Under Construction Part IV: The Christian and Citizenship

Though some do not think so, many in our churches and culture seriously confuse being a Christian and being an American. Many blur the lines between worship of God and patriotism. When this happens, we cheapen both being an American and being a Christian. For many people evidence of this blurring is all-to evident in their lives despite their erroneous blindness to it. For these well-meaning folk, living the Christian life is largely determined by their larger allegiance to their American culture.

These well-meaning folk enter into church expecting to simply receive from their pastor. They expect that if something needs to be done, well then, we pay him to do it. Any Christian "service" they might engage in is largely determined by how much freedom and privilege and safety I'm willing to give up for service to the least of these. The result is that we have churches, that compared to other churches in the "Third World," come off looking like groups of spoiled brats.

We must take great care in giving serious thought to where the firm line lies between my American citizenship and my Heavenly citizenship. We absolutely must take great care to keep from confusing the two, or else we will seriously cheapen both. I am certainly not throwing mud on the concept of patriotism. Patriotism can be good.

Patriotism can be a glue, holding a people together. Patriotism can be a virtue propelling people to self-sacrifice for their neighbors and posterity. Patriotism for believers can be a way to worship God for his marvelous provisions for their peace and safety. Patriotism, for believers, may also simply be their prosperity thrown into Aaron's fire ... out of which pops a calf, wearing read, white, and blue.

But we need to ask the question, who is defining what it means to be an American today. We saw from the last sermon that increasingly it is less likely that people with Scriptural worldviews are doing so. It is increasingly likely that people with non-Christian or even anti-Christian worldviews are defining what it means to be an American ... and by default ... what freedom means.

Consider the song, "America the Beautiful," written by Katharine Lee Bates. Each verse praises some facet of America ... from the beautiful lands we possess to the beautiful concept of freedom. Then she calls our attention, "America! America!" to certain character traits she believes are necessary for our country:

• From Verse 1: God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea.


• From Verse 2: God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law.
  
• From Verse 3: May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine!


• From Verse 4: God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea.

Question: Is that what we see in the character of pop culture today? Certainly, we have seen glimpses of this during and following the World Trade Center attacks. During other times of crisis the American people seem to come together and live out this national hymn.

However, pop culture increasingly has a different message. Consider some examples.

• Car dealerships crown their advertising during this season with fireworks and the flag, leaving the message that the truly American thing to do is to come on down and buy a car that you don't need with money that you don't have. Buy, buy, buy! is increasingly the national motto.


• I took my family to a fireworks festival last Friday (July 4th). One girl sported a tank top that read, "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of boys." That is cute for all of about .326 seconds or until you realize that she probably means it. Hey, freedom is being able to do whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want, so leave me the _____ alone. What I do behind my door is my business, and if you come knocking, you had better be bringing a pizza.

We in the church seem curiously slow at picking up on the need to recognize that serious reconsideration of what it means to be a Christian and an American. Consider a particular bulletin that was distributed to some number of churches in celebration of July 4th by Cathedral Press (http://www.cathedralpress.com/every_08.html). What, pray tell, is the central message of this picture?

Before I tell you the two messages that I take away from this picture, allow me to draw your attention to certain aspects of this ... to build my case for you. The word that draws your attention is "FREEDOM." Below that is this family, complete with a dog, posing in front of the American flag. Fireworks are blazing in the background. Let's stop here. What seems to be the message so far? It seems to be a typical message about the preciousness of our American freedom and its gloriousness.

Question? How many of our families today look like that? I would say less than half. Yet, still the concept of "freedom" captures the hearts of all people, despite whether they came from a stable family or not. And keep in mind, that freedom is the ability to do whatever I want, whenever I want, however, I want. Nonetheless, the picture is still about the freedom aspect of pursuing our American way of life.

Now let me draw your attention to the words that are barely noticeable under the picture, "... IS OURS IN CHRIST." I mentioned above that there are two messages I take away from this picture ... as a whole.

1. I, personally, can have the American dream (however that's defined) ... if I become a Christian.
2. In order to preserve my American dream, I need to get everybody to go to church on a regular basis.

Now, there is a third message that explodes on the scene, once these two messages are understood ... my American dream is the most important facet of Christianity and achieving my American dream is what God cares most about.

These messages are inherently selfish and borderline ... if not blatant ... idolatry. This is the American culture and way of life dictating to me what Christianity is all about. This is not the message of Katharine Lee Bate in her 19th Century American hymn "America, the Beautiful." Perhaps in her day it was more of the case that Christianity informed what it meant to live as an American. In our day American life and culture dictates what it means to live as a Christian.

Before moving on, allow me to consider the message of the bulletin picture at hand on a global scale. What are believers, living in oppressive regimes to make of this picture and its messages? If the American dream is the reward of choosing to be a Christian, then perhaps these believers living in oppressive regimes are not really loved by God? Perhaps they are not living as good of Christian lives as we in America are?

Whatever the messages those people living in oppressive regimes might take away from this picture, a statement by a Kenyan pastor to the largely American student body of Asbury Theological Seminary a couple of years ago is quite telling. He told them it seemed harder to be a Christian in America than in Kenya or other African states. His point was that prosperity dulls ones sense of duty and need for self-sacrifice for others and need for real, living, breathing faith in everyday life ... which is the life blood of Christianity.

Is all of this what was perhaps intended by the bulletin picture creator? Let's hope not. Let's hope that the bulletin creator meant that true freedom (freedom from sin and for Christian ministry) is ours in Christ ... but that message is lost in the flag and blown up by the fireworks.

Again, I'm not speaking against patriotism per se, rather I'm speaking against any form of patriotism that distorts authentic Christianity and takes away from the Lordship of Christ. People who are blatantly unpatriotic can be just as selfish as those who want to replace the cross with the flag. Consider the excellent article by Thomas Sowell on the necessity of patriotism.

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell070208.php3

What then is the proper relationship between heavenly citizenship and that of the land of one's birth or residence? As we work through the following Scriptural material, let's keep two questions in mind:

1. What have we produced with the freedom and privilege afforded by our American citizenship?
2. What have we produced with the freedom and privilege afforded by our Salvation, our citizenship in Heaven?

Let's begin by turning to II Corinthians 3:17:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (ESV).

That verse is popular this time of year, and if we're not careful, we'll commit the same sins as discussed above. We'll come to the conclusion that in order for me to obtain American freedom I must be a Christian ... and in order for God to continue to give us American freedom we must get everybody to go to church. This is silly at best ... sin at worst. We'll come back to this verse in context in a bit. I want to communicate three points:

1. Christians Are Pilgrims before Citizens of Some Earthly Land
2. Pilgrimhood Enhances Citizenship, as Christians Are to Be Loyal Citizens
3. ... but clinching citizenship with tight fists breeds worms in our manna.

Christians Are Pilgrims before Citizens of Some Earthly Land

Ephesians 2:8-22:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands---remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (ESV).

In 2:8 we read that we are saved by grace ... and we normally stop there. However, we need to continue to read through verse 10. We are his "workmanship," which is a term for salvation. We are his workmanship ... created .... for ... good works. We were not created to be fat and happy. We were created to produce good works with our Salvation.

Paul talks about "the circumcision" and "the uncircumcision." Paul is speaking about certain Jewish Christians who were teaching that in order to truly be Christians you must first be circumcised and then follow all 613 of Moses's laws. Paul is saying that our primary identification is faith in Christ. He is not saying the teachings of Moses are no longer important, but that we are primarily identified by our faith in Christ.

He then talks about how we who were once "separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." He is speaking to people, some of whom have the privilege of Roman citizenship ... in that day and time Roman citizenship carried with it greater relative privilege than our American citizenship does in today's time. In our day non-citizens are afforded many of the same privileges that citizens are afforded. In Paul's time, non-citizens were afforded precious few privileges at all.

At any rate the main point is that the primary identification for these newly baptized Roman citizens is there citizenship in Heaven ... and no longer their citizenship in Rome. Did they retain their Roman citizenship ... yes. But their primary identification was as citizens of Heaven ... as the temple of the Spirit of God (verse 22).

Question: Who do we feel a closer kinship with?

• Our pagan or nominally Christian neighbors?
• Our Christian brethren over seas that don't look like us?

If we are to be true to the lordship of Christ, we should feel a closer kinship to our Christian brethren overseas, despite the fact they don't look like us.

Genesis 12:1-3:

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (ESV)

Our heritage as the people of God is as a pilgrim people. The father of our faith in the true and living God, Abraham, was first and foremost a pilgrim. His relationship with the living God began by God asking him to leave his precious country and family and take God at his Word. We have strong indication that Abraham thought of his home country as precious because he refused to take a wife for Isaac from among the people in which he currently lived. He sent for a wife for Isaac from the home country. When Abraham left, in essence God became his country and heritage (Hebrews 11).

Question: Are we willing to go for God ... or does our American sense of freedom, peace, and security curb where we are willing to go for God?

Colossians 1:9-23:

And do, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. My you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. he has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He (Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of god was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth of in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (ESV).

Paul prayed for these Colossian Christians to have knowledge of the will of God for their lives. Notice the purpose to Paul thought for having the will of God in verse 10: "so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work ...." When was the last time we prayed for God to give us his wisdom to bear "fruit in every good work?" When was the last time that we came to church with the mindset of seeking to bless the people there? Yet, if my Christianity is determined by my American freedom, I might be more inclined to come to church to receive what I'm entitled to.

Paul speaks in verse 13 of our being delivered from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the Son? Again, who do we have closer kinship with? Our American pagan neighbors or our non-American Christian brethren oversees who don't look like us?

Paul next speaks of stature of Jesus ... the Lord. In everything he is to be preeminent! ... including how I use my American freedom ... and how I define my American freedom. Again, is what I'm willing to do for him in any way curtailed by some American sense of peace, security, and/or freedom? Am I willing to take his Gospel to the projects? to some repressive regime overseas?

We are pilgrims before we are citizens of some earthly land.

Pilgrimhood Enhances Citizenship, as Christians Are Supposed to Be Loyal Citizens

Again, let me not be misunderstood. I am not bashing patriotism. I am not bashing this country at all. I'm bashing idolatry. I'm bashing the creation of secular progressivism. Jesus said that we do owe allegiance to both kingdoms ... heaven and the earthly land.

Matthew 22:15-22:

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax." And they brought him a denarius.

And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?"

They said, "Caesar's."

Then he said to them, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away (ESV).

Jesus does not consider paying allegiance to Caesar as taking away from the Lordship of Jesus ... in and of itself. Jesus told his accusers they were to pay taxes to Caesar and to the Temple. They had responsibilities to country and God.

Here is the kicker that is easy to miss. The Jews of Jesus's day lived under Rome and prayed for God to deliver them from Roman/foreign rule. They wanted and waited for God to set them on high as a people and as a country. God's messiah was supposed to do this. Jesus was God's messiah, but Jesus, the Messiah, told them they were to pay taxes to Caesar, their foreign lord.

Question: What if we were to lose our sovereignty? We we be able to serve a foreign power? This is a question ... if we are to be true to the Lordship of Christ ... that we must seriously ponder. Do I want a foreign power? No. Would I join in the fight to repel any foreign invaders? Yes. Even still, we must consider what whether we are Christians first or Americans first.

Romans 12:1-2:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (ESV).

Paul is speaking about our worship and says something here that is truly stark. He says that our bodies are to be living sacrifices. In other words the mark of my Christian life is not gluttonous revelling in freedom and getting fat. Rather worship is with my body and is sacrificial. My whole life is to be a living sacrifice with the extremities of my body. Worship is not sitting on pews in church. Worship is actively living as a living sacrifice for God in the world.

Paul gives us ways that we live as living sacrifices unto God. In 12:3-8 we physically touch the lives of fellow believers by the power of the Holy Spirit. In 12:9-21 we are to do such physical things as practice honest love and the abhorance of evil (verse 9), as practice abstaining from weak enthusiasm and practicing fervent enthusiasm (verse 11), and taking no revenge (verses 14-21).

Paul then continues his train of thought in chapters 13, 14, & 15. All of these chapters speak to how to physically live as living sacrifices to God in the world. Of particular importance is chapter 13.

Romans 13:1-3:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists teh authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment (ESV).

Again, these verses are the continuation of Paul's teaching on how to physically live as living sacrifices in the world. Again, the question is could we submit to a conquering foreign power? If we have trouble with this ... it is to be expected ... as we often define our Christianity by our American context. But we are not permitted to anything that takes away from the Lordship of Christ. Paul says that to resist the government is resist God, himself.

We cannot simply read this verse and then pooh pooh our situation. We must wrestle with what the teaching means for us as freedom-loving Americans. Our American founding fathers had to wrestle with it, since they were in essence resisting the Crown of Great Britain. We must also wrestle with it. It is not something easy to do, but in wrestling with these hard questions of Christian faith we can become better American citizens, more faithful to the land we love. Yet if we refuse to do the hard work of putting good thought into daily practice, then how, pray tell, are we to reasonably be expected to choose between the candidates up for election?

... but clinching citizenship with tight fists breeds worms in our manna.

Pilgrimhood can enhance our American citizenship, but clinching citizenship with tight fists breeds worms in the manna of our American freedom. Here is the perpetuating question with which we must answer:

• Does the peace, security, and freedom afforded me by my American citizenship in any way override the duty that I have to do gospel ministry in the world ... in any part of the world in which God might be calling me to serve?

Matthew 25:31-46:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty adn you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? adn when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'

And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these me brothers, you did it to me.'

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'

Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (ESV).

This is a teaching of Jesus that we not overlook. How are these people in the hereafter judged and then assigned their eternal place of residence? In this parable there is no mention of belief only what these people did with their beliefs. These people are judged by their treatment of "the least of these."

Let's remember the two questions we were supposed to keep in mind as we ploughed through the matterial at hand:

1. What have we produced with the freedom and privilege affored by our American citizenship?
2. What have we produced with the freedom and privilege afforded by our Salvation, our citizenship in Heaven?

In light of the above teaching of Jesus, concerning "the least of these," these two questions become even more pertinant. Since we will be judged on what we did with what we had ... simply put ... how are we using what we have been given? Are we even producing anything at all for God and country? Or are we merely consuming? Are we merely consuming our American culture? Are we merely consuming at Church?

Do we remember the story of the rich, young ruler from Matthew 19:16-29? This dude was a morally upright dude. Yet, he refused to relinquish his power and position and wealth to follow Jesus in order to inherit eternal life.

Does the peace, security, and freedom afforded me by my American citizenship in any way override the duty that I have to do gospel ministry in the world ... in any part of the world in which God might be calling me to serve? In other words, do I refuse to reliquish my own comfort for service to God in the world?

Let's now return to the opening verse of II Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (ESV).

The context of this verse is that Paul and his missionary band are being accused of not being anointed of God and of not being apostalic because of his sufferings. Obviously God is mad and displeased with him. However, if we read through the rest of the chapter and through chapters 4 and 5, Paul staunchly proclaims that God's marvelous light and freedom from His Spirit is found in "jars of clay." His marvelous light and freedom is found in human vessels marked out for suffering for God in doing Gospel ministry in the world.

Consider 4:16-18:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting asway, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that arde seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (ESV).

Paul goes on to say in chapter 5 that he does not even regard outward appearances anymore, because ... "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (5:17).

Rather Paul's sole focus, instead of outward appearances, is on being a part of an ambassador minstry for God. What then was the focus of his ministry? We see this in verse 21. So let's consider 5:20 & 21:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so htat in him we might become the righteousness of God (ESV).

They were not simply out to get people to make decisions for Christ. Rather they were out to see people come into the kingdom of God and be transformed into the righteousness of God.

Again, Paul writes in II Corinthians 3:17:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (ESV).

Paul's concept of freedom is not our contemporary concept of American freedom. It is not the idea of freedom from trials and tribulations so I can be fat and happy, able to click my remote control in complete freedom and safety. Rather Paul's idea of freedom is the empowerment to do Gospel ministry in the world, even from the confines of severe trials and tribulations.

Freedom for Paul is the ability to produce with the least internal encombrances. Freedom for the contemporary American is the ability to consume with the least external encombrances. Sadly, this contemporary concept of American freedom marches its way into our churches and dictates our Christianity. The result is a worm-filled Christianity and America.

Under Construction Part III: God Bless America or America, Bless God?

This particular sermon was delivered last Sunday, June 29th, in view of the upcoming July 4th celebration, and is actually a transition sermon, leading into a series on Christianity and Patriotism.

My baby girls are a vibrant joy in my life. My oldest, who is now 2 & 1/2, wakes up in the morning with deep emotion, emphatically exclaiming, "Daddy, I missed you!" How can your heart not simply melt. When I consider the many reasons why I am proud to be an American, this is certainly one of those many reasons. I want for a place where she can grow up in relatively safety and security. As many of you know, I served in the Marine Reserves, but was trained as a "normal" Marine. At the end of our training we were presented with our fist Marine symbol, the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. In the background Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud to Be an American" was playing and our drill instructors were filing through our ranks presenting our EGAs to us. It just so happened my favorite drill instructor presented me with mine and said, "Daniel, Congratulations, Marine." There wasn't a dry eye in our midst. I carry with me a key chain that has the EGA and the motto, "Semper Fidelis" (always faithful) on one side and the flag raising over Iwa Jima with the pronouncement "Uncommon Valor Was a Common Virtue" on the other.

As I presented this sermon this past Sunday, I stood before those people, and write this for you, very proud of my country. Just like you cannot remove my Marine heritage from me; you cannot remove what it means to be an American from me. They are part and parcel to who I am, and am very appreciative of the culture I've inherited from both.

Now having said all of that, since I am a devoted follower of Jesus Christ before anything else, I must ask myself the following question from time to time about my country and patriotism. I urge all of you to do the same.

Question: Where does our primary loyalty and allegiance belong?

1. God


2. God & Country


3. Country

Now while we might give knee jerk reactions to this question and might even get offended at our being asked, this question is not meant to be answered lightly. This question is one in which we must wrestle around with on a regular basis.

At one time we could take for granted that those who crafted what it meant to be an American for everyone else could be depended upon to do their crafting from a Judeo-Christian framework. Certainly, no one is perfect and mistakes have been made. But it certainly is beyond dispute, at least in my opinion, that in yesteryear the decision and policy makers subscribed to a basic Judeo-Christian frame work. Certainly this was true in the first days of the Republic, for over 99% of the American people were self-described Christian.

Taking a look at some Census data from a table known as "Self-Described Religious Identification of Adult Population: 1990 and 2001," (http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/08s0074.pdf) we see that the religious picture of the Republic is quite different. In 1990 there were 175,440,000 adults in the US. In 2001 there were 207,980,000 adults in the US. However the total number of self-described Christians rose from 151,496,000 to a whopping 159,506,000. Needless to say that the adult Christian population did not rise at nearly the same rate as the general adult population. Keep in mind this Christian self-designation includes some questionable groups, such as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Is it possible to say that the movers and shakers in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Raleigh, New York, Sacramento, etc are less likely to adhere to a Judeo-Christian framework than yesteryear? Let's take a look at a couple of other surveys, both by The Barna Group of Ventura, CA.

In a surveys of Church attendance (http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=10) Barna Research found in 2005 47% of adults attended church on a given weekend that was not a special occasion. 50% of women were likely to attend a regular weekend service (2006). Whereas only 44% of men were likely to do so. 54% of Midwesterners, 51% of Southerners, 41% of those from the Northeast, and 39% of those from the West were likely to attend a regular worship service on the weekend.

Here are a couple of questions:

• Are all people in this country Christian? Given the above survey of Church attendance it is highly unlikely.
• Are all the above people who go to Church ... even regularly ... Christian? This is quite unlikely.

In surveys of the unchurched (http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=38) Barna Research found a 92% increase of unchurched people in this country in the last 13 years from 39 million in 1991 to 75 million in 2004. In 2006 men were a larger unchurched group than women at 55%. The unchurched live throughout the country, making up 43% of the Western population, 40% of the Northeastern population, and 28% of the populations in the South and the Midwest (2006). Interestingly enough 62% of unchurched adults consider themselves to be Christian (2006). 44% of unchurched adults claim to have made personal commitments to Jesus Christ and still find that commitment important today (2006).

Here are a couple of questions:

• Are all of the movers and shakers in the power centers of our country only going to come from the churched group? No, it is highly unlikely.
• Who are most of the decision makers in the power centers of our country today ... right or wrong? It is men ... a larger unchurched group than women.
• Besides this is it a guarantee that simply because someone goes to church and claims to be Christian that they will possess a Scriptural world view? No, of course not.
• Lastly, is it possible for some in our country to think they are Christian ... simply because they are Americans? In other words do they define their "Christianity" by commonly held American values? I think this is very likely and very dangerous, because not only are many of these people likely be political influencers in our society, they are also just as likely to be theological influencers in our churches.

If you think the last question is a bit weird, consider the Marines' Hymn ... something along with the national anthem and Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud to Be an American" resonate deep within my heart.

The Marines' Hymn

Verse 1

From the Halls of Montezuma

To the shores of Tripoli;

We fight our country’s battles

On the land as on the sea;

First to fight for right and freedom

And to keep our honor clean;

We are proud to claim the title

Of United States Marine.

Verse 2

Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze

From dawn to setting sun;

We have fought in ev’ry clime and place

Where we could take a gun;

In the snow of far-off Northern lands

And in sunny tropic scenes;

You will find us always on the job

The United States Marines

Verse 3

Here’s health to you and to our Corps

Which we are proud to serve;

In many a strife we’ve fought for life

And never lost our nerve;

If the Army and the Navy

Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;

They will find the streets are guarded

By United States Marines.

(from http://www.marineband.usmc.mil/learning_tools/library_and_archives/resources_and_references/marines_hymn.htm)

Consider the third verse. While most of us will readily smile and laugh at the friendly jab towards the other branches of our armed forces, the third verse captures the point of the previous question: Is it possible that some in our country consider themselves to be Christian simply because they're American? Does being a Marine automatically guarantee a duty spot in Heaven?

Here is the ultimate point. In yesteryear we could take for granted that our movers and shakers held to a basic Christian world view. In other words, those who crafted what it meant to be an American did so out of a Biblical world view. Today, that is no longer the case. If we're not careful, we might well say that we're proud to be something that is anti-Christian.

Am I patriotic? You better believe it, but my patriotism is held with eyes wide open, with constant vigilance. In other words I don't take things for granted. Blind patriotism is one of the several factors that led the German population, which was mostly Christian, to shout, "Heil Hitler." In our day and time we cannot afford blind patriotism.

Patriotism can be a glue, holding a people together. Patriotism can be a virtue, propelling people to self-sacrifice for their neighbors and posterity. Patriotism for believers can be a way to worship God for his marvelous provisions for their peace and safety. Patriotism, for believers, may also simply be their prosperity thrown into Aaron's fire ... out of which pops a calf wearing red, white, and blue.

Consider the words of the Apostle Paul:

Colossians 1:15-20

He (Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of god was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth of in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV)

This is of course describing our Lord Jesus Christ. If we are serious about our Christianity, we must be serious about this passage, especially two points.

• He is before all things
• That in everything he might be preeminent

Those are absolutes and non-negotiables. However, my concern is not an overt trashing of these ideals. Rather, I'm concerned about what our actions and attitudes might be communicating, whether we know it or not. For example if we are serious about Jesus being Lord over all, then why do we say the Pledge of Allegiance in our worship services before the Pledge to the Christian flag and the Bible? (as is commonly done during "patriotic" services and Vacation Bible School) Why do we pledge our allegiance to a state in any service at all, where we are supposed to be pledging allegiance to our Lord through our worship ... where he is supposed to be the focal point of our worship?

I'm all for being patriotic, but lets be very careful about what we're pledging our love and devotion to. Let's be very careful that the objects of our love and devotion do not steal the worship due only to Jesus as Lord.

Under Construction Part II: "Rebuilding Fatherhood"

This particular sermon was presented on Father's Day.

"And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers ...." (Malachi 4:6; ESV)

It is safe to say from reading this verse out of context that the relationship between fathers ... at least the fathers in this verse ... and children ... at least the children in this verse ... are important. What I aim to present today is that not only are fathers important but fatherhood itself is important. Some children of all ages and times have lost their fathers through untimely means such as disease, war, etc. Some have even lost them through horrible choices on the part of fathers. However, in today's society our children ... for the most part ... will grow up not only without their fathers around ... but also without the concept of fatherhood. What we have seen in our society is that "being a man" no longer includes being a father and that fatherhood no longer includes being male. I contend that nearly all problems in our society result from the castration and euthanizing of fatherhood. We don't simply need to repair what it means to be a father ... we need to rebuild fatherhood itself in our society.

Let's consider some of the problems in Malachi's day and the two pronged solution he offers.

Malachi 1:6-8

"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say 'How have we polluted you?' Buy saying that the LORD's table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts." (ESV)

We see here that defiled worship was being allowed by the priest and offered by the people. What made this defiled worship is that the people and the priests were withholding the best of their animals from Temple sacrifice ... which is totally contrary to Torah. If the people were withholding their best from the LORD, then they were keeping it and its benefits for themselves. Can we not say this is deceit and violations of sacred trust?

Malachi 2:7-9

"For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for the is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have cause many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction." (ESV)

We see here that charges of corruption and deceit are more overtly levelled at the worship leadership, which was the hub of Israeli life at this time. The priest are polluting the teaching going out to the people. If the teaching becomes polluted, which fills the minds of the people, then the minds of the people ... concerning the things of God ... will become polluted.

Malachi 2:10-14

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts!

And this is the second thing you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. but you say, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring? (ESV)

Malachi has levelled a charge at the people in general of being unfaithful (deceitful) to God by going after foreign gods? ... and this after being exiled and being allowed to return from exile! Malachi levels another charge at the men of the society ... in against particular husbands and fathers. The men have violated the sacred covenant of marriage ... leaving their wives and children. Another charge has been levelled at these "dead beat dads." They have not brought up godly offspring ... either because they chose not to have kids or because they and their godly influence were absent ... or because they had no godly influence to give.

Notice also verse 15 "Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring." Because of these absent men, husbands, fathers, the marriage and family could not represent the character and nature of "the one God." Is it possible to read between the lines here and speculate on good grounds that these men were off pursuing their own interests to the exclusion of their own families and their covenants ... and thus true unity became impossible because these men pursued their own selfishness at the exclusion of their covenants?

Malachi 3:5

"Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me," says the LORD of hosts. (ESV)

Here we see that social injustice is being practice by the people. It is possible that many more injustices were being committed besides these. But these are the ones we have to work with in our understanding of this passage. We have adulterers, liars, oppressors of employees and widows and orphans. The common thread here is deceit and cheating for selfish personal gain at the expense of these victims' helpless and defenseless welfare.

On either side of the list we see God is angry with the sorcerers and "those who thrust aside the sojourner (alien)." If cheating and deceit is the common thread in the middle categories then is is possible that thread is wound through these categories as well? Perhaps people were going to the sorcerers to have them curse their neighbors? Perhaps God feels cheated by people going to them instead of himself. Concerning treatment of sojourners or aliens, the term is thrust aside. This perhaps speaks to their justice under the law being "thrust aside" or the poor laws from Torah being ignored on their behalf.

(An aside here perhaps speaks to the illegal immigration debate of our own time. Torah does not wield or add to the sojourners or aliens the same privileges as citizens. But Torah certainly does prohibit the citizens from taking away from the sojourners or aliens some basic temporary beneficence. Deporting illegal immigrants in a humane manner is hardly denying them basic temporary beneficence. Rather is it not more unjust to allow people who chose to enter this country illegally the rights of citizenship before those who entered this country and stood in the lines and did it legally?)

At any rate what we have here is a citizenry who are now practicing deceit and cheating. It is possible that we have seen the citizenry delve down into this low state because the worship leaders and the fathers had become corrupt? Oddly enough in 3:6-12 we see the priests being cheated out of their living expenses because the worshippers are cheating God out of his tithes. What goes around comes around huh?

Malachi 3:17

You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?" (ESV)

The worship establishment and the people are corrupt, but they each complain that others get ahead by evil while they themselves languish in their good ways. They in their unjust and corrupt states have the gall to ask, "Where is the God of justice?"

Malachi offers a two-pronged solution on behalf of God to the people.

Malachi 3:1-4

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. (ESV)

Here we see the two pronged approach God is offering the people through Malachi.

• His messenger is coming.
• God himself is going to show up.

Who is the one we are two think of as the refiner's fire and the fuller's soap? I think it's best to think of God and his messenger as working together, though its always spoken of God as wondering "who can stand in his presence." Either way God is going to show up in the Temple for the purpose of purifying and refining the Temple ... or can we say the worship therein and the leaders thereof? We can also say that God was planning on bringing revival to that society because Scripturally worship is not simply that moment before the Lord, but indeed worship was seen as the whole lifestyle lived under the yoke of Torah.

Malachi 4:1-6

"For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.

Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." (ESV)

We see here that a day is coming when God himself will act to destroy the wicked, leaving them neither root nor branch. Is it possible that part of the solution of destroying the wicked is to allow them to simply die out as a population by not repopulating themselves? At any rate God is supposed to show up and bring healing.

We also see that the prophet Elijah is supposed to return, who is most likely the messenger of the LORD spoken of earlier. Elijah is going to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. If the turning of hearts is part of the solution, then the hearts must be away and thus be part of the problem. Indeed we have seen earlier that a major part of the social problems of Malachi's day was men abandoning their covenants as husbands and fathers.

What we see here then is that a major prong of this two-pronged solution is the restoration of responsible fatherhood ... a fatherhood that is committed to covenant with family and committed to covenant with the LORD via Torah (see 4:4).

Since God does not change (3:6), if God thought restoring fatherhood to society was key in bringing lasting and sustaining social renewal in Malachi's day ... and again in the day of John the Baptist and Jesus (they were the fulfillment of Malachi's prophesy) ... then is it possible that God thinks restoring fatherhood to our society is key to our social renewal of any lasting and sustaining worth?

According to David Blankenhorn (1995), a father's investment in the lives of his children bring

• physical protection
• his money and resources
• "paternal cultural transmission" (identity, character, and competence)
• day-to-day nurturing (Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem, p. 25)

Also according to Blankenhorn in order for fathers to have any real investment in the lives of their children, they must have to a) live with them constantly and b) have a good working alignment with the mother. Part-time fathers can't contribute (or won't contribute) the above four necessities to any measurable comparison of full-time dads.

According to Armin Brott (1999) in his essay, "Not Just Another Pair of Hands," both boys and girls receive priceless cognitive development from consistent and faithful interaction with their father. For boys the social and emotional nurturing received contributes to greater academic skills in both high school and college, higher IQ score and higher scores on other standardized tests ... than boys who do not receive this from their fathers. These emotionally nurtured boys tend to be more empathetic, nurturing, and better behaved (in The Fatherhood Movement: A Call to Action; eds Wade Horn, David Blankenhorn, & Mitchell Pearlstein; pp. 37-40).

Girls who receive the high physical play from their fathers tend to be more popular and assertive with their peers and thus less likely to passively accept their environment (Brott, 1999). These girls are more interested in pursuing higher levels of education and more involvement in sports. The more involved in sports girls tend to be, the less likely they are to wind up pregnant.

On the other hand, "When a girl cannot trust and love the first man in her life, her father, what she is missing cannot be replaced by money, friends, teachers, social workers, or well-designed public policies aimed at helping her. She simply loses. More over, as more and more girls grow up without fathers, society loses. From a societal perspective, this particular consequence of fatherlessness is very much like most others. It is not remediable. Paternal disinvestment cannot be offset by either maternal investment or public investment. As a society, we will not solve our crisis of fatherlessness with prison cells, mentoring programs, antiviolence curricula, boyfriends, antistalking laws, children's advocates, income transfers, self-esteem initiatives, or even mothers. We will solve it only with fathers." (Blankenhorn, Fatherless America, p. 48).

Two other quotes by Blankenhorn capture the importance of not merely men sharing the load with women, but of men assuming and embracing a fully-male fatherhood ... with society's celebration.

• Prisons cannot replace fathers. At best, new prisons constitute an expensive endgame strategy for quarantining some of the consequences of fatherlessness (Fatherless America, p. 32).
• Fatherhood is a social role that obligates men to their biological offspring. For two reasons, it is society's most important role for men. First, fatherhood, more than any other male activity, helps men to become good me: more likely to obey the law, to be good citizens, and to think about the needs of others. Put more abstractly, fatherhood bends maleness--in particular, male aggression--towards prosocial purposes. Second, fatherhood privileges children, In this respect, fatherhood is a social invention designed to supplement maternal investment in children with paternal investment in children (Fatherless America, p. 25).

Under Construction Part I: Is God with You?

Where is my world from yesteryear? I feel left behind. As much as we don't care to admit it, things are changing in our world ... and have been for a long time. And where is God in the midst of all this? This is not the time for fear or anxiety. Jesus still has plans for us. Now is the time to take heart, follow Jesus, and move our church ... "Under Construction."

We're beginning a new series ... or at least several Sundays ago we did ... entitled "Under Construction." This sermonette seeks to explore the idea of God being with us. We typically think of God being for us, but how often do we meditate on God's promise to be with us? Consider the following words of Jesus from John 14:12-18 ...

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you (ESV).

We typically think of God sending someone out on a mission to do work for him. We are scared to go out into that frightening place ... that godless place.

Question: What would happen to our sense of mission and purpose in life ... our church's sense of mission and purpose as well ... if we understood God's not so much as sending us out but calling us to his side ... out in the midst of the world ... where he is already at work?

Here are a couple of things I want us to capture from the above passage from John.

• The context of the passage is Jesus's promising them they would do "greater things" than he did as far as ministry in the world.


• Let us fully capture the last words of our passage. The Holy Spirit would not only be with us ... but also in us. The Holy Spirit would be so much with us ... that he would be in us. You can't get much more with us than being in us.

Let us now consider Moses's example from Exodus 3:1-12:

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.

And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned."

When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!"

And he said, "Here I am."

The he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

The the LORD said, "I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel out of Egypt."

But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

He said, "But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain" (ESV).

Here are three observations.

1. Notice that God didn't simply show up and commission Moses for some mighty work on God's behalf. Rather God shows up and essentially asks Moses to join him in the work God is already doing.
2. Instead of Moses simply obeying. Moses offers the "but."
3. God's assurance to Moses was that God would be with him.

I wonder how our church would change is we changed our view of God's calling from simply "Hey, go gettem and make me proud." to "I'm already here ... why don't you come on and join me." From the John passage above we have seen that the Holy Spirit is already at work in the world and our commission from Jesus to go where the Spirit is and work the works of Jesus ... and even greater works that he did.

Moses offers the typical response we give back to God ... especially in our church. "But...."

• But, God, I'm too old.
• But, God, I' can't do such and such.
• But, God, that's what we pay the preacher to do.

Do you reckon that God is growing a bit tired of wiping our "buts?"

Lastly, we see God assuring Moses that he would be with Moses. As we've seen above that is essentially our assurance as well. By the way, what is the name promised to Joseph of Jesus? Is it not "Immanuel ... God with us?" Remember, we said that not only would the Holy Spirit be with us, but also in us. You cannot get much more "with us" than being "in us."

Remember God has not given us much choice in the matter of whether or not we should go out for ministry, working the works of Jesus, in the world. We have not been given an option ... rather we've been given a God who will be so much with us that he will be in us.

Beware of Idols

This particular sermon was actually preached Sunday, May 18th ... instead of the previously posted sermon, "Knowing God." "Knowing God" was actually preached last Sunday, June 1st. I was on vacation in the mean time.

When we typically think of the Epistle of 1 John, three ideas surface. First of all John profoundly tells us that God is love (4:8). Secondly, we come across the idea of authentic love for one's neighbor ... particularly his challenge to people who claim to love God but in actuality hate their brother (4:20). Thirdly, we typically come across the extremely reassuring idea of God's faithfulness to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we confess our sins (1:9). Perhaps authentic love could be a title for John's epistle.

What is interesting to me is that off all the words John chooses to close his epistle with, he chooses, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (5:21; ESV).

At first glance this might seem anti-climatic. Idols? Aren't those wooden blocks that island natives worship merely wooden blocks? If it was anti-climatic in John's day, how about in our day ... when our scientific skepticism keeps the supernatural out of our imaginative reach? Idols? Haven't we in our "sophistication" rendered all things supernatural, un-natural, for the 21st Century?

While those of us who attempt to take Scripture seriously balk at the above attitude, there are "practical" atheists who fill our churches. I'm sure we know some. Of course we might actually be some of them ourselves. Of course you at least know some.

What happens when we need medical attention? Who do we call ... at least first? Well ... we might voice such prayer requests for other people but not until Sunday morning worship. But we certainly don't voice any need for ourselves of others. We can do these things on our own.

Folks, I hate to tell you, but this privatized version of Christianity is nothing more than practical atheism, which is acknowledging God with the lips but leaving him out of the planning and doing and needing.

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

Actually, we might serve more powerful idols in our culture than in some others ... at least more deceptive idols. An idol is pretty powerful to convince you he's not real and then con you into serving him whole-heartily.

Do we have idols in our American sophistication? What about great wealth? What about sexual prowess? What about being power-hungry, unable to allow others some measure of control?

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

What then is the nature of an idol? Perhaps we can come close to picture by inquiring into God's nature? He told Moses he is the Great I Am. He is the eternally self-existent one, who needs no one or nothing. This Great I Am made us and owns us and made us to be dependent totally on him who can provide for all of our needs perfectly.

Remember the first of the Ten Commandments?

Perhaps the nature of idols is more a reflection of our nature. In my great desire I absolutely crave _______________ (you fill in the blank) above all else. People in yester-year prayed to the War god, Mars for demolition of enemies. Today, people pray to their own ego and pride for demolition of corporate enemies. Perhaps, then, the presence of idols are our vain judgment God for supposedly not meeting our needs out of his eternal supply.

Well, thinking of the three ideas we mentioned from John's first epistle, the charge to keep ourselves from idols only makes sense. Here are the three ideas once again:

1. God is love (4:8).
2. God is love, so we must love our neighbor ... how can we claim to love God but in actuality hate our brother (4:20).
3. Reassurance for forgiveness and cleansing from all sin upon confessing sin (1:9).

Idols, which are the tangible evidence of my unrestrained belly, sabotage all three.

When I allow my belly no restraints I miss or bypass totally the charges, principles, precepts, directions, and commands that God in his love has put into place for me to avoid hell on earth. If I avoid God's charges, principles, precepts, directions, and commands, then I am avoiding God ... and thus rendering his love for me of no account. If I render his love of no account, then because the nature of God is love, I render him of no account.

If my belly is unrestrained then I will attempt to fill it despite whatever obstacles might lay in my way. In fact I will obliterate any obstacles in my way to filling my belly ... even my wife and children. Oh I might not mean to hurt my wife and children, but if out of my insatiable desire for emotional fulfillment and I enter into an affair, then by default my unrestrained belly has destroyed my wife and children. By default I have engaged in behavior that is actually hate for my wife and children. If I hate my brother, then the love of God is not in me.

God's love knows no bounds, but what happens when I'm continually confessing sin, but continually worshipping my idol, which is my unrestrained belly. Do I not then mock the forgiveness of God? Is it not possible that I would grow callous to the Holy Spirit's pleading and convicting. If so, would I eventually not even care that I am in sin and need forgiveness?

While at first John's final words in his epistle might seem anti-climatic or even trivial. But when the nature of idols are considered along with human nature, they are some of the most profound words in the Bible.

As a side note, while the first of the Ten Commandments directs us to have no other gods, the last of the Ten direct us to not covet. Given the nature of idol worship to be the celebration of the unrestrained belly, the placement of the first and last of the Ten Commandments makes perfect sense as well.

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols." John is not speaking to kids but adult believers. Idols are dangerous even for us "sophisticated" adult believers.

Knowing God

What is the purpose of religion in general and Christianity specifically? Many answers come to the fore ... either verbally or by observing common behavioral patterns. Some might answer to keep society intact. Some might answer to feed one's soul. Others might suggest religion is there to keep you out of trouble and to rescue you when you wind up there. Some others might simply believe that the beginning and end of Christianity in particular is to "land on that happy shore" (heaven).

Reading David's earnest pleas in Psalm 143 might lead us to similar conclusions, but let's not be too hasty.

Psalm 143

Hear my prayer, O LORD;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my hear within me is appalled.
I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Answer me quickly, O LORD!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD!
I have fled to you for refuge!
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
For you name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant (ESV).

David may not sound all that different than any of us. Many of us are accustomed to calling out to God when the going gets tough. As the saying goes ... there are no atheists in the fox holes.
Yet, there are several indications here that David is not simply someone who got into trouble and found "Jail-house Religion." Rather David seems to indicate that his common practice is walking with God. Notice verses 3 & 4 describe a living hell on earth being fanned by his enemies. Then verses 5 & 6 describes his meditation on the past faithfulness of God ... and his outstretched soul to bring those memories into contemporary realities.

Interestingly, David is describing the depraved, "cut-throat" world in which he lives in verses 1 & 2, including himself among the unrighteous. In verses 3 & 4 he is further describing their cut-throat activities. In verse 6 David is in essence stretching his very parched but unworthy throat out to the Lord. David deserves to have his throat cut, but is trusting in God keeping his covenant promises. David is trusting that instead of cutting his throat in justice, God will pour watery blessings down it. Actually David is primarily asking for God himself, not simply a quick fix. Leslie C. Allen points this out in his commentary on Psalms.

Further more, David says that God is the one in whom he trusts ... leading to the feel of a pre-existing relationship of trust ... and he asks for God's direction (verse 7). In verse 10 David is asking God to teach him to do God's will. In verse 13 David confesses he is the servant of God.
All of these demonstrate that David's relationship with God didn't just begin when he heard the teacher break the bad news of a pop-quiz. Rather David has a previous habit of nurturing a very passionate relationship with God. And it is out of that passionate intimacy with God that David now turns when he is in trouble.

Yet, some might simply suggest or object by saying that well David was in the Bible and was a superhero. His experience was unique and is not to be expected of the general laity. Politely, I'd like to suggest that reasoning is hogwash. Let's look at the very words of Jesus himself.

John 17:3

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (ESV).

That word in the Greek is not simply knowing about God. Yet, so much of our Christian worship is geared towards that endeavor ... to simply learn a bunch of facts about God. Rather it refers to knowing someone through committed sexual intimacy. That is quite a depth to knowing! And that is the word used here ... not that Jesus is saying that we are to have sex with God. No, rather we are to know God deeply and intimately through experiencing him in the everydayness of life. And Jesus said that was the essence of eternal life or salvation.

Henry Blackaby and Claude V. King's popular book Experiencing God provide a whole teaching on this subject and a necessary corrective to our cold and formalistic worship. This book has radically changed my life and can change yours as well.

Consider the drive of the Apostle Paul.

Philippians 3:10

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings (ESV).

Paul describes all of his religious pursuits as being "but rubbish" compared to knowing Christ. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't think Paul was condemning those particular pursuits per se. Rather Paul was addressing, as he does in most of his letters, the concept of identity. Many Jewish people taught that what identified them as the people of God was their Torah, especially the right required by their Torah ... circumcision. As Paul argued in Romans, no their primary identity marker was faith in Christ. Likewise, as Paul asked, "Do we then overthrow (Torah) by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold (Torah)" (Romans 3:31; ESV). Paul is saying both in Philippians and Romans that the primary marker of being the people of God is faith in Christ ... but having faith in Christ does not absolve you of learning the heart of God as found in Torah and the sayings of Jesus ... as Jesus cautioned, "If you love me you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15; ESV).

The primary maker is faith, which in the context of Philippians is the lived experience of deep intimacy with God found in learning and living his heart. More simply, it is the practice of intimately walking with God.

Hey, we can wear suits all day long and follow Robert's Rules of Order until we've been suffocated with cold formality ... but if we're not knowing God by intimately experiencing him day by day, we need to check the pulse of our Christianity as to see whether it is alive or dead.

The Sacrifice of Motherhood

Happy Mother's Day!

In celebrating those precious people God has elected to raise civilization, it often good to recognize motherly giants as examples to follow. For example Susanna Annesley Wesley was a woman of deep faith, praying that God would use her to spark a movement of God in the churches throughout the English world (Mother's of Influence--Inspiring Stories of Women Who Made a Difference in Their Children and Their World, 2005). Little did she know that she would indeed profoundly influence English Christianity and indeed global Christianity through two of her sons, John and Charles Wesley. They were only 2 of her 19 children ... actually only 9 survived until adulthood. At any rate, she spent an hour praying for her children each day ... and an additional hour per day with one of her children. Wow.

But what about our moms who don't feel they measure up to this spiritually giant status? What about our moms who upon looking back realized they royally screwed up their children? What about our moms who have tried their best and yet their children have become children of the devil?

And what about our moms who feel put-down and spat upon from the ultra-feminist culture for devoting time to their family instead of their careers?

I think we find in the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume a healing example for us to follow. Let's look at Mark 14: 3-9.

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? for this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.

But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her" (ESV).

Now we don't know is this woman was a mom or not, but we can find in her a balm of healing. Notice that she comes in and anoints Jesus ... in the midst of protests.

"Why was the ointment wasted like that?"

I think our wonderful "femi-nazi" society looks upon moms who give up opportunities for full-blown, self-pursuit, career as rather wasteful. Let's don't even mention those moms who choose to raise their families full-time!!! "What a waste!" "She could have really made something of herself!"

I also think that many moms look at their current motherhood status and/or perhaps look back on their past motherhood exploits and cry out in despair, "What a waste!" "I could have done better!" "I am such a failure now ... what a waste!"

Now this sermon isn't to justify evil ... as some mom's have much need for repentance. Yet, many moms are naturally idealistic and feel they don't measure up to some artificial ideal ... often imposed by other people.

In the same vein as Jesus, I want to emphasize, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

The present-day dollar amount might well be nearly $25,000 for the perfume she poured out on Jesus.

"Let her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

I want moms to understand that the sacrifices they have made for their families is like this perfume poured out over the body of Jesus.

For our moms who have been less than perfect, please allow Jesus to pour out the perfume of his Holy Spirit over you and feel his forgiveness running down your tear-stained face. This is not at all to alleviate of our dear moms their responsibility for confession of sin and pursuit of repentance. Yet, as an engine without oil will only lock-up and remain that way, our moms need to feel the forgiveness that Jesus offers, so they can do what comes naturally to them ... properly love their families.

Jesus offers that forgiveness and transformation today. Will you reach out and take his outstretched, nail-scarred hand?

Happy Mother's Day