Sing! Sing! Sing!

"And with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God."

(Colossians 3:16b)

I remember going to Disneyland as a child and loving the exhibit "America Sings" (active from 1974-1988).  It was a rotating theater that moved through the music of various regions of the country (The Deep South, The Old West, the Gay (18)90's, and Modern Times).  Audio-animatronic singing animals are always so captivating (don'cha think?!).  Actually, music has always been a big part of my life.  I sang in the choir at church... was involved in school & church musicals... loved listening to the radio... bought records & cassette tapes as a kid... etc.  Today, music is also one of the keys to my spiritual life.

In Colossians 3, Paul reminds the beloved community to SING!  "Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs."  Sing the scriptures (psalms)... the great songs of the church over the ages (hymns)... and anything new that connects to God (spiritual songs).  Music is a wonderful conduit, as well as a "heart regulator."  Paul calls us to sing from the wellspring of gratitude in our hearts.

In this age of "American Idol," it seems that people are singing more to be judged (or to shine!).  We're quick to point out another's musical shortcomings &/or talent.  Some still karaoke for fun... but many of us seem to have lost the passion to sing regularly.  Nevertheless, Paul calls us all to "sing for gratitude."  Sing because of God's amazing grace!  There need not be any other reason.  Let your hearts overflow with thanksgiving, and sing out without shame!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T...

"Pay to all what is due them - taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due."

(Romans 13:7)

It's officially February now.  Time to start working on taxes.  (Actually, full disclosure here... Jody does all the tax-prep work for us!)  For most of us, it's not a question of "IF" we will pay taxes (like it was in Jesus' day)... but rather "WHEN" (as in how close to the 1:59pm deadline on April 15th?!).  Giving people respect & honor, however, is another story.

Towards t he end of his letter to the church in Rome, Paul encourages the believers to do 4 things: Give the taxes, revenue, respect & honor that is due people.  Period.  It's the last 2 categories that struck me today. 

We in America value our freedom - including free speech.  We exercise that speech quite often in expressing our displeasure with people - elected officials, soccer referees, our bosses, law enforcement, criminals, the homeless, Drug addicts & Drug dealers, cable/phone repair people, etc.  Some of them, by their position and/or title are truly due respect - whether we agree with their policies/actions/statements or not.  We frequently do NOT afford respect to many of them.  And honor?  Wouldn't Jesus have wanted us to treat ALL people with love & honor?  Probably.  He did.  Again, there are many we don't grant honor to.  "But they don't deserve it!" you say to me.  Maybe that's true.  But Jesus challenged us (commanded us!) to love our enemies & pray for those who hurt (or frustrate, anger, embarrass) her.

Respect & honor.  I'm sure I could be giving more of them both than I currently do.

How about you?

Avoiding the "one-fingered salute"

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all."

(Romans 12:17)

In the 12th chapter of his letter to the church in Rome, Paul gets on a roll with short, pithy, bullet-point-type exhortations.  Including:

• Hate evil, love good...
• Show honor...
• Rejoice in hope...
• Be patient in suffering...
• Persevere in prayer...
• Give to the saints...
• Practice hospitality...
• Bless your enemies...
• Live in harmony with others...
• Be humble...

Then in verse 17 he challenges them (us!) to not repay evil for evil.  Wow.  This is a tough one for many of us humans, isn't it?  It seems like a natural instinct to want to strike back when we've been wounded - verbally, emotionally, physically.  Heck, even driving I have problems not shouting out at crazy drivers who are clueless, careless, or have no "road etiquette."   And that's just a little thing, too.  The big stuff in life is even harder!

Paul gives a short note on a pathway for us to follow in these challenging situations: "Take thought for what is noble in the sight of all."  What is noble.  Hmmm.... So instead of shooting back a snide remark... lifting a not-so-kind finger in protest... or intentionally inflicting some physical or emotional pain upon one who has hurt us... we're challenged to be above that... to think nobly... to seek that which is honorable.  In all situations.  Wow.  That's not always easy to do.  However, as followers of Jesus, we believe that God's Holy Spirit can help us respond in loving & noble ways - even when we ourselves might not be inclined to do so.  What a gift!

PRAYER: This world is not short on evil, Lord.  But that doesn't make it right to respond likewise.  Empower me to be able to focus on the noble reactions to others - even when they've "wronged" me... (and especially while I'm driving!).  AMEN.

"Freedom!"

"In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Chris, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God."

(Romans 6:4)

I'm starting to watch the much-acclaimed HBO crime drama of the mid 2000's: THE WIRE. Centering around a special police unit in Baltimore, we get to see the ups-n-downs of both life "on the street" and "on the beat."  Both sides of the equation look to use the law to the full extent (either staying out of trouble, or getting folks into it!).  What stands out in this series is the blurred line between the "good guys" and the "bad guys."  Most characters have a mix of both.  Kinda like real life.

In Romans 7, Paul is speaking to those within Judaism who feel bound to fulfill the Laws of Moses.  He uses the analogy of a married relationship.  The wife is "bound" to her husband as long as he lives.  She can't run off and "hook up" with another man while her husband is a live (and vice versa).  But if he dies, then she's free to marry another.  She can transfer her loyalty without restraint.

The same is true for followers of Christ, Paul says.  When we make our commitment to Jesus, we "die to ourselves."  We're no longer bound to the (Mosaic) Law - to the obligation of trying to earn God's love & grace through "being a good person" (ie. our strict adherence to the rules & regs).  Instead, we're free to accept the NEW RELATIONSHIP with Christ.  A relationship that makes us whole not by our actions, but by our faith.

Sometimes, however, we Christians forget that we're no longer "wedded" to the law... we lapse back into trying to earn God's favor.  WRONG!  That's like spiritual adultery.  Does that mean we don't have any moral standards to live up to anymore?  Of course not.  For out of the grace & forgiveness in Christ, we (hopefully) want to live as new people!  It becomes a life of joy, rather than compulsion.

I'm only a few episodes into the first season of THE WIRE... but I can already see the signs of impending struggles that a life spent with "The Law" brings (both internally - within a person, and externally - in relation to others).  Thanks be to God for the gift of grace & freedom from the opporession of needing to try and live under the Law... through Jesus Christ our Lord!  AMEN.

Caeserea Philippi & The Playboy Mansion

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it."

(Matthew 16:18)

It begins innocently enough.  "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi..." Just another town in the Middle East, right?  We're not from that region of the world, so it doesn't mean anything to us.  That's how I used to feel.  But then I read something by Pastor Rob Bell that changed my perspective.

Caesarea Philippi was the home of the 'goat god,' Pan (yah, the one with the flute!).  And one of the geographic anomalies about the areas was that it housed a big cliff of rocks, with a giant crack in it.  Followers of Pan believed that the spirits from Hell would come and go through that crack.  In fact, it gained the nickname, "The Gates of Hell."  (Always a great name to ensure it's popularity as a tourist attraction!)

Worshippers of Pan built a temple next to that giant crack in the rock.  During the festivals to Pan, followers (amongst other things) engaged in sexual acts with goats, as a sign of their devotion.  Thus, Caesarea Philippii had quite a reputation, as you can imagine!  Few good Jews would even venture  into the outskirts of the city because of that reputation.   Then along comes Jesus and his disciples.

Many of us know the story of Simon... getting renamed "Peter" by Jesus.  "The Rock" (long before Duane Johnson was alive!).  Jesus told Peter that he'd be the rock on which he would build his church (Mt. 16:18)... and even "the gates of Hell" could not prevail against it.  I'd always thought that was just a cool promise that good triumphs over evil, in general.

I was thinking that it would be like Jesus today taking a group of followers to the Playboy Mansion (and not to picket/protest either!).  Can you imagine what those followers would be thinking when Jesus said, "Hey, let's go over to the Playboy Mansion... I want to show you folks something."  And then he gathers the group  around the infamous "grotto" area at the pool... and says something like, "My Father's mansion has many rooms - there's a place for everyone!"  Then he renames one of he disciples "Hugh" (or something).  "Hugh, you'll be the one to reach out to those on the fringes of society."

Jesus was (is!) very contemporary!  He's not worried aobut "social conventions" on what others think.  He's called by God to share the life-giving gift of the Kingdom of God.  Available to al!  Even the ones the rest of us have written off as sinners beyond grace (with our without bunny ears!).

"Lord! Lord!"

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name & cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?'  Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evil doers.'"

(Matthew 7:21-23)

The art of Name Dropping.  "So I was over at So-n-So's house yesterday..." or "When (insert famous name) and I were fishing the other day..."  It's great fun!  It impresses others and makes us feel important.  Name dropping.

In Matthew 7, we're warned against name dropping on God.  "When God and I were healing the sick the other day..." or "When I was serving food to the poor on a church outing," etc.  Matthew tells us not to do it.  Don't presume.

But why?  Is God like some exclusive Country Club admissions committee that wants to control the clientele to keep the 'riffraff' out?  I don't think so.  Do some people think they can live a reckless life and then simply say the words, "Lord! Lord!" and all will be well?  Possibly.  But given verse 22, there seems to be a different target audience here.  Could it be that this is for those of us who are already busy "doing stuff for God"?  We're on various committees in our churches... we've volunteered to do a bunch of projects (in Jesus' Name!)... we're regulars in worship, etc.  We really are "busy for God."  But despite all of what we've done FOR God, God laments that we didn't spend much time WITH God.

"I never knew you," God says.  Not "I never loved you"... or "I never died for you"... or "I never desired to spend time with you."  Just "I never knew you."

Could it be that we can get so caught up in what we think Go wants us to be doing that we fail to recognize that what God wants most of all is for us to get to know Him.  Really know Him.  Spend time with Him.  Be in God's presence.  Be loved by Him and radiate that love in our lives to others.  The "other stuff" will follow.  If we have a life grounded in knowing & being known by God, then everything else will fall into place.  We'll want to reach out to others to share that love in the ways that Jesus taught. 

Oh, Lord, Lord...

Go Figure!?!

"Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going to out him, and all the region along the Jordan, confessing their sins.  But when he saw many Pharisees & Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, 'You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bear fruit worthy of repentance.'"

(Matthew 3:5-8)

I wonder if it was different back then?  Were they as impressed (infatuated?) with numbers in Jesus' day as much as we are today?  How many fans filled the stadium for the big game?  How much money did the new movie make in its opening weekend? What do the polls say about this politician's approval ratings?  How many came to worship last Sunday, in all services combined?  More = better.  At least, that's how we've come to equate things, hasn't it?

I started reading Matthew again today.  Early on we get the story of John the Baptist.  He's the forerunner to Jesus.  The set-up man.  His job is to get people ready for the Savior.  So he's baptizing folks, and they're coming out to him in the wilderness in droves.  AND they're confessing their sins.

But among the "many" who were coming were "many Pharisees and Sadducees," religious leaders of Israel.  The established church folk.  Taken at face value, I might have expected John to have been excited!  Even the religious leaders are coming to prepare themselves (this baptism ministry has gone mainstream)!  EVERYONE'S COMING!!! But John doesn't seem to be impressed with numbers.  He blasts the leaders and calls them a bunch of poisonous snakes!  "Bear fruit worthy of repentance" he adds.

Of course John knew the reputations of the Pharisees & Sadducees.  Couldn't they have been sincere here?  Maybe.  Then again, maybe they were simply "looking into" what was getting the people all excited.  And while the people came (for the most part) with honesty & sincerity, willing to earnestly repent of their sins, the leaders evidently didn't.  BEAR FRUIT WORTHY OF REPENTANCE.  In other words, "Walk the talk, don't just talk the talk."

I think there's a tendency for those of us who are pastors to get too focused on numbers (maybe it's the same for other professions?).  More is supposedly better, right?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Maybe we should be more focused on helping those who do come to "bear fruit worthy of repentance"?  Maybe how we live out our faith is far more important that how many fill our seats on any given Sunday morning.  Go figure!?!