Children of the Light

On February 3, 2013, the city of New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. San Francisco played Baltimore. The Ravens won 34-31. It was a perfect evening for the National Football League, except for a few embarrassing moments. Early in the third quarter there was a blackout in the Superdome. Over 108.4 million people were watching the game when the lights suddenly went out. At the time, it was a big issue with a surplus of finger pointing. The media had a field day. They interviewed many about the situation.

One media outlet interviewed three women who were at the game. They were in one of the sections that grew dark. The interviewer asked them what they did. They said they did three things. First, they tried to stay calm. Second, they decided to stay together. Third, they left their seats and headed toward the exit. They never left the stadium, but they stood near the exit. One of the women said, “We stood near the exit and looked out into the city streets. We saw a light in the distance and decided to run toward that light if something went wrong.” That is the story of the Christian faith. At some point in your life, you ran toward “the light of the world” for protection. That takes us to our scripture reading.

Our scripture reading is Ephesians 5:8-14. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Christian congregation in the city of Ephesus, which is in present day Turkey, approximately the year AD 60. I had the good fortune to visit there last year. It is an amazing place, and the background of the epistle is important. Paul is not writing to them to address any problem. There is no sign of heresy or internal conflict. Instead, Paul is writing them with a word of encouragement. He is challenging them not to be content with their present spiritual condition. Instead, they must strive for perfection. In other words, they must strive to be a little more like Jesus every day. To completely understand the text, you must know Paul uses the word “light” to symbolize Jesus. His thought is not original. Jesus called himself “the light of the world” in John 8:12. That makes us, as disciples of Jesus Christ, children of the light, and as children of the light we are striving to become like Jesus.

That does not mean conversion is not important. Every conversion story stands on its own. There is no such thing as a good story or a bad story. It is just your story. Some conversion stories are filled with sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Like jumping off the high drive, everything changed in an instant. Some conversion stories lack fireworks. You waded into the faith because you were loved by Christian people. Your parents took you to church, enrolled you in Sunday school then confirmation class, and sent you to church camp or on a mission trip. When the Holy Spirit moved you, you accepted Jesus. No one noticed but you would never be the same again. How you accepted Jesus really doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you accepted Jesus. However, conversion is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of the story. It is the beginning of a journey that will consume your life.

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior forty-nine years ago. I like to think I have made some progress in the faith. I hate to think my faith is the same as it was as a seventeen-year-old boy. Your spiritual growth is not an option, it is expected. 1 Peter 2:2-3 says, “Like newborn babes, carve spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” As children of the light, Jesus should transform your life. The bloggers at Divinity Jewells say Jesus should transform our lives in four ways.

Jesus transforms our minds. Romans 2:2 says, “Do not conform to the ways of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Paul understood one of the great influences on our lives is our environment. The country in which we are born, the community in which we live, the family in which we belong, all influence us. That is not always a bad thing, but there is a risk. The attitudes of our environment can run contrary to the ways of God. For example, we are taught to love conditionally, but Jesus loves unconditionally. Our attitudes should never completely be conformed to the ways of this world. Jesus must be the greatest influence on your life. My we never forget we are just visitors in this world.

Jesus transforms our desires. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” What does your heart desire? It is a fair question. Many in our world desire the best for themselves. How many people do you know desire wealth, so they dream of winning the lottery? Others desire recognition, status, position, and fame. The world tells us to desire the best for ourselves, but Jesus desired the best for others. Sometimes it was the temporary things of this world – health and security. Sometimes it was eternal things – salvation. The spiritual mature desire what Jesus desired. Jesus desired what was best for others. What do you desire?

Jesus transforms our relationships. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus commands us to love one another the way that he loves us. In Matthew 26:37-38, Jesus tells us loving our neighbor is the second greatest commandment. How would your relationships change if you simply loved the people in your life? How much drama would you eliminate from your life if you simply loved the people in your life. And everyone in your life loved you? Our relationships are extremely valuable.

Jesus transforms our purpose. In my time in the ministry, I never forgot the bigger picture. I was not working for profit. I was not working for my church or my Bishop. I was working for the Kingdom of God. It consumed me. That is why my personal witness was important. That is why I gave my best to every church I served. John 15:16 says we are to bear fruit that will last. I hope I did. What is your purpose in life?

When I was in seminary, I served a small membership church in Garrard County, Kentucky. The people of the Pleasant Grove Christian Church were patient with me. They were kind to me at a time when I needed some kindness. Most of my parishioners are gone, but I long to worship in that church one more time. If I did anything positive in the ministry, it was because of them. They encouraged me at a time when I needed some encouragement. Without them, I would have left the ministry. That church had a custom that was unique. I have never experienced it anywhere else.

They called it the “The Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing.” The concept was simple. On the fifth Sunday of the month the various Christian churches in the county got together. The location rotated but the order of worship was constant. The host pastor welcomed everyone, invited the crowd to stay for refreshments, and prayed. We would sing a few congregational hymns, then all the choirs from the various churches shared two pieces. Near the end of the service the pastor would ask if anyone had a testimony to share. A few brave souls would come forward to speak. One man from the Mount Hebron Christian Church came forward every time we gathered.

He was an older gentleman who wore an old dark suit, yellowed white shirt and a tie with an American flag print. His story was simple and sincere. He was sixteen years old, and his mother insisted he attend the annual revival. Reluctantly, he went and sat in the corner of the back row. He expected to leave before the benediction, but the preacher talked about hell that evening. The topic grabbed his attention and he hung on every word. He didn’t want to go to hell, so when the altar call was given, he ran to the front of the church as the congregation sang “I Surrender All.” He ended his testimony full of emotions. His final words were, “Thank-you Jesus! Thank-you Lord!” It was a fine story.

I served that congregation for three years and I never missed a Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing, so I must have heard that gentleman’s story twelve times. I knew his testimony better than I knew my own. His testimony was excellent, but it was incomplete. I wanted to ask him if God had done something for him since he was sixteen years old? What was the rest of his story? The Apostle Paul was encouraging the Christians at Ephesus to continue to grow spiritually. As Children of the light, we must continue to grow spiritually too. American author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck (1936-2005) once said, “The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning.”

Perfect Balance

On February 24, 1584, Pope Gregory VIII (1105-1187) signed a papal decree that the Christian world would accept the new Gregorian calendar. The motivation behind the Gregorian calendar was the Julian calendar, which assumes that the earth takes 365.25 days to circle around the sun. The days are divided into twelve months and an extra day is added every four years. According to the Gregorian calendar the new year begins on the first day of January.

Today, the new year is celebrated around the world. Can you name any other holiday that the world, in its entirety, embraces more than New Years? Did you know Sydney, Australia celebrates the New Year by exploding 80,000 fireworks for an estimated crowd of 1.5 million at the stroke of midnight? In Valparaiso, Chile two million come to see fireworks explode. In England, everyone gathers at the London Eye to watch fireworks as Big Ben strikes midnight. In New York City, a crystal ball is dropped in a one-minute countdown in Times Square. Edinburgh, Scotland hosts the world’s largest Hogmanay events to celebrate the New Year. The event lasts four days. In Rio de Janeiro two million people gather on the famous Copacabana Beach to watch a fifteen-minute fireworks display. Finally, in Central America New Year’s events are scheduled throughout the entire month of January.

Can I ask you a simple question? Why do so many people get excited about New Years? The world does not celebrate any other day on the calendar like New Year’s Day. Why January 1? Just think about it. There is nothing special about March 1. We barely notice it. No one cares about August 1. The world does not notice the coming of November 1. December 1 is lost in the Christmas season. What makes January 1 so special? Why do so many people get excited about a New Year? If you surveyed the worldwide crowds, then you would discover there are several reasons why people celebrate the New Year.

Some celebrate the New Year because they will celebrate anything. This group is always ready to party. Are you in this group? They are the same people who pretend to be Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day. They are the same people who pretend to have Mexican roots on Cinco De Mayo. For this group any reason is a good reason to party, so why not celebrate New Year’s Day?

Some celebrate the New Year because they are glad to see the old year go. Maybe you are glad to see 2023 go. For many, it was a difficult year. I have had years I am glad to see end. You will always remember 2023 as the year you did not have a job. You will remember 2023 as the year you lost a loved one. Or you may remember 2023 as the year you discovered that you had cancer or some other health issue. Every year is not a happy year. I remember 2020 as the year of the pandemic. It frustrated our good lives. Some years are a mix of the very best and the very worst. 2021 was the year my daughter got married and the year I had major surgery. How will you remember 2023?

Some celebrate the New Year because it symbolizes a brand-new start. Do you need a brand-new start? I use an electronic calendar, but my wife still uses a paper calendar. I will admit it, there is something about a brand-new paper calendar. Your old calendar is faded and worn but your new calendar is clear and crisp. Each day is empty and filled with possibilities. What do you want to do better in 2024? What area of your life do you want to improve? That is why people make New Year’s resolutions. Have you ever made a resolution to mend a broken relationship? Have you ever made a resolution to watch less television and read more? Have you ever made a resolution to eat less or exercise more? Now is the time to improve yourself! There is no better time to improve yourself than right now.Let us look at our scripture lesson.

We are instructed today from the first nine verses in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. These words were written by King Solomon. He will always be remembered as a man of wisdom. Some have questioned that because he had 700 wives. (One is enough for me!) Our scripture reminds us that life should be lived in balance. There is no way you could miss the pattern of these verses. There is a time for this and a time for that. If you look at the text, you discover that the this’s and the that’s are linked. Nothing should be done all the time. Nothing should be eliminated all the time. Life is meant to be lived in a certain balance. For example, no one should work 24/7. On the other hand, no one should vacation 24/7. The wise one, Solomon, tells us life must be lived in balance. Are you living your life in balance?

Is your spiritual life in balance? In Matthew 4:4, Jesus quotes, Deuteronomy 8:3. It says, “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Our world has a surplus of people who are living spiritually out of balance. There is a time to do the temporary things of this world and a time to do the eternal things of God. How much time do you spend doing temporary secular things? (Working, paying bills, cleaning the house) How much time do you spend doing eternal things with God? (Worship, devotion, prayer) Solomon believed mankind is basically blind to God’s meaning for man’s existence. We spend our days chasing after things that really don’t matter. How many meaningless things are going to fill your calendar in 2024? How much time are you going to give God in 2024?

This is the good news for today – now is the time! There is no better time to improve yourself than right now. Now is the time to break your old secular patterns and draw near to God. My goal is to help you live more balanced lives, spiritually. I am going to do that by reminding you of one thing and then challenge you to do something else. There is a time for the things of this world and there is a time for God.

First, if you want to live a balanced spiritual life then I want to remind you that you are a child of God. That is easy to forget in our world. We are so busy running around; we are so busy dealing with life’s problems and challenges. Never forget, you belong to God. The Westminster Confession of Faith says, “The purpose of life is to glorify God.” In Romans 14:8 Paul says, “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Never forget that you are a child of God. Is the way that you live bringing glory to God?

On September 3, 1967, the old television game show What’s My Line? went off the air. It had been a staple on CBS for seventeen years, airing 867 episodes. Do you remember What’ s My Line? If you do, then you have been watching television for over fifty-five years! Do you remember how the game was played? What’s My Line was a guessing game. The three-person panel would ask the guest ten yes and no questions. They were trying to discover their vocation. At the end the panelists would guess what the guest did for a living. In seventeen years, the country discovered there were many odd vocations and many people who did not stereotypically look like their vocation. So let me ask you the question:

What is your line? You can earn money in many ways. You may be a teacher, preacher, librarian, engineer, secretary, or a person of business. Those are ways to earn money, but they are not your primary purpose in life. Your job is just a part that you play in this world. It is how you pay the bills. However, what you really are is a child of God. If you are going to live a balanced life, both secularly and spiritually, then never forget your true purpose, to glorify God. Does your life bring glory to God? Or do you have some work to do?

Second, if you want to live a balanced spiritual life then I challenge you to develop a plan to help you grow spiritually. In other words, I want you to schedule God into your life. I hope you make God a real priority in your life. There should be a time for service and a time for spiritual disciplines. Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) once said, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Now is the time. What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024?

Years ago, I preached a sermon series on the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. Do you remember his story? He went back to the city of Jerusalem. The city at that point in history lay in ruins. Nehemiah dreamed of building a wall around the city so he could rebuild it. Along the way we learned that he was both a visionary and a leader. We learned he was detail oriented. Do you remember? He had a plan. He knew the length of the completed wall. He knew the height of the completed wall. He knew the thickness of the completed wall. Based on those facts he knew what he needed to complete the wall. Having a plan doesn’t mean you don’t trust God, having a plan simply means you going to do your best for God.

What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024? Maybe one of the reasons you aren’t growing in faith is that you don’t have a plan? Now is the time to plan. How much time are you planning on giving God this year? Are you going to read the Bible more? Are you going to pray more? Are you going to mediate more? Have you scheduled God into your life, or doesn’t God fit into your plans for this year? What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024? Let me end with the random facts.

Did you know the first electric light was so dim that a candle was needed to see its socket? Did you know the first steamboat took 32 hours to chug its way from New York City to Albany, 150 miles? Did you know Wilbur and Orville Wright’s first airplane flight lasted only 12 seconds? Did you know the first automobiles traveled 2 to 4 miles per hour and broke down often? Carriages would pass them with their passengers shouting, “Get a horse!” What do those stories teach us? How you begin really doesn’t matter. What matters more is how you end.

How are going to end 2024? Are you going to be closer to God then you are at this moment? The great wise one, Solomon, said mankind is basically blind to God’s meaning for man’s existence. We spend our days chasing after things that really don’t matter. Life is meant to be lived in perfect balance! Is your life in perfect balance between the temporary things of this world and the eternal things of God? Or do you have some work to do. Now is the time to begin.

Ther Savior is Born

Everyone knows the name Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). He was a French statesman and military leader, who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. He was the Emperor of France from 1804-1814, and for a short time in 1815. During those years he dominated Europe. In 1809, the name Napoleon grabbed the headlines of every international newspaper. Yet, under the headlines God was at work.

The year 1809 was quite a year in the history of the world. For in that year, some significant babies were born. For example, in 1809, William Gladstone (1809-1898) was born. He grew up to be one of England’s finest statesmen. The great writer Alford Lloyd Tennyson (1809-1892) was born in 1809 to a minister and his wife. In 1809, Oliver Wendall Holmes (1809-1894) was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In Boston, Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was born. In 1809, a physician and his wife, the Darwin’s, welcomed their son into the world. They named him Charles Robert (1809-1882). In 1809, a baby was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky to the Lincolns. They named him Abraham (1809-1865). Napoleon may have been dominating the headlines, but God was moving under the headlines. It has always been that way.

Our scripture reading is Luke 2:1-7. The headline on the day Jesus was born must have read: HIGHER TAXES! No one wanted to read that headline because no one wants higher taxes. Yet, taxes cannot be ignored. So, for that reason, a decree went out throughout the entire Roman world. Everyone had to return home to be counted for tax reasons. Joseph was not excluded. He was required to return to his hometown, Bethlehem. It is not as simple as it sounds. Joseph was traveling with his true love, Mary. The journey began in Nazareth, Mary’s hometown, so the journey was seventy miles long. To make the story even more complicated, Mary was pregnant, and Joseph was not the biological father. She conceived, not by the help of a man, but through the Holy Spirit. Timing is everything. The child comes after the long journey. Some say the baby came while Mary was in a barn, some say he was born in a cave. Regardless, the baby was born surrounded by animals, so they had to be careful where they stepped. Joseph and Mary did as God commanded. According to the Gospel of Matthew, they gave him the name Jesus. It is important that you know Jesus means “to save.” This is the question you must answer: What did Jesus save us from? In this blog, I am going to look at three answers to that one question. This is the first answer.

Jesus came to save us from disillusionment. One of the great stories of this season is A Christmas Carol. It was written by Charles Dickens (1812-1870) in 1843. You know the story. The theology is poor, but the theme is wonderful. The story revolves around a man named Ebenezer Scrooge. When we first meet him, he is a selfish, greedy businessman. His now famous response, “Bah Humbug!” has become a symbol of a disillusioned spirit. However, thanks to the visits of three ghosts, the ghosts of past, present and future, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is transformed. By Christmas morning his transformation is complete. He became generous, loving, and a gracious servant of society. The reason our society can’t get enough of A Christmas Carol is, we all relate to Ebenezer Scrooge. Can I ask you a question? Have you ever grown disillusioned?

Jesus came to remind us that there is more to this world, than this world itself. The next time you feel disillusioned, remember this. The God of the universe, who created this entire world out of nothing, knows your name. When you are at your lowest, listen for God. He is calling your name to remind you that you are a person of significance. How important are you? You are so important, God sent his one and only son into this world to die for you, so God can spend eternity with you. Jesus came to save us from our disillusionment. This is the second answer.

Jesus came to save us from defeat. In 1939, a man by the name of Robert May (1905-1976) worked for Montgomery Ward department store. For marketing purposes, he was asked to create a new Christmas character. So, he combined two famous characters, Santa Claus and the Ugly Duckling. He called his new character Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer. You know this story too. The misfit reindeer goes on to save the day. Except for a few “Bah Humbug” people, everybody loves the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer because everybody can relate to Rudolph. We all dream of being the hero. Let me tell you another story.

In 1960, Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994) became the first American woman to win three gold medals in the Olympic Games. Millions of Americans were glued to their television sets that summer. They believed she was the greatest female athlete ever. What made Wilma Rudolph resonate with so many was her personal story. For the first three years of her life, she couldn’t walk and wore heavy braces. The reason was her left leg was paralyzed. Medical experts said she had no hope of ever walking, but Wilma didn’t listen to the experts. She listened to her heart. She worked those long legs in Clarksville, Tennessee, and beat the odds. She became the fastest woman in the world!

I am not going to lie to you. I have known many good people who feel lost. However, I will say this: The nativity stands as a reminder to the fact that God came into the world to stand with us. Jesus was not born in the palace surrounded by aristocrats. He was born in a barn surrounded by commoners, like us. Sometimes, we experience victory, and sometimes, we do not. As Christian people, we know the truth. God is always by our side, and in the end, we are going to be victorious. In the end, everyone who believes in Jesus is going to heaven. Jesus came to save us from our disillusionment. Jesus came to save us from defeat. However, there is more. This is the third answer.

Jesus came to save us from death. It has been said, “Death is not extinguishing the light from the Christian; it is putting out the lamp before the dawn.” When I first read that quote, I thought of my grandfather, Roger Adams. He was the greatest man I have ever known. He had the ability to make any situation fun. He had the gift of making everyone in his life feel important and special. This is his story. He was born in Pierpont, Ohio, just south of Conneaut. As a teenager his leg was damaged in a train accident. His father, my great-grandfather, refused to let the doctor amputate his leg. My grandfather had his leg, but he always struggled with that bad leg. Maybe that is why he was the first Adams to leave the farm and head to the big city. He moved to the bright lights of Ashtabula, Ohio. He had many jobs in his life, but the only job I remember him holding was on the docks of Ashtabula harbor. It was a good job, but it was not the job he really wanted. He wanted to go into the ministry, but he never had the opportunity. When I went into the ministry, I wasn’t just fulfilling my dream. I was fulfilling his dream of ministry too. In the twelfth chapter of Hebrews, it says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, saints, who are cheering us on to do our best. One of those saints cheering me on is my grandfather, Roger Adams. When I see him again in heaven, I am going to tell him everything he missed in the ministry. I am going to tell him I was passionate about the ministry because I did it for the two of us. The Ecology Global Network tells us that two people in our world die every second. You must know someone in that great cloud. There must be someone you miss. There must be someone you will never forget.

I have many questions, but there is one thing I know for sure. Someday, I am going to heaven. I am not making this statement because I think I am a good person or a perfect person. I know I cannot save myself by my good works or by being a good person. I know I am saved by grace and by grace alone, and I lean heavily on grace. I am going to heaven because I worship a perfect Savior. I am going to heaven because of Jesus, who was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. May we never forget it. Salvation is a gift! Salvation is yours by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. When I get to heaven, I am going to look for Roger Adams, the greatest man I have ever known. Who are you going to look for when you get to heaven?

On December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, after many attempts, Orville (1871-1948) and Wilber Wright (1867-1912) got their flying machine off the ground. Orville was the pilot. He flew for 12 seconds and went 120 feet. The world would never be the same again. Wanting to share their good news, the Wright brothers telegraphed their sister, Katherine (1874-1929), back in Dayton, Ohio this simple message: WE HAVE ACTUALLY FLOWN 120 FEET. WE WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. Katherine was thrilled her brothers had flown and wanted to share their good news with the world. She went to the editor of the local newspaper and handed him the message. He read it and responded, “How nice! The boys will be home for Christmas.” He totally missed the big news!

I hope you don’t miss the big news. The Savior of the world is born! He came to save us from our own disillusionment. He came to save us from defeat. He came to save us from death. Do you remember the words of the unnamed angel in the first chapter of Matthew? The angel said, “She will give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

At Peace

We find ourselves in the second chapter of Luke, verses eight through fourteen. The scene is a familiar one. Perhaps it is so familiar, the shock has worn off. After centuries of waiting, the Savior of the world has been born. For generations, everyone longed for his arrival, because he would solve all their problems. Everyone assumed he would be born in the palace; after all, he was a king. Everyone was wrong. (You know what they say about assuming.) He was born in a barn or cave. To the world, his parents, Joseph and Mary, were just another poor couple. Aren’t the poor always having children they can’t afford? According to the Gospel of Matthew, they named him Jesus. The name means “to save.”

It was the greatest moment in human history, but the world almost missed it. An announcement had to be made. It was delivered to an unimpressive group of hard-working shepherds, despised by the religious of their world, but obviously valued by God. Our scripture reading tells us, once the announcement was given, the messenger was surrounded by a great company of singing angels. Their sheet music is long gone, but their words remain: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. We call those words Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the first words in the Latin Vulgate translation. We know those words because they are great words, but what do those words mean? How do you interpret that verse? That is not a simple task.

Some believe the angels are speaking about internal peace. One of my favorite Christmas movies is Home Alone. You may know the background. Home Alone was released in 1990. It was made for $18 million and has grossed approximately $354,000,000. It was filmed in Winnetka, Illinois, and stars Macaulay Culkin (born 1980) as Kevin McCallister. You remember the storyline. Eight-year-old Kevin finds himself home alone, because he got lost in the shuffle as his family leaves for their Christmas vacation. At first, he celebrates his independence, but in time he begins to value his family. Near the end of the movie, Kevin begins to regret how he had treated his family. He walks into a church and confesses his feelings to a stranger, who has his own family problems. The stranger, Kevin’s neighbor, a weird old man, has a great line. He says, “You’re in church now. This is the place to come when you are feeling bad about yourself.” It is a secular movie, but it holds a divine truth.

Have you ever gone to church to find some rest? The world is exhausting because the world promotes your failures. During my time in the ministry, I sat alone in my church’s sanctuary many times because I needed some peace. What I really needed was Jesus. Augustine (354–430) once said, “Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in God.” Internal peace is important! How exhausted are you? Internal peace is important, but it is not the right interpretation.

Some believe the angels are speaking of political peace. Did you know, historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India tell us, since the year 3600 BC, the world has only been free of war 292 years? During that same period, there have been 14,352 wars, killing 3.7 billion people. The amount of property destroyed during those wars would pay for a golden belt large enough to surround the world, 98 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Did you know that since 650 BC, there have been 1,656 arms races, and only 16 have not ended in war. Most countries involved in a war end up in economic collapse. Did you know there are thirty-two wars raging in our world today, taking more than 526,000 who die annually because of violence associated with armed conflict? Our time is not the only one. There has always been a shortage of peace in our world. Political peace is important, but it is not the right interpretation.

Some believe the angels are speaking of social peace. I love baseball. I remember the night Hank Aaron (born 1934) broke Babe Ruth’s home run record on April 8, 1974. Al Downing of the Los Angelos Dodgers allowed the home run. He held that record for thirty-three years. When his 23-year baseball career ended, he was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame and went to work for the Atlanta Braves. In my eyes, Hank Aaron is a somebody.

One night, he was checking into a hotel, but the clerk didn’t recognize him and told him there were no rooms available. The owner of the hotel recognized Hank Aaron and pulled the clerk to the side. He said, “That is Hank Aaron. He is the one who broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. Tell him we will find him a room.” The clerk went back to the counter and said to Hank, “I am sorry, Mr. Aaron. I didn’t recognize you. Of course, we have a room for you. I didn’t know you were a somebody.” I love Hank Aaron’s response. He said, “Everybody is a somebody.” How would our world change if we treated everybody like somebody?

There is a certain amount of logic to this interpretation. After all, God sees everybody as a somebody, because God loves everyone. It is God’s desire to have everyone accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so God can spend eternity with everyone. If you treated everyone as a somebody, how would your relationships change? You know the truth, revenge is never sweet. Violence breeds more violence. Hatred poisons the soul. Resentment, jealousy, bigotry, and prejudices are spiritual viruses that will kill your soul. Hank Aaron was right! Everybody is a somebody. Those interpretations are not all bad. Internal peace is important. Political peace is important. Social peace is important, but those interpretations are not correct.

The angels are speaking about peace with God. It is the kind of peace that satisfies your entire being. The great hymn writer of the Methodist movement, Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was at peace with God. He wrote approximately 6,500 hymns. In one of his hymns, he talks about his peace with God. Read the words slowly:

I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade

My griefs expire, my troubles cease;

Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,

Keep me still in perfect peace.

Charles Wesley was at peace with God. This is the question you must answer today: Are you at peace with God? Consider these two stories with me.

Nicholas Ridley (1550-1555) was an English Bishop in London. However, he is remembered for being one of the greatest martyrs in the history of the church. His witness for Christ was unfailing. He died burned at a stake. On the night before his execution, his brother came to visit him in prison. He wanted to add some comfort. Ridley refused the offer. He told his brother to go home, because he wanted to get a good night’s rest, because he was going to meet Jesus the next day. Those who guarded over him said he slept soundly that night.

One of my favorite movies is The Outlaw Josey Wales. It was released in 1976 and stars Clint Eastwood (born 1930) in the title role. He plays the part of a Missouri farmer who joins a Confederate guerrilla unit at the close of the American Civil War. He ends up on the run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family. Along the way, he encounters a variety of characters. One of those characters was a young man by the name of Jamie, who got wounded. Wales cares for his wounds and bonds with him as they run. At a certain point Jamie admits, “Josey, I’m afraid to die.” Jamie is not alone. I meet people regularly who are afraid to die because they still question their eternity. This is the question you must answer.

Are you afraid to die? Are you more like Nicholas Ridley, who was at peace with God, or Jamie, who was facing an unknown future? I am not a perfect person, but I sleep well

at night because I am at peace with God. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior years ago. The angels sang those words to the shepherds, but their words are still true today: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. Are you at peace with God?

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.”

The Day The Law Died

We found ourselves in the ninth chapter of Acts, verses nine through twenty-three. According to the text, it is about noon, and Peter is near Caesarea. He finds the home of a fellow disciple and ascends the stairs to the fat roof. That sounds odd to our ears, but it was common in those days. Homes were built with flat roofs for privacy. Peter wanted to use that privacy to pray. However, prayer must have been difficult because he was hungry. Just think about it for a minute. It is noon and he is hungry. That means it is lunchtime.

I don’t want to shock you, but I like lunch. It is one of my three favorite meals. I am not a picky eater. I will eat anything for lunch, anywhere. Several times a week, I meet for lunch in a local restaurant with various friends. The best is when I meet my wife Kathryn for lunch. However, I never complain when I eat lunch at home. I have eaten many leftovers for lunch through the years. There is nothing better than a cold slice of pizza, cold pasta, or a cold baked potato with some sour cream. In my time, I have eaten gallons of ramen noodles. They are cheap and ready in just three minutes. I have never met a sandwich I didn’t like. There is nothing better than a roast beef and Colby cheese sandwich with horseradish. My favorite beverage with that is a tall glass of buttermilk. Don’t get me started on goose liver and onion on a cracker with mustard. I consider that the food of the gods. One time, when I was in Russia, I ate goat soup for lunch. It was kind of stringy. Do I have to go on? This is the point: I am not a picky eater.

Peter was a picky eater. He only ate certain things. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them. He had never eaten them because the Old Testament law did not permit them. Never forget, Peter was Jewish. From the very beginning of his life, his diet was controlled by the law. Leviticus 11 laid out what was permitted and what was not permitted. You must understand that fact to appreciate what happens next. According to the text, as he waits for his lunch to be delivered, Peter falls into a trance. He sees food. (Have you ever dreamed about food? I have.) He sees a giant picnic filled with everything he has never been permitted to eat. It is too good to be true. God basically says to him in verse 13, “Chow down!” Peter protests because change has always been hard. God tells him nothing is off limits, everything is good. Peter must have never forgotten that day. It was the day the law died. Without the law, Peter’s life became simpler. Just think about it for a moment.

Did you know the Old Testament contains 613 laws? Three hundred and sixty-five are negative in nature. Two hundred and forty-eight are positive. You can classify those laws into three groups. The first group are the self-evident laws, such as the law the laws against murder and stealing. The second group deals with religious duty or tradition, such as keeping the Sabbath holy. The third group is random laws. They don’t fall into any category. In addition to the 613 laws, the Pharisees, experts on the law, created other laws to protect the original laws. You would think 613 laws would be enough, but no. There are more.

In the mid nineteenth century, the world started working on something called “international law”. Countless hours were spent in the League of Nations and the United Nations trying to refine international law. It sounds simple but it is complex. How do you distill all the laws in the world and find common ground? Every culture looks at the world in a different way. International law has become a big deal because our world is growing smaller, due to advances in transportation and communication. International law is important if we are ever going to have world peace. There are so many international laws they can be broken down into three categories, international economic laws, international security laws, and international criminal laws. You would think that would be enough laws, but no. There are more.

Someone once said the United States, or any nation, is nothing more than a series of laws. On the Fourth of July the United States will turn 247 years old. Over that time, our government has produced many laws. They are necessary to regulate behavior. They are not all bad; some laws are good. I am all for the law that says you can’t drive your car down the sidewalk. Without it, people would get killed. I am for the law that says you must pass through airport security before you get on a plane. Our world is a violent place. I am for the law that says convicted sex offenders must register, because it protects our young. I am for the law that says that everyone can own property and vote. I am for the laws that bans any form of discrimination. I am against the Ohio law that says it is illegal to fish for whales on Sunday. However, I am for the law that prohibits dueling. You would think between international law and national law, and state laws there would be enough laws, but no. There are more.

Every organization has its own laws. The church is no exception. In the church, we call laws “rules”. They do the same thing. They regulate behavior. The United Methodist Church has certain rules we must follow. They are all found in the United Methodist Book of Discipline. Did you know we are required to audit the books of every financial account found within any United Methodist congregation annually. Did you know no alcohol can be consumed within any United Methodist Church building? Did you know there will be no gambling or games of chance, within any United Methodist Church building? When I served in the United Methodist Church, I was required to attend Annual Conference. Did you know every appointed minister is required to have an annual Charge Conference? Did you know, at my ordination, I had to promise to be itinerant? In other words, I must go where the bishop sends me. Did you know any United Methodist congregation can borrow money from itself, but it must be paid back? The United Methodist Book of Discipline is filled with rules we are required to follow. You would think that would be enough law, but no. There are more.

Every local church has their own set of laws or rules. There are some churches who have more rules than they do people. In my opinion, that is part of the problem. My last church was no exception. We had our fair share of rules. How many rules can you name in your church? Most are based on common sense, but everyone has a different standard. Maybe you have heard these in the past? If you are going to use the kitchen, then clean the kitchen afterwards. If you are going to use a cup in the kitchen, then wash your cup. No food is to be left in the refrigerator. (That is why I left my food on the altar.) The last person to leave the church at the end of the day must make sure the doors are locked and the lights are off. If you want to be refunded for any church expense, then you must have a receipt. One of the reasons I never had office hours was I couldn’t remember all the rules. I don’t want to be reprimanded. How many laws or rules does your church have?

One of the reasons I love Jesus is that he only had two rules. I can remember them. They are found in Matthew 22:36-40. This is the first one: you are to love God with all your heart, mind and soul. In other words, you are to love God completely. This is the second: you are to love your neighbor as yourself. Church work is not hard; we make it hard. In the life of the church, all we must do is talk about Jesus and care about others. Everything else we do is optional. Everything else is distractive. Everything else can be eliminated. In the scripture lesson for today, Peter was told the law was eliminated; the only thing that really mattered was Jesus. It is still true today.

In 1994, I was appointed to the Western Reserve United Methodist Church in Canfield, Ohio. I inherited a mid-week program by the name of Youth Club. At the time it was a popular program that was found in many churches. The concept was simple. On Wednesday, the children would come and gather for a lesson and dinner. Those who ran it did a wonderful job. Everyone, regardless of age, had fun.

One day in December the youngest class was out in the narthex, standing near the glass looking into the courtyard. They were all fixated on the courtyard because the Christmas decorations had just been put up. The life size plastic nativity set was on display. The group had their noses pressed against the window. It was like one of those Norman Rockwell scenes. The teacher tried to hold them back because there was a rule about touching the glass. The glass had to be spotless. I have never been a fan of rules. I said, “Let them go! That is why they make glass cleaner! We must keep Windex in business.” Then, I got a better idea. Why not let the class out into the courtyard and experience the figurines for themselves. They were just the right size. The class was the same size as the images. I walked to the door to open it when the teacher told me to stop. She said, “Russ, you are new. No one is allowed to go into the courtyard, especially at Christmas. Those figures are sacred.” I thought, those figures are plastic, and to be honest with you, they were tacky. I said to the teacher, “Aren’t we supposed to be introducing our children to Jesus?” She said, “Yes!” I said, “So let’s do it.”

I opened the door and the children flooded into cool fresh air. They didn’t go crazy. They were controlled, like they were walking on sacred ground. One of the students stood by the camel and grew still. One student hugged Joseph. One went eye to eye with a shepherd and smiled. One touched Mary’s face with his fingertips. One kid picked up Jesus and kissed him. He looked at his friend next to him and said, “This is Jesus!” Then, ever so gently, he passed Jesus to him. One by one they took turns holding Jesus. Those children knew at their young age there was something special about those plastic tacky figurines, because there was something sacred about Jesus. There always has been and there always will be. Without Jesus, we have nothing at all. Perhaps, Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) said it best, “Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are.” The only thing that really matters in the life of the church is Jesus!

What Do You Believe About Jesus?

We find ourselves in the seventh chapter of John, verses 37 through 44. Prior to our reading, we are told Jesus was in Judea. That fact is important for one reason: while Jesus was extremely popular in Galilea, he was extremely unpopular in Judea. It is safe to say, Jesus was a controversial character in that corner of the world. Our text emphasizes that fact. On the last and greatest day of the Feast of the Tabernacle, a holiday like the American Thanksgiving Day, a time to thank God for the harvest and the goodness in their lives, Jesus spoke in a loud voice to the crowd. He said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Those words were meant to unite the crowd, but the crowd had the opposite reaction to those words. Those words divided the crowd. Some believed Jesus was a prophet. Others believed Jesus was the Messiah. Still others questioned his character. Everyone had their own opinion, and everyone was forced to answer the question, what do you believe about Jesus? It is not just a question isolated to that time and place. It is a question that has been asked since Jesus’s earthly ministry. It is a question that is asked in our time.

In 2015, the Barna Research group asked Americans what they believed about Jesus. While their findings are dated, their findings are revealing. I find them to be very interesting. I do not believe American’s beliefs about Jesus have change that much in eight years. In this blog, I will reveal their findings in the form of five questions. Never forget, it is not important what other people believe about Jesus. It is more important what you believe about Jesus. What do you believe about Jesus? This is question number one.

Do you believe Jesus was a historical character? When I was young, I was taught about Paul Bunyan. He was a giant lumberjack who lived in northern America and Canada. He had superhuman strength and was constantly accompanied by Babe the Blue Ox. He had a younger brother named Cordwood Pete. (How can you not like a guy named Cordwood Pete?) It was a sad day when I discovered Paul Bunyan never lived. He was fictious. He began as an oral tradition by North American logger. Freelance writer William B. Laughhead (1882-1958) popularized the myth. Like Paul Bunyan, some believe Jesus never lived.

The question is, do you believe Jesus was a historical character? According to the Barna Research group, 8% of Americans believe Jesus isn’t a historical character who walked the earth. They believe Jesus is fictious. I am part of the 92% who believe Jesus is a historical character who lived in the past, and I hope you are too. This is question number two.

Do you believe Jesus was God? Christmas is not just a time to send cards, give gifts, listen to holiday music, eat cookies, and spend time with family and friends. It is a time to ponder the incarnation of God in Jesus. In other words, it is a time to remember how God took human flesh and dwelt among us. We say we love our dogs, but would we really trade places with them? So, to speak, that is what God did. Love is the only reason God would leave the perfection of heaven and exist in the imperfect world. At Christmas we remember that Jesus was fully God and fully human. This is the question.

Do you believe Jesus was God? According to the Barna Research group, 44% of all Americans do not believe Jesus was God. He was simply a human being. This is the truth. Fewer Americans don’t believe that Jesus was God all the time. Younger generations struggle with this divine truth. Only 52% of millennials, people born between 1981 and 1996, believe Jesus was God. I am part of the 56% of Americans who believe Jesus was God and I hope you are too. This is question number three?

Do you believe Jesus was sinless? Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin be sin for us, so that in him we may be the righteousness of God.” The sinlessness of Jesus is an important part of the Christian faith. Because Jesus was sinless, he was the perfect sacrifice for our sinful world. He endured the punishment that should have been ours. This is the question.

Do you believe Jesus was sinless? According to the Barna Research group, 24% of Americans strongly agree Jesus sinned like other people. Another 28% of Americans somewhat agree Jesus sinned like other people. I am part of the 31% who strongly agree Jesus was sinless and I hope you are too. This is question number four.

Have you made a commitment to Jesus Christ? Everyone’s testimony is different, and everyone’s testimony is important. Some stories include sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Other stories include church youth group and church camp. Some jump off the high drive into the faith and others wade in slowly. The testimonies really don’t matter but the commitment does. At some point in your life, you must make a commitment to Jesus Christ. I made my commitment forty-eight years ago. This is the question.

Have you made a commitment to Jesus Christ? According to the Barna Research group, 38% of Americans have never made a commitment to Jesus Christ. The group who are most likely to make a commitment to Jesus are older black females who make less than $50,000 annually. I am an older white male who has a good life, but I have made a commitment to Jesus Christ. I hope you have too. Research tells us 62% of all Americans have made a commitment to Jesus. This is question number five.

Do you believe Jesus is your only hope of salvation? According to the Pew Research Group, 73% of all American believe in the existence of heaven. Only 62% believe in the existence of hell. Most believe they are going to heaven. In my time in the ministry, I worried some believed they could save themselves by their good works. That is called works righteousness. That is why I repeated time and time again the divine truth. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. This is the question.

Do you believe Jesus is your only hope of salvation? According to the Barna Research group, only 15% of Americans do not know what will happen to them when they die. However, 63% believe they will go to heaven because they have made a commitment to Jesus Christ. I am in that 63%, and I hope you are too.

John 3:16 has been called the Bible in a nutshell. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son. That whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. The scripture says it clearly. You must believe in Jesus, but what do you believe about Jesus? It is an excellent question to ask yourself.

Discipleship 101

Once upon a time, there was a fire in a small town. The fire brigade rushed to the scene, but the firemen were unable to get through to the burning building. The problem was the crowd of people who had gathered to help put out the fire. They all knew and liked the fire chief. So, when a fire broke out, the people rushed out to help their beloved fire chief. Unfortunately, the townsfolk were seeking to extinguish this raging inferno with water pistols! They’d all stand there, from time to time squirting their pistol into the fire while making casual conversation. The fire chief couldn’t contain himself. He started screaming at the townsfolk. “What do you think you’re doing? What on earth do you think you’re going to achieve with those water pistols?!” The people realized the urgency of the situation. How they wanted to help the fire chief! So, they started squirting more. “Come on”, they encouraged each other, “We can all do better, can’t we?” They squirted a few more drops. Exasperated, the fire chief yells again. “Get out of here. You’re achieving nothing except hindering us from doing what needs to be done. We need fire fighters who are ready to give everything they’ve got to put out this fire, people willing even to lay their lives on the line. This is not the place for token contributions!”

That story was originally told by Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855). He told that story for one reason. Discipleship is more than token contributions to the church and a few good deeds. Discipleship requires wholehearted and total life commitment. In other words, it is time to put your water pistol down and get serious about Jesus.

When we last left Saul, his conversion was complete. He was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. Those must have been curious days in his life. This should have been a happy time, but the joy was stunted by loneliness. Just think about it for a moment. He walked away from his old life and his old relationships. His former colleagues must have viewed him as a traitor. His parents now considered him a disappointment. Former friends tried to figure out what went wrong. What really happened to Saul? There must have been rumors of mental illness and emotional breakdown. There would be no going back but going forward was equally difficult. To say the least, Saul came with some baggage. He was not welcomed by everyone in the church because he wasn’t trusted by everyone. Yet, the scriptures do not say a single word about his loneliness. Instead, the scriptures tell us of his commitment. Verse 20 says, “At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the son of God.” I find that fact to be truly amazing. Instantly, his entire world changed, but the only thing that mattered to him was Jesus. Being passionate about Jesus is the most important thing in discipleship. It is Discipleship 101. The only thing that really matters is Jesus. I think that will preach!

Every time I preach, I say the same prayer.

Father, we have three great confessions. We confess we have all made mistakes and need forgiveness. We confess that negative news and people have worn us down and we need hope. We confess that our own mortality bothers us because we want to live forever. When we have Jesus, we have the answer to these three problems…

It is true. When we have Jesus, we have forgiveness. When we have Jesus, we have hope for a better world. When we have Jesus, we have eternal life. In other words, Jesus is affecting the way we remember the past, experience the present and anticipate the future. I do not know how people can’t live without Jesus. I need Jesus more every day.

Discipleship 101 tells us it is all about Jesus. The Master must be number one. However, one of the great challenges in your life is keeping Jesus number one. It is so easy to let Jesus become a secondary priority. I am not talking about intentionally substituting Jesus with something sinister, drugs or crime. I am talking about substituting Jesus, the best, with something that is only good. How many times have we substituted Jesus, the best, with something that is only good? Our lives are filled with so many good things. It would be easy to make any of them our top priority. Let me give you just a few examples.

In the fifteenth century, Ivan the Great (1530-1584) did something no one was able to do in the past, defeat the Tartars and unite Russia. He had a brilliant military career, but his personal life was lacking. He was so consumed with military conquests that he never had time to marry and produce a single heir to the throne. Recognizing his deficiency, he told his adviser to find him a suitable wife. After a careful search, it was announced that Ivan would marry the daughter of the King of Greece. There was only one thing Ivan had to do, become Greek Orthodox. Ivan consented. He was instructed in Greek Orthodox doctrine and traveled to Athens, along with his 500-member palace guard. As a sign of loyalty, the guard requested to be baptized at the same time as Ivan. To make a long story short, they were baptized together in the Mediterranean. It must have been quite the scene. In front of a huge crowd, Ivan, his 500 guards and the 500 Orthodox priests entered the water. Soldiers wearing full military uniforms and priests wearing black robes. All the Russians were baptized in a single moment. However, the guards got the last laugh. When they were baptized, they held their swords out of the water as a sign of loyalty to Ivan.

That story reminds us that religion and politics shouldn’t mix. Either you are completely baptized, or you are not baptized at all. One of things I struggle with is civil religion. That is when we mix our religious beliefs with our patriotism. That drives me crazy because it is so dangerous. The news is filled with religious zealots who are fighting for both God and country. It is so easy to wave religion as a flag during a military conflict. The problem is real religion, any religion, doesn’t condone such behavior. World history has seen the rise and fall of many nations. We live in the most wonderful country in the history of the world but it has some limitations. America can still offer hope to future generations, but America can’t forgive your sins. America can’t promise you eternal life. Jesus can do all three. That is why Jesus must be the top priority in your life. It is Discipleship 101.

I served the Western Reserve United Methodist Church in Canfield, Ohio for twenty-eight years. I am proud of that fact. Over that period, we have seen so many changes. They have been good years for that congregation. They have not been as good for many of our United Methodist congregations in the area. The church that may have been hit the hardest was the Mahoning UMC. At one point, they sold their building for $305,000. (That would be good news if we were in the real estate business, but we are not.) The few members which remained faced a questionable future. My heart goes out to anyone who has ties back to Mahoning. Churches should never close. I know it is not just a building but so many things have happened with that structure. That building was such a large part of so many lives. How many people have been married there? How many babies have been baptized there? How many saints have been buried from there? How many souls were saved there? How many memories have been made there? Walking away from a church building is like walking away from an old friend. How can you do it? There is so much there? However, this is the truth.

The church is not Jesus. The church, itself, can’t forgive you. The church, itself, can’t offer you hope. The church, itself, can’t make eternity possible. The church is just a vehicle used by Christ to offer those things to their community. The church is nothing more than another organization. Like people, churches have a lifeline. At some point every church was born and at some point, every church will close. That is why you can’t make your church your top priority. That is why the top priority in your life must be Jesus. It is Discipleship 101. Saul knew from the very beginning what we must never forget. It is all about Jesus! Everything else, no matter how good, is secondary.

Years ago, I was on a volunteer in mission trip in Russia. We were in the orphanage playing with the children. We were working on crafts and giving them candy. The children couldn’t have been any more excited. A young couple on our team decided to give the children something they had brought. It wasn’t more candy. It was something called “Jesus Blocks.” It contained six blocks, each one a section of a picture of Jesus. If you laid the blocks just right a single image of Jesus came up. If you turned it one way, it was a picture of Jesus’ birth. If you turned it another way, it was a picture of Jesus on the cross. If you turned it another way, it was a picture of the resurrection. I will never forget the effect those blocks had on the children. I didn’t think they would be interested, but those blocks grabbed their attention. One young man grabbed his blocks and studied the details of every picture. He took his fingertips and felt the smooth surface. At one point, he kissed his “Jesus Blocks” and held them up to his cheek. After doing so, he looked up at me and said in perfect English, “It is Jesus!” He was right! It is Discipleship 101!

You have to be passionate about Jesus! If we don’t have Jesus, then we have nothing at all. Without Jesus, we don’t have forgiveness. Without Jesus, we don’t have hope for a better tomorrow. Without Jesus, we have no hope of eternity. With Jesus, we can have it all! Jesus must be the top priority in your life. It is Discipleship 101! Mother Teresa (1910-1997) once said, “Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus.”

Pray for Jon Steingard

Pray for Jon Steingard. I will be the first one to admit it. I never heard of him until recently. He is not a close friend. I would not recognize him, if he walked into the room. However, I have found myself praying for him because he has made the greatest mistake in his life. He has announced to the world he is an atheist. He should have known better. He was raised in a Christian home in Canada. To make matters worse, he was a pastor’s kid. Until recently, he was the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Christian pop-punk band Hawk Nelson. I do not know why he walked away. Perhaps, he was near sighted or angry at God. He saw all the ugliness of this world and decided God could not exist. He would not be the first one. Perhaps, he walked away because he only heard about Jesus and never experienced Jesus firsthand. There is a world of difference. Regardless, I feel sorry for him. So, let me ask you again. Pray for Jon Steingard. He will regret his decision to leave the faith. How do you walk away from the greatest life that ever lived? That takes us to our scripture reading for today, Micah 5:1-4.

Many years ago, before man walked on the moon, before a civil war threatened to divide America, or before Columbus discovered a New World, there was a man who spoke for God. His name meant “He who is like God,” but we just call him Micah. Truly little is known about him outside of this book. However, we do know he lived in southern Judah approximately 700 years before the birth of Christ. At that time, Judah was struggling. Both their present and their future seemed bleak. We can relate to them because the negativity at this time in history is suffocating. However, for the people of God there is always hope. It is still true today.

The scripture reading may so familiar because it is read every Christmas Eve. The great prophesy is read surrounded by decorated trees and poinsettias on that sacred night to big crowds. The key verse in the reading is verse two, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Ephrathah was the region in which Bethlehem was located, like Youngstown is in Ohio. Bethlehem is approximately eleven miles south of Jerusalem. The people of that small community must have been proud, but the promised ruler would not come in their lifetime. You know the truth. God transcends time. In other words, God does not grow old, so God takes his time. It took 700 years for God to act.

The long-awaited ruler was born to a common couple. They named him Jesus. His name means Savior. His biological mother was Mary. His biological father was God, Himself. That means Joseph had the awful job of being the stepfather to the son of God. How do you discipline the son of God? Seven-hundred years is a long time to wait, but it was worth every second. Let me state it clearly. Jesus was the greatest life that ever lived. Jesus would change the world and our lives. You would not recognize our world if Jesus had never been born. H. G. Wells (1866-1946) was an English writer. He said it best, “I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I confess as an historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of human history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.” That is a great quote. If you can agree Jesus had a positive influence on our world say, “Amen!”

Allendale Baptist Church is in Allendale, Michigan. It is a community of approximately 18,000 people and is less than 400 miles from here. The associate pastor at that church is a man named Tim Arndt. He claims to be the world’s tallest Filipino. However, he did not give his height. I read one of his blogs recently. He says Jesus changed our world for the better in five profound ways. I cannot disagree with one. They are listed in no particular order.

Jesus influenced education! Matthew 22:37 quotes Jesus, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind.” Jesus was interested in the mind. Jesus is saying we are to love God with our whole being. History tells us the Bible was the first textbook for many young children. In 1860, there were 108 colleges and universities in America. 106 of the 108 was started by Christians. That list includes Harvard, William and Mary, Yale, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Dartmouth, and Brown. It is ironic the world has tried to portray the faith as ignorant when the faith has done more than any other group to educate the masses. Have you ever stopped to consider how the Christian faith has influenced your education? Do you know anyone who cannot read? Jesus influenced education! How would our world look today if Jesus had never been born?

Jesus influenced women’s rights! It is impossible to read the gospels and not notice the major role woman played in Jesus’s ministry. That was unique and shocking in his time. Prior to Jesus, the world did not care less about women. In the Roman world, women were property. Jesus saw woman differently. He saw woman for what they were, made in the very image of God. Jesus treated women with dignity and respect. It happened during his earthly ministry. Jesus’ friends and ministry partners were women. It happened during his after his resurrection. It was woman who made the great discovery, Jesus had been raised from the dead! It was women who were untrusted with the message which would change the world. The early church was so saturated with women that it was often criticized as “a woman’s religion.” This church and many other churches would be crippled without the work of women. Jesus values all people. That means Jesus values you. How large of a part have women played in your spiritual development? Jesus influenced education and women’s rights! How would our world look today if Jesus had never been born?

Jesus influenced human rights! Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say to you, love your enemy, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matthew 22:39 says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Loving and caring for others is at the very heart of Jesus’s teachings. That is why the church has always been involved in human rights. The church was a major forced in the ending of slavery in the 1860’s and the church was a major force during the civil rights of the 1960’s. The church will be a major force of the human rights issues we are facing today. If we ignore or belittle the human rights issues of today, then we are ignoring the words of Jesus, himself, love your enemy as yourself. Today, in America basic human rights are common sense. But that was not always the case. Prior to Christianity, basic human rights were rare. How are you advancing human rights? Our society is far from perfect. Jesus influenced education, women’s rights, and human rights! How would our world look today if Jesus had never been born?

Jesus influenced humanitarian aid! In Matthew 25, we find the parable of the sheep and goats. It is a judgement parable. According to the parable, on judgement day we will be separated by God like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep will be permitted to enter heaven because they responded to human needs. They fed the hungry. The gave drink to the thirty. They welcomed strangers. They gave clothes to the naked. They cared for the sick and the incarcerated. The goats did none of the above and were sent to hell. The parable ends with a zinger. Jesus said, when you cared for the down and out you were really caring for him. This is the point. We are responsible for the world’s basic needs. Did you know every seven seconds someone dies of starvation? What are you doing to help them? Have you ever needed some help? Jesus influenced education, women’s rights, human rights, and humanitarian aid! How would our world look today if Jesus had never been born? How would our world look today if Jesus had never been born?

Jesus influenced medicine! The miracles of Jesushave fascinated the generations. It is true in Jesus’s generation and it is still true today. Jesus got the lame to walk. Jesus got the blind to see. Jesus made the demonic whole and resurrected the dead. Those miracles are important because they proved he was the long-awaited Messiah. However, they were also important because Jesus did not want to see people suffer. He wanted them to live full lives. For this reason, many hospitals were started in the name of Jesus. The government has been involved in the medical system for the past 80 years. (How do you think they are doing?) Prior to the government, churches were involved in starting and funding hospitals. Still today, there are 726 faith-based hospitals. When was the last time you required some medical care? Jesus influenced education, women’s rights, human rights, humanitarian rights, and medicine! How would our world look today if Jesus had never been born?

Micah may have lived 700 years before the birth of Jesus, but he was right! The most influential life that would ever live was Jesus. Two-thousand years after his birth we see the influence he has had. Jesus offered us hope. Without Jesus our world is a dark hopeless place. Perhaps, H. G. Wells said it best. He once said, “I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I confess as an historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of human history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.”

Family Feud

Many years ago, before man walked on the moon, before a civil war threatened to divide America, or before Columbus discovered a New World, there was a man who spoke for God. His name meant “servant of the Lord,” but we just call him Obadiah. He lived about 600 before the birth of Christ. His audience were the people of Judah, who were being attacked by the Babylonians. Even Jerusalem, The Golden City, was being attacked. However, the residents of Judah were not the only one receiving this judgement. The people of Edom were receiving the judgement too. God could not tolerate their arrogance and pride. The Edomites, living high in the mountains, did not just feel secure, but they felt superior. They did not just ignore the needs of Judah, they ransacked some of their cities too. The key to understanding this dark passage lays in answering this question.

Who are the Edomites? They are more than the citizens of the country on the southern border of Judah. It is more than politics. It is ancestry. Both the people of Judah and the people of Edom could trace their ancestry back to Abraham. Do you remember the story? God makes a great promise to Abram, later Abraham, that he will the father of a great nation. That promised lived on the day Abraham and Sarah, his wife, welcomed their first born into the world, Isaac. In time, Isaac and his wife, Rebecca, had two sons Jacob and Esau. To say the least, those two brothers had a tense relationship. Esau traded his valuable birthright for a bowl of stew. In more time, Jacob and Esau have their names changed to Israel and Edom. Their families take their names, the Israelites and the Edomites. That means, the Israelites and the Edomites are family. That means the story of Obadiah is a family feud. The Book of Obadiah resonates with us because our society is filled with family feuds. How many can you count?

America is experiencing a family feud politically. There has always been a tension between the two political parties. That was a good thing because the right thing to do was discovered in the compromise. Today, there is little compromise, so nothing is happening. Could it be America could save a great amount of money by holding the presidential election today? I am convinced most Americans know today who they will vote for in November. Are you going to vote for Donald Trump? Are you going to vote for Joe Biden? I am equally convinced the losing party will spend the next four years trying to get the winning candidate out of office. We have seen it with Donald Trump. We saw it with Barrack Obama. In the end nothing positive happens for the country because we are in the middle of a family feud politically. Sometimes, I forget we are all Americans.

America is experiencing a family feud racially. The death of George Floyd on May 26 has sent many in our country into a rage. The Black Lives Matter campaign is alive and well. It is the hot button topic across the country. The goal is to protect the African American community against police brutality. They are designed to be peaceful protests, but violence has been seen. Our country is divided over the issue across every demographic. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone thinks they are right. Could it be everyone is guilty? I do not want to make light of the situation, but we are in the middle of a great family feud racially. Sometimes, I forget we are all Americans. Closely related is the next issue.

America is experiencing a family feud historically. On June 19, protestors in San Francisco tore down the statue of Ulysses S. Grant, the 18^th president of the United States who led the Union Army to victory in the Civil War. It was all part of the Black Lives Matter campaign. The schools in California must not be particularly good. I was taught Grant help end slavery as general and did his best to help rebuild the south as president. Grant’s statue illustrates the point there are many who are trying to rewrite history. I understand we should not glorify our past sins or misdeeds. I also believe we should learn from the past, not worship the past. How do you feel about rewriting history? I am going to Mount Rushmore in September. I hope I get there before they sandblast it. Two of the four men on that statue owned slaves. We are in the middle of a great family feud historically. Sometimes, I forget we are all Americans.

America is experiencing a family feud over co-vid 19. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and everything is hard. Everyone who has ever driven by a hospital has an opinion. Some believe we are rushing back into the world too fast. This will cause another outbreak of the Coronavirus and more will suffer and die. This group is terrified. Others believe the whole Coronavirus issue is an election year stunt. It will be forgotten as soon as the election is over. This group is cynical. If you want to upset everyone bring up the topic of masks. Some believe they should be mandatory. Some believe they should be optional. Social distancing is enough. It is a family feud that is going to come to our church. Someday, we are going to return to our building. Do you want to let the terrified group set the rules? Do you want the cynical group to set the rules? I believe we let the governor and the Ohio Department of Health set the rules. We are in the middle of a great family feud over co-vid 19. Sometimes, I forget we are all Americans. Let me just give you one more.

The United Methodist Church is experiencing a family feud over sexually. It is the issue that just will not go away. One camp believes our denomination should swing the doors open wide to the LGBTQ community, including officiating at LGBTQ weddings and ordaining LGBTQ individuals. The other camp believes we should slam the door of the LGBTQ community, we will not officiate at their weddings nor ordain a LGBTQ individual. Both sides claim to be Biblical and both sides claim to be right. The whole thing is exhausting. I had a hard-enough time just liking girls. The United Methodist Church is in the middle of a great family feud sexually. Sometimes, I forget we are all Christians. I could go on, but I will not. Could it be 24/7 news is dividing America with their bias reporting? Many have stopped watching the news because they are tired of the family feuds. This is the point.

Somethings do not change. We are living in the middle of a family feud. Obadiah who lived 600 before the birth of Christ and was in the middle of a family feud. The Edomites became so preoccupied with the events of their day, Judah’s devastation at the hands of a foreign power, they forgot what was important to God. What was important to God was their shared common ancestry with the Israelites. Could it be we have become so preoccupied with the events of our day, politics, racism, history, co-vid 19, and sexuality, we have forgotten what is important to God? It is not that those issues are not important. It is that those things are not the most important thing to God. What is the most important thing to God in our time? Jesus!

Last Sunday morning, I was walking through the building on my way to the parking lot for worship. I thought the building was empty, so I was surprised to find a shadowy figure down one of the hallway ways. Since the person was walking into the District Office, I guessed it was our District Superintendent Abby Auman. I was right. It was the first time I had seen her in the building since the pandemic began in March. I called out, “How are you?” She responded, “I am good. I on my way to the Black Lives Matter rally in Canfield. We are going to stand in front of the Methodist Church, then we are going to welcome their new pastor, Ivy Smith.” She is the first black woman pastor in the history of that congregation.” I said, “I will pray for her.” I hope I did not sound cynical. I did not mean it that way. I have prayed for every pastor at Canfield since I have been here. On my way home, I drove by the rally. The local media reported sixty people attended. Someone told me everyone was white. It was peaceful. They were just holding signs and yelling at passing cars. It did not make much of an impression on me.

The next morning, I received a text. This is what the text read: YESTERDAY, ABBY AUMAN, DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT OF THE MAHONING VALLEY DISTRICT OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WAS SPOKESPERSON FOR CANFIELD’S UMW JOINING IN WITH CANFIELD’S BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST, IN LIGHT OF WELCOMING THEIR FIRST BLACK, FEMALE REVEREND, DR. IVY SMITH. I THOUGHT CHURCHES WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS. I responded: I’M NOT SURE HOW TO RESPOND. ABBY IS MY BOSS AND I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER HER. SHE WOULD CALL HER PROTEST SOCIAL JUSTICE, NOT POLITICAL. OBVIOUSLY, MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY WANT CHANGE. That opened the door to some wonderful conversation. I ended the dialogue with this text: I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY JESUS IS OUR ONLY ISSUE. The response was: ME TOO. Are you looking forward to the day Jesus is our only issue? Can I ask you a question?

Why do you read this blog? It is a fair question. Did you read this blog to hear my political views? Did you read this blob to hear my opinions about racism? Did you read this blog to hear my opinions on historical statues? Did you read this blog to get my medical advice the Coronavirus? (I hope not because I have no medical training.) Did you read this blog to hear my opinion about LGBTQ? None of those important complex important issues are why you read this blog. Read read this blog because you want to hear about Jesus. That is a good thing because Jesus is the most important thing to God. Jesus said it best of himself, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” (John 14:6)