Always On

The day we moved into the Garden City parsonage, the lights were out. The power company had been given instructions to come and read the meter, but not to disconnect the service. Apparently, the standard procedure is to disconnect service when a technician is sent out to read the meter; so either he didn't read the work order carefully or whoever was responsible for writing it up left out that vital part of the instructions.

While we were waiting for power to be restored, we heard that it was not that uncommon to experience an interruption in service from time to time in our neighborhood. Some of the outages came during storms, but then others just seemed to happen for no apparent reason. I am happy to say that we haven’t experienced that many interruptions in service in the past year or two, although they did seem to come pretty regularly the first few months we were here.

There are parts of the world where most people rarely have dependable electrical service. They know that most evenings will be spent in the dark. Our visit to Kenya while Kathy was serving there with the Peace Corps made us more aware of that reality. Some evenings the power would stay on all night; and then other evenings we would try to make sure all our preparations for the next day were completed before the sun went down, because we didn't want to have to sort through our luggage with a flashlight in our mouth. There are parts of Honduras, Mexico and Belize where I have also found this intermittent service to be the rule rather than the exception.

Jesus promised his followers that he would not leave them alone. He would send a Comforter. The Holy Spirit would remind them of the things Jesus had taught them; but this same Holy Spirit would do much more than that. The Holy Spirit would give them the power to do great things—even greater things than Jesus had done. Furthermore, Jesus promised that this power would be available to them always. On day of Pentecost—the birthday of the Church--this promise was fulfilled. 

The church doesn't need to wait for the power to come on to start doing the work that God is calling it to do. Jesus has promised and God has sent the Holy Spirit to provide all the power the community of faith needs to accomplish great things—and great things are happening through Christ’s church. Would you join me in praying that more believers would claim the power and quit acting like the lights have been switched off? Then the church would truly be the blessing God has called us to be. 

Living in Unity

From the beginning, the television series, Lost, confronted its viewers with steady stream of questions: What caused Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 to crash? Where is this mysterious tropical island on which they find themselves? Who are these people?

One of the central characters was Dr. Jack Shephard. As the only physician to survive the crash, he quickly becomes a leader of the group as he is called upon to treat the injuries of his fellow castaways and direct their continuing care. Like the others, he initially believes someone will come to rescue them in a few days.  

As the days pass and the supplies from the plane begin to run out, tensions among the survivors begin to flare up. Hesitantly, Jack steps forward to challenge the group to ask themselves a few key questions:

It’s been six days. We’re all still waiting—waiting for someone to come; but what if they don’t? We have to stop waiting. We need to start figuring things out.

A woman died this morning just going for a swim and he tried to save her and now you’re about to crucify him.

We can’t do this. ‘Every man for himself’ is not going to work. It’s time to start organizing. We need to figure out how we’re going to survive here….

Last week most of us were strangers, but we’re all here now and God knows how long we’re gonna be here; but if we can’t live together, we’re gonna die alone.

“Live together or die alone” becomes a recurring theme for the rest of the six seasons. In one situation after another, cooperation leads to better relationships and improved living conditions; competition produces calamitous results.

When you read the New Testament you discover every one of the leaders of the early church—Peter, James, John and Paul—warned the members of the faith community about the dangers of pursuing their own selfish motives. They lived in a dangerous environment and they needed to care for one another, serve one another, encourage one another, love one another. Paul counsels the Romans, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (12:18).

Jesus prays that the community of the faithful may not only live in peace, but also discover the power of authentic unity: “I pray that they will all be one” (John 17:21). That is the power that will convince the world of the love of God and lead them to believe in the one who can give them life.

May the world see that power demonstrated in the community of believers.

No Fear

It is a scary world.

IED’s in Afghanistan.

Chemical weapons in Syria.

The growing threat of nuclear attack from North Korea.

And the violence is not just “over there.” Disturbed people with access to assault weapons make the places we go every day the scene of death and carnage. Radicals with an agenda mail letters laced with poison to elected leaders. People desperate for money—to support their addiction or pay their rent or buy the latest pair of Nikes—rob and steal from those who seem vulnerable. Someone you live with gets mean when they have had too much to drink.

Even if you are tucked safely into your home in a gated community with all the doors locked and the alarm system armed; you may find yourself lying awake on your pillow-top mattress worried about your balance at the brokerage. Will the Euro-zone collapse? How long can our country sustain its pattern of deficit spending? Are we headed for another “Great Depression?” Can I count on my job being there tomorrow? Next week? Next year?

What are you afraid of?

Loud noises? Dark rooms? Big dogs?

Roaches? Spiders? Snakes?

Running off the side of the road? Running out of time to complete an assignment? Running out of ketchup?

It is a scary world! Especially if you believe you have to face all the threats (perceived or ignored, imagined or real) on your own. There is no way anyone can protect themselves from every danger that puts them at risk. And a new menace seems to arise just when you think you have them all managed.

Here’s the good news: Jesus promises peace to those who love him and live their lives according to his plan. “And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

Remember that the next time some strange noise wakes you up in the middle of the night.

An Unexpected Blessing

Even if you are not an avid fisherman, there is something attractive about an invitation to go fishing. Perhaps it’s the thrill of the hunt. It could be the anticipation of a good catch. For some it’s the opportunity to be refreshed as they experience the wind and the water.

On the other hand, some folks look forward to a fishing excursion as a time to get away. They are hoping for some peace and quiet. Hours spent in still and quiet are a tonic for their soul. It’s a chance to escape from the press of their everyday life. They are fairly confident that nobody is going to ask them to do anything more challenging that to pass them a cold one.

A few days after the resurrection, seven of Jesus’ disciples were together when Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” The others said, “We’ll go with you.” It’s not clear why they thought this was a good idea. Their reasons may have been as different as anyone’s reasons for going fishing today might be.

Peter, Andrew, James, and John had all been fishermen when Jesus invited them to follow him. They knew the routine: handling the boat and the nets. A night spent out on the water would have felt very familiar. It was a return to what they were used to.

The other three may have enjoyed the few boat rides they had taken while Jesus was with them—all except that one when the storm almost sunk their boat. A few hours spent out on the water seemed like a whole lot better option than sitting around looking at one another; worried that some unfriendly face might show up to arrest them.

After a whole night of casting the net and dragging it back into the boat empty time after time had taken the fun out of it for all of them. As the sun was coming up, they realized they weren't that far from the shore. This could be over pretty quickly. Even with nothing to show, that might be better than a few more hours stuck on the boat.

Just then someone standing on the shore called out, “Have you caught anything?” A mournful chorus replied, “No!”

The man on the shore said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.” They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren't strong enough to pull it in.

In a few minutes they were having breakfast with Jesus on the beach. Not what they had expected; but more evidence of Jesus love and care for them. 

Moving Beyond the Doubt

“Eat the food. Lose the weight.”

“Build your confidence and boost your energy with our versatile home gym.”

“The leading language-learning software in the world makes learning a new language second nature. Millions of learners in more than 150 countries have already used our software to gain the confidence that comes with truly knowing a new language.”

“With today's economic uncertainty, adding gold to your portfolio has become a recognized diversification strategy - serving as a potential hedge against inflation and a declining dollar.”

“Our portable oxygen therapy solution truly gives active patients the freedom they deserve. It lets them do the things they want – without worrying about running out of oxygen.”

“A reverse mortgage can help you keep your home and live a better lifestyle without the worry of everyday bills or rising medical costs.”

Every day you hear so many promises from so many people who seem to truly care about your physical, mental, financial, professional and psychological well-being; the problem is you soon discover their “caring” comes at a cost. When you find out how much of your money they want in order to provide you with the peace of mind (and all the other results) they promise, it is only natural to begin to ask questions, show some skepticism, voice your doubt.

“The Lord has risen!” It was the women who had followed Jesus who initially told the disciples the startling news. They didn’t believe the women. They thought their words were nonsense. Even the testimony of the ten disciples who were in the room when Jesus appeared to them did not convince Thomas.

In spite of all the money spent to purchase new clothes, plush stuffed bunnies, and foil-wrapped chocolate eggs, there are still lots of folks who do not believe that “God raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be subjected to death’s decay” (Acts 13:34). And even if they giving a nodding acceptance to this good news they have real doubts that, “just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

The Lord has risen indeed! Move beyond the doubt to new life.

No Expiration Date

Digging through the pantry you discover a jar full of a special treat your best friend gave you. It was a special gift. Something you would never buy for yourself. And so you had put it away with the idea of saving it for a special occasion—maybe one when you could share it with the friend who gave it to you.

Now you wonder how long has this jar been hiding behind the pickles and jelly and olives and mustard. You twist it around in your hand looking for that subtle marking that says: “Best if used by . . . .”

You may not pay much attention to the expiration date of the food you purchase as you shop for groceries week after week. You know the stock never stays on the shelf for long. There have been too many times when you asked someone to go check in the back for what you wanted.

Still there are some sections of the store where you reach past the items on the front of the shelf to see if there is a loaf of bread or a carton of milk that is a few days fresher. And even though the vegetables in the bulk bins are not marked with an official end date, you sort through the produce until you are satisfied that you have found the freshest specimens available.

It is all just one more reminder of what seems to be the inescapable inevitability of decay. Food goes bad. Clothes wear out. Appliances break. Organs shut down. Death wins.

Those who celebrate the resurrection of Christ know that death is not the end. We gather as a community of faith to give thanks for a new reality:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials” (1 Peter 1:3-6).

Imperishable. Undefiled. Unfading. No expiration date on those who believe in him. “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:55). 

Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed!

Listen to the Shouting

March Madness. Even if you haven’t watched a single college basketball game this year, even if you aren't planning to watch a single game of this year’s tournament; if you turn on the television or listen to the radio or glance at the posters on your way into the restaurant, you have noticed something is happening in sports arenas across the country.

If you tune in to watch one of these games, there is one thing you can be sure of: when the buzzer sounds to end the game you will witness one of the more enthusiastic victory celebrations you will see anywhere.

All the players know this is a single-elimination tournament. If they lose, they go home. Their season is over. All they can do now is watch from the sidelines and dream about next year.

If they win, they have the opportunity to play again. They meet another opponent. Their hope of a national championship stays alive. The possibilities are thrilling—especially as they play before bigger and bigger crowds and the attention grows more and more intense.

Sweet Sixteen. Elite Eight. Final Four. National Champions. It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement. Even if you’re not a fan—of the sport or the team—if you watch the last few minutes of any of the games, don’t be surprised if you find your heart rate accelerates and you’re tempted to join in the cheering.

We love winners. We always have. As Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a colt, the people who had followed him remembered many of the things they had seen Jesus do: heal the sick, feed the hungry, teach the crowds, challenge the authorities, welcome the children, raise the dead. This was their opportunity to praise God for all the deeds of power they had seen. This was their chance to cheer for their champion. “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Some wanted the shouting to end there; instead, the shouting changed over the next few days—from praise to scorn, from cheering to jeering, from acclamation to condemnation. Still Jesus kept “advancing” from one loss to the next—betrayal, arrest, trial, scourging, crucifixion, death, burial.

It is a very different path to victory from the one played out on basketball courts around the country. As we move through these days as a community of faith, let us remember that it is the one who emptied himself, humbled himself, and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross, who was highly exalted by God and given a name above every other name.