Articles

Reflections

 

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” – Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:12

It must have been one of her prized possessions. She carried it with her into the desert as she fled. It was a mirror. Not a fine modern glass and silver mirror, but a mirror of polished metal. It was the finest of its kind two thousand years ago. It was set in a painted wooden case and tucked deep in a goat skin bag. Perhaps, each night when they stopped, she would carefully take it out and comb her hair. By the light of the fire she saw the lines of her face grow deeper, caked with dust. The journey was hard and by the time they reached the cave in the Judean wilderness, she could hardly recognize the person staring back at her.

Once she had seen a girl – young, spry, winsome. The lass had become a lady and the mirror had confirmed the compliments of her suitors. Now that same mirror echoed her despair. The revolution was over. The Romans would relentlessly hunt them down. She could hardly bear to look into that mirror again and see what she had become. Finally, one day, she put it in its case and hid it in the floor of her cave home.

I stepped back from the display in the Jewish museum saddened by my own over‐active imagination. The ancient mirror, recovered by archaeologists, now sits in a display case in a museum in Jerusalem. The owner has long since passed away but mirrors still tell us stories.

On earth, we may not be able to see Jesus today, but upon reflection, like gazing into a looking glass, we can see how he is changing us. I hope you like what you see!

The Fruit Inspector

Jesus warned us, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” (Matthew 7:1), but we are required to make judgments all the time. Based on what Jesus says just a few verses later (Matthew 7:16), the famous Los Angeles preacher, Marshall Keeble, use to quip, “I’m not a judge – I’m a fruit inspector!” So what’s the difference?

A judge makes a solemn pronouncement branding someone for all time: “Guilty!” and people who act like judges condemn people and don’t give them a chance to grow: “You’ll never amount to anything” or “You are such a disappointment!”

A fruit inspector, on the other hand, makes allowances, “It’s not quite ripe yet,” or “It’s past its prime. This apple is rotten.” A fruit inspector knows the difference between a peach and a mango. As Jesus said,

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them,” (Matthew 7:16-20).

Judges are harsh and their decisions are not easily reversed. A fruit inspector recognizes produce and knows how to care for it. Wouldn’t it be great if we were all fruit inspectors?

The Worst Host of All Time

Procrustes was very friendly, but he may have been the worst host of all time. He invited all passersby to stop and spend the night at his house. He even graciously offered them the use of his famous iron bed. There was only one problem: if the guest was too short, Procrustes would stretch them out until they fit his bed and if they were too long he would simply cut them down to size.

Of course, there truly is no such thing as “one size fits all” in clothing or in congregations. We are such a diverse lot, aren’t we? In our congregation, we have old and young, rich and poor, people with strings of degrees after their name and those without. We speak English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Texan. We love spicy food and bland. Our diversity is our strength, but it can also become our greatest vulnerability. I truly fear those who would, like Procrustes, insist we all fit the same mold.

In the Corinthian church, some people loved listening to Paul. He wasn’t a trained orator and often talked too long, but the depth of his understanding has never been equaled. Then there were those who loved the “Eloquent Alexandrian” Apollos. Others were entranced by the sincerity and first-hand knowledge of Peter. How did they ever get along? What advice would you give them? Rupertus Meldenius (circa 1627) wrote:

“In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”

Yawn

My grandkids have introduced me to the cartoon series, Phineas and Ferb. It’s about how they spend their “104 days of summer vacation.” They are always inventing and building things and having fantastic adventures. Those two are never bored.

Wouldn’t it be great if life was like that — never dull — but we can’t always have mountaintop experiences and, thankfully, we don’t always live in dark valleys. Sometimes life is boring: “same ol’, same ol’” and sometimes our faith goes through “dry places.” Bible study becomes meaningless, and prayers are repetitious. We find ourselves just going through the motions.

I wonder if, in the days before his public ministry, John the Baptist ever was bored in the desert? Did his diet of locusts and wild honey ever seem stale? Did he become tired of looking at sand, rocks and scrub brush? If he did, what advice would you give him?

“Just be faithful Brother Baptist! But we are not called to stagnation and “faithfulness” can even become a way of rationalizing complacency or outright negligence.

Someone else might encourage John the Baptist to, “Keep growing!” That isn’t necessarily biblical advice. Does it sound like something Oprah or Dear Abby would suggest and what if you lack the motivation to do even that?

“Persevere! Our preacher keeps talking about Christians persevering. Winston Churchill said, ‘Never, never, never, never, never, never, never give up!’” And while the Bible does call for perseverance, it doesn’t allow for hollow perseverance. Paul told the Romans, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord,” (Romans 12:11).

I think John the Baptist understood the need to maintain an internal faithfulness. We need a sense of duty and a sense of passion. That sense of passion comes from seeing faith at work. That means spending time with my brothers and sisters, sharing our passion and our energy. When I see the Spirit at work in others, I am more likely to sense his presence in my own life.

And finally, what is the difference between sitting at home on the couch – bored – and standing in line for an hour at Disneyland? Anticipation! So what are we waiting for? The Lord is coming, and that is exciting!

The Second Saying from the Cross

“The first word that Jesus uttered from his cross was a prayer for his enemies. The second word was an answer to prayer.”  — Clovis G. Chappell

It Wasn’t an Accident

It wasn’t a matter of chance that Jesus was crucified between two thieves. Isaiah 53:12 prophesied it 700 years before: “Numbered with the transgressors.” Jesus was despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3).

At the Foot of the Cross

As horrible as this scene is, let’s stand at the foot of the cross and listen.

One of the men, even in his pain, notices Jesus. Jesus doesn’t curse or condemn. He forgives!

This man reflects on his own life. He wasn’t just a common thief. He was a revolutionary and probably a murderer (the original word translated into English means much more than “criminal.”) This man deserved to die and he knew it.

A Strange Request

The revolutionary turns to Jesus and asks, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Had the criminal met Jesus before? He is the only person to call Jesus by name.

Still, this is a strange request! We would have expected him to say something like, “Save us!” But, instead, dying, he talks about Jesus’ kingdom.

You see, they both wanted the same thing: to change the world. But they chose two different methods: one by the power of the sword and the other through the power of love.

Why did the revolutionary pray?

He didn’t pray because he was frightened – that was the prayer of the other man. What can we learn from his prayer?

He prayed because he was penitent.

He prayed to Jesus the King.

The prayer was personal. Do you pray for yourself? Some people are hesitant to do so.

This was a prayer of faith: not “if you come” but “When you come”

This was a modest prayer – he only asked to be remembered.

The Assurances of Jesus

Jesus gave assurance that life goes on.

Jesus gave assurance of abiding fellowship.

Jesus gave assurance of a heavenly home.

Jesus gave assurance of immediacy: “this day”

Jesus gave assurance of salvation.

Positively Christian

“The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser — in case you thought optimism was dead.”  — Robert Brault

Somewhere along the way, Christians got a reputation for being negative people. Perhaps we inherited that label from our Jewish forefathers. The rabbis studied the first five books of the Bible and identified 613 commandments that cover nearly every aspect of life. It seems 365 of them are negative (“One for every day of the year”) and 248 of them are positive (“One for every bone in the human body”).

Of course, we do it to ourselves too. I once knew a preacher who always seemed so angry in his sermons. I asked him why and he announced, “The Apostle Paul told Timothy to ‘reprove, rebuke, and exhort’ (2 Timothy 4:2) and so I believe two out of three sermons ought to be angry!” I’m sad to say, I think he was serious, but I don’t think that’s right. Christians ought to be the most positive people on the planet. We have so much to live for and, what’s better, we have something to die for! After all, we’ve read the book and we know how the story ends.

I suppose I’ve always been an optimistic Christian. Along the way, I’ve collected some tidbits that reinforce that view:

  • “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill
  • “What day is it?”
  • “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
  • “My favorite day,” said Pooh. 
  • — A. A. Milne
  • “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” — Marcus Aurelius
  • “You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down” — Charles Chaplin
  • “Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.”  — Albert Einstein

Life isn’t a weary cycle that repeats itself over and over and over again. Jesus assured us, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10). So, I’m positive – I’m a Christian!

Forced to Be Happy

Our New Testament was originally written in Greek and sometimes a study of the original words our English Bible translated can be a surprising source of enlightenment. The Greek word, aggareuein is found three times in the New Testament and rendered with the sense of “compel” (Matthew 5:41; 27:32 and Mark 15:21).

Aggareuein isn’t a Greek word but a Persian loanword. The Persians had a fantastic courier system. (Our Pony Express was modeled on it.) Herodotus described it:

Nothing travels so fast as these Persian messengers. The entire plan is a Persian invention, and this is the method of it. Along the whole line of road there are men (they say) stationed with horses, in number equal to the number of days which the journey takes, allowing a man and a horse to each day; and these men will not be hindered from accomplishing at their best speed the distance which they have to go, either by snow, or rain, or heat, or by the darkness of night. The first rider delivers his dispatch to the second, and the second man passes it to the third; and so it is borne from hand to hand along the whole line, like the light in the torch race. The Persians give the riding post in this manner the name aggareion.

Herodotus 8.98

Similarly, it was the law under the Greeks (and later the Romans) that anyone could be compelled to provide a horse or to act as a guide to keep the messenger service going.

William Barclay notes, “This business of impressment was one of the bitterest and most constant humiliations that subject nations had to endure” (New Testament Words, p. 31). Thus Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross of Jesus. There was nothing remarkable about this, but the law was severely abused. Many soldiers simply stole the belongings, livestock or boats of the people claiming the rights of aggareion, but now notice the instructions of Jesus:  “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Why?

Consider how we react when things don’t go as we had planned or if someone abuses us. We could give in to anger and so multiply the impact of the abuse, or we can smile, pick up the burden and look for the blessing.

Imagine a Roman soldier who impresses a poor peasant to carry his heavy armor. The peasant could grimace and begrudgingly count each step of the mile and not a foot more before he dumps the armor in the dirt. His day is ruined, and he’ll probably resent and talk about the injustice of his experience till the day he dies.

On the other hand, imagine a Christian peasant who is forced to do the same. It wasn’t what he had planned to do but, with the words of Jesus in his ears, he picks up the load and starts down the road. The soldier is expecting what he usually got: abuse, but instead, the cheery Christian begins to ask him about his home, his family, how he is enjoying his tour of duty. All the while, the Roman is counting the steps and grins to himself as they pass the first mile. But as they go farther – a mile and a quarter, a mile and a half, a mile and three quarters – the soldier realizes this peasant didn’t forget to count. The soldier wasn’t getting something for nothing. The peasant was giving him a gift! He begins to listen more closely to what the smiling Christian says and is even grateful for the prayer the peasant offers at the end for his safety. And what did the Christian receive by going two miles? He has changed an injustice into a joyful gift and, by “going the second mile,” we can too!

Living Stone

1 Peter 2:1 – 8

 

Peter the Rock 

Jesus saw something in Peter. When Andrew brought his older brother to meet Jesus (John 1), Jesus looked at the big fisherman and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Later, standing at the source of the Jordan River (Caesarea Philippi), Jesus asked his disciples a question, (Matthew 16:13 – 20).

No wonder Peter is especially interested in figures of speech that use stones! Let’s spend some time looking at one of these this morning. It is an ancient prophecy that Jesus used of himself and the early Christians used of Jesus.

The Irrelevant Stone 

For it stands in Scripture: 

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious, 

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16)

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, 

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” (Psalm 118:22)

and

“A stone of stumbling

and a rock of offense.” (Isaiah 8:14; see Romans 9:33)

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do, (1 Peter 2:6 – 8).

The word stone describes a hewn, building stone. It’s like the difference between flagstones and a polished granite kitchen countertop.

The interesting thing is, this prophecy is still true! The Jewish people of Jesus’ day rejected him and the people of our age also reject Christianity. As we talked about briefly two weeks ago, people today reject Christianity and Christ the foundation, because they feel Christianity is “irrelevant.”

What is relevant? What do people put their trust in? One answer is science and technology. Do you remember watching “Sci-fi Theater” on Saturday afternoons? No matter what the disaster, from giant, mutant ants to invaders from outer space, there was always a scene where everyone was running away, but they always had time to load the scientists into trucks. “Save the scientists!” Science will find a way to save us.

More recently, Matt Damon played an astronaut left for dead on the Red Planet. The character Damon plays, Matt Watney, concludes, “In the face of overwhelming odds, I’m left with only one option: I’m gonna have to science the **** out of this.“

That’s become a catch-phrase for solving all the problems of the world. In October, 2016, former President Obama was the guest editor for Wired magazine. Obama announced,

My favorite movie of last year was The Martian. Of course, I’m predisposed to love any movie where Americans defy the odds and inspire the world. But what really grabbed me about the film is that it shows how humans—through our ingenuity, our commitment to fact and reason, and ultimately our faith in each other—can science the heck out of just about any problem…

This progress also happened because we scienced the heck out of our challenges. Science is how we were able to combat acid rain and the AIDS epidemic. Technology is what allowed us to communicate across oceans and empathize with one another when a wall came down in Berlin or a TV personality came out. Without Norman Borlaug’s wheat, we could not feed the world’s hungry. Without Grace Hopper’s code, we might still be analyzing data with pencil and paper.

Not much room for God there, but before we dismiss Christianity as “irrelevant,” there is something science and technology haven’t tackled and it’s at the heart of all of the pain and suffering in our world today.

Silicon Valley can’t fix it. Genetics can’t change it. Sending a rocket to Mars won’t fix it either. It’s the problem at the heart of the human condition, sin.

Until sin is addressed there will always be evil. There will always be selfish people, broken relationships, pride, envy, anger,, hatred, prejudice and war.

The stone the builders rejected — ancient and modern — is the “cornerstone chosen and precious and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Sparrows at Discount Prices

The first four books of the New Testament, are called “Gospels” because they tell the “Good News” of the coming of Christ (“Gospel” means “good news”). The first three are called the “Synoptic Gospels” because they are closely related.

Scholars endlessly argue about the relationship between the three: “Which one came first?” “Do Matthew and Luke quote from Mark or from Mark and another unknown source?” (Many scholars talk about this other source, often called “Q” – the first letter of the German word quella — “source.” Some believe Q was a collection of the sayings of Jesus, similar to the so-called “Gospel of Thomas,” an apocryphal book, while others say Q is just an oral collection of the sayings of Jesus.) We’ll leave that debate for the professors to argue about, but it is often interesting to compare the accounts in the four Gospels.

For example, do you ever feel like no one cares about you? Perhaps you are tempted to think, if you dropped off the face of the earth, no one would notice. Those feelings of worthlessness can be so depressing, but if you are tempted to think that way, imagine the plight of the poor sparrow!

My family loves to watch the endless variety of birds in our backyard. There are bright red cardinals, woodpeckers, finches, jays and soaring overhead are the Cooper’s Hawks.

With all that endless variety and magnificence, we hardly even notice the little, common house sparrows that chirp and hop around us.

It was the same way in biblical times. There are over 400 species of birds that inhabit Palestine and forty of them are mentioned in the Bible. Eagles, owls, vultures, doves, quail, seagulls, swan, even ostriches catch our attention, but the poor sparrow hardly noticed.

In those days, the little sparrow was poor man’s food. They were sold two for a penny (Matthew 10:29) and, if you read the parallel account in Luke, the “Beloved Physician” points out sparrows were so common they were sold at a discount. In Matthew, you could buy two for a penny, but in Luke, you could buy five for just a penny more (Luke 12:6)!

So, do you ever feel like your life, like that of the little sparrow, could be sold away at discounted prices? Then listen to Jesus:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows,” (Matthew 10:29-31).

Don’t despair. If God loves sparrows, surely He loves you more!

Fan the Flame

2 Timothy 1:6, 7

John McKeel

What’s in Your Memory Box?

Scrapbooks and memory boxes can be wonderful reminders of our past. Sometimes they make us laugh, and sometimes they make us cry, but they connect us with our story. So it is with our text this morning. The Apostle Paul reminds Timothy to think about his own past and the love of Timothy’s mother and grandmother and the apostle’s own tears.

The reason isn’t nostalgic. It’s motivational. We need to fan our faith into a flame!

I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control, (2 Timothy 1:6, 7).

Gifts

We have all received gifts from our heavenly Father. They are different from the gift Timothy received, but they are just as precious. For example, Paul told the Romans:

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness, (Romans 12:4 – 8).

What’s My Gift?

God blesses all of his children with talents, but many people aren’t sure about what God has given them. So how do you know? John’s test: Does “church work” leave you refreshed or drained? If it is a gift from God, you should be energized by exercising your gift!

God’s Spirit

Our gifts, like Timothy’s, require diligence: “For God did not give us a Spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline,” (2 Timothy 1:7).

How do you know God’s Spirit is active in your life? Paul identifies three defining qualities of the Spirit: power, love, and self-discipline.

Notice: God did not give us a spirit of timidity. Because we are children of God, we are not afraid, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15).

If there is one thing to be afraid of, it should be the fear of not trying at all, (Matthew 25:14 ff.)

The Spirit of Power

We have received the Spirit of power. We can do much more than we think we can,

… and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might, (Ephesians 1:19) 

…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (Ephesians 3:16). 

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, (Colossians 1:11).

The Spirit of Power is the Spirit who changes lives!

The Spirit of Love

He is also the Spirit of love. Sometimes it helps us understand what a word means when we look at its opposite. The opposite of love isn’t hate — it’s selfishness.

The use of our talents without love leads only to pride. If we use our gifts with love, then we will use them with gratitude and others will be encouraged to use their gifts as well.

The Spirit of Self-Control

Third, we have also received the Spirit of “self-discipline.” This is the only place this word is found in the New Testament. It carries the meaning of prudence, moderation, and self-discipline. In other words, proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit isn’t being a “holy roller.” Rather, wisdom, discipline,  and “It helps us control ourselves,” (NIrV).