Who Do You See? (Part 3 of 3)

Today I’m concluding this three part series titled, “Who Do You See?” If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to read Parts 1 and 2 before you read this so that it makes more sense. Yesterday I concluded part 2 by telling you that we’d ask and answer the question, “When God saw Jesus, whom did He see?” The best way I can think of to answer that question is by first sharing an excerpt from Max Lucado’s book, Six Hours One Friday.

The King swallowed….
He looked at the Prince of Light. “The darkness will be great.” He passed his hand over the spotless face of his Son. “The pain will be awful.” Then he paused and looked at his darkened dominion. When he looked up, his eyes were moist. “But there is no other way.”

The Son looked into the stars as he heard the answer. “Then, let it be done.”
Slowly the words that would kill the Son began to come from the lips of the Father.

“Hour of death, moment of sacrifice, it is your moment. Rehearsed a million times on false altars with false lambs; the moment of truth has come….

“Oh, my Son, my Child. Look up into the heavens and see my face before I turn it. Hear my voice before I silence it. Would that I could save you and them. But they don’t see and they don’t hear.”

“The living must die so that the dying can live. The time has come to kill the Lamb.” …

So I ask again, when God saw Jesus, whom did He see?

When God saw Jesus, He saw the only way to reconcile His creation to its Creator.
When God saw Jesus, He saw the sacrificial Lamb of slaughter, born to shoulder the sins of the world.
When God saw Jesus, He saw His beloved Son who was born to die at the hands of the very ones he created.
When God saw Jesus, He saw Heaven’s best given in exchange for earth’s worst (yet He loved us still).
When God saw Jesus, He saw a future filled with promise
When God saw Jesus, He saw the pain and suffering of broken humanity encapsulated in the Son of God (and this is significant to remember as we walk through our own dark journey).

Which brings me to my final question: When you see Jesus, whom do you see? If all you see is a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger… then you’re thirty three years behind the story. If all you see is a broken body hanging on a cross… then you’re still behind even if a little closer. If all you see is an embalmed body lying in a rock hewn tomb… then look again. The tomb is empty! He is risen!!!

In order for pain and suffering to make sense, you must see what God sees. Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Behold, your Redeemer lives. You see, your failures, your pain, your suffering, your insecurities, none of them are unfamiliar to the “suffering” Savior. He knows what you’re feeling and He’s already set a plan in motion, though, from where you sit right now you may not fully understand what it is (Had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory). God knows what it feels like to bury a Son. I know that may sound trite and contrived, but it is the gospel truth! God is writing the story of your life and though the current chapter may be fraught with pain, darkness, and difficulty, the story isn’t over yet. The Master Story Teller is weaving the tapestry of your life into a fitting testimony for His glory and for your good. But don’t take my word for it, ask Job!

For this season to make any sense at all. For it to truly be the “most wonderful time of the year.” For there to be a purpose to the pain and suffering, we must understand the season for what it is: God became a baby, born through the birth canal of His own creation, so that He might reconcile the world unto Himself. Neither presents under brilliantly lit trees, nor exotic fare arrayed on well laid tables, can bring joy to hurting hearts that have suffered such tremendous loss. Only the Son can restore sunshine to a world gone dark with the pain of loss. Only the true meaning of Christmas can restore hope and healing to hurting hearts.

So even if this Christmas threatens to be one filled with pain and sorrow, remember that the veil has once and for all been torn in two to make a way where there was no way. Remember that, as your Savior and mine took His final breath upon a Roman cross, He declared, “It is finished!” However “dark” this season may appear, remember that God is at work in you both to will and to do His good pleasure. However dark tonight may appear, morning is on the way. I pray that your Christmas is brightened by the Light of the Son.

Who Do You See? (Part 2 of 3)

In an attempt to answer the questions I posed yesterday, I’d like to begin by telling you a story from the Scriptures. It’s imperative that you understand the story so that you can answer the larger question posed in the blog title. Only after you’ve been able to answer this larger question, will you be in a position to answer all the others.

The gospel of Luke chapter 23 opens with the narrative of Jesus being arraigned before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Prefect or Procurator of the region of Judaea (Today he’d be called Governor). While I don’t want to lose you in the tedium of detail, it’s important that I explain this role for the benefit of backdrop. Rome was the ruling civilization on the earth during this time of AD 26 – 36 while Pilate served as Procurator. He was Caesar’s representative from Rome to the region. The amalgamation of Samaria, Judaea, and Idumea formed a small, far-flung outpost of Rome that provided very little by way of taxes, to support the largesse of the Roman lifestyle. Nobody worth their political salt really wanted to serve in Judaea, and it was clearly recognized as a stepping stone to a more significant posting… but only if you served effectively and maintained the Pax Romana (Roman Peace)!

Pilate had done fairly well for himself up to this point in time, and the region provided very little distraction other than the typical uprising of false prophets and seditious elements seeking to overthrow Rome’s oppressive government, but even these were easily quelled by the Temple Guards and often didn’t require the involvement of the Roman Army. Let’s pick up the story straight from the NCV Bible:

1 Then the whole group stood up and led Jesus to Pilate. 2 They began to accuse Jesus, saying, "We caught this man telling things that mislead our people. He says that we should not pay taxes to Caesar, and he calls himself the Christ, a king." 3 Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Those are your words." 4 Pilate said to the leading priests and the people, "I find nothing against this man." 5 They were insisting, saying, "But Jesus makes trouble with the people, teaching all around Judea. He began in Galilee, and now he is here." 6 Pilate heard this and asked if Jesus was from Galilee. 7 Since Jesus was under Herod's authority, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time…. 13 Pilate called the people together with the leading priests and the Jewish leaders. 14 He said to them, "You brought this man to me, saying he makes trouble among the people. But I have questioned him before you all, and I have not found him guilty of what you say. 15 Also, Herod found nothing wrong with him; he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing for which he should die. 16 So, after I punish him, I will let him go free." 17 18 But the people shouted together, "Take this man away! Let Barabbas go free!" 19 (Barabbas was a man who was in prison for his part in a riot in the city and for murder.) 20 Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free and told this to the crowd. 21 But they shouted again, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" 22 A third time Pilate said to them, "Why? What wrong has he done? I can find no reason to kill him. So I will have him punished and set him free." 23 But they continued to shout, demanding that Jesus be crucified. Their yelling became so loud that 24 Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. 25 He set free the man who was in jail for rioting and murder, and he handed Jesus over to them to do with him as they wished.

When you read the above narrative, what catches your eye? If you had to answer the question, “When Pilate saw Jesus, whom did he see?” how would you answer it? Don’t worry if you’re not up on your Bible knowledge, I’m going to answer the question for you.

When Pilate saw Jesus, he saw a potential impediment to his political progress. Up until now, there had been relative peace in the region and the locals had handled all of their own religious and political disputes. Now they were demanding that Pilate take action against Jesus, whom, they “suggested” was out to destabilize the Pax Romana by telling people not to pay taxes to Caesar. They had “conveniently” forgotten that, in times past, this same Jesus had removed a coin from a fish’s belly and given it to Peter to go and pay taxes for both of them. They’d “conveniently” forgotten that He’d told them to render unto Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to God what belonged to God. But they had a plan. They knew that if Jesus was convicted of inciting a rebellion against Rome, then Pilate would be forced to respond and who knows what kind of uprising might result, potentially leading to a conclusion by Caesar that Pilate was not fit to hold any political office talk less of a promotion.

When Pilate saw Jesus, he saw a thorn in his side, potentially stirring up an unwanted distraction in the form of a religious and cultural rebellion. Because he didn’t want to get involved in the politics and religion of the region, he had allowed the people to largely govern themselves as long as it didn’t infringe on his ability to collect taxes and maintain the peace.

When Pilate saw Jesus, he saw a decision that he didn’t want to have to make if he could avoid it. As soon as he found out that Jesus actually hailed from Galilee, he carted Him off to Herod Antipas for judgment. Herod, a Jew, was the Tetrarch of Galilee (a largely figure-head political ruler over the region) and essentially saw himself as the true governor of the people as opposed to Pilate.

Having interviewed Him extensively, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. Let’s pick up the story in verse 8:

8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, because he had heard about Jesus and had wanted to meet him for a long time. He was hoping to see Jesus work a miracle. 9 Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus said nothing. 10 The leading priests and teachers of the law were standing there, strongly accusing Jesus. 11 After Herod and his soldiers had made fun of Jesus, they dressed him in a kingly robe and sent him back to Pilate. 12 In the past, Pilate and Herod had always been enemies, but on that day they became friends.

So, here’s the next question: When Herod saw Jesus, whom did he see?

When Herod saw Jesus, he saw a temporary distraction from the emptiness of his maudlin life. Herod was a figure-head ruler. The High Priest was the de-facto religious and political ruler of the people. In addition, Pilate had usurped all of Herod’s authority since he was officially Rome’s and Caesar’s representative to the region. There was very little left for Herod Antipas to do and his life needed some form of entertaining distraction. Pilate’s inclusion of him in Jesus’ judgment gave Herod a sense of worth.

When Herod saw Jesus, he saw an entertainer. He’d heard of the many miracles Jesus had performed, and his desire to meet Jesus did not stem from any altruistic motive, but purely from the perspective of whatever “entertainment” value He could bring. Herod “was hoping to see Jesus work a miracle.” Herod viewed Jesus in much the same way our generation views David Blaine or Chris Angel… as a performer or magician.

When Herod saw Jesus, he saw an opportunity to display his misguided and misinformed sense of strength and power (he ridiculed and mocked Jesus, then dressed him up as a pseudo king), which in actual fact was really weakness. Oskar Schindler, in Schindler’s List, pointed out that, “Real power is having the ability to punish someone yet choosing to forgive them.” Remarkably reminiscent of how God continually chooses to deal with His creation.

Tomorrow we’ll answer the question, “When God saw Jesus, whom did He see?” Following that, we’ll ask and answer the question that will tie this entire series of posts together and hopefully answer all of the questions posed in part 1.

Who Do You See? (Part 1 of 3)

For many, Christmas won’t be so pleasant this year! I’ve heard it said ad naseum that Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year,” and if it reflected its true meaning, that would no doubt be true. However, with the commercialization of Christmas such that in the West it’s not even politically correct to say “Merry Christmas” but “Happy Holidays,” I’m not so sure it’s the most wonderful time of the year any longer. For many who say it is, they probably sing a different song come January and the new cycle of credit card bills. Well, maybe for the stores that exceed their annual sales quota in four weeks of Christmas sales, it is.... Or maybe for the ones whose bonus checks ensure that there’ll be more food on the table than they can consume in a week, it is…. But those categories of people are definitely in the minority.

Now hold your horses, before you begin to think I’m the reincarnation of the Grinch trying to steal Christmas. This post is not in any way, shape, or form a Christmas bashing session. In fact, if anything, I’m trying to “return” rather than “steal” Christmas, because it isn’t the Grinch who stole it, but commercialization, political correctness, and cultural trends! Stay with me a moment while I explain.

I have a number of friends who have experienced tragic loss this year. One couple buried their son who died in an automobile accident. The car was being driven by one of his friends (who survived the accident). The kid was only 19. Parents shouldn’t bury their children! This devastating loss has caused the family to some times question their faith. But their story is still being written by a faithful God. Another couple lost a son who died in his sleep at the age of 27. Tragically this same couple has a 22 year-old son whose body has been so riddled by cancer, he weighs all of 90 pounds. Less than a week ago the doctors told him there was nothing more they could do for him. They gave him four to six weeks to live, and sent him home to die surrounded by his family. How does a family cope with potentially losing two sons in one year? Parents shouldn’t bury one child let alone potentially bury two. And in the same year! As you can well imagine, their faith has been tested to its very core. But their story is still being written by a loving God.

I know what it feels like to lose someone near and dear to you. I lost my father in May this year. Unexpectedly. The pain is still often unbearable and sometimes I can hardly catch my breath from crying so hard, yet he died at a decent age. I know how painfully difficult it is to bury a parent. I haven’t a clue how much more so it must be to bury a child. I can however speculate that at the very least it must feel like your world has come to an end. So, how do you tell families like these to “Have a Merry Christmas”? How do they process the idea of a season that’s meant to be the most wonderful time of the year, when for them it isn’t? How can we, in all good conscience, ask them to trivialize their pain and suffering by attempting to replace it with gifts, lighted trees, and eggnog?

And while we’re on the subject of pain and suffering, I should mention that I’ve spent the last few months counseling with five different Christian couples whose marriages are on the rocks. Three of the couples have finally filed for divorce, while one of the remaining two couples is in the process. Did I mention that two of the men are pastors? How do we tell these couples that this is indeed the most wonderful time of the year? How do we convince them that carving a turkey around a shared dinner table surrounded by extended family and other happy couples, all extending empty but well meaning platitudes, isn’t a poor substitute for a broken heart?

I’m confident that the answers to the myriad questions I’ve posed are many and varied, and we’d probably not agree on all of them. But I know one thing for sure that we’d all agree on: Even if the Grinch returned all the stolen presents, it still wouldn’t make Christmas a happier time for the folks whose stories I’ve mentioned above. So what are the answers to the many questions, you ask? Well, you’ll just have to come back tomorrow to find out.

Confessions of a Christian Cleric... I like Atheists!

I recently posted a blog titled "Don't Believe In God?" in which I quoted the president of the Atheists of Florida, Rob Curry. As you know, I’m big on this idea of starting points for conversations about God and I’m a firm believer that everybody has a right to express their opinion without the antagonistic vitriol that tends to spew from those who differ in opinion.

At the risk of drawing the ire of many ‘good Christian folk,’ I have to admit that Rob Curry became somewhat of a hero to me when he responded to my post with graciousness and class. There was no underlying sense of frustration or bitterness whatsoever in his response (I’m just thinking of the ‘Christian’ response to their billboard). In fact, Rob made it clear that the Atheist's of Florida's intent for the billboard was never to dissuade anyone from pursuing whatever faith journey they are on, but simply to find other people who live life from their prism.

This is remarkable, and I’m persuaded that it’s a policy that the Church might consider adopting instead of an ‘us and them’ mentality. If we just spread the love of Christ through building authentic, loving relationships with people, who knows what may grow out of those seeds we plant. All too often we view the message of Christianity as if it were a product we’re trying to pawn off on people who don’t really want it anyway. In reality, the message of Christianity is summed up in the story of the man who found a treasure in a field, sold all he had and purchased the field; It’s a message of love and self-sacrifice; A message of caring more about the “treasures” that are found in the people all around us than in what you've acquired. If you haven’t already done so, click on the hyperlink above and read the entire post and comment. In case you don’t have the time to do so though, I’m appending Rob’s response so that you can see just how gracious he was.

"Rob Curry here. I'd like to take a moment to clarify one point with some inside information:We did not take any religious community issues into account in choosing where to place a billboard ad. The reason we choose Lakeland is because that is where our most recent new chapter opened a little earlier this year. This is likely to happen in other towns and cities where new chapters of Atheists of Florida are formed

I actually heard about the incident you describe for the very first time right AFTER paying for the board to go up. My reaction? No, I didn't jump up and down with glee to think of a division in this particular religious community, if that's what you're imagining. I merely shrugged my shoulders and went on to other things. It's not like this kind of event is so unusual, and as I see it, the people involved are all adults who will find their way through an unfortunate situation as best they can.

Here's the main point:We did NOT put up the billboard to change anyone's faith or beliefs. We put it up to find other atheists. (With greater than anticipated success, I might add.)Please do not automatically assume the entire world shares your own evangelical outlook. Some of us are content to live and let live. If you want to know more, please ask us. As you may guess, we're not exactly hesitant to say what we honestly think

By the way, I appreciate your mature support for freedom of speech and against the knee-jerk impulse towards censorship. You may rest assured that Atheists of Florida likewise supports the freedom of all Floridians, religious and nonreligious alike, to express their views."

Don't Believe in God?

Seems like we’ve been here before right? Well, technically we haven’t since, the last time we talked about this it had to do with an advertising bus campaign in the UK. So, maybe it’s the same story in a different location. Any way, I was struck by this for a number of reasons. Sometime last year there was much written about the “revival” sweeping Lakeland, FL, and people were arriving in droves from around the world (thanks to the publicity on GodTV), to participate in what God was doing, that is until it was revealed that the revivalist was leaving his wife and had been having the proverbial affair with his secretary. I imagine it must have left a sour taste in the collective mouths of the Lakeland community. I imagine the Lakeland Christian community might have felt that they’d been left with egg on their faces. I imagine the Atheist community thought Lakeland must be ripe for the picking, and would be open to a different message, having met with such disappointment from the Christian “revival” message. And why not? After all it is a free country and we’re all free to spread the message that we believe will positively impact people’s lives. So the Atheists of Florida got together and sponsored a billboard in Lakeland. It reads, “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.”

Rob Curry, president of Atheists of Florida, stated “The main goal (of the billboard campaign) is to increase awareness of the secular group.” He further opined, “We want other people in the secular community who are non-religious to become aware of us.” Not surprisingly the Christian reaction was predictable to say the least: "“You shouldn’t raise your children that way… not to believe in God,” said Carolyn Brown. “I think it should be removed now.”" So will it surprise you to hear that, while I agree that it’s better not to raise your children "That way," I don’t think the billboard should be removed? I mean, I know how effective billboard advertising can be. I even used it when we were launching The Well, and ran a very successful campaign that created a real buzz in the community. If it’s good for Christians, then it must be good for anyone who believes differently from us, right? I can see I’m going to have to work harder to convince you. Well, the larger picture here is not about a billboard but about the effectiveness of our Christian witness. Do we honestly believe for one moment that a billboard can change people’s belief in the existence of a loving God, if we as the Church continued to live the way we should? I don’t think so. It’s hard to convince the people of Rwanda that God isn’t real, after they've experienced the love of God through the Global Church, following the genocide of the nineteen-nineties that impoverished their nation.

Lakeland wasn’t the first Florida city to host this billboard campaign. In Fort Lauderdale the billboard read, “Being a good person doesn’t require God. Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.” As always though, God has the last laugh. In the UK campaign the slogan ended up preaching the message of the Scriptures as it declared “Now stop worrying and enjoy your life,” a clear and direct exhortation from Luke 12: 25 and Philippians 4: 6. In the Florida campaign, Daniel Florien, writing about the Fort Lauderdale billboard declared, “On the first one we accidentally capitalized God.” Apparently that same 'accident' continues to perpetuate itself on all their subsequent billboards. Their unspoken dilemma: If they don’t "capitalize God" then even Christians would agree that we didn't believe in a 'god' (small 'g') since we believe in The God with a capital G. If they do capitalize God, they are unwittingly acknowledging the existence of the Supreme Christian God while running a campaign trying to disavow His existence. Hmmm, I wonder if… nah, God couldn’t have anything to do with that could He?

I Will Make You A Great Nation

I was recently reading an Old Testament Bible story that has spoken volumes to me over the years. It’s the story of Abram and Isaac in Genesis 22: 1-18. In case your recollection is fuzzy, this was before he became the great progenitor, as, at this time his only progeny was Isaac. The primary problem facing him though, was the fact that God had apparently instructed him to kill Isaac, thereby removing the only source of his becoming a great progenitor. This story has always motivated me to ask certain questions about Abrams psyche and emotional struggle as he walked this dark road from which there was seemingly no escape. Here are some of my questions (and by all means please feel free to add some of your own):

• What motivated Abram to action, even to the point of being willing to kill his own son, for whom he had waited so many years?
• What did he say to his son to convince him that it was okay to let his own father kill him with a knife? (Bear in mind the Scriptures tell us he placed Isaac on the altar and lifted the knife ready to kill him. No where does it suggest or state that Isaac resisted or that Abram drugged him so that he was in a coma)
• What made Abram so certain that he had heard God’s voice?The truth is we can only speculate as to the answers to these questions.

What we do know for certain however is where and how it all began. In Genesis 12: 2 God declares to Abram, “I will make you into a great nation.” However Abram chose to interpret the fulfillment of that promise, it was the one thing he held onto in the midst of his greatest crisis. When all else fails, only one thing stands sure in the midst of the uncertainty: His promises. Abram knew that God’s word was surer than money in the bank (or cattle on the range), and he wasn’t about to doubt God’s promise of making him a great nation. Whatever that looked like to Abram at the time of receiving the promise, I’m sure it didn’t entail his son on a sacrificial altar.

But he did it anyway!

When life seems so uncertain, you must simplify and go back to the beginning, so that the pain and anguish don’t speak louder than the promise. Do you really believe that it was easy for Abram to lift a knife against his beloved son? Abram’s obedience was a direct result of his confidence in God’s sovereignty, and so he obeyed God’s instructions even when they didn’t seem to make sense to his natural inclinations. You know the rest of the story: God provided a sacrificial lamb (Lamb) in place of Isaac, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, who became the father of the twelve sons who became the nation of Israel. “I will make you into a great nation,” God had said, and that’s exactly what He did.

Here's what's happening in our world... (Another open letter to Mr. and Mrs. Christian)

Dear Cousin Christian,

It’s been a while since I last wrote to you regarding the state of our world. At times I feel like throwing my hands up in exasperation and declaring loudly to the world that we’ve failed. Who’s “we” you ask? I’m talking about you and I. Us. We who claim to be Christ’s representatives on earth to a hurting world, that’s who “we” is. Have you looked around lately? No, I mean really looked? No? Well here’s what’s happening in our world even as we purchase our Venti Vanilla/ Carmel Macchiatos. Here’s what’s going on while we revel in our acute global nescience.

Taliban fighters have stormed and taken over the Swat Valley in Pakistan. Their objective: Convert the entire valley to Sharia law whether they like it or not. Their methods: Torture, rape, murder, and wanton destruction. According to Hajji Karim, a 55-year-old bus driver, when the Taliban fighters first entered his village last month, they said they had come to bring peace and Islamic law. The next day two of the fighters attempted to slit the throat of a policeman. Karim’s conclusion: “What sort of people have come here? And what kind of Sharia is this? Cutting off people’s heads has nothing to do with Islam. The people are filled with great rage, and great fear.” Sher Mohammed, a property dealer, stated “I feel like I have lost my mind, I work hard to make a respectable life and educate my children. Now we are living in a camp, and my sons are talking of guns.” This, my friends, is the real world. The world into which Jesus sent us as lambs among wolves. While the Taliban enervate the people of the Swat Valley, we act as if the biggest problem in the world is the fact that the US economy is unstable, and consequently might affect our ability to upgrade our lifestyles.

Here’s one final snapshot from the relief agency office in Islamabad. On Wednesday, two teenage sisters huddled on a flour sack next to a few cooking pots, covering their faces with veils. They had fled their village four days earlier after their father was warned that the Taliban were coming. “I don’t know what the Taliban are, but everyone was very afraid. I am very worried because my father went back to get my brothers, and we don’t know what happened to him” said one of the girls. How devastating is that? This is not some temporary separation caused by an airline foul-up, this is real life tragedy. So, cousin, incase you’re wondering why I think it’s important that you know this, here’s why: A spokesperson for a private relief agency based in Swat said, “People in Swat are angry and confused… we are trying to provide them with decent shelter and support, but we need more help so they won’t fall into Taliban hands.” What can you do? You can go, you can give, and you can pray. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves…”

A radical Islamic Taliban Roman...? (Part 1)

Last week I posed a couple of questions that stimulated some discussion on whether or not one can experience an authentic relationship with God without having ever heard of, or knowing Jesus, and if indeed we are saved by believing the dogma of a church or the direction of our lives,by both or by neither. We all have a tendency to be rather pedantic about what we know, which seldom allows room for error. As far as I know though, the only sinless man, and therefore the only one able to be pedantic without fear of error, was Jesus Christ.

The fascinating answer to the question of knowing God without ever having heard of Jesus, is only answerable in the affirmative when we exclude the premise that all men must be saved… into Christianity! No where in the Scriptures is this ‘sacred cow’ ever indicated. People are saved into Christ, not into a religion, doctrine, or faith community. Acts chapter 10 introduces us to a first century gentile named Cornelius. I jokingly say that, transposed into today’s culture, Cornelius may well have been a member of the Taliban or Al Qaeda. Note that the Bible says he was a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. That would be like being a part of the movement of radical Islam and being a member of the Taliban.

The Romans were the first century oppressors of people and culture; imposing their will and their way unreservedly on everyone and anyone, while meting out and dispensing ‘Roman justice’ on any who opposed them (Jesus felt the direct brunt of that Roman rule). To have been a centurion in the Italian Regiment, clearly meant something to the people of that day; enough that the Holy Spirit saw fit to record that fact for posterity. Having established Cornelius’s provenance, let me quickly establish something else before you begin to look upon him with the same eyes that you would look upon Osama bin Laden.

Cornelius was a religious man. He and all the other people who lived in his house worshiped the true God. He gave much of his money to the poor and prayed to God often. (Acts 10: 2)

What? He didn’t so much as even know about Jesus, yet he knew and worshiped the true God? The rest of the story unfolds in the most remarkable way. While Cornelius experiences the visitation of an Angel who further directs him to send for Peter so that he can take the next step in his faith, Peter experiences his own personal transformation through an encounter with God on the rooftop of the house in which he’s staying. Peter’s encounter transforms his world view enough that he recognizes that Salvation through Jesus is not just for the Jew but for the gentile also. It is Peter’s rooftop encounter that paves the way for Cornelius’s own life changing encounter with the person of Jesus Christ.

How long had Cornelius devoutly worshiped God before his encounter with Jesus? What was Cornelius saved into, and for that matter, what was Peter saved into? Before you answer Christianity, let me clue you in on the fact that that word hasn’t even been invented until chapter 11. Now that your ‘creative juices’ are flowing, I’ll let you ponder these questions until we pick up the story again tomorrow.

If I'm being honest...!!!

Can I be honest with you? Before I woke up this morning I'd never even heard of Clarence, NY. Before a little bit past 10.00pm last night, I would put money on the fact that possibly you and most other people hadn't either. The spotlight is often a good thing. Drawing attention to your small town can be rewarding. But never when it involves such devastating tragedy. Reports are that 49 people in the plane and one on the ground were killed when the plane carrying 5000 pounds of fuel hit a house in the quaint little village of Clarence. The inhabitants of Clarence will never be the same again. Their lives are forever changed by a common tragedy that will be the topic of conversation around the 'water cooler' for weeks, and possibly months to come.

But, if it's even possible to say so, there is one tragedy that stands out above all the rest. It's the story of Beverly Eckert, an activist for security changes since 9/11, who was on her way to speak at a ceremony. Sadly, she perished in the crash. What makes her story any different than the rest? Well, Beverly's husband lost his life on 9/11 in the World Trade Center plane (missile) crash. Since that time she had devoted her life to actively trying to get legislation passed that would make our country much safer from terrorist attacks. Ironically (maybe almost poetically) Beverly was on her way to speak at a ceremony in honor of her late husband, to be held at their high school where they'd been sweethearts. It would have commemorated his 58th birthday and the instituting of a scholarship in his name.

Life! Often as tenuous as a thread. Five minutes before the crash, if any one had told the person in the home, who was killed in the crash, that he/she had only five minutes to live, what could or would he/she have done differently? I guess we'll never know this side of heaven. One thing we do know though, is that we have an opportunity right here and right now to ensure that we are living life to the fullest so that the inevitable but unexpected end doesn't catch us unprepared. In the inimitable words of the atheist bus campaign in the UK, "...Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." And the first part of that campaign? I admit I've amended it slightly and, instead of the statement "There's probably no God" it now reads, "There is definitely a God"

Is he really the messiah?

I recently read a news article regarding President-elect Obama, which stated:

“Just two months ago, the future president seemed a cross between Superman and Merlin the magician, now he himself admits he won’t be able to keep all his promises, and who knows? Maybe someone will ask for his impeachment by the end of next week.”
(Massimo Gramellini, La Stampa Newspaper, Italy)

A similar article in a different publication reads:

“The idealism has diminished,” said Samuel Solvit, who heads an Obama support network in France. “Everyone was dreaming a little. Now people are more realistic.”

Muslims want to know why Obama hasn’t joined the chorus of international criticism of Israel’s Gaza offensive. Last week posters of him were set on fire in Tehran to shouts of “Death to Obama!”

This may well be the first time on record that a not-yet-sitting-president of the United States is burned in effigy because of an issue over which he has absolutely no control, even before he takes office. Recognizing the global frenzy that greeted his presidential nomination, it appears that, sadly a major shift has already begun to take place even before he has assumed office. This is no shocking surprise in the fickle and not-so-patient world in which we live. The weight of the world is, in a manner of speaking, resting squarely upon his rather narrow shoulders. Too many people have held him up to be the messiah for our current global crisis, contending that he will see us through the global economic, political, and social crises that seem to escalate daily.

The real truth is; he is no messiah! But, because we Christians know who is, and we know that all authority is given by God, we are encouraged… no, duty-bound to pray for him daily. Today’s prayer theme during our 21-day fast is: Prayer invites God’s will to earth. In our troubled world, we need more than the savvy of Obama’s pre-election promises. We need the wisdom and intervention of God’s divine will for our nation and indeed for our world. Here’s how 1 John 5: 14-15 puts it:

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.

Let’s commit ourselves to pray today, and invite God’s will to earth as if our lives depended on it. Oops, what am I thinking? Our lives do depend on it. Let’s pray!

Losing sight of the shore!

If the first blog of the year (besides a happy New Year blog) is expected to be profound and life transforming, then I'm under tremendous pressure to 'perform.' However, if it's simply meant to convey a profound truth that I'm learning, then that's a relatively easy task since I'm learning new things every single day. I recently read the newsletter of a friend of mine (I should inform you that this friend has quite a way with words), and he painted such a picture with his words as to transport me to Southern California, to an idyllic spot beside the Queen Mary. He likened the QM to a Christian who had been created to "sail the vast oceans" yet had settled for being moored by the shore. He went on to say:

God’s destiny will always challenge us to step out of our comfort zones, to go far beyond anything we are capable of, to risk all on something that has no guarantee of success in the natural and is absolutely the wrong logical choice. The Bible is filled with stories of those who accepted such a challenge.... They (the great heroes of life) choose to throw off the mooring lines, weigh anchor, and set out to the open waters, knowing they will face storms and the possibility of sinking. Their choice is not without thought, rather it is with a much deeper searching of the soul. They know quite well the possible consequences of their choices but also of refusing to make the choice. They would rather end at the bottom of the ocean than tied to the dock.

One of the things I'm learning is that the people God seems to use the most are the ones who make the fewest assumptions about their limitations versus God's abilities. Stepping out of your comfort zone, losing sight of the shore and sailing into uncharted waters, are all prerequisites to finding God's greater purpose. Don't believe me? Then check out these folks whose stories you and I are familiar with:

• Joshua didn't assume that the sun couldn't stand still
• Elisha didn't assume that an iron axe head couldn't float
• Peter didn't assume that men can't walk on water
• Mary didn't assume that virgins couldn't get pregnant
• Andrew didn't assume that 5000 people couldn't be fed by 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish
• Abraham didn't assume that 90-year-old women couldn't have babies

What assumptions have you made that might be keeping you from experiencing God's purpose?

Caged Christianity

A while back I posted a blog explaining how I was in a season of "Holy discontent" and was so dissatisfied with where I was in my Christian experience. I'd love to tell you that I've moved on from that but it just wouldn't be true. I'm more discontented than ever! You see, lately I've been asking myself some tough questions as I look in the 'mirror' of God's word. It sort of feels like looking in an actual mirror after I've slacked off working out for a few weeks because of a hectic schedule but I haven't slacked off 'stuffing my face' with my favorite chocolates and pastries. I absolutely despise the reflection that looks back at me from the mirror, and it motivates me to do something drastic. Those are the times in which I'm more motivated than ever to get back on my bike, get back in the gym, and do whatever else it takes to ensure that the line of sight down to my feet is not obstructed by a 'hanging' gut.

With all of these questions circulating around my cerebral cortex, I'm distilling the vital from the irrelevant and identifying the questions that need to be answered the most, such as:

• What would it look like if we stopped "doing" church and "become" the church?
• Is it possible that, as pastors we are so busy pastoring churches we've forgotten to pastor the people?
• Who determined the blue print for what church should look like on a Sunday, and does that work for me and my community?
• What would it look like if we actually took Jesus at His word, and radically loved and served people regardless of their beliefs?
• Could I potentially miss a divine opportunity to walk intimately with Jesus, having 'kept' all the 'rules' of 'good' Christianity just like the Rich young ruler did?

I guess I really want to see Jesus glorified in me and through me, and I can't help feeling that there's something missing. I wonder if I'm living in a cage when I should actually be living in the 'wild' adventure of pursuing God with everything I have no matter what that looks like. I certainly empathize with a 400 pound gorilla trapped in a cage in the zoo. You see, he can never live the life he was created to live, trapped behind bars 24/7. In order for a gorilla to "be all that he was meant to be" he must live in the wild and explore every instinct and tendency he was born with. It's no different for the christian. We can choose to live staid, caged lives, or we can throw ourselves in with reckless abandon against all reasoning. If Peter hadn't done that, he would never have walked on water (even though as a fisherman, he knew men didn't walk on water). If Andrew hadn't done that he would never have witnessed the miracle of feeding 5000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish. Just think what the rich young ruler missed out on. Jesus actually gave him the opportunity to become one of his disciples(Mark 10: 17-22), and he turned it down for the safety of the cage of 'financial security.' What's my cage? well... while I'm figuring that out, you might want to find out what's yours!

Dying to Live!

I'm taking a break from my 'Presidential Quotes' today to post a video that a friend of mine shot while he was in Sudan this past September. While it tugs at the heartstrings and begs for sympathy, the more overarching idea here is that we all get involved. If just a couple of people who read this blog regularly were to join up with Make Way Ministries and support the efforts in Sudan, then we would have had an impact beyond just sympathetic cries of indignation. Jesus said that whatever we do to the least of these, we've done it to Him. I urge you to take the five and a half minutes it will take to watch this video and then do something about it. The website address is at the end of the video. God bless your day today, and no matter how hard you have it, remember that there are people a lot worse off than you are, and Jesus died for them too!

What time is it???

Evidently I'm not the only one going through 'seasons of change'. Our world is evolving and changing daily. Heightened security awareness is marked by color coded levels of danger at our airports. Private jet ownership has never seemed more appealing when you consider the 'harassment' and 'humiliation' you have to contend with when flying commercially (hey, I can dream can't I?). Add to that our recent financial woes in the USA and our beleaguered president's conviction that, without governmental intervention using billions of dollars of tax payer's money as collateral, we are destined for destruction... well, you have the perfect recipe for panic and doomsday-prognostications.

What 'tickles me pink' (babes, no pun intended) is the fact that Christians are the arbiters of much of this doomsday panic. What happened to Paul's eloquent reminder that "To live is Christ, and to die is gain"? When did we stop believing that "Love is the greatest"? Suddenly, to watch our world, it would appear that Muslims, North Korea, and Afghanistan are the enemy instead of a very real devil (when in reality there is only a small band of radical and militant Muslims who believe that it is their sworn assignment from God to rid the earth of America, Israel and anything Judeo-Christian). To watch the Christian, you would think that "running for the hills" and "stockpiling weapons and ammunition" are God's revealed will for our 'survival.'

Enough already!!! How many guns can you stockpile, and even if you could amass a formidable arsenal, how many can you use at one time if you were attacked by a band of marauders who really wanted to kill you and your family and take your stockpile of supplies? While the world is in panic mode, shouldn't the Church be in 'loving mode'? Isn't this the perfect time for us to demonstrate that we believe implicitly what we preach? How many opportunities are we going to turn our noses up at, before we realize that we can reach our world best with a demonstration of God's love, more than we can with any amount of rhetoric. Does living really offer such attractive options as to make dying for the cause of Christ so detestable (asuming that's what we were called to do)? Again, I encourage every Christian to read Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza. It just might help you put a different perspective on life. What time is it? It's time to stop drinking milk and start eating solid foods! It's time to stop being babies and start being mature adults!! We have work to do Church, wake up!!!

Do you Prey? (no, this is not a typo)

Sola and I went out on a well deserved movie date last night and I even threw in a chinese dinner which we ordered take-out (Hey, I know how to show my wife a good time). We went to see Tyler Perry's The Family that Preys . I've got to tell you, it was an amazing movie. His movies are always brilliantly scripted, well cast, and beautifully executed. Okay, the secrets out... I'm a humongous Tyler Perry fan. I thought he couldn't outdo himself after Why Did I Get Married?, but I was wrong. This movie really spoke to some very real issues in both overt and subtle ways. One of the things I admire about Perry is the fact that he makes no secret of his Christian roots, as they are patently obvious in every one of his movies (even if it's just a church choir singing gospel music), yet he manages to keep his movies mainstream and not limited to a Christian audience. I'd give you my take on what was so impressive about the movie, but that would spoil it for you so... power down the computer, put on some deodorant, and head out to the movie theater now! This is a must see movie. See you when you get back, and tell me what you thought!!

Discontented!!!

I know, I know, you're wondering if I'm schizophrenic or something. I mean, my last post was titled "Contented" and in the space of a couple of days I'm posting another blog titled "Discontented"? I can assure you that it has nothing to do with the water or with being on two different continents over the last couple of days, so let me clarify: I'm thoroughly discontented with my effectiveness as a Christian! I so desperately want to make a difference in the lives of the people that I come in contact with. I want my Christianity to speak volubly without me ever saying a word, if that makes sense! As I've processed the impact of last Sunday's four services in London, the thing that stood out to me the most is the hunger of the people who responded to the message. The altar was full of people weeping and crying out to God for more. People who are, themselves, discontented with their Christian witness. This would appear to be a universal heart cry. So the question is, what do we do about it?

I've spent the summer reading some pretty amazing books that have completely 'ruined' me for good. These books seem to echo the same longing in my heart, but they go a little further and profer solutions to how they think we can change the way we do what we do, for greater effectiveness. While I don't necessarily endorse verbatim everything that's written in these books, I love their radical approach to a new way of doing church in a new and ever changing world that's looking for relevant answers to everyday questions.

Peppermint-filled pinatas reminds us that our neighbors aren't just the guys that live next door. The Shack radically challenges our view of what God looks like in any given situation. Unchristian 'undresses' the truth about how we are viewed by those whose impressions matter most if we are to make a difference in their lives. They like Jesus but not the Church explores similar ideas to Unchristian but brings its own unique perspective. Finally, I've been most impacted by a book titled Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza. It's the story of a Rwandan genocide survivor who spent 91 days in a 3' by 5' bathroom with seven other women while being hunted by bloodthirsty killers who sometimes were perched right outside the bathroom window so that their deadly conversations were clearly heard by the hiding women. Are you discontented? Have you read anything lately that has 'ruined' you? Please share.

Imagine!

I know John Lennon popularized this imagine "ideology" with his song of the same title. I admit it's an incredibly catchy tune, but today I'm inclined to think more about the words than I am the music. I imagine (pun intended) that Lennon saw this idealistic picture of a world that he believed could be. A world without heaven or hell. A world with no political boundaries or borders. A world without religion. A world with no personal possessions, no greed, no hunger... Wow! John was no doubt an idealist, and while his intentions may have been honorable, his premise was so completely flawed as to make his "Imagined" dream an impossibility.

You see, from the first line of the song John missed the boat. There is a heaven and there is a hell, no matter how hard you try to imagine that there isn't. There is a God and there is a devil, so there will always be religion. There will always be poverty, pain, greed, hunger and all the other human characteristics that make us inherently flawed humans. Craig Groeschel posted a blog today that speaks to the idea of Jesus' prayer in the book of John, asking that the Church would be One. Building off that idea, here are some things that I like to imagine, in the hopes that one day we'll truly wake up to the unchanging truth of Jesus' prayer.

Imagine a Church that was united. Imagine a Church that was culturally, racially and generationally diverse, yet united as One. Imagine a Church that was committted to One purpose (His purpose). That would be the Church that looks most like the heaven John Lennon imagines doesn't exist. That would be the church whose voice would be relevant in the larger society. That would be the Church that would speak purposefully and passionately to the hearts of the lost, the hurting and the next generation. That would be the Church that Jesus promised He would build, and against which the gates of hell would not prevail. Imagine the possibilities...

This One's for you! (Yes, I'm talking to you)

David asked the following question in the book of Psalms:

"When all that is good falls apart,

what can good people do?"

The Lord is in His holy temple;

the Lord sits on His throne in heaven.

I have this inexplicable sense that someone out there in cyber world needs the encouragement that David was offering. I'm not sure what the dire circumstances you're facing are, but I do know that God is not overwhelmed by them. While your circumstances may have come as a surprise to you, they were not a surprise to Him. Unlike you and I, God is not threatened nor frightened by our storms. The established order of His purpose has not changed as a result of what we might be going through.

Because He is still in His holy temple, because He still sits on His throne in heaven, He is well able to bring about His perfect will for you. So no matter what you're dealing with today, remember that He is still in control and will cause all things to work for your good if you will only trust Him. I'm saying a prayer for you as I type this. Have a blessed and wonderful weekend!

An unplanned picnic

I don't want to begin the week off with a "heavy" post, so I'm going to try and make this as light hearted as possible, even though I am trying to communicate a powerful truth. We had a great service yesterday, and I concluded my series on prevailing prayer. We end our 21-day fast on Tuesday this week and so it really worked out well for me to tie our prayer and fasting season into the idea of prevailing prayer. My primary text was the book of 1 Kings 17. It's the story of Elijah informing king Ahab that he was going to pronounce a drought on the land because of the way he (Ahab) had turned the people from worshipping God and instead resorted to worshipping idols.

On so many levels this seems suicidal. First, Ahab was a spineless, ungodly king. He was led around by the nose by his wife Jezebel, and she was not partial to 'Christians' or their God. This assured that, at the very least, Elijah was risking serious harm to himself, and at the worst, death. Gulp! Secondly, Elijah had heard from God... supposedly. What if he was wrong? It's not as if God came down at some point, sat with Elijah, and outlined this elaborate plan to scare Ahab into submission. However Elijah heard from God, whether as a quiet voice whispering in his ear... an impression on his heart... however he heard from God, he was convinced it was God that had spoken and he was committed to obeying that voice. So I ask again, what if he was wrong?

In a modern day application, this smacks of the sanatorium. I mean, it's bad enough that you somehow manage to wangle a personal appointment with the President of the USA, only to inform him that, because of his ungodly policies and decisions, which are leading the nation astray, God is about to make life extra difficult by suspending the natural course of nature for the next three years. "Mr. President, there's not going to be any rain 'cos I said so!!!" Then you inform your nearest and dearest friends that you are heading off to a brook called "Covenant" where you will be hanging out for the duration of the drought because God gave you personal directions on how to get there and He instructed ravens to bring bread and meat to you every morning and evening... What???

This is the stuff of fairy tales right? No, this is the true story of Elijah and his encounter with the wicked king of Israel, whom, up to that point was classified as the most evil king Israel had ever had. "Bravo Elijah, good for you and congrats on your boldness," I hear you say. Well hold up a second. His story indicts you and me. You see in James 5: 17 the Bible says "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years." So what does that mean for you and I? Seems pretty obvious to me, or wouldn't you agree?

Goodmorning God...

I was hoping I'd get your attention with the title of my post. I know that a number of you read my post and watched the inspiring video of Charlene Hornsby's testimony about her faith in God through this incredibly difficult season of cancer she's battling. I also suspect that the majority of the people that take the time to visit my blog are Christians. I must admit though, that I fantasize about the number of irreligious people out there who stumble upon, or for whatever reason find themselves reading what I write. It's to those precious people that I write todays post.

Charlene's testimony does not come from her sagacity, or from her committment to attend church every Sunday. It comes from a deep place of intimacy and understanding of who God is. Charlene has settled some core values in her heart. Among other things, she knows that, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1: 21); she knows that His plans for her are perfect even when she doesn't understand them (Jeremiah 29: 11). This kind of understanding stems from making it your life's priority to seek God and know Him. The first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is to communicate with those you love, that share your life and live with you. You cultivate relationships by spending time connecting with those that you're building a life with.

My wife, my kids, and I have made it a habit to say "goodmorning" to each other the first time we see each other at the start of the day. Now don't misunderstand me to be advocating some pedantic approach to living. What I'm talking about here is a genuine desire to connect and establish an intimacy that carries through the day. It's a great habit to cultivate, especially since it gives us an opportunity for further dialog. Making communication with God a priority is what helps us through the darkest seasons of life (such as the one Charlene is going through at the moment). If you've never tried it, I urge you to consider the fact that you have everything to gain and nothing to lose by giving it a shot. So, why don't you wake up and say goodmorning to God tomorrow? Take a moment out of your unparallelled busy day and communicate with the One who gave you the opportunity to live that day!