Thursday, May 28, 2015

High School

Recently I met a man who attended the same high school as I did, at the same time although not in the same grade. He is the first person i have met from my alma mater in many decades as i no longer live in the vicinity. At the time the school had four grades, about two thousand students, coming from several different towns- one upper middle class, one middle and one lower middle. I was not a believer in Christ at the time and I don't recall knowing anyone who was. Of the students only about ten were minority- a situation i doubt one could find anywhere in the US today- although our class president for three of four years was black, and very popular. My junior year was one of the most difficult of my entire life. I had become a hippie, which today is considered cool or even romantic but then was despised. We had a number of seniors that year who had been kept back a year for some reason or another, known as the "burlies." They were tough kids who threatened me all year long that they would gang up on me and cut my hair. I became an anomaly of a weight lifting hippie and lived in constant wariness that at any moment they would carry out their threats. At one point the wrestling coach, who was one of the few teachers that I actually liked, was speaking with the principal in the hallway. As he saw me passing by he called out asking if I would join the team. I said, "No." The principal asked, "Don't you have any school spirit?" Again I replied in the negative. Leafing through my high school yearbook today, for the first time in many years, I read through all of the comments. Most were inane, as i am sure mine were in theirs. Several asked me to remember them forever. None of these people have i seen in at least forty years. As I looked through the photos of my fellow seniors I realized that the vast majority i never knew. I was not involved in any after school sport or activity. Mercifully the big zit on the end of my nose that I had the first and subsequent days of my senior year was removed with the rest of my acne in my photo so that I looked much better than i did in real life. As I reflect back on those years of misery I wonder what happened to my fellow students. I recall one couple getting married and having twins not long thereafter. They could be great grandparents by now. Some of the guys probably went to Vietnam. A few probably did not return. Surely most married, had children who had children. A few are probably deceased. One guy who wrote in my yearbook never graduated from high school after crashing his meticulously restored car into a tree after trying to see just how fast it would go. How many are following Christ today? I pray to God Almighty that there are more than just me.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

To Know Him

About forty years ago i heard sermons based on Philippians 3 on the theme of knowing Christ. Jim Durkin, the brother who ministered these teachings was a man of middle age, with many years of ministry, with a rapidly growing association of churches. While I listened and certainly sensed how heart felt the message was, it did not penetrate my heart at that time. Almost twenty years later I began to receive from the Holy Spirit what God the Father had wanted all along, a desire to know Him. God created humans uniquely in His image ( Genesis 1:26-28)with ability to communicate, to love and be loved, and to have deep, intimate relationships. The greatest commandment ( Luke 10:27, Mark 12:30)shows this clearly. If the most important thing to God is that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, then this shouts "relationship." God yearns for us to have relationship with Him, and through the sacrifice and obedience of Jesus Christ, ( Philippians 2:6-8)has done everything He could possibly do to facilitate this. When someone is called, regenerated, repents, and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit ( converted) they enter into this relationship. Usually they begin to gather with other converted people and, hopefully, to grow in their faith and understanding of God. Sadly most do not go very far. Four decades of observation and experience show me that most who identify as believers in Christ do not read the Bible ( God speaking to us), or pray ( us responding to Him) on any consistent basis. I didn't myself for twenty years. Our relationship is very limited. Even for those who do develop these practices. a deeper, more intimate knowledge of and relationship to God is often lacking. We talk about the idea of relationship with God but not the experience. For forty years i have been participating in informal Christian gatherings like men's breakfasts, or church picnics, or "fellowship" of various kinds. We talk about work or sports or computers or anything but the things of God. If i ask someone where they are reading in the Word, or what God is saying to them, they are usually at a loss to respond. But even for those who are more serious about God there are barriers. Sin separates us from God. Relational pain which normally goes deep into our childhoods causes us to keep our distance from God. We develop our "coping mechanisms", our individual ways of deadening the pain and struggles of our lives. For some busyness serves as a tranquilizer. We never stop long enough to even know what is going on inside of us. Others may withdraw into excessive reading or the Internet or addictions of various kinds. An overwhelming need to control our environment and the people around us in an attempt to eliminate more pain is another stronghold. Some people are very skilled at manipulating or controlling others but no one can control God. Consciously or unconsciously we substitute other things for the intimacy with God that He desires. Even if we intentionally respond to God we are often frightened or discouraged by His infinite holiness, and the reality that He is a consuming fire. ( Hebrews 12:29) We find ourselves in a lonely place with hardly anyone who can relate to what we are experiencing. Contrary to our normal human inclinations we must admit our helplessness to God, recognize that without Him we would have no desire for any relationship, and ask for the courage and faith to get closer to Him. In Psalm 27 David writes, "You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, O Lord, do I seek.: (verse 8 ESV) As Paul tells the Athenians in Acts 17:26, "And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should SEEK God." (ESV)

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Personal Responsibility

Recently i had a visitor from another country ask me what i thought about the US. My reply echoed feelings expressed by Paul the apostle in the beginning of Romans 9. "I am speaking the truth in Christ- I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit- that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh." ( Romans 9:1-3 ESV) While my feelings are not as strong as Paul's they are growing as I see the results of a society which has turned so decisively away from God. The longer that a person lives, the greater potential for having perspective. The US has changed radically since the 1950's. To another similar question i responded that the US is like two countries because we are so deeply divided. One way to understand this is the realm of personal responsibility. A growing majority of Americans believe that they are not responsible for their actions, that it is someone else's fault or responsibility, or that they are justified in irresponsible behavior. Those willing to take personal responsibility seem to be a shrinking minority. One evidence for this is the growing number of people who are financially dependent on the government. I clearly remember when then President Lyndon Johnson declared the War on Poverty. For the first time the federal government was going to get involved on a massive scale. This was fifty years ago. What are the results? Seventeen trillion dollars of wealth distribution, the efforts of countless government workers in innumerable agencies, and the ever growing expansion of services have only incentivized "poverty." Generation after generation is born into, grows up in and produces another generation of dependency. There used to be a sense of shame in receiving money coerced from others via taxation. Most people accepted it as a temporary last resort rather than a deserved entitlement. Now I find Christians of younger generations who have no qualms about it at all. So where does a sense of personal responsibility come from? Knowledge, belief and obedience to the Scriptures produced personal responsibility in generations now passed from the scene. Consider the following verses: "So then each of us will give an account of himself to God." ( Romans 14:12 ESV) "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." ( 2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV) "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." (Revelation 20:11-12. Am I saying that those who are on welfare go to hell? No. I am saying that the Bible teaches that we are personally responsible for what we do, and that we cannot blame others for our actions.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Myriad Means of Communication

Once upon a time if one wished to communicate with someone there were letters, (snail mail) or the telephone (landlines) or face to face. This was a simple but usually effective way to do things. Several years ago I predicted that in the future everyone would have their own personal method of communication. Of course, I was laughed at. As the possibilities continue to proliferate perhaps this will come true. For example, in addition to landlines we now have cell phones. We also have texting, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn,blogs,and others that I either don't recall or don't know about. Unfortunately the end result is confusion. It is now necessary to remember how each individual person or group prefers to communicate, and to know enough to work the various systems. A friend and brother installed WhatsApp on my phone with the idea that I could call people in other countries, supposedly for free. Unfortunately I don't understand how to use it. I meet with a group of three other men, supposedly every two weeks at a set time and place. Unfortunately that often does not work out producing a veritable blizzard of texts and e-mails. At the end of the day i am still uncertain if we have actually decided anything. Our vaunted technology can be counter productive. For example, with Facebook i have hundreds of friend requests, many from people whom I don't know. I also receive many things from people that I do know that are of importance to them but not to me. Attempting to ferret out the messages that I want to concentrate on is a very time consuming task. Is there some way to diplomatically drop about 75% of the people from my page? I don't know. In the midst of all this I am grateful that communicating with God does not require technology. He communicates to me principally through the Bible, and I respond in prayer. I don't need a computer or a cell phone or any technical knowledge. As the psalmist writes in 27:8 "You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, O Lord, do I seek." (ESV)

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Failure to Thrive

For the past six weeks I have been attending a regular church. I have also been to their midweek small group meeting four times. This requires considerable adjustment after having been in house based churches for fifteen years. I am confronted again with the clergy-laity distinction as opposed to the priesthood of all believers, the absence of the Lord's Supper practiced and enjoyed weekly as a full meal, preaching as opposed to participatory meetings, the more formal structure of a building versus the informal home setting, and the reality of most of my giving going to building related expenses rather than the poor or itinerant ministers. At the same time i am confronted with the reality that after fifteen years of vigorous effort by me and many others, i am not aware of a single spiritually healthy house church in New England. Most have dissolved. During this decade and a half even though i had relationships with over twenty different groups in five states I am aware of very few salvations or baptisms, and virtually no personal, accountable discipleship. This is failure to thrive. This last theme of discipleship is what draws me back to the regular, traditional church. Is it possible that God can use them as a vehicle to bring this about? I sincerely hope so. Isn't it remarkable that Jesus never told his followers to start churches? In fact, He said that He would build His church. ( Matthew 16:18) He commanded the apostles to make disciples. ( Matthew 28:18-20) Only genuine discipleship relationships under the Lordship of Christ, directed by the Holy Spirit, and for the glory of God will develop the bonds that will make spiritually healthy congregations possible. Mere church-goers will never do this. The Lord is encouraging me in my current situation with pastors who are emphasizing and encouraging discipleship. May we walk in the grace that He provides.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Doctrine Divides

A common phrase in American Christianity is "doctrine divides." Almost always the idea behind this is an appeal to not argue about theological differences but to love one another. If we would only set aside our doctrinal differences then we would come to the unity that Jesus prays for in John 17. "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." ( John 17:21 NKJV) Certainly believers in Christ can get enmeshed in endless debate about relatively unimportant matters. Yet the New Testament is replete with warnings about false teachers and the need to follow true apostolic teaching. For example, the early church "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine." ( Acts 2:42a all quotations NKJV) The Bereans were commended for searching "the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." ( Acts 17:11) One of the strongest statements in the whole Bible, repeated twice is found in Galatians 1:8-9. "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you that what we have preached to you, let him be accursed (or eternally condemned). The Thessalonians are commanded "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us." ( 2 Thess 3:6) Timothy is told to remain in Ephesus to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine." ( 1 Timothy 1:3.) He is also told that "if you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed." ( 1 Tim 4:6) He is to "take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will both save yourself and those who hear you." ( 1 Tim. 4:16) In Paul's second letter to Timothy he charges him, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine..." ( 2 Timothy 4:2-3a) Titus is likewise told to "speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine." ( Titus 2:1) The letter to the Hebrews says "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. ( Hebrews 13:9)Peter warns of false teachers (2 Peter 2:1) as does Jude. Doctrine divides, and it should.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The Power of Childhood Training

As the firstborn child in my family, I was told at least a thousand times during my formative years to "think before you speak." Five decades later I still do not speak a lot, and when I do it is normally in a serious, deliberate manner. Am I doing this consciously? No, it is the result of systematic, intentional training. Even example without words can have power. During my youth my parent's cars never had bumper stickers. This was not discussed or any reason ever alluded to. To this day I have never had a bumper sticker on any car that I have owned. The book of Proverbs in the Bible has much practical wisdom about childrearing. Chapter 22, verse 6 says to "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." This goes both ways. As Galatians 6:7 says, "Whatever one sows that will he also reap." If we teach our children moral values in a loving, firm, consistent way, they will receive those values. If we let them sit in front of the TV or allow them to play video games all the time they will absorb other values. Chapters 2 through 7 of the book of Proverbs begin with the phrase, "My son." Here is a selection of what follows. "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you." ( 3:1-2) "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights." (3:11-12) "Hear, o sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for i give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching." ( 4:1-2) "My son, be attentive to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding." ( 5:1) "My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye." (7:1-2 all quotations ESV)

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Marcos

My friend Marcos is visiting me from Brazil. I picked him up at the airport Sunday morning. He commented on the good roads that we have here. The only problem is the traffic. After going to the grocery store to purchase some food, including the Antarctica brand of guarana, a fruit found only in the Amazon, and used to flavor the most popular type of soda in Brazil, we drove home. His English is better than my Portuguese although neither of us is fluent in the other's language. He studied English for three months in Canada in addition to taking it in school. He is a blessing from God for me in this time. In the evening we went to the university church that I have begun to attend. Four of the Brazilian exchange students were there and he was able to meet and talk with them. One is from his home state in Brazil. We went for an exercise walk Sunday and Monday. This type of exercise is not popular among Brazilians; i have met only a couple who like to do it. Marcos was game. Fortunately we finally have warmer weather more like he experiences in Brazil. I did not think that he would like oatmeal, which I usually eat for breakfast, and he didn't, but eggs with a side bowl of strawberries worked well this morning. For lunch i gave him an American tradition, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with a grilled ham and cheese. He enjoyed the semi- Chinese stir fry that our hostess made last night. ( I live with a Christian family) Tonight we will go to a midweek meeting in a home. Not suprisingly, he has many contacts here. One relative is practically begging him to visit; he knows another man and his wife living about an hour away, and a friend in Brazil has put him in contact with another Brazilian in a neighboring state. This morning he asked to go downtown, and he took a number of photos of our little village. Brazilians are amazingly relational and group oriented. We have also had two morning times of Bible study, prayer and testimonies with other brothers.