Survival of The Sympathy

I overheard a girl  in a store lamenting the tragedy of Europeans coming over to America, killing the indigenous people and stealing their land.  I have a few theories about said invasion.  I would have kept these to myself but for the other side of your world view.

She clearly indicated a strong slant away from intelligent design,  and toward all things evolutionary.  Here's my question:  Evolution is the acceptance of the survival of the fittest, the strong eat the weak, dogs and cats living together...  That last part is actually from Ghost Busters, but you get the idea.

How can you accept a world view that assumes one group displacing another through a more robust immune system, military might, or even technological advantage is simply part of the circle of life, but then actually complain about it when it happens?  What ground does she have to stand on, if the atrocities about which she gripes are just another step in the evolutionary cycle?  Sure she can voice her dissenting opinion about U.S. history.  But without some authority to appeal to, it's just that - opinion!

Jesus comes along and claims that the Scripture cannot be broken.  He gives us that higher authority as a foundation for morality.   How great to have something higher than just public opinion on which to base the very issues of our lives!

Do You Believe?

Christ is Risen!

Many modern minds believe that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is impossible.  They say it's just a metaphor.  We live in a scientific age and many people doubt miracles, or simply don't believe in them at all.  So, for many people the Resurrection is just not allowed by their worldview.

If that's you, let's do a thought experiment.  What would it take to smash your worldview, your opinions and beliefs, and convince you that Jesus was raised bodily from the dead?  You might say, "it would have to be overwhelming evidence.  It would have to be absolutely convincing proof for me to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead!"

I want you to realize that whatever it would take to convince you, whatever kind of proof it would take to hit you and make you believe Jesus was raised from the dead - It must have hit his disciples!  Although they probably had different reasons, the idea of a resurrection was just as inconceivable for them to believe as it is for modern people to believe.  Greeks believed salvation was the soul being released from the body at death.  They had no reason to hope for a resurrection.  Some Jews believed in a resurrection at the end of time when all things would be restored.  But someone rising in the middle of history just didn't fit their theology.


Jesus kept telling his followers, "I'm going to be killed and then rise again on the third day."  But on the third day no one showed up at the tomb to see.  Only a few women went - and that was to pay their last respects.  Even when they found the stone moved, and the tomb empty their first response was, "Someone took his body!"  Rising from the dead conflicted with their worldview so sharply that they didn't even show up out of curiosity to see what would happen.

So something must have been overwhelmingly convincing to them, because they did change their minds.  They did believe!  The Gospel writers tell us what affected them so strongly:  Jesus appeared to them alive.  There are several occurrences recorded where Jesus appeared to his followers after the crucifixion. 

* Hundreds of people believed because they actually saw and heard and touched a living Jesus!

* Thousands more believed because they heard and believed the eyewitness testimony of those who actually saw the risen Jesus! 
 
By the way, you have the eyewitness testimony too!  The Bible, the Gospel writers are the eyewitnesses to these things that the early church had.  Read them and decide.

Do you believe?!

Good Friday 2010

Find one of the passages about the passion.  Read it and pray it.  Remember what Jesus did for us.

Matthew 27

Mark 15

Luke 23

John 19

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Many religious figures have assumed a state of humility as they endeavored to patiently teach their followers to walk in the way in which they themselves have discovered.

Then comes Jesus. 

• The Word of God Made Flesh

• The Image of the Invisible God

• The Firstborn over all creation 

• The Radiance of God's Glory

• The Exact Representation of God's Being

• The Only Begotten Son of God

This is not a gentle soul with a divine spark

He is the Spark of all Creation

This is not an awakened soul 

He is the Breath of Life

This is not an enlightened soul 

He is the Light of the World

He is the "Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made..."

The One I've been describing, He is the One who stooped down at Simon Peter's feet, washing and drying them only a few hours before this same disciple denied Him.  The "I AM" who appeared to Moses, the Lord God Almighty made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.  Maybe other religious leaders have set examples of humility and service to others.  But what other lord or god has ever descended from his altar, or pedestal to serve his subjects in such a way as this?

Jesus is the link between heaven and earth; between God and people.  In this simple act of service He humanizes God's love for us, and sanctifies our love for God.  No one else could have done that.

I choose to love the God who first loved me.

I choose to serve the only God who serves!

 Mark 10:45 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

 John 13:2-15

²The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

 ⁷Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

 ⁸"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
      Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

 ⁹"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

 ¹⁰Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." ¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

 ¹²When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. ¹³"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. ¹⁵I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Birth and "Unclean"

Someone asked me why women were considered unclean after giving birth?  Why were they considered unclean longer after giving birth to a girl?  Is that a dim reflection on females?

I'm not sure if the uncleanness of a mother for a female baby was extended.  Maybe the uncleanness of a mother for having a male child was "cut short" for the sake of circumcision - no pun intended! Mom would need the all clear by the eighth day in order to participate in presenting the child to the priest. The fact that the offering requirements presented to the temple were the same for male or female infants indicates that there was no greater value placed on one gender over the other.

Another possible reason for giving the newborn females more time away from the populous could be health related.

"...mortality differentials arise from social or behavioral factors reflecting deliberate discrimination by adults in favor of boys over girls, resulting in atypical male to female infant mortality ratios."
- Kana Fuse and Edward M. Crenshaw; Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University, July 2005



This quote, which applies to underdeveloped cultures, is saying that such cultures have a tendency to place fess value on female babies, contributing to higher female infant mortality.  The extra week would give a longer buffer for more intense care of such infants.  Those extra few days of isolation, just mother and baby, could have also played a factor in the overall health of the baby, by allowing preemptive quarantine (childbirth fever, also known as Puerperal fever was highly contagious and prevalent as recently as the 1800's) as well as more bonding time for mother and child.

Women as Leaders in the Church

O.K. This I borrowed from a magazine article. Click the link to read the entire article!

Female apostle.  Junia (Rom. 16:7)

Female prophets.   Anna (Luke 2:36), Philip’s four prophesying daughters (Acts 21:9), the women who prophesied at Pentecost—the birth of the church (Acts 2:4-21)—and the women in Corinth (1 Cor. 11:4-5; 14:31)

Female teachers.  Priscilla (Acts 18:26)

Female evangelists and house-church leaders.  Lydia (Acts 16:13-14,40); Apphia (Philem. 1-2); Nympha (Col. 4:15); Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11); Priscilla (Acts 18:26; Rom. 16:3); Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis (Rom. 16:12); Euodia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:3)

Female deacons.  Phoebe (Rom. 16:2)

Jesus and Women

I wrote the following as a reply to an annonymous poster who claimed that the Bible was oppressive to women.  I've edited it a bit.  I believe that the Word of God sets all people free, including women...

The example of the New Testament liberates oppressed women everywhere that it spreads!

Paul's practice of allowing, even approving of male and female worshipers meeting together would have shocked his Jewish and pagan contemporaries. Jewish culture forbid women from even entering the temple courts.  Pagan ritual often involved women as sexual objects for the satisfaction of the priests, rather than worshiping together. But we'll get back to Paul in a moment.

* Jesus Christ set the example for his church. The following points listed, were usually unacceptable, or at least not the norm in ancient culture. Jesus shattered traditions of men:

* Jesus taught both men and women

* Jesus received praise from both men and women

* Jesus had male and female followers

* Jesus' female followers were often mentioned by name

* Jesus reacted with kindness toward a woman who washed his feet and anointed them ("She has done a beautiful thing to me. Everywhere the Good News is preached, what she has done will be told as well.")

* Jesus scolded Martha for doing what was considered traditional "woman's work" in the kitchen, while praising Mary for listening to and learning from him.

* Jesus talked to the Samaritan women. This shocked even her. Jesus broke three barriers to speak to her:

1. Race barrier - she was a Samaritan
2. Gender barrier - she was a woman
3. Moral barrier - she was a "sinner"

Look at what Jesus did in light of his cultural surroundings. The cultural atmosphere was so male-oriented, I can imagine those Gospel writers almost gulping as they wrote so much about women. That is, they wrote so much about women compared to the culture in which they lived. I can't think of any ancient culture that afforded women the assumed rights they have in modern Western cultures. Jesus' inclusion of women was radical.

I think ones particular interpretation of the Bible is closely related to ones position on divine authorship. If you're starting under the assumption that the Bible is nothing more than a collection of human writings with no hint of divine inspiration whatsoever, you're likely to come to all sorts of conclusions.

Another way to interpret the verses your conclusions seem to be based upon, assumes that the Bible is, as most Christians including myself refer to it, the Word of God. This is what I believe. Ultimately, if the Word of God (especially the New Testament) teaches a particular belief or practice, I am obligated as a Christian to uphold it even if it seems at odds with my personal feelings. To me this means that although I disagree with many of your conclusions, or interpretations of the text, I am trying to be careful not to allow my own cultural bias color my interpretations.

If God is the author of the biblical writings, and God is infinite, perfect, just and loving, then these writings will ultimately have our best interests at heart. I'm not saying that we're always going to jump for joy at the prospect of obeying his commands, any more than my children jump for joy when I take away the sweets and send them to brush their teeth. What's best for us, isn't always the most pleasant.

Think about it this way: I believe in order to be in a relationship with anyone sometimes I am required to be exposed to views and opinions I disagree with, and even occasionally to submit my will and desires to the other person's - that is unless I choose only friends who are identical to me, which already sounds boring. If God is personal, in order to relate to him personally, I'm going to at least sometimes encounter aspects of that relationship that I'm not comfortable with. However, if God is also perfect, then putting my personal feelings aside and following him will always be best for me.

1Corinthians 14:33-35 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

In light of 1Corinthians 11:2-16 which assumes women are praying and prophesying (which usually requires speaking) in the church, this passage seems to be dealing with some specific incident or type of speaking in the church: Inquiry. I think Paul had particular women in mind. (I understand this is conjecture) I can only guess to what issue Paul was addressing, but according to the text it was related to learning something during the church service.

Perhaps these women (as women at all these new churches), who were not accustomed to knowing what was going on, because they were not accustomed to such a hands-on worship experience that the "in Christ, no male or female" policy had suddenly afforded them, were interrupting the service (i.e. quenching / grieving the Spirit) with inquisitive outbursts about trivial matters. Add this to the singing, scripture reading, prayer, speaking in tongues and prophesying that people were doing as part of the service, and you have a recipe for disorder that needs some kind of clear instruction. The point is, women in the church at Corinth 2,000 years ago were freely participating in Christian worship with their voices!

Paul was mentions women who were leaders in the church in more than a few places in his letters. We know there were female deacons. And one particular woman may have been designated "apostle." Women were also found among the prophets of the New Testament.

About Submission and Authority
 Looking through our modern Western cultural glasses submission sounds painful and just doggone... submissive! Even the word is pejorative to us! Another word that rubs us wrong, especially when we're not the ones in it, is authority. Even my "pastoral" self has recently felt like thumping a state trooper I believed was throwing his badge around our small town - which by the way manages just fine with our own local Sheriff's Department, thank you very much!

Contrary to popular opinion submission is not the greatest evil. Jesus made some interesting comments about his own state of being while on earth. He was in submission to his Father in Heaven. "By myself I can do nothing..." (John 5:30). "...for the Father is greater than I" (John 14:28 - which seems to speak of Jesus' human state. See Philippians 2:6). "The head of Christ is God" (1Corinthians 11:3). Does this degrade Jesus? Does this make him less than equal with God? No. That State Trooper having authority over me on the highway, doesn't make me less of a person than he!

There are also other ways to interpret this passage. Some Bible scholars interpret the passages about the husband being the "head" of the wife, as an anatomical head / body metaphor, rather than an authority metaphor. What's the difference? Well, the head / body idea puts emphasis on the oneness of a husband and wife, rather than authority roles. Imagine either a head or a body trying to operate without the other. That is just how close a married couple is, theologically speaking.

If God (the Father) is the head of Jesus (who is the Word of God made flesh, the "Son" member of the trinity) and Jesus is the body, the hands and feet of God on this earth, or "God with us," as one passage states, does that make Jesus (God the Son) any less God (The Father)?

Jesus Made The Difference!

Someone told me they recently realized when Jesus had a child stand before the disciples, he also took the child in his arms as he said, "Whoever welcomes this little child, welcomes me."  This started me thinking about how through seemingly insignificant gestures, Jesus made a positive difference, and still makes a difference to the cultures of this world.

Women
 Jesus was born into a world that viewed women as less than men.  A woman in ancient times was often considered property.  Some cultures thought so little of women that when a man died, his wife (or wives) would be buried alive (or burned on the pyre) along with him.  In addition to gender, Jesus broke through ethnic and moral barriers when he reached out to the woman at the well in John 4.  This gesture signaled a new day for the "softer" gender.  Compare any Christian-influenced society with any non-Christian counterpart and see where Women's rights are greatest.
Jesus Made The Difference!

Children
Children in the ancient Roman world were not the objects of love and affection that they are in the modern West.  The late Dr. James Kennedy said, "The Roman father's power over his child was absolute.  He could expose it to death; he could scourge it, mutilate it, marry it, divorce it, sell it as a slave, or kill it to satisfy his own blood lust."  Jesus took a child in his arms and the coldness toward all children began to melt away!
Jesus Made The Difference!

Slaves
Today people look in shock at the practice of slavery.  We wonder how such a godless trade could have ever existed.  However, looking through the eyes of history, we see that virtually every culture has viewed slavery as normal.  Slavery is still common in many nations - The strong rule the weak.  The real wonder is that slavery ever ended anywhere.  Listen to Jesus putting forth our worth as God (the strongest of the strong) so loved the world (the weakest of the weak), that he gave his One and Only Son...  Jesus came to set us free from sin and death.  Societies that have come under the Christian influence have always been on the cutting edge of emancipation.
Jesus Made The Difference!

Humanity
Where basic Christianity thrives, standards of living go up. Hospitals are built. Food and clothing is provided. Weird, painful superstitions (i.e. Pagan human sacrifices, Chinese foot-binding, African female circumcision, Indian Sati) come to an end.  Every church I know of sent aid to Haiti in light of its recent tragedy.  Many churches offer professional counseling to members and non-members at no charge.  
Jesus Made The Difference!

That's the Christianity I see, where charity and community is motivated from a God who furiously loves us and draws us to himself!  When I see the good deeds of just our local church people I think:  Even if I had doubts about Jesus, I sure would wish he were real! Why?  Because...
Jesus Made The Difference!

Guest or Host?

Jesus said, "I am gentle and humble in heart."  Jesus also said, "blessed are the meek..."  But when he walked into the temple during Passover he revealed gentle, humble and meek does not mean soft and week.  When Jesus saw animals and money changers intermingled with would-be worshipers, he put a decisive end to it!  He cleansed the temple with a word and whip.

John offers Psalm 69:9 as explanation for Jesus' outburst:  "Zeal for your house consumes me."  Jesus was passionate to see the house of God remain what it was intended to be:  Consecrated for God's sacred use.  Just as a person can be consecrated, set apart for God's purpose (the word for this is saint), so can a building (sanctuary is the word for this).  The only place in the world that was set apart to be a habitation for the presence of God was that Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

If zeal for God's house, for the temple of God's presence, consumed Jesus when he walked the earth, let's follow that logic through.  After Jesus went to the cross and ripped open the curtain that separated us from God, he gave us clear access to the presence of God.  Those of us who put our faith in Jesus now become the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in us. So if zeal to clean the temple consumes Jesus, and we are now the temple, what does that mean for us?  It means Jesus has a zeal, a burning desire to cleanse us and make us holy!

One reason I believe Jesus so freely cleaned the temple was ownership.  Anywhere else Jesus went, he was a guest in people's homes.  But that day he walked into the temple, he was the host.  He was home and he had authority to cleanse his own house.

The question each of us has to ask ourselves is what role Jesus plays in our lives?   Is he a guest in your home?  Do you call him over for a visit during times of need, only to shuffle him out the door when you're done with his services?
"Thanks for turning that water into wine, Jesus!"
"Great party, Jesus!"
"O.K. see ya' later, Jesus!"

Or have you come to the realization that he is the owner of the temple?  His burning desire is to purify it, to make it holy, separated for God's pleasure and your own benefit.  As you surrender each and every corner to the Lord of the temple, you will see him make a wonderful change of your life!  But you must decide once and for all:  Is Jesus a guest in your life, or is he the owner?

Encourage Yourself

David's life sometimes seems to be a collection of difficult situations.  1Samuel 30 is probably as bad as anywhere else.  The Bible says the Amalekites had burned down the city and taken the families of David and his men.  These men were so upset they wept until they couldn't weep any more.  David's own men were playing with the idea of beating him to death with rocks.  Probably not the way I'd pick to embrace eternity.

How did David deal with this situation?  "David found strength in the LORD his God."  He encouraged himself in the Lord!

How Others Encourage Themselves

Some people encourage themselves in themselves.  The fictitious Stuart Smalley (Pre-politically-insane Al Frankin) used to encourage himself with, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!"  The only problem was Stuart's addiction to...  therapy for addiction!

Muhammad Ali encouraged others in himself!

“I am the greatest”

“I've seen George Foreman shadow boxing and the shadow won.”

"Clay comes out to meet Liston/And Liston starts to retreat/If he goes back any further/He'll be in a ringside seat!"

"Archie Moore, will be on the floor, in round four!"

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee/Joe Frazier can't hit what he can't see."

"Joe frazier is speaking out of tune cause his face is blown up like a balloon"

How David Encouraged Himself

I can imagine David sitting on the heap of ashes that used to be his home.  He looks to the right and sees another pile of ashes. - the storehouse for animals and food.  He looks to the left and sees these guys with rocks in their hands trying to decide whether to stone him to death.  Have you ever had a day that went so poorly?  What did David do?

* David was a psalmist

* David was a song writer

* David was a composer

* David was a musician

Musicians are a strange crew - there was a guitarist in high school -  I never saw the guy without a guitar pick in his mouth.  It was his trademark!  Maybe David carried a portable harp with him everywhere.

I can just see David reaching into his flowing robe, and pulling out his little portable harp. He starts to tune up the strings, and he starts to hum, and tune, hum and tune...

Maybe he sang things like, 
 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.  For who is God besides the LORD ?  And who is the Rock except our God?  It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. (Psalm 18:30-32)

 
The point is, after David spent time encouraging himself in the Lord, he was strengthened and ready to take the next step toward defeating the enemy.  Something happens  when you start putting God first, exalting his name and worshiping.  You realize that you're in His presence.  In His presence is fullness of joy, encouragement and strength to continue in the fight! 


So whatever the situation, wherever you are, encourage yourself in the Lord!

[Photo by James Jordan, Flickr's Creative Commons]