Month: February 2019

Rise and Rejoice!

When I get up each morning (unless I sleep until noon) I usually listen to the radio during my morning ablutions. My preference is talk radio shows on the AM dial, which can be entertaining and, at the same time, help me keep up with the news. Unfortunately, they can also be discouraging, as the hosts and guests tend to focus on the problems we face in our country and world. The problems can be the actual developments – bad news – or the disagreements and arguments about those developments which seem to divide our country and its people. A person can come away from those talk shows feeling down about what the future may hold for us all.

Well, last Saturday I turned on the radio again, only to find the AM dial to be a wasteland of infomercials, you know, the kind that are structured to sound like real news stories or interviews, but are really just advertisements for some product or service. There’s nothing wrong with companies using such programs to sell their wares; I just don’t want to listen to them. And so, yesterday I switched to the FM dial, planning to listen to some music.

After scanning the available frequencies I finally settled on a station that was playing classic Christian hymns: songs like “Crown Him With Many Crowns” and “Holy, Holy, Holy.” I was enjoying the music while I shaved, trying not to cut myself while singing along with my resonant, bass voice. Then, one of the songs ended, and the announcer identified the program as “Rise and Rejoice.” I liked that phrase.

This is not an endorsement of that show, which is found on the Family Radio network, because I haven’t had the chance to listen to their commentaries and teachings enough to vouch for them. What I am endorsing is the concept that as Christians we should “rise and rejoice,” that is, begin each day by rejoicing in God our Savior.

This was a good reminder to me that my Christian walk is about more than doctrinal statements or theological study. Such things are good and necessary, but I have been too focused on believing and articulating the “right” beliefs, that I have sometimes forgotten to thank God for what he has done and rejoice in knowing him and his grace. As I considered this call to rejoice, I thought about the ways in which rejoicing is beneficial to me and to everyone who come into contact with me. So, what is so good about rejoicing?

It is commanded in Scripture. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4); “And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God in all that you undertake” (Deuteronomy 12:18); “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!” (1 Chronicles 16:10 and Psalm 105:3). Because Scripture commands it, we rejoice whether or not we feel like rejoicing. It is like generosity, forgiveness, and service: we do those things because they are right for a Christian to do, regardless of any special giftedness or desire to do them. We owe it to God to rejoice in him.

It follows the example of Christ himself. Luke 10:21 tells us that Jesus rejoiced: “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.'” Christ was righteous in his act of rejoicing, and he set an example for us to do the same.

It is a positive way to begin each day. If we were to get up and take a long car trip, we would make sure we had a full tank of gas before starting out. Likewise, a good breakfast helps us have the energy and nutrients needed to face the day ahead. How much more should our spirits be focused on God before we do anything else? Think of the difference it would make to face the day’s challenges knowing in your heart that God loves you and has already blessed you greatly! Instead of starting out glum (thanks to the news), we can start out refreshed and encouraged, ready to face whatever lies ahead.

It is a counter to the unending stream of bad news that assails us. It is easy to become glum when we are constantly bombarded by stories of crime,  war, injustice, terrorism, and political squabbles and lies. But when we consider what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, how can we not be uplifted? We have a loving God who made us, redeemed us and reconciled us to him though we were his enemies, and who has prepared a place for us in heaven for all eternity to come. How great is that! Plus, even in this life he has given us gifts, and works through us to bless others. Isaiah 16:10 gives us good reasons for rejoicing: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Our rejoicing is based on the objective facts of what God has done for us.

It puts reality into true perspective. If all you hear are the news media (whatever political slants are favored), you come to define the world around you – in fact, all of reality – in political or sociological terms. Your priorities become what the news tells you is important, and you are subject to their manipulations. You find yourself running to and fro, following one person and angry at another, only to switch when new stories come out. But if you turn off the chatter and listen again to God through his Word, you come to realize that no matter what happens around you in the visible world, there is an invisible reality in which God works. As the Nicene Creed says, Christ is the Creator of  things, “visible and invisible.” The hymn, “This is My Father’s World,” says, “That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” We would forget that truth if all we saw, heard, and thought were limited to the secular media. What is real and true goes so far beyond what the world says is so important.

It blesses others around us. We can see how rejoicing lifts our spirits and “centers us” on what is important and real in this world and beyond. But beyond us, the impact of our rejoicing can have a dramatic and beneficial effect on other, as well. When we are uplifted and encouraged, our joy can be contagious. Even among nonbelievers, it helps them to interact with someone who is happy; how much more so among other believers, when our rejoicing reminds them of their own blessings in Christ.  When we rejoice, we are witnesses to Christ for those who don’t know him yet (“You are my witnesses” Isaiah 43:10), and encouragers for those who do but are having tough times or are even wavering in their faith (Hebrews 10:24-25). To not rejoice is to deprive our fellow Christians of something we owe them.

It glorifies God and helps fulfill the 1st Commandment. One of our sinful tendencies, if not the greatest one, is our tendency to look anywhere except God when it comes to recognizing our blessings. We thank other people, the economy, our education and training, our own abilities, our “connections,” luck (“our lucky stars”), or something else, when it comes to finding the source of the good we have in life. “I earned it!” we think, forgetting that God gave us the life, the abilities, and the situations which have blessed us. Luther reminded us of this in his explanation to the First Commandment, saying, “For even though otherwise we experience much good from men, still whatever we receive by His command or arrangement is all received from God,” and “For creatures are only the hands, channels, and means whereby God gives all things.” When we recognize and rejoice at what God has done for us, we are recognizing him as God above all other so-called gods of money, possessions, pride, and nature. We see the Creator, and not the creation as the source of all good things.

So, then, I encourage you to follow my lead in rejoicing at the start of each day – in song, in prayer, and in the Scriptures. I am sure I will forget to do so some days, or be distracted by various things (such as the smell of breakfast cooking – another reason to rejoice!). But if we consider all his benefits, how can we not rejoice in God our Savior?

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Isaiah 43, Philippians 4

 

 

 

Better Than a Heart

This coming Thursday will be a special day celebrated by millions of people, seemingly the only holiday not designated a federal holiday with paid time off. That day is St. Valentine’s Day. It is a day dedicated to love, especially romantic and familial love, a day to give mushy cards, flowers, chocolate, jewelry, and if you believe advertising, Hoodie-Footie* pajamas with the feet in them.

Oh yeah: and hearts. Red hearts. Lots and lots of hearts. Big hearts, small hearts. The more hearts the better. After all, doesn’t love make the heart beat faster and go “pitty-pat, pitty-pat”? What could be more symbolic or more representative of love than a heart?

Well, actually there is something that speaks more of love than does a heart. That symbol is . . . a cross.

By itself, a physical cross, just two lines or sticks or beams that intersect at right (90 degree) angles, is hardly a representation of love. Nor was the use that such constructions were originally put to, a very loving act; you could say the opposite was true: the cross was a sign of hate, used to instill fear and terror in the minds of anyone who might “cross” a nation’s rulers. The cross saw similar but more recent use in our country when it was burned in a person’s yard, again as a sign of hatred to create fear in the victim.

So how can I say the cross is better than a heart as a sign of love? Easily, because the greatest act of love ever committed was done on a cross. You know what and Who I’m talking about: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Jesus foretold his sacrificial death on the cross when he told his disciples, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Which is exactly what he did when he went to the cross. Romans 5:8 affirms the nature of his sacrifice, saying,”but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Galatians 2:20 and Ephesians 5:2 both speak of how Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. The cross is where he gave his life; the cross is where his love proved itself. The cross is a sign of the greatest love.

It’s not the first time God took something that was evil and used it for good. Back in Genesis we read the story of Joseph, who was sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. Thanks to God-given dreams and explanations, Joseph rose to become second in the kingdom, managing the storage and distribution of grain during a severe famine. When his brothers arrived in Egypt seeking grain, Joseph revealed himself to them. They were deathly afraid he would wreak vengeance on them for their sin against him, but his inspired response was to tell them, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20). In a way, that was a picture of the cross: man meant something evil against Christ, but Christ meant it for good that many people would live – as will his believers for all eternity.

So what about the cross today in the life of believers? What do we think of it? What do we do with it? What part does it play in our lives? I have some thoughts about these questions and others as we approach a day when the focus will be on love.

  • The shape of Christ’s Cross: There are many geometric forms a cross can take, and historically, the Romans used several different forms of crosses in the crucifixions they performed. They used T-shaped crosses, in which the crossbeam rested on top of the vertical one; X-shaped crosses (such as St. Andrew died on); and the “Roman Cross,” the one most used in portrayals of Christ’s death, in which the cross beam is fastened part way down the vertical beam, so that there is a vertical section behind and above Christ’s head. While we don’t know for sure, we generally believe it was a “Roman Cross” because of the references to Pilate’s sign, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Both Matthew 27:37  and Luke 23:38 claim the sign was put on the cross above Jesus’ head; this requires there be the vertical section.
  • Making the sign of the cross: Is it required? What does it do? Is it too Catholic for Protestants? This is one of those things our theologians refer to as adiaphora, that is, something that is neither forbidden nor commanded by Scripture. It is not an essential doctrine such as the Resurrection. In other words, whether you cross yourself, or the pastor makes the sign for you, is not essential in itself. It does not make you more holy to do it, nor less holy if you don’t. It does not make you Roman Catholic if you do it, it does not make you a good Protestant if you don’t. Whether we do or not is a matter of Christian liberty as was fasting or dietary choices, such as the eating of meat, to St. Paul (Romans 14:1-4). The reason for crossing oneself is, according to Martin Luther, is as a reminder of one’s baptism, when the sign was made over you with the words, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”And of course, the cross is a reminder of what Christ did for us in taking the punishment for our sins upon himself. Every time we make the sign, we are remembering his death for us and the forgiveness it gave us. Personally, I made the sign as part of leading worship or when I baptized or communed people; but I don’t sign myself as part of private devotions or when sitting in the pew. I respect those who do, and those who don’t; it’s part of the wonderful freedom we have in Christ.
  • The cross as jewelry: What was said about making the sign of the cross applies to wearing a cross as jewelry. It’s fine as long as it is a symbol of our identification with Christ, a reminder of his sacrificial death for our sake, and as a silent witness to other people. I’m more comfortable with a simple, plain cross as opposed to a large, jewel encrusted show-piece that calls attention to the wealth of the wearer or the materials of the object. The value of what Christ did on his rough, rugged cross far exceeds any attempt on our part to enhance its symbol.
  • The cross as a talisman: According to the authority known as Wikipedia, a talisman is “an object that someone believes holds magical properties that bring good luck to the possessor or protect the possessor from evil or harm.” Whenever I think of such a use, I think of the movie, The Mummy (1999), in which a character gets trapped by the revived mummy. The man desperately tries to save himself by holding up numerous different religious symbols from around his neck, hoping that one of them would stave off the mummy’s expected attack. One of his “talismans” was a cross, which in the movie didn’t help him (don’t worry; a Star of David did). Obviously, this use of a cross is not theologically “approved.” Likewise, in older vampire legends and movies, crosses could be used to ward off the undead because of their holy nature; this also is the wrong use of a cross (Not that we have to worry about vampires). The cross is a symbol of Christ’s death; it has no power in and of itself – only that to which it points has power, and that is the power of God in Christ to forgive our sins by the death of the Lamb. To use it to ward off evil, to excuse a sin we commit, or to show our piety is to commit sorcery, something forbidden by God’s Word (Galatians 5:20).
  • The cross: empty or with a figure of Christ on it (crucifix)? Either form reminds us of Christ’s death for our sake. Catholics have usually used the crucifix form as a reminder that Christ suffered and died there to redeem us, and that the benefit of his death continues as if he were being crucified daily for us., which they believe happens in the Eucharist. Most Protestants use a bare cross to emphasize Jesus’ resurrection, since he is no longer on the cross or in the tomb. “He is not here, for he has risen” (Matthew 28:6; also in Mark 16:6 and Luke 24:6). I think that either is okay, because it is not the cross we worship, but the One who died on it and who was raised from the dead three days later. Both messages are part of our faith, and essential to our salvation: Christ did suffer and die; he was raised.

In closing, we should note that only the Christian faith understands and uses the sign of the cross to represent the sacrificial death of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. Other religions, and sects that have broken off of Christianity deny, forbid, or misuse this symbol – but that’s a topic for another time.

Today, and everyday, the message of the cross for us is love, not expressed in mushy sentimental cards and sweet-nothings whispered in our ears, but in the harsh realities of  a horrible death, accepted willingly by One who showed the greatest love of all, by giving his life for his friends – which are you and me. Thanks be to God, who is love!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Genesis 50, Romans 14

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Lessons From the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl was yesterday. I didn’t watch it, except for the final two minutes, so I guess I saw all the exciting parts. Part of the reason I didn’t watch was I wasn’t sure what time it was to start. Between pre-game shows, the puppy bowl, the kitten bowl and the cat bowl, there was too much to keep track of. Besides, I wasn’t invested in either team (emotionally or financially) to feel the need to watch the “big game.” It’s not that I don’t like football – I do enjoy watching it whenever I have it on – and I did play football back in college (okay, intramural flag football – still it was football) – but I usually have something else I’d rather do whenever it’s on. Like nap or write a blog.

And yet, as I thought about this year’s Super Bowl, several things came to mind which I could consider as lessons which I am taking to heart. There are three such lessons that come to mind:

First Lesson: I should have stuck with my flag football career in college and built it up to employment with the NFL. Those guys make serious money. Just to be on a team that plays in the Super Bowl, each player gets $53,000. Being on the winning team brings you $107,000. And that’s in addition to the multi-millions earned for the rest of the season. Like I said, I should have played more football. Of course, playing football can lead to brain injuries, so I would pick a safer position such as designated kicker (the opposing team is penalized for even touching the kicker) or water boy.

Second Lesson: I’m glad I gave up on my musical career. It turns out that the half-time performers don’t receive any pay for their singing and/or dancing. I could be up on stage, thrilling millions of people with my dulcet tones, yet only get a pat on the back when it was over. Then too, there is always the danger of a wardrobe malfunction. But we won’t go there.

Third – and Real – Lesson: Okay, there was something that caught my attention about the lead-in to this year’s Super Bowl, and that is the role the referees and officials played in the outcomes of the two league (AFC and NFC) championship games that determined which teams finally made it to the Super Bowl. Both games had questionable, actually downright bad calls that favored the teams that went on to win those games: New England and Los Angeles. While not getting technical about the nature of those calls, I can say that fans of the teams that lost have legitimate gripes against the calls that were made. They could justly claim that their teams were treated unfairly.

If there’s any particular ethical expectation left in our society, it is the doctrine of “fairness.” We expect judges to be unbiased, playing fields to be level, opportunities to be equal, produce to be fair-traded, teachers to grade fairly, taxes to be fair, and scales to give fair weight. The concept of fairness is so ingrained in us that one of our earliest complaints as a child is, “That’s not fair!” And as adults, we pass laws and enact policies that are intended to ensure fairness in all transactions.

Unfortunately, the world is not fair.

Unfortunately, the world is not fair. Life is not fair. There are no guarantees of fairness in this fallen world. Refs make bad calls all the time (just think of some of the judging at the Olympics!). Elections are cheated in, and spouses are cheated on. Insider deals make millions for favored investors, while seniors lose value in their pensions due to inflation. Small countries are bullied by bigger ones, and small mom-and-pop stores are crushed by big box giants. The coach’s son always gets to play, while the shy, unknown kid does not. The crook who embezzled millions gets off on a technicality, while someone like you or me has to pay hundreds of dollars for driving three miles over the speed limit or parking one inch over a line. And, tragically, sweet, loving, generous people we know and love come down with horrible diseases like cancer. It’s just not fair.

God is well aware of the unfairness we sinners have brought into the world. His Word is full of admonitions for his people to be fair in all their actions toward others. In Deuteronomy 25:15 he commanded the use of full and fair weights and measures in commerce. He charged Israel with treating its people unfairly, of judging in favor of the wealthy, and of taking bribes (Micah 7:3). In Proverbs 31:9, he commanded, “Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

God demonstrates fairness in his own actions:

As an example to us, God demonstrates fairness in his own actions: in Isaiah 2:3-4, we read about God’s Anointed One, “He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.” Psalm 67:4 praises God: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.” God affirms that he is not partial to those who might have undo influence in society: Acts 10:34 says, “God shows no partiality” (about nationality); Romans 2:11 says, “For God shows no partiality”(toward Jew or Greek); Galatians 2:6 teaches, “God shows no partiality” (toward people in respected positions); Ephesians 6:9 adds, “there is no partiality with him” (toward master or slave); and Colossians 3:25 teaches in a paragraph dealing with relations between husbands and wives, masters and slaves, parents and children, that all will be held accountable to God for their actions because with God “there is no partiality.” The Lord demonstrated this when he directed Samuel to anoint David as king, bypassing one of his brothers named Eliab who looked very regal: “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

The only place where God does not deal fairly is with us when it comes to our sins

The only place where God does not deal fairly is with us when it comes to our sins. Instead of  giving us what we deserve, he forgives us. Instead of casting us all into the pit of fire, he provides a means of escape. Instead of turning his back on us, he provides reconciliation through the sacrifice of his Son. As the psalmist said, “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3) If anyone could claim to be treated unfairly, it was Jesus, who lived a perfect life and obeyed all of God’s commands, who showed love and compassion toward those who suffered, and who paid for our salvation through his own horrible death on the cross. But though he suffered unfairly for us, he came to earth for that very purpose, and went uncomplaining to his death. Thanks be to God that he has ignored what we believe to be fair in order to save us from ourselves.

Recognizing that there is much unfairness in the world, yet knowing that God commands us to do good to each other, how do we respond when we have been treated unfairly?

The answer is not complicated, but is sometimes hard to do, depending on how hurt we are and how severe the wrong we have suffered. There are two parts to it: our obligation to others, and our obligation to God.

Regarding our obligation to others:  1. Christ told us to turn the other cheek, to forgive, and bless those who hurt us (Matthew 5:39, 44). 2. Vengeance is the Lord’s property, not ours (Deuteronomy 32:35). 3. We have an obligation to protect others and try to stop the unfairness from continuing. This means confronting the wrong with gentle firmness, speaking up, warning others, and working with the authorities to restrain the evil that is being done (Romans 13:3-4). Forgiving the person who wrongs us does not mean we have to condone the actions they did or allow them to continue against us or other people.

Regarding our obligation to God: Jesus told a parable about a servant who owed a huge, unpayable debt to a king. The king forgave him the debt, but then the servant went out and jailed another servant who owed him a trifling amount. When the king heard it, he became enraged and threw the first servant into prison, saying, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Matthew 18:21-35). By this parable, Jesus showed that because God has forgiven us greatly, we must forgive each other as well.

Unfairness hurts, but it is part of living in a fallen world

Unfairness hurts, but it is part of living in a fallen world, where sin drives people to lie, cheat, and steal, to take unfair advantage of people, and to believe they deserve whatever they want. But God has broken into this world through his Son, and has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to forgive and to receive the comfort and healing God wants for us to have. So when you have such hurts, take them first to God in prayer to ease the pain, to find the power to forgive, and to receive guidance for how you should respond. And when you respond, remember to be fair in what you do!

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 18:21-35, 1 Samuel 16:1-13