God's questions

When God asks a question, it’s usually His way of inviting or encouraging His people to do some serious reflection, to draw them out...for example:

“Adam—where are you?” (Gen 3:9)
“Cain—where is your brother Abel?” (Gen 4:9)
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” (Job 38:4)
“Should I not be concerned about Ninevah?” (Jonah 4:11)
“Why are you here, Elijah?” (I Kings 19:9)
“I am the Resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25)
“Where is your husband?” (John 4:16)
“Who do you say that I am?” (Luke 9:20)
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” (John 6:7)
“Saul, why do you persecute Me?” (Acts 9:4)

In praise of coffee

I realized how important coffee was to me, and just how much other knew this, one Sunday after church. As I made my way to the fellowship room, walking decisively toward the coffee table, the crowd parted like the Red Sea. “Am I that bad?” Yup.

But I’ve got a problem. I’m a Starbucks drinker in a decidedly Dunkin Donuts town (by the way, Starbucks coffee is “rich”, not “strong”). At last count there were at least a dozen DD places in Saugus (counting the small ones at gas stations and Home Depot). I think there’s a town ordinance that when you leave a DD you have to be able to see the next one.

And this affects church. Even though we have the coffee ready before church (to reward those who come to Sunday School), most people would show up with their DD in hand. We now buy the beans from Dunks and brew our own. I’m tempted to place a sign outside the church stating: “Now serving Dunkin Donuts,” or possibly changing the name of the church to Dunkin Congregational.

Theologically, the Seven Sacraments of Congregationalism are: Baptism, Communion, and five cups of coffee. It’s our “holy water”.

Every morning (6 am) I hang out at a local coffee shop (Panera, sorry, not DD) with a bunch of guys where we solve all the worlds problems and get caffeinated. One of our regulars forgot his wallet recently, which was excusable; how can anyone be responsible for anything B.C. (Before Coffee)?
As I prepare for worship, a local FM station plays a different Bach Cantata every Sunday morning, which has become part of my routine. Bach was my kind of guy. While nearly all his choral works are sacred, he wrote a cantata in praise of coffee. Knowing a bit of German, it’s even funnier hearing the singers exult over the joy of “kaffee”. One of the arias says, “Ei! wie schmeckt der kaffee süsse, lieblicher als tausend Küsse.” Translated: “Mm! how sweet the coffee tastes, more delicious than a thousand kisses.”

Surprisingly, even though coffee’s my favored beverage, I don’t over-do it. Two cups in the morning, and one after dinner is my rule, and it’s enough. I worked with a Major in the Army who was rushed to the hospital one day; he’d been drinking 15 cups a day. I think he asked for coffee in his IV. I also knew a soldier who, when it wasn’t possible to brew coffee in field operations, would take the instant coffee packet in his MRE and fold it in his lower lip (like Copenhagen)…pretty gross and hard-core. But if you don’t drink coffee in the military you can lose your security clearance.

I hope there’s coffee in Heaven. Part of “the fellowship of the saints” should be sitting around in a celestial coffee shop, talking over deep theological issues, and having a prayer together over a heavenly cup of coffee.

What's that show really saying???

Take a few minutes and think about your favorite TV show...see if you can determine the show's worldview. Is the "world" the show's about one in which there's a God, and a sense of right and wrong, or is the philosophy of the show one in which values are arbitrary? If aliens from outer space were trying to figure us out by tapping into television transmissions, I wonder what they'd think. They might conclude that we're a culture devoid of any religious faith, where personal preferences have replaced convictions. Everyone has some kind of worldview, and unfortunately the secular voices of the media, education, and pop culture ignore religion or paint it as some anti-intellectual crutch. All the more reason to express our faith openly; how else will people hear the voice of faith?

What I'd like to say to every graduate

Every day we’re faced with moral choices. The question of what’s right and wrong is always lingering around. You've had to make ethical decisions in school, and you'll continue to make them in life…even tougher choices. After you land a decent job and start making some money, you join the ranks of taxpayers. Let’s take two people preparing their taxes. Both are tempted to cheat but they don’t. One decides not to because there’s a fair chance of getting caught; the other doesn't cheat because it’s wrong.

A test of character is what it takes to stop you. Another test is what you’d do if you could get away with it. Ultimately our beliefs determine our behavior. If you believe there is such a thing as right and wrong, you’ll at least be somewhat influenced to live with some integrity, even if you don’t do it consistently. But if you really think there’s no such thing as morals, then you’ve nothing to stop you, except maybe the consequences of getting caught (if its against the law, and there’s lots of bad stuff that isn’t these days). You can’t have a moral conscience if you don’t believe in moral absolutes. Your conscience can’t be your guide if you believe “anything goes”. But if there is a God, and if He has a plan for life that includes a standard of living, then our behavior matters. We can’t just “do our own thing” without any consequences. If you don’t believe in moral absolutes, then all you’re left with is personal preferences, which can differ from one person to the next. Ethics are absolute, or arbitrary. If they’re absolute, they matter; if arbitrary, one guy’s opinion’s about as valid as the next. Does truth exist, or do we decide what’s true for us? Do we make our own rules? Many people do, because they’ve decided truth is relative.

When you go to the movies, you sometimes see some unrealistic bad guys who are very one-dimensional. They’re evil just for the sake of being evil. Most people don’t get up in the morning and ask themselves, “What would the devil do?” They don’t decide what is bad and then do it. That may be how some evil is portrayed, but it’s inaccurate and very unrealistic. Most “bad guys” do bad things because they think what they’re doing is OK. They’re convinced their behavior is right. They’re selfish because they believe pleasure is the best thing. Hitler was trying to create a master race by eliminating people he thought were inferior. And he decided the ends justified the means. What people believe--their worldview--can be scary. In life, the worldview of the guy next to you matters, and obviously so does yours.

Because there is a God, then truth exists, and it matters how we live. This means that God needs to be a vital part of your life. He will give your life meaning and purpose and hope. Jesus promised, “I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.” Have a terrific life as you turn the next page.

Rev. Wrong

According to media reports, Rev. Jeremiah Wright has charged that criticisms leveled at him are not about him, but are being launched against the black church itself, "by people who know nothing about the African-American religious tradition."

I was the Senior Pastor of two African-American Army Chapel congregations, called “Gospel Services” because they represent the collective Protestant worship of predominantly black denominations. The reason I served was because there were no African-American Chaplains available. In both instances I utilized numerous black soldiers who were ordained ministers to provide a good deal of the preaching. And we always had an awesome Gospel Choir. I learned a lot from the experience, to include a love for the African-American worship tradition.

I never offered or heard any political ideology from the pulpit during the years I served. I admit that perhaps this is due to the venue being a military chapel, but I suspect that the real reason is that most African-American preachers are too busy proclaiming the Gospel message to criticize the government. They may deal with social issues from time-to-time, but from a positive perspective. The only one I ever heard condemned was the devil, and no one ever suggested that he was someone in public office.

I once heard the President condemned in very harsh terms in a mostly white Protestant church in Tennessee. The speaker was criticizing a President I did not vote for. Nonetheless, I was deeply offended and to my regret, I lacked the nerve to stand up and walk out. I don’t think that would happen again.

The Bible is clear that we are to respect and pray for our governmental leaders. We did this in recently in my town at our National Day of Prayer observance. We did so without any partisanship, and we all left our politics at the door. We prayed, by name, for politicians whom some of us probably didn’t even like…and it didn’t matter. I think most people of faith, while they certainly have strong political opinions, do not feel that church is an appropriate place to be political. It’s admittedly tempting, especially in an election year--just as it is tempting to talk about the Red Sox in church during the World Series. But most churches focus on matters of eternal significance, and spiritual values that relate to the world around us. That’s as it should be.

The only thing political a minister should say in church is to urge the congregation to participate in the electoral process by knowing the issues, by supporting their candidates, and especially by voting. That’s it. I hang out at a local coffee shop most mornings with some buddies, where we attempt to solve all the world’s problems, but generally I try to keep my mouth shut regarding political matters, and stick to the Gospel. In my church we sing a verse of a patriotic song each Sunday out of respect for our nation, but we focus on honoring the Lord of the nations. We believe that we need to urge our nation to prayer and righteousness, as our founders did so long ago.

Turning nationalism into idolatry is wrong; so is condemning a nation that is trying to be “one nation, under God.” May God bless America.

Tough questions in need of reflection

How will God accomplish His redemptive purpose? Will the One who loved us into existence abandon some of us in the end?

Is Hell eternal conscious torment? If so, how does God console the intolerable loss of believers who have non-believing friends and loved ones in Hell? In Heaven God will wipe all tears from our eyes. Will He remove the memories of lost friends and loved ones (some kind of amnesia)? Or will we somehow be convinced to rejoice even though we know our lost loved ones are forever suffering?

Punishment exists in eternity, but is it eternal? Does Hell go on forever? Or does God eventually determine that a million years in Hell is sufficient for a lifetime of rejecting His love on earth? Is punishment retributive or restorative?

One day “every knee will bow” before Christ confessing Him as Lord. Is this willingly, or by coercion? Will people be given another opportunity to be reconciled to God, even after death?

Who is in the “driver’s seat”? Who is sovereign? Us, or God? We pray, “Thy will be done.” Will God’s purpose fail? Or will God overcome the obstacles that human unbelief and wrong choices present? Will God convince and compel people to receive His love?

All roads do not lead to God, but will people be shown the error of their ways after death? Will those who were taught false religious systems be eternally condemned for their misguided ways, or brought to the Truth?

God’s desire is for all to be saved; He’s not willing that any should perish. Is the suffering of the lost a hollow victory for God? Can God be content knowing that much of His Creation is lost forever? Or will He not rest till all are reconciled to Him?

What are the limits (if any) of Christ’s atonement? Scripture says Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Does our Savior's sacrificial death extend to them? Grace can be refused, but can human choice ultimately overrule God? Would God really grant people freedom to reject Him forever and suffer irreparable harm? Does Hell really have, as some suggest, a door locked on the inside?

Which is more reasonable--to view eternity through eyes filled with hope or despair?

RSPs

The facts about the Gospel message are important, but once we understand them, we should also want the Person who died so we might live. It’s similar to knowing your minister. I get calls from people all the time who basically are looking for a “Religious Service Provider” to conduct a wedding or baptism or funeral. They’re not interested in having a Pastor who knows them and cares about them. Once the procedure is done, they’re done. No on-going relationship. Some young people mistakenly think that after Confirmation they’ve met the requirements and they’re done, like graduating from school. But the Christian life is never over. It’s a commitment to a lifetime of learning and growing and relating.