Good Friday

I have grown up--some would say "grown old"--in a world that is dedicated to removing all unpleasantness.  Paint it.  Coordinate it.  Decorate it.  Don't talk about that.  Medicate it.  Make it up.  Make it over.  The problem is behind the color-coordinated paint and masked by the pain-killers life is a mess.  Here is an eloquent statement of the reality:

  

This whole smashed world's a bloody mess 

and there are people right outside the window, 

right behind those velum thin walls all down the street, living this slow, soundless bleed, 

and Holy week can feel like a hell. 

And that's why He came.

(You can read more of Ann Voskamp's thoughts here.) 

  At the heart of Good Friday is a horrible event.  It is a blessed event.  I am incredibly grateful for what Jesus did on the day we remember, but pretty it is not.  Several years ago I sat through The Passion of The Christ.  I have no desire to see the film again.  I remember the lump-in-my-stomach feeling I had more than forty years ago when I researched and wrote a paper on crucifixion. I figure the depiction of Jesus' death that will be presented Sunday evening in The Bible miniseries will be very moving.  Without needlessly wallowing in the blood and dirt of Golgotha just think of the cruelty that abides in the human heart.  What if a group of people spread out over several generations sought to come up with the cruelest most painful, and shameful form of execution possible?  That is just what the Romans did.  From the 

gruesome beginning of impaling people on a sharpened stake, crucifixion developed.  By the time the people shouted to Pilate, "Crucify Him." the execution of criminals on a cross was a finely tuned process for producing agony and shame so great that it would serve as the ultimate deterrent.The temptation to look at the cross for the wrong reason, or the tendency of our fallen mind to have wrong thoughts in the midst of that which is supremely sacred are so great that we dare not look full on at the cross too often.  If we are not careful we turn the sacred into something vulgar.  

Change the focus with me, though, and behind the cross you will see a scene even more horrible than the one on the cross.  What could possibly bring about the crucifixion of the Son of God?

My Sin. 

Don't flinch just yet.  Historically the question of "Who is responsible for the death of Christ?" has caused untold suffering.  Theologically, two images coalesce--my sin, and God's love.  Change your point of focus one again.

God so loved the world that 

He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in Him 

should not perish, but

have everlasting life.

Tonight at CBC we will remember the crucifixion.  It is a scene of horror.  It was made necessary by my sin.  It is the supreme statement of God's love.

It's STTA.

 (Here is an online resource you can use to read a harmony of the Gospel accounts of Jesus crucifixion and resurrection: http://www.parallelgospels.net/Page_240.htm) 

Access:

STTA, March 26, 2013 

My son and daughter-in-law recently attended an event where former President George W. Bush was the speaker.  

"How close did you get to the President?"  his mom and I asked him.  He replied that he was within twenty-five feet of the President.  He also pointed out: "With all the Secret Service agents there, when you get your camera out, you do it very slowly."

I was thinking about that in comparison to what I read about the Lord when He walked among us.  Here is one example:

   "Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My garments?" And His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' "" (Mark 5:30-31, NASB95)    

  You can read the rest of the story, as well as some otherencounters the Lord had, in Mark 5.  Several things stand out--the crowds pressing, the fact that something actually passed to this woman in the encounter, and the focus of Jesus on one person.  On this Easter week let's be reminded that Christ came to be accessible.  He still is.

 

(The dates say January, but the truth is for any time.  Clickhere and follow the "Week 1" devotional guide.  It will lead you through how the Bible says you can have an up-close and personal encounter with the Lord.)

It's STTA. 

Impact Like A Flea:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Little things--fleas, germs, tacks in the road can have big impact. The impact of little things is much greater when they come at unexpected times and in unexpected places.     Take yesterday's snow.  If had come in January in Minnesota no one would have noticed.  But drop a couple of inches of white stuff a few days into Spring, here in the Alleghany Highlands and it gets your attention. I want to turn that impact around 180 degrees and reproduce it.  I'm looking for, praying for, an opportunity to make a difference for somebody.  I figure if I kind of sneak up on somebody and drop something good on them, it just might catch their attention in the right way. I'm really not interested in being noticed myself.  I work for someone who is worthy of all praise.  He said I ought to do  "good works," in such a way that others can see them, and  "[thus] glorify [my] Father who is in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16) (Click here to read more.)   It's STTA.

EXCELLENT!

You may remember Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.  Even if you don't, you have likely had adventures in excellence.  All through school we were encouraged to strive for excellence.  Many of us, long past our classroom days, have found that it is easier to declare something "Excellent!" than it is to produce excellence.  It seems that life conspires against superlative performance, and could it that we misdefine (Is that an excellent word?) excellence, as it applies in the world where most of live?
In Colossians, a book I've been spending time in for the past few weeks, the Apostle Paul says some things that I think could come under the heading of "excellence."  He tells slaves that they are to obey with "sincerity of heart," and work, "heartily, as unto the Lord."  Somehow, when I think of showing something to the Lord, I don't hear "Good enough," as being good enough.  After all, the entire book is about Christ's superlative nature.  "In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form."  (2:9)

Consider though,would a slave, assigned to dig post- holes, please his master if he spent all day digging one perfectly proportioned meticulously neat hole?
"Of course not!" you say.
Don't tune out just, yet.  All of us have a Master.  He is not only our Boss from 9:00 to 5:00, but over our home-life, the time we spend alone, even the hours we spend asleep.  As a pastor of a small church if I prepare one exegetically, homiletically, and oratorically excellent message, yet neglect everything else I should be doing that week--not only at church but at home--am I performing with excellence?  

At this point I may have succeeded only in making things more difficult.  Not only do we need to be concerned about doing what we do with excellence, we need to apply excellence to the consideration of what we do.  Actually, let's turn that around.  First, I ought to ask:

• Am I doing what the Lord wants me to be doing?
• Am I attempting too much?
• Am I distracted by activities that don't matter?

Then I need to do what I do with excellence.  That doesn't necessarily mean doing the best I possibly can do every time I do whatever it is I do.  Sometimes the demands of doing all that I ought to do will demand that I only go over my project with 80 grit sandpaper, rather than spend hours rubbing it with polishing compound.  

We should all work with excellence.  But housewives with three preschoolers shouldn't be down on themselves because their house doesn't look like a spread in Better Homes and Gardens.  Sometimes working with excellence will mean doing less on a particular task, not more.  The big question is not what I want, or what others who are pros at this activity expect, but what does my Boss want?  The servant who works with excellence strives to hear these words:  "Well done, good and faithful servant.

It's STTA. 

 

Something Tempting In The Tree:

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Some missionary friends sent a headline about a strange story.  Some boys were playing when they saw some lighter than air balloons with a banner attached.  The boys were able to climb a tree, and retrieve  the prize, bringing them back to earth so they could play with them.  A couple of the baloons "exploded, leaving them with burns on their hands, faces and bodies."  Fortunately their injuries were not severe. I'm sure you have questions.  I have no answers.  If I hear more, I'll pass it on.   While I've not heard of this particular tragedy before, I've seen similar calamities in the spiritual realm.  In fact the Cambodian boys' experience is not dissimilar to the first catastrophe to strike mankind.  Often in works of art, the serpent who tempted Eve is seen, like the balloons, as being in a tree--certainly the fruit was.  Billions of times since then someone has seen something that appeals to the "the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life," we reach up and take it and have to deal with the consequences, often tragic. We are not left without help.  The Bible is full of warnings.  The church provides encouragement and accountability.  The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer provides the strength that is needed.  See here and here.   It's STTA.

Something Tempting In The Tree:

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Some missionary friends sent a headline about a strange story.  Some boys were playing when they saw some lighter than air balloons with a banner attached.  The boys were able to climb a tree, and retrieve  the prize, bringing them back to earth so they could play with them.  A couple of the baloons "exploded, leaving them with burns on their hands, faces and bodies."  Fortunately their injuries were not severe. I'm sure you have questions.  I have no answers.  If I hear more, I'll pass it on.   While I've not heard of this particular tragedy before, I've seen similar calamities in the spiritual realm.  In fact the Cambodian boys' experience is not dissimilar to the first catastrophe to strike mankind.  Often in works of art, the serpent who tempted Eve is seen, like the balloons, as being in a tree--certainly the fruit was.  Billions of times since then someone has seen something that appeals to the "the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life," we reach up and take it and have to deal with the consequences, often tragic. We are not left without help.  The Bible is full of warnings.  The church provides encouragement and accountability.  The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer provides the strength that is needed.  See here and here.   It's STTA.

Leave Him Alone

Much was made of the fact that newly elected Pope Francis fetching his own luggage and personally settling accounts at the hotel where he had stayed during the conclave to select a new Pope.  Here is the lead from one article:  "Pope Francis put his humility on display during his first day as pontiff Thursday, stopping by his hotel to pick up his luggage and pay the bill himself in a decidedly different style for the papacy usually ensconced inside the frescoed halls of the Vatican."  (NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press 4:24 A.M.MARCH 14, 2013)

I don't accept the authority of the Pope, but my article today is not so much critical as sympathetic.  I wish reporters would leave the guy alone.  Acts of humility, and religious activities, like praying--the Pope's prayer at church right after the hotel visit was also widely publicized--ought to be private.  Listen to what the Lord Jesus had to say on this.  Any righteous deed done for the purpose of display is not a righteous deed at all.  As perverse as it is, one can be proud of his humility.  Such is the depth of depravity.  

So, if Francis errand to fetch his stuff and pay his bill--in a regular car, no less--was a sincere act of humility, he wouldn't want it spread worldwide.  If it was not sincere it shouldn't be publicized.  

Meanwhile back in Covington VA, I pray that the Lord will help me to "not to think more highly" of myself than I ought.  A sober assessment would lead to the truth that if I have anything worthy of note it is from God.  (Romans 12:3)

 

It's STTA. 

 

You Can Conclave, But You Can't Hide.

I heard there was pink smoke over Vatican City.  I hope it doesn't block folk's view of Dennis Rodman who says he's going to ride in the "pope-mobile."  I wonder if Kim Jung Un will be riding shotgun.

I read that the whole smoke thing came from a time--notthat long ago, historically speaking--when the Vatican felt that it was surrounded and imprisoned by Italy.  By 1915 the black smoke, white smoke signal was in place.  I'm not sure if it's a joke, but I hear that the chimney has a twitter account.  

The pink smoke?  That came from a group of women who want the Roman Catholic Church to ordain women to the priesthood.

A couple of months ago four women lobbying for gay couple adoption drew attention to themselves by stripping from the waist up in Vatican square as Pope Benedict spoke from a balcony.

I have heard it reported a number of times that none of the Cardinals really wants to be Pope.  I doubt that, but it is clear that the next Pope will have all kinds of troubles with which to deal.  A friend recently reminded me of something I said a while back.  "People are messy."  The more people one deals with, the more mess.

While time to ones self is valuable, it is not the Lord's intention that those who minister in the church do so in isolation.  Jesus was a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief."  He was accused by His enemies of being a "Friend of sinners."  Though the enemies didn't understand why, they were in fact right.  He was so busy with people, that at one time it was observed that He and His disciples didn't have time to eat.  Jesus hung out with hotheads like James and John, those like Peter who are subject to emotional outbursts, melancholy sorts, like Thomas, and those who, like Simon,  hold extreme political views.  That was just the beginning of messes.  Take time surveying the book of Acts and read 1 Corinthians and it is clear that our Lord intends that Christianity impact the real world.

Where so many of the protester-types go wrong is how they think the church should interface with the world.  They think that the church should change and adapt to the ideas of the world.  Yes, we should be aware, and we should know how to communicate (listen to Paul on Mars Hill for a model, of this), but we in the church address the world because we have the message they need to hear and heed.  Not the other way around.

 

In the church where I minister, smoke means a burned out amplifier or something burning in the kitchen.  Or, metaphorically, the smoke comes from the heat of the battle.  The needs are great.  The battle may be hot.  Those of us who claim to be faithful to the Word of God, need to run to the smoke, not shrink from it.

 

It's STTA. 

 

To the Barricades--Fighting the Idiocy:

I really hate to do this, but some folk who don't know me might read this, so I need to put a preamble on today's STTA.  If you do know me, you can skip to the black font if you want.

• This is the fourth in a four-part series.  You need to see the other three posts for this one to make sense.  (Scroll down to the March 5 post and start there.)
• I'm a long way from being a political activist.  In fact I try to keep the church out of anything associated with partisan politics.  
• I am a supporter of public education.  While I am also a supporter of home, and private education, I realize that without a strong public system many (most) of our youngsters will grow up uneducated.

I want to make a couple of observations and suggestions.  I hope that parents will responsibly and creatively put them to use.

Bureaucracy produced, zero-tolerance rules make zero sense.  We should quit acting as if they do.  

The Prophet Micah gave us one of the great ethical statements of all time:  

Do justice, to love kindness, 

And to walk humbly with your God.

(Micah 6:8)

 

Unlike the various zero-tolerance policies there is an inherent tension in Micah's words.  Is this a time when my emphasis ought to be justice, or should kindness (mercy) be shown?  And wrap all of that in humility--rather than the incredible bureaucratic hubris that says "I've got every possible scenario covered with my one simple rule."  

No, you don't!

In Jesus day the Pharisees were the zero-tolerance guys.  In Jesus grace and truth are found.  Let's not be on the wrong side.  (See here for an example of the conflict.)

 

We create zero-tolerance policies to remove unfairness, and to make an absolute statement against something our system decides is intolerable.

• We correctly identify that drugs are a problem among young people, so we create a zero-tolerance policy that will suspend a seventeen year old, who we trust to operate an automobile and cook our supper at the local burger-joint, for having an aspirin in his backpack.
• We conclude that students in school need to get along, so we write a zero-tolerance rule that causes a young man who saves his classmate's life to be suspended for three days. 
• We conclude that guns are bad (a debatable concept, to say the least) and so we throw kids out of class for chewing pop-tarts into the shape of a gun.

As parents we should have zero-tolerance for such idiocy.

More and more school systems act as if children belong to them.  

It's not that long ago.  My son, a good student, wanted to go deer hunting in the mornings of deer season.  To do so he would miss a class at High School.  "Son, as long as your grades are ok, I don't care."  

Several days later:

"ring-ring"

"This is Mr. Smith, Chad's absolutely essential class teacher.  Do you know that Chad hasn't been in class for the past five days?"

"Yes."

(Surprise on the other end.)

"How are his grades?"  

"He's doing OK."

"Let me know when he isn't."

That is a truncated version of the conversation, but the gist is there.  This is my son, and forgive me Mr. Teacher, butI need to decide how he should best send his November mornings.  He has shown himself responsible enough to make this choice.  He has earned the right, and besides that I like venison and don't hunt myself.

"But," the educational bureaucracy objects, "If we allow that, some kids just won't come to school at all.  Yes, and I'm willing to work with you to address that.  What I am not prepared to do is to zero-tolerate responsible students and parents into a corner that makes zero sense.

OK, if this were were a sermon it would be 12:15.  I need to quit.  A couple of suggestions:

To the parents of Arundel County Maryland.  Bake every cookie for every party, back sale, and reception in the shape of a revolver.  Use jelly-beans for bullets.  Make sure every P,B&J sandwich is in the shape of gun.  Force the zero-tolerance enforcers to reduce the head count in every class to zero.

To the parents in Florida:  Tell the system that you have zero-tolerance for a system that is so intolerant of good sense that it cannot tell the difference between a kid who is starting a fight and one who is saving a life.  In honor of the gun-snatcher's heroism declare a three-day holiday.  When the zero-tolerant types say the three days have to be made up, declare another one.  Let the bureaucracy know that you have zero-tolerance for a system that punishes good behavior.

To parents everywhere:  Stop tolerating a system that lays claim to our children.  The schools exist to help us educate our children.  Let the system know that we have zero tolerance for a bureaucracy that doesn't understand that.

 

It's STTA. 

Something's Wrong--Doing Something About It:

I'm a long way from being a political activist.  In fact I try to keep the church out of anything associated with partisan politics.  I am, however, a promoter of Biblical activism.  God's people should be looking for opportunities to do good, resist evil, and whenever possible make our world a better place as a result of our passing through.

Over the past couple of days (here and here) STTA has been about some things that are wrong in our world.  Thefirst article referred to the erosion of respect for life seen in the story about the 911 call from a nurse who refused to do CPR on a dying woman because it is against policy.  The second is about the idiocy of suspending an elementary school student for chewing a pop-tart into the shape of a gun, and suspending a high-school student for rescuing a classmate from being shot.  These incidents make clear that when a real ethical system is taken away, the vacuum will be filled with zero-tolerance idiocy.  Way too often what is "zero-tolerated" is good sense.

So, what do we do about it?

When we see culture pushing in the wrong direction--andthese incidents are clear examples of that wrong direction--we need to push back.  God's people have a long history of pushing back.  We pushed back against the culturally accepted practice of letting unwanted children die from exposure.  We led the fight against the evils of slavery.  We oppose modern examples of human-trafficking.  

All around us are examples of the cheapening of human life.  When "quality of life" considerations totally dominate "sanctity of life" considerations we need to push back.  When the our culture acts as if the unbridgeable gulf between animal life and human life isn't really there, we need to push back.  When others ask as if the value of life is determined by how much other people want that life, rather than the value given to that life by our creator, we need to push back.   When others treat suicide as if it is an acceptable way of dealing with life's difficulties, we need to push back.  When bureaucratic, self-serving policies are given precedence over attempting to save a life.  We need to push back.

One Godly lady commenting on the refusal of the nurse to perform CPR, said, "I think I would have just put my job on the line and performed the CPR."  If I have a heart attack, I sure hope somebody like this woman--willing to push back against the trends of our culture--is there to help.  I ask myself, "Am I willing to buck the trends of my culture and do what is right?"

I'll comment on the second incident tomorrow, but for now, 

 

It's STTA. 

 

Something's Wrong, #2

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT

Reducing child-rearing to its simplest terms, one could describe it as, encouraging good behavior and discouraging bad.  "Don't hit your sister!"  "Share your toy with Johnny."  Recent news gives evidence that our culture is doing the opposite.  Yesterday's STTA tells of a "policy" that reflects our society's growing unwillingness to take a chance in order to save a life.  Other news idicates that it is even worse than that.  In our absurd focus on eliminating and controlling things that some people use to do wicked things, we actually end up punishing innocent or even heroic activity.   We can all take comfort in knowing that our schools are being kept safe from deadly weapons, like the one pictured to the left.  I only hope that Al-Qaeda doesn't figure out how to gnaw bread into atomic weapons!  I likewise hope that Arundel County, Maryland, officials are conducting sufficient investigation to find out whether this pastry-based killing machine has a high capacity magazine.  We have to put a stop to such things. Well maybe not. While it is important to take a stand against pastry guns--I mean, after all, these things are invisible to metal detectors--we can't leave disarming bad guys to mere mortals.  Such work must be left to professionals--people with the keen eye and steely nerves that enable them to tell the difference between breakfast and terrorist threats.  In Florida a young man observed a classmate pointing a 22 revolver--non-pastry version--at another student.  The report is that rather than threatening to eat the revolver the young man was threatening to shoot his fellow bus-rider.  Not realizing that gun-removal, pastry or steel, must be left to professionals, the young man stepped in and wrestled the gun away from the would-be shooter.  Fortunately no people were harmed or toaster-pastries chewed.  In order to discourage amateurs--you know, the kind of folk who can't spot a deadly pastry-gun in plain daylight--from saving the lives of others, the young man received a three-day suspension.  One can only hope that the young man is kept out of school permanently.  We have to protect our children; they are our most precious asset. Enough.  It's not funny! I know many educators who are terribly bothered about these examples of common-sense, being replaced by senseless bureaucratic rules.  We need to pray for these points-of-light.  Systems that reward heroism with suspensions are not friendly to teachers and administrators who show courageous Godliness and good sense.  Pray for them. These two examples are just two of the more notable examples of parents being replaced by the education machine.  Mom, Dad, resist this tendency.   I'm so dumb that I think that the only danger posed by pop-tarts is tooth-decay and obesity.  Me, I would have given the Florida lad a medal.  Obviously, I don't know anything about educating children, but if you want to listen to someone foolish enough to believe that parents, not bureaucracies ought to raise children, tune in tomorrow.  In the mean time pray. It's STTA.

Something Is Wrong!

Take a moment and look at that picture.  Look again.  Look yet again, and be reminded that Lorraine Bayless is a real person.  We know from news stories that she had a daughter.  Did she sew, play cards, listen to music, maybe she was a baseball fan?  Tracey Halvorson , the dispatcher who handled the call that came in requesting help for Lorraine, identified her as a "human."  

By now the 

Video: Woman's Refusal to Administer CPR Sparks Controversy

is probably familiar.  Lorraine collapsed.  It looked like a heart attack.  The nurse at the independent living home where Lorraine lived called 911.  The dispatcher tried to get the nurse to do CPR.  When she said it was against policy, Tracey begged for the nurse to get somebody else who was willing to help her.  The non-nursing nurse said she couldn't do that.  It is against policy.

Look at that picture once again.  We aren't discussing a policy, here.  Lorraine Bayless is a human being, one who bears the image of God.  To paraphrase John Donne,

"Ask not for whom the 911 call is made.  

It is made for thee."

 

Maybe I'm making too much of this, but I just watched a BCC documentary series on Auschwitz.  The policyargument sounds remarkably familiar.  When policies discourage people from helping, or trying to help, others something is wrong with policy and the culture that produced those policies.  When potential Good Samaritans consult the manual before they consult their hearts something is wrong.  When our hearts allow us to glibly quote policy while someone is dying, something is wrong.  

"Are we going to let this lady die?"  ". . . is there anybody that's willing to help this lady and not let her die?"  Tracey, the dispatcher, asked with obvious concern.  

"Not at this time." was the sad reply.

 

Something is wrong, and  

 

 It's STTA. 

 

Swallowed by Life:

People have been fascinated by the story of Jeff Bush.  He went to bed in his Florida home, just like people do all around the world.  There was the sound of things crashing and breaking, then Jeff's brother, Jeremy, heard his brother yell.  He rushed in to investigate. 

"Everything was gone. My brother's bed, my brother's dresser, my brother's TV. My brother was gone."

A huge sinkhole had opened up under Jeff's bedroom.  It sounds a lot like the story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers  16, here.  At least in the Biblical account we can clearly see God's hand.  He did this because. . . . The story from Florida has that maddening randomness that has troubled people from Solomon to Howard.

Yesterday heavy equipment came and finished demolishing the house.  Jeff Bush's body hasn't been, and probably won't be found.  While this story has captured the attention of millions, his story is not really unique.  Everyday life opens its ugly maw and swallows someone,sometimes many someones in one fell swoop.  The fact is, unless we take steps to resit to it, this life, this world, will swallow us all.  As one wag said, "This life's a mess.  None of are going to get out alive."  If we are trying to figure out how to make life down here under the sun make sense, sooner or later we are going to come up frustrated.  God doesn't say that this life will make

Another sink hole in Guatamala City

sense, not even for His followers.  Rather He has promised to be with us, and to take us to be with Him, when a sinkhole, or a car-wreck, or a lucky microbe, or an old, worn-out body takes us out of this world.  See here, and here, for examples.  

The kind of relationship with God described in the Bible does not describe a life with a no-sink-hole guarantee.  It does point us to a Savior Who overcame life and does and will rescue us.

 It's STTA.
 

 There is lot's of information about this rescue here.