"Crosses"

Easter 2012

It’s that time of year. I see them everywhere: Jewelry, bumper stickers, billboards, church advertisements, artwork, tattoos and FaceBook. So commonplace is the cross I fear it’s become trivial. Has the story of Christ's crucifixion become so familiar that it has lost its ability to stir any emotion?

At the crux of the Jesus’ execution is injustice. The evil conspiracy, kangaroo court, mock trial, mob frenzy and the release of a murderer facilitating the murder of the Messiah. The scourging, the thorny crown, the nails, the tortuous thirst, the agonizing rejection, the abject humiliation, the nakedness and unbearable forsakenness - all were part of history’s most miscarried justice. No wonder the Father turned off the light that day.

It’s an umbrage to neglect, gloss over, fail to appreciate or take for granted Christ's work of redemption. The passion of the Christ is what the lens of the Bible forces the reader to see. All things recorded in the Hebrew Bible declare our need for this redemptive sacrifice. Jesus’ words compel his hearers to grasp their need for salvation apart from law and works.  Every New Testament writer obligates those following Jesus to live a life worthy of His sacrifice that day. I will never agree to call it Good Friday. What do you imagine those in heaven have named that day? “Dark Friday” comes to my mind.

"At the foot of the Cross its impossible to trivialize it."

In this year’s Easter sermon I will ask the question of who is responsible for the slaughter of the Savior. We will relive mankind’s most awful injustice investigating those who played a direct role in Jesus’ execution. If you have already read the narratives, perhaps your answers are , “The Romans did it!” or “The Jewish leaders killed the Christ.” or simply,  “Its Satan’s fault!” then you and your guest will be startled when you hear this message. Deeper study reveals a stunning truth not well known.

This refreshing look will remind us just what the Cross was all about: the dreadful price the Lord of Glory paid on our behalf to satisfy the holy justice of God. Nails did not hold Jesus on those bloody timbers, but His great love for us and His total obedience to the Father. At the foot of the Cross its impossible to trivialize it. It’s in that exact moment the unparalleled triumph of God’s sovereignty reminds us of Jesus’ words, “I will rise again.”

When sobered by Dark Friday, my hope grows in the reminder that Sunday is coming...

Blessings,

<>< John
www.gatewaycofc.org

A Father to the Needy

Every St. Patrick’s Day I think of an elder friend of mine who was a minister in Ojai, California. His shepherding heart and wisdom is shown in the tale below of how he dealt with a frustrating and challenging situation and how it resulted in a happy ending.

A homeless man came to the church office for assistance. He was given food and discovered the building had a breeze way that could provide a nice sleeping spot. As you might imagine, my minister friend encouraged this visitor to tell him his story of how he ended up begging for sustenance and sleeping on the streets. It seems this man was Irish. He had left his parents, brothers and sisters in Ireland and had come to America. His experience in the U.S. had been plagued with tragedy. All this coupled with the news that the man’s mother back home was experiencing failing health. My friend said he had never met anyone so unwilling to do anything about his awful condition. The Irishman evidently had decided to just suffer in the despair he had created.

Well, it didn’t take long for neighbors and church members to complain about the homeless man sleeping on the church property. The weather was getting bad so my colleague allowed the man to sleep in an unused classroom. This went on for weeks as the man went from church to church soliciting food and money. Due to increasing pressure, this brother had to find a way to get this man off of the premises. Then the idea came to him.

He made a call to the Irish Consulate and eventually got in touch with the Consulate General.  He told him of this Irishman’s plight and asked what it would take to be able to send the man home. The representative told him what was needed and the preacher went to work. He raised the 700 dollars for the airfare, got the man’s paperwork from the consulate, drove him to LAX and got him on that plane to the Emerald Isle. Now the man is home, his ailing mother has her son back, the church doesn’t have a homeless man sleeping in a classroom and my friend no longer has the problem that consumed much of his ministry.

This story reminds me of something Job said. “I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger” (29:16). I admire the compassion in Job’s statement and the humanity in my friend’s approach to his situation. Wisdom coupled with resourcefulness prevents a lot of frustration. I don’t know how well the Irishman learned a lesson in God’s mercy I sure have.

Father in heaven, if it were not for you we would be homeless, spiritually. You have done for us what we would not do for ourselves. You have done what is impossible for us to do. Slow us down, Lord, and get us to listen to folks we don’t know. Each of your people has a story and the more of it we hear the more compassionate we become. Use us Father, to “take in” someone spiritually and feed them the gospel. Shelter them with our fellowship. Move us to encourage others to be reunited with their heavenly family. In Jesus. Amen.

Blessings,

<>< John

Passover

Last Sunday I was blessed by God at the Gateway Church hearing one of my favorite preachers bring two powerful lessons from the Word. John W. Smith compelled us to truly grasp our primary purpose in life, namely, knowing God and living a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like to listen to these messages go to http://www.gatewaycofc.org/633496.ihtml.

I led the communion devotional that day. Below is a narrative I composed and read for the occasion.

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Rachel was ten and she was furious.  She was lying in bed (as commanded) but she was not going to sleep! How could she? The whole day was terrible. Everything was all wrong.

The day started beautifully. Mornings in the Land of Goshen could be breathtaking. After dressing and eating breakfast she hurried to see her lamb. Father had given this lamb to raise as her own. He was a one-year-old and he was perfect. The only sheep or goat they owned without a defect. For the past four days Father had been taking extra special care to make sure the lamb was all right. That’s why Rachel was shocked that when Father returned from his special meeting, he sat her down and told her that her lamb had to be slaughtered.

“No, Abba!” she cried. “Not my lamb! Use another!” but Father replied, “Rachel, Moses has told us that we must do this to protect our homes. The lamb chosen must be without any blemish. I’m sorry. You will understand later.” Well, she didn’t understand any of it. When twilight approached and Father took the lamb into the courtyard to slaughter it, Rachel ran into Mother’s arms and buried her weeping face as she heard the worst sound of her young life.

Numb from the loss, Rachel knew that something very bizarre was happening because Father was taking some of her lamb’s blood and spreading it on the sides and top of the door frame. After roasting her lamb, Father made the family come to the table dressed as if they were leaving soon. Father has his cloak tucked in his belt, his sandals on and staff in hand. “What is wrong with everybody? We never eat like this.” Rachel whispered to herself.

At the table there were only two choices. Bread without leaven and roasted lamb... her lamb. All she was going to eat was bread, period! Not only did Father insist that she eat some of the meat but Mother had to eventually threaten her to comply. It wasn’t fair. They take her pet, kill it and then force her to eat some of it. On top of that it tasted horrible! It was terribly tart because of the bitter herbs mother used when she cooked it. Her brother and sisters hated it too but were too scared to say anything because Father kept repeating to the family that the prophet of God had made clear commands about this meal.

As usual, Mother put the children in their beds. And as always Father came in to pray with them. He told them he loved them and that God was preparing to do something great so Pharaoh would release Israel and that is why the family was still dressed in their traveling clothes. When he got to Rachel’s side he found her weeping. “Why, Abba? Why? I miss my lamb. I’m in bed but I’m not going to sleep!” she said defiantly. “Little One” Father said, “The angel of the Lord is going to come to Egypt and take the life of the firstborn of every home that doesn’t have what we have on our door frame. Your lamb is going to save us.

Eventually, she fell asleep only to be wakened later by her mother telling her to get up. Father had been gathering a few essentials and called all of them to hurry because it was time to leave. As they walked out of Goshen no one could speak for the air was burdened with the cries of the Egyptians. A chilling echo Rachel could never forget.

Father, in heaven, thank You for the Passover story. Thank You for Jesus being our lamb whose blood will ensure that one day Your destroying angel will pass over us. Lord, it is good that we partake of Your supper. The unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine still serve to remind us that it took the Lamb’s life to save ours. It is only by Christ’s blood can we be saved. May we be faithful to all Your commands and be at the ready to leave this world when You call us heavenward. In the name of Him who was slain. Amen.

Blessings,

<>< John

Strikeout

I walked up to the plate wearing used cleats and holding a second-hand bat. Our church’s softball team was well ahead in runs but I still felt pressure to perform. Why? John W. Smith, one of my friends and preaching  heroes was standing behind the backstop. He had just completed a powerful seminar at the Church I was serving and was staying over until the Pepperdine University Bible Lectures. I had invited him earlier that day to watch the game since I knew he loves sports.

Before John arrived, I had already hit a nice grounder for a single but this time at bat I wasn’t as loosened up and I knew it. So did my teammates for I heard them encourage me, "Hey John...relax." So, I decided to let the first pitch pass no matter how good it looked. It seemed like a good idea at the moment. But, that became a big mistake. In that league, you go to the plate with one ball and one strike counted against you in order to keep the pace moving. The pitcher sent me a beautiful gift right into my power zone and I let it pass. “Strike two!” the umpire cried out. But it was actually I who was crying inside because I realized I had set myself up for too much pressure and in danger of being struck out. The next pitch was dreadfully short of the base but I swung nevertheless and swoosh - - I was out.

I did not want to go back to where my mentor and teammates were gathered. I wanted to just walk away and get a grip on the emotions racing through me. You see, for a competitive 40-something, out of shape man who can still remember when he was great at the game, sports can be brutally frustrating. Expectations followed by failure can lead to humiliation. Dragging my countenance off the field, I braced for the comments. The really bad thing about being someone who dishes out a razzing to others is that you must take it when it’s your turn to be razzed.

When I stepped off the field John did give me a hard time but quickly gauged my reaction and then did the unexpected. He hugged me. I had struck out in front of my son Matthew, my teammates, their wives in the bleachers, the opposing team and most painfully – my role model. Now we stood there hugging. It’s amazing how embracement removes embarrassment. When someone wraps their arms around you and applies pressure it’s as if they squeeze the negative emotions out of you. I've always felt better after a hug.

Father God, hug me. Hold me close and squeeze out of my soul the remorse I feel from striking out in front of Your eyes. I need affirmation not condemnation, intimacy not criticism. I need grace. Remind me that its not always about performance and perfection but about kinship and closeness. Thank You for inspiring me to get back onto Your field. I’m proud to be uniformed with Christ and will play the game of life the best I can. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.


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THIS SUNDAY (1/1512) John W. Smith (click here) will be preaching for the Gateway Church of Christ 

His first message will be at 9:30 AM followed with a sermon during our 10:30 worship gathering

go to:  www.gatewaycofc.org    for directions






Blessings,

John <><

Thankful and Joyful

There is an old European story about a traveler who came upon an empty barn where the devil had stored seeds which he planned to plant in the hearts of people. Various bags were marked, "Hatred," "Fear," "Doubt," "Division," "Despair," "Unforgiveness," "False-pride" and "Lust.”

The devil appeared and struck up a conversation with the traveler. He proudly told the traveler how easily the seeds he sowed sprouted in the hearts of men and women.  "Are there any hearts in which these seeds will not germinate?" asked the traveler. A melancholy look appeared on Satan’s face, "These seeds will not sprout in the heart of a thankful and joyful person."

Still enjoying the effects of the Thanksgiving weekend, this Sunday morning at the Gateway Church www.gatewaycofc.org we will "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is Good" (1 Chr 16) and ready ourselves to move into the "joyful season." It’s beautiful how being thankful smoothly leads to being joyful. In fact, we can’t have one without the other. Let God’s great kindnesses saturate your thinking in the days ahead and these memories will bring such peace no amount of upcoming stress will be long lasting.

Shalom,

<>< John

Inheriting Middle Earth

When asked, "Hey John, what is you favorite all-time movie?" Without difficulty I reply, “Lord of the Rings.” The power of story, depth of acting and immersive cinematography here is simply unmatched in my estimation. The Trilogy combines to over ten hours and all of that without a sex scene or any profanity. Amen! My kudos to Director Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema for their allegiance to adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s creation to cinema without folding in modern and popular offensive elements.

What conditions in Tolkien’s life shaped his worldview? The world wars he witnessed? Being raised by a priest to be a devout Catholic surely influenced his writing and its emphasis on good versus evil. I’m convinced Tolkien wanted his readers to realize how good triumphs. I believe he wanted us to grasp one exceptional trait. This one personality trait is elusive to find today. In fact, the name of this characteristic is completely missing in modern print and never heard in dialogue. Therefore, it rules over words like: courage, bravery, loyalty, friendship and hope.

This rarest of attributes is meekness. When was the last time you read or you heard the word “meek” used? Not even preachers give the word much attention (which speaks volumes). The biblical definition of meekness is beautifully uncomplicated. The Greek word “praus” simply means a gentle and humble attitude that expresses itself in submissiveness. It is power divinely controlled. It is the opposite of pride and the absence of malice. In 2 Corinthians 10:1-4 the Apostle lays out the potency of this trait, “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” when away. . . For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

In the Lord of the Rings it is diminutive Hobbits who destroy the strongholds. All full size characters in the story cannot wear the ring without swiftly succumbing to its evil influence. It is Frodo Baggins who bears the burden of carrying the ring to its fate. This “halfling” and his loyal servant, Samwise Gamgee, possess one quality the other admirable characters do not. The one quality which insulates them from the ring’s demonic influence? They are meek. Jesus made clear the greatest heroes in His kingdom posses humility.

God has fixed a principle in our world, a law of life that is immutable – humility is non-optional if you want His blessings. Jesus said of Himself, “I am gentle and humble in heart.” An infant born in a cattle stall reveals the meekness of Jesus. Quietly submitting to His Father’s will as they try, beat and murder Him reveals the meekness of Jesus. From beginning to end Christ demonstrated the power this beatitude holds over evil.

Father, thank You for reminding us that our weakness is not having meekness. May we brave the obstacles ahead knowing that we have been offered the most potent weapons in spiritual warfare – a humble spirit and a courageous faith. Help us humbly carry upon our necks the Master’s yoke, which is easy and light. And one day if You count us faithful in the tasks You’ve assigned, give us rest for our souls. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings,

John <><