays a central role in what they believe and how they express their beliefs. What does our faith teach us on the issue of racism, and how should we respond as Christian people? How should our faith inform our politics? How should what we believe affect how we live our lives each day?

There are lots of people who have strong opinions about racism. But where do those opinions come from? Is it their religion or is it their politics? How can you tell the difference? On many issues, it may be difficult to discern the difference, but I think the Bible is pretty clear on this one. There are a couple of things that I believe very strongly and that I want to make perfectly clear.

First of all, the Bible makes it clear how we are to treat one another. It is not with bitterness and hatred and violence. I think we know what scripture says. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph 4:32). And Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Anyone see any love in Charlottesville? Anyone see any kindness or compassion? If you didn’t, then you didn’t see Christians acting like Christians. I am not saying they weren’t Christians, I am saying they weren’t acting like it. Anytime we engage others in political discussion, or even protest, it must never be with violence or hatred, no matter how much you disagree with their views. That person, too, is a child of God. That person, too, is a person for whom Christ died. Each one should be treated with dignity and respect. We should be willing to “Do unto others as we would have them do unto us”. That is the Christ-like way.

Secondly, I think we have to recognize that racism is a sin. I need to be very clear when I say that. Racism means much more than merely recognizing that different races have different characteristics. That much is self-evident. When it becomes dangerous, and even sinful is when a prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism is directed against people of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. When you begin to think that you are better than somebody else because of the color of your skin, no matter what color it is, that is when racism becomes sinful. When I say, “sinful,” I very specifically mean that it is counter to, and opposed to what is taught in the Bible.

Let me give you some examples. In Acts 17, Paul is addressing some Greek philosophers in Athens. The ancient Greeks saw other races as barbarian, and thought of themselves as superior – the very definition of racist. But Paul makes the case that we have all descended from one common ancestor, and we all have the same Creator. He says that God made all nations, and that we all come from him. Therefore, all human life is precious and valuable, and we should not put ourselves or our own race above that of others.

In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul is discussing the clash between Jew and Gentile, a racial clash if there ever was one. But he says that through the blood of Christ, we are no longer separate in race or religion, but one. Beginning in verse 14 he says, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” That is powerful language, that Jesus has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, and has created in himself one new humanity out of two. He says something very similar in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” We cannot hear such words and continue with the sinful attitudes of racism.

As many of you are aware, there have been lots of comments this past week about racism by Christian leaders. After, all it is our Scripture that speaks so powerfully against it. But I think Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, said it extremely well. In his blog this week, he said, “We must see claims of racial superiority–and mainly that means claims of white superiority–as heresy. That is not a word we use casually. Heresy leads to a denial of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the eclipse of the living God as revealed in the Bible. A claim of white superiority is not merely wrong, and not merely deadly. It is a denial of the glory of God in creating humanity—every single human being–in his own image.”¹

Let us not mistakenly think that the whole world will line up behind us and appreciate this biblical position. There are powerful forces lined up against it; forces of hate and anger, forces of greed and political power. The Christian must always deal with the impact of these forces when he expresses the truth and the implications of his faith. 

In Charlottesville, Heather Heyer was killed as a car was driven into a crowd of protesters. I doubt she had any idea she would be in physical danger that day. She just wanted to stand up for what she believed, for what the Bible proclaims; that we are all God’s children and that he loves each and every one of us, no matter the color of our skin. We should not be surprised that the message of the Gospel is still an offensive message today. The Gospel writers knew this first-hand. Many were arrested and tortured.

I have been reminded this week that anytime we proclaim the truth of the gospel, there will be those who oppose us. There will be those who will be angry with us. Perhaps even those who would do violence to us. We are shaking up their world. God is shaking up their world.

1. http://www.albertmohler.com/2017/08/13/letter-berlin-lessons-history-heresy-racial-superiority/

Today I Planted an Olive Tree

     Today, I planted an olive tree. I planted it in the church yard. Our church has a lovely garden that, like much of the island of Grand Bahama, was decimated by Hurricane Matthew that came roaring through the Bahamas on October 6, 2016.

There were many and varied responses to the devastation of the hurricane, both by our church and by people in the United States and elsewhere. People gave money. People brought food and water to communities that were devastated by the storm. People brought tarps and blankets for those who had the most severe damage. And people are still helping with roof repair and building supplies and temporary housing where necessary.

Many of these things were done by our own church. Our Crossreach ministry has been in place for years and so we had the infrastructure to help facilitate the distribution of many of the donations that were made. We are still doing that. I am proud to be part of a church that takes so seriously the biblical call to help the poor and needy.

But I planted an olive tree. It seems an odd response to all that has happened. Why in the world would I do such a thing? I did it for several reasons. Our church has a lovely garden, as I have said, and I did it partially to help restore its beauty. Many trees and shrubs were stripped bare, and others were literally ripped out of the ground by the 150 mph wind. It was sad for me to see the grounds in that condition.  I like to walk in the garden and look at the plants. I like to think about the One who made them, and me, and what God’s plan might be for the future. So, I planted an olive tree.

There is a Messianic passage in Isaiah 11 that we often read during Advent. “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him…” As this tree grows and (hopefully) bears fruit, it will remind me of this passage.

Isaiah wrote hundreds of years before Jesus was born. Prophets are notorious for their long game. They are concerned about what God is doing now, but they also have an eye to what God will do in years to come, sometimes many years to come. Olive trees are extremely long-lived. Many are documented to have lived for hundreds of years. Perhaps this one will as well, and it will remind me that God has a long term plan in place, not just a short one.

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel and one of our stops was the Garden of Gethsemane. It was quite moving to think that in this very place, Jesus poured out his heart to his Father and said, “Not my will be done, but Thine.” Maybe in years to come, I can sit under that tree and pray the same prayer. I think that most Christians don’t say it nearly enough.

The tree also reminds me that, much like the olive garden where Jesus prayed, we often have to go through difficult and trying times to get to God’s blessing and salvation on the other side. Jesus saw the big picture, and he knew what lay on the other side of the pain and suffering he was about to experience. Unfortunately, we cannot see what lies beyond our pain. We don’t know what it all means or what purpose it may serve. But, perhaps this tree will serve to remind me that there is suffering that leads to salvation and resurrection. It is still suffering, but is, or at least can be, redemptive. Perhaps that will help me to endure, and even, as Paul is somehow able to do, rejoice in suffering.

It is ironic that on two occasions when I have preached on theodicy, (the question of why we suffer when we believe in a good and powerful God) there has been unprecedented disaster. The first time this happened, I was preaching through The Lord’s Prayer, and when I reached the phrase, “Thy will be done,” it was the second week of September, 2001. The Tuesday before I was to preach that sermon, the towers in New York City came crashing to the ground, and with them many people’s faith and confidence in God

Strangely, as I was to preach on the “Difficult Question” of Why Good People Suffer, the island where I live was devastated by the worst hurricane to hit this island in recorded history. Maybe I shouldn’t preach on that anymore!

Or, maybe God is trying to remind me, and the congregations I serve, that there is mercy and there is hope, even when the darkness is all around. There is purpose and there is redemption in suffering. We may not see it, but God can use it to build up His kingdom.

That’s why I planted an olive tree today.

Tedium

I was working on my regular Bible study in Philippians, when I ran across this gem from A. T. Robertson:

"The dull monotony of religious routine palls on a person. But there is but one thing to do, and that is to keep on going in the same path. There is monotony in work, the tedium of household cares, the grind of church services, the petty details of pastoral life, the minutiae of scholarship and all forms of Bible study, the treadmill of spiritual exercises (prayer, reading the Scriptures, singing, church attendance, work for Christ), the humdrum of things like three meals a day and going to bed every night—these things tend to pall on the sensitive spirit. But we shall die if we do not eat, sleep, walk, work, breathe. We shall die without the common details in the spiritual life. The lesson for our time is precisely this—to keep at it."

For many of us, that is precisely the problem. We want our lives to be interesting and exciting. The same for our faith, or "spirituality." We don't want tedium. And yet, almost anything amazing that has been accomplished has been preceded by a vast amount of tedium. Olympic athletes work out daily for years to achieve their goals. The same is true for musicians, artists, and intellectuals in almost any field you can name. Why should we think the life of the Spirit should be any different?

I am probably as bad as anyone in that I want things to happen instantly and immediately. Most things in life don't work that way. Babies take months to be born, and then years to grow to maturity. The same is true in our spiritual lives. We can't be mature believers right away, and we won't ever be if we don't do the hard work of spiritual exercise. Just like physical exercise, it's not fun, but it yields incredible rewards, if only we will keep at it.

A New Adventure

Ever since I announced that I would no longer be serving the First Presbyterian Church of Sand Springs, folks have been asking what it is I will be doing. I have to admit that I have been wondering that myself. I have looked at several options, from teaching to serving other churches. I have sent out resumes, e-mails, and even had a few personal contacts with other pastors and leaders who have been in my situation.

The result of all this is that I have been accepted as pastor of the Lucaya Presbyterian Church in Freeport, Grand Bahama. It sounds like an appointment to paradise, and in many ways it is, but it will be no picnic.

The church was founded about 50 years ago by the Church of Scotland as a mission to the indigenous people and the expatriates who lived there. About five years ago, the church decided to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the United States since Florida is much closer and more able to provide ministry support. I will be received into the EPC and serve as their first pastor from that denomination.

The Bahamas is a chain of nearly 700 islands that stretches from the southeast coast of Florida to just northwest of Haiti. Only about 30 of the islands are inhabited, with the vast majority of the population living in Nassau. There are about 300,000 people in the Bahamas, and nearly two-thirds live on New Providence, where the capital is located.

As I said, the setting is beautiful, but the ministry will be challenging. The island the church is on, Grand Bahama, is the northernmost of the outer islands of the Bahamas. This is not Nassau, with its bustling city and five-star hotels. Unemployment on the island is around 25%, so there is a lot of need among the people there. One of the issues they have is that tourism, which is down right now, provides about 60% of the GDP, and employs about half of the nation’s workforce. When tourism is down, it puts a lot of people out of work.

The church supports a ministry called CrossReach, which feeds 50 families a month to help them make ends meet. This ministry is overseen by Jerry Coleborn, who has been doing it for the past few years. Expenses are in excess of $1,000/mo, all of which goes to local families.

The church itself is very international, as you might expect. It consists of Bahamians, as well as citizens of many different countries, like England, Scotland, Canada, and even Lebanon. In many ways, it is like a church in the US; they have worship on Sundays, outreach ministries, and even a youth group. So my responsibilities will include things like preaching, planning worship, training elders, and helping the church in its outreach ministries.

But because of their unique setting, there are many other challenges as well. There is a lot of poverty on the island, and a need for better education and health care. Many of the native people live in small, family-related communities.

This will be a huge change for our family, but a great opportunity to bring God’s message of love and peace to a community in need. I appreciate all the support this congregation has shown to my family, and I would appreciate your continued prayers for this transition. Rest assured that you will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

I will still have the same e-mail address, so you can contact me that way, and I will probably still post on facebook from time to time, and update my blog. The church does have a website, so you can also keep track of us there. It is at lucayachurch.com.

Remember the words of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

May God continue to bless and be with us all.

The Real Meaning of Christmas

By guest writer Martha Noebel

  

    It's that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas?

      For many people, however, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don't have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmastime when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some.

      Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born as a human. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child.

      But, why did He come? Why did God send His son to this sometimes cruel and hard world? He sent Jesus to us so that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. His story (history) is one of truth, love, and hope. It brought salvation to all of us. Without Jesus, we would all die in our sins.

      Jesus was born so the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for ALL of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over.

      We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. We can be part of the Kingdom of God.

      Look at Christmas in a new way this year. This is the year you could invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a truly "Merry Christmas." The joy and peace you will receive will last all year long as you celebrate what God has done for you.

      Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Rejoice!

to see this blog on its original page, see: http://www1.cbn.com/devotions/real-meaning-christmas

Sad News Travels Quickly

It seems like nothing works overtime like the grapevine. News travels quickly from one person to another, and bad news seems to travel more quickly than good.

     By now many, if not most of you, are aware of my decision regarding my denominational affiliation. As a result of many long and agonizing hours thinking and praying about it, I feel I can no longer support the policies and practices of the Presbyterian Church (USA). For me to leave the denomination means I will also have to step down as pastor of this church, which is very hard for me (see the Letter of Resignation below).

     I have enjoyed the years I have spent here. I have come to regard many of you as close friends and even family. But I do not feel that I can continue to be in leadership in a denomination with which I disagree on such a fundamental level. I know this will be hard for many of us, myself included, but I hope you can understand the struggle I face.

     Some of you have asked what we will do now and where we will go. I will most likely serve in a ministry capacity in another denomination with which I am in more fundamental agreement. We are exploring those possibilities now.

     Some have also speculated about a time line about how much longer we will be able to stay. After speaking to the Presbytery officials, they will allow me to remain through the end of the year. Normally, they remove pastors who are in conflicted situations, but since that is not the case here (no one is trying to throw me out) they are willing to make some leeway. For that I am grateful.

     I suppose all that remains to be said is “Thank you.” Thank you for your faithfulness, both to me and to our Lord. It is that faithfulness which has allowed me to stay as long as I have. Thank you for your love. Jesus told his disciples that the world would recognize them as belonging to him because of their love. You have certainly shown that to me, and I and my family will always be grateful.

God bless you all.

                                                                                                                                                                October 26, 2015

To the Session and Congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Sand Springs, OK,

As many of you are aware, there have been many changes in the PC (USA) in recent years. Over the past several weeks and months those changes have accelerated and intensified. It is my feeling that these changes have not been for the better. In fact, they are so drastic and so far reaching that I have come to believe that I can no longer, in good conscience, serve in the leadership of this denomination. So it is with great sadness and sense of loss that I must resign as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Sand Springs, OK.

     This has been a very difficult decision for me. I was baptized as an infant in this church. I grew up and went to Sunday school and was confirmed in this church. I have served as pastor for over 30 years in churches throughout the Midwest. But now, I no longer feel welcome in my own denomination. The national church has adopted policies and chosen directions I feel I can no longer follow. Rather than continue in a church that I cannot, in good conscience, support, I feel I must leave.

     Please understand that I bear no ill will toward the leadership of the PC (USA), nor to anyone who chooses to stay. We must each follow the path which God has laid out for us. I will continue to pray for God’s blessing on the PC (USA) and this congregation.

     In turn, I would appreciate your prayers for me and my family as I strike out in a new direction, continually seeking God’s will and guidance for my future. I will, of course, continue to love and pray for this congregation, as we have made some wonderful friends here, and I will continue to think of you as family.

     May God’s richest blessing be upon each of us as we endeavor to seek God’s will in our lives, and serve our Lord Jesus Christ to the greatest of our ability. God bless you all.

In Christ,

Kenneth E. Lane

Prayer for Everyone

For many years, I have enjoyed the ministry of John Ortberg, author and pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California. I have read his books, articles, listened to him preach, and used his curriculum in Sunday school.

This week, I ran across an article he wrote in Leadership Journal, a magazine written for Christian leaders. It was an article on prayer, and, as he often does, John got right to the point about prayer and had some helpful advice about how to improve our prayer lives.

I think that many of us struggle with prayer in our lives of faith. How do we pray? When should we pray? How often? Even those of us who have been followers of Jesus for many years struggle with questions like these.

One of the points he made is that it is important for us to remember that we are always in the presence of God. We don’t have to go somewhere to pray. We don’t have to adopt a particular attitude, head down, eyes closed. We can pray while we drive, run, shop, or most any time and any place.

I remember a communications class I took in college where the professor said, “You cannot not communicate.” His point was that no matter what we said, and even if we said nothing, we are still communicating. Sometimes silence communicates even more than speaking.

Think how much more true that is with God. God is with us every moment, whether we are waking or sleeping. When we think about something that is bothering us, or when we worry or wonder about what the future holds, we can turn our thoughts to God. Tell God what is worrying you. Talk to God as you would your best friend, which, after all, he is.

I am always amused when people use language they think might offend me and then say, “Excuse me, pastor.” Do they think I am their biggest problem? Do they think that I am God’s microphone, and that when I leave, they will be by themselves without God listening in?

Clearly, God is in more places, and with more people than I can ever be. God knows not only what we say in our worst moments, but what we say in our best. God even knows what we do not say, and sometimes can’t even articulate.

These should become the essence of our prayers, not the flowery language we so often associate with tall steeple pulpits and pastoral prayers. We should not be afraid to show God our heart. After all, we know God sees it anyway. I think it is helpful to remember that God is as close as our next breath, and as vital as our next heartbeat.

As John Ortberg says, “The goal of prayer is not to get good at prayer, not to see who can spend the longest time in prayer. (Jesus said not to pray like the pagans who believe they will be heard because of their many words.) The goal is not to pray with greater feelings of certainty, or greater eloquence, or even greater frequency. The goal of prayer is to live all my life and do all my ministry in the joyful awareness that God is present right here, right now.”¹

1.      1.  Ortberg, John. “Getting Good at Prayer isn’t the Point.” Leadership Journal, Summer 2015: p. 29.

Don't be a Worrywart

The Bible encourages us to engage in a variety of activities in order to improve our spiritual health. We are called to things like faith, hope, love and prayer. We are also told to desist or limit other activities for the same reason. We are not to be greedy, haughty, lascivious or rude. These things we understand, and they make sense to us.

But one restriction the Bible has is difficult for many of even the best Christians I know. Over 20 times the Bible tells us not to worry. That’s actually quite a lot.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spends about 10 verses telling us that we should not worry, whether about what we should eat, or drink, or wear (Mt. 6:25-34). Why does he spend so much time on this? Why is it so important?

I think it is because worry is one of those things that can get in the way of our trust in God. When we worry, we are getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally and spiritually. Most often it means spending a lot of energy thinking about things we have little or no control over. And it demonstrates how little faith we have that God truly is in control. If we really believed that, there would be no cause for worry.

Instead, the Bible encourages us to a different activity. Psalm 37:7 says, “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Those words are easy to say, and fairly easy to do, until something happens that turns our world upside down, and we have to face the same agony and confusion that so many other people have to face all around us. Is it possible for us to “rest in the Lord” when our world seems to be crumbling around us? When we face the loss of a job, or a loved one; when we realize how little control we have over our lives, can we really “rest in the Lord” in those times?

That’s where the rubber meets the road, isn’t it? If we can’t trust God and not worry when things are difficult and uncertain, we are only fooling ourselves that we really trust him during the peaceful times. If it doesn’t work in one case, it will not work in the other. It turns out that resting in the Lord is not dependent on external circumstances at all, but rather on your relationship with God Himself.

One of my favorite devotional writers, Oswald Chambers has this to say,

"Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God."

I don’t know about you, but that made me stop and think. Do I really trust in God? Am I really willing to let his will be done, or do I merely want his stamp of approval on the plans I already have in mind?

Maybe we think our problems are too big for God or that God is too big for us; that he doesn’t have time to pay attention to all the things that are going on in my life. Jesus said that God pays attention even to the tiniest of sparrows, and that he cares very much for each and every one of us.

If you are worried or afraid, tell God about it. He is not too busy to hear us. Let your worry draw you closer to God, not drive you farther away.

As Paul told the Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phil 4:6). 

Inoculated with Jesus

It seems like there is a lot of discussion by news pundits and educators these days about whether or not children should be vaccinated. Some parents fear the possible side effects, while others maintain the importance of vaccinations for our health and well-being.

The discussion about medical vaccinations will have to wait for another day. Today I want to make the observation that there are a lot of folks in our society who have been inoculated with Jesus. What?!? What does that even mean?

Consider this: according to the dictionary, a vaccination is the “administration of antigenic material to stimulate an individual’s immune system to develop adaptive immunity to a pathogen.” Usually that means an injection of a small dose of a virus (either live or dead) into an otherwise healthy individual so that person can develop anti-bodies and be more prepared to fight off a particular disease. Many of us get a flu vaccination each year so that, if we get the flu, it will be less severe and our bodies will be more prepared to deal with it.

The 21^st Century American culture has been called “Post-Christian,” and for good reason. Many Christian values and ideas, many biblical stories and sayings, which had been a part of Western culture for decades, and even centuries, are no longer taught in schools, homes, and, sadly, even in some churches. The culture in which we live today is one which seeks purposefully to marginalize church, faith, and God.

While it would be easy to chase the white rabbit of religious freedom vs religious oppression, that is not my point. My point is much more simple and much less controversial. What I mean by saying that we have raised a generation of children who have been inoculated against Jesus is that we have given them just enough of Jesus and religious faith that they have developed an “adaptive immunity” to the real thing.

Lots of people today think they know about God and about what Christ and the church are all about, but they really don’t. They know just enough to know what they don’t like, and so they dismiss this image they have of Jesus and Christianity. They have become immune to the real thing.

I have seen it in some of the conversations I have had, particularly with young adults. They talk about things they don’t like about the church, many of which are some of the very things I don’t like either. But rather than embrace what the church could be, what I would say it is supposed to be, they dismiss the Christian faith as irrelevant and (God help us) old-fashioned. They have been inoculated against a living faith by a dead virus they swallowed years ago.

What can we do? Is there any hope?

I take comfort in the fact that a virus is a living thing. It can change. It can adapt. That can be bad if you are fighting disease, but good if you are encouraging faith. Therefore, it works well in my metaphor. Peter told the Christians in his first letter, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Pe 1:3). Our hope and our Savior is not dead, but alive!

Things are changing all around us. The church is changing; it is finding new ways of expressing the faith, new fields for mission and evangelism. In ten years, or twenty, it may look completely different than it does now. I am almost certain that will be the case. But one thing does not change. Jesus is always the same. Hebrews says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” (Heb 13:8). Our challenge in the church is to present Jesus, the real, living Jesus, in such a way that people will believe and embrace his love. Try it. It’s catching!

Thoughts from a Narrator

This weekend, I had the privilege to be part of the Sand Springs Community Theatre production of Into the Woods, which is kind of a mash-up of several fairy tales. In this production I play the Narrator, who kind of guides the play along. As such, I thought I would offer this fairy tale of my own.

Many cultures use fairy tales to teach lessons and morals to children. Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish philosopher of the 19th century, once wrote his own version of a fairy tale to help explain the good news of God’s love. He said, There once “was a king who loved a humble maiden. The king was like no other king. Every statesman trembled before his power. No one dared to breathe a word against him, for he had the strength to crush all opponents. And yet this mighty king was melted by love for a humble maiden.

“How could he declare his love for her? In an odd sort of way, his very kingliness tied his hands. If he brought her to his palace and crowned her head with jewels and clothed her body in royal robes, she would surely not resist; no one dared resist him. But would she love him? She would say she loved him, of course, but would she truly? Or would she live with him in fear, nursing a private grief for the life she had left behind. Would she be happy at his side? How could he know?

“If he rode to her forest cottage in his royal carriage, with an armed escort waving bright banners, that too would overwhelm her. He did not want a cringing subject. He wanted a lover, an equal. He wanted her to forget that he was a king and she a humble maiden and to let shared love cross over the gulf between them. For it is only in love that the unequal can be made equal,” concluded Kierkegaard.

“And so the king, convinced that he could not elevate the maiden without crushing her freedom, resolved to descend. He clothed himself as a beggar and approached her cottage incognito, with a worn cloak fluttering loosely about him. It was no mere disguise he took on, but a new identity. For, you see, he renounced the throne to win her hand.”¹

C. S. Lewis once famously wrote, “The heart of Christianity is a myth (you could also say fairy tale) which is also a fact.”² His point is that the power of these stories, of this story, is not in its fiction, but in the wonderful fact that it’s all true. God loves us just like we are. Jesus came and died for your sins, and mine, to bring us back to our loving Heavenly Father. That is the message we have the great privilege to share with the world.

1.      A paraphrase of Soren Kierkegaard, Philosophical Fragments, pp. 31-43, by Philip Yancey in his book Disappointment with God, pp. 103-104.

2.      C. S. Lewis. God in the Dock, “Myth Became Fact.” Wm. B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI:1970.  p. 66.

Judgmental Finger Pointing

I remember when I was younger, I was told that you should never point your finger at someone, because there are always three more fingers pointing back at you! Obviously, the reference was to discourage judgmentalism, and perhaps it is time to revive that image.

No one would argue that we seem to be living in a time of increased intolerance and judgmentalism. It is a time when people seem prone to finger pointing; to ways of assigning blame for problems, issues, and mistakes.

Just last week, I read a blog in which the writer violently blasted the intolerance of those who supported a certain position. Those opinionated goats were characterized by all sorts of evil, their parentage called into question, and even their individual value as persons. There was much profanity.

As I read the article, what struck me most profoundly was the fact that the writer was expressing an opinion with just as much hate and intolerance as those she criticized. It was all I could do not to respond, throwing more fuel on the fire.

It seems like every day we read and watch the news about intolerance and incivility in our society. One group or person commits a hateful act, and the response seems to be to commit an even more hateful act, escalating the conflict. What are we to do?

In my devotional reading this week I listened to Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. His thoughts on the matter are, “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged,” (MT 7:1). This is more than a suggestion or wish. It is a law of life, just as certain as the Law of Gravity is part of our physical universe. Jesus goes on, “For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the same measure you get.” If you are harsh and critical of others, that is the way life will pay you back. If you are angry and loveless and uncaring, that is the way you will be treated by others.

The Apostle Paul is even more clear in Romans 2:1 when he says, “when you pass judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.” That is quite an indictment. How is it that we seem to see so clearly in others what is equally present in our own lives, but which we are either unwilling or unable to see?

Oswald Chambers says it this way, “The reason we see hypocrisy, deceit, and a lack of genuineness in others is that they are all in our own hearts. The greatest characteristic of a saint is humility.” The proper response to hate and evil in the world is not to meet it head on with more hate, but rather, to recognize that we are just as hateful as those we would criticize. We have no right to judge because we are capable of any evil we see exhibited in others, and would, no doubt, give in to it if not for the grace of God.

Do we see sinfulness in others? No doubt we do, but it is only because we are so familiar with that particular sin, since it lives and flourishes in us, as well. The way to counteract hate is not with more hate, but with love and forgiveness. That is one of the most difficult challenges Christ calls us to, and one we could never hope to meet except for the power of God’s Holy Spirit living and working within us.

So, remember the old adage about three fingers pointing back at you when you point yours at someone else. Let it be a reminder of our own foibles and frailty, and let it be a reminder to throw ourselves onto the mercy of God. As the famous quote, attributed to John Bradford, reminds us, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”

O Death, Where is Thy Sting?

As many of you are aware, this has been a difficult week for my family. We count ourselves very fortunate that our children have had all four of their biological grandparents throughout their childhood and, for some, into adulthood. I don’t think that happens very often.

But this week that changed. My wife, Cyndii’s, mother passed away on Monday. She had been ill for some time, so it was not entirely unexpected, but, as so many of you are aware, it is never completely welcome.

I want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers, and expression of concern for my family and me. It is truly a blessing to be surrounded by such loving and caring friends.

This event, as well as other deaths and funerals we have experienced in the life of the church recently, have made me think, perhaps a little more deeply, about life and death and what they mean both to us and for us.

When preparing a funeral service, ministers often reference the verses which Paul quotes in his First letter to the Corinthians when he says, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (15:54).

In this context, it is a fair question to ask whether death has retained its sting. There is a very real sense in which it does. No one can doubt that the death of a loved one hurts, and hurts deeply. Grief is very real, and it often takes months or even years to get over it. Some would say we never actually get over it, we just get used to it.

So how can Paul, quoting the Old Testament prophet Hosea, ask the rhetorical question, “O death, where is thy sting?” For most of us, that sting is clearly recognizable.

It seems to me that the pain, the sting, is not experienced by the person who has died. He or she is at peace, finally at rest. The pain and sorrow are for us to bear. But even that pain is lightened when we reflect on the joy that our loved one is experiencing right this minute, in the loving arms of our Savior.

Paul’s point is not that there is no sting in death, but rather that the sting of sorrow and loss we feel at the death of someone we hold dear is “swallowed up,” it is overcome and completely subsumed in the knowledge of the joy and peace the one we love so much is experiencing right at this moment.

All of us know the joy we feel when we give a gift to someone we love. Their happiness becomes our own happiness. Even if we are not responsible for the gift, it warms our own hearts to see our children, our friends, or anyone we love, filled with joy and happiness. We experience their joy vicariously, and the experience is compounded by love. The more we love someone, the more we are filled with joy when we know they are filled with joy.

It makes us smile when we see our children happy and running around on a playground. It should fill us with a similar vicarious joy when we know that the one we have loved so much is now immensely happy and at peace with our savior.

I don’t mean to negate pain, especially when it is still fresh. But I do believe that the sting of death is truly swallowed up in the victory of God’s love and peace which was won for us by Jesus Christ.

Life After Resurrection

It was only a couple of weeks ago that we were celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus with lilies and songs. This past Sunday we had two Memorial services for long-time members of the congregation. That seems like such a contrast. How do you celebrate resurrection and grieve the death of loved ones all in the same week?

At first glance, they seem like opposite poles: death and life, sorrow and resurrection. And yet, they are also inextricably linked. Without death there is no need for resurrection.

We have all experienced death; we all know what it is to grieve. But how do we live day-to-day in light of the resurrection of Jesus? How do we get his life infused into our daily experience?

Several years ago, Presbyterian pastor and author, Eugene Peterson wrote a book that encourages believers to do that very thing. He recognized that we, as human beings, encounter death and discouragement on a daily basis. From our limited perspective, life seems to be a collection of random events.

And yet, as Christians, we profess faith in a God who brings order out of the chaos, not only in creation, but each and every day. We believe God has a plan and that we are somehow a part of that plan. But, that’s awfully hard to do. Peterson says that to live in the power of the resurrection is a difficult thing to do, but it is well worth the effort.

He calls this unique perspective on life “practicing resurrection,” which is an odd phrase. What does he mean by it? He says, “The practice of resurrection is an intentional, deliberate decision to believe and participate in resurrection life, life out of death, life that trumps death, life that is the last word, Jesus life” (p. 12).

You can appreciate how difficult life lived that way could be. It requires a change of focus, a change of direction, and even a whole new way of thinking. We can’t keep doing things the way we have done them before and expect different results. Remember that cliché definition of insanity? We have to think about life and about God in a new way.

Most of the Western world has embraced an Aristotelian view of God as an abstract concept or idea. But this has not won us very many converts. Peterson quips, “We’ve been at this for two thousand years now, and people are not clamoring to join us” (p. 14). He goes on, “With God depersonalized and then repackaged as a principle or formula, people could shop at their convenience for whatever sounded or looked as if it would make their lives more interesting and satisfying on their own terms. Marketing research quickly developed to show us just what people wanted in terms of God and religion. As soon as we knew what it was, we gave it to them” (p. 23).

This marketing approach to evangelism not only doesn’t work, as is evidenced by the last 50 years or so of decreasing church attendance and membership, it is actually the polar opposite of how faith and discipleship are supposed to work. Remember what Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit,” John 15:16.

That’s how faith in God works. It’s not so much about analyzing an idea as it is about developing a relationship. Peterson says, “God reveals himself in personal relationship and only in personal relationship. God is not a phenomenon to be considered. God is not a force to be used. God is not a proposition to be argued. There is nothing in or of God that is impersonal, nothing abstract, nothing imposed. And God treats us with an equivalent personal dignity. He isn’t out to impress us. He’s here to eat bread with us and receive us into his love just as we are, just where we are.”

In order to practice resurrection, in order to grow in our faith, Peterson encourages us to be “healthy in God, robust in love” (p. 29). Let’s go and do just that.

Forward in Faith

Hasn’t it been a busy week?! But the good kind of busy. Holy week, from Palm Sunday to Easter, is one of the busiest times in the life of a church. There are extra worship services, visitors, programs, and people to manage. A pastor friend of mine on facebook posted a picture of himself taking a well-earned, but too-short nap!

There is also this strange phenomenon after a busy season, especially one with spiritual emphasis, where we feel a bit of a let-down once it is over, we feel a bit deflated. Do you feel like that?

It makes me wonder if the disciples of Jesus felt anything like that in those weeks following the resurrection. Talk about your emotional roller coaster! They went from Palm Sunday when the crowds were hailing Jesus as the possible Messiah, to the serious talk around the Passover table, to a surprise arrest and hurry-up trial, and a gruesome execution that must have flung his friends and family into the depths of despair. A few days later, rumors started flying that Jesus was alive. Could it really be? Then came the unbelievable moment when Jesus himself appeared among them, and they knew it was true. Wow! How do you recover from a week like that?

Just a short reflection on the experience of the disciples makes me wonder how that same thing works out in the lives of each one of us. Where do we go from here? How do we go forward after a week like that? For that matter, what does it mean to go forward? What is it we are supposed to be doing in the Christian life?

I had a very interesting conversation this week with someone who was struggling with growing in their faith. She wanted to know which church, which pastor, or which book would help her grow. I took the viewpoint that each of us is responsible, at some level, for our own spiritual growth.

If we expected our doctor to be responsible for our physical health, we would most likely be disappointed. Our doctor can make suggestions, prescribe medication, but it is up to us to follow through. We are the ones who have to eat right. We are the ones who have to exercise and lose weight. We are the ones who have to take the proper medication at the proper time. I hear all the time that we have to take control of our own health care.

I think it’s also true, at least to a certain extent, that we have to take responsibility for our own spiritual health. A pastor or Sunday School teacher can point us to good books, helpful Scripture passages, and insights on prayer, but it is up to us to actually do the things we are encouraged to do. It’s a little blunt, but I sometimes refer to this as “Nike spirituality” based on their advertising campaign, “Just do it.” Sometimes in our spiritual lives, we need to “Just do it.”

At the same time, I am reminded of the passage in 1 Corinthians where Paul talks about his own experience with encouraging the Corinthian Christians in their faith. He tells them that even though he planted the seed of faith, and another pastor, named Apollos, watered that seed, it was God who caused the growth.

We can put ourselves in a position to grow. We can learn, we can pray, we can share, but it is ultimately God who brings the growth. God is always responsible for the miracle.

In the Easter story, Jesus didn’t raise himself from the dead, the Bible consistently says that God raised him from the dead. So when we need raising, or when we need encouragement, we need to look to God, who is “the author and perfecter of our faith.”

Following Jesus

What a great weekend we had at Cursillo! If you haven’t heard about Cursillo, it is an intensive short course in the Christian faith. But it’s not necessarily what most people think.

We talk a lot in the church about being a disciple of Jesus or following Jesus, but we don’t do a very good job of explaining exactly what that means. Most of us have the idea that discipleship is about learning something new, probably something we didn’t know before. I think that’s true to a certain extent, but I also think we often confuse information with formation.

We go to Bible studies, and Sunday school classes and we expect to learn new things. That is a good thing, up to a point. The problem is that we think that once we have learned something new, or even been inspired or blessed, that is the end of the story. But new information is not the goal of true discipleship. I’m pretty sure that when we get to heaven, St. Peter isn’t going to give us a Bible quiz to see how much we know. I think he’s going to ask us if we love Jesus.

I have spent a fair portion of my life learning new Bible information. I went to seminary. I actually paid somebody to teach me all that stuff. But information is not formation, and I think of discipleship in terms of formation.

If you have ever seen the movie, The Karate Kid, (the original) it’s the story of a boy named Daniel from New Jersey who moves to California and doesn’t fit in. He gets teased, and finally beat up by bigger kids who know Karate. There is a little Japanese man in his building who comes to his rescue one day and sends the other bigger kids packing. Daniel begs him to teach him how to fight, and the man agrees. You may remember the scene where Mr. Miyagi invites Daniel over to his house and has him wax his car and sand his deck. Daniel wants to learn Karate, but Mr. Miyagi knows that a foundation must be laid first. He must be formed before he can be informed. All that hard work, it turns out, was strengthening and training his muscles, so that when the actual training began, he would be ready.

It is much the same with the Christian life. I wonder how many people consider that “disciple” and “discipline” come from the same root? If we want to be disciples, we must be disciplined in our actions and in our faith. We must do the hard work of following Jesus.

I wonder how many folks set aside time each day to be with Jesus, to spend time in prayer. I wonder how many people take the time to read their Bibles, not for more information, but to learn how Jesus was able to love those who ridiculed him, spat on him, and nailed him to a cross.

As we come to Holy Week, when we remember the last days of Jesus’ life, don’t just spend time learning about him, let’s try to learn from him. Let’s make this year’s Holy Week an experience to remember, not because we learned something new, but because we met someone new. Come and meet Jesus.

Lenten Practice

Most of us get the concept of Lent. Lent is the 40 days prior to Easter that begins with Ash Wednesday. It is a time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus during Holy Week and Easter.

As I said, we get the concept. We understand that to do anything well, you have to prepare, you have to get ready. But how do we get our hearts ready for Jesus?

Traditional Christian teachers for centuries have advocated what they call “Lenten practices” or “spiritual exercises” to prepare our hearts and spirits. Just as physical exercise improves the body, spiritual exercises are meant to improve the spirit. In the church, it is our job to encourage these exercises and to provide opportunities to perform them. This month, I want to highlight three opportunities that are available for our folks to exercise a Lenten discipline.

First, there are the Ecumenical Lenten services sponsored by the Sand Springs Ministerial Alliance. These services will be every Tuesday at noon and a light lunch will follow. The schedule is on page 4 of this newsletter, and responsibility for these services is shared by the Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, and Episcopal churches. If you have not done so before, you may want to take advantage of these services.

Second, Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery is sponsoring their annual Cursillo weekend on March 12-15. This would be a wonderful way to deepen your spiritual walk. The retreat is designed to encourage people in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, to deepen their faith, and give them the tools and the inspiration to move forward in their spiritual journey. There are more details in the newsletter, and application forms in the church office. I would love for us to take a group to Dwight Mission for this year’s event!

Third, I will be preaching a series of sermons during Lent on the topic of the cross, which is both a significant Lenten theme, and one of those aspects of our faith that many of us struggle with. Why did Jesus have to die? Was that really necessary? What does the cross really mean in our modern context, and how can I understand it? I hope you will make an extra effort to be in church every Sunday during Lent (a spiritual discipline in itself) and take advantage of these messages. If you are unable to be present, you can always view them online by accessing our church web page at www.fpcsandsprings.org, and clicking on the “video sermons” link.

I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to grow in your faith, and we also have many others, like Sunday School, Bible Study, and Lifetree Café. Whatever method you choose, make this the year you took the extra time to prepare your heart for the coming of the Savior.