Reversal

November 7, 2018

“From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, 

are running back to GOD. 

Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. 

GOD has taken charge; 

from now on he has the last word.”

“All the power-mongers are before him —worshiping! 

All the poor and powerless, too —worshiping! 

Along with those who never got it together —worshiping!”

“Our children and their children will get in on this 

As the word is passed along from parent to child. 

Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news— 

that God does what he says.”

Psalm 22:29-31 MSG

On this, the day after midterm elections, this Psalm was in today’s reading. Most of it is a desperate cry for deliverance that was quoted by Jesus as he hung dying on the Cross for our sins. As it moves toward the end, that baleful plea turns into a defiant declaration of faith in the merciful providence of God who will bring about the great leveling that politicians talk about, going even farther than they would choose. I love where it says the power-mongers will kneel beside the poor and powerless and those who never got it together. No one will be lording it over another. Jesus said it succinctly: “The first shall be last, and the last first”—the Great Reversal!

Today, some are rejoicing while others mourn, but the truth is that no matter who is in office, though they have the best of intentions, they will not usher in the utopia they promise. All merely human effort will ultimately fall short, so on this day it is good to know that a time is coming when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of God, while every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father. In the meantime, may we keep our eyes on that promise and our hearts pure, so whatever this world throws at us for good or ill, we will not be moved. 

Finish It

November 6, 2018

“There is one thing very successful people have in common. It doesn’t matter what their field of endeavor; one thing alone they all share. And only about 1% of people fit into this category; that’s only one in a hundred.” The preacher had my attention even though I had just tuned in and had missed most of his message. I was driving and listening attentively. 

“They finish what they start.” That was it. They don’t quit. Most people start well, but somewhere along the line, they lose interest, get tired, or it gets too hard, and they quit. I’ve been there. Staying with it isn’t easy. Maintaining a consistent focus requires a great deal of effort, and if we don’t see immediate or near-immediate results, we tend to say, “Well, that didn’t work,” as we move on to something else. I’ve watched people do this repeatedly; they start well, with good intentions and even good plans. Whether it’s their job, raising their kids, volunteering for the church or community, they begin with high expectations, only to cave in to the pressure of the task. 

The preacher quoted Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane—“I have glorified you on the earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do.” (John 17:4). One translation has it, “I have glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” People often say they want to glorify God. They imagine it will happen when they do some great work for Jesus, when it may be that all they need to do is finish what they started.

In my annual reviews for ministry, I was often asked, “What strengths do you have?” My response rarely varied. “I’m an OK preacher, a decent pastor, a terrible administrator, but the one thing I do well is, I don’t quit.” 

It’s a question worth asking: “Have I finished what God gave me to do?” I thought I had when I retired. I was mistaken. I believe I finished what God gave me to do at Park church, but apparently there was more to do elsewhere. So the question nips at my heels once more. Have I finished what God gave me to do? I’m pondering that question because I don’t want to stop running before I reach the finish line. I’m thankful that Jesus didn’t quit, and that those who taught me the Gospel didn’t quit. By God’s grace, I won’t quit, either. I want to glorify God by finishing what he gave me to do.

Worship

November 5, 2018

Genuine worship can take many forms. From High Church liturgy to rollicking Pentecostal dancing in the aisles, I’ve had the privilege of entering the Presence of the Lord in cathedrals, in storefront missions, country chapels, and in the open air. I’ve been with people who stood woodenly, absent-mindedly mouthing words, and with folks so passionate the tears were streaming down their faces as they sung with rapturous joy.

A few years ago, our church began SOTA (School Of The Arts) where we teach kids (and now adults) guitar, bass, keyboards, sound system, vocals, drums, and worship leadership. This year, we added liturgical dance, and culinary arts. Yesterday, we witnessed the fruit of our labors as the youth led worship. Linda and I had the joy of watching three of our grandchildren together with their friends on stage singing, playing their instruments, and dancing, all in praise to our Lord. We are blessed to have so many teenagers and youth, and so many adults willing to take the time to train them to lead worship, and I am thankful tonight to have been led in worship by some of those same young people.

Choose Life

November 4, 2018

Somewhere in the mid 1940s my mother and father attended a small Baptist church in San Antonio where dad was stationed as he served our country in the Army Air Corps. They heard the Gospel preached and responded together, professing a newfound faith in Christ. That evening set in motion a life trajectory that not only changed their lives, but also the lives of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

I’ve watched and listened to people whose family backgrounds are completely different than mine. Abuse of alcohol and drugs, infidelity and divorce are so commonplace for so many people that they can’t even conceive of life being any different. It is the world they inhabit; like a fish is unable to understand wet, they know only discord and chaos. When exposed to a better way, they are often attracted to it, but it just as often takes time for them to understand enough to choose something different from what they know. 

I am grateful tonight that I never had to make that choice because it was never a part of the life I knew. Almost from the beginning, faith in Christ was a part of my life; it has been the air I’ve breathed for more than fifty years, and consequently, I’ve been spared so much of the bondage and chaos that so many people live with on a daily basis. So I pray for those whose life experiences have wounded and blinded them to the love and grace of God and from the life he offers them, that his tender mercy will break through so they will turn from self-destructive choices to Jesus Christ who alone can give them what they are unknowingly looking for.

Where Fruit is Found

November 3, 2018

Techniques, programs, and the social sciences all have their place in Christian ministry, but they don’t occupy the highest ground. That belongs to the Word of God. In the last century, Donald McGavran was a missionary to India, having grown up there as a child of missionary parents. He was curious as to why in some areas of India the church saw explosive growth, while in others, the church barely limped along. He developed theories that were the foundation of the Church Growth movement that has continued to this day. 

He learned that no matter whether the church grew or stagnated, those involved in the various works attributed their success or their failure to their faithfulness to the Gospel. There had to be more to it, he figured. He worked to discover what that might be. Fast forward to the early 1990s, when I was foundering in ministry. It felt to me like I was at a dead end, spinning my wheels doing the right pastoral things, but seeing little significant results. I was exposed to McGavran’s thought, and decided to take the plunge. The church I pastored began to experience significant growth in an area of the country where the population was (and still is) declining. People were telling me that this shouldn’t be happening; we were defying the demographic odds. 

Then came a crash in 2003 when we lost nearly half our congregation, and I began to wonder if all this church growth stuff was merely a flash in the pan—techniques and strategies that produced only results that wouldn’t last, or whether I had just stopped doing the right things. I’m still not sure, but one thing I know from my Scripture reading for the day: Jesus promised that if we abide in him, we will bear much fruit (John 15:4-5). The techniques, the strategies, the planning are all good as long as the foundation is abiding in Christ. Looking back, I think I spent more time reading church growth literature than I did meditating and soaking up the mind of Christ. I don’t think I violated any unseen rules; I just got out of balance. My reading today brings back into focus where the priorities should lie. I’m not ready to abandon the church growth movement or all the excellent sociological studies that have been done. But I know that for growth to be permanent, it must be rooted in a deep walk with Christ. That’s where the fruit is found. That’s where I’m going. That’s why I’m giving thanks tonight.

The Dare

November 2, 2018

Sometimes it’s worth it to dare someone to do something out of character. I’m not talking about anything illegal or immoral, just something that stretches the imagination. I won’t say exactly what the dare was, but Linda took me up on it, to my great amusement. Anyone who thinks she is staid and stolid had better take a second look! She continually amazes me. 

Last month she took a weekend road trip with a friend to Massachusetts. Do you know how much she hates riding? Of course today she revealed that the problem is me. I’m not a talker. At least, I don’t keep up a steady stream of verbiage, which is apparently what she wants when traveling. That doesn’t work for me. In order to have a stream of consciousness conversation, one has to have a stream of consciousness. Mine is more like a dried up rivulet. I can drive for hours with only my disconnected thoughts to keep me company in between long periods of only latent brainwave activity. Linda’s brain is filled with supercharged neurons firing like they’re hopped up on double-caff espresso.

We spent the day wandering around Vidler’s in East Aurora, taking a side trip to Holland to a stove shop, then enjoying dinner together at Tony Rome’s, followed by Sectional Swim Meet. The day was filled with laughter and deep pleasure in each other’s company, a change from the everyday work that we welcomed as nourishment for our souls.

The Fourth Commandment was reiterated by Jesus when he said the Sabbath was made for man, not the other way around. We need the rhythm of rest if we are to avoid spiritual and emotional sterility. We found that today, and I am thankful. And she took the dare!

Work and Worship

November 1, 2018

Today is All-Saints Day, when we remember those steadfast ones who faithfully carried the torch and handed it off to those who followed suit, all through history. It is a story that years ago didn’t command my attention as it does today. I am much more aware of the faithfulness of those who came before me than I was thirty years ago. In 1864, William W. How penned the lyrics to a majestic hymn honoring those forerunners while worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ. “For All the Saints” has for a number of years been a favorite of mine on this day. Here are the lyrics:

1. For all the saints, who from their labours rest,

Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,

Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

2. Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;

Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;

Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

4. O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,

Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,

And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

7. O blest communion, fellowship divine!

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;

Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

8. And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

10. But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;

The saints triumphant rise in bright array;

The King of glory passes on His way.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

11. From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,

Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

Singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:

Alleluia, Alleluia!

As you can see, there are four other verses which are usually omitted in the singing of this hymn. The tune, Sine Nomine is by Ralph Vaughn Williams, written in 1906, means “Without a Name,” remembering the multitude whose names are today known only to God. I am grateful for these forerunners, and for this song which never ceases to stir me on this day.

On a more mundane note, since yesterday was the 501st anniversary of Luther’s 95 Theses, I am grateful for one particular characteristic of the Reformation: the notion that all work is sacred when offered to God. Today I did ordinary work, but it was an act of worship as I did my best and followed our Creator in making something beautiful. Of course, I didn’t start ex nihilo, and unlike God, the project is much smaller and taking way more than six days, but when it’s done, it’ll be an expression of his image in me. Ordinary work is sacred and has eternal worth, for which I am thankful tonight.