Coming Sunday: Broken and Blessed

What does a blessed person look like? Does bruised and battered come to mind? I doubt it but that’s how Jacob looked when he was changed into the person God wanted him to be. Recall Jacob wrestled a messenger of God and in the process his hip was displaced. From this Sunday’s sermon:

It doesn’t take a genius to see the irony here. We usually think a sign of blessing as good health, much wealth, or certain security. But for Jacob every time the weather changed and that leg began to ache he went back to the most memorable night of his life—a night of fighting and travail—a night of hardship and tribulation—a night of blood, sweat, and tears—a night of blessing. I think it’d be interesting to know how many of us would look back at our longest night, our deepest darkness as the time of our greatest blessing?

Coming Sunday: Jacob and Esau

Sunday the sermon is titled, “Double Trouble.” The subject will be the brothers Esau and Jacob which raises lots of questions about how we raise our children. Here’s a sample:

One of the most interesting things I've read in a long time was in an interview with Eugene Peterson who you know as the translator of “The Message” version of the Bible. Peterson was asked what he thought about parents who tell their kids, “you can be anything you want to be.” He replied, “I think it’s a sick way to instruct our children. One of the important things we learn as human beings is limits; how do we live within limits? A lot of mischief is done in the world by people who want to be big, want to make a lot of money, want a lot of influence. I think it’s a mistake to tell that to children. Look at the trouble it’s gotten us into.”

Jesus and CVS

I’ll admit it. I’ve read very little of anyone’s actual healthcare care bill: the President’s, the Republican leadership, Congressional Democrats, no one. I’d wager that I’m not alone. And to go even deeper, at this point it just sickens me to watch the coverage. So I do what every well-informed person does when they want the straight scoop; I read blogs and go to CNN and the Huffington Post Web sites. My practice keeps me relatively up-to-date and knowledgeable without suffering heartburn over red-faced attendees at town hall meetings and congressman calling the President a lair while he’s speaking to the nation. Healthcare is vital and everyone should have it. And honestly, if we can afford two wars, cash-for-clunkers, and the bailout of every big bank in the land, can’t we scrape up a billion or two somewhere so everybody can get their medications and flu shots? I will admit I’m naïve and my logic is simplistic. But then Jesus never really gave a lot of “how to's.” Instead he focused on the “why for's.” You find this line of thinking particularly in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. The Lord said, “Love your enemies.” Why? So you can be a child of God (5:43-45). The Lord said do good deeds. Why? So we can receive God’s blessings (6:1-4). The Lord never told me how to turn the other cheek just to do it. He left it to me to figure out how to make the principal practical. So, politicians of all stripes make this happen—that’s your job. Am I relieved of all responsibility? Not by any means. The Church should serve as the conscience of society pushing and prodding till things on earth become as they are in heaven. Call, write, email—contact the powerbrokers and inform them you may not know much but you know Jesus spent a lot of time making sure sick people were cured and they should too. (Links to our Senators here.)

Coming Sunday: Blood Is Thicker Than Water

Sunday we continue looking at the stories of Genesis. This week we consider one of the often neglected characters in that book, Ishmael. Our text will be Genesis 21:9-21. From the sermon:

And just as the sons of Isaac became the Hebrews, or the Jews, the sons of Ishmael became the Arabs, or the Muslims. Throw in the fact that the New Testament teaches that Christians are the spiritual heirs of Abraham, and it seems like we could have a rather grand reunion. It also seems however, that we’ve shut up Ishmael’s side of the family in the garage.... It’s a shame that today the only one’s who seem to speak for any of the three tribes conceived in the heart of God are our crazy uncles.

Much Ado About Nothing

When I was in seminary the battle was in full swing for the Southern Baptist Convention. One of my professors observed that it all started downhill when people lost their manners. The moment Christians, in this case, mainly Baptist ministers, stopped being civil to one another, any hope of conversation was gone. I don’t know how many times I’ve thought about that as I’ve watched these town hall meetings on health care turn into almost freakish exhibits of vile behavior. When any of us, despite our political afflation, can’t display a modicum of civility, what hope do we have of ever reaching consensus on any issue, much less something as vital as health care? I guess the most recent flap over the President’s speech to students is another signal we’ve thrown common sense and respect overboard. There was hardly any seditious ideas in what the President said; work hard, stay in school, don’t be afraid to fail (link). It’s a sad day when anyone who occupies the highest elected office in our nation cannot tell children to be good students. Its one thing to dissent from a politician’s platform, policies, and performance but what we’ve seen lately is shameful. I was never more proud of our country than election night in 2008. One candidate acknowledged his victory with humiliation and gratitude while another accepted his defeat with grace and dignity. That spirit didn’t last long. Let’s pray the current one doesn’t last long either.

Happy Labor Day

It usually takes pretty shoddy service for me not to leave a 15-20% tip in restaurants. And the first thing I do when a service person comes to my house is offer them a coke, water, etc.. Am I a saint? No, I just remember what it’s like to punch a clock, fight the elements, and be paid a pittance in order to put food on the table. I’ve worked in a furniture factory, a cotton mill, a grocery store, a woodworking shop, a lumber yard, several construction sites, and a tobacco field. As the old saying goes, I was a jack of all trades and master of none. I doubt my many part-time, after school and summer jobs were different than most other people’s experience. So for all of us who are blessed with vocations we enjoy; white collar or blue collar, let’s remember those who earn their living by the sweat of their brow on this Labor Day.

Coming Sunday: A Friend of God

12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him (Genesis 12:1-4a)

The story of Abraham is basically told in ten chapters; from Genesis 12 to Genesis 22. His life is framed by two incidents. This one we’ve read where he’s told to leave all that he knows. And the second, in chapter 22, where he’s instructed to sacrifice his son, Isaac. His life is lived between book-ends, two tests if you will. In the first, he’s asked to leave his past—his father’s house. In the second, he’s asked to forget his future—give up your son. And in both cases, he obeys. He was the most unusual of people, he was willing to go when and where even when he didn’t know how and why.