The Blunt Subtlety of the Cross

I hesitate to write because the subject of the cross is so vast and so deep that one or a thousand entries could not exhaust it's store. Nonetheless, as I prepare a series of sermons that will lead up to Resurrection Sunday, my mind is drawn to the cross.

I have always been amazed at how efficiently the Gospel authors describe the death of Jesus. Matthew describes the scene in what amounts to two paragraphs. Mark, known for his brevity, writes scantly more than Matthew. Luke, with a physician's precision uses maybe three paragraphs. John, who spends half of his gospel on the last week of Jesus' life and was the only writer who was an eye-witness, writes no more than Luke.

Part of the reason the writers don't dwell on the details is the first century reader would need no help envisioning such a horrific scene. Another reason may be that it was emotionally difficult for them to record what they had heard and seen because of their love for Jesus. Yet, in what amounts to no more than two or three pages of type, we read of the event that changed the world, the crucifixion of God.

God on a cross. How absurd that sounds. But to ransom my soul, He endured it's pain and humiliation. The message of the cross is blunt and two-fold:

1) Your sin is evil and deserves the severest of punishments
2) God is good and took your place on the cross.

But in that blunt message are hidden subtleties. Some are so subtle you may have never noticed them. The head adorned with thorns. Thorns that would not exist if it were not for man's sin (see Genesis 3:17-18). The hands pierced with nails. The nails do not hold Jesus there, for he could have come down any time he wanted. No the nails hold something else there; a certificate of debt that we could not pay, now stamped "paid in full" by the blood of Jesus (see Colossians 2:14). A discarded robe, representing the righteousness Christ shed so that we may clothe ourselves in Christ (Galatians 3:27). It's as if God had thought of every detail and placed them there for our discovery, if only we would look.

Unfortunately the cross has become too familiar. We see it as jewelery, emblazoned on T-shirts and decorating CD covers. To many, the cross is no longer heavy; it is no longer blunt. But I implore you, rediscover this core of the Christian faith. Never lose sight of the cross, for to do so is to lose sight of salvation. Once you discover, or re-discover, the bluntness of God's message ("you deserve these nails, but I took them instead") then discover the subtleties of His love and care.

There are many more subtleties than those mentioned above, but I leave those for you to discover as you meditate on the cross and what it means to a sinner saved by grace.

Living Life in the Zone by Kyle Rote Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew

As a minister who has a passion to develop men into the leaders they are called to be, I was happy to select Living Life in the Zone for review. I find most men's devotionals to be both superficial and shallow. Many either don't address the real issues men deal with, or they give short, "cookie-cutter" answers to complex issues. Not so with Kyle Rote Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew's book. They tackle real issues ranging from faith, to family to work to temptations that men face everyday. Instead of short answers they offer a "game plan" to challenge men to be what God intended them to be. They back their daily thoughts with real stories from the worlds of sports and business that either lift up some positive role models or challenge the reader to learn from the mistakes of negative examples. The devotions strike the perfect balance between being too short to be effective, but too long to keep the attention. Each day ends with challenging questions and practical "assignments" to help men mature in their faith.

I would fully recommend this devotional to men. It is well written and easy to read. Even if they are not die-hard sports fans, the spiritual truths and practical suggestions make this devo well worth the 40 days to go through it. As with any devotional guide, it is meant to complement Bible reading, not replace it. But if a man will devote 15-20 minutes of his day to this plan, I feel they will mature in many areas.

Snowed In

Do you remember when you were young and snow was in the forecast how excited you would get? Thoughts of school closing, snowball fights, snowman building and sledding preoccupied your mind as you watched the skies anxiously to spot the first flake drifting down from heaven as a gift from God. When the snow arrived, it painted the whole world white. Everything looked clean and new. I can remember wanting to be the first person out of the house. The first person to make an imprint on this new world just outside my door.

Now I have grown up, married, have children and a job. Snow in the forecast no longer excites me. In fact, after a week of being snowed in with children, the last word I want to hear is "snow." Nevertheless, I sit at my dining room table watching the flakes fall, cold and steady. My children, excited to be out of school again, dance around the kitchen playing and singing to each other. My only thought is, "how much will fall this time?" Snow has lost it's appeal to me.

Maybe this reflects your relationship with Jesus. When you first heard the gospel, your heart quickened just at the sound of His name. You found yourself waiting for His return. Maybe, like a child watching the sky for snow, you looked to the heavens often, hoping to be the first to catch a glimpse of His return, the first to see this gift from God descend from Heaven.

But then you "grew up." Life has become less spiritual for you as you deal with the everyday stresses of bills, job and family. Jesus, for some reason, isn't the first thing on your mind when you wake up, and He may not be the last thing on your mind when you lay down. You can't remember the last time you looked to the skies to see His return.

Let me give you the same advice that Jesus Himself gave to the church in Ephesus in the opening chapters of Revelation: "...you have left your first love... remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first..." (Rev. 2:5-6). In other words, restore the relationship. Draw close to Him. Look to the skies again, because one day He is coming.

As you wait enjoy the blessings He has given you and glorify Him to all you meet. For now, I'm going to watch the snow fall and try to beat my kids to being the first to step in the snow.

Fiery Preaching

Earlier this week my oldest daughter, Ellie, emerged from the basement in that semi-conscious state that says, "I'm up and dressed, don't expect much more." It was about 6am and polite conversation was not yet awake. She looked at me and mumbled, "It's cold downstairs." Without any coffee in my system to blunt my response, I was short and to the point, "It's winter, and you're in a basement. It's supposed to be cold." I shrugged it off and went about my morning routine. Making lunches for the girls, brewing coffee, and grabbing a bite to eat. I quickly forgot about the cold basement... until I needed a shirt out of the dryer.

I saw Ellie off to the bus and went downstairs and discovered the basement was cold, and then it dawned on me. Typically, one of my last duties before retiring to bed in the evening is making sure I put some wood in the wood stove to keep the basement warm through the night. I had neglected to do that the previous night, resulting in a basement that was colder than usual.

I went to the wood stove and opened it up to discover a cold pile of ashes; evidence of the previous day's fire. As I lit some kindling, ("lighter'd" to those of you in rural Virginia) and stoked a new fire to life I couldn't help but be reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses. "Your word in my heart has become a consuming fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in. Indeed I cannot." (Jeremiah 20:9)

That cold pile of ashes was the perfect description for how I feel on Mondays. After a day filled with preaching and teaching, I am worn out, consumed and burned up. Preaching takes a lot of energy. For thirty minutes every Sunday morning I place myself as a mouthpiece for God. My feet are held to the fire to see if I correctly handle the word. My mind is aflame with an awareness that I will be held to a higher standard. My heart is consumed with a desire to see people as passionate for God as I am. For thirty minutes I enter a crucible in which I open myself up, not only to public scrutiny, but to God's scrutiny. People critique the message itself, God questions whether my message and my life correspond to each other. This is followed by an hour of Bible teaching on Sunday nights. It's not as intense, but it's still hot (going from the fire into the pan, so to speak).

This means on Monday, all that is left is a cold pile of ashes. Mentally, I'm exhausted and physically I am drained. But God's Word still calls to me; beckons me and invites me. By Tuesday I'm ready to crack it open and allow the fire to warm me, even though I know I will be consumed again on Sunday.

People ask me why I preach. I could say all sorts of things that are true.

I love God.
It is my Gift.
I want others to love God.

But the truest answer is this: I preach because I must. If I don't, the fire will consume me. As the apostle Paul once said, "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel." (I Cor. 9:16)

"Is not My word like a fire?" declares the Lord, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?"
Jeremiah 23:29

Where is God? by Dr. John Townsend

Who among us has not felt abandoned and alone in difficult times? In his book, Where is God?, psychiatrist Dr. John Townsend not only addresses the "why" of why we ask this question, He also gives answers laden with Biblical truths and sound advice. He begins by explaining the that it is perfectly human to ask Where God is in the midst of trials, but that the asking of that question should prompt us to seek God for answers. He outlines for the reader correct views of God and incorrect ones as well as healthy and unhealthy approaches to dealing with tragedy and loss. The bulk of the second half of the book is dedicated to demonstrating God's presence, empathy and participation in our times of deepest pain. Dr. Townsend uses great real-to-life stories as well as Biblical examples to illustrate his teaching and advice.

As a minister who has spent many hours counseling the bereaved and grief-stricken, I found this book not only emotionally encouraging, but filled with practical "do's" and "don'ts" concerning coping and recovery. A must read for anyone who has found themselves asking, "Where is God?" or anyone who is on the front lines of helping people find God in the midst of a broken and hurting world.

Loving Life

Today marks the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Since that time nearly 50 million babies have lost their lives to abortion. Instead of trying to opine on the moral state of our nation, I simply ask you to read the following scripture and pray for our nation's leaders as well as those who have felt the sting and guilt of abortion. Pray that they might find forgiveness and healing from the Author of life.

"...You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them."
Psalm 139:13-16

Heartquake

This week I have been glued to the TV and internet watching the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. The destruction is catastrophic. The human suffering is heart-rending. But the reason I watch is not out of morbid curiosity. The reason I watch is because someone I know is there. His name is Billy Johnson, a minister at a small church on the eastern shore of Maryland.

Our relationship would be best defined as somewhere in between associates and friends. We know each other well enough to have a conversation when we meet, but "best friends" is not a term I would use to describe our relationship. But, I read his blog, interact with him on the internet, occasionally we shoot emails back and forth to each other. I know him well enough to know he was praying for this missionary trip to Haiti months ago. I know he has a heart to serve the people there. And I know he is there. So I watch the TV and watch the internet for updates from his parents. In doing this I have become aware of two things.

1) While the Haitian government is corrupt and the people are enslaved by an 80% poverty rate as well as spiritual darkness in the forms of witchcraft and voodoo, most of the Americans that I have heard of being there when the quake hit were missionaries of some sort. God's Church was there when tragedy struck. As of now Billy has delivered at least one baby, treated several wounded and comforted the grieving. Multiply that by the dozens (if not hundreds) of missionaries there who were doing the same thing, long before humanitarian efforts by worldly governments arrived. I pray that the Haitian people remember the Christ-followers who were already there to help and continued to do so.

2) My heart has become calloused. As I watch, my heart breaks for these people. Billy has told of orphanages, clinics and mission complexes being totally demolished. I can't help but think of the Tsunami that hit Indonesia several years ago, or the earthquakes in India. I was not effected by those nearly as much. I prayed for the people there, but my heart wasn't broken for the people. It took someone I know being there for God to touch my heart and say, "these are people too, made in my image. Care for them." I felt like Jonah being scolded by God over the city of Nineveh, "Should I not have compassion on... the great city in which there are 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left?" (Jonah 4:11)

I pray your heart is touched by the situation of Haiti, as well as the rest of the world whenever disaster strikes. If you would like to help monetarily I would suggest International Disaster and Emergency Services (IDES) which is a Christ-based, non-profit humanitarian relief group. For more information please check their website @ www.ides.org where 100% of your donation goes to relief efforts.

As for Billy, he is safe doing what he went there to do, to show the Gospel of Christ in action.