Did You See Last Night's Game?

 Quote: "You can have the outfit on, but still not have the identity. 

(Heard in a message at M4M)

I immediately think of the Wise and Foolish Builders. (Matthew 7:24-27) Two houses that probably look the same on the outside, but their underneath, their foundations were very different. One house was just there, sitting on the sand where a good rain or storm would damage if not destroy it. The other was firmly anchored to the rock, where it was secure in the event of a storm. One was for show, the other was a home, a safe place, a sanctuary. 

I have a couple of IU (Indiana University) sweatshirts that I wear from time to time. I like IU, and the shirts were on clearance. Sometimes when I wear them, people I run into will ask me what I thought of last night's game, or the season the team is having, or some like question. I like IU, but am not a rabid fan, nor do I follow them closely. So most of the time, I don't know how to answer their question. But they assume I do, because I have the outfit on. They can see the outfit, but not my identity. Sometimes I bluff my way through a conversation, other times I just say I didn't catch the game or I don't know the answer. 

Sometimes, people go to church, they do some very good things, they may have even been baptized, they have the outfit on. But I am not sure if they have their identity in Christ. Galatians 1:27 says, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." 1 Peter 5:5 says, Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  The follower of Jesus definitely has a way that they should look. If you want to see more of what that should be, immerse yourself in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5-7) But know that there were many in the crowd who had the clothes of righteousness on, but did not have the identity. I believe this is why Jesus told the crowd, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  The scribes and Pharisees had the outfit on, but their identity was not in Christ, rather it was in their own accomplishments. They thought they could earn salvation, put God in their debt. Rather, we should look at the mercy and grace of God and consider the debt that we owe Him. Romans 12:1,2 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  It is more than just about wearing the clothes, it is about the identity that goes with the outfit.

Go team!

Which is it?

Our Sunday School leader made a curious statement the other day. He was teaching on the chapter of "God's Astounding Opinion of You" (by Ralph Harris) that deals with the issue of God being our friend. I believe it is chapter 10, if not, it is close. He stated that he did not feel that this chapter was very theological, but none-the-less, it was a good chapter.

To quote Inigo Montoya (of the Princess Bride), "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." The word "theology" can easily be broken into two parts, "theo" (God) and "ology" (the study of). And what topic could be more theological that God's character and what it is He thinks of us? This should shape the very depths of how we view Him!

So during this lesson, we spent some time in Matthew 15, verses 12-15. Some commented on verse 16, where it says "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide."

So here is my theological question, one that has many implications and I believe must be wrestled with. What does it mean that God chooses (elects, determines, predestines, or whatever label you want to give it) and how does He choose?

Does He choose like the NFL draft, based on some attributes that we possess? Or is it more like sticking His hand into a bowl of M&M's and randomly getting a handful of different colors? I have my thoughts on this, which I hope to share, but for now it is off to work!

Carbon Copies

Does anyone besides me remember the days of the carbon copy? When you had to put a sheet between the pages to that your typewriter would be able to  make a copy for you. We have come a long way since then and I am thankful for that.

Now, we can scan copies and fill them out, or alter them, or just leave them as is.

Jesus calls us to make disciples. But are these disciples carbon copies? And if so, copies of what?

I think a lot of churches want to make copies rather than disciples. Copies are comfortable. We can look at a copy and see if it looks like the rest very easily. We can control the copies by what we put into the copier.

But I don't think making disciples means making copies of ourselves. If it did, we wouldn't need much of the New Testament, because much of the New Testament teaches us how to deal with the problems that are created by our differences.

I am not a carbon copy. I need the New Testament. Jesus did not create or expect carbon copies in his disciples.

I think Jesus came to break the copy machine. Good thing too, because I have dealt with copiers, and they are a pain to maintain.

Just Another Day

This year, Easter is much like any other day around our house for a variety of reasons.

• My wife is recovering from surgery
• My father-in-law, who is bed-bound, lives with us
• Our church has asked that we no longer attend there, but find another place to worship
• My daughter has CIDP, and while doing well, her treatments consumed a lot of time this week
• Life

Alan Knox, who posts "Scripture...As We Live It" on his blog writes this for #203 here...

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. But, only accept those who esteem (or do not esteem) the same days as you. (Romans 14:5 re-mix)

I love his re-mixes, because I see a lot of truth in them. I know that there are some who would think it awful that we are not in church today. Yet my salvation is not based on my church attendance, even on Easter! Sorry for all of those who will be crowding into churches today just to get a few brownie points with God. I think that the saddest part of all of this is that most preachers and members will do their best to make these people feel welcome in hopes that they will join their church, but few will actually love them enough to preach the gospel to them in hopes that they might know Jesus.

My daughter (10) is sad because we have not had an Easter egg hunt or baskets or chocolate. She esteems this day higher than others, but for different reasons (or maybe not) than others. This will hopefully be a lesson on the true meaning of Easter for her as well. We have discussed our handling of Easter with both daughter and son (also 10), and will do so more as the day goes on.

So today is much like any other day, a day where we set apart Christ as Lord as we always should, but also a day where we deal with many of life's issues. Even though this week has been Spring Break for us, I have had to deal with carrying the burden of the housework as well as the extra burden of caring for my wife and taking care of my daughter's treatments (2 this week, and they take about 7 hours each.) So I cannot take a complete Sabbath rest today, as I still have planning to do for school tomorrow.

I guess my point is this, it is hard on me not to go to church today, not to have a fellowship to call home. But the place I was going was not really a place of fellowship. We hope to find a place soon, and even have a potential place we want to visit. I have listened to one of the pastor's sermons there, and he seems to have a solid grasp on Scripture. My old self tells me that I am being bad today. That I should be doing more, finding a way to go to church. But my new self tells me that it is okay. God is in control of my circumstances and He knows my heart.

And I would rather be home under these circumstances than to be in church going through the motions of obligation without my heart being attached to God. I pray for those in church today, that God would reach down and touch them, that He would use something to stir up their hearts toward Him in real worship.

15 Reasons to Stay.

Found this here. I added a few comments in bold print, so those are not from the original author.

1. I believe that there is no such thing as Church (with a capital “C”) without church (with a lower case “c”)--as messy and as difficult as that may be. I think that many churches believe that they have to have a pristine appearance to attract clientele, or perhaps the "right" clientele. Anything that smacks of ugliness is often quickly and quietly discarded.
2. I want to be the change in the world that I seek. And that means engaging the problems closest to me. Like in the next pew. Like in this pew. Like in my own seat.
3. I believe that reconciling nations and people starts at home. If I can’t work toward reconciliation in my own church, there is no way I will be able to accomplish it on a broader level anywhere else. Amen!
4. I’m not a militant separatist. I don’t believe that everybody has to think EXACTLY the way I do before I will worship with them. Even if they are more conservative than I am. Again, I see too many churches who have adopted a "cookie cutter" mentality. If someone holds to a different position, we dismiss them as hard-headed or not unified with the body. But I wonder sometimes, do my toes always agree with my fingers?
5. I don’t expect the church to be anything other than it is—a group of difficult, broken people plodding their way to glory. The kingdom of God is coming; it isn’t here yet.
6. I believe the church is bigger than political parties even if the people attending it don’t understand that. Even if the people who leave it don’t seem to understand that either.
7. I believe Jesus can and wants to redeem Pharisees as much as publicans. You have to believe this, or you become one of the Pharisees!
8. I believe by staying in the church I earn the right to speak about the problems I see. It’s the old adage that you can criticize your family but no one else can. By staying with “my family,” I can speak about our failures and the doubts I wrestle with. I think that is why churches seek to get rid of problem children quickly. Don't let the take root!
9. I believe that 2000 years of church history holds a bit more weight than my personal experience.
10. I have brothers and sisters in Christ who have been imprisoned and lost their lives for doing the very thing that I would be giving up. And they do it JOYFULLY. At one point, someone confronted me and asked about my happiness. I said that my happiness is not my concern, but my joy in the Lord certainly is. If my peace comes from having everything in place, it is a fragile peace indeed!
11. I do not want to lose people I love and who love me and my family. And while there are times that conviction must trump relationships, these relationships act as a grid to help me determine whether my convictions are sufficient enough to risk losing these people from my life.
12. I need the church to regularly remind me about the things that I don’t like in the Scripture. Things like God’s anger and my sinfulness--things that if left to myself, I would conveniently ignore or rationalize. Hopefully, the church is up to the task!
13. I am not an island. My choice to leave church affects everyone else in the congregation. Remove one part from the whole and it is no longer the same entity.
14. I have children. And while I’ll be the first to admit that it’s dangerous to raise your children in a church that distorts the gospel, it’s equally as dangerous to raise them apart from church altogether. One way the gospel is expressed is in the loving covenant relationship that happens in the church – I want that to be part of the warp and weave of their experience. I want them to know that real commitment means taking the good with the bad. Amen!
15. Jesus hasn’t left the church. No, of course, I don’t mean this in a sanctimonious way. (If I had, I would have put the word sanctimonious in asterisks.) I mean simply that after he threw out the money changers, Jesus continued to worship and sacrifice in the temple. His work is to purify and redeem, not to alienate or destroy.

Update and stuff

I sit here in the hospital as my daughter continues to get treatment for her "disease." Yeah, that is the term the doctor used today. He was pleased with her response to treatment. After only one day, she has significant strength back. Yay God!

I think about this. In order to get better, my daughter must suffer pain. I don't like it that she has to be stuck by needles, it makes her cry. But if she did not get this IV treatment, she would continue to get worse.

Sometimes, when we try to protect that which we love, we actually do more harm than good. I think of the elders of the church I attend, as they in my opinion, form a protective barrier between the pastor and any who would challenge him. So now, he does not have to defend himself, he is not challenged to grow outside of where he chooses, and the "unity" of the church is preserved. Or is it?

My daughter cried today. She will cry again tomorrow as she takes another IV for another treatment. But I am grateful for her tears, because they reveal a precious gift from God that will ultimately heal her and make her stronger.

This one sounds familiar

From Trevin Wax, whose blog can be found here

This one reminds me of our Wednesday night service a couple of weeks ago, where the preacher was talking about our non-denominational denomination. It seems that God orchestrated several events about a hundred years ago culminating in the Christian Church/Churches of Christ, who now number about a million in the United States alone.

God moved so that 1/3 of 1% of us could get it right. Go God!

I was teaching students about similes, and once one came up with this one...as slow as a turtle with an elephant on its back. God not only moves in mysterious ways, he takes his time too. But if we focus on the word "million" it sounds so much better. So let's do that instead.

A Cute & Cuddly God

Somehow we've managed to preach Christ crucified in such a way that few are offended, a once unmanageable God suddenly seems nice, and the gospel makes good sense-as we are accustomed to making sense.

Michael Horton. Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church (p. 10). Kindle Edition.

What is it that Christianity demands of us? Church attendance? Good moral behavior? Tithing? Most of this stuff is stuff that I can tolerate. (Okay, that tithing one hurts a little.) What about witnessing? Turning the other cheek? Volunteering to teach Sunday School? (Getting a little more painful now.) How about going the extra mile? Carrying our cross? (Enough already.)

What is it that Christianity demands of us? Everything. To me, it all goes back to the first commandment, to have no idols, nothing more ultimate than God. Are you offended now? Most of the time, when we preach Christ, we preach the salvation part. The good stuff. You get to go to heaven, yay! Who would be offended by that? But what does it mean to be saved? According to the Bible, the message of the cross is a stumbling block and foolishness. (1 Cor. 1:23) I think back to Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ. Did that not offend some people? Would you leave a movie like that believing that all Jesus wants is for you is a couple of hours on Sunday morning and a few bucks from your paycheck?

"A once manageable God suddenly seems nice."

What ever happened to that fiery, angry, Old Testament God? I think of the lion of C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. You know, the apex predator animal. The one that now we just want to cuddle up to, pet, or even slap on the tail? What about the holy and righteous God who had the earth swallow up people when they crossed him, or rained down fire and brimstone from heaven? Well He has been replaced by the God who sent His Son and is just begging you to accept Him. How nice!

"and the gospel makes good sense-as we are accustomed to making sense."

Now, God finally makes sense. Now He fits into the box. He is no longer that out of control personality. I like this God and I can accept Him. And if I've got this all right, I am safe, secure, guaranteed a spot in the coming kingdom. Awesome!

But what if I'm wrong?

We come to church, it seems, less to be transformed by the Good News than to celebrate our own transformation and to receive fresh marching orders for transforming ourselves and our world.

Michael Horton. Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church (p. 19). Kindle Edition.

What if it is not about me? What if it is about God? What if?

The missing piece

The last few days have been crazy. Our daughter has had some falling spells lately, so my wife took her to the doctor. He suggested that we see a specialist, and we were able to get in on Thursday. I took her at 8:00 AM, and after looking at her, he says we need to get her to another specialist. At this point, some concern is setting in. The doctor he wants us to see normally has a 6-8 week wait before you can get in, but he says that he will call him, and see if he can expedite things. When he comes back, he tells me that she has an appointment for 3:00 today. More concern sets in.

This doctor, a neurologist, is very friendly. (So was the first specialist.) He chats while he examines her. He tells me that there is a concern about her muscle strength. This could be caused by the muscles themselves or by the nerves. He wants to run a test in the morning to see which is the problem. My wife will take her. After the appointment, she stops by my work to tell me that it is definitely a problem with the nervous system, and she is scheduled for another test at 5:00 PM to determine if this is a hereditary issue or an acquired one. If hereditary, it is not an easy fix, but if acquired, it can be treated with medicine.

She is at the surgical center at 3:30, and I get there at 3:45. She is a very nervous 10 year old at this point. They give her meds to help her relax. I want some too! By 5:00 she is headed in for the procedure, where they take some fluid from her spine which will determine the cause of the issue. Now the long wait until Monday for the result. But at 7:00 that night the phone rings. It is the doctor, calling to tell us that her problem is acquired, and not hereditary. Praise God! What a wonderful man not to let us wait through the weekend to find this out.

So here is where I want to talk about the missing piece. It is now 7:10, and it dawns on me that aside from immediate family and my wife's Bible Study group, and people at work, no one knew a thing. I had never once thought about calling anyone at church. Why would I when they have expressed so little concern about us up to this point? We already have enough postcards. Yet I find that extremely saddening, that that which should be a tree large enough for us to rest in its branches often feels like a weed that saps our strength. I wonder how many others, in times of need, have felt this way. And if this is how it is, no wonder the church loses people out the back door almost as quickly as they enter through the front.

Random Stuff

Good article from "The Resurgence" on Moralistic, Theraputic Deism.


From "Out of Ur" -- Study says "God-Connections at church are Rare" Interesting.

Article: God's hand in Tebow's success? 43 percent in poll say yes