Father's Day Sermon - Part 1: The Story

"Because I Love You" By Max Lucado

Long ago in a land far away and unlike you’ve ever seen, there lived a wise man named Shaddai. Shaddai was a large man with a tender heart. He had bright blue eyes and a long, thick beard. When he laughed, which is something he often did, his cheeks would lift until his eyes because half-moons of joy. When he sang, which is something else he often did, everything stopped to listen. Tall aspens would bend. Squirrels, butterflies, and birds would pause. Even the children would turn when they heard his voice. And well they should. It was for them he sang.

And for the children, Shaddai had built a wonderful village. It was more than any child could dream. The children plunged into the sky-blue pond. They squealed as they soared high on the swings hung from the apple tree branches. They scampered through the meadows and giggled in the orchards. The sun never seemed to set too early, and the cool night sky always brought a quiet peace. And most of all, Shaddai was always near. When Shaddai wasn’t in the meadow or orchard with the children, he was in the workshop—with the children. They loved to be with him while he worked. They loved to smell the sawdust, hear him sing, and watch him carve a chair out of a log or make a table out of a tree. They would gather around him and take turns pressing their tiny hands flat against his great big one.

Every night he would gather the children on the grassy meadow and tell them stories. Fascinated, the children would listen as long as Shaddai—or their weary eyes—allowed. The children loved Shaddai and Shaddai loved the children. He knew each one by name, and he knew everything about them. He knew Lucy’s love of birds. He knew Roland’s fear of darkness. He knew Daphne was friendly and Spencer was shy. He knew Paladin was curious. When one of them called his name, he dropped whatever he was doing and turned. His giant heart had a hundred strings—each held by a different child. And Shaddai loved each one the same. That’s why he built the wall.

The wall was a high stone fence surrounding the village. Shaddai had built it, rock upon rock. The wall was so tall it stood high above Shaddai. Even if he stretched his arms as high as he could, he still couldn’t touch the top of the wall. He spent days building it. And as he built, he did not sing. A deadly forest stood outside the village. As Shaddai built the fence, he would often pause and look into the shadows beyond. Cruel thorns and savage beasts and hidden pits filled the dark forest. It was no place for the children Shaddai loved. “Beyond the wall is danger,” he would tell the children in solemn tones. “You were made for my village, not for the terrible land beyond. Stay with me. It’s safe here.” But in his heart he knew it was only a matter of time.

The day he placed the final stone on the wall, he returned to his shop, took a long aspen branch, sat down at his bench, and carved a staff. Shaddai stood the staff in the corner and thought, “I’ll be ready.” Sometime later a boy ran into Shaddai’s workshop. The sandy-haired child with searching eyes and restless energy brought the Maker both joy and concern. “Shaddai!” In one motion the Maker dropped his hammer and turned. “What is it Paladin?” The boy spoke in spurts as he gasped for air. “The wall…I found a…hole. It’s a big opening sir.” They boy’s hands stretched to show the size. “Someone could crawl through it.”

Shaddai pulled over a stool and sat down. “I knew it would be you, Paladin, my child. Tell me, how did you find it?” “I was walking along the walls searching for—” “Holes?” Paladin paused, surprised that Shaddai knew. “Yes I was looking for holes.” “So you could see out into the forest?” “I was curious Shaddai. I wanted to know why you won’t let us go out there. Why is it so bad?” Shaddai motioned for the boy to come to him. When Paladin came near, the Maker cupped the small face in his hands and lifted it so the boy would look directly into his eyes. The urgency of the look caused Paladin’s stomach to feel empty.

“Paladin, listen to me. The lands out there are not for you. They are not for me. A journey into the forest will hurt you. You were not made for those lands. Let your feet carry you to the many places you can go—not to the one place you can’t. If you leave here, you will not find the way back.”
Paladin spoke softly, “You will fix the hole then?”
“No, Paladin, I created the hole because I love you so much.”
“But you just said that you don’t want us to leave.”
“I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay with me, but I did make the opening when I built this wall.”
“But if you don’t fix it, the children might leave.”
“I know Paladin. But I want the children to stay because they want to, not because they have to.”

Paladin didn’t understand. Uncomfortable, he turned to leave. He needed to think about what Shaddai had said. As he entered the sunlight, he looked back into the shop. There sat Shaddai, leaning backward, still watching. Paladin was confused. Part of him wanted the safety of Shaddai’s shop, while another part drew him toward the fence. He looked again into the shop. Shaddai was standing now—not moving, but standing. His large hand stretched out to the boy. Paladin turned quickly away, as if he hadn’t seen. He walked fast as he could, aimlessly at first, then purposely toward the fence. “I won’t get too near,” he said to himself. “I’ll just peek out.” Questions came as quickly as his steps. Why do I want to do what Shaddai doesn’t want me to do? Why am I so curious? Is it wrong to want to see beyond the fence?

By now Paladin was at the hole. Without stopping to think, he lay on his stomach and squirmed through just far enough to stick his head out the other side. “I’ll just take a quick look,” he told himself. “What could be wrong with that? Shaddai said he made the hole because he loved us. I wonder what he’s keeping from me.” As if his knees were moving on their own, Paladin crawled farther. Soon he was through the hole and on the outside of the wall. He rose slowly to his feet. For several moments he didn’t move. He wondered if something would come out of the trees to hurt him. Nothing did. He relaxed his shoulders and said out loud, “Hmmm…it’s not so bad. It’s nice out here. What was Shaddai worried about?”

Paladin began walking into the forest. Twigs snapped beneath his bare feet. Sweet flowers scented the air. “I don’t seen any scary creatures,” he thought. The trees were so thick he could barely see the sky. “Just a few steps into the woods, to see what it’s like” he said. After a dozen more steps, he stopped. He liked the wilderness and thought there was nothing to fear. For the first time in his young life, he believed that Shaddai was wrong. “Just wait until I tell the others.” And he turned to go back through the hole, but the hole was gone!

He stopped and stared. He only saw a solid wall. Paladin ran to the wall. Was this the spot where he had crawled through? Or was it somewhere else? He couldn’t remember. He ran a dozen steps one way and then a dozen steps the other. Nothing. Suddenly he heard a strange sound in the woods behind him. He swung around, but he saw nothing. Paladin looked into the forest. Now it no longer seemed friendly. It was dark and threatening, as if it were about to destroy him. Desperately Paladin searched the wall. He couldn’t climb over; he couldn’t break though. There was no way home. “If you leave here, you will not find the way back.” Shaddai’s words rang in his mind.

The boy’s eyes were wide with fear. He sat on the ground, hugged his knees to his chest, and began to cry. As Paladin huddled there, lonely and afraid, he remembered something else Shaddai had often said. “I love you so much.” Does he love me enough to come and find me? Wondered the boy. Will he hear me if I call to him? “Shaddai, Shaddai! I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you! Please, come help me.” Paladin’s plea had been heard by the one who loved him, even before it was spoken. For as the boy left Shaddai’s workshop, the Maker had watched him as long as he could. When Paladin was out of his sight, Shaddai turned, not to take up his work but to remove his apron. He hung his tools on the wall. Then he reached into the corner and took the staff, the one he carved after he finished the wall.

Even before Paladin had reached the wall, Shaddai had left the shop. Even before Paladin had asked for help, Shaddai was on the way to give it. Even before the hole in the wall had closed, Shaddai had opened another. His strong hands pulled away the rocks until he could see into the forest. With his staff at his side, Shaddai crawled through the hole. He left the village he’d made and set out in search of his child.

Nothing for you today or tomorrow. I am preparing a sermon for Sunday which I will post on Monday. I also have in mind a special Father’s Day tribute for Sunday if I can get it together. Have a great weekend. Honor your fathers.

Camp Experience Part IV

I am not an emotional man. Few things bring me to tears, anger, exuberant celebration, etc. But there are some things that one experiences that draw out our innermost emotions. And unless you possess a heart comparable with Pharaoh’s, you have a reaction.

Such was the case after watching “Hotel Rwanda” while at camp. I am thoroughly changed to say the least. Here I am over a week after the fact, and I still have trouble putting words to what I am feeling. But my emotional outpouring could be at an all time high. Words such as anger, shame, frustration, and sadness begin to describe my state of mind.

I have known for a long time that atrocities have been going on in the world, especially in Africa. But to see it so vividly painted was almost too much. The most distressing phrase from the movie that encapsulated the average American mindset was the following (paraphrased from memory): “You hear about what happens and you say ‘What a shame.’ Then you go on eating your supper.” I can’t tell you how profound and accurate that is. We see some stories reported on the news and go, “Well that sucks, but I can’t do anything about it.” Dammit all, people are being slaughtered for arbitrary reasons, and we bitch about gas prices. It is just too much sometimes. Too much. Maybe when I get a better handle on it I will write more. I guess that is it for now.

Camp Experience Part III

On Friday of camp, each family contributed something to the worship service. My group was in charge of the "Afirmation of faith." Thus, we came up with our own creed. The ideas are all theirs - I just organized and reworded it for clarity. Big props go out to Whitney, Angela, Logan, Tsedeye, Sam, Jordan, Robby, Oliyad. We call it the Malaria Creed because we called our family "Malaria." Hope you enjoy.

Malaria Creed
We believe in the Lord God Almighty, the One and only true God
The Maker of the Universe—even spiders, gnats and mosquitoes.

We believe that God helps us when we are weak
And that his tough love overcomes our stubbornness.

We believe that God is the Protector of the weak
And the Forgiver of sins.

We believe that God is faithful and answers prayer
Without Him we are nothing.
With Him we are precious.

We believe that God makes miracles happen.

We believe that God is the Giver of joy and happiness.

We believe that we died in Christ,
that Baptism washes away our sins,
that the Spirit is our conscience and our strength,
and that we have been gifted to build up the body.

We believe that we are assigned to be caretakers of God’s creation
and that Praise and Worship is our calling and our life’s end.

We believe that it is our goal to ameliorate all situations.

We believe in the Fellowship of Christians
We believe the church is made up of all who believe in Christ.
We believe we are called to commune with one another and Christ to remember His sacrifice.

We have assurance that Christians will make it into heaven
We look forward to everlasting life with Christ.

Amen.

Camp Experience Part II

Parents tell kids not to stare at people’s imperfections. Why is that? We don’t want them to make people feel uncomfortable about their past. But our pasts are often uncomfortable. We try to hide our scars—our past failures. We don’t want people to look at us differently. But they do.

Our pasts are always with us, whether we want them there or not. You can’t escape your past. It shapes and forms you so that you react and behave in certain ways. Though your context has changed, your past is still relevant. And most of us are frantic to hide our pasts so people don’t stare. So the question is this: “So how can your past be redeemed and utilized for good.” How can all the things that you have experienced, the good and the bad, the best and the worst, help you be a better person, be a better Christian, love God and others more?
There is a great scene from Lost:
Kate: “I want to tell you what I did.”
Jack: “I don’t want to know. It doesn’t matter who we were, what we did before the crash. 3 days ago we all died. We should all be able to start over.”

That is the picture of redemption. If we were stranded on an island we would get a fresh start. No one would know anything about you unless you told them. God has the same attitude, even though he does know everything about us. He accepts us despite what we have done. There ‘s a little story in John 8 about this.
Jesus stands among a crowd, and they bring her in. She’s known throughout the town as a slut, and they finally caught her in the act. They caught her having sex with some guy she barely knew. So they bring her before Jesus and start in on her.
“We caught her Jesus. This whore was caught having sex, and she’s not married. We can’t have this sort of stuff in our synagogue. What would people think? Let’s get rid of this filth. What do you think? Beating? whipping? stoning? Hello? Jesus? Are you going to play in the dirt all day or are you going to get up and help us execute the law?”
Jesus finally rises and says: “I’ll help you. Let’s head down to the stoning pit. Everyone who doesn’t have a past grab a stone and let’s get going. That’s right—all of you who haven’t done anything wrong or worthy of punishment can join me. We’ll get her good.”
As he stoops back down the people look around in amazement that he would say something like that. Their past’s were nothing compared to this sluts, but there it was. How could they pick up a rock, after all that had done some things. So they went home, embarrassed, angry, frustrated that they could not enforce their brand of justice.
Jesus looked at the woman and said simply—“I guess you aren’t going to die today. I’m not going to stone you. I care more about forgiveness than justice. But let me make it clear. If you leave here today having accepted my forgiveness and you go back to your promiscuous way of life, you’re trashing my grace. Live new. Live free. Live forgiven.”

This is the story of God’s faithfulness compared to our sinfulness. It was completely within Jesus’ right to execute that woman. It is completely within God’s right to press the smite button for us. But he doesn’t. God is faithful to his character of love and holiness no matter what we do. Psalm 107 contrasts God’s faithful past against our sinful past. The point of the psalm is clear—God’s faithfulness can redeem our unfaithfulness.

No matter what the people did, no matter how often they turned their backs on God, God would still restore them. God’s faithfulness overrides our unfaithfulness. No matter what we have done, no matter what we will do, God can forgive. And until we get that, our pasts will haunt us, control us, and dictate how we live, and we will never get past them. We can either accept God’s forgiveness or return to the life of sin. But if we choose to live a life of gratitude because of God’s faithfulness, he is calling us to be the voice of light in the dark world. He is calling us to learn from our pasts and build up the body through our experiences. May we live like those who have been given a fresh start and may we treat one another in the say way.

Camp Experience Part 1

The theme for this past week of High School camp was “Lost.” The idea was to vividly portray Peter’s concept in his first epistle that we are resident aliens in a strange and foreign place, but that our lives should still be exemplary.

To that end, we staged a plane crash and went the week simulating life on a deserted island. Let me say, the plane crash was awesome! I was sort of the head pyro for that. We had a crashed plane fuselage that we put napalm on top of. We dug a couple of trenches and put pans of kerosene with wreckage on top of. Then we lit it all on fire, dropped a couple of smoke bombs, and the crash was believable.

Of course blowing things up was not the point of the week. Rather, we wanted the students to ask questions and hopefully receive an answer. Questions like:
How will we survive? What will we do for food?
How will I interact with the rest of the people stranded with me?
What about the unknown on this island? Are there natives? Are they friendly?
What will the future hold? Should I seek rescue or try to thrive here?
What about my past? Does it matter? Can it be redeemed?

It was a very unique and experiential week both for the students and staff. Life as a Christian was presented in a different way that encouraged us as Christians to approach our relationship with Christ and others in a much different way. This week I hope to unpack some of the theological themes found throughout the week. You are welcome to browse through the over 300 photos from the week at the camp’s website.

Mysterious Disappearence

For those of you who have been wondering where I have been for the last week the answer is—camp. I was a counselor at High School Camp to be precise. The theme was “Lost” and focused on being aliens in a foreign land. I will talk more about it this upcoming week as I had some interesting interactions with students and other experiences. But, as for today, I am pretty tired. I was supposed to drive the children’s ministry to the Zoo, but was relieved of that duty last minute. So today, I was stinky clothes, get to know my wife, son, and dog again, and get things ready for tomorrow’s service. Until Monday, later.

God is Greater than Jesus

“I'm leaving you peace. I'm giving you my peace. I don't give you the kind of peace that the world gives. So don't be troubled or cowardly. You heard me tell you, 'I'm going away, but I'm coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I'm going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.
I'm telling you this now before it happens. When it does happen, you will believe. The ruler of this world has no power over me. But he's coming, so I won't talk with you much longer. However, I want the world to know that I love the Father and that I am doing exactly what the Father has commanded me to do.”
John 14:27-31

Jesus says simply, “God, my Father, is greater than I am.” I think we can learn 2 things about our relationship with God. First, don’t be afraid. Take a minute and thing of some of the greatest things Jesus did. Think of how amazing Jesus was. Besides all the miracles, he also had commitment to purity and sinlessness and was perfect. Never made a mistake. It is like being on a team with the best player in the league. Jesus was the Michael Jordan, the Wayne Gretzky, the Barry Bonds, the Michael Vick of the religious realm. He did things that others could only dream about. He performed miracles that others could not even imagine. He was the superstar. But he was leaving, just when the disciples thought they needed him most. Jesus even talks about the rule of this world who he makes out to be a scary fellow. So when he says “I’m leaving, but there is one even greater than me” that’s pretty unbelievable.

It would be like Michael Jordan coming to practice the day before the playoffs started and saying, “I am retiring. But don’t worry, I have someone lined up to take my spot on the team. He can jump higher, make more shots, play better defense, and win more games that I ever could.” That would be unbelievable. At first you might be bummed, but then you think, “If we did this well with Jordan, think how well we will do with this other guy.” And that is what Jesus is saying. He says, I am leaving soon. But someone who’s even more powerful than me comes in my place. He was leaving the Spirit of God in his place. And if God is greater than him, think of the possibilities. I am sure there were going to be times when the disciples were scared, but they had an ally, a teammate that was far more powerful than anything they would face.

There are a lot of difficult circumstances to face in this world. There are things that might trouble us or act cowardly. But Jesus says to us like he said to the disciples, don’t worry. If you believe in me believe that God who is greater than me can take care of the things you encounter. Don’t be afraid.

Second, look forward to heaven when we enjoy God for eternity. Before meeting Jesus, these guys weren’t about to try anything new. They weren’t about to leave their fishing boats to wander around Israel. They weren’t about to turn their backs on their families. They weren’t about to go up against the religious leaders. They were fine just staying in the corner and blending in. But when Jesus came along, he changed all that. Through their relationship with him, they became better people. They became world changers. Jesus made them feel truly alive. So when Jesus said to them, I have to leave, they were upset. They didn’t want him to leave. They loved spending time with him.

Think of your favorite relationship. That person that you can just be yourself, and act crazy and not care. That was how the disciples felt with Jesus. But Jesus makes it clear—a relationship with the father is even better. Jesus said the relationship with God is even greater. Jesus says that if you think that being with me is a blast, wait until you meet the father. Wait until you meet God. When you see what God has in store for you in heaven, you won’t even remember this.

A relationship with Jesus can be pretty exciting. But it doesn’t hold a candle to what it is going to be like in heaven. I can dream about it and make guesses, but hanging out with God in heaven is something that I look forward to. No one is going to care about looking stupid or foolish. We are just going to care about worshipping God and He is just going to care about lavishing us with love. Accepting Jesus and living for him is just a taste of what heaven will be like. It will be awesome, because the Father is greater than the Son. A relationship with God in heaven is greater than a relationship with Jesus here on earth. Both are good, but the one in heaven is going to be even better. God is greater than Jesus. He gives us strength and courage to make it through today, and he gives us something unbelievable to look forward to.

Love is Greater than the Law

I heard some interesting debates during the last presidential election. I heard about the war in Iraq, about social security, about gas prices…the list went on and on. And each candidate would spew his point of view, sort of. There was a lot of sort of taking a side, and then going back, straddling the fence. There was a lot of trying to trap people with their words. As a result, they couldn’t come out and say what they believed about things because they didn’t want to offend anyone. That is why it is always refreshing to hear an honest answer.

Jesus was acquainted with this sort of plot to trap him in his words. Jesus was not to be painted in a corner by anyone. People would often ask him a question to try and get him to foul up. But Jesus always had a reply ready. For example, there was this one time…

"One of the teachers of the law came and heard Jesus debating with some people. Noticing that Jesus knew what he was talking about and had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the 614 commandments in the Old Testament, which is the most important?” Jesus, without a second thought said, “The most important commandment, is this: ‘The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all that you have—all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28ff

What Jesus is saying is that all the laws that are in the OT, all the sorts of rules that are put on us are based on love. Love is greater than law. Those laws are visible ways that we can display love for God and love for others. The point is not that we keep a bunch of rules, but that we love. It starts with God. Are our actions showing love for God and what he has done for us? He has given you life, given you your very body, given you salvation. So when you do things, is it honoring that love? What you do with your body and how you treat it shows the extent that you love God.

And then consider whether your actions are showing love to another person. Our speech falls into this category. There are no laws against lying to people, but it sure isn’t showing them love. You won’t get thrown into jail for hating, lusting, or envying, but do those actions show them love? No, of course not.

Laws don’t keep people from doing things, their hearts do. All rules do is get people thinking about how to get around them. You say, but how about if I just get angry but don’t act on it? What if I drink but don’t get drunk? What if I smoke casually? What if I lust but don’t go through with anything? We all do it. We try to get around the rules. But all that is law keeping. God is calling us to love. When you put it in the context of love, there are no loopholes, ifs, ands or buts. Love makes it clear what actions we should and should not take.

We can lay down a bunch of rules if we wanted to about what to do and what not to do. And most Christian folk do. And though those rules may be good ideas, the reality is clear—if you are not loving, then those rules are worthless. The test of our actions and our life as a Christian is simple—not are we living according to rules, but are we loving. Does my action show love for God, myself, and others? Love is greater than law.

Oh what a night!

There is a song, whose lyrics escape me except the chorus, “Oh what a night.” This describes my evening last. Quite a night. One I will not soon forget. It all began with youth group, at which the group actually listened. Did it impact anyone? We will have to wait and see. It was followed by “Lost”—gripping, compelling, informative, great. It was followed by the season finale of “Alias.” Also better than I could have hoped for. And it ended with a midnight screening of Star Wars Episode III. Wow. Some night.

The best stories come from the trip to the movie theater. There were of course your hardcore fans with the outfits (the full Darth Vadar Costume was easily the best). There were your dorks trying to duel one another with light sabers. There were your wackos who camped out in front of the theater merely for the fun of it. But none of those things was the weirdest encounter on the night. This award goes to a person whom I will call “hotty bo botty.” She arrives to the Star Wars premiere in stellettos, a super mini-skirt, and a skintight tube top. And I wonder—have you exhausted all the possible booty calls from the bars and clubs that you are forced to come to a Star Wars movie to find possible hook ups. If so, you are scrapping the bottom of the barrel. I mean seriously, when you think Star Wars geek you may think eligible, but you don’t think desirable.

A couple of pet peeves. First, talkers during the movie. One of my buddies shared how 2 rednecks talked the entire movie. From, “Man she has big boobs” to other comments about the princess, to idiotic statements about the movie, these guys all but ruined it for my friend.

Secondly, a non-existent curfew. Why are 9 year old kids out in the middle of the night to watch a movie? You know they are skipping school the next morning. Do you really want to expose your kid to the madness of Star Wars hype? Well, each parent will be accountable.

All in all a great night. I am tired and Elijah doesn’t realize that daddy has only had 4 hours sleep, but I live with my choices. My only regret—I left my camera at home. Let me know what you thought about the movie or either of the great shows on ABC.

Only in East Tennessee Part 2

My world is falling apart. I can’t go anywhere without being struck with the lunacy that is my current situation. First was the tractor. I suppose that the number of tractors in the area might eventually lead to the incident described yesterday. But what happened to me next has no explanation.

I was driving to meet Carrie at school before a Disc Golfing tee time. Shadow and Elijah were in the car. We were leisurely driving along, when I cam around a curve and a chicken jumped out in front of my car. Yes, you read correctly—a chicken. Not wanting to add to the already mounting numbers of road kill consisting of possum, squirrel, muskrat, etc., I locked my car up. I can’t remember the last time I heard the squeal of tires followed by the smell of burnt rubber that comes from slamming on the brakes. But I did anyway. Shadow ended up in the passenger seat. Shaken, but okay. The car barely missed this stupid chicken as it just fluttered on to the other side of the road.

I was forced to pull over to side of the road for a minute to compose myself. I was enraged. I couldn’t be mad at the chicken, after all it doesn’t know that a car traveling at 50 mph will destroy it. But I was still mad. Who is to blame? Hillbilly Jim who decides that he wants to have chickens but doesn’t want to go through the work of making a coup to keep his chickens penned up. How much does chicken wire cost you lazy redneck?

You may think this is an isolated incident, but it happens regularly down here. There seems to be little concept of civility, as people just do what is easy and expect everyone to understand. Maybe it isn’t only in East Tennessee. But I feel like my world is collapsing. If we can’t even keep our chickens from terrorizing the neighborhood what hope do we have for a redeemed society.

Only in East Tennessee

Last night I had an interesting experience that I thought I would share. It was around 11:00 at night. I was shutting down the house for the night. Then I saw a police car with his lights on pull into the parking lot of the church/my driveway. He got out an was examining my cars. I walked out and greeted the State Trooper and asked him what was going on. He said and I quote:
“Do you know anyone who owns a green tractor?”
“No. Why?” I replied.
“Well you see those blue flashing lights down there (pointing down the street)? There is an abandoned big green tractor with a hay bailer parked in the middle of the road. It is there at the curve and we don’t want anyone to hit it.”

I assured him that I did not know the owner of the big green tractor. He thanked me for my time, and went on his way. I share this story not to make a philosophical or theological point, but merely to say, “Only in East Tennessee.”

Decency Laws

I have noticed that our government is spending a lot of time investigating and making laws about things that I have little interest in (steroids in pro sports being a major one). Well I have an idea—let’s make some laws that actually make an impact on the common man. Here’s one based on something I have noticed when I go into restaurants. Let me take you through the encounter:

I walk into the restaurant with my wife at my side and my 9-month-old baby in hand. The inevitable question is asked: “How many?” I reply, “2 and ½.” Chuckle chuckle. The hostess follows up with: “Smoking or non-smoking?” I look at my child and say wryly, “Non-smoking.”

Does anyone else see the problem? Who would expose their infant child to unnecessary smoke inhalation? With all we know about cancer, asthma, emphysema, allergies, and more, one would have to be insane to say, “Smoking section please.” I know parents smoke, but for the sake of the child, could you refrain for an hour?

Thus, I propose that we make a law that if a family has a child under 4 years old, they cannot be in the smoking section. I don’t know what the punishment would be, but in my mind subjecting kids to such abuse is at the very least a crime, and probably is a sin.

Hannah’s Heart—Our Heritage Part 3

Another thing I noticed from Hannah’s story is her amazing sacrifice. Can you imagine going through your entire life, just wanting one thing. All you can think about is that one thing. It haunts your dreams and your waking thoughts. It is your heart’s desire. It is the one thing in life that you think will make you complete. But upon finally getting it after years of hoping, you have give it right back. You barely have time to enjoy it before returning it to the place where you got it. That is the story of Hannah. She finally received what she had longed for—this child. And after he was weaned, she gave him back to God for His service. That is an unbelievable picture of sacrifice.

Mothers are asked to sacrifice quite a bit for the sake of their children. Mothers are willing to lose precious sleep time, their pre-pregnancy figures, often their careers, sometimes even their dreams and aspirations. And they willingly do it for the sake of their children. That picture of sacrifice that Hannah displayed and that many mothers display is the picture of our relationship in the church. Being a part of the body of Christ, being committed to one another takes sacrifice. But this church is built on the sacrifices that have been made by those who have gone before us.

Hebrews 13:15-16 reads: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

You don’t need to be a mother to display sacrificial love. There are many in this congregation who have been spiritual mothers through their influence and teaching. There are many who have given time, money, encouragement, and more for the sake of the kingdom. Carrie and I especially being so far from our families have felt the love that people have poured out. And we do these things because we are united not by blood lines, but by the blood of the Lamb. When we as mothers, or fathers, or children, or neighbors, or friends display sacrificial love, we are merely taking after Jesus’ example and fulfilling His wish that we “feed His sheep.” Our sacrifices will leave a heritage for those who follow after us.

God blessed Hannah with a wonderful son, and an even larger family because her heart was following after God’s. Her faith and sacrifice not just as a mother, but as a worshipper stands as an inspiration for us all.

Thank you Lord for our mothers. We remember today those women who have displayed their loving care and their ceaseless love for us. May we show them by our gifts, our words, and our actions that we love them and care about them too.

God I pray for those who have experienced heartache over motherhood. Whether they have lost a mother, been estranged from a mother, or who have struggled with the inability to be a mother, I pray you instill a peace in them that returns their faith to you. You have the power of healing and restoration in your hand. I pray you extend that hand to the hurting among us.

God we thank you for the family of the church. May we know your blessing and strength as we care for others. Through your mighty name we pray, Amen.

Hannah’s Heart—Our Heritage Part 2

What do I know about being a mother? Not much. But I know a good mother when I see one. When I read instances of women like Hannah I see what it takes to raise a godly child. I think we can learn much from this story. Whether you are a women or a man, a mother, a child, a woman who has known the loss of a child, a woman who has known the feelings of futility that come from an inability to bear children, or someone who has never had the opportunity to have children, this story speaks to all of us. Hannah’s heart gives us an example that if we emulate can leave a lasting heritage.

The first thing I notice about Hannah is her faith. Year after year went by, and though some of her hopes never came to fruition, she refused to cease worshipping God. She would make the trek each year to celebrate with the rest of her family, despite the pain that she endured. And though each year seemed to bring more disappointment, she steadfastly prayed to God seeking His will in her life. She was a woman of faith. Though her circumstances may have dictated otherwise, she continued to keep God at the forefront of her life and believe that He could overcome anything, even barrenness.

There is an illustration that you have probably heard before, but I couldn’t resist:
A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued: "Is anyone up there?"
"I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?"
"Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can't hang on much longer."
"That's all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch."
A moment of pause, then the man said: "Is anyone else up there?"

God is still in the business of doing things that seem impossible, improbable, and impractical. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. As people of faith continue to pour their entire selves into this God, He responds with gifts of love and blessings. Sometimes those blessings come in a physical form like cures from diseases and illnesses. Other times they are spiritual and help us grow in our faith. And often, he uses our hardship and pain to bring blessings to others. If you are sitting here today, dealing with frustration and disappointment because of a circumstance in your life, God is calling you to keep faith. Whether it is a broken relationship, the pain of the loss of a loved one, frustration over your place in life, or whatever may be disturbing you today, God is calling you back to faith. God’s ways, though hidden to us, are often revealed in the way we he uses our faith in the lives of others. As Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hannah epitomized this kind of faith. May we live that same kind of faith out, and pass it on to those who will come after us.

Hannah’s Heart—Our Heritage

Another annual festival had come and gone. Another year that Hannah was forced to suffer the pain of broken dreams, the ridicule of other women, and her disappointment with God. Her name meant “grace” but she felt very distant from God’s favor. Hannah was barren, and though she and her husband Elkanah had repeatedly tried, she could not give birth to a child. And each year, the trip up to Shiloh that was supposed to be a celebration of God’s blessings was just another reminder that she was not a recipient.

Elkanah constantly told her that he didn’t mind. That he loved her even if she never conceived. He told her that she meant more to him than 10 sons. In fact, he often presented her with gifts and extra portions of the sacrifice in an attempt to appease her. But Hannah saw the way that Elkanah looked at his other children. She observed how his eyes lit up as they ran to him. She knew that children were the joy of Elkanah’s life, and she would never provide him with that joy. It did not help that Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah would flaunt her fertility in Hannah’s face. Peninnah would push her children right up in front of Hannah and say things like, “There is nothing like children to make you feel complete” or “God’s greatest blessing is a child.”

Hannah could normally control her emotions and cordially reply, “Yes, they are beautiful children. You are very blessed.” But inside she was boiling over with anger, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy. And when these emotionally crushing episodes ended, she would run off and cry until she had no tears left.

During this past festival, she ran crying to the temple, fell before the altar of sacrifice, and poured out her soul before God. She let go of her bitterness, her sadness, and her disappointment. She made a vow before God, saying simply: “O Yahweh Sabaoth, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the YAHWEH for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” Hannah was desperate. She was not just asking for a son. She was willing to return that son back to God for His service if only God would bless her.

And she continued to pray, her head bowed, her mouth moving, but no words coming out. The priest, Eli saw her crumpled body lying there and immediately thought that she was some drunk that had staggered up to the temple area. To further her shame, he accused her of being a lush and told her to stop with the booze. She defended herself and explained her situation. At which point, Eli quickly recanted and gave her an offhanded blessing: “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” Hannah left, feeling somewhat better, but still unsure as to her future. The festival ended, and their family went back home with no resolution in sight.

But soon afterward, God did the unthinkable. He opened her closed womb; he brought fertility out of her barrenness; Hannah became pregnant. It was a miracle. It was a surprise. It was a blessing straight from God. After 9 months Hannah gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, and she named him Samuel, which means “Heard of God.” She prayed to God and asked, and God heard and answered her. And she did not forget her vow. Though it was time to return once again to Shiloh for the festival, she waited until Samuel was weaned. And as hard as it was to let go, she brought him up, offered sacrifices for him, and presented him to Eli the priest. Her words again were simple, but expressed her deepest desire and thankfulness for this blessing from God. She said: “I give him to YAHWEH. For his whole life he will be given over to YAHWEH.”

The son that was given to her, Hannah gave right back to God to use as He saw fit. Hannah’s thankfulness at God’s blessing overflowed into sacrifice. Hannah was so appreciative of finally receiving God’s favor that she was willing to do whatever was required to raise a child who sought after God. And Samuel grew up to be a great prophet among the Israelites. He was the voice of God among the people. He anointed the first king. He helped rear David and anointed him as King.

Hannah had no idea that her baby would be this great man and great leader. She only knew that God deserved him for whatever use he had. And that made it worth giving Samuel over to God.

Birdie!!!

I don’t play much golf. Maybe 5 rounds a year. I am hoping to play more, but with my back and schedule that is about all I can muster. But I did play on Saturday, and I registered my first ever birdie. Let me make it clear — this was a real birdie. No mulligans, no second chances on the putt once I got the read. It was the real thing.

The hole was a 325-yard par four that curves to the left, obscuring the pin from the tee. I blasted the drive down there. Chipped up onto the green nicely, and put home a downhill left to right 20 footer. For a duffer like myself, this was a big deal. It was thrilling. When the ball dropped into the cup, I yelled out, “Birdie!!!”

Though I only shot well on about 4 of the 9 holes we played, it was worth going out and feeling sore in the morning. May the little things in life bring us joy, because for some of us that is all we have.

A Mother's Day Prayer

God our Mother,
You hold our life within you,
nourish us at your breast,
and teach you to walk alone.
Help us to receive your tenderness
and respond to your challenge
that others may draw life from us,
in your name.

Janet Morley

Props

Yesterday was “National Teacher’s Day.” My wife is a 5th grade teacher. I don’t envy her. I couldn’t do what she does. She has been blessed with a gift and is returning that blessing back to the world. There is so much more to teaching than just showing up with a lesson plan and she fills many roles besides “teacher.” She is a counselor, an advocate, an intermediary, an arbitrator, a friend, a confidant, and a minister. She is a shining light in the often dark lives of these kids.

And on a day when she should have been lauded for her efforts, she came home just sick of it all. Administrative BS, Even if she doesn’t get the recognition she deserves from school, she gets my vote for teacher of the year every day.

God is greater than all

There are a lot of great things out there. There are great people, great places, great foods, great cars…the list goes on and on. But most of the time, people are not great in and of themselves. They are given worth. For example, there are certain products that are ignored until someone famous begins to endorse them. Then everyone thinks they are great. Escalades were big and ugly until some rappers started pimping them out. Now they are cool. Trucker hats were worn only by, well, truckers, until a few Hollywood folks started wearing them. Now they are all over the place. The point is, great is relative. What is great one weak is lame the next. And so it is tough to figure out what to follow and believe is worthwhile.

Let me share 2 Scriptures with you:
“I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.” Psalm 135:5
“But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than man.” Job 33:12

We don’t have a problem with worshipping other gods do we? We don’t sacrifice things to them or bow down to idols. Most of the time, when we think of worship we thinking of singing to God or going to church. But there is more to worship than just that. People may not bow down to idols of gold or silver, but we still worship things. Jesus says where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. In other words, the things in life that are your priorities, the things you put stock in, the things you focus the majority of your life on, those are your gods. Those are your idols. An idol, quite frankly is anything you put in front of God. The number of idols in this world are countless. We always jump to the obvious ones—money and wealth, power and prestige. But it is not just money hungry, recognition seeking people that put their idols in front of God. We put less obvious things in front of God. We put laziness, busyness, and selfishness

Laziness—we don’t want to put the effort into really getting to know God. It is just easier to drift by and float along. Soon, we start skipping Bible reading and praying. And then church altogether goes by the wayside. I see it in families all the time. Laziness leads to absence an absence of God.

Or perhaps it is busyness. School, sports, work, relationships, and other activities become the focal point of our lives, and God is given maybe an hour on Sunday. After all, we don’t have any other time to give him. Our priorities just don’t leave time for God. Busyness leads to an absence of God.

Or maybe its selfishness. The more we care about making sure our lives are good, the less we care about what God thinks about that. When we care more about living to please us than living to please our Creator, God takes a back seat. Selfishness leads to an absence of God.

But all those things that we put in front of God are just worthless idols. They are not better than little figurines of gold. God is greater than all gods, all idols, all men, all things. God is greater than all. Nothing in this world can ever be as good or worthwhile as your relationship with God and with God’s people. Period. No amount of money, cars, prestige, pleasure or anything else can compare with God’s greatness. But you will never know that unless you experience God. And you will never believe it until you attribute to God the greatness he deserves.

The question I want you to leave with is this: “What are you going to spend your life and energy serving?”

If God isn’t at the top of the list, you are missing out. You are serving an empty idol. You are following something that will let you down. God is greater than all things. He and He alone deserves your time, effort, energy, love, and above all, your worship.

Free at Last - Conclusion

I love houses that have lots of big windows in them. The sun can filter in. It gives warmth and a sense of love to the house. But have you ever been to a prison? Not a lot of windows. Very few ways for the sun to get in. It is pretty depressing. And when I read this passage, I think we can expound on Jesus’ parable about building on the rock and not the shifting sand. Of course we all agree that the foundation must be firm. We choose to build on the rock—the foundation is Christ. He is solid.

But what are we going to build on top of that? Will we see our life as merely abiding by some rules that we have made up that seem to be wise? Will we look down on others who don’t seem as spiritual? Will we turn the Christian life from a celebration of forgiveness into a checklist of rules? If so, we are building a prison.

But when we see our lives in the context of grace, realizing that righteousness and purity are not what gets us to heaven, I think we are free to let the light of God’s love in. We are free to revel in his grace. But most importantly, we are free to shine that love back on this world. There are many people who won’t enter into a church because they don’t want to be judged and they don’t feel they are good enough. And until we return to grace as the building material, they probably never will feel comfortable. The house of God is a house of glass that allows us to view the world freely through grace-tinted windows.

Free at Last - Point 3

But after a while, the celebration winds down. We begin to think about what has taken place. And even though we may know that we are forgiven, victorious people, somehow we still try to earn salvation. More than that, we look down upon those who perhaps aren’t as spiritual as us or we make up arbitrary rules that “good Christians” follow. We come up with rituals you should be involved in, and make rules to determine the things that you should not be involved in. But Paul speaks to that as well. He tells us to be Focused on Christ—Free from restrictions (vs. 16-23). Let me read just a couple of snippets from these verses:

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. Why do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

According to the Law, good Jews celebrated the yearly, monthly, and weekly special services. Good Jews kept themselves strictly pure and wouldn’t even touch or go near something that might possibly be defiled. Good Jews would only eat certain foods, considering other foods sinful. They prided themselves in their accomplishments. They made up rules that clearly showed how good of a Jew you were. They set up boundaries. It was called “putting a hedge around the Torah”. You use a hedge to keep things out. But hedges also keep things in. And their boundaries were human commands, not divine ones. Unfortunately, these rules didn’t deal with the heart. They skewed the Word of God. They lost the freedom to be the people of God. They lost the ability to love outside their rules—outside of their hedges.

I think when they started focusing on the extra rules instead of the intent of the original command they were doomed for failure. But we do it too. Why do we change how we speak and act when we walk into the church building as though there are special rules for church? Our speech and conduct should be the same. Or we try to become somebody different through artificial means. For example, how many of you have ever tried to stop a habit by wearing a rubber band on your arm. If you want to quit smoking, every time you think about smoking you snap it. It is sort of like shock therapy. Eventually your body cringes at the thought of smoking and you quit. Or perhaps your house has a swear jar. And every time you use foul language you have to put money in. Makes you watch your language or you can watch your money leave you.

Here’s the problem with that—it doesn’t get to the heart of the habit. You care more about the consequences then you do about the nature of the addiction. You are destined for relapse because you haven’t addressed or solved the problem. We do the same things with kids. We put boundaries on them without telling them why. My parents would never let me mess around with fire or firecrackers, but they wouldn’t tell me why. When I asked, “Because I said so.” But we all know that 10 year olds shouldn’t be messing around with fire—they burn down houses, blow off fingers, cause scarring, perhaps worse. And if we just say, “Don’t do it” with no explanation, it will just cause us to be enticed even more by it. These boundaries will not keep kids from wandering close to flame.

Boundaries are good for the most part, but if we focus on the boundaries and not on grace, we get into trouble. When we obsess about staying away from certain influences, it gives material things more importance than they deserve. And we often overlook the root problem. These self-imposed disciplines seem to be wise and appear valuable, but they do not encourage faith. These things are self-reliance and not Spirit-reliance. They seem good, but they are based on our own power and not the power of God.

God said, “Don’t eat.” Eve added, “Don’t touch.”
God said, “Be holy.” The Jews added “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”
Jesus said, “Go into all the world, preach, baptize, make disciples.” We added all sorts of traditions, rules, and restrictions.

Free at Last - Point 2

But in order to really accept our new life, we have to also understand that we are Forgiven in Christ—Free from Guilt (vs. 13-15):

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Most people like an underdog. We like seeing the losers win occasionally. Nothing illustrates this more clearly than the Boston Red Sox. They were losers for so long. They couldn’t overcome the Yankees. I mean, think about all those years of failure. All those years of defeat. But when they actually won it all, the amount of revelry was unbelievable. They were celebrating their victory. They had parades where millions turned out to celebrate with them. They were celebrating their present and their future. The past was forgotten. And if it was brought up, it was to show how far they had come.

That is the very picture that Paul lays out. We were the Red Sox. We constantly lost. We could never beat our rival—sin. But then Christ came, and the championship was and is ours. He cancelled the written code that stood opposite us. He took our past history, and nailed it to the cross. All our failures are gone. There is no need to bring them up. As the classic by Queen states, “We are the champions, my friends. No time for losers cause we are the Champions...of the world.”
Right? We are the champions. We even have a parade. Paul says that Christ made a public spectacle of them. That references a Roman General when he would enter the city in triumph after a great victory. In such a parade, the Prisoners of War would be displayed as part of the procession. When Paul says that Jesus “disarmed” the powers and authorities, it has the connotation of discarding the enemy like a raggedy garment that you just throw away.

We can’t celebrate true freedom if we carry around those sins with us like a nasty old garment that just needs to be thrown away. Jesus is leading a parade that is celebrating God’s grace. We’ve been forgiven. The past is null and void. The guilt of our sins has been nailed to the cross. We are living a new, free life, no longer slaves to sin. People can bring up your past all they want. They can talk about what a hypocrite you are. How they know the real you and what you used to do. But they don’t understand that you are the current reigning Champion. All that failure before doesn’t matter. You have won because of Christ.

Free at Last - Point 1

I think our passage gives 3 ways we can truly be free in Christ—how we can truly be free at last. The first step is to return to the basics. Paul tells us to be Founded on Christ—Free from Philosophies:

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Paul has in mind a specific worldview when he writes this passage. The people of that day viewed the world as though it consisted of falling atoms. These atoms are very structured, precise, and easy to follow. Unfortunately, what happens is “the swerve.” These atoms sometimes veer off course, and if the hit you, it is bad news. It is very similar to astrologers who look to the stars for guidance. So what do you do to avoid the collisions? Well avoid pain of course. Seek only pleasure. Don’t worry about serving a god or gods. Get rid of any and all agitation in life or things that could lead to any stress.

Popular culture is telling us what we need or don’t need to have a good life—wealth, happiness, a fit body, a certain stance on issues. They try to align the stars in their favor at every chance, hoping to avoid any sort of bad times. But you don’t need to figure out your astrological sign and outlook. You don’t need to get good karma. You don’t need to get your yin and yang straight. Instead, Paul gives us different advice when it comes to living in this crazy world. He says “Be rooted and built up in Christ, not in the traditions and philosophies of man.” It’s that simple he says—be founded on Christ. And he goes on: “The most important thing you need to know is that you have put to death your sinful nature and have been raised a new person in Christ. All the extras that people try to put on aren’t important.” For the Gentiles of that day, the Jewish Christians were encouraging circumcision as a sign of their faith. They sounded intelligent and knowledgeable. We see the same today. Studies come out and professionals tell us how to live. And that sound like they know what they are talking about. After all, she has a degree in psychology, I guess she must be right. But Paul is clear: watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions and practices.

But Paul says such things aren’t necessary. All we need to know is found in verse 12: we’ve been buried and raised again through faith. Our sign of life is our baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit. That’s it. We don’t have to be in alignment with the stars. We don’t have to buy into these philosophies that crop up. We just need to be rooted and founded on Christ. Then we will be free from the newest fad or philosophy that comes along.

Free at Last - Introduction

I preached yesturday. This week will contain the points of my sermon. Hope you enjoy.

Free at Last—Colossians 2:6-23

Most of our houses have rules that are laid down from the outset. No running or playing with the ball inside. Brush your teeth after meals. Use a coaster. Be home by 11:00. Call me if you go somewhere. No friends over when we aren’t home. Don’t play in the street. Eat your vegetables. Pick up after yourself. The list goes on and on. All these rules are intended for some purpose—to keep you safe, out of trouble, help you grow, etc. But parents usually don’t convey that information. When asked “Why?” what is the response? “Because I said so!” Not very convincing, even with the paddle in hand.

Some houses are stricter than others. Some houses feel like a prison with all the rules and the things that are not allowed. Of course, most teenagers always feel like they are living in a prison, regardless of how lenient the home may be. They long to break free from these arbitrary rules that really don’t make sense and live with freedom. And at some point, parents have to let them go. Well, at least they are supposed to.

When I go to my parent’s house, I often feel like I have been transported back to high school. They want to know where I am going; when I’ll be back; and it better be by 11:00. Okay, I am a grown man. I don’t need my parents telling me when to be home. Though the rules may have had their place in the past, it is time for them to let go and let me live free. They don’t make sense any longer. These rules that at one time helped keep me from harm are now making me feel like a prisoner—locked up for life with no hope of parole.

Sometimes the Christian life can feel the same way. When we are young Christians, just learning the way, it is good to have structure before we are thrown to the wolves. But when we become more concerned about keeping rules than living free in Christ, we are like a 40 year old with a curfew—destined for frustration.

Jesus is greater than the Temple

"At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:1-8.


Jews also had expectations of what should and should not happen. And what if I told you that Jesus was a bad Jew. He was looked down upon, judged to be a big sinner, and ostracized because he didn’t follow the Jewish religion to the letter. There is a little document called the Talmud. It basically expands the laws and clearly lays out how people are supposed to be good Jews. One aspect is the way in which they celebrate the Sabbath day. No work is supposed to be done. I mean none. They were not allowed to walk more than a mile. They were not allowed to prepare food. That was to be done ahead of time. They were not allowed to light a fire in their homes, but could keep a previously lit fire burning.

So, when the disciples were gathering food on the Sabbath instead of eating already prepared food, they were not practicing Judaism correctly. So the Pharisees let them have it. But Jesus isn’t impressed. He told them they were full of it. He gave an example of David and his companions doing something even worse. They entered into the temple and took the special bread. That is what happens when religion takes over. We loose the ability to be free in Christ. We care more about the ritual than the relationship. The Pharisees didn’t care if the disciples were hungry; they wanted to make sure that their traditions weren’t broken. Their traditions weren’t even from the Bible. They were made up. And many of ours are the same.

We all do things without thinking about it. We drive to familiar places and don’t remember how we got there. We do things without really considering the impact. In the same way, we think that doing a few ritual type things is what makes one a Christian. But that is dead wrong. God doesn’t care a whole lot about the rituals if the rituals aren’t being done to draw close to Him. That I what Jesus means when he says, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” It is what Jesus means when he says that He is greater than the temple. A relationship is greater than a religion. God desires a heart that longs after Him, not that just goes through the motions and actions that are expected. God wants a relationship with you, not your religion. If our religions they aren’t done to cultivate a relationship with God, then why are we doing them?

You can spend the rest of your life living a religion—going to church, singing songs, taking communion, offering up halfhearted prayers. But if you are just going through the motions, without any goal of drawing close to God, you are missing out. You are just doing busywork. God desires a vibrant relationship with you. He wants to provide you with a life-transforming, destiny-changing experience. It results in a definite commitment to the crucified and risen Savior, which establishes an ongoing personal relationship between a forgiven sinner and a gracious God. Rituals may help that relationship. But when the fulfilling the rituals becomes the end instead of the relationship, we turn into a bunch of emotionless followers who are aimlessly driving around with no clue how we got there.

Anger Management - Part 2

This is the second part that discusses dealing with pent up anger and frustration that arises from minsitry. Yesturday I was mistaken in the author. It is actually Ed Rowell who is a teaching pastor at The People's Church in Franklin, Tennessee.

Unresolved anger is a spiritual problem that won't get better without a spiritual solution.

Discover why I need to be busy all the time. When I overbook my life, I get stressed. When I get stressed, I get insomnia. When I get insomnia, I get cranky. "So why not just work fewer hours?" some uninformed person might ask. Because I have to, that's why. Why? Because most days I enjoy the work of ministry. Because my staff colleagues are counting on me to help lead our church toward a preferable future. Because there's a whole lost world depending on me to save them. And because there are voices from my past, telling me "You're lazy," or "You'll never amount to anything."

Anger is a byproduct of a life with skewed priorities. Jesus modeled for us a rhythm of periodically retreating from both people and process long enough to recharge. In Mark 6:31, Jesus said to his weary disciples, "Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest."

Practice what you preach about community. Give more than lip service to the necessity of community. Change happens when we allow others into our lives. We could whine all day about the difficulties of building trustworthy friendships with our parishioners. There are some people either in your church or in your community who are willing to like you in spite of your vocation. As hard as it may be to connect with others, we'll never get our anger under control alone. I can choose to seethe in solitude or to change in community.

Give up the occupation of people pleasing. A friend recently experienced in his ministry a rebirth of sorts. When I asked what had happened, he responded, "After a dozen years in ministry, I discovered it wasn't my job to make or keep people happy." Pursuing purpose instead of popularity allows me to keep focused in spite of criticism. If people don't like me, it makes me sad (after all, what's not to like?), but it no longer angers me. As long as my life is invested in pleasing God, as long as the ones who know me best love me most, I can deal with rejection from the masses.

Let go of unresolved hurts. Forgiveness is the harder road, and one that must be taken intentionally. Living our lives on cruise control will only take us down the Interstate of bitterness. I must consciously forgive even the slightest of slights if I am to maintain good emotional health.

Once I accepted the problem as my own, that put me in control to do something about it. As I enter the middle years of this race called ministry, I struggle to throw off some ugly souvenirs of anger I picked up along the way. I'm more committed than ever to finishing this race with my faith, character, and family intact. I refuse to allow anger to rob me of experiencing joy along the way. And I reject the notion that change is too hard, or that it's optional. With the help of my small group, my family, and the Holy Spirit who resides within me, I'm hopeful that I'll finish the race having set aside the anger that has hindered me thus far.

Anger Management - Part 1

An article about anger was emailed to me from a friend of mine. It is written by Jim Wetterau out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Whether you are in the paid ministry or minister in your church, often with the opposition of people, I think you will find this article insightful about the anger that builds. It is called, "Why am I angrier than I used to be?" I have edited it for length. The first part is aobut identifying the problem. The next will be about the possible solutions. Hope you enjoy.

The anger complex
All agree ministry is more complex than we ever bargained for. People's lives are more broken than even ten or fifteen years ago. The personal cost of doing ministry is higher than anyone ever dared tell us. Petty issues that once would have received only a fleeting thought now get under our skins where they fester. Imaginary conversations with the objects of our anger get nasty or even violent. But the reasons for a growing anger go far beyond these realities.

More responsibility, less support. We feel this awesome responsibility to transform a world increasingly hostile to the gospel, yet the people who are supposed to help us become the very obstacles we must overcome to reach that world. People with a casual or insulated faith and the incipient universalism of our day frustrate anyone called to do the work of an evangelist. We stand alone against the world, and the world appears to be winning by a big margin.

Accumulation of petty anger. Every day we ingest minute amounts of conflict and disrespect. No big deal, we think. Just blow it off. But we don't. Instead it gets buried in our liver and 20 years later, we go ballistic over some kid skateboarding in the parking lot and wonder, Where did that come from?

Midlife realizations. "Midlife is when the skepticism of youth collides with the cynicism of old age." By the time a pastor gets enough experience to be wise, he or she has also picked up enough battle wounds to be angry. Most of us never attain some unspoken goals. Perhaps it's the expectation of a comfortable income, or the dream of a particular size or style of church. The invitations from book publishers and conference planners still aren't coming, and the seminary still hasn't honored us as alumnus of the millennium.

Coming to terms with unrealized hopes is part of our maturation process. Often, when we scuttle our dreams, God gives us a better one.

Luck is...luck

“Everybody’s dealt a hand. Tiger Woods looked at his hand and said, ‘Cool. I can hit a golf ball 400 yards.’ Someone else said, ‘Darn I’m only ever going to be 4’11”.’ And somebody else said, ‘I can’t believe I’m to going to be hit by a bus on my 21st birthday.’ Luck. Luck is luck, its…All that you can do is keep going.” --Scene from “Ed”

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. --John 9:1-3

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” --James 1:17

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” --Psalm 150:6

Life’s not perfect. We don’t understand why some are blessed in certain ways, and others seem cursed. The combination of the will of God, living in a fallen world, and the unexplainable blessings that come from above lead us to see God in the light of one who overcomes the evils of the world with his love and grace. If something good happens, it is from God. If not, it is a consequence of sin, which God can still redeem. And our response is simple—we should keep going and praise him.

Whose side are you on?

And then this, while Joshua was there near Jericho: He looked up and saw right in front of him a man standing, holding his drawn sword. Joshua stepped up to him and said, “Whose side are you on—ours or our enemies’?”
He said, “Neither. I’m commander of GOD’s army. I’ve just arrived.” Joshua fell, face to the ground, and worshiped. He asked, “What orders does my Master have for his servant?”
GOD’s army commander ordered Joshua, “Take your sandals off your feet. The place you are standing is holy.” Joshua did it. (Joshua 5:13-15 MSG)

In God we trust. God bless America. God please help our team win the game.

Every time I hear these sorts of statements, I cringe. We speak and live as though God plays favorites. We think God is concerned about the outcome of some mundane sporting event. We assume that since America was founded on “Christian morals” that God has more concern for us than other nations. We think that God’s blessings on America should come no matter what. After all, we are far superior than the other heathen nations.

This same arrogance existed among the Israelites. They had assumptions about God’s presence in their lives and actions. But Joshua’s encounter with this spiritual soldier caught my attention. One would think that Joshua’s question, “Whose side are you on?” would emit a response of, “Yours. Go. Be victorious. We will be with you.” But it wasn’t. The Commander said he wasn’t on a side. He wasn’t overly concerned about the battle that was about to take place. Even when Joshua pressed him for a word from Yahweh, the soldier didn’t give Joshua any marching orders or even a word of encouragement. He gave him the same word that Yahweh gave Moses—“Holy ground requires holy action.”

Instead, he cared more about holiness than victory. His concern was making sure that Joshua was approaching God properly. Here in the midst of this pivotal battle with one of the most fortified cities in the Promised Land, Yahweh seemingly had other things on his mind. Maybe I am stretching this but here is what I learn about God:

God is not a national God. He is not on the side of countries. There are not pagans versus the chosen ones.
God is the God of goodness. He is on the side of whoever is right. He is also concerned about how we come before Him and how we treat one another more than he cares who wins a game, which country is the most affluent, etc.

Our prayers and wishes should change. Asking for blessings is not necessarily bad. But asking that we are holy and pleasing before God in everything we do is what should drive our prayers and our actions, not some sense of divine allegiance.

Has anyone seen the ark?

“When you see the Covenant-Chest of GOD, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it…Look at what’s before you: the Chest of the Covenant. Think of it—the Master of the entire earth is crossing the Jordan as you watch.” Joshua 3:3,11

For the Israelites, the ark of the Covenant symbolized the presence of God. When it was placed in the tabernacle, God would descend and enthrone himself between the cherubim. I suppose the ark was more than a symbol—it was a reassurance that God had not left them. In all their battles and travels, the ark led the way. Or perhaps, more literally, God led the way and the people followed. No matter what the opposition looked like or how tough they seemed, the Israelites could look to the ark and be reminded that the “Master of the entire earth” was with them.

We don’t have an ark. We don’t have a physical symbol of the presence of God. And so it may seem far more difficult to engage in difficult tasks. But reassurance still remains. The presence of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct dwells among us, if we would only listen and respond. When we sense the presence of God moving and pushing forward, we need to follow. It may take us to places that are not comfortable. It may take us to places that are difficult. But through it all, we should be reminded that the God of the universe is leading the way. It is He that will direct, command, and ultimately win the battle.

The Wideness of God's Mercy - Part 2

Often, people point to Jesus saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” to show that only belief in Jesus can get you into heaven. But that isn’t what Jesus says. Jesus says that through Him people get to the Father. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is what makes the way for God’s children to return to Him. But could it be that there are different ways for people to return to God and upon seeking Him they find that Christ’s sacrifice has already removed the enmity that existed, even if they didn’t know it? Who will say that the ancients, especially the Jews, are not in heaven? Why not? Because they didn’t know about Jesus? How about those who have never heard of Jesus? Does their ignorance then result in their eternal demise? I can’t believe that to be true. No, I believe God judges humanity based on their faithfulness and their attempts to live rightly. He judges based on our response.

I guess what has gotten me to considering this view of salvation and who is saved stems from a few things in the Bible. I find that people are “saved” based on various circumstances and actions. Hebrews 11 is full of people who were said to be faithful (and one can assume saved), and yet they knew nothing of Jesus. And what were they faithful to? Their revelation of God. There are people whom Jesus would encounter and whom Jesus would bestow salvation upon, and yet His sacrifice had not even been made. Look at the thief next to Him on the cross. All the man did was rebuke the other thief for his mockery. Yet Jesus seemed to promise him salvation.

I don’t believe this view makes light of Jesus’ sacrifice and by no means understands that all people will go to heaven (Universalism). Rather, it shows wideness in God’s mercy that returns salvation to Christ, and not so much to us. There must still be a response on the part of the human to seek God. And we seek God in various ways. In addition, we emulate Christ in various ways. But in the end, salvation is based on Christ’s sacrifice not necessarily on a limited view of a response to the gospel.

This is obviously a work in progress. Though I may speak as if I have bought into it completely, I have not. So you are welcome to critique the allegory or the conclusions drawn from it (in a nice way). But whatever you do, don’t just spout off the party line without considering what I am saying. Thanks. Look forward to your input.

The Wideness of God's Mercy

The following is an allegory about the wideness of God’s mercy. I wrote it to express a point of view that I am struggling through. I don’t necessarily buy completely into it, but it allowed me to get out my thoughts. So read it. Think about it. You might even comment about it. Tomorrow I will unpack it and consider the implications.

There was once a Father and His children who lived in a house. They lived a good life, full of love, content in the company of one another. The children were free to do what they wanted, but the Father asked that they stay on the property when they played and not wander off into the dark woods. He told them of the dangers of the dark woods. It was so dark that they would get lost, and getting back home would be difficult. The children agreed and spent many years playing around the house in the yard.

But one day, as the children looked out from their yard, they saw the dark woods and thought that it would be fun to leave and explore them. Though they knew of the Father’s warning, the children decided to leave the house and play in the woods. Upon entering the woods, they children got split up and lost. The woods were dark and thick, and they could not find their way back to the house. Many of the children spent all their time trying to find their way back to the house. Others gave up, laid down, and prepared for death. Some decided to make the best of it and began to enjoy living in the woods. One day, all of the children throughout the woods heard the Father’s voice calling them home. Some thought it was the wind and ignored the Father’s voice. Others knew it was the Father calling them home. Thus, they started back home again.

The oldest son, Yeshua, came from the house and called out to the woods. Some listened and followed him back. Some had a narrow path to follow to get there; others had to wade through some water; still others ignored the thorns that cut them. Others located the path they took and so following it was easy. Others chose different paths thinking they were better.

Those that heeded the Father’s calling headed back home again. Though they were all in different places in the woods and took different paths, they were all striving for the same goal—to get back home to the Father. Upon arriving, they found that there was now a wall around the house keeping them out. Seemingly there was no way to get through to the Father’s house. Yet, there was one section of the wall that was broken down with a gap large enough for the children to walk through. Standing by the gap in wall was the oldest son, Yeshua with a cross-shaped sledgehammer in hand. He had knocked out a hole in the wall. As the siblings went through the wall, they found on the other side of the wall the Father, with his arms outstretched, waiting to welcome back home again all of His children that heeded His call.

The Symbols
God is the Father on the porch of the house calling all people home.
The children represent humanity who are all in a woods outside the house.
The woods represent life, struggles, walking around in the darkness of sin.
Many will respond to God’s calling, and will come home. However, they will take different paths to get there. This represents various understandings (religions) about how to reach God. Some will follow the path blazed by Christ. Others will take other paths. All that respond to the Father’s calling will make it to God, but the way in which they get there is different.
For those who respond to God’s call, upon arriving at the house, they find a wall all the way around with only one way in. The wall represents alienation that comes from sin, and the gap in the wall is made by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Though some did not know about Jesus’ sacrifice or sin, Jesus still died for them and they have come home and are allowed into the house.
Many will not respond to God calling them home. These people will be banished to eternal darkness and out of the presence of God were there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Preview and review

Thought I would give you a preview of next week. I will be posting about universalism…sort of. There has been much discussion on the GLCC Forum about who is saved and not saved, purgatory, etc. So, I thought I would share something I have been thinking about for, say, 3 years. Anyway, I leave you with my classic reality TV moment from last week. This could be a new feature if you like it and if I find one every week. So, from Thursday’s Apprentice:

Donald: “Did you choke?”
Frantic woman: “I could have done better.”
Donald: “Did you choke?”
Frantic woman: “Yes, I choked.”
Donald: “You’re fired.”

I love that he made her say it before he fired her. Love the Donald! Have a good weekend.

Calvin was correct...sort of

I used to eschew the Calvinistic idea of total depravity and inherent sin. I thought that people were born into the world as basically good and the thought that we were born evil was anti-biblical. I still believe that, but I now adhere to a modified form of total depravity. Let me explain.

Lately, I have really been saddened by the state of the world and my contribution to it. I speak mostly of the proliferation of sin and the cycle of sin that the world just cannot break. My son Elijah was born and he was perfect. There was not a spot of sin on him. And to this day, he has not committed a sin since he does not yet know good from evil. But, he lives in a world of sin:

The Carter clothes he wears, the Nike shoes we put on his feet—these are more than likely made by under aged sweatshop workers who receive a pittance of a wage.
I drive Elijah around town and contribute to the pollution and the gas wars that are taking place, damaging God’s creation.

It goes on and on and on. We live in a world in which sin is inherent. It is everywhere we look. Our children are born into it. What is worse, they are raised thinking that it is acceptable. Considering the state of the world causes me deep sadness and outrage, but where is the solution? How can the cycle be broken? How can I feel like I am not sinning just by putting on clothes or driving around town? How can I be part of the solution instead of multiplying the problem?

Or is there a solution? Must we just be subject to frustration and groan with the rest of creation, waiting to be liberated from bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom 8:18-21)? I have to say, it doesn’t sound like the fullest life that Jesus talks. The slave child in Thailand. The mother with AIDS in Africa. The disfigured father in the Middle East. Where is their full life?

I don’t know what to pray for or what to work for or what to change. So I leave it in the hands of God, and ask for intercession through the power of the Spirit.

The Ultimate Rivalry

I love the auto correct function on Microsoft Word. Basically, it fixes your mistakes quicker than you even realize that you have made a mistake. I don’t even notice the vast majority of these corrections. I am either typing too fast or am looking at a book or something. The program just automatically fixes mistakes I make. You can even tailor the program to fix commonly misspelled words. It is great!

Auto Correct. It is a great thing. In the spiritual realm, we have the same sort of thing. We have an auto correct system. Check out a passage of Scripture from Romans 5:18-21 in The Message Version:

“Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. Because where sin increased, grace increased all the more. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. But God is putting everything together again through the Messiah. Grace invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.”

When I read this passage I envision a spiritual rivalry as heated as the Red Sox and Yankees, Duke Blue Devils and NC Tar Heels, or UK and UL. The two teams involved are the “Worldly Sinners” and the “Kingdom Gracers.” This rivalry is as old as time, and for a long time the Sinners had been winning. But eventually the Gracers got a new GM and he started recruiting better players so that the Kingdom Gracers won the championship. And the Sinners, being sore losers, upped the ante and added more top notch players. But Gracers signed the ultimate player who was better than all the Sinners’ players put together. Now, even Sin’s best player, Death, cannot contain the Gracers star—Yeshua.

This is the same picture that That Scriptures says that every time sin tried to increase, grace increased all the more. Adam is the archetype for sin and the continuation of sin throughout humanity. That means over time, things have gotten worse it seems. Sin runs rampant in the land. We are in a bad situation. But where sin increased, God’s grace increased even more. Jesus is the archetype of forgiveness and grace. Every time we seem to draw further away from God, he comes closer with his forgiveness. God is the one doing the auto correction. No matter what you have gotten yourself into, God is there one upping sin with is grace. That is why “Grace is Greater than sin.” There is no sin that God can’t and won’t forgive. There is no mistake you have made or will make in the future that God can’t make right. Before we even commit a sin, God is there ready to forgive. Some people can’t comprehend that God would forgive murderers, and rapists, and awful people like that. But he does. Sin doesn’t have a chance against God’s grace.

And what is more, God also invites us into his presence for eternity. God wants all of us, despite our flaws and sins at his great party in heaven. That is why he has chosen to extend His grace to us. Sin’s biggest threat—death—has been destroyed by God. Though we might die in this life, God promises us a life that will not end. It’s all because of God’s Amazing Grace. His grace that is greater than sin could ever be or ever will be.

Buying some time

I am working on a couple of things to post about, but it has been slow going. In lue of any original thought by me, I have another great prayer for you today. It is awesome and challanges the way we pray and approach God to be more specific and tangible. Hope you enjoy.

Reform our deformed lives
The words are familiar to us and we are filled with yearning. So we say them glibly, passionately, filled with hope — liberty, mercy, freedom, release, grace, peace. We have some fleeting notion of what we must have in order to live our lives fully. And we have some wistful certitude that these gifts are given only by you, you with the many names ... you ... holy, merciful, just, long-suffering, forgiving, demanding, promising. We gather ourselves together to subsume our hopes under your rich names.

We name you by your name, harbinger of liberty: hear our prayers for liberty. We are mindful of those caught, trapped, held, imprisoned by systems of enslavement and abuse, by ideas and ideologies that demean and immobilize, by unreal hopes and ungrounded fears. We ourselves know much of un-liberty, too wounded, too obedient, too driven, too fearful. Be our massive way of emancipation and let us all be "free at last."

We name you by your name, power of peace: hear our prayers for peace. We dare ask for the middle wall of hostility to be broken down, between liberals and conservatives in the church, between haves and have-nots, between victims and perpetrators, between all sorts of colleagues in this place, and in all those arenas besot with violence, rage, and hate. We know we are not meant for abusiveness, but we stutter before our vocation as peacemakers. Transform us beyond our fearfulness, our timidity, our excessive certitude, that we may be vulnerable enough to be peacemakers, and so to be called your very own children.

We name you by your name, fountain of mercy: hear our prayer for mercy. Our world grows weary of the battering and the vicious cycles that devour us. We seem to have no capacity to break those vicious cycles of anti-neighborliness and self-hate. We turn, like our people always have, to you, single source of newness. Waiting father, in your mercy receive us and all our weary neighbors. Remembering mother, hold us and all our desperate friends. Passionate lover, in your mercy cherish all our enemies. Gift giver, in your mercy embrace all those who are strangers to us, who are your well-beloved children. Make us, altogether, new.

Hear our prayers for liberty, for peace, for mercy. Form us in freedom and wholeness and gentleness. Reform our deformed lives toward obedience which is our only freedom, praise which is our only poetry, and love which is our only option. Our confidence matches our need, so we pray to you. Amen.

Easter Us

I really enjoy reading other people's prayers, especially theologians that I respect. It changes the often stale study of God into something alive and amazing. The depth and richness of these prayers is founded in the honest and creative images of God. It makes me think of God, and as a result, pray with more vitality and less rigidity.

Below is a prayer from Walter Brueggemann called "Easter us." And though it is appropriate for Easter SUnday, if we proclaim CHrist's death and resurrection daily, then I believe it is just as appropriate every day. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Easter us

You God who terrified the waters,
who crashed your thunder,
who shook the earth, and
scared the wits out of chaos.
You God who with strong arm saved your people
by miracle and wonder and majestic act.
You are the same God to whom we turn,
we turn in our days of trouble,
and in our weary nights;
we look for steadfast love and are dismayed,
we wait for your promises, but wait in fatigue,
we ponder your forgetfulness and lack of compassion,
and we grow silent.
Our lives, addressed to you,
have this bitter-sweet taste of
loud-clashing miracles and weak-kneed doubt.
So we come in our bewilderment and wonderment,
deeply trusting, almost afraid to trust much,
passionately insisting, too timid to insist much,
fervently hoping, exhausted for hoping too much.
Look upon us in our deep need,
mark the wounds of our brothers and sisters just here,
notice the turmoil in our lives, and the lives of our families,
credit the incongruity of the rich and the poor in our very city,
and the staggering injustices abroad in our land,
tend to the rage out of control, rage justified by displacement,
rage gone crazy by absence, silence, and deprivation,
measure the suffering,
count the sufferers,
number the wounds.
You tamer of chaos and mender of all tears in the canvas of creation,
we ponder your suffering,
your crown of thorns,
your garment taken in lottery,
your mocked life,
and now we throw upon your suffering humiliation,
the suffering of the world.
You defeater of death, whose power could not hold you,
come in your Easter,
come in your sweeping victory,
come in your glorious new life.
Easter us,
salve wounds,
break injustice,
bring peace,
guarantee neighbor,
Easter us in joy and strength.
Be our God, be your true self, lord of life,
massively turn our life toward your life
and away from our anti-neighbor, anti-self deathliness.
Hear our thankful, grateful, unashamed Hallelujah!
Amen.

Walter Brueggemann, March 29, 1994