You are Not Alone

They say in the third century a man was anticipating his own death. In the last few days of his life, he penned these words to a friend:

It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered a quiet and holy people who learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their own souls. They have overcome the world. These people are Christians – and I am one of them. I hope you are one of us!

That ancient Christian understood the true meaning of Christian joy. The question is, do you understand the true meaning of Christian joy?

We find ourselves in the very first chapter of Matthew, verses eighteen through twenty-five. The disciple and former tax collector is very clear; he is blunt in his proclamation. This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. He then goes on to give us the information we have covered in the past. It has become redundant. Jesus’s mother, Mary, was pledged, or engaged, to a man named Joseph. They never had sex, but she was pregnant. The father of this unwanted child is God, Himself. The child came through the Holy Spirit. Our scientific world has a hard time with the virgin birth. Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, had a hard time too. The scriptures tell us he planned to end their relationship quietly. However, it never happened, because of a dream. In that dream, an angel tells Joseph to take Mary as his wife and name the baby Jesus.

Names are important in the Bible. The name Jesus is related to the Hebrew name Joshua, which means “to save.” To underscore the significance of Jesus’s name, Matthew quotes the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. To be more exact, he quotes Isaiah 7:14, The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel. Matthew gives us the meaning of Immanuel. It means “God with us.” If you combine those two names, Jesus, and Immanuel, then you discover Jesus’s mission: The Savior is always with us. That is a great part of the Good News. Life may not always be easy, but the Savior is always with us. That piece of Good News should comfort you. There has never been a moment in your life when you were orphaned. The Savior, or God, has always been with you. Biblical joy does not mean happy laughter, biblical joy means comfort and contentment. The Apostle Paul understood the meaning of Christian joy. He wrote to the Philippians while incarcerated in Rome, rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice. …The Lord is at hand.

When I was in the Cleveland area, I had an inactive parishioner. I do not remember her name, but I do remember the day she called me. She wanted to talk to me about some problem in her life. I told her I wasn’t a counselor, but I would be glad to be her friend. On the day of her appointment, she came. With emotional words, she told me about her problem. When the emotions had passed, she thanked me for listening and told me how much that church meant to her. Those words surprised me because she was inactive. So, I asked her why. “If this church means so much to you, why don’t you attend worship?” Her response almost made me laugh out loud. She said, and I quote, “I don’t come to church because I don’t want to be the only one with problems.” I almost said, but I didn’t, “Are you serious?” One of the things I learned in the ministry is, everyone has problems, including me. There is no shortage of problems in this world and there is no shortage of problems within the life of the church. If you think you are the only one with problems, then you are simply a fool. No one escapes the storms of life. One of the reasons we come to church is to remind ourselves that God is always with us. That reminder helps us survive one more day. Let me ask you this question: have you ever had a problem? Let me answer it for you. The answer is YES!

Have you ever had a health problem? Sometimes, it is yourself. Sometimes, it is a family member or a loved one. Sometimes, it is a neighbor or co-worker. For years, I stood before my congregations and asked for prayer requests. The one problem we feel comfortable articulating is health issues. Weekly, I heard about health issues. I heard about hips and knees. I heard about bypass surgeries. I heard about every form of cancer, and I learned about conditions and diseases that were completely new to me. For years, my churches prayed for those people, and everyone was afraid they would be next. Have you ever wondered what is going to get you? After all, no one gets out of this world alive. Have you ever had a health problem? I cannot eliminate your health problems, but I can remind you, you are not alone. God is with you and God is bigger than your health problem. Let me ask you another question:

Have you ever had a problem with anxiety or depression? Did you know over 19.1% of Americans deal with anxiety? 9.5% of Americans suffer from depression. It is important to take your pills, because approximately 46,000 Americans commit suicide annually. Those figures came from John Hopkins Medicine. Do you know of anyone who is crippled by anxiety or depression? Are you crippled by anxiety or depression? I can’t eliminate your anxiety and depression problem, but I can remind you, you are not alone. God is with you, and God is bigger than your anxiety and depression. Let me ask you one more question:

Have you ever had an economic problem? Let me state the obvious – life is expensive! Did you know, according to the Federal Reserve, the average American household is $103,358 in debt and has a household income of only $67,521? How far in debt are you? Money makes a wonderful slave, but a horrible master. I can’t eliminate your economic problems, but I can remind you, you are not alone. God is with you, and God is bigger than your economic problem. Let me ask you another question:

Have you ever had an addiction problem? According to the Washington Post, alcoholism is on the rise. Did you know one in eight Americans is an alcoholic? They also tell us that 25 million Americans use drugs illegally. Has your family been affected by an addiction? Have you been affected by an addiction? I can’t help you with your addiction problem. There are some things you must do for yourself. However, I can remind you, you are not alone. God is with you, and God is bigger than your addiction issue.

Have you ever had a relationship problem? Albert Einstein (1874-1955) once said it best: Physics is easy, relationships are complex! How many complex relationships do you have in your life? How many family members won’t you talk to this Christmas? How many children will have two Christmas dinners, one with dad and the other with mom? Did you know 50% of first marriages will end in divorce. According to Petrilla Previtera, 67% of second marriages will end in divorce. It is not supposed to be this way. I can’t eliminate your relationship problems, but I can remind you, you are not alone. God is with you, and God is bigger than your relationship problems.Let me ask you another question:

Have you ever had a problem with religion? There are five major world religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism. Buddhism, and Hinduism. There are 1.1 billion people in our world who have no religion. They are agnostic or atheists. According to Statista, only 31.6% of the world’s population is Christian. That means we are in the minority. How many people do you know who are not Christian? If you believe Jesus is your only hope of salvation, then how do you view those individuals’ salvation? Aren’t you glad you aren’t the judge? I can’t eliminate your religion problems, but I can remind you, you are not alone. God is with you, and God is bigger than your religion problem.Let me ask you another question:

Have you ever had a problem with death? Did you know approximately 150,000 people die daily in the world? You must know someone who has died recently. Grieving is a part of life. Have you ever stayed up at night worrying about your own death? I can’t eliminate your death problem, but I can remind you, you are not alone. God is with you, and God is bigger than death.As disciples of Jesus Christ, we embrace the name Jesus, our Emmanuel. Every time we utter his name, we are reminded our Savior is always with us! The problems of our lives are temporary, but our Savior is eternal!

They tell me, in Columbus, Ohio, there was a teacher by the name of Phyllis Martin. She has many stories from her years of teaching, but one story stands out. It was the day a storm came to her school. The clouds were black, and the wind was violent. Everyone, both teachers and students, were glued to the windows, until the signal was given that a tornado was nearby. Frightened, the teachers and students filed into the school basement. They lined the walls and listened to the storm outside their building. The tension was thick and some of the children began to cry. The principal tried a sing-along to distract the children, but it failed. The storm kept raging. It was then Phyllis Martin did something you aren’t supposed to do in a public school. She grabbed the little girl’s hand next to her and said, “Cathy, God is bigger than this storm. Let’s pray that God protects us!” She prayed with Cathy and the sound of her voice resonated throughout the entire basement. Soon everyone was praying, and the crying stopped. A couple of minutes later, the storm passed, and everyone was at peace. They knew everything was going to be fine.

It is a great story, but it is not just a story about a teacher in Columbus, Ohio. It is our story. Our lives are full of storms, but God is bigger than the storm. In the face of the storms, we stay calm, because we are disciples of Jesus Christ. We know we are not alone. God is with us, and God is bigger than any storm. Jesus’s name was his mission statement. The Savior is with us! That is the heart of Christian joy. Pope Francis (born 1936) once said, “Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and peace.”

Love is a Verb

We find ourselves in the second chapter of Luke. The story is familiar. The law required every man to return to his hometown to be counted in the national census. That was done for both military and taxation purposes. However, the Jews were excluded from military service. That is why Joseph took Mary, who was with a child, to Bethlehem. When they arrived, the town was crowded. The only place they found to rest was in a barn or cave. Timing is everything. The child came and Mary placed her newborn in a feeding trough, surrounded by animals. They named the little one Jesus, which means “God saves.” The world thought Joseph was Jesus’s biological father, but they were wrong. Jesus’s biological father was God, which made Jesus the son of God. The world would never be the same again. The word of his birth did not grab the headlines. Instead, the news was spread by word of mouth. That takes us to our scripture reading.

According to our text, verses eight through twenty-one, there were shepherds in nearby fields watching the sheep. They were not just working an eight-hour shift. The text says that they were living with the animals. The sheep are a big part of the story. There are two things you need to know about them. First, the sheep were valuable. They were reserved for temple sacrifice, so they had to be flawless. Second, the shepherds did not own the sheep; they were hired to protect the sheep against thieves and predatory animals. This is the only thing you need to know about the shepherds: They were second-class citizens. In their society, they were low on the social ladder. Through the eyes of the religious purists, the shepherds were despised, because they couldn’t follow the letter of the law, so they were dispensable. The sheep, on the other hand, were revered and indispensable. Yet, they were the first to hear about the birth of Jesus.

An angel suddenly appeared. Remember, in the Bible, angels are not protectors, they are messengers. The unnamed angelic messenger encourages them to fight back against their natural response of fear. This is going to be a red-letter day in their lives. The announcement they are about to hear will not just be remembered by them and their generation – the announcement will be remembered by the generations to come. You know the announcement: In the town of David, Bethlehem, the long-awaited Messiah has been born. He didn’t enter this world surrounded by the aristocrats of society. He entered this world surrounded by people like us, commoners. The fact that the shepherds received such an announcement was incredible, but what is truly miraculous is what happens next – they were invited to go and see the newborn with their own eyes. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Leaving the valuable sheep unprotected or under-protected, they go to visit the baby. It was really quite a moment, they risked their very lives to see the newborn. No one could question their devotion or love. The shepherds illustrate for us that love is a verb. If you want to discover the person who loves you the most in this world, then find the person who has sacrificed the most for you.

In 2011, Kim Kardashian (born 1980) and Kris Humphries (born 1985) proclaimed their love. Kris was an NBA player. Kim is a reality star, who does things to stay in the headlines. They did not have a simple private ceremony. They proclaimed their love for all the world to see. It was a two-day E-Special called “Kim’s Fairytale Wedding”. Their wedding cost $10 million. Do you remember how long Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries’ marriage lasted? It lasted 72 days. Many say they used the sacred institution of marriage as a massive publicity stunt. They may be right. Today, Kris Humphries has disappeared. Kim Kardashian married again three years later, but it ended in divorce too. She has had three marriages, each one ending in divorce. She is a young, beautiful, wealthy woman. I am sure she will marry again. I am confident the fourth time is the charm. Can I ask you a question? Do you consider Kim Kardashian a love expert? Or do you consider my friend John a love expert? This is his story:

John and his wife, Mary, have been married for over sixty years. There is nothing flashy about them. They are just good people who have worked hard. Together, they raised a family and dreamed of a carefree retirement. One day John noticed Mary was starting to forget things. At first, it was little things, like the car keys and where she parked at the grocery store. Then, she began to forget bigger things, like where she lives and her grandchildren’s names. One day, she didn’t recognize John. On a very sad day, the family moved her out of the long-time family home to a Memory Care Unit in a local facility. John visits Mary every day, but she doesn’t know him. Did you hear what I said? John visits a woman every day who doesn’t know who he is. Some have asked, why do you visit her daily? I know why. He visits her daily for one reason: John loves Mary. She is the love of his life. Let me ask you the question again. Do you consider Kim Kardashian a love Or do you consider my friend John a love expert? Remember, if you want to discover the person who loves you the most in this world, then find the person who has sacrificed the most for you. The Christian faith is built on this simple concept.

In my last church, there was a teenager by the name of Ricky. He was extremely bright, and he was not afraid to talk. He was not afraid to ask questions. He asked me many questions. Most of his questions were excellent. I did my best to answer them. One day Ricky asked me this question: what is more important, Christmas or Easter? I thought long and hard about that one. In many ways, Christmas and Easter stand side by side. You can’t celebrate one without the other.

Christmas is when we celebrate the incarnation of God. In other words, we are awed by the fact God became one of us. It has been said, it is beyond all human understanding. Everyone knows the scene, and what is more important, everyone loves the scene. For this reason, everyone has a nativity set in their home. There is the baby Jesus surrounded by his parents, Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, and the animals. Everyone loves Christmas because everyone loves the baby Jesus. Believers love Christmas because we understand the true meaning of the holiday. No one can tell me Christmas isn’t important! Yet, no one can tell me Easter isn’t important too.

Easter is equally important. You know the story. The baby Jesus did what all babies do. He grew up, but unlike us, he never committed a single sin. That made him the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. The drama played out during Passover. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a Sunday in front of a big crowd. As the week went on, the crowd got smaller. By Friday, the crowd was gone; there was just a handful of people left. They witnessed a painful scene. With a sinner on his right and a sinner on his left, Jesus was crucified. It was a Roman form of torture and death. They say that Jesus drowned in his own body fluids. It was an ugly death. Yet, on that Sunday morning, the great discovery was made. Miraculously, Jesus came back to life. I have never been able to explain the resurrection because I can’t explain a miracle. Yet, that miracle is the foundation of our faith. Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no hope of eternal life. No one can tell me Easter isn’t important!

It has been several years since Ricky asked me that excellent question, which is more important, Christmas or Easter? They are separate events. Both are important and both are major events in God’s plan of salvation for the world. I still don’t know how to answer that question. However, I do know this: If you want to discover the person who loves you the most in this world, then look for the person who has sacrificed the most for you. The shepherds were willing to sacrifice it all just to see the newborn Jesus. How can you question their love? If you want to discover the depth of God’s love, go to the cross. It is not pretty, but it is revealing. American evangelist David Wilkerson (1931-2011) once said, “Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.”

Hope Matters!

I love this story. There were identical twins, who were nothing alike. One was a hope-filled optimist, the other was a dark pessimist. Their parents were so concerned about their sons, they took them to the family doctor. She came up with a plan. She said, “On Christmas day, give the pessimist a brand-new bicycle and give the optimist a box of manure.” The parents agreed to the plan. On Christmas morning, the pessimist got a brand-new state of the art bicycle. When he saw it, he said, “Oh great, I’ll probably crash and break my leg.” When the optimist opened his box of manure, he was a little confused at first, then he started to smile. He ran outside and said, “With that much manure there must be a pony!” Don’t tell me attitude isn’t important. Have you noticed our world seems to have a surplus of pessimists and a shortage of optimists? That is because there seems to be a shortage of hope.

You really can’t blame people. Our world is filled with so many problems. Years ago, I asked my google search engine: what are the greatest problems facing our world? These are the answers I received. They came from the World Economic Forum.

Climate change
Large scale conflict/wars
Inequality (income, discrimination)
Poverty
Religious conflicts
Government corruption
Food and water security
Lack of education
Safety
Lack of economic opportunity

That is a depressing list. So, I asked my google search engine another question:

What are the greatest problems facing America? These are the answers I received. They came from the Gallup Research Group.

Poor leadership
Healthcare
The economy
Immigration
National unity
Unemployment and underemployment
Racism
Terrorism
Ethics and morals
North Korea

I find those lists to be depressing. Each one of those problems is massive and complex. When I look at that list, I find myself becoming a pessimist, a little less hopeful. Clare Boothe Luce (1903-1987) was an American author, politician, and U.S. Ambassador. She once said, “There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless.” As a Christian people we should always have hope because we have God. That takes us to our scripture lesson.

Our scripture reading, Matthew 1:18-21, begins very matter-of-factly: This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. I’ll bet you have heard the story in the past. His mother was named Mary and was pledged to a man named Joseph. Mary was a young woman, probably a teenager, from the town of Nazareth. Joseph was older, a carpenter by trade, from the town of Bethlehem. There is no reason to think their marriage was not arranged by their families. This is where the confusion begins. To clarify the text, replace the word “pledged”, with the word “engaged”. In traditional America, couples date, get engaged, then marry. There is nothing legally binding about a contemporary engagement. Not so, in their time. In their time, the engagement period was legally binding. For a one-year period, the couple was married in every way, except sexually. Mary and Joseph had never had sex, which makes her pregnancy hard to explain. Unlike in our time, in their time morals were a big deal.

Joseph is in a hopeless situation. If he marries Mary, he brings disgrace to his own name. If he breaks off the engagement, he places Mary in danger. If the law was carried out, she could be stoned to death. God places everyone in this story in an awkward situation. Yet, Joseph finds light in this dark situation and models for us how to remain hopeful. So, what did Joseph do, that we need to do, to remain hopeful?

First, Joseph did his best daily! Do not minimize that statement. Doing your best is very important. Doing your best is not easy or exciting, but it is exhausting. Doing your best will never grab the headlines, but it is vital. I have experienced that in my life. I served my last church for twenty-eight years. Those who were looking for perfection were often disappointed. It is impossible to excel in every aspect of the ministry. However, I can honestly say, I did my best every day. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates Joseph did not do his best. He didn’t shortchange anyone in his life. Mary got his best, he did not look down on her as a second-class citizen. Jesus got his best, it is not easy raising someone else’s child, especially, the son of God. The people in his life got his best, he paid his taxes and observed the traditions of his religion. Joseph was a good man, but like all men he made mistakes too. He was not perfect, but he did his best daily! It took me a long time to learn, our best is often good enough. Are you giving the people in your life your best every day? Joseph did his best daily!

Second, Joseph trusted God with the future! Do you remember the story? The unnamed angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him to do two things. Joseph did both things. First, in the face of a scoffing society, he discredited his own name and took Mary as his wife. Second, when the baby boy was born, he didn’t name him Joseph, he named him Jesus. It is important that you know that the name Jesus means “to deliver” or “rescue.” The scripture says his name is Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. That doesn’t mean a lot to our generation because we see ourselves as good people, who can save ourselves by our good works. That is not the story in Jesus’s generation. They saw themselves as sinners, who would be lost without hope. They longed for a Savior because they longed for hope.

It is still true today; hope is extremely important. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Hope is extremely practical. Hope moves us forward. Hope energizes us. Hope lightens our darkness. Hope increases our faith. Hope is both infectious and healing. Hope stabilizes and purifies. Be like Joseph, do your best today and trust God with the future.

Do you remember the name Terry Anderson (born 1947)? He was the Chief Middle East Correspondent for the Associated Press. He was kidnapped in Beirut on March 16, 1985. His kidnappers held him hostage for nearly seven years. It was an extremely difficult time, and he showed incredible strength. Once released, he was interviewed countless times and was asked countless questions. Someone asked him the question; did you ever lose hope? He answered with these words, “I had some blue moments. However, I will always be thankful for my Bible. I read it every day. It is a book of hope. It taught me so much about hope. It taught me to do the best I could do on that day and trust God with the future.”

Maybe that is why there is a shortage of hope in our society. We spend too much time worrying about perfection and not enough time doing our best and trusting God with the future. Learn from Joseph’s example. I’ll bet you can do the same. American Baptist evangelist Rick Warren (born 1954) once said, “What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.”

Cultivating a Grateful Heart

Did you know that in 1783 President George Washington (1732-1799) declared a “Thanksgiving Day” because the American Revolution was over? In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) proclaimed the last Thursday in November “a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” Each year afterward, for 75 years, the President of the U.S. formally proclaimed the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day. That all changed in 1939 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) set it one week earlier. Thanksgiving was observed on the fourth Thursday, not the last Thursday, because he wanted to help the struggling economy by lengthening the shopping season. It wasn’t until 1941 that congress declared the fourth Thursday of November a national holiday – Thanksgiving! That takes us to our traditional reading for Thanksgiving, Luke 17:11-19.

We find ourselves in the seventeenth chapter of Luke. The Master is traveling between the border of Samaria and Galilee. As he travels, he encounters various people. In that list of people are the ten lepers. You may know their story. Leprosy was a highly contagious skin disease caused by a certain bacterium. The disease still exists in our world today. In the United States approximately 100 cases are reported annually. However, today it is treatable. In the days of Jesus, it was not. In Jesus’ day victims of leprosy were forced to live in isolation, away from family and friends, in leper colonies. This is the story of the ten men in the scripture lesson. They are living with leprosy without any hope of a cure. Then, they hear news that gives them hope: Jesus is coming! They have heard of his healing power, and so they run toward Jesus. However, they can’t invade his personal space. They are mandated by law to keep their distance. The best they can do is yell at Jesus as he passes by. This is the good news: Jesus not only hears their desperate voices, but he heals them. As was required by the Jewish law, Jesus instructs them to go to a priest for inspection. The priests had the authority to grant them permission to re-enter society. On that day ten men were healed. However, this is the sad truth: only one man returned to Jesus to say, “Thank you.” The other nine never returned; the other nine just resumed their lives. They never said, “Thank you!” Never underestimate the power of gratitude. How many truly grateful people do you know?

History tells us the billionaire, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), gave a distant relative whom he had never met a one-million-dollar gift. At the same time, he gave $365 million to various public charities. The relative cursed Carnegie because he received such a small gift. How can anyone survive on a million dollars? That is like receiving approximately $35 million in our world today. Maybe that is the story of our time? God has given us so much, but we complain because we want more. I hope that is not your story.

In this blog, I want to help you cultivate a grateful heart. I want you to be like that one leper who came back to say, “thank you.” I am going to help you by asking you three questions. These questions are not original, they came from the Japanese self-reflective practice called Naikan. You will find a balance in these three questions. If you answer these questions honestly, then you will find yourself more grateful. Let me begin.

Thanksgiving is rooted in hardship. Historians tell us the first recorded Thanksgiving took place in Jamestown, Virginia. The winter of 1610 was harsh at Jamestown. Many settlers died. The group that once totaled 409 had been reduced to 60. Tradition tells us the survivors prayed for help, without knowing when or how it might come. When help arrived, in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England, a prayer meeting was held to give thanks to God. There is no mention of a feast. Maybe that is why it is not the famous Thanksgiving?

The famous Thanksgiving took place eleven years later, in 1621. Do you remember the story? The Pilgrims left Southampton, England in 1620. They wanted religious freedom. There was trouble from the start. As they sailed around the southern tip of the British Isles one of the ships, the Speedway, was ruled unseaworthy. The two ships stopped and some of the Pilgrims went home. However, some of the Speedway’s passengers boarded the second ship, the Mayflower. The ship was crowded. Maybe the extra weight caused the ship to sail slower. History tells us the trip took longer than the estimated 66 days. They had navigational problems too. (They must have hired Gilligan.) They wanted to go to Virginia, but they arrived in New England. It was November and the weather was growing harsh. There was no time to build permanent shelters, so they survived that first winter in this new world in crude temporary housing. In time, disease came, and the death toll began to rise. Only 51 of the original 102 saw the spring. The dead were buried in unmarked graves so the local natives would not know how small their numbers had become. When spring came, they were forced to make a painful choice. The Mayflower was a rented ship and had to return to England. Would they stay in America or return to England? They decided to stay, and their luck began to change. Friendly Native Americans helped them plant 30 acres of wheat and build permanent shelters. By the fall of 1621, their homes were built, and their crops were harvested. They decided to observe a day of thanksgiving to thank God for his blessings. Thanksgiving is rooted in hardship.

This is question number one: what have you received? One of the perks of being in the ministry is being with people during life’s most sacred moments. Sometimes, it is a wedding, birth, or baptism. Sometimes, it is rooted in some of life’s most challenging moments. I talked regularly about others’ health and disease. I visited nursing homes and visited people who couldn’t remember their name. I heard about others’ broken relationships and disappointments. I spoke about death daily. You must be a little different to be in the ministry. You would think that would have warned me, but the opposite happened. At the end of the day, I walk into my house and think to myself, “I have no problems”. The problems I heard made my little problems disappear. I learned long ago; bad times make you appreciate the good times. That is what makes this Gospel story so perplexing. How many blessings do you take for granted? That leads us to the second question.

Henrietta “Hetty” Green (1834-1916) was a stockbroking legend. Nicknamed “the Witch of Wall Street”, she wore a long flowing black dress. It was her only piece of clothing. When she died in 1916, her net worth was $200,000,000. Today, that comes out to be about $5.8 billion. She was so wealthy she bailed out New York City three times. However, despite all her money, she hated buying anything. She left her apartment and lived in her office. People hated going to her office because she turned off the heat to save money. For a long period of time, she only ate cold oatmeal because heating it cost too much.

W. Clement Stone (1902-2002) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He once said, “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” That is exactly what he did – he gave away over $275 million in his lifetime. He gave to civic groups, mental health groups, Christian organizations, the Boys Club of America, and the National Music Camp. He once said, “All I want to do is change the world.” Can I ask you a question? Are you more like “Hetty” Green, cheapskate? Or are you more like W. Clement Stone, philanthropist?

This is question number two: what have you given? You don’t have to give a million dollars away, but you must give something away. It is all part of being in a community. It is all part of being a Christian. 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, Let all your things be done in charity.” What are you going to give away to help someone else this Thanksgiving? That leads us to the next question.

On the front page of my local newspaper today is the ugly story of two men who tortured a woman in their basement. They kidnapped her at gunpoint off the street, then they took her to the basement. Once there, they duct-taped her to a pole, beat her and burned her. Once they got bored with the torture, they blind folded her and released her into the local woods. Once safe, the woman reported the two to the police. They will spend years in prison for their actions. I would like to say the ugliness of that story is unique in my area, but I cannot. I would like to say the ugliness of this story is unique to our world, but I cannot. Our world is filled with ugliness.

This is question number three: what harm have you caused? I am not talking about that level of harm. I am talking about unreported harm. The kind of harm the world dismisses. Let’s be honest. Everyone causes harm. Roman 3:23-24 tells us we are all sinners. So, let me ask you the question again. What harm have you caused? In each one of us are elements of the seven deadly sins. Do you remember them? 1. Pride, 2. Greed, 3. Lust, 4. Envy, 5. Gluttony, 6. Wrath, 7. Sloth. Which one of those seven do you relate to the most? What harm have you caused?

Martin Rinkart (1586-1649) was a Lutheran minister who lived in Eilenberg, Saxony. The hardest years of his ministry came during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). The walled city of Eilenberg saw a steady stream of refugees pour through its gates. The Swedish army surrounded the city, and famine and plague were rampant. Eight hundred homes were destroyed, and the people began to perish. There was a tremendous strain on the pastors who had to conduct dozens of funerals daily. Finally, the pastors, too, succumbed, and Rinkart was the only one left—doing 50 funerals a day. Do the math. If you gave him a day off and he did not bury on Sundays, that is still 13,000 that year. When the Swedes demanded a huge ransom, Rinkart left the safety of the walls to plead for mercy. The Swedish commander, impressed by his faith and courage, lowered his demands. Soon afterward, the Thirty Years’ War ended, and Rinkart wrote this hymn, Now Thank We All Our God.

Do you remember the words? This is the first verse:

Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom this world rejoices;
who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

Now, if Martin Rinkart could write those words after surviving such hardship, then you can surely come up with something to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving. Orthodox rabbis teach, if you can’t come up with one thing to be thankful for each day, then you are an ingrate. I think they are correct. God has been so good to us. When was the last time you thanked God for what he has done for you?

In The Name of Jesus

I live outside of Youngstown, Ohio. According to Google, there are eight psychics in my immediate area. The closest one is eight miles away – Psychic Readings by Laura Lynn in Boardman. Have you ever gone to a psychic or fortune teller? I hope not, because there is nothing fun about them. There is a dark side to that old practice. I do not doubt their ability to see into the future. I worry about the source of that power. Let me say this clearly: the source of that power is rooted in the occult. In other words, the ability to read into the future comes from Satan, himself. Fortune telling has been with us a long time. It is even found in the scripture lesson for today.

We are in the sixteenth chapter of Acts, verses sixteen through twenty-three. Paul, Silas and Timothy are looking for a place to pray. That should be easy, but it has become quite hard. According to the text, their solitude is broken by a female slave who could read the future. Her ability to do so has made her master a great deal of money. Our generation has disguised fortune telling as entertainment; her generation saw it as satanic. The meeting of Paul and the fortune teller is not a brief encounter. She stalks Paul and his small group for an unknown amount of time. I am not exactly sure what happened, but something did and it broke the camel’s back. With his patience completely gone, Paul looked at the woman and called on the name of Jesus. The demon was extracted from the woman. The story ends with the woman being liberated. Time and time again, the Bible tells us that calling on the name of Jesus reveals God’s authority. Have you ever called on the name of Jesus in your time of greatest need?

Years ago, I served three United Methodist congregations in the Saint Clairsville, Ohio area – Morristown, Lloydsville and Bannock. The total attendance at all three was approximately eighty. I preached at all three every week. I was in Morristown at 9:00. Lloydsville at 10:00 and Bannock at 11:00. The best thing about those churches was the people. They were good to me and taught me a great deal about pastoral care.

I will never forget the day a woman called me and said, “Russ, I need your help.” She went on to tell me her neighbor’s son was killed in a traffic accident. He was out celebrating his twenty-first birthday and drank too much. When the highway patrol cut his lifeless body out of the car, they found a half-emptied case of beer and countless empty beer cans. The young man never had a chance. I found out later his father had bought him that case of beer to help him celebrate. I spent hours with the grieving mother over the next few days. With red rimmed eyes she asked me two questions that I will never forget: “Was God punishing my son for some past sin?” No, God did not make your son drink and drive. How many times must we be told not to drink and drive? Then, “Why didn’t God hear my prayer and save his life?” It was clear to me that she was ignorant about prayer.

Do you know of anyone who is ignorant about prayer? You must know someone who prayed with a sincere heart for their greatest desire, only to be disappointed. They prayed for a terminal brother, sister, or child only to have them die. They prayed for a baby, but the baby never came. The cradle still sits in the corner collecting dust. They prayed for a perfect job, but perfection never came. They are still wearing a name tag or a hair net. The problem was not the sincerity of their words. The problem was not their lack of faith. The problem was not their unholy lifestyle. The problem was that they were ignorant about prayer. Prayer is not about getting what you want. Prayer is not just saying the right words. Prayer is your spirit yearning to be with God. When you pray in the name of Jesus, three things happen. You need to remember these three things because they will revolutionize your prayer life.

First, when you pray in the name of Jesus you are admitting your limitations. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) once said, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”  How many times has life driven you to your knees? God always has our attention when life is hard. I witness that daily.

Did you know the countries with the fasting growing conversion rates to Christianity are all found in Africa and Asia? Not one of those countries on the list is found in western Europe or North America. There are several reasons for this, but one stands out. The areas of the world where Christianity is declining are the same areas that have the highest standard of living. In other words, those areas have the most money. God has a hard time getting our attention because we can take care of ourselves. That is why more church mortgages in America were paid off during the Great Depression than any other decade in the twentieth century. How many people don’t pray because they don’t think they need God? They can take care of themselves. When we pray in the name of Jesus, we are admitting our limitations.

During the 1800s, Reverend E.P. Scott was a missionary in India. Against the advice of his peers, he decided to travel to a remote tribe to share the Gospel. Several days into his journey, he was confronted by a group of warriors. They took their spears and pointed them into his chest. He responded by pulling out his violin, closed his eyes and started singing. What did he sing? He sang All Hail the Power of Jesus Name. The warriors didn’t know what to do so they lowered their spears. In time, the warriors began to cry. Scott was saved and spent the rest of his life teaching that tribe about Jesus. There is something about that name, Jesus!

Second, when you pray in the name of Jesus you are identifying Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You are not praying in the name of Mohammed or Buddha. You are not calling on the name of your country or your favorite sports franchise. You are calling on the name of Jesus. In the scripture lesson Paul commanded the spirit to come out in the name of Jesus Christ. That is important because it shows Jesus’ authority over the spirit. This is not the only place. Jesus had authority over a variety of things in the Bible. When you pray in the name of Jesus, you are telling the world that you belong to him.

One of the great stories in the Bible is the Garden of Gethsemane. You know the scene. The end is near. After three years of teaching and healing, Jesus is staring at the cross. It was Holy Week and so much had already happened. Jesus had already entered Jerusalem on that humble animal. Jesus had already cursed the fig tree and taught at the temple. Jesus had already been anointed and shared that last Seder with the disciples. Judas Iscariot had already agreed to betray him. There was nothing left for Jesus to do but wait. Jesus was waiting to be arrested. As he waits, he goes to the garden to pray. He knows of the coming ugliness. He struggles as he prays. In Luke 22:42 Jesus prays, Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but your will be done.” Those are powerful words. Jesus does what we are unable to do – submit to God’s will.

Third, when you pray in the name of Jesus, you are submitting to his will. Do you remember your old Sunday school teaching? God hears and answers all prayers. Sometimes, God answers, “Yes.” That is what happened in the scripture lesson. The slave was healed. Sometimes, God answers, “No.” Paul was never healed from the thorn in his side. Sometimes, God answers, “Later.” There are many examples of that in our world. Sometimes, God answers, “Are you crazy?” Praying to win the lottery isn’t going to help. We always want the answer to be yes, but it doesn’t always happen. What really matters is, are you submitting to God’s will? That is hard for people. When you pray in the name of Jesus you are submitting to God’s will.

Everyone knows the name Ted Turner (born 1938). When cable television exploded onto the American scene, Atlanta-based Ted Turner was one of the leaders. One of his first stations was CNN, the Cable News Network. It was the first to carry news 24/7. I always remember channel nine, WTBS. They carried all the Atlanta Braves baseball games. Today, Ted Turner is 84 years old and is worth an estimated $2.5 billion. He has made many wonderful business decisions, but his spiritual life is completely bankrupt. His story is sad. He was raised in a Christian home and as a youth he dreamed of going into the mission field. That all changed during the illness and death of his sister. That experience changed him. He became disenchanted with Christianity. He said, “I prayed for my sister, but she died anyway.” Discouraged, he walked away from the faith and never looked back.

Do you have any Ted Turners in your life? I don’t mean billionaires. I mean people who have become disenchanted with the faith. They are not ignorant about life. However, they are ignorant about prayer. Prayer is not a magic wand granting you wishes. Prayer is so much more. Prayer is an admission. We just don’t have all the resources we need to solve our problems. Prayer is an identification. We are saying Jesus was the greatest life that ever lived. Prayer is about submitting. You must surrender to God’s will and accept the fact that God knows best. Do you remember the words of the great reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546)? “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

The Great Cloud

All Saints Day is November 1. It is a holiday that can be traced back to May 13, 609. Pope Boniface IV (550-615) created it to remember all the martyrs of the church. He hoped it would be so popular, it would overshadow Halloween. That simply didn’t happen, but that does not mean All Saints Day is not important. Within the tradition of Methodism, saints are defined as anyone who believes, both the living and the dead. That makes you a saint. All Saints Day is observed annually on the first Sunday of November.

The traditional reading for All Saints Day is Hebrews 12:1-3. Hebrews was written to first century Jewish Christians, so it is thick in Old Testament theology. For that reason, it is difficult for us to understand. However, what links us to them is life itself because life has always been hard. The author wrote this letter to a Jewish congregation who is resigning from the Christian faith. The question that haunts this epistle is: why are they leaving? They are not resigning from the faith because of persecution or heresy. They are not resigning from the faith because the budget was too large, or the building was decaying. They are leaving for one reason: they are tired. They are tired of worshipping an all-powerful God who does nothing to eliminate their hardships; they are tired of good people dying young; they are tired of bad people profiting; they are tired of being part of an impotent church. They are tired, so they are resigning from the faith and walking away. Do you know of anyone who has walked away from the faith? The author is begging this resigning congregation to stay.

With great passion, he tells them they are not just leaving an earthly organization – they are walking away from many believers. They are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. It isn’t just true of them. It is true of us as well. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Who are these witnesses? Sometimes they are the saints that are still with us. Sometimes they are the greats from the past, the apostles and the martyrs of the early church. Sometimes they are people who once filled our lives but have now passed, family members and friends. How can you walk away from them? They are encouraging us to remain faithful to Jesus. In this blog, I want to look at three ways this great cloud of witnesses encourages us.

First, the great cloud of witnesses is so important because they comfort us! They remind us that we are not alone. The church is filled with people who are experiencing the same things as you. In the perfect church we are all striving to be a little more like Jesus every day. In church we are reminded of the saints who have completed the race. Their very presence of both the living and the saints comforts us. Never forget! You are not alone. The great cloud comforts us!

Years ago, I watched a documentary on Russian prisons. They interviewed a Russian prisoner, who had been sentenced for selling drugs. They walked through a normal day with him. We saw the food he ate. We saw where he slept. We saw his normal routine. However, that day was different. It was visitor’s day. They only had visitors once every two months. He was excited because his father was coming to visit him. Through an English translator he said the worst thing about being in a Russian prison was the loneliness. He didn’t trust any of his fellow prisoners, so he didn’t have any friends. He was alone and afraid. He said, “If I had one friend in here my experience would be completely different.” How would your life change if you had to live in complete isolation? The fear of loneliness is alive and well in our world. The great cloud comforts us!

Second, the great cloud of witnesses reminds us what is really important! Perhaps you have heard this story in the past: Surprised to see an empty seat at the Super Bowl stadium, a diehard fan remarked about it to a woman sitting nearby. “It was my husband’s,” the woman explained, “But he died.” “I’m very sorry,” said the man. “Yet I’m really surprised that another relative, or friend, didn’t jump at the chance to take the seat reserved for him.” “Beats me,” she said. “They all insisted on going to the funeral.” It is a question of priority.

What are the most important things in your life? It is a question we all must answer for ourselves. Your priorities in life say a great deal about you. Former Dallas Cowboy Head Coach Tom Landry (1924-2000) once said these were the three most important things in his life.

1. God

2. Family

3. Football

What are the most important things in your life? Who are the most important people in your life? How important is your church? How important is your relationship with Jesus Christ? The great cloud of witnesses reminds us what is really important!

Third, the great cloud of witnesses challenges us to finish the race. In the text, the people are resigning from the faith. Let me ask you two questions. First, do you know any church dropouts? They believe they can forge a relationship with Jesus on their own. Good luck! It doesn’t work that way. From the very beginning discipleship was to be lived out in a community. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. The second question is harder. Do you know of anyone who has resigned from the faith? Where does one go from church? Where does one go who has walked away from the faith? You know the answer. They go nowhere.

In 1968, the Olympics were held in Mexico City. One of the featured events in any Olympics is the marathon. The winner of that year’s marathon was an Ethiopian, Mamo Walde (1932-2002). The crowd cheered as he crossed the finish line. An hour later the last marathon runner crossed the finish line. He wore the colors of his nation, Tanzania. His name was John Steven Aquari (born 1938). He limped to the finish line and was assisted to a first aid station. His leg was bleeding. He had taken a bad fall early in the race. Now, it was all he could do to limp his way around the track. The crowd stood and applauded as he completed that last lap. When he finally crossed the finish line, one man dared ask the question all were wondering. “You are badly injured. Why didn’t you quit? Why didn’t you give up?” Aquari, with quiet dignity said, “My country did not send me seven thousand miles to start this race. My country sent me to finish it.”

It isn’t just true of marathon runners; it is true of us! Have you ever fallen in the marathon of life? How many times have you fallen? Perhaps you fell when your marriage failed? Perhaps you fell when you lost your job? Perhaps you fell when your medical tests revealed the unthinkable? Perhaps you fell when your children messed up or your parents gave up? Perhaps, you fell when a loved one died? Do I have to go on? When was the last time you fell? At that moment in your life did you get up or did you stay down? The great cloud of witnesses surrounding you won’t let you quit. They are saying, “Get up!” It is not how you start the race that matters. The only thing that matters is how you finish!

Halloween’s Dark Side

His name is Kolya. He is a student at Moscow State University now, but he was raised in the Renewal Orphanage in Dmitrov, Russia, which is the home of severly physically handicapped children. He was born with obvious physical limitations. He has no legs and only one functional arm. Yet, those limitations do not define him. He is an amazing young man. Today, he is thriving in the Russian capital.

Years ago, Kolya came to the Youngstown, Ohio area for help. Thanks to my wife’s non-prophet, Project Orphanage Outreach, he received it. I cannot overemphasize the next line. Koyla’s story was truly a miracle. He came to my home in a wheelchair, but he left walking on his new prosthetic legs. That did not happen in an instant. It took time. We spent many days waiting for the next doctor’s appointment. It was a challenge to find things for him to do. One of the things he did was visit American schools in the area. Local teachers were open to his visits.

One of the schools he visited was celebrating Halloween. He showed up just in time for the party. Both students and teachers were dressed in costume. There was a mummy and a ghost. There was a vampire and a zombie. There was a monster and a boy covered in fake blood holding a plastic ax. The teacher was dressed like a witch. We thought Kolya would love it, but we were wrong. It was one of those cultural differences. Americans love Halloween, but that is not true of the Orthodox world, including Russia. Did you know only 3% of Russians observe Halloween? His non-verbal cues told us he was unhappy and confused. That evening we tried to answer the question: what is Halloween? That is not an easy question to answer. Consider these three sides of Halloween.

Halloween is a holiday! The history of Halloween can be traced back 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts believed the dead could walk among the living one day annually – October 31. They would wear ghoulish masks so the unwanted visitors could not distinguish between the living and the dead. In North America, where there was a surplus of pumpkins, they carved them with scary faces to ward off spirits. Others offered sweets to appease the spirits. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies have long been associated with the evil world. Halloween is a holiday.

Halloween is a big holiday in America. Did you know, according to the National Retail Federation, 73% of all Americans plan on celebrating Halloween? The average American will spend $108.45 on Halloween. As a country we will spend $3.6 billion on costumes, $3.1 billion on candy, $3.4 billion on decorations and $.6 billion on greeting cards. 18% of all Americans are planning on visiting a haunted house and 46% of all Americans will carve a pumpkin. It is safe to say, in America, Halloween is not just a holiday. Halloween is a big holiday. Do you know anyone who doesn’t pass out candy? Halloween is a holiday.What is Halloween?

Halloween is sinister! Halloween is not all fun and games. There is a very dark side to Halloween. Halloween is the most sacred day on the Satanic calendar. Satanism has been part of our world for centuries. However, the source of modern-day Satanism can be traced back to one man, Anton LaVey (1930-1997). He authored several books to promote his dark world, The Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, The Satanic Witch, The Devil’s Notebook and Satan Speaks! I checked several years ago and at that time, those books can be found in my local county library.Those books were vital in the creation of his new church, The Church of Satan.

The best way to explain The Church of Satan is that it runs contrary to the church of Jesus Christ. It is like a parallel universe where everything is opposite. Our congregations are called churches; their congregations are called covens. In churches, we strive to know and accept everyone. In covens, fellow members are unknown because their identity is hidden. In churches, we worship in public. In covens, they worship in private. Churches worship during the day. In covens, they worship in the middle of the night. In church, we talk about our eternal reward. In covens, they talk about temporary gain. In church, we sacrifice for strangers. In covens, they sacrifice and misuse strangers and those who are weak. In church, we encourage and love. In covens, they intimidate and hate. In church, we worship Jesus Christ. In covens, they worship Satan. Satanism is a sinister parallel universe. If you get nothing else out of this blog, then accept this fact: Satanism is real and countless people are regularly being victimized. On Halloween, the holiest day on the Satanic calendar, Satan desires a human sacrifice. I believe that is where some of those missing children have gone. There is a sinister side to Halloween. That dark fact upsets many. What is Halloween? That takes us to our Gospel reading for today.

We find ourselves in the seventh chapter of Mark, verses twenty-four through thirty. Jesus is in the vicinity of Tyre. That community is in present day Lebanon, north of Galilee. That fact is important for one reason – Jesus was extremely popular in Galilee, not so in other places. The smaller crowds gave Jesus an opportunity to teach the disciples. Demographically, the population seemed to be less Jewish and more Gentile. That is the case with the woman in the story. The author tells us she was Greek, born in Syria Phoenicia. She had heard of Jesus’s miraculous powers and knew this was an opportunity to save her daughter. Verse 25 says she was possessed by an evil spirit. She locates Jesus and begs the Master to save her daughter. In other words, she begs Jesus for an exorcism. At first, Jesus refuses to heal the daughter because the woman is a Gentile. In the end, Jesus exorcises the demon because of her great faith. Do you believe in demon possession?

The world struggles with this story and all other Biblical stories which deal with demon possession. The reason is we try to read the Bible like a science book, but it is a book of faith. How do you translate demon possession in our modern world? Some say demon possession in the Bible is untreated seizures. Some say demon possession in the Bible is untreated anxiety. Some say demon possession in the Bible is untreated depression. Some say demon possession in the Bible is some other untreated mental illness. Some say demon possession is just that, demon possession. I believe demon possession does exist. Sometimes, there is no other explanation. How do you understand demon possession in our modern world? However, demon possession in the Bible is more. Demon possession in the Bible is a reminder that our world is filled with sad people who look to Jesus for help. Our world has a dark side where Satan is alive and well. What is Halloween? Halloween is a reminder! I have told this story many times in various venues through the years.

When I lived in the Cleveland area, I tried to help a young woman by the name of Pat. There is no other way to say it, she was a victim. As a child she would go to Canada for the annual family vacation. Her parents, both alcoholics, were drunk the entire trip. They entrusted her to an uncle. He wasn’t an alcoholic, but he was a Satan worshipper. He exposed Pat to the worst things this world had to offer. She was raped countless times by a variety of unknown men. She was photographed and was subject of child pornography. Years later, he would have those photographs sent to her in the mail, just to intimidate her. One night, she was even buried alive in a casket, with a small oxygen tube to keep her breathing. She told me on one occasion she saw Satan himself. The outcome was predictable. Pat fractured in every possible way. She had six or seven different personalities. She came to me by way of her psychologist, who asked me to help her straighten out her Christian theology. Through the years, I met with Pat regularly and went through the confirmation material with each personality. At the end of each course, I offered each one communion. Looking back, my time with Pat was the most rewarding experience I had in the ministry.

It has been thirty years since I met Pat, but I still find myself praying for her. It was Pat who taught me about the dark side of Halloween. I double up my prayers for Pat on Halloween because Halloween is the holiest day on the Satanic calendar. On that day, they look for a human sacrifice and Pat didn’t want to be the victim. Every Halloween she would hide in the Cleveland Mero Park system, alone in the woods.

I close this blog with a challenge to not just pray for Pat, but for all the victims in our society who are suffering silently, due to Satanism. It is a secret world that seldom gets exposed. It is a secret world, but it exists. A woman came to Jesus and begged for help. Her daughter was demon possessed and without Jesus there was no help. Some things don’t change. Countless victims are living in the dark world of Satanism. Without Jesus, they will remain in the dark. With Jesus, there is hope. 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

Romeo’s Big Day

Romeo is my grandson. Born on May 22 of this year, he is a little guy, yet he has had a big influence on many lives. He is perfect in every way. Everyone who sees him, or hears about him, cannot help but smile. Last Sunday, Romeo had a big day. He was baptized at the Church of the Lakes in Canton, Ohio. Both sides of his family were well represented. His baptism remind us of the significance of baptism. I wrote this blog in Romeo’s honor to remind you of the significance of baptism. Chinese Christian Watchman Nee (1903-1972) once said, “Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith.” That leads us to our scripture reading.

We find ourselves in the sixteenth chapter of Acts, verses eleven through sixteen. Paul, Silas, and Timothy are in Philippi. That community was a Roman colony, so it was the perfect place for former Roman authorities and soldiers to retire. However, the Jewish population was small. Without an organized synagogue (twelve Jewish males were required to organize a synagogue), Paul’s small group goes outside of the city gates to pray. It is while they are there that they meet a woman by the name of Lydia. She was a foreigner herself, from the city of Thyatira. Verse fourteen tells us she was a worshiper of God. What does that mean? That means she believed in both the Jewish understanding of God and the Jewish moral code of the scriptures. However, she had not yet converted to Judaism. That conversion never happened because on that day she accepted Jesus and was baptized into the faith. The story does not end there. Verse fifteen says she and her entire household were baptized that day. Who exactly was baptized on that day? There was Lydia, herself, her husband, their children, and some believe, their slaves. Everyone was baptized because of the influence of one person.

Do you understand why baptism is so important? It is important that you know I am a United Methodist by choice and not by birth. I was raised in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). That means I was immersed at my baptism, not sprinkled. I was baptized at twelve years old. I never saw an infant baptism until I officiated at one. However, I believe in infant baptism because your baptism welcomes you into the life of the church from the very beginning. Never underestimate the power of Christian influence.

The early church understood the importance of baptism. It is older than the faith itself. Baptism was not created by the early church, but it was redefined by the early church. Baptism began with God’s Chosen People. Never forget, the Jews are both a race and a faith. Some were born into the faith. Other non-Jews or Gentiles were baptized into the Jewish faith. The symbolism was clear. The individual was held under the water to symbolize a washing. It was like taking your Saturday night bath. They were washing away the sins of their old life and starting over again fresh and new. That form of baptism is called sinner’s baptism.

That was the baptism that John the Baptist offered. Many left the city and went into the wilderness to be baptized by John. Everyone was encouraged to be baptized because everyone had sinned. Then, Jesus came and threw a curve ball. The early church wanted to be like Jesus, so they baptized new converts. At first, baptisms only took place on Easter morning. Men baptized men and women baptized women because the person being baptized was in their birthday suit. The symbolism changed. When they were held under the water they were dying with Christ. When they were pulled out of the water they were being resurrected with Christ. We call that form of baptism “immersion” or believer’s baptism. Baptists are still baptized by immersion.

Everyone would have been immersed if it wasn’t for the Dark Ages. For it was during that horrible time baptism changed. You know it is true. Moms and dads have always loved their children. Parents have always wanted to see their children go to heaven. During the Dark Ages the infant mortality rate was high. Parents were afraid their children wouldn’t make it into heaven without baptism, so they ran their newborns to the church to be baptized, just in case the unthinkable happened. It is for this reason most the western church practices infant baptism.

In infant baptism two things happen. First, there is a spiritual side of baptism. The original sin of Adam is washed away. Within each newborn is a flaw that leads them to sin. Each person was born with that flaw. Spiritually speaking, I have never met a perfect person, you are not perfect. Second, there is a practical side of baptism. Children are not born into isolation. They are born into communities. Part of that community is family. Part of that community is the church. The goal of infant baptism is salvation. We are promising to influence the child toward Jesus, our only hope of salvation. We want the child to wade into the faith gently.

In my time in the ministry, I baptized both adults and infants. I have immersed and sprinkled. Baptizing an adult is humbling because you can see the Holy Spirit has been working in them. Baptizing an infant is exciting because multiple generations are involved. As a United Methodist, infant baptism is my norm, so I want to take some time in the blog and examine infant baptism. I will do by looking at the ritual offered in the United Methodist Book of Worship and by looking at three words.

The first word is faith. One of the great stories in the Bible is Jesus’s baptism. John is in the wilderness baptizing people in the Jordan. There must have been a sea of sinful faces, which is why the one sinless face stuck out. It was the face of his perfect cousin, Jesus. John believed in Jesus from the very beginning. It is for this reason he was uncomfortable baptizing Jesus. Why would a sinless person need a sinner’s baptism? Yet, Jesus is determined to be baptized. When Jesus is baptized, something wonderful happens. God, Himself, suddenly appears. God says in Matthew 3:17, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” In other words, God was endorsing Jesus as the Messiah. For the Jews, it meant the waiting was over. The Messiah had finally arrived. To us, it means more. It means that Jesus was the most unique life who ever lived. He was the very incarnation of God, the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Baptism reminds us that Christianity is the one true faith! Baptism is a witness. We are telling the world that Jesus is our only hope of salvation. Moses and Buddha were fine people, but they were not the son of God. They are both dead, but Jesus is alive. That takes us to the second word.

The second word is family. In the scripture lesson, Paul is traveling with Timothy. Who is Timothy? For one thing, Timothy was a product of a Christian home. Timothy’s grandmother was Lois, and his mother was Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy was not a first-generation believer. He was at least a third-generation believer. I do not know how much Paul knew about family dynamics, but I do know this: Paul knew the greatest influence on Timothy’s life was his family. The greatest influence on your life is your family. The greatest influence on the child being baptized is their family.

That is why in the old ritual we ask the parents of the baby these questions:

Beloved, do you in presenting this child for holy Baptism confess your faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

Do you therefore accept your duty and privilege to live before this child a life that becomes the Gospel; to exercise all godly care that he be brought up in the Christian faith, that he be taught the Holy Scriptures, and that he may learn to give the reverent attendance upon the private and public worship of God?

Will you endeavor to keep the child under the ministry and guidance of the church?

The parents always say, “We do” or “We will.” However, on the day the parents answer, “No!” the baptism is over. Infant baptism means nothing if the faith means nothing to the parents. Let me ask you this question: how important is the Christian faith to you? If you want your child to take the Christian faith seriously, then you must take the faith seriously. In infant baptism we are admitting Christianity is the one true faith. In infant baptism the family is promising to be a holy model of Christian living. That takes us to the third word.

The third word is fellowship. There comes a point in the baptism ritual that the attention leaves the baby and the parents – it is now the church’s turn to make the promise. How many times have you recited these words?

With God’s help we will so order our lives after the example of Christ, that this child, surrounded by steadfast love, may be established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to eternal life.

Don’t just read the words, look at the meaning. The church is promising to create a Christian environment to influence the child toward salvation. That is why Vacation Bible School is important. That is why Sunday school is important. That is why the annual youth mission trip is so important. That is why Junior Church is so important. God has entrusted these young souls to the church, so church must do their best. How could you enjoy the riches of heaven if one of these precious souls was missing? This is the truth. We can have the best Christian Education program in the history of the church, but if the parents don’t give the church the opportunity to work with their young, then it means nothing! In infant baptism we are admitting Christianity is the one true faith. In infant baptism the family is promising to be a holy model of Christian living. In infant baptism the fellowship is promising to create a Christian environment.

Years before the war began, Kathryn and I traveled to Ukraine. Even then, the Ukrainian people faced many challenges. A missionary in Ukraine named Patrick was organizing a baptismal service. He was encouraging everyone who had never been baptized to be baptized. I don’t know how else to say it. Spiritually, the Ukrainian people seemed confused. They were part of the Soviet Union, so there is a communist hangover. For this reason, some were atheists. Some Ukrainians professed to be Orthodox, but they have not practiced their faith in decades. Some Ukrainians called themselves Protestants. The Protestants, like Methodists, were lumped together. Some Ukrainians joined cults. When religious freedom came to that land, cults arrived and began teaching their false theology. Patrick’s baptism service was important because he was simply trying to lead the people back to their Christian core. He was not promoting the United Methodist Church. He was simply promoting Jesus! Patrick knew the truth. If we do not have Jesus, then we have nothing at all. That is why baptism is important. Do you remember the quote from Watchman Nee? He once said, “Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith.”

Are You Listening?

A story is told of Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945), who often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said. One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who passed down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work! We are proud of you! God bless you, sir!” It was not till the end of the line, while greeting the ambassador from Bolivia, that his words were heard. Nonplussed, the ambassador leaned over and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

I have told that story many times. I find it to be a humorous story that makes a profound point. This is the point: there is nothing simple about listening. God must be very frustrated that many don’t listen to Him. It is the main point in our scripture reading.

We find ourselves in the sixteenth chapter of Acts, verses six through ten. In the previous chapter, Paul and Barnabas had separated. The conflict circled around John, also called Mark. He had dropped out of the first missionary journey, so Paul found him to be undependable. When the two separated, Barnabas teamed up with John. Paul teamed up with Silas. Paul needed more help, so he enlisted Timothy. We looked at his story in my previous blog.

To completely understand the reading, you must understand the geography of that corner of the world. Our understanding is limited. It will have to suffice to say, Paul, Silas, and Timothy were frustrated. They tried to enter several areas but were unsuccessful. Then, everything changed. When they arrived in the seaport of Troas, God communicated with Paul through a vision. What is a vision? It is the experience of seeing something or someone while in a trance. Paul saw a man starving in Macedonia. Some believe that starving man was Luke himself, the author of Acts. Regardless, Paul got the message. In the morning, the text says Paul got up and traveled to Macedonia. At the very heart of this simple story is the complex word, communication. Paul’s ministry went nowhere until God communicated with him. It is still true today. No ministry will succeed until God communicates His will with us. Communicating with God is vital in ministry if you want to succeed.

Did you know the Bible contains nine different ways that God communicates with us? This is the list. God communicates with us:

Through the scriptures
Through the Holy Spirit
Through fellow believers
Through the audible voice of God
Through dreams
Through angels
Through circumstances
Through hardship
Through visions

The question is not, is God is communicating with us? The question is, are we listening? Perhaps, this is a better question. What is preventing us from hearing God? What is preventing you from hearing God? God is constantly trying to communicate with us, but His words are falling on deaf ears. The problem is not our ears. According to the United States census, only 22% of Americans are deaf. Half of the deaf are over the age of 65 years. The solution to our problem does not include an audiologist. The problem is not that we are bad people. I’ve worked with many good people through the years. There is a bigger issue. In my opinion, the major reason we have a hard time hearing God is that we are too preoccupied to listen. Our lives are so crowded that we have no time left for God. He simply isn’t a priority. It is the price we pay for living in our society. Let me ask you this series of questions:

Are you preoccupied with your reservations? In other words, are you preoccupied with your problems? There is no shortage of problems or worries in our society. Research tells us we are worried about all kinds of things. We are worried about growing older and our health. We are worried about our finances and our job security. We are worried about our wrinkles and our physique. We are worried about not looking attractive. (I worry I am too attractive J ) Are you worried about your pet’s health or age? Are you worried about the future of your neighborhood? What do you worry about in the middle of the night? American author and motivational speaker Leo Buscaglia (1924-1998) once said, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” How much time do you spend worrying?

How much time do you spend thinking about God? You have heard it a million times, faith ends where worries begin. Emotionally, our worries pull us in different directions, but they always pull us away from God. Our worries pull us so far from God it is impossible to hear God. Our worries have crowded Him out. Could that be your story? Are you preoccupied with your reservations? Are you listening to God? That leads me to my next question.

Are you preoccupied with responsibility? Our lives are full of responsibilities. Several years ago, it was reported that the best part of going on vacation was planning the trip. I believe that is true. The trip itself is a great deal of work, but the planning of the trip is very little work. When you plan your trip, you dream of carefree days without any responsibility. Can I be honest with you?

In the final years in the ministry, I grew tired of being responsible. I felt responsible for everything. Every time someone complained, I took it personally. When someone complained about the size of the Sunday school, it was my fault. When someone complained about the youth not attending worship, it was my fault. When a staff member caused a problem, it was my fault. When the temperature wasn’t perfect, it was my fault. When there was a mistake in the bulletin, it was my fault. When church members fought, it was my fault. When the door didn’t get locked, it was my fault. When a light wasn’t turned off, it was my fault. When a bad meal came out of the kitchen, it was my fault. When there wasn’t enough money, it was my fault. When people left the church, it was my fault. When someone got their feelings hurt, it was my fault. I was in the ministry for forty years and did my best. I experienced success, but, in the end, I felt like it was always my fault. In my last year, I was overwhelmed with responsibility. I was majoring in the minors. I was so consumed by responsibility, there was no time left for God. I didn’t retire to get away from preaching, pastoral care, weddings, funerals, or baptisms. I retired to get away from responsibility.

Have you become preoccupied with responsibility? I am not just talking about church, I am talking about your life, your job, your home, your children, your parents. Would it be nice to have some “me time”? If there is no time left for you, then there is even less time left for God. No wonder God has a hard time communicating with us. Are you preoccupied with your responsibilities? Are you listening to God? That leads us to the next question.

Are you preoccupied with your recreation? There is nothing wrong with recreation. With all our responsibilities, we need some recreation. I love this time of year in Ohio. The leaves are changing, the weather is cool, and sports are taking over my television. As I write this blog, the post season is on in Major League Baseball. I have watched several games. I will watch more as the World Series draws near. I love football. I follow local high school teams on Friday night. I watch college football throughout the week, but it dominates my Saturdays. Professional football is on from Thursday through Monday. It dominates my Sunday. Now they are airing preseason professional basketball and hockey. It is a great time of year!

Years ago, I was in Florida during the fall. On Sunday morning, I decided to go to church. I will be honest with you. I picked the closest church. I don’t remember what tribe it belonged to. I do remember the service because it was great. The music was fine, and the prayers were sincere. The message was well thought out and powerfully delivered. The whole service fed my soul, and I didn’t want it to end. When the benediction was given, I just stood there trying to absorb the last ounces of the Holy Spirit. When I opened my eyes to leave, a man walked up to me and said, “Do you think the Dolphins will win today?” He missed the whole thing because he was preoccupied with recreation. There is nothing wrong with recreation, until it starts pushing God out. How much time do you spend on your recreation? How much time do you spend trying to listen to God? Are you listening to God?

On June 7, 2014, comedian Tracy Morgan (born 1968) was involved in a six-car traffic accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. One person died, Morgan’s friend and collaborator James McNair (1951-2014). Morgan was lucky, he lived, but he found himself in a coma. He said, ““You don’t die for a few weeks and then come back to normal, trust me. Something’s going to be missing, something’s going to be gained—you just got to live your life after that. But after surviving something like that, I’m probably never going to feel normal. I went to the other side.” Morgan said while he was in that coma God spoke to him. What did God say to Tracy Morgan? Morgan said that God said, “Your room ain’t ready. I still have something for you to do.” Do you believe that God spoke to Tracy Morgan? Do you believe that God is trying to communicate with us? The question is not, is God communicating with us. The question is, are you listening?

Following Sherman

We find ourselves in the first five verses of the sixteenth chapter of Acts. So much has happened, it is impossible to summarize. By this chapter, Paul has taken center stage. His first missionary journey is complete, and he is about to embark on his second. However, before he leaves, he enlists some new help. His list of potential helpers is short. As a matter of fact, only one name is mentioned, Timothy. According to our text, Timothy was the product of a mixed marriage. His mother was a Jewess believer, and his father was a Greek, or Gentile, non-believer. His references spoke of him in glowing terms. Having just stated these facts, one question remains: why Timothy? What was it about Timothy that made him stand out? What made him an excellent candidate? That is the question I want to try to answer. They are the same qualities that God is looking for today. Could it be you have some of those qualities? Let me begin with the obvious.

Timothy was not selected by Paul for any physical reasons. This was not like the NFL draft where the physically gifted are selected first. We do not know how much Timothy weighed. We do not know how fast Timothy could run. We do not know if Timothy was extremely quick or tall. We do not know if Timothy was short or overweight. Luke does not include any of this information for one reason – it simply doesn’t matter. Church history is filled with people of every physical description. Timothy was not selected by Paul for any physical reason.Your physical state does not excuse you from Christian service. That is a good thing.

Timothy was not selected by Paul because he was the right age. I know age is one of the factors in this story. We can assume Timothy was young. He must be young. Both his parents and his grandmother are still alive. In First Timothy 4:12 Paul tells us that Timothy was young. However, age does not seem to be the driving force behind Paul’s choice. If he was a United Methodist, it would be a factor. Did you know the medium age in America today is 38 years-old? Did you know the average age of a United Methodist is 57 years-old? Did you know our denomination has intentionally decided to shrink that gap by promoting more youthful laity and clergy? I believe every generation has something to offer. After all, God uses every generation. Timothy was not selected by Paul because he was the right age. Your age is no excuse for not serving God.

Timothy was not selected by Paul for any economic reasons. There is no mention of money in this story. However, I do know that money is important. If you don’t believe me, then try to live without it. Try to maintain your church ministries and building without money. It would have been easier if Timothy had some extra cash. He could have paid for everyone’s lunch. He could have paid for some traveling expenses. He could have paid for some advertising. If Timothy had had some money, then they could have eliminated all the fundraising. The problem is, money isn’t mentioned in the story, so money wasn’t a major factor. Timothy was not selected for any economic reasons. So why was Timothy selected? Timothy was selected for one reason, FAITH!

Second Corinthians 5:6-9 says:

Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 

Timothy was a man of faith. Faith isn’t a magic wand to get what you want. Faith is a deep trust in God, who knows what is best. Does your faith teeter on getting what you want? Is your faith rooted in trusting God? The two are a million miles apart. The great Martin Luther (1483-1546) once said, “God our Father has made all things depend on faith, so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.”

When I was in high school, I had a friend by the name of Nancy. We attended high school youth group together. She was bright and attractive. However, there was no romance, just friendship. The love of her life as a teenager was her horse. To say the least, she was an extrovert. She made every experience fun. I spent hours with her acting silly and laughing. Years later, I attended her wedding and had more fun at the reception. A year later, she told me she was going to have a baby. Her future seemed so bright. Then a horrible thing happened. Both she and her baby died during the birth. Her husband struggled for answers and her parents mourned – she was an only child. My parents told me her parents left the church because they didn’t believe in God anymore. How could God do such a horrible thing? Their faith was gone. I don’t want to be critical, but they didn’t get the memo. There is nothing easy about life or the faith. Faith is not a magic wand to get what you want. Faith is trusting God to know what is best.

Over Memorial weekend in 2016, Kathryn and I traveled to Vicksburg, Mississippi. We love history, and in particular, Civil War history. Today, Vicksburg is a struggling community on the Mississippi, but in the 1860’s it was a booming metropolis. Do you remember your American history? If the Confederates controlled Vicksburg, they controlled the entire Mississippi River. It was vital that the Union take Vicksburg. Ohio born U.S. Grant made that happen because of a forty-seven-day siege. Once Vicksburg fell, the Confederacy was cut in half and the Mississippi was opened to commerce again. That battle happened in 1863. However, the Union occupied Vicksburg for years to come.

One of the great names attached to that battle was Ohio born William T. Sherman (1820-1891). In time, he would make it to Atlanta, and then complete his famous march to Savannah, the famous “March to the Sea”. You can say, in Vicksburg he practiced for his future success. Trying to isolate the state of Mississippi from the war, he traveled 180 miles from Vicksburg to Meridian, Mississippi. He destroyed railroad lines and private property along the way. Sherman was confident that he would succeed, but one thing did surprise him. He never expected freed slaves to follow him and his army along the way. That would happen time and time again, until the end of the war. They followed Sherman for one reason: they didn’t just believe in Sherman, they had faith in Sherman. They really didn’t know what the future held. There were no promises of free money, education, or a piece of land. The only thing those former slaves knew was life had to be better following him. Blindly, they followed Sherman because they believed he knew what was best for them. That is true faith. The former slaves had faith in Sherman. Timothy had faith in Jesus. Timothy was selected because he had faith. This is my question for you:

Are you a person of faith? I am not talking about magic wand faith. I am talking about the kind of faith that trusts God no matter how hard life gets. American author and minister Max Lucado (born 1955) once said, “Faith is not the belief that God will do what we want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.”