Thoughts on Veterans Day
Veteran Flag
photo by Dustin C. Oliver

This Friday is November 11, our national holiday for honoring our veterans, both living and deceased.  We do well as a nation to remember those who have participated in military exercises on our behalf.  We enjoy so many freedoms and privileges that we often take for granted, and our military, over the years, has done much to preserve those freedoms and privileges.  Several veterans are members of our congregation, and nearly all of us know of or are related to veterans of one war or another.  In this season of giving thanks, please do take the time to thank veterans in person for the gift of their time and resources.

Today, I find myself drawn to the reason Veterans Day came to be observed on November 11 each year.  The name “Veterans Day” has been in use since the end of World War II, and the same holiday was observed prior to that war under the label “Armistice Day.”  The first World War officially ended on November 11, 1918 – ninety-three years ago this week – and many nations around the world continue to remember the end of this great conflict on the same day.

Why am I drawn to this?  Well, you know I enjoy history and the stories that shape who we are today.  But my interest here has more to do with the reason for celebrating this holiday.  Culturally, we (as Americans) are in a position in our collective history in which we applaud, support, and give thanks for our military forces on a regular basis.  For instance, at the beginning of every Great Lakes Loons game, a veteran asks the crowd to rise and sing the national anthem.  That is who we are, culturally speaking.

As Christians, however, we should celebrate the historical reasons behind Armistice Day:  we should rejoice when nations lay down arms against each other and come, finally, to peace.  That’s because our identity as disciples of Jesus is modeled after the life of this Prince of Peace.  True, he said that he came not “to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34 NIV).  However, he also encouraged us to “be at peace with each other” (Mark 9:50 NIV).  The overwhelming biblical call is for God’s faithful children to live peacefully: see, for example, James 3:17-18; Hebrews 12:10-14; Ephesians 4:3; and Romans 14:17-19.

Peace is related to righteousness; peace is the way of Christ.  True, scripture often speaks of us living peacefully within the church, but it also speaks of living peacefully with everyone.  Scripture often speaks of an angry, vengeful God, but it also speaks of the same God applauding the peaceful way of life.  Christian history has often applied scripture to justify violent actions, but the higher road, whenever it is possible to be traveled, is peaceful.

This Armistice Day, remember to give thanks for the gift of peace.  Then take a few minutes to pray for peace around the world, in war-torn nations (just check the daily news for examples!), in our own nation and cities.  As Jeremiah called the Israelites in Babylonian captivity to do, “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV).

–Pastor David

Jesus and the Legal System

Yesterday came the long-awaited and somewhat startling news: Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her daughter, Caylee Anthony.  For weeks and months, our media have been obsessed with this story, and now hopefully that obsession will begin to subside.  I think it’s unhealthy for a society to focus so intently on the outcome of one murder trial when we can’t do anything to affect its outcome.  Instead, society should focus on things that we can influence, such as preventing future murders by teaching children the value of life, teaching adults how to resolve conflicts peacefully, providing medication for those who need it, and so forth.

To be honest, I have avoided the bulk of the media attention around this case.  Once the verdict was announced, however, I watched a little more carefully, especially to the groundswell of emotional reactions that came from the American public through social media websites like Twitter and Facebook.  The most frequently voiced opinions, by far, were along these lines:  Casey Anthony should have been found guilty; the evidence was overwhelming against her; justice was not served; little Caylee deserves justice; some day Casey will have to answer to God for her crime.

That final opinion is what really struck me.  To be sure, our scriptures teach that each of us will eventually have to give an account of our lives to God (Romans 14:12, Hebrews 4:13, 1 Peter 4:3-5).  However, by applying this to the Casey Anthony situation, are we short-circuiting our own legal system by stepping in as judge and jury ourselves?  If we are, then the task of filling an impartial jury must be incredibly difficult.  Even worse, are we suggesting that our system of justice functions as an arm of God’s system of justice?  If we are, then we have taken the dangerous step of forming God after our own image.  Finally, are we claiming that there is no possibility for forgiveness and redemption between a sinner and the Lord?  If we are, then we have strayed from the message of Christ altogether.

The story that keeps coming to my mind is that of the woman caught in adultery who was brought before Jesus by the Pharisees as a trap for the Lord (John 7:53-8:11).  This story is very complicated, at the very least because its origin is questionable – your Bible probably includes a note about this passage not appearing in the earliest or oldest manuscripts of John’s gospel.  And the story can be misconstrued to suggest that Jesus doesn’t care about adultery or that there will be no condemnation for sin; the rest of scripture says otherwise to each of those suggestions.  In the end, this story is one of grace:  in the heat of the moment, Jesus spares the life of a guilty woman – and he challenges her to “go now and leave [her] life of sin” (NIV).  (Of course, the story is also about how Jesus once again avoids a trap by the Pharisees!)

I think the reason Casey Anthony’s trial keeps bringing this story to my mind is simple:  God’s system of justice is not the same as the American system of justice.  Our system is punitive, punishing the guilty; God’s system is gracious, forgiving the repentant.  Our system is myopic, focusing on one person or one crime at a time; God’s system applies equally to all people, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NIV).  Our legal system is based purely on our actions, motives, and evidence; God’s justice is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ:  our sins are covered and washed away by his blood.

Church, remember this:  we are citizens of the United States, but our greater allegiance is to the kingdom of God.  We should constantly strive to see the world as the Lord sees it; we should interact with others on behalf of Christ and out of gratitude for our own relationship with him.  Be encouraged: a relationship with Jesus is worth infinitely more than any “not guilty” verdict from a human courtroom!  Shouldn’t we joyfully share that relationship with everyone around us?

–Pastor David

Born into Christian Faith?

Recently, I read an excerpt from a book recently written by Desmond Tutu, a well-known South African Christian minister.  Many of his comments are challenging and provocative, but today I’d like to focus in on one point he makes very clearly:  “the accidents of birth and geography determine to a very large extent to what faith we belong.”  In other words, where you were born and who your parents are go a long way in determining what your own religious background is.

Now, this is not to discount the possibility of real change in people’s lives.  History is full of examples of people who were raised in cultures and families hostile to Christianity but who discovered the truth and joy of a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.  God is powerful enough to change the hardest of hearts – including those that are convinced that a spiritual path other than discipleship in Christ is correct.

My question is for you:  if you are a follower of Christ, why?  What’s your story?  Where have you come from?  Is being a Christian a conscious choice you have made, or is it something you have inherited from your parents or from your culture?

I was raised in a Christian home as the younger son of a Church of God pastor and his wife.  I was raised in the church; we went to church every time the doors were open.  I was exposed to Christianity from a very early age, both at home and in the churches to which we belonged.  Some might say that I am a Christian because my parents are Christians and because I was raised to be a Christian.  To some extent, that is probably right.

However, there came a time when I realized that my faith had to be my faith and not just something I inherited from my parents.  That time came for me in college, and thankfully I came to the realization that following Christ really is the best choice – something in which I can actively involve myself for the rest of my life.  I follow Christ consciously, grateful for my spiritual inheritance, but honest in my decision to follow him.

So where do you fall?  Do you believe in Jesus?  If so, why do you believe?  What is your spiritual heritage?  If you came to Christ without the benefit of family or culture, then ask yourself the same question:  why did you come to faith in him?

Our stories of faith form who we are.  These are the stories that we should celebrate, rehearse, and share with each other and with others.  These give meaning to our existence and to our walk with the Lord.  And remember this:  your story of faith is still being written; growth and maturity are still part of God’s plan for your life.

–Pastor David

Truth and Narratives

Lately, I’ve been thinking frequently about narratives – stories that inform our lives, that give our lives meaning and direction, that help us to view the world in a particular way. A narrative can be something simple like “I like how I look,” or it can take a form as complex as your family history. Narratives can be true (“my work is valuable”) or false (“no one loves me”). They can be helpful or harmful, and that is a different quality than being true or false. These stories orient us to the world in specific ways, often in ways that we do not fully understand.

For Christians, the primary narrative of our lives should be the gospel of Jesus Christ. The meaning of our Savior’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection should shape everything that we do and even how we think about the world. We should see ourselves as sinners who have been redeemed at great cost and who have been given a great commission to spread this message of redemption and new life to people of all nations. Our obedience to the Lord is a natural outworking of this narrative; because we belong to Christ, we obey him at every opportunity – or at least that is our goal.

However, this Christ-centered perspective on the world is challenged by other narratives, many of which are false and unnecessary. The world presents us with alternate stories to adopt: the value of my life is determined by my health, safety, possessions, money, and so forth; what others think of me is more important than what God thinks of me; my success in life depends on how much power I can accumulate. Many similar perspectives can distract us from the truth of our human existence.

I met with a few pastor friends this week, and we were discussing among ourselves The Shack, a recent best-selling book about a man who comes to faith after experiencing terrible tragedy in his family life. If you haven’t read this book and are interested, just let me know – you may borrow my copy! Without spoiling too much of the story, I will say this much: the main character has a vision (of sorts) in which he interacts with God and wrestles with the meaning of his suffering. One of the pastors in my meeting this week suggested something fascinating about this vision: what if this vision of God was no mere vision but actual reality?

My reaction to his suggestion was to scoff and say, “of course not – that’s just a vision.” But as we discussed this idea, I came to realize that this reveals part of my own personal narratives. Specifically, I approach the world as if I am the one who gets to determine what is real and what is imaginary. A vision cannot be real because it’s just a dream! Do you ever function in the same way?

How would we think, feel, and behave differently if we acknowledged that God determines reality? What if we adopted his perspective on the world, on other people, and on ourselves? Jesus Christ has the transformative power to reshape our false, broken narratives into stories that reflect ultimate truth, which necessarily comes from his perspective. The journey of the follower of Christ requires laying down our perspectives on life and picking up those that belong to the Lord. If we see the world through his eyes, then we will better understand how to minister to a world that is in need.

–Pastor David

Storytelling in the Information Age

Last week, I discussed how present-day American culture thrives on arguments and debates, especially in online forms of communication. This often affects our discussion of religious and spiritual topics in a negative way; our discussions turn into self-righteous monologues that all too easily ignore the point of view of the other person. (Even the word “debate” has lost some of its meaning: when election season rolls around again, will our candidates actually debate, or will they alternate giving monologues? Wait and see.)

At the same time, when we look at the state of Christian faith in our nation, we see a movement in decline. Young people are turning away from the faith of their parents in large numbers. Adults who were raised in the church have fallen into worldliness and spiritual apathy. Christianity feels outdated to many people, and I believe that is partially due to Christians participating in the present culture of one-sided arguments, degradation of opposing viewpoints, and self-righteousness. (Many, many comments on the blog posts mentioned last week fall into this category.)

What are we to do? How do we respond to a declining interest in Christian faith combined with an unwillingness to accept propositional Christian truths at face value? I believe we must reclaim one of our most powerful tools: the art of storytelling.

It is no accident that young people (and adults, for that matter) spend large amounts of time and money watching movies – indeed, series of movies. Many popular movies in the past several years are disconnected from reality in one way or another: Avatar, Harry Potter, Twilight, Star Wars, and so forth. Why are these so popular despite being unrealistic? Their special effects are captivating, true; however, I believe another reason for the success of these films is that they tell their stories well.

There is great power in a well-told story. It can transport both the speaker and the listener to another time and place, and it can encapsulate truth more powerfully than simply stating truth openly. Stories are also powerful tools for bringing about change in society. People don’t want to be told to change how they live, but a story told well can illustrate why a change might be beneficial. This is why classic bedtime stories such as Aesop’s Fables have withstood the tests of time: children need to learn how to behave, and these stories show them how!

Our world needs to know Jesus Christ. Many people are in need of a saving relationship with him. But the direct, argumentative, propositional route is not the best approach for today’s society. Instead, we need to tell our personal stories: how we came to know the Lord, how he has provided for us, how our ancestors lived the faith. And we need to tell our collective stories: how God provided for our church, how God spoke through the prophets of old, how God became human in the person of Jesus Christ.

There is great power in the telling of a story. Who has been a storyteller in your life? To whom have you told your stories recently? What stories do you need to study again in order to be able to communicate them to others? Here’s a hint: open your Bible!

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 13:34-35 NIV)

Even Jesus used the vehicle of the story to communicate deep truths to his disciples. We too should become better students of his stories – and better storytellers ourselves – so that we can share the truth with a lost and dying generation, especially one with a low tolerance for dialogue but a high interest in hearing a good story.

–Pastor David

Is Christ’s Mission Our Mission Also?

During the past several weeks, our Sunday morning sermons have focused on the mission of Christ as revealed in the first few chapters of Matthew.  Why did Jesus come?  What did he preach?  What was important to him?  Now that we have finished that series, it’s time to pull these pieces together and see how our Lord’s mission relates to our own.

  • Christ’s mission was to fulfill the Old Testament expectations of the coming Messiah, the Savior for all people.  This truth gives us exceedingly great joy as we do our work in the kingdom.
  • Christ’s mission included human participation:  Jesus was baptized by John as a sign of his alignment with God’s purposes.  In the same way, each of us is essential to the work that God calls us to do in today’s world.
  • Christ’s mission was to preach a short, simple message of repentance and the nearness of the kingdom of God.  At the same time, he established the faith community that has grown into a worldwide enterprise today.  Our mission is the same: to preach a simple yet powerful message, and to live in a community marked by repentance and discipleship.
  • Christ’s mission included powerful healing acts so that the message of the kingdom of God might continue to expand.  We are called to proclaim the God who can do the impossible: even to be crucified on our behalf and to rise from the dead in victory over sin and death.
  • Christ’s mission was to show us that “the good life” is found in our connection to something greater than ourselves: namely, the very life of God himself.  Our mission is to live the truly blessed life – and to invite others to join us on this journey.
  • Christ’s mission showed us what true obedience to God’s law looks like: authentic obedience without legalism.  We are called to live the same way, as salt in a flavorless world and as light to reveal truth to a world living in darkness.
  • Christ’s mission was to bring about unity and holiness in the church, because the stakes of disunity and sinfulness are frighteningly high.  Our mission is to live in such a way that the world can see these two principles through our fellowship and community.
  • Christ’s mission was to challenge the people of God to be perfect as their Lord is perfect.  This perfection is not restricted to moral choices, like we often think today; instead, it has more to do with God’s completeness and his ability to love those who do not love him.  Our task is to grow into this image every day.

Is Christ’s mission our mission also?  Absolutely!  Jesus changed the world through his years of ministry and his self-sacrifice on our behalf.  And he would not call us to do something that he is not willing to do himself.

Brothers and sisters, as we consider the mission of our congregation, let us keep the mission of our Lord directly in front of us as we walk together in faith.

–Pastor David

The Savior is Born

Merry Christmas!  While I am writing these words, stockings are being hung by our chimneys with care, and children are doing everything possible to move from the “naughty” list to the “nice” list.  As always, though, there is a deep, abiding reason for this season that goes beyond gift-giving and family get-togethers.  Christ, the Savior, is born!

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Celebrating Birthdays

‘Tis the season… to celebrate birthdays.  We are in the season of Advent, in which we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  As if that were not enough reason for me to celebrate, today (which will have passed by the time you read this) happens to be my thirty-first birthday.  If you will humor me, then, I will try not to draw too strong of a comparison between the two birthday boys.
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Time Changes

This past weekend, we experienced our annual blessing of an extra hour – perhaps for sleep! – as we turned our clocks back because of the end of Daylight Saving Time.  It’s the yearly payback for that less pleasurable experience in the spring, when we set our clocks ahead and consequently show up an hour late for church on Sunday!  But have you ever stopped to think about the significance of this time change?

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