Standing with Those Who Stand for Christ

Ask not for whom the bell tolls:

The Institute on Religion & Democracy calls it Jihad on the church. Father Jacques Hamel, an 86 year old Roman Catholic Priest was leading worship when two Muslim extremists, burst into the church in Normandy France, shouting, "Allah Akbar," and slit the cleric's throat.  ISIS issued a statement that two of its soldiers had carried out the attack. The murder took place in a country other than mine, in a church that is different than mine, and it was perpetrated against a pastor whose Theology and practice are not my own.  What I, and others like me need to realize is what made Father Jacques Hamel a target of terrorism is something that is absolutely true about me.  He died as a representative of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died in our place, and arose victorious.  In no sense was it one of them who died in this cowardly, ugly attack.  Father Jacques was/is one of us. So, how do I react? My branch of Christendom--Evangelicalism, Conservative Evangelicalism, The movement formerly known as Fundamental, Historical Fundamentalists, I don't know what to call my kind--suffers serious division on how to answer this question.  At the risk of creating further divide, but in hopes of moving us toward sanity, I make the following suggestions: My kind has a history of "coming out from among them."  I was taught the virtues of separation.  Not so much the value of unity.  This is a time to link arms, to embrace.  We may disagree on the definition of what it means to be a Christian, certainly we have a variety of answers to the question of how we do Christianity, but let us not forget.  Father Jacques was not killed because of what he believed about the mass he was performing, or because of his allegiance to the Roman Catholic hierarchy.  His throat was cut because he was a follower of Christ, and because he was leading others to follow Christ.  He and I are the same.  No "buts." We have to walk spiritually, and chew gum politically at the same time.  One of the terrorists who attacked the church in Normandy was a known terrorist.  The church was known to be on a hit list.  One of the tasks of governments, perhapsTHE task, is to keep order, to keep the citizens of a land, and others within its borders, from killing each other.  I need to be disciplined enough to give the same answer when the attack is by "Christians" on a group of Muslim worshipers.   My nation, the United States, has a history of protecting freedom of worship.  That value seems consistent with the teaching of Scripture.  The Bible presents a balance and a tension between a personal response that is characterized by charity and forgiveness, and a governmental policy of security and justice.  Having police armed with Glocks is not contradictory with the response of the members of Emmanuel A.M.E. church in forgiving the murderer of their pastor and fellow-church members (here). Christians who emphasize the importance of forgiveness are right.  Likewise those who stress law and order are on solid ground.  Those who exclude one or the other are wrong. We need to eliminate from our thinking any notion that this business of standing up and speaking for the Lord is safe.  It isn't.  That distortion has been perpetuated because we, my kind, have been living in an anomalous time and place.  Christians always and everywhere have been called to a Romans 12:1dedication.  It's just getting clearer, now. We do not stand for Christ because it is easy or safe.  We do so based on this calculation:     We believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. (2 Corinthians 5:14–15, NLT) The prayer requests that the Apostle Paul offered in the First Century make a great deal of sense in our world. ". . . pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified . . . and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith" (2 Thessalonians 3:1–2). ". . . pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak" (Ephesians 6:19–20). One missions leader, for a period of time, forbid the people in his office from praying for the safety of the personnel they represented.  Prayers for safety were taking up all the air in the room.  Prayers for boldness and effectiveness need to be offered, as well. So, I close this STTA with prayer. Lord, I pray for those who love Father Jacques; May they know your comfort and peace.  Grant that they will respond with the grace that is becoming to those of us who bear your name. I ask that the authorities in France, the US, and around the world will act with justice and appropriate firmness.  I pray that all--even those whose worship is a lie--will have freedom to worship in safety. As the Lord of the harvest, I ask that You will send forth laborers into the harvest, even the parts of the field that are not safe.  I pray that those who represent you in dangerous places will be effective witnesses.  As your servant, the Apostle Paul observed, that might be by life, or by death. I pray that Your will be done down here in this messy world, and, Lord, I yield myself, dedicate myself, to that task. I long for Your Kingdom to come. Amen.      It’s STTA.   You can read more about the life-changing Good News, that gives us something worth dying for,  here.

Surprise--It might be God's will for your life to be hard.

Something To Think About Doing hard things, 9/8

Peter's is one of the voices in scripture that remind us Christianity is not just about enjoying one's self.  Primarily, living the Christian life is about doing what is right.      “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 4:19, NASB95) To get the full thrust of the verse above, you need to read the context in which it is found.  (If you have time, click back on the arrows at the bottom to chapter 1, and read the whole book.) Just from the verse above, though, we can observe some truths that powerfully contradict some of the popular ideas of what it means to follow the Lord.   Apparently, at least some times, it is "the will of God that His people suffer.  (Click here, here, and here to see some other passages that make the same point.) In spite of the difficulties in which we may find ourselves, we can count on God's faithfulness.  As God says on another occasion, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”  Therefore we can join the author of Hebrews in saying, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”  (Hebrews 12:5-6) We can trust the Lord. In the end our goal should be to do what is right--and that's not always the same as what makes me happy today.   Do what is right, even when it is hard.   It's Something to Think About.

Surprised that you are surprised.

Surprised that you are surprised, 9/5

One of the signs of maturity is taking things in stride.  Little children are surprised by everything.  Getting some life under our belt ought to enable an unflappability that helps everyone in the vicinity to face difficulties--even crises--with calm and deliberateness.  When hard times come we all want that anchor person on our team. Those of us on the gray end of life need to be careful.  While our experience can foster that kind of cool, calm deliberateness, it can also go to seed in the form of cynicism and curmudgeonliness. Peter wanted his his readers to exhibit the former quality.  "Don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you . . . as though some strange thing were happening to you"   (1 Peter 4:12). Make no mistake.  What was going on these folk's lives was horrendous.  They had been forced to leave their homes.  They lived under the threat of, and the ongoing reality of persecution, yet Peter, who experienced his share bad treatment, said "Don't be surprised." Contrary to what we hear from many of the preachers of prosperity the Bible is clear that Christians are going to have a hard time in this world that "lies in the power of the wicked-one (1 John 5:19)."  Jesus said we should not expect to be treated better than Him (John 15:20).  Remember the cross.  The fact that most of us get along so well as Christians in the West is an anomaly. So, when I am misunderstood, or misrepresented, passed over or dumped on, I need to listen to the fisherman Apostle.  "Grow up!  Don't be Surprised.   It's Something to Think About.

Don't Just Survive, Thrive!

Something To Think About "Don't just survive!", 9/3

As we've been working through 1 Peter at CBC, I've been struck several times with the similarity of the situation of  the people Peter wrote to, "who reside as aliens, scattered . . ." and the pictures I see in the news of Christians who have been forced to flee from their homes in the Middle East.  It is obvious that Peter cared deeply for his scattered congregation.  He wanted to help them, but not merely to survive; he wanted them to thrive in the midst of their hostile situation.  One example of this is found in 1 Peter 3:15. Peter is talking to folk who are suffering, in some cases not merely in spite of their good deeds, but, apparently, because of their virtuous actions.  Look for instance at 3:14.   In the midst of such fear-inducing unfairness the Apostle says,    “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” (1 Peter 3:15)   While the word in the translation above is defense it is clear that Peter is not encouraging a hunkering down strategy.  Other translations use the word answer.  The Greek word in question is the word from which we get our word apology.  I'm not talking about "I'm sorry," but, "This is why what I believe makes sense," which clearly implies, "You should consider this as well." It kind of reminds me of the old Rambo movie.  The well-muscled Vietnam vet, who doesn't play well with others, shows up in a small town, where, to say the least. folk don't make him feel welcome.  Soon there are cops, guns, and dogs after the lone Rambo.  It doesn't look good.  Then Colonel Trautman, Rambo's former commanding officer shows up, not to save the former soldier from the cops, but to save them from the super-fighter. As I look back through history I see good evidence that these persecuted believers got it.  The enemies of the Faith did not stamp out the Faith.  On the contrary, this band of beleaguered believers so impacted that their world that we still feel the impact two millennia later.  We ought not to be offensive--make sure you read the "gentleness and reverence" part of the verse above--but we are to be on the offense.  Peter's good buddy, Paul, declared to another group of Christians who knew the meaning of persecution, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God"  (Romans 1:16). We are on the offense!. It's Something to Think About.   Here is an interesting picture of what is wrong with the world and how God's message makes it right.

The US government just closed twenty-two embassies in Africa and the Middle-east.  It seems the chatter is intense.  Lots of bad guys saying bad things about us.  A number of officials and observers say it is similar to what we recognized--mostly in hindsight--before 9/11/01.  I have found it kind of interesting that even those one would expect to pile-on in criticizing the current administration have been reluctant to criticize the closures.  The name "Ben Ghazi" comes up often.  We don't want that again.  

As polite as diplomacy is, it is also dangerous.  Representing one nation in the midst of another can be quite hairy.  Those of us who follow Christ areambassadors.  We represent the Kingdom of God in the midst of a realm that "lies in the power of the Wicked One"  (1 John5:19).  

That is not the kind of thing that can be done with the guarantee of safety.  I know people whose loved ones have died in taking the Good News to those who haven't heard.  Even some of my preacher buddies, who serve in the comfort of the Bible belt, have been treated pretty shabbily.  I heard, just yesterday, about one who after some pretty shameful treatment just quit.  My son was asked to leave a country because he was engaged in proclaiming Christ.  I met one of his associates who just recently was also invited to leave.  Careers have been stymied and even ruined, and young people are socially ostracized--no small concern if you are sixteen years old.  So, do we just put a sign on the door letting the world know that we are shutting down until the opposition subsides?

 

 

Let's ask the Apostle Paul, who was beheaded, or Peter who was crucified, or John who lived in exile.  Our Lord warned us that it would not be easy here in the land where He was crucified.  (John  15:20)

No, we need to proclaim Good News in the face of bad news.  In fact the bad news serves to illustrate why the world needs to hear the message.

 

 

 It's STTA