Book Review #4: Last Night in Twisted River

I love a good story. The best movies are simply good stories. It’s never the special effects that make the movie for me; it’s the story. Movies almost never tell the story as well as a novel. If there is one exception in my view it would be, To Kill a Mockingbird, but I digress. A good novel tells a riveting story that has heroes and villains, conflicts and adventure, mystery and characters that feel like personal friends by the end of the story. John Irving is a great writer capable of telling stories that suck you in and make you feel the sadness, joy, fear, and dogged determination of the characters. So it was with great anticipation last spring that I began his novel Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving.

The main characters are father and son, Dominic and Danny Baciagalupo, who begin in a Maine logging camp (Dominic is the cook) and flee a determined lawman after a tragic accidental death. The story is too long, takes too many weird turns, and has too much gratuitous immorality. It’s one of those books that halfway through it you think, “I’m really not enjoying this at all, but I’m too far in to stop now… and maybe it will get better.” It didn’t. So I don’t recommend this Irving selection. Instead, I would recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany, another Irving novel.

http://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Owen-Meany-John-Irving/dp/006220422X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356130135&sr=1-1&keywords=a+prayer+for+owen+meany+by+john+irving

It will have you laughing out loud and then crying. The main character, Owen Meany of course, is unforgettable. He’s a dwarfish little boy who is absolutely convinced he is God’s instrument. So if you’re looking for a great story, skip “Twisted River” and go with “Owen Meany”.

Book Review #3: Rebecca’s Revival

The first African slaves landed in North America at Jamestown in 1619. None were Christians. When the Civil War began in 1861 the vast majority of African-American slaves were Christians. How did that happen? How and why did people enslaved by white Christians embrace the Christian Faith? 100 years after the Civil War it would be the Black Church, led by Martin Luther King Jr. that would bravely stand against the oppression of racism, and become the center of the Civil Rights Movement. Jon Sensback tells the story of the rise of Christianity in the African slave community of the Virgin Islands that was to spread to America. It’s a marvelous story with a freed slave its center. The book: Rebecca’s Revival, Creating Black Christianity in the Atlantic World. http://www.amazon.com/Rebeccas-Revival-Creating-Christianity-Atlantic/dp/0674022572/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355846912&sr=1-1&keywords=rebecca%27s+revival+creating+black+christianity+in+the+atlantic+world

The back cover of Sensback’s book claims, “Rebecca’s Revival is the remarkable story of a Caribbean woman… a slave turned evangelist… who helped inspire the rise of black Christianity in the Atlantic world.” That isn’t hyperbole; it is indeed a remarkable story that’s fascinating as well as inspiring. The freed slave Rebecca became a believer at a young age. At 18, in 1736, she met a German missionary sent to St. Thomas by the Moravian Church. Rebecca would eventually marry that missionary and become one of the greatest evangelists the Church has ever known. It’s a story filled with unexpected twists and turns, euphoric successes, and heart-breaking losses. It’s a story of God working through a black woman who displayed amazing faith and courage. Rebecca went on to serve the Lord on 3 continents, North America, Europe, and Africa. She became a spiritual mentor to whites as well as blacks.

Of course, there were many reasons that African slaves converted to Christianity, but Sensback offers this as one of the primary reasons: “…the sense that Jesus was their friend; his word refuted the brutal degradation they endured daily… Christian worship furnished a refuge for the oppressed.” (Pg.91) Rebecca and the Moravian missionaries carried a message of hope to most oppressed people in the 18^th century world.

Looking for a good read over Christmas? Rebecca’s Revival is a worthy consideration.

Book Review #2: Spirituality According to Paul

The first week of February 2012 my wife, Sandy, and I had the opportunity to attend a retreat for pastors at the beautiful Laity Lodge at the HEB Foundation Camp outside Leakey, TX. The accommodations were wonderful. Our suite in Black Bluff, the 3-story premium housing complex, offered unparalleled views of the river and scenery as the structure is built on the side of a bluff, actually hanging over the Frio River. The food was gourmet quality. We enjoyed spending 3 days with other pastor-couples. The teaching was provided by Rodney Reeves, a professor at a Baptist university in Missouri. We enjoyed his conversational style of teaching. I read his book before the retreat: Spirituality According to Paul: Imitating the Apostle of Christ.
http://www.amazon.com/Spirituality-According-Paul-Imitating-Apostle/dp/0830839461/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355843958&sr=1-1&keywords=Rodney+Reeves
 
The back cover states: “Spirituality often evokes images of quiet centeredness, meditative serenity and freedom from life’s pressures. Contrast Paul, who promotes a cross-shaped spirituality for fools making their way through life’s trials. The brand images are crucifixion, burial and resurrection… surely a counterintuitive marketing program for living spiritually!”
In other words, Reeves’ book isn’t your run-of-the-mill instruction manual on how to make yourself feel better or gain more control of your life through a nuanced set of spiritual exercises. Instead, he sets out to “uncover Paul’s ways… how he lived out the gospel.” Reeves fleshes out, in 236 pages, what it means to participate in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ… Paul’s template of spirituality. The main theme of the book is to learn to imitate Paul’s spirituality as Paul’s goal was to imitate Christ, and then invite others to imitate us.
 
Here are a few startling quotes from the book, the kind of statements that made me stop reading and think and pray…
“When Paul gained Christ, he lost everything… Those of us who are Americans, living the comfortable life, pursuing the American dream… what did we lose when we gained Christ?” (Pg.25)
“When a man promises to be faithful to his bride, he is making a promise not only to her, her family and his family but also to the entire congregation… to every sister in Christ, to every brother in the Lord… Sex outside of marriage defiles the whole church…” (Pg.142) His chapter on 1 Corinthians 5 is worth the price of the book. He challenges the secular culture’s contention that sex is a private act between consenting adult and has nothing to do with the community. Unfortunately American Christians seem to have bought into this extremely self-centered view of sex and marriage.
“We can see now why Paul didn’t believe in tithing.” (Pg.159) That’s right, according to Reeves, Paul taught something far more challenging and rewarding than tithing.
 
Rodney Reeves’ book offers a deeper look at the teachings of Paul and yet always brings those teachings around to solid, practical application and challenge. It was one of my main sources as preached through the first 7 chapters of 1 Corinthians this year. It’s a book that challenges some of our assumptions about what it means to be a Christian… to follow, that means imitate, Christ. And it is surprisingly easy to read. I recommend it to those brave souls who want the challenge of self-denial and a cross-shaped life of following Christ.

December 16 Semon Homework

At the conclusion of each message I give a homework assignment to the congregation. Here's the assignment for December 16, 2012...
Homework: Continue to work on memorizing Psalm 23.
Give thanks for your place at the table of the Lord and pray for someone you may or may not think of as an enemy, but one who has yet to respond to the invitation to the Lord's table.

Blessing: “May you drink deeply of his cup of joy as his anointed, and extend mercy and grace to those not yet at his table. Amen.”

In Case You Were Wondering

I like books. I can browse the shelves of Barnes and Noble for hours on end. I like novels, biographies, history, sports-books (especially about baseball players and golfers), books that challenge me spiritually, and, of course, the Bible. There are different means through which our faith grows; reading is a big one for me. It’s a good thing I like to read, because it is essential to my job. My sermons are enhanced by what I read. I cringe at the thought of how uniformed and boring my sermons would be if I stopped reading.

I’m a slow reader, a plodder. It may take me 2 months to read a book my wife knocks out in 3 days. I may be slow, but I’m persistent. Usually I’m reading 4 or 5 books at the same time. I keep a couple in the office that I read for the job. I always take a book with me if I’m going to be waiting in a doctor’s office or in a barbershop. I keep several books beside my favorite recliner at home and a couple more beside my bed. I love starting a new book, wondering if the story is going to capture my imagination or the spiritual insights are going to push me to think deeper about my faith. I love finishing a book and placing it on my shelf like a shiny trophy, unless it’s a great novel, and then I feel sad when it ends. I keep a running list of the books I’ve read. So far this year I’ve read 27 books, some very good ones, and some not-so-great ones. Just for fun (fun for me anyway), I thought I’d post brief reviews of every book I’ve read this year… just in case you were wondering what I’m reading. My goal is to post one review a day. Here’s book review #1…

Is Hell For Real or Does Everyone Go to Heaven? Edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson.
http://www.amazon.com/Hell-Real-Does-Everyone-Heaven/dp/0310494621/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355337175&sr=1-1&keywords=is+hell+for+real

I began the year with this small paperback book that is basically a response to the controversial book Love Wins, by Rob Bell, which I read in 2011. The book offers 5 chapters by 5 different Evangelical theologians who answer questions such as, “Is hell for real?” “What did Jesus say about hell?” and “Does everyone go to heaven?” The best chapter by far, in my opinion, is the one written by J.I. Packer. He gets right to the point when he states, “…the task of the universalist is to circumvent the seemingly clear New Testament teaching on eternal punishment.” (Pg. 67)

Then he turns the argument on its head insisting, “Everyone… deserves eternal punishment in hell, the supreme mystery is that God should save anyone.” (Pg.70)
He makes a strong case for taking seriously both the dark sinister nature of sinful humans and the shocking love of a holy God who moves to save them. Authentic Christians have disagreed on the issue of hell and who ends up there for 2000 years. Neither Rob Bell nor J.I. Packer is likely to get the last word. Bell’s book is well worth reading too. There is a loving kindness in Bell’s writing toward unbelievers that is too often missing in books by Evangelicals. Did Bell win me over to the Universalist point of view (that all people are saved and go to heaven in the end)? No. I agree with Packer, that in terms of the New Testament, Universalism is wishful thinking. However, there is one statement from Rob Bell that I do completely agree with: “It is our responsibility to be extremely careful about making negative, decisive, lasting judgments about people’s eternal destinies.” (Pg. 160)

My gospel witness is more inclined toward emphasizing the shocking love of God, than the reality of His eternal wrath. The Apostle Paul put like this: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Romans 2:4) (NIV)

While I’m certainly not for compromising the truth, I learned long ago that it isn’t my job or my place to make final judgments on people’s eternal destiny.

December 9 Sermon Homework

At the conclusion of each message I give a homework assignment to the congregation. Here's the assignment for December 9, 2012...

Homework: Continue to work on memorizing Psalm 23.
Reflect upon the past dark valleys the Good Shepherd has led you through.
Write them down and what you think God wanted you to learn from each one. Give thanks to the Good Shepherd and ask for faith strength for your present valley, or the next one to come.
 
Blessing: Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
“May you see the light of Christ our Lord and trust him in all your valleys. Amen.”

Advent

I remember the first year our family celebrated Advent. I grew up in a non-traditional, non-denominational church without an Advent tradition, and so did my wife. We were young parents when we discovered Advent. It was a new idea to us, and we thought a great way to teach our 3 daughters about the true meaning of Christmas. We were young and poor. We lived in a mobile home and shared one car… a Ford Pinto. Buying a fancy Advent wreath wasn’t an option, so Sandy created one. She wrapped an empty Kleenex box with Christmas wrapping paper, poked 5 holes in it for the candles, and we had our center-piece of hope, joy, peace, and love. Our girls were aged 3, 1½ and newborn. For small children, just lighting a candle was an exciting experience. Amy, our 3-year-old was thrilled when we told her she would get to light the first candle.



To add even more excitement to the experience we included a little drama to the story. After gathering the family around the Kleenex Box/Advent wreath Sandy made some excuse to leave the room as I told the girls that we had a very special visitor coming to celebrate Advent with us that night. Right on queue Sandy came back into the room with scarf on her head and shawl around her shoulders. “My name is Mary,” she told the girls, “I am the mother of Jesus.”

She proceeded to tell the Christmas story from the perspective of Mary. The girls were completely mesmerized. Amy lit the first Advent Candle and “Mary” said her good-byes and left the room. When Sandy came back into the room Amy said, “Oh Mommy, you missed Mary!” And so began our family Advent tradition.

Advent is a time to celebrate light in the midst of darkness symbolized by the Advent candles representing the hope, faith, joy, and love we have in Christ.  The candles remind us of the light of God coming into the world. The light from the candles grows brighter as each week comes closer to Christmas.  Finally the fifth candle is lit on Christmas Eve representing the birth of the Savior, the light of the world. Advent is great way to teach our children about the true meaning of Christmas. There’s an endless supply of Advent resources on the internet. Just google “Advent” and start looking.

Dec 2 Sermon Homework

At the conclusion of each message I give a homework assignment to the congregation. Here's the assignment for December 2, 2012...

Homework: Continue to work on memorizing Psalm 23.

Get an Advent Devotional. 3 worth considering…

Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas (various authors)
God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
Celebrating Christmas with Jesus: An Advent Devotional (Max Lucado)

Blessing: “May you know the rest, refreshment, and restoration of the Good Shepherd that you may faithfully follow Him in the paths of righteousness. Amen.”

PS23 - Shepherd



I began the new sermon series on Psalm 23 today. The assignment was to memorize Psalm 23 this week and recite it daily. Turn it into your own prayer. I love the Bonhoeffer quote: “The richness of the Word of God ought to determine our prayer, not the poverty of our heart.”

This beautiful little psalm teaches us so much about the intimacy God desires with us and how to pray. I'll be using the English Standard Version in the messages; I like the way it keeps the poetic rhythm of the KJV without using words like "maketh" and "leadeth". So here's the ESV translation...
Psalm 23 (English Standard Version)
¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
³ He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Remember, Christ is your Shepherd if... 
You are content in his care
You listen to his voice
You follow him
My prayer is that the psalm becomes more and more meaningful to us over the next 5 weeks.

Politics in the Pulpit

Now that the election is over and passions have cooled a bit, I thought I’d offer my perspective. Members and regular attenders of the church I pastor will know that I have never endorsed a candidate running for any office. That includes local, state, and national elections. I keep my own political views and party affiliation out of the pulpit. That is by design. No, I’m not concerned about IRS pulling our non-profit status. However, I do have two significant reasons for keeping politics out of the pulpit.

The first reason is that party affiliation should never be a litmus test for Christians in general and church membership at PCC. It’s a fact; there are passionate Democrats, passionate Republicans, and probably a few Libertarians that worship together every Sunday at PCC. And yes, I’m proud of that fact. Politics is complicated. There are many issues at stake and Christians can legitimately hold differing views on most of the issues. Take taxes for example. Should Christians support higher taxes on the wealthy to provide more government assistance for the poor? I’m certain all would agree that the answer is yes. But what percentage is appropriate? And does higher taxes on the wealthy mean fewer jobs for everyone, including the poor? More importantly for Christians, what does the Bible say? It actually says quite a lot about caring for the poor, but not much at all about taxes. There is no question that Christians should be leading the way in caring for the poor. On the other hand, the only thing Jesus said about taxes was, “Render unto Caesar…” In other words, “Pay what you must pay to the governing authorities.” I don’t think there is a “Christian” or “biblical” view of taxes. Authentic believers in Christ will always have differing views. The same is true of so many other issues… national defense, economic policies, education, health care, etc. No one is for a bad national defense or a bad economy. No one is against education or health care, but there are differing views in how to approach these and many other issues.

We are blessed to live in a free nation where these issues can be discussed openly without fear of reprisal from the party in power. Christians can and should participate in the discussion, but without rancor or bitterness or hatred for those who disagree. Christians must lead the way in being gracious and refusing to return evil for evil in the discussion. What we share in common, Christ our Lord, far supersedes our political affiliations and differences. We are not called to convert others to our political party, but to Christ and his kingdom. I’m for civility in the public square, even if that civility is not returned.

The second reason I take great pains to keep politics out of the pulpit is that I want us to always remember that Christ is our Lord and Savior, not any politician, government, party, or nation. I always cringe when I hear some politician say, “America is the hope of the world!” No it’s not. It never has been, nor will it ever be. Jesus Christ is the hope of the world and the Church as the “body of Christ” carries his banner throughout the world, not America. Of course, God is fully able to work through people in government and through various governments including our own. We must never allow patriotism to become an idol. We must never love the “one nation under God” more than God. We must never place our faith in our government leaders or our military leaders for that which only God can provide… true peace and security and hope. We must always think of ourselves as Christians first and U.S. citizens second. Our first priority as Christians is to pray for this nation and our leaders, whether we voted for them or not. We do have a biblical mandate for that: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) (NIV)

After all, the proverb does say, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” (Proverbs 21:1) (NIV)

My QB's Faith

I came across this article about K-State QB Collin Klein. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/collin-klein-faith-led-him-wife-first-kiss-215824243--ncaaf.html

As a K-State alum I could not be prouder our QB's faith and his courage to claim it publically. In the interviews I've seen and heard Collin always comes across as genuine and humble. And I pitty the diminutive cornerback that gets between Collin and the endzone.

"Domestic Partners"

Honestly, I didn’t want to be there. In fact, I purposely arrived late to sign up to speak hoping my turn would come after the news media had long departed. I wasn’t interested in making the local news casts or the local paper. I simply wanted to speak to the school board about a decision I questioned. But alas, my desire to keep a low profile wasn’t to be. I was among the first to be called upon to speak at the PISD board meeting on October 18. So I stood up and shared with the school board my view of the superintendent’s decision to extend health benefits to “domestic partners”. Consequently my name and face and comments made the local news-cast of KXAN and the Austin American-Statesman. Several members of my church read the quote in the paper or saw me on the news cast. I had 3 minutes to speak at the board meeting, of which the media used only a snippet. I want the members of the church I pastor, and anyone else interested, to get a more complete picture of my perspective of the issue. Here’s what I want you to know about my views.

I want you to know that I was deeply dismayed at the way this decision was made. Many of the pastors in this community know the superintendent, Dr. Dupree, personally, and have a deep appreciation for the outstanding work he has done for PISD over the past 7 years. But I was shocked at the utter lack of communication regarding what the superintendent surely knew would be a controversial decision. The fourth “strategic goal” on the district website states: “PISD will develop and promote positive community relations through effective communication, the involvement of stakeholders…” There was absolutely no effort to involve the faith community, or any other part of the tax-paying citizens of PISD in this decision. As a 30 year tax-paying resident with 3 daughters, 2 nieces, and 1 nephew that went from kindergarten to graduation from PHS, and 2 nephews currently in middle school, I think I’m a stakeholder. It feels like this decision was made quietly, almost secretly behind closed doors, and then imposed on the community. The way this decision was made compromised my trust and confidence in the superintendent and the school board.

I want you to know that I see the issue as a complicated one. I don’t see it as an obvious black-and-white, right-or-wrong issue. I’ve experienced no small amount of inner turmoil and conflicting feelings and thoughts about the decision since it was announced. I’ve asked myself, “Would Jesus be against certain people receiving health benefits because they didn’t live up to biblical moral standards?” Surely there must have been a few “domestic partners” of one sort or another in the crowd of 5000 Jesus fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish. On the other hand, Jesus never approves of immorality and unequivocally upholds the sanctity of marriage (Matthew 19:3-9). So while on the one hand, I don’t want people denied health benefits based on biblical moral standards (after all, who among us lives up to those standards perfectly?). On the other hand, I don’t want the sanctity of marriage to be undermined or the public stamp of approval for immoral lifestyles to be forced on the entire community. It’s complicated.

I want you to know that I believe the decision in question does undermine the sanctity of marriage and that, in turn, is harmful to children. That’s not a biblical or religious view, it’s a well-documented fact. Numerous studies show that it’s the children that suffer most when marriage is compromised. One such non-partisan study done by the University of Virginia (no connection to any faith-based organization) demonstrates this with sobering statistical evidence. My point is that while the decision to extend insurance benefits to “domestic partners” will immediately benefit a few, it may in fact undermine the long-term welfare of many. Here’s the link to the UV study: http://nationalmarriageproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Union_11_12_10.pdf

While I do not believe the intent of the decision is to compromise the widely held value of marriage, I also believe that it will appear to give the school district’s “stamp of approval” on all types of “domestic partner” relationships equating them with marriage. That open approval will, in fact, undercut a dearly held value in this community. I believe the consequences on the community, and especially on children, will far outweigh the benefit.

Finally, I want you to know that I believe authentic Christians can, and often do, disagree on non-essentials of the faith. For me, this is one of those non-essentials. I know that some of my Christian brothers and sisters will disagree with me on this issue. I’m certain some in my own church members will disagree with my position. I want to be the kind of pastor that loves people whether they agree with me or not. I want to pastor a church that keeps “the main thing”, the main thing. And the “main thing” for Pflugerville Community Church is to proclaim the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is not advice on how to live a moral life so we can be loved and accepted by God, but the announcement of good news… Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came from God to demonstrate His love for us and to make possible our forgiveness (and we all need forgiveness) and reconciliation with God through his cross. Advocating for good moral values is not the same thing as advocating for the gospel. I am for both.

Paige Benton Brown Article

Paige Benton Brown Article

The link posted above will take you to the article I quoted in the message this morning. I highly recommend it to all single Christians, and married Christians who want to better understand our single brothers and sisters.

Fort Mergard

Jim Mergard

 

PCC moved into our first building at 1214 Pfennig Lane 11 years ago this month the sanctuary looked very clean, very white, and very plain. The beautiful wood cross that now hangs over the baptistery wasn’t there yet. There were no banners, no wall-hangings, no blinds in the windows, and no sound booth in the back. Our sound guys ran the sound mixer and pc from a table in the back of the sanctuary. Jim Mergard, drummer, high-tech guru, first building committee chair, and the ultimate “git-r-done” guy assured me that he and his brother-in-law, Tim, would soon replace the raggedy table with a nice sound booth. Tim was a carpenter who lived in Phoenix, AZ. When his family visited the Mergards he was always eager to take on a project with Jim. Jim was originally an electrician, so he and Tim formed quite an efficient construction team. On one visit to Pflugerville Tim and Jim Construction Co. turned my garage into a playroom giving my family much needed additional living space. I’m sitting in that room now, under the ceiling fan Jim Mergard installed. I had no doubt they could handle the sound booth project.

On Tim’s subsequent visit Jim let me know they were ready to go to work on the sound booth project. It took them only one day to rough in the sound booth. After my strenuous work day of turning pages in my Greek Lexicon and tapping out sermon notes on my laptop I made my way from my office to the sanctuary to see how the guys were doing. The look on my face must have been humorous, because Jim immediately asked, “Is it bigger than you expected?”

“It’s a little bigger than I thought it would be,” I lied. Actually I was thinking, “Are you kidding? We just lost seating for 60 people for a sound booth? What the heck are you guys going to put in that thing? We needed a sound booth, not an apartment.” I can’t remember who coined the name “Fort Mergard”, but it stuck. And, as with all of Jim’s projects, he knew exactly what he was doing. Peak into Fort Mergard some Sunday and you’ll see that it’s packed with audio-visual equipment and pcs we use every Sunday.

Jim Mergard is a man of vision. Whether it be the sound booth, the audio-visual equipment, the church office phone system, the worship team, or the over-all direction of the church, Jim Mergard always had a visionary perspective. And, if Jim had an idea he was going to lead the work to get it done… often that meant doing the entire job alone. It wasn’t unusual for me to catch Jim working on something at the church after midnight… pulling wire for something or installing something. For the first few years Jim and his sons Brandon and Keith set up every chair in the sanctuary every Sunday. He designed the set-up pattern and printed a guide-book for later set-up teams to follow. For many years Jim was the glue that held our worship team together. For years Jim was the first person at the church every Sunday to unlock the doors and turn on the lights. And that barely scratches the surface of what Jim has meant to PCC for the last 16 years. No one has given more of himself to PCC than Jim Mergard.

 

Jim and his wife Annette are moving to California where I am certain they will continue to serve the Lord well. But I will miss them both and will always think of them as dear friends and co-workers in Christ. As long as Fort Mergard stands in our sanctuary I’ll remember Jim and Annette with a thankful heart .

The "Why Me?" Question

Tim Keller begins his August 6, 2012 blog entry on the “why me?” question with: “When I was diagnosed with cancer, the question "Why me?" was a natural one. Later, when I survived but others with the same kind of cancer died, I also had to ask, "Why me?"” He goes on to offer what he calls 4 wrong answers to the “Why me?” question. His wrong answers are 1) "This makes no sense—I guess this proves there is no God."
2) “If there is a God, senseless suffering proves that God is not completely in control of everything. He couldn’t stop this.” 3) "God saves some people and lets others die because he favors and rewards good people." And 4) "God knows what he’s doing, so be quiet and trust him." You can read the entire entry on his blog at:  http://redeemercitytocity.com/blog/view.jsp?Blog_param=446

I think Keller is absolutely right on all 4 of his points, but Keller admits that this is only half the answer to the question. It is one thing to point out what suffering cannot mean, and altogether another to affirm what it does mean and why we suffer. In 30+ years as a pastor I’ve read many books about suffering and have had the sacred privilege and burden of walking with many people through incredible affliction and tragedy. I’ve learned at least these 4 things:

1)      I don’t have all the answers. I am humbled and silenced in the presence of the one who is suffering. Theological answers like, “It’s a fallen world,” don’t seem to help much when you are the one grieving a tragic loss or facing cancer. I’ve learned that often the best response of a true pastor is to simply show-up and “weep with those who weep” without pretending to understand what that person is going through or that I know the reason why.
2)      A better prayer than, “Why me God?” is “God help me to live well with unanswered question.” I’m not sure knowing why would really help. Every “Why me?” must be balanced with a prayer of thanks for unmerited blessings. The grief of losing a loved one stems from the blessing said loved one was to us and others, therefore while it is legitimate and natural to grieve and ask why, it is equally legitimate to give thanks for the blessing and love we will miss.
3)      Authentic faith makes a difference. Are all questions answered? No. Is the tragedy “fixed”? No. Is suffering easy for the Christian? No. But I’ve witnessed numerous people come through the most tragic experiences with hope and courage relying on their faith in Christ.
4)      Suffering, for the Christian, is never meaningless. Suffering for the unbeliever is always random pain with no purpose and no hope. Authentic faith in the Christ who suffered for the most sublime purpose works through our suffering… whether we see it or not.

Read Keller’s blog post (it’s short) and my response and share some of your own thoughts about suffering.

Life Together - The Suffering Community

                                                                    

Series: “Life Together”
Title: “The Suffering Community”
Text: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Above the Great West Door to Westminster Abbey in London stand ten statues recognizing Christian martyrs of the 20^th century. One of those statues is of Wang Zhiming, who lived and preached in China’s Yunnan province. I read his story in the book God Is Red by Liao Yiwu, a Chinese journalist, critical of the communist regime. In his travels around China he interviewed a number of Chinese Christians, many of whom were persecuted quite severely for their faith. Yiwu is not a Christian, but these stories interested him.  Many of those he interviewed were 70 to 90 years old. Most came to faith in Christ in their youth through the work of missionaries before the communist revolution. Wang’s father came to faith in Christ through the work of missionaries with the China Inland Mission Agency, now OMF… which PCC has supported for 16 years.

Yiwu interviewed one of Wang Zhiming’s sons who told him his father’s story: “In 1951 the government closed the churches, confiscated church property and sent my father, a newly ordained minister, home. He was ordered to farm under the supervision of the revolutionary peasants. He was not antigovernment, but refused to renounce his faith. He never stopped his daily prayers. Christians in other villages would gather at our house late at night. The tense political environment made everyone nervous. All prayer activities went underground.”

“In 1966 the Cultural Revolution started. The revolutionary masses swarmed into our courtyard, ransacked our house, and beat everyone. They tied us together and paraded us from village to village. My father was forced to wear a big dunce cap with the words “Spy and Lackey of the Imperialists.” At public condemnation meetings attended by over ten thousand people, we were the targets of angry fists. The spit was almost enough to drown us. No matter how much we suffered, father never stopped praying. It went on like that for three years, until the revolutionary rebels began fighting one another and no longer had time to bother us. The daily harassment ended. My father found some former Christians, and they would gather inside mountain caves at midnight for prayer sessions. They didn’t have a copy of the Bible, but they believed it was in their hearts. The gospel started to spread again in the nearby villages. My father continued to baptize people. At dawn on May 11, 1969, my father was arrested.”

Wang’s son goes on to recount his father’s execution, involving crowds and taunts before the sentence was carried out. The son telling the story spent time in prison himself for his faith.

Scot McKnight: “We believe that the central goal of life is to be happy & to feel good about oneself. We believe that people who “accept Jesus as personal savior” go to heaven when they die & thus secure permanent personal happiness.”

The stories recorded by Yiwu make something of a mockery of the idea that the gospel is about my health, my financial prosperity, my personal happiness, and my life fulfillment. These stories are inspiring and humbling. This is the 3^rd in a series of messages titled “Life Together”. I’ve taken the title from German pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s little book Life Together. Bonhoeffer writes, “The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.” He understood the gift of life together in Christ. This series explores what it means to be a church, a community of faith in Christ our Lord. Today we face the sobering reality that we who follow Jesus are called to share in his suffering. To some extent every Christian congregation is a suffering community.

There is so much about suffering in the NT that it was a challenge to pick just one text. In all the passages about suffering not a single one is about how to avoid it. Paul addresses the issue of suffering in numerous passages. He writes in Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

“I want to know Christ”. Of course, we all do! We all want to know Christ in an intimate, life-changing, wonderfully exhilarating, fulfilling way. Who wouldn’t want to know “the power of his resurrection”? Who wouldn’t want a personal connection to the Jesus who heals & blesses? But Paul adds, “…and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…” What? That’s not what I signed up. That’s not what we hear from tv preachers who write best-selling books on how to use God to get healthy and rich. All pain and suffering is bad and to be avoided at all cost, right? So why is Paul so eager to “share in his sufferings”?

When we talk about fellowship we’re thinking church dinners and picnics and Bible study groups and prayer groups usually with a few donuts or a dessert thrown in. Fellowship is singing together and serving together. Could it be that fellowship runs deeper than that? Could it be that suffering is part of life together? Could it be that God works through our suffering in ways we cannot fully grasp or appreciate? It seems to me that the NT provides one central over-arching truth about suffering that must be the compass we rely on when we are in the darkness of suffering… that truth, our compass is this: Christ, our Lord, suffered. Suffering may be hard, exhausting, discouraging, perplexing, painful, but one thing it is not for those who follow Christ; it is never pointless. God’s greatest work of love was delivered through the suffering Christ. God continues to work through our suffering. After all, the church is “the body of Christ”. We like to celebrate the glory & victory of his Resurrection. But his church is also to share in his suffering. If that is true, what does it mean for us to be the suffering community?

(Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

We learn from this text…

Christ’s sufferings carry over to us
Paul says, “the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives”. The Greek word translated “sufferings” is πάθημα meaning, “hardship, pain, affliction, or suffering.” It can refer to all manner of troubles both persecution and adversity. Adversity doesn’t mean God is punishing us or has forgotten us or has stopped hearing our prayers. Throughout 2 Corinthians Paul emphasizes that God is at work in and through their suffering.

Through suffering we experience more of God

Paul writes that “God comforts us in all our troubles.” παρακαλέω, translated “comfort” means, “to call to one’s side.” It is not so much the picture of one standing at a distance cheering on someone in trouble like a sports fan in the stands urging his team on from the cheap seats. It is the picture of one standing beside & lending a helping hand to someone in trouble. (catching Sharon’s dad) Some form of παρακαλέω is used 10 times in these 5 verses. Jesus uses the noun form of the word to describe the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16 he says, And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor (παράκλητος) to be with you forever--

The ultimate encourager & comforter is the HS. God, our παράκλητος works through our suffering & even turns it to our own spiritual & sometimes physical benefit. The man who survives the heart attack finally finds the motivation & discipline to quit smoking, get regular exercise, and change his diet has clearly benefited from the immediate affliction. How many people have turned to the Lord as a result of their adversity? How many believers have their walk with the Lord energized by their affliction?

A man in our church going through chemotherapy told me, “Yesterday I wanted to die.” With his next breath he said, “I’ve never felt so close to God in my life.”
About 10 years ago a man in the hospital bed waiting for the surgeon to come perform a life threatening procedure told me: “I’ve never felt so loved in my life.”
Through suffering we learn to rely all the more on Christ; that’s a good thing.

Suffering prepares us to deliver παρακαλέω

Paul writes in v.4, “We can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
Suffering makes us much better at giving comfort, encouragement, & help to others. Kirk Bohls made this statement in the American-Statesman about Lance Armstrong: “I'm going to consider him more champion than cheat, mainly because of his super-human efforts in raising more than $470 million for his foundation's fight against cancer & inspiring millions of cancer victims & survivors...”
I wonder how much money Lance raised for cancer before he became a victim of the disease. I wonder how many cancer survivors he inspired before he was a cancer survivor. Nothing awakens us to the suffering of others like becoming one of them. There is no παρακαλέω like being able to say, “I know what it’s like.”
It may be that your suffering is for your own spiritual benefit, but it is more likely for the benefit of others. It is a great thing to become the messenger of God’s mercy, comfort, encouragement, grace, and hope.

What about those of us who are not suffering or in the midst of major adversity? What about those of us who have no crisis prayer request?

Hebrews 13:3 (NIV)
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
That’s a particularly pointed example because we have 2 members of this church in prison. I asked one of them last Friday what he’d say to the people of his church if he could. He said, “I have a brother who lives in Pville who has visited me 3 or 4 times in 8 months. You visit me every week. The church is my family.”

Bonhoeffer wrote: “The Christian is called to sympathy & action, not in the first place by his own sufferings, but by the sufferings of his brethren, for whose sake Christ suffered.”

Be the means of παρακαλέω by…

Showing up
The whole idea of παρακαλέω is being with another. The isolated individual, living his or her own life in a sealed-off compartment away from the rest of the world, is totally foreign to Paul. In order to “be with” you have to show up.

Last Sunday afternoon I led the memorial service for one of our preschool mothers. The sanctuary was packed with people who came to pay their respects, celebrate her life, and share in her family’s grief. Being part of the suffering community means, in part, simply showing up for our brother or sister who is suffering.

Visiting our members in prison is visible, tangible evidence their church has not forgotten them. Every visit is a small taste of the incomparable joy and strength of life together. You don’t need a seminary degree to show up.

Listening

Every time I visit a brother in jail or a brother suffering with cancer or a sister grieving the loss of a dear loved one I think about what I can say. Sometimes I think, “What am I doing? I can’t fix this. Nothing I say will make a difference.”
In that moment I must remind myself that I’m not going with something to say, I’m going to be with the one hurting to listen. Sometimes the Spirit gives me a word of encouragement to share that is helpful. Sometimes not. Either way it is the listening that helps most. You don’t need a seminary degree to listen.

Praying

Prayer is not a speech. Prayer is not a performance. Prayer is a profound declaration of faith in God. So we must pray, even if it is the simplest one-sentence prayer: “God help my brother! Amen.” You don’t need a seminary education to pray. Being part of the suffering community means showing up, listening, praying.

Just as the life of Jesus meant embracing the purpose of the Father in his suffering out of love for us, so must we embrace our own suffering. There is always suffering in this community, and we come alongside those who suffer and in a sense, make it our own. We must resist the temptation to separate ourselves from the one who suffers in order to spare ourselves the grief. If your goal is to avoid all pain at all cost this is not the community for you.

Conclusion/Response

The Chinese government eventually reversed the verdict against Wang, once the Cultural Revolution was over, and against his son as well. The son recalls how in 1996 the church held a memorial service for his father – “the choir alone numbered two thousand.” He tells the journalist, “In the mid-1960s, when my father was preaching, there were 2,795 Christians in our county. We now (2005) have about 30,000 Christians in the county. The son concludes… “In our society today, people’s minds are entangled and chaotic. They need the words of the gospel now more than at any other time.”

We may never suffer the kind of persecution Chinese Christians have, but we suffer. We face our own adversity… devastating illness, heart-rending loss, gut-wrenching betrayals, and disappointments. But no one suffers alone. Let it be said by all who know this congregation, “That church lives out the verse; Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Homework Assignment: Make a visit or write a letter to someone suffering.

Blessing: “May you know the παρακαλέω of the HS in your suffering, and may you share it with others who suffer. Amen.”

Silence

“Be not silent, O God of my praise!” (Psalm 109:1)

The psalmist, a man of faith, would have no reason to pray, to cry out to God, “Be not silent!” unless he had experienced or was in the midst of experiencing God’s silence. He was suffering some kind of intense oppression from wicked men. He wanted justice and deliverance. He knew only God could deliver him. Only God could hold the wicked accountable. But God was silent. God’s silence can be so discouraging. His silence can shake our faith to the core. God's silence reveals the truth about our faith, or the lack-there-of.

I don't really blame those who turn away from God in those long dark nights of His silence. When God is unseen and unheard, when the silence is deafening, it is human nature to begin to wonder if God is really there at all. Who can fault the one who cannot see God working justice or bringing salvation and so turns away from Him? But to whom or what do they turn for justice and deliverance? Science? In the end it always fails. Science offers no meaning for our existence when life is grand, much less when life is filled with pain and suffering. The government? Even the best of governing powers inflict as much or more pain and suffering than deliverance and justice. Myself? Maybe I’ll just become self-reliant and depend on no one but myself. That is the American way. But only a fool determines to be a god unto himself, as if he needs no one.

So even in those extended periods of God’s silence I will continue to seek and serve and praise Him. It is not just that the alternatives are hopelessly hollow. There is overwhelming evidence both in Scripture and in my own experience that God does not remain silent forever. After the cross comes resurrection. So when God is silent, let us not lose faith and trust that he works even in the silence. Saint John of the Cross reminds us, “God leads into the dark night those whom He desires to purify from all these imperfections so that He may bring them farther onward.”

As I said in the sermon last Sunday, “Suffering may be hard, exhausting, discouraging, perplexing, painful, but there is one thing it is not for those who follow Christ; it is never pointless. God’s greatest work of love was delivered through the suffering Christ. God continues to work through our suffering.”

Life Together: The Glue

Series: “Life Together”                                                                                Aug 19, 2012
Title: “The Glue”
Text: Ephesians 2:14-22 (NIV)
For 28 years it stood as the symbol of division, of Communist oppression, of a regime that locked its people in lest they be tempted by freedom. The Berlin Wall, that hideous 28-mile long scar through the heart of a once proud European capital, and the soul of the German people was built in August 1961 to halt an exodus of historic dimensions. For more than a generation it performed the task with brutal efficiency.

In Germany and around the world the wall had become the perfect symbol of oppression. Ronald Reagan in 1987, standing at the Brandenburg Gate challenged the leader of the Communist world, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” There was no answer from Moscow at the time; only 9 months before, Erich Honecker, leader of the East German Communist government, vowed that the wall would remain for 100 years. And then, suddenly, it was gone. At the stroke of midnight on Nov. 9, 1989, thousands who had gathered on both sides of the wall let out a roar and started going through it and over it. West Berliners pulled East Berliners to the top of the barrier along which in years past many East Germans had been shot while trying to escape. At times the wall almost disappeared beneath waves of humanity. They blew trumpets and danced on the top. They brought out hammers & chisels & whacked away at the hated symbol of separation. They spilled out into the streets of West Berlin for a champagne-spraying, horn-honking bash that continued well past dawn, in the following day and another dawn.

I remember watching the pictures on television as the East German people flooded thru the Brandenburg Gate to freedom. I remember thinking, “This is a monumental moment in history… the world will not be the same from this point on. The iron curtain of Communist oppression was crumbling before our eyes… the Cold war was over. For the German people it was the first giant step toward reunification… becoming a new nation of one people. Little did I know that about 15 years later Sandy and I would host an East German foreign exchange student who would become part of our family.

There once was another wall that divided people from one another. It was a wall far greater than the Berlin Wall. The Apostle Paul called it “the dividing wall of hostility”. For centuries the wall of hostility separated us from God and one another. This wall of sin, erected in the hearts of men and women, was destroyed once and for all by Christ our Lord on the cross, and the world has never been the same.

This is the 2^nd in a series of messages I’ve titled “Life Together”. I’ve taken the title from German pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s little book Life Together… based on his experience as part of a unique fellowship… an underground seminary during the Nazi years in Germany. In his book Bonhoeffer writes, “It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God’s Word & sacrament. The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.”

Bonhoeffer understood the gift of life together in Christ. Today we consider the glue that binds us together.

What is it that ultimately joins us together as a community? We come from a variety of faith backgrounds, and in some cases no background at all. We come from different families, different ethnic groups, & even different continents. We have different jobs, different hobbies, cheer for rival sports teams, & support different political parties. We bring different opinions and loyalties and troubles with us to this gathering, and form a community that shares a common identity that supersedes all the differences. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians identifies the glue that holds every Christian congregation together.

In the first chapter of Ephesians Paul describes what God has done, “he has blessed us”, “he chose us”, “he destined us for adoption”, “in him we have redemption,” and “he has made known to us the mystery.” The first 7 verses of chapter 2 is one long run-on sentence with the subject being “you” as in “you who make up the church”. Paul details their former condition without Christ… “dead in your sins in which you once walked”. His vivid description of life without Christ is a picture of people who are like zombies, the walking dead, walking blindly about, slaves of their own passions and desires, with no hint of true life within, inhaling and exhaling, yet the breath of God is absent from their souls. It is an utterly hopeless condition and there is nothing that can be done about it apart from divine intervention.

The picture gets worse as Paul describes them as formerly under the power of the “ruler of the air”. Apart from Christ, people are spiritually dead, subjected to the ruling influence of an evil power holding them in bondage. Paul’s vivid portrayal of humanity without Christ reminds them all of what they once were… “dead in their sins”, “enslaved to the ruler of the air”, “gratifying the cravings of the sinful nature”, with a dark future as “children of wrath”. To appreciate God’s redemption we must fully recognize our fallen nature.

In 2:4-10 Paul describes God’s mercy, love, and grace freely given in Christ. In v.6 Paul insists that God “raised us”, the Greek word is συνεγείρω meaning, “to cause to emerge from an inactive state or be raised up from death, physical or spiritual.” The same resurrection power that rolled away the stone and raised Jesus from the dead breathes spiritual life into sin-riddled zombies “dead in their sins”. And it’s all by his grace, a gift that cannot be attained on your own. The Ephesians have undergone a divine transformation from walking zombies, dead in their sins, to resurrected fully alive believers. They once served the evil “ruler of the air”, but now they serve the God of overflowing mercy and love. Once they were children of wrath headed for destruction, but through the free gift of grace they are now on the way to ruling with Christ in the heavenlies!

In 2:11 Paul writes, “Therefore…” indicating a change in the subject from God, and what God has done, to the response of the believers. The first response is the imperative “Therefore remember”! Remember what you were w/out Christ & are now becoming in Christ! Then we get to 2:14-22, our text for today.

(Read Ephesians 2:14-22)

What does Paul mean by “made the two one” and “His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace…”? He’s using “man” as a metaphor of community. He’s talking about two separate people groups… the Jews and everybody else. There was a wall in the temple of Jerusalem preventing non-Jews from approaching God. There was a wall in the hearts of Jews and Gentiles creating great animosity. Through Christ, Jews and Gentiles can be reconciled to God & one another. The barrier, “the dividing wall of hostility”, is the work of “the ruler of the kingdom of the air…” It not only divides Jew and non-Jew, but people of different races, cultures, political views and anything else that separates people. God’s purpose is to reconcile people to himself and to one another through Christ… creating a new community that welcomes all people.

Paul takes one of the central symbols of Judaism and turns it inside out. The Temple in Jerusalem was the religious heart of the nation as well as the political, social, and cultural heart of Jerusalem. God had promised to live there. But now Paul is declaring that the living God is constructing a new Temple of human beings.

NT Wright: “Until Paul nobody had said anything quite like this. What it means is that for Christians a church building is not a “temple” in the strict sense. It is the people themselves who are the “place” where God is now deciding to live.”

Christ is the glue that binds us together! There must be no other requirement for admission and no other shared commitment or interest greater than the shared commitment in Christ.

Bonhoeffer: “Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ… One is a brother to another only through Jesus Christ. Our community with one another consists solely in what Christ has done to both of us. The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede, the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is vital between us.”

In Christ we are…

The community of the reconciled…
·        reconciled to God and each other

Fellow citizens of the kingdom of God…
·        which is deeper than nationalism or tribalism

Family!
·        “members of the household of God”
·        With a shared spiritual heritage… the prophets and the apostles

The dwelling place of God

God help us act like it!

Two Questions

Has Christ failed?
Some would say, “The walls remain. People continue to be as separated as ever!” Did Christ fail? No! He provided the means through which a new community is established, but he forces no one to enter into that community. As long as people resist God’s grace and love, rejecting the cross, the walls remain effectively in place. Satan wants people to believe the walls are as high and forbidding as ever. He is bluffing. Walk through the gate! Believe in Christ! Embrace God as your forgiving Father and your former enemy as your bother.

Has the church failed?

In some respects yes. When Christians do not live in a Christ-like manner the church fails. When we continue to live as if the walls of hostility remain, the church fails. When we place nationalism and tribalism above our shared faith in Christ we fail.
(Ephesians 2:22) And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
“Being built together” is one word in the Greek text, the indicative present tense passive plural of συνοικοδομέω, meaning, “being built together”. The present tense passive indicates an on-going process that is not yet complete. Jesus is not only the glue that holds us together, he is the builder constructing the dwelling place of God with the various parts… we are the various parts. My faith is not so much in the various parts, but in the One doing the building!

Some point to the failures & paint the entire Church as a failed experiment. All the evidence I need is right here in this sanctuary filled with people with little in common save the “glue that binds us together.” There are communities like this throughout the world. I have had the marvelous opportunity to worship with Mexican believers in Mexico City, Coptic believers in Cairo Egypt, Palestinian believers in Bethlehem and Nazareth, and been welcomed like a brother.

Conclusion/Response

Last Tuesday night Sandy and I drove separate cars to separate meetings and afterwards met up at Taco Bell for a late night dinner. In the parking lot after dinner we kissed and as I turned to go to my car I heard this booming obnoxious voice call out, “I saw that! Pastor Clem I saw you kiss that woman!”
It was Richard Coaxum, pastor of St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church, the church across from PHS. He laughed and then he and his wife Ruth greeted us and we talked a few minutes about family and church. Blessings were exchanged and we went our separate ways. A brief encounter in a parking lot is testament that what we share… the glue that binds Richard Coaxum and me together is far greater than any difference.

Let us join together in the work of the Lord. He took the initiative to break down the walls on the cross. Now he works in and through us to continue that work. So we must confess and repent of prideful attitudes that keep the walls in place and celebrate the glue that binds us together and continues to build his dwelling place.

Homework Assignments: Preparing for “Life Together” (slide)

Next Sunday spend 15-30 minutes in silent contemplation before you come to worship in community. Take nothing but your Bible and your journal.
Read & reflect on Philippians 3:10-11 and Romans 12:15.

Blessing: “May the glue that binds us together prevail in our hearts and supersede all our differences. Amen.”

Life Together: The Gift

Here's the text of the first message of the series "Life Together".
Close to 60 percent of young people who went to church as teens drop out after high school. David Kinnaman , the bestselling author of unchristian, has written a new book on these young believers. In unchristian, he uncovered what outsiders aged 16-29 think of Christianity. His new book, You Lost Me, shows why younger Christians aged 16-29 are leaving the church. One of his findings is that more young adults are struggling with their experience of the church than their Christian faith. It’s not uncommon to hear those who’ve left the church say something like, “I still believe in God and love Jesus, it’s the church I don’t need.”

In this series of messages I’ve titled “Life Together” we’ll take a fresh view of what being the church is all about. I’ve taken the title from German pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s little book Life Together… based on his experience as part of a unique fellowship… an underground seminary during the Nazi years in Germany. In his book Bonhoeffer writes, “It is not simply to be taken for granted that the Christian has the privilege of living among other Christians. It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God’s Word and sacrament. The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.”
According to Kinnaman’s research, more and more believers see the “physical presence of other Christians” as something less than a source of joy and strength.

Soon after writing Life Together Bonhoeffer was arrested by the Gestapo and spent 2 years in prison, where he experienced forced separation from fellow believers. He was executed a few days before WWII ended. Bonhoeffer understood the gift of life together in Christ. How is it that we are supposed to experience life in the community of faith we call the Church? The place to start is with the New Testament perspective of life together.

 John 1:1-2
¹ The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth--and not I only, but also all who know the truth-- ² because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
John identifies himself as “The elder” or as The Message translates it, “Your pastor” which seems so much more personal. The Greek word is “πρεσβύτερος” meaning, “to be relatively advanced in age, elder, presbyter.” This term was used for synagogue officers and members of the Sanhedrin. Among Christians it became an honorary title. John uses this term to indicate a position of dignity and leadership. The author of the letter was a respected leader who had an intimate connection with the congregation he was writing to.

The Elder writes to the “chosen lady”. Some actually think he had a girl-friend or mistress. That’s an incredible stretch that is just plain silly. He is clearly using the phrase as a metaphor of the church. That’s obvious when he follows his declaration of love for the “chosen lady” with, “and not I only, but also all who know the truth”. The word “chosen” is ἐκλεκτός “being selected, elect… of those whom God has chosen and drawn to himself.” We can get lost in the debate about predestination, or we can celebrate the deeper truth that God takes the first step in reconciling all sinners to himself. God chooses us! God wants us!

At the very beginning of his letter John declares in no uncertain terms his love for the church. He uses the term “ἀγαπάω” meaning, “to have a warm regard for and interest in another, cherish, have affection for, love.” It is a love that gives and sacrifices for the other. It is the word most often used of God’s love for his people.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:10
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.  

Paul’s love for the church was surpassed only by his love for God, and he was prepared to “endure everything” for her sake. All the apostles loved the church and had high expectations for what God was going to do in and through the church.

John uses the Greek word (ἀλήθεια) 4 times in verses 1-3. The usual translation is “truth” but it also can mean, “a state of being, reality”.  John 17:19 is a good example of “reality” perhaps being the better translation choice, when Jesus said, And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. (sanctified in reality). Our true state in Christ is given us by Christ, and that state of being, our reality is that we are holy people. That’s what sanctify means… holy, and it comes from having the truth of gospel of Jesus Christ in us. Our reality is the grace of God not only saving us from our sins so that we go to heaven when we die, but working transformation in us today.

John dearly loves the “chosen lady” and her children, and adds, “So does everyone else who knows the truth, and has the truth abiding within.” He assumes that those who know the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, those who have that truth inside will always and forever love the church… the community of believers.

In v.3 John gives a blessing: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.

The blessing centers on God’s grace, mercy, and peace given through Jesus Christ, & meant to be lived out in life together “in truth and love.” The truth is the gospel and the love is what the gospel produces in us as a community. The blessing is followed by a reminder, to love one another, & to remain anchored in the truth. Then he closes his concise letter with…
(2 John 1:12-13)
¹² I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
¹³ The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.
John’s desire, his longing, is to be with his congregation, his people. He’s got so much more to tell them that he is saving for the face-to-face (literally mouth-to-mouth) encounter. He longs for that intimacy of the community of believers. He uses the same exact phrase he used in his first letter, “so that our joy may be complete.” It is in the intimate gathering that their joy is complete, both his and theirs. In his first letter he wrote… 1 John 1:3-4
³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴ We write this to make our joy complete.
John believes that something divine happens when the followers of Christ are gathered… something unique and powerful that cannot happen in our individual, isolated spiritual practices, or at least not with the same intensity & depth. Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
What is unique in the experience of the gathered community of believers? That’s what I want to address in the next 6 messages.

Bonhoeffer sums up well the main message for today: “How inexhaustible are the riches that open up for those who by God’s will are privileged to live in the daily fellowship of life with other Christians!”

So why the disillusionment with the church? Bonhoeffer had something to say about that long before Kinnaman’s research: “The Christian brotherhood is not an ideal, but a divine reality…”

He understood that the church was deeply flawed, it is not an ideal, a perfect community… but it is a “divine reality” in the sense that God indwells his church.
Let me give you a few specific reasons to stay engaged and love the church.

Why Love the Church?

The Church is your mother
Augustine said, "The Church is a whore, but she is my mother."

As flawed and sometimes unfaithful to Christ as the Church has been, it carries the gospel of Jesus Christ and we are her children and she is our mother. It is she who taught you about Jesus. The church has preserved the Gospel for 2000 years and delivered it into our hands. The Bible teaches that Christ loves the church and gave himself for it. That's the main reason why you dare not decide that you don't need the church. Christ's church is called his bride and his love for her makes him faithful to her even when she is not faithful to him.

The church is God's primary instrument for transforming society

There are numerous examples of this…
The collapse of apartheid in South Africa was led by Archbishop Tutu, the leader of the Anglican Church in that country. The Church became a force for justice.
Schools created by missionaries have educated most the significant leaders in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The doctors, lawyers, engineers, and entrepreneurs—almost all owe their training to church-sponsored education.
The Church stands up for those who cannot stand-up for themselves… unborn.
The Church was in the forefront of the battle against the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Hypocrites Welcome
The accusation that the church is filled with hypocrites causes some to leave. Well, it is. Because the church is filled with hypocrites you’ll be right at home in it. If you don't think your own life is filled with hypocrisies, you are blind to the truth. We admit that everyone is a hypocrite, if by "hypocrite" we mean someone who does not live up to his or her declared ideals and does not practice what he or she preaches. Most of us recognize that we fall short, so come together to help one another overcome our failures. As the old saying goes, "We're not what we ought to be, but then we're not what we used to be."

We love our families even though our families are not perfect. It is a great gift to be part of a family. It is a great gift to be part of a spiritual family… a church. We don’t love the church in the same way we love a good concert or a movie or a trip to Disney World. We love those things for what they do for us… how they entertain us and thrill us for a moment. While there may be similar moments in our church experience… I hope there are… I hope the worship inspires and the preaching encourages… it is simply being together in His name that is at the heart of it.

Conclusion/Response

Two years ago our extended family, all 30+ of us, celebrated Christmas together at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine. The main attraction is a Schlitterbahn type water-park… INDOORS! It’s quite impressive and some of the water-slide chutes are quite a thrill. But my best memory of being there was climbing on an enormous intertube to zoom down the twisting, turning chute with 2 of my grandsons and my dad. It was being there with family spanning 4 generations that I will never forget.

Last Christmas we celebrated together at a rustic retreat facility west of Waco. There were no thrilling water-slides or carnival rides. We enjoyed a hay-ride and some went horseback riding one afternoon. There were no big-screen televisions, or any tv at all. There was no wifi or video games… no super thrills of any kind. We played touch football, whiffle ball, board games, hiked, ate our meals together, and mostly just enjoyed being together. Guess which one we all agreed to go back to this Christmas… the rustic retreat. It’s being together that we love.

I look forward to coming to worship on Sundays. I am often thrilled by the music; the instruments and the voices often move my heart and I’m glad I get to worship at 9:30am and again at 11:00am. Often I get caught up in preaching the message and God moves in me and in our midst and that’s better than any water-slide. But what I love the most, what PCC is about at our core, is being together as the children of the “chosen lady”. We are the “chosen lady”! It’s not about the thrill; it’s about life together, being part of a wonderfully flawed extended family!

Church = Body of Christ = Bride of Christ. It's difficult to imagine Christ giving up on the Church. After all, “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her…” (Eph. 5:25). If Christ is in us we cannot give up on the Church. Constructive criticism? Yes! Confession? Yes? Repentance? Yes! Reform? Absolutely! Abandonment? Never!

Homework Assignments: Preparing for “Life Together”

Next Sunday spend 15-30 minutes in silent contemplation before you come to worship in community. Take nothing but your Bible and your journal.
Spend the entire 30 minutes thinking about Jesus. Read & reflect on Eph 2:14-22.

Blessing: “May you discover a new appreciation for life together in Christ. Amen.”