Bandages

Bandages cause much pain in our little home. Yes, I know they are supposed to be part of the healing process. But Sister leaves them on too long and the adhesive damages her tender skin. Then there is more pain.

Having spiraled down this cycle a time or 2 (hundred), she now goes through the misery of anticipated pain. She gets hurt, wants a bandage, rejects the bandage in fear of future pain and then fights her parents' attempts to bandage her wound.

She doesn't believe there is a safe and pain-free way to remove the bandage. So it stays on and she later laments like Job, "what I feared has come upon me, what I dreaded has happened to me."

Her experience is too limited. Her conclusions faulty and based on imperfect data. She ignores the advise and perspective of one more experienced and knowing.

Just like I do. I know one story of my life and the outcomes of my choices. God knows another. The choice is who's story will be believed. Whom do I trust?

How many bandages need to come off?

It's SUPER Moon

Only every 18 years or so, the full moon appears on the moon's perigee. This perigee marks the closest distance from the earth in the moon's orbit. Pseudo-astronomers call it a Super Moon.

As family leader, I pull us toward nerdy activities. My wife, though glamorous and fantastic, has the heart of a nerd, too. So all day Saturday we talked up the Super Moon to our 2 children. We together worked them up into an almost Christmas Eve frenzy of anticipation and expectation.

As the sun sat, we all began looking eastward. As heavenly shades of night were falling, we loaded into the fam van and crused around looking for a high place to see the moon above the beautiful, but obstructing West Virginia hills.

We drove to one high point but could not see the moon. We drove to another. Still no clear view of the moon. Momma had googled that the moon appeared biggest when just breaking the horizon or tree line. But it was still behind the hill and we were now Bedtime minus 10 minutes! The static charge of tension was palpable in the famvan -- and growing...

...then on the last hillock, we spied through the trees the Super Moon. Momma and I "o-o-o-h-e-d" and "a-a-a-a-h-e-d" dramatically. The kiddos strained to see. Then the excitement faded as the moon did not appear in any way "Super."

Later that night, about 10pm, we could easily see the Super Moon from our kitchen window. We laughed about our family adventure and how un-super the moon turned out to be. Like so much we experience...

I'd Like to Be Saved

Last night after E and I finished a couple of key chapters in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," we said bedtime prayers and lay down to sleep. Then in a small, trembling voice, E says, "Hey, Dad, I'd like to be saved."

I'D LIKE TO BE SAVED!!!!!!!

So I held down my euphoria and asked, "What do you think that means?"

"I'm not really for sure."

So at this point I wanted him to be clear so I shared the meaning of an intimate/personal relationship with God. Our reading of Edmund's treachery, Aslan's trading places and dying (then coming back to life) had been used to soften his heart and were great connecting points to talk of our sinful selves (doing wrong things), Jesus trading places with us and our need to trust Jesus to be our savior and king.

Having talked through these issues, I asked, "Would you still like to be saved?"

"Yes. Will you do it for me?"

"I can't do it for you. You have to choose for yourself. You have to trust Jesus for yourself. I will help you if you want to."

"Okay, Daddy. Let's pray now"

And we did. As we finished our prayer, I told E he was part of God's people and should always remember that. Then I rushed out of the room to tell Momma.

When I came back with Momma, he told her the story of what happened. I walked Mom out and then returned to the room.

He was grinning from ear to ear. "You seem happy," I said, "what is making you happy?"

"I get to go to heaven now, Daddy!"

"Yes, boy, you do and you get to live with Jesus all the days of your life here, too!"

"Daddy, can we get to heaven another way?"

"No, Jesus says He is the only way."

"Okay, Dad. Goodnight."

This is the greatest joy of my life! This was my greatest privilege: to lead my own son the last few steps into trusting Jesus for himself. It was awesome!

It's in the Bible -- but not Scriptural

While studying and preaching Luke 4 this weekend for Lent 1, I was confronted with something that happens during the exchange between our Lord and the Adversary. It has caused me some serious reflection. Here is some of it...

Satan tempts Jesus for 40 days while Jesus is in the wilderness. Then there are three specific temptations recorded. Stone to bread exchange, worship for power exchange and then jumping into God's promise. It is in the last event that I was confronted with today's issue.

In all the specific, recorded temptations Jesus responds with Scripture. When challenged to make stones into bread, Jesus quotes the OT that we do not live "by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Then when invited to worship Satan in exchange for the glory of the kingdoms of this world, Jesus again quotes the OT that we are to "worship God and serve him only."

So we see lived out the principle of meeting temptation with the Word of God. The sword of the Spirit can be used to fend off attacks from Satan. We overcome by way of the Word. Christ-followers then should read much, memorize much and interact much with the Bible. Jesus did.

Then Satan predicates the temptation to jump off the high place of the temple with a quote of Scripture. He quotes correctly a powerful promise most specifically directed toward the Messiah. He justifies his request with a proof-text for temple diving.

This points to the challenge for the church in every generation. Not only do we need to be able to proof-text our beliefs and behavior norms, we need an overall rule or rules to guide us in those issues whose opposite sides find Biblical support. Issues such as the Trinity, the Dual Nature of Christ, ending Slavery, and the role of women in ministry/the church all called for more than a list of proof-texts.

Back to our Lord. Why did Jesus reject the verse as advocating or at least allowing temple diving?

More to come...

Jesus Only

Sunday will be Transfiguration Sunday 2011. As I have Children's Church duties I will not be sharing the sermon/teaching this week. I will share it here instead.

The Transfiguration according to St. Matthew (17.1-9, NIV)

¹ After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. ³ Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. ⁴ Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” ⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” ⁸ When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. ⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

This episode in the life of our Lord involves the inner circle of Christ-followers: Peter, James and John. They experience a clear revelation of Jesus. During the vision, Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus.

Moses and Elijah. Two icons of the Jewish faith.

Moses the law-giver, the writer of the the Pentateuch. He promised another prophet like himself would "be raised up" from among the people. He lead the people from slavery to the promised land. He was a deliverer.

Elijah was the prophet's prophet. He called fired down, prayed the rain to dry up and raised the dead to life again. He lead the people to worship the One, True God. He was caught up in a fiery chariot.

These two together might represent the Law and the Prophets, a first-century short-hand for the Hebrew Scriptures.

The inner circle saw them with Jesus. Then they heard the Divine Voice cry, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!" They fainted in ecstasy and fear.

When they revived they saw JESUS ONLY. Only Jesus can help us. Only Jesus is declared God's Son and worthy to hear. We need to center our lives on JESUS ONLY. He will help us understand the Law and Prophets. He will guide us.

My Blogging Sabbatical

It would appear that in 2010 I took a sabbatical from blogging. I only posted 7 times in the whole year. Less than once a month...more like once every other month...

I hope this year to post more often, to reflect on the happenings of my life, to dream about what could be.

My wonderful family brings new joy and strength to my heart every day. My church family grows and grows closer to my heart.

I need to celebrate that more.

So on the third day of this new year, I have now posted 1/7th as much as I did all of 2010!

Off to a good start.

Y'all Be Holy

This week Faith Community began a series of explorations of 1 Peter 1.15-16, "¹⁵But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

We discovered "holy" means 1. set apart, 2. morally pure and 3. shining (rarely.) Holy can be recognized by distinctives. Hebrews were marked as God's distinct people by circumcision, Kosher rules and Sabbath keeping. No matter where in time or space they were, they were recognizable. Numbers 6 describes the Nazarite -- a Hebrew set apart from even other Hebrews and recognizable because they would not consume grape products or come in contact with dead bodies. To be holy (set apart) is recognizable.

Holy also means morally pure. Holy desire, holy love all are expressed in purity, undiluted or without other mixed attributes.

But our biggest discovery was that Peter's call was to the church, not the individual. Every "you" in verses 13-23 is plural. In West Virginia we would say, "Y'all be holy..." God calls the body to be holy. This holiness expresses itself in the life and interactions of the group of believers. All the statements and injunctions are for the group, not the individual.

Once we were not a people, but now we are the people of God. We are being built TOGETHER into the dwelling place of God [collectively.]

This emphasis differs greatly from the personal piety paradigm preached in my childhood. Everything was about the individual and his/her separation from the world, the flesh and the devil. Individuals were called to be holy. We needed to be distinct in our actions, attitudes, adornments and amusements.

So how does a group express holiness? How does the group reflect the holiness of our God? Such an understanding of communal holiness brings freedom and constraint at the same time. Freedom from the bondage of legalistic, externalism imposed on the individual. Constraint to live out what it might mean to reflect a holy God through set apart community.

The first community called to be holy as God was holy consisted of the children of Abraham. The circumcision marked a man for life as one of the set apart people. Paul says, we need to have a circumcision of our hearts. The second marker was the Kosher law. Lastly was Sabbath-keeping.

In this pericope Peter connects holiness or purification with love (verse 22.) We will unpack that verse in a later post. But we can say now that love is the distinguishing mark of the New Testament community. Jesus himself declared, "By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13.35.) He said we could reflect the nature of our Heavenly Father in that we can "be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect" in a discussion of how God loves everyone, even those who count themselves His enemy. (Matthew 5.48.)

Love can only be developed in community. That is why the hermit holiness movement transformed into the monastic holiness movement. You need people to interact with in order to love. Love means nothing in the vacuum of solitude. God in His original design of humanity reminds us, "it is not good for man to be alone."

So the command to be holy would be meaningless to an individual. Love requires community to be expressed, exercised and expanded.

How sad that today the message of the Gospel, the very nature of our Lord is discredited by the unloving relations of the community of faith. Presbyterians and Wesleyans argue the extent of the atonement. Catholics and Baptists fight over the timing and mode of baptism. Division rather than unifying love marks Christendom. Even in local congregations, hostility, gossip, slander, distrust and brokenness mark the gather of the people of God.

Trinity Sunday 2010

Trinity Sunday marks a shift of emphasis in the Christian calendar. Advent through Pentecost traces the life of Jesus. Today begins a season of reflecting on the teaching of Jesus and the Church. One foundational teaching of the once-for-all-times-delivered-to the-saints Faith is the Trinity -- One God in three distinct, co-eternal and co-existent Persons.

Trinity is not an explicit teaching of Scripture. No one verse clearly states, "There is ONE God that exists as THREE distinct, co-equal, co-existent Persons: Father, Son and Spirit." The Church, however, formulated such clear statements as the Apostles', Nicean and Athanasian Creeds to describe the God of the Bible. The Church reflected on God's clear revelation and many passages can only be understood by the Trinity.

Trinity is hinted at from the beginning of God's self-revelation. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. (Genesis 1.26)

But Trinity becomes clear only with the Christ event. The classic passage found in the Gospels is the baptism of Jesus (God the Son.) Luke 3.21-22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Here in one moment and one place we see the Holy Spirit descending onto Jesus (the Son) and the Father declaring, "This is my Son..."

At the end of His earthly ministry Jesus commands that while we are going, discipling, we baptize "them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28.19.)

One suggested reading for this year's Trinity Sunday is Romans 5.1-11. In it we see the Trinity intertwined in the discussion of the resultant benefits of being justified by faith. Each of the Three Persons are working as One to bring joy to the believer.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Sweet Sixteen

Sixteen years ago today, I started my day standing on a wooden folding chair hanging clear Christmas lights on a tent pole with one hand and eating a Junior's cream-filled powdered donut with the other.

This morning I started my day taking out garbage and finishing some dishes I left from last night's supper.

And in between I have had the best time of my life.

You see, May 28 is the day my love became my wife. We were so young and idealistic. We were so poor. We were so in love. We decorated the church ourselves, planned the reception and I even wrote the service/sermon.

I still get weepy when I hear "How beautiful the radiant bride..." She looked beautiful -- take my breathe away beautiful. I was so nervous I could not look her in the eye. Until we laughed hysterically when the used white unity candle would not light for several long seconds.

But as wonderful as that May 28th was, this one is even sweeter. Lisa is even more beautiful today, our bond is even more strong, our love is even deeper. We have shared -- sometimes enjoying, sometimes enduring -- life together.

I so understand the sacramental view my RC family has on marriage. Even from my Protestant perspective, I can say it is a means of grace. It is the chief way God has matured my faith and improved my behavior.

She still takes my breathe walking into my view. She still is the focal point of my passion. My greatest accolade is her smiling approval. She still completes me. My greatest pleasure is her embrace. My greatest goal is to be the man she deserves.

Sweet sixteen, Lisa! I love you more!

Ascension -- in the Heavenly Realms

Last Thursday marked the anniversary of the ascension of Jesus Christ back into heaven as His earthly ministry was completed. What began in Bethlehem culminated in Galilee. His death and resurrection brought salvation to light for all humanity. Having shown Himself to His followers in various numbers and places over 40 days, He was taken up into the clouds and returned to heaven. That is where He had been since before creation and will be at the ending of time.

Sunday we observed this special day with a sermon: "In the Heavenly Realms." Paul in Ephesians 1 states that God "raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand...in the heavenly realms." This exultation is the boomerang effect of his condensation and humiliation (Philippians.)

Since Paul uses this phrase "in the heavenly realms" here and 4 other places in Ephesians we have a 5 point outline of the real-world, real-time effects of this historic event. Because Christ returned to the Heavenly Realms at the ascension we are BLESSED (1.3), EMPOWERED (1.20), MADE ALIVE (2.6), GRANTED ACCESS (3.10) and PROTECTED (6.12).

Each "in the heavenly realms" could be developed into a sermon of its own, but we glanced at each Sunday. The objective was encouragement and a change in our thinking. These five things are true of us regardless of the circumstances around us. They are secure with Jesus in heaven beyond the corrupting influence of earth. Our living would be different if we defined ourselves by these 5 characteristics -- if Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3.1-3).

Fruit in the Harvest

We are seeing fruit from our patient planting, watering and tending here at Faith Community. Among the new life is a revamped worship team. Tim now is the worship planner/leader. Phil stepped up a month ago and now is setting down our beat on the drums. Terry has been freed up by that to sing more lead and play his guitar every song. I am settling into the role of bass-master.

Secondly, Michael has agreed to be our delegate to Power/Conference. This is also a breathe of fresh air in that we received 4 new covenant members this year and our leadership base is growing. I'm sure more developments of these up and coming leaders will deepen our impact and broaden our scope of ministry.

Folks are stepping up to help with yard work, janitorial services and general care for our meeting place. They are taking ownership in "their" church home. It is encouraging to see the served transition into the servants!

Lastly, our faithful few are graciously stepping aside so there is room for folks to fit. I cannot begin to thank these tireless heros for such sacrificial service. Yet I am even more thankful for their generous spirit and encouragement to plug new servants into the work. Not every place would the veterans be so willing and helpful in releasing new folks into their "old jobs."

Faithfulness and fruitfulness are both marks of success in the kingdom. They are the two sides to the ministry coin. Thank God that we are currently experiencing both!

Pagan Christianity? -- Part 2

I do agree with the following assertions made by Pagan Christianity. 1. Church NEVER meant building in the New Testament. It always referred to a people. The authors do not show the "pagan" roots of ekklesia, though. It originated in the Greek calling of an assembly of citizens. Why did they leave this pagan connection out? Perhaps it would mean their home assemblies had borrowed something from paganism, too? Hmm....

The church was not then or is now a reference to buildings. It is the called out gathering of believers. There is too much attachment and expense used on buildings. I wish all buildings of worship were multipurpose so ministry could happen all week long. You know community gatherings, support groups, meals, benevolence, job training, afterschool tutoring, and the like. Our communities need so much more than just a once-a-week-song-and-speech gathering!

2. Sunday best is often prideful and discriminatory. I as a pastor of an inner-city mission seldom wear a tie. Our gatherings are literally "come-as-you-are-and-discover-who-you-were-made-to-be events. Over 16 years of service as a pastor I have encountered many who are reluctant to come because they don't have the "right" cloths.

3. The chief reason the New Testament gave was assisting others in need, not as an act of worship. The pastor that deals with giving/stewardship in terms of operations and staffing has mixed motives and conflict of interest issues. How many more could be served, evangelized and helped if these funds were directed away from staffing and electric bills for a worship center used only 3 times a week? I think we should support our teacher/pastor. There is direct teaching in the NT for this. I just wish it was not the biggest line item in the ministry budget.

more to come...

Pagan Christianity -- Book Review

Lisa and I try to stay current with issues and books and thoughts in the world and Christendom. I recently had someone mention Pagan Christianity to me as something of controversy. My loving wife bought it for me Saturday. I have read half of it as of this writing.

This book supposes that most if not all of modern Christianity is based solely on ancient Greek and Roman paganism. Buildings, worship, ministry and so on are all warpings of the prototype church of the apostles. The authors list and footnote many correlations with the "Ah-ha!" of a film noir sluth. The "revelations" should shake the faith and practice of every person who claims to be a Christian.

My first observation is simple. These are not "Ah-Ha!" revelations. ANYONE who has studied church history is conversant with all these connections. The change in the church in the 300's AD when the faith came out of the forced hiding of an illegal group to a legitimate one was radical and tremendous. The influence of thought and practice has always influenced the way persons act and react regardless of group affiliation. No shockers are to be found in this book. The facts are not in dispute. I do however dispute the authors conclusions based on these historic facts.

Second, it is a logical fallacy to suggest that borrowing or even being influenced by Greek/Roman pagan practice means the church today is pagan. This is analogous to saying that since the Irish eat potatoes (produce borrowed from Native North Americans) Irish culture has been retrofitted to Native American culture. Or that since the Italians use noodles (brought back from China by Marco Polo) Italian cuisine and Chinese cooking taste the same.

There are passages of the Bible that cite pagan poetry (Acts 17), pagan mythological imagery like God splitting the heads of Leviathan (Psalms, Job, Isaiah) and this simply shows the writers were aware of the world around them and not that they believed in polytheism.

Third, the underlying premise of this book is the superiority of the "house church" and its promotion. Both authors attend this type of church and are attempting to create a historic justification for it. They are just as guilty as "pagan" Christianity in reading their philosophy back into the Sacred Text. The descriptions of worship do not proscribe a "house church" practice/form/gathering flow any more than they proscribe the current/ancient liturgy.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Today is Pentecost, the birthday of THE Church. At Faith Community church, we sought a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our community and our worship. God did not disappoint. Our Teaching Time focused on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19.1-7 (NIV)
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
Luke 3.1-3, 15-17
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar...the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

The 12 men Paul encountered were Christ-followers. But in the initial years of the Way, the story of Jesus was only transmitted by word-of-mouth. These had only a partial narrative. They knew only of John's baptism of repentance. Paul fills in the gaps in their Gospel by expanding John's teaching of Jesus' baptism -- with the Spirit and fire!

Many today are familiar with a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This emphasis on repentance and forgiveness positions us for God's grace distributed as He will and when. The turning away from wrong and seeking forgiveness is a vital first step. It is the end of an ineffective life. But there is more.

We can fall into a cycle of forgiveness and failure (not unlike the book of Judges) if we live only with this understanding of baptism. Much like treating the symptoms of an illness, this has affect. But it is not a path to wholeness.

The baptism of Christ-followers produces something even more amazing than forgiveness. (Just typing that statement causes me to pause. Forgiveness is ABSOLUTELY amazing and wonderful. It is not diminished by what I am about to say.) The baptism with the Holy Spirit (and fire) is likened to threshing, winnowing and gathering wheat.

Threshing breaks up the whole wheat plant. It disconnects the wheat kernel from the stems and leaves. Winnowing throws the broken wheat into the air where natural or man-made breeze carries off the chaff (unusable stems and leaves) allowing the kernels to be gathered.

The baptism of believers in Jesus Christ is a baptism that deals with the causes of sin as well as the symptoms. The Holy Spirit removes what is unusable and concentrates what is usable. Victory, not defeat, becomes the norm. Failure is not impossible, but it is isolated. Wholeness comes. It is a beginning of a useful life.

So what baptism did you receive?

UnreLENTing...

Life is unreLENTing. The pace never stops. It seldom even slows. It's alot like whitewater rafting. You can't just sit in the boat of your existence. You have to actively participate or you crash into rocks or get flooded or flipped. You cannot be a passenger, you're part of the crew.

I've been rowing so furiously lately, I haven't taken the time to blog. And I am diminished by the lack of reflection.

So for my sake more than yours, I made myself sit down today and practice the discipline of reflection and writing.

It is Lent, the season of reflection and repentance. I need both. I have been short with my wife and children. I have been too demanding of my students. I have let the big-picture focus dim.

kyrie, eleison. xpiste, eleison.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Grant Your distant follower, Your delinquent servant, grace to quicken my obedience and shorten the distance of my Christ-following.

A Light in the Darkness

JJ Heller sings, "Don't let your eyes get used to darkness. The Light is coming soon. Don't let your heart get used to sadness. Put your hope in what is true"

Advent calls mind the unreality of our current reality and the danger of getting used to our existential perspective.

As Wesleyans we believe in restoration theology. The work of Christ begins the recreation of the world, the reversal of the curse brought to all creation by Humanity's rebellion. He rose on the first day of the week to be the first of a new order. God is even now restoring things to His original design. The Garden of Eden was not a parenthetical picture, it is how God made things to be. And at Christ's return in power, the Kingdom will again come in its fulness.

Hunger will be swallowed up by fulness. Peace will destroy war. Wholeness will heal all sickness. Plenty will rob poverty of its depravation. Freedom will bind addiction.

The King of Kings will return to the earth He created and unseat the Prince and Power of the air.

The Babe in the manger was the Light. And those of us sitting in darkness have seen a great light. Hope dawned that first Christmas morning. And our Hope DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!!!

So live in the Light. Walk in the Light. Dance in the Light.

Don't let your eyes get used to darkness...

A Voice in the Desert

Today is the first Sunday in Advent 2009. Today we begin the four-week journey to the stable to experience the Newborn King. We lit the first candle of the wreath to give light to Prepare by.

Malachi, Isaiah and Mark tell of the Voice in the Desert. We looked at this during worship at Faith today.

A voice...

Just one voice. One odd man with strange clothes and wild hair. Yet he cried out to any and all who came within ear shot. He was sent by God to use his one voice to serve the coming King. The time had come.

We, too, must raise our voice. We must give voice to the silent cries of the unborn, the moans of the uninsured, the exploited worker, the widow, orphan, imprisoned. We must call out for justice and equity. We may have only one voice, but it must be raised. John, the Voice, cried out against personal and social evil. He cried out against even the king when his lifestyle violated God's word.

People need to know the King approaches and we will all stand before Him. How can they call on one of whom they have never heard? Who have you told lately?

...in the desert...

Why a desert? Why the wild? Why not Rome or at least Jerusalem? What was God thinking?

Perhaps God sent the Voice to the desert to announce the coming of His Son because most of the time, most of us live in dry barrenness. It is in the dry weary landscape that we sense our need of a Savior. At the end of the advertisements and entisements there is a desert of disappointment. Are you dry? Are you parched? Are you cracked from overexposure to the bright light of the "Good Life?" The Voice calls out in the desert.

...prepare...

Get ready. Get ready. Get ready. In the movie The Untouchables, Sean Connery's character constantly asks, "What are you prepared to do?" We would like to be ready when company comes to visit. We would like to be ready for financial emergencies? We would like to be ready for the test. But what are we preparing for? Wishing is not the same as preparing.

How do you prepare for the coming of the King? John, the Voice, was asked this. He replied, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay." (Luke 3.11-14) Repent of wrong behaviors. Start new pattern of relating to others.

Smooth out roughed up relationships. Straighten out crooked dealings. Raise the level of thanks and contentment. Lower self-interest. Live a life that welcomes the King.

...the way for the Lord...

Does this passage really imply that my life makes a way for the Lord to come to others? In several places the NT expressly tells us our living either makes the claims of Christ more credible or discredits them. Stepping stones or stumbling blocks. Our life lived in readiness for the Coming One, invites others to join in the preparation.

What a shame that we all too often have so much Christmas we don't have any Christ. We are preparing this Advent for the LORD!

Ready or not, here He comes!

It's Me, Vern...

I haven't posted since AUGUST!!!!!

I began a new year of teaching. After 7 years in the classroom, this is my first official year. I have been enrolled in the state-mandated Beginnning Teachers' Academy. Translation: I have a boat -load of meetings I am required to attend. My job with students in self-contained behavior disorders has transformed into work with students in a self-contained mild-to-moderate mentally impaired classroom. Needless to say my days have filled.

However several very significant things have happened.

Come to the waters tells the incredible experience of baptizing two teens a few weeks ago. Friend Day was a big success. We have had a team of Partners come share in our breakfast service. We are pushing the 35 barrier hard now!

I had a hard fight against a nasty sinus infection last week that knowked me down for 5 days and nights. But thank the Lord, I'm up again.

I will certainly post more often now that I am finding my rhythm. The unexamined life is not worth living said Socrates. I feel the absence of this reflecting place.

Come to the Waters!!!

I recently had the honor of conducting the sacrament of baptism. It is the initiation rite into the Christian community. It is always joyous and exciting. Faith Community Church always makes it an event to remember for the participants and their guests.

This one was special, though.

The candidates were a brother and sister.

They are teens.

They recently declared their interest in faith and the act of baptism.

But what made it a truly transcendent moment was the sacred moment in which we co-mingled water from a gallon jug into the baptistry.

That water had been fetched from the Cranberry River by a team of blessed conspiriators to supply the dying request of the mother of these precious teens. D.H. had made plans with me to conduct her baptism in the Cranberry after her cancer had returned. But her health declined rapidly. So in her hospital bed, she consented to be baptised by sprinkling. My dear brother Terry coordinated the conspiracy and supplied our bed-side baptism with Cranberry River water.

Lisa stood at my side, her husband held her hand and I baptized D.H. in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with cool, clear water from the Cranberry. D.H. passed away a short time later. Her husband saved the jug of sacred water.

He brought that same water to the ceremony for his children. I poured it in the sign of the cross. And before the teens stepped in, as I read their personal statements of faith, I told everyone about the water. And as I baptized each one in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit I felt the cloud of witnesses settle in on our act. I understood in vivid clarity the line from the Apostles' Creed "...the communion of saints..." Time and eternity blended, the church victorious touched the church vigilent.

Every baptism calls the baptized back to their initial commitment to the Lord, His church and the Faith. But this one mystically affirmed it all to me in such clarity I will always think of it when I come to the waters...

Who Is Our God?

Today we finished our Summer Series. "Who Is Like Our God?" We celebrated the wonderful truths about His character and the wonderful reality of being renewed in His image -- changed from glory to glory in the image of His Son!

When the LORD finished His proclamation of the name YHWH, Moses responded to the
amazing, dazzling vision of God. First he worshipped. Moses bowed down to the ground. Worship is the reasonable response of those who glimpse the Glory of God. We stand amazed, we sing for joy, we thank and praise. The Glory of God inspires His people to worship Him.


When the LORD finished His proclamation of the name YHWH, Moses trusted God. He said, "If I have found favor...then go with us..." He put his hope in the character of the LORD just revealed to him. God's presence would bring safety and success. Without God's Presence, Moses would not move. His future depended on the LORD. The Glory of God invites His people to trust Him.

When the LORD finished His proclamation of the name YHWH, Moses confessed. "...we are a stiff-necked people, forgive our...sin" Isaiah, when caught up in the wonderful vision of God, high and lifted up, cried out, "Woe is me! I am undone." Seeing God's glory also brings into focus our vainglory -- our shabbiness and our sin. We then must choose to admit what we see in the light of Glory or deny it. Confession simply agrees with our condition in terms of God's glory. The Glory of God challenges His people to confess to Him.

When the LORD finished His proclamation of the name YHWH, Moses surrendered. "Take us as your people..."More than worship, which acknowledges God's glory, and trust, which relies on God's character or even confession, which agrees with our condition-in-light-of-the-glory, surrender opens the way for a life of blessing. When we gife ourselves to God, He begins the transformation. He renews the image of Himself in us! The Glory of God demands His people surrender to Him.

Then something happens that is even more thrilling, mind-blowing and life-changing than even proclaming His name and character. The LORD God invites humanity to enter into a close personal relationship (covenant) with Him. He offers Himself, in all His resplendant Glory, to be our God. He chooses us to be His holy people. He commissions us to reflect His Glory in the Glow of our life and character.

He has not introduced Himself as simple the Master of the Universe. He introduces Himself as our Covenant-Keeping Lord. All His promises will be carefully kept. All His duties will be faithfully performed. He is our God!

On the night before He was betrayed, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it and said, "This is my body. Do this in remembrance of me." Later He took the cup and said, "This is the new covenant in my blood. Drink this, as often as you do it, in remembrace of me." This covenant -- this personal relationship with the Glorious God -- was made possible by the substitutional death of God the Son. It was ratified by the powerful resurrection of God the Son. It is available to us today.

This God offers Himself to be our God and invites us to be His people. Have you accepted His offer?