The Emptiest of Days

“We have not king but Caesar!”
It was an empty boast:
Thus heretics wrung empty justice
From their Roman host.
And empty-hearted followers
Grieved empty prophesy:
An empty throne.  The empty king
Instead had filled a tree.

But empty exposition,
Assumed in empty pride,
Keep them from recognizing
The Peacemaker who died:
The Emptied God who overcame
The Self-willed’s empty doom.
And peace with God is now restored.
The proof?  The Empty Tomb.

Sources:
John 19:15 ❦ Luke 24:17-27 ❦ Luke 7:19-23
Hebrews 1:1-2 ❦ Psalm 22 ❦ Philippians 2:5-11
John 3:16 ❦ Romans 5:1-2

One of the things that impresses me most about the story of Jesus is the prophetic aspect.  According to Christian understanding, Jesus fulfilled all the prophesies associated with the snake-stamping deliverer first promised in Genesis 3, yet even his own disciples couldn’t see the connection until He explained it (Luke 24:17-27).  The main reason they didn’t recognize the fulfillment was because, over the previous four hundred years of prophetic silence, the commentators had figured out exactly what their Messiah would be like and what He would do.  They were certain of their interpretation’s correctness – after all, they had scripture on their side!  But, when the Messiah actually did turn up, He was everything prophesy had predicted, and not at all what they had expected.  The commentators had put more faith in their interpretation of scripture than they had in the scriptures themselves.  (That’s one reason I don’t get too excited about eschatology: so many interpreters were positive that their exposition of Revelations was the right one, and lived to be disappointed.  When the time does come, it’ll be exactly what was predicted, and, as with Jesus, not necessarily what we expect.)  In the coming year, I hope we all can hear God speak through the Bible: that we can see what it says, and not be misled by what we think it says!

He is Risen Indeed!

How I Came to Be a Christian

Last year, you heard how I came to be a church lady. But church ladies are not redeemed by their talent for making hot dishes or organizing bake sales. They, too, must be redeemed by grace through faith in the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, when I want a laugh, I speculate on what my testimony would sound like as an episode of Unshackled. If you’ve ever heard that long-running dramatic radio program from Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission, you know the dreadful circumstances from which the profiled men and women are delivered; and the wonderful things that God has done through them.

By contrast, my life has been idyllic. It won’t come as any surprise that I’ve grown up in churches. My earliest memories were of nursery Sunday School at an local Methodist church. My childhood stories were Bible stories, I was interested in knowing what the Bible said, and always preferred a regular church worship service to "children’s church." But all that grounding in the Faith led to one problem. I knew about Jesus, I knew about church ritual, I knew about doctrine, and I knew and believed the Plan of Salvation. But, by the time I got to high school, I wasn’t sure whether I was saved. Yes, even "nice" people need to be Unshackled.

The issue was that, though I knew what the Bible said, and I trusted it was true, I wasn’t entirely sure whether I really believed it, or whether I just thought I did, or whether I just wanted other people to think I did. It may sound odd to tell, but when you’ve always belonged to a group, it’s sometimes hard to tell whether you belong because of habit or whether it's your own choice. I had been confirmed, and had stood up a number of times at altar calls, but I also knew what counts with God is attitude, not action.

Well, in high school, one of my friends was asking me regularly how I knew I was saved. I had been around church long enough to know the right answers, but I wondered whether I gave them because it was expected, or because I really believed them. I thought I really believed them, but, because they were a habit, I wasn’t sure. Finally, when the church youth group was planning to do a study on other faiths, the leader said solely that, because of what we were going to be discussing, all of us needed to be sure we believed in Jesus. When he said that, it was as if a voice inside of me said, "You’re not sure!" And it frightened me, because I wasn’t. But then I heard another internal voice – a voice that was not mine – say impatiently, "Well, Sarah, if you aren’t sure, ask Him now!" Until then, though I would have trusted God with my soul without wavering, it had never occurred me to give God my uncertainty. I prayed silently something to the effect of, "Heavenly Father, I know You are true, and I do want to belong to You, irrevocably, now and always. If there’s anything wrong with my attitude or my faith, fix it, because I do want to belong to You." And He did fix it, because I haven’t been troubled with doubts about my salvation since. In fact, since then, whenever I have any doubts about my attitudes or motives, I present them to God for appropriate alteration.

I tell this story, because we had a situation at our church recently in which someone needed assurance, and, due to an aggressive brain tumor, needed it fast. He knew that Jesus died for rebellious sinners; that He rose from the dead, proving He had paid the price for their rebellion, and that He gives eternal life to all who completely trust Him. But he wasn’t sure he really believed it. I tell this story now, as a reminder to anyone who might share this dear man’s uncertainty: that God can be trusted even with that.

When I think of my story of coming to assurance, I also think of that silly old joke about the married couple trying to go to sleep one night. The man tossed and turned, so much that his wife finally asked him what was bothering him. He said, "I borrowed money from McGee next door. I'm supposed to pay him back tomorrow, and I don't have it." The wife got up, opened the window, and shouted, "Hey, McGee! My husband can't pay you the money he owes you!" She got back into bed and said,, "There. Now go to sleep and let him worry for a while." That's one more lovely thing about God: we owe him everything and He already knows we can't pay Him back. We can let him worry about that, too!

Incidentally, if you’re wondering about the man who needed assurance, his story has a happy ending – at least by eternal standards. At his funeral yesterday, one of his friends told how he had been with him in the hospital when he committed his life to Jesus. We had been praying for his assurance, and through that reassuring story, his assurance became our assurance: God does answer prayer, and it’s never too late to pray for redemption.

A Hymn for May 4 (And May the Fourth Be With You!)

I heard recently (recently, as of this writing, at least) that there was an effort under way to organize a worship service for Star Wars Celebration IV. A fine plan! At such affairs, however, singing generally takes place; and, as far as I know, there are no hymns that include a celebration of Star Wars.
Until such is composed, perhaps this text, which translates some basic doctrinal concepts into terms familiar to Star Wars fans, might help. If you would like to sing it, as part of your Star Wars Day celebration ("May the Fourth Be With You"), the text lays well with the hymn tune "St. Anne," but sounds best with "Ellacombe."

We praise the Maker of All Things --
No Dark Side dims His Light–
That He would give His image wings:
Imagination's flight

His word made matter, worlds that hold
Together by His will.
He gives us our own worlds to mold
Through words that matter still.

All living things make energy,
But, through Him, true Life came;
And power, not slaves, but sons to be,
To all that trust His name.

Unless our actions He controls
Our "Do" is merely "Try."
There is no luck: we reach the goals
His loving plans supply!

We praise Him for the destinies
On different paths He led,
Away from unfulfilling peace,
To happy Wars instead!

Let all hearts thank the Maker, then –
Be they of flesh or steel –
Who, through the dreams of mortal men
Made Worlds in Pictures real!


Suggested tunes:
St. Anne: http://openhymnal.org/Lyrics/Our_God_Our_Help_In_Ages_Past-St_Anne.html

Ellacombe: http://openhymnal.org/Lyrics/Hosanna_Loud_Hosanna-Ellacombe.html

Worlds in Pictures is not only a pretty way to describe the sketches and paintings that directed the designers of Star Wars, but the title of a musical tribute to the art of Ralph McQuarrie, composed by Kevin Kral.  It is the best Star Wars-related song ever written. As of this writing, it may be heard here: http://www.myspace.com/kenkrahl/music/songs/worlds-in-pictures-10974185 .For myself, I also thank the Maker for McQuarrie's glorious pictures, and Kral's memorable Worlds!

Soar We NOW – Not Later – Where Christ Hath Lead

Whether you call it Easter or Resurrection Sunday, it's still the commemoration of that glorious proof that the unjust death of a perfect man was a satisfactory substitute for what should have been the eternal death of defiant, self-pleasing humanity.* But God's Holy One did not see corruption¶, and God's raising Him from the dead is what we celebrate, particularly with music. On that Sunday, we get our annual opportunity to sing all those great Resurrection hymns, including one of Charles Wesley's greatest lyrics, "Chris the Lord is Risen Today**." To whatever tune they are set, they remain a beautiful assurance of the blessings of redemption.

You may know the verse normally sung last:

Soar we now where Christ hath led,
Following our Exalted Head. \
Made like Him, like Him we rise!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies!

It sums up the fulfillment of the hope described in the previous verses: that we will follow our Redeemer beyond the grip of death, to Heaven. No one would debate that conclusion. However, I have been made to realize that it means so much more than that.

At the end of 2011, I noticed a Twitter post from someone traveling in India, describing smoke rising from funeral pyres along the Ganges. That grim scene was followed by another post about toy kites local children were playing with. The dancing of the kites in the sky, for a moment at least, released the children who held them from the dust and dung around them. Those soaring kites, for whatever reason, had made me think of soaring where Christ had led. Then it hit me: Wesley had written, "Soar we NOW," not "Soar we soon." I had always associated that verse with following Him to heaven, but the redemption Christ bought is not merely about getting to Heaven> It includes how we live on Earth. We don't have to wait until we get to Heaven to live heaven-like lives. Christ enables us to live like someone from Heaven right now even in the spiritual, moral (yes, and sometimes physical) dung and dust of a bitter world of change and decay. After all, eternal life isn't about mere perpetual existence, but about life as God had intended it to be lived.

And His ways are not the ways we choose on our own. Look at the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7). What a radical approach to life – and what an impossibility to live out! Yet, through Christ's resurrection spirit, now living in those who trust Him, we children of dust are able to do it, because He lives through us. Only through him can we truly set our minds on things above, and not on the vanishing things of this earth.§

Because Christ has risen, we may live among the dust and dung, but we are no longer part of it. Like those children watching the kites, our minds are now set on things above, not merely for a moment, but forever! By faith, we are made like Him, and like Him, we do rise; above our daily crosses, beyond the grave and the smoky funeral pyre, and, always, to the skies.

Hie is Risen! And, therefore, We arr Risen, Indeed! Alleluia!


Notes:

*Romans 4:23-25: Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

¶ Psalm 16:10:  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

"Christ the Lord is Risen Today" http://hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh302.sht

§ Colossians 3:1-2:  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
　

(The posts referred to above require, not merely a HT (Hat Tip), but a star-sweeping flourish of a salute to @ADaniels3PO, who posted them. I don' know where he might stand in relation to my reflection on them, but no one posts thought-provoking observations to Twitter more gracefully than he does.)

On Loving Geeks

Although I'm the last of the Little Old Ladies at my church (a funny story for another occasion), I'm only starting to try on my Red Hat. I am old enough, however, to have spent many Sunday School sessions bellowing with the rest of the class that venerable childhood chorus:

Jesus loves the little children!
All the children of the world!
Red or Yellow, Black or White,
They are precious in His sight!
Jesus loves the little children of the world!

And I learned to care about the children (and the grown-ups) who didn't look like me. After all, the Apostle Paul had said "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all." (Colossians 3:11)

But there are people groups who do look like me, and whom Jesus does love, yet, from the reaction of other church-people , you'd hardly know it. I'm speaking of — and I use the term respectfully — The Geeks. The children who choose The Clone Wars over Veggie Tales, the teens who prefer science fiction to sports facts, the adults who fix your computers in your home, but who wouldn't go near God's house. Have you ever wondered why?

I think it's us. Last year, I heard a Christian broadcaster talk about an email he had received. His program that day was to have been about male bonding, or something of that nature, and the email had suggested that the men who participate in Star Wars-related costuming might be interested in hearing what he had to say, because that was one reason they joined such groups. Evidently, the broadcaster had not understood the message's main point, because he proceeded to belittle reenactors, Star Wars and Star Trek　reenactors in particular, concluding with a remark that the program would be about real male bonding (or whatever it was).

I pray that no member of the 501^st Legion heard that. Those of you familiar with this galaxy's manifestation of the Galaxy Far, Far Away, know that the 501^st is a society of costumed Star Wars reenactors, primarily stormtroopers, who are noted for their participation in charitable, benevolent activities. They are not maladjusted misfits living in their mother's basement, but professional men and women, who have real jobs, live in their own homes, with their own families (who often enjoy "trooping" with them). Some of the acts of sacrifice they have made for each other I have held up as examples to my Sunday School class. But, while they all know Obi-Wan Kenobi, a lot of them may not know Jesus Christ. And knowing Jesus is eternal life.*
Someone must have told that broadcaster as much, because I understand he later apologized. Still, the point remains: prejudice is still a barrier to making God's truth known, and God's love felt, to geeks, who are just as needy spiritually, as any tax collector, prostitute, or pharisee.

Joe Stowell, former president of Chicago's Moody Bible Institute, once addressed this issue in a lecture he gave on the story of the Prodigal Son.**He had used it to show how Christians need to see people who aren't like them (and who may be hostile to them) the way God sees them. They are His wandering children who need to come home. The next thing to do is to pray for them. Pray that they will pay attention when God speaks to them; that you, or someone they will　listen to, have an opportunity to show God's love to them. Dressing up like stormtroopers, or speaking Klingon, or knowing the number of regenerations Doctor Who has had, may not mean anything to you, but it's important to them. Instead of ridiculing them, your time might e better spent finding out why those activities are valued. Geeks most often associate with other geeks, because they don't make fun of each other.

Perhaps showing respect is the most effective way to reach geeks. I'm reminded that the highlight of Dr. Stowell's lecture was an illustration from Star Wars: A New Hope. In it, a couple of droids, Artoo Detoo and his buddy, walk into a bar that is filled with "the weirdest, Weirdest, WEIRDEST – I can't tell you how weird they were" characters. As they come in, the bartender shouts that they don't serve "their kind"— and they're the only normal-looking things in the place.

Remember: that may be how your geek friends will feel when they visit your cantina —er, church.

========================
Notes:
* John 18:3

**My copy has no air date or product number, but it was broadcast on Moody Presents during the late 1980s or early 1990s.

All Paths Lead to Christ – and I’ll Show You How

All the streets in my town lead to Chicago. Yes, it’s true: you can take any street and get to Chicago. For instance, you can even get to Chicago by going West on Oak Street. Now, Chicago is in the opposite direction, but people are using that route all the time. . . because they recognized that, in order to get to Chicago, they need to get OFF of Oak Street at Orchard Road, and turn Left. Then, they recognize that, in order to get to Chicago, they have to get off of Orchard Road at I-88, at the eastbound on-ramp. And it all started by going the wrong way on the wrong street.

Of course, the route is no secret: Oak Street has a number of signs directing drivers to the tollway, but if a driver ignores the signs, there’s no telling where that driver will end up. Wherever it is, though, it won’t be Chicago.

One of the cants of non-scripture-based churches is that all faiths lead to heaven. In a way, they’re right, but not the way they think. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, through Whom, all can come to the Father (John 14:6), but from what I’ve observed, every faith has at least one signpost, so to speak, that points its adherents toward Jesus, if they recognize it. When field workers who help Native Americans have visited the church, they have mentioned how a lot of the tribal religion is consistent with what God has revealed about Himself. When the field workers from Southeast Asia visited, they have commented on how much of Islam is similar to Christian belief. As a matter of fact, some of the teachings urge Muslims to read the writings of Moses and Issa (Jesus). BUT! It’s the parts of those faiths that are inconsistent with the revealed nature of The Maker of All Things (John 1:3) that are keeping them on the wrong road, and end up leaving them lost. Like those field workers do, when we know the route, we need to point out those signs.

A number of years ago, I heard an Unshackled episode (broadcast #2518, from March 21, 1999, I believe) about a Tibetan monk who ran across a prayer: "Lead me from darkness to light, from untruth to truth, from death to life." The search for what it meant led him to another injunction about conversion, and to writings of Buddha that pointed to a resurrected savior. No one could explain the words to him, until he met a cobbler in India. Gradually, the cobbler helped him recognize the fulfillment of those words in the words in the Bible. The monk recognized the signposts in the teachings of Buddha, but they only made sense in the person of Jesus Christ.

As that monk had learned from his earliest days, "he who seeks truth correctly will find truth correctly." If you truly want to know God – and that, after all, is eternal life (John 17:3) – you'll recognize the signs He's posted that show the way. And – nothing against Chicago – He's a grander destination!