This is an atricle I put in our church newsletter.  It's nothing special, but I haven't posted in ages so I'd thought I'd share with everyone.  Enjoy!

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On Saturday morning, December 4th, six students and three adults pulled out of the parking lot at New Providence and headed to downtown Atlanta.  The morning was chilly, and we were all a bit anxious about what to expect - we were about to minister to homeless people with Pastor Andy from Church on the Street.  We did not know what we would be doing or who we might meet, but we were excited to see how God would move in our lives and the lives of those around us.  We unloaded the clothes that people throughout New Providence had donated, and we headed to Renaissance Park (Or "Jurassic Park" as the Atlanta Police call it).  We were informed that the people we would meet are a part of the 2,500 chronically homeless people who live in downtown Atlanta.  Some have mental problems, many have drug problems, and a few were even wanted criminals.  I was beginning to second-guess my decision to take us to help with this ministry. 
 
We set up camp at the corner of the park.  Just to our left was a shanty town of tents and sleeping bags where dozens of homeless people lived.  One group set up a table with free coffee and pastries, and we set up an area where we would hand out the clothes we brought.  Within minutes people came up to us ready to receive the gifts we had brought.
 
Pastor Andy said many churches will do a "drive-by ministry" - they will drive by, do their thing, and leave - but he wanted us to start building relationships with the people we would meet.  We were going to be a part of what Apostle Paul calls the "ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18ff).
 
As we handed out clothes, we got to know the people we were serving.  Tony had been on the streets for years.  Even though he has family, he would rather be on the street than go back to waits for him at his home.  Justice has known Pastor Andy for a long time.  He loves coming every week to meet the people from Church on the Street and have fellowship with other believers.  Reggie is a veteran who has built a special relationship with Mr Brown (Mr Brown is a police officer who serves with Church on the Street and his son is over in Afghanistan right now).
 
And then there was Anthony.
 
Anthony and I had been talking about his passion for rap music, how long he has been on the streets, and why he tries to live a good life.  Then, as I was speaking, Anthony bent over and picked up a size small sweatshirt.  Now, Anthony is nearly 7 feet tall, so I stated the obvious. 
 
"Anthony!  That shirt is way too small for you man!  Why don't you get a bigger one?"
 
"Matt," Anthony responded.  "I have been given lots.  Even more than I deserve.  But I know someone who could use this, and I always try to help those who are less fortunate than even me."
 
I was shocked.
 
This homeless man was going to give clothing to someone less fortunate than himself!  Who would have believed it?!
 
When I shared this story with Chuck, he reminded me that grace is contagious, and when we show grace to someone, they want to pay it forward. 
 
So I began to think:  If I truly cherish the grace that God has given me, then I should be compelled to share that with those around me.  I have been challenged to share God's grace with arms open wide to the world.  How can I keep this precious gift to myself?  I can't.
 
I went to share grace with the homeless.  And through the homeless, God taught me what grace truly means.

Earlier today the rumors started circulating that President Obama cancelled the annual National Day of Prayer ceremony at the White House.  Within minutes my Facebook became inundated with statuses proclaiming that people were outraged by the President’s actions. 

 

“How dare our President turn his back on our country’s Christian heritage?”

 

“I am offended that this would happen!”

 

“We should pray that Obama gets voted out of office!”

 

And on and on and on…

 

And on.

 

Upon further research, however, the story has been proved to be FALSE.

 

The real story?  A Wisconsin judge ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, and people made assumptions about what Obama would do.  In fact, according to Associated Content, a White House spokesperson said the President would be observing the event and issuing a prayer proclamation.

 

After reading the real story, my heart saddened because (once again) Christians have made a rallying cry around politics – something Jesus, himself, never did.

 

My fear is that we as Christians have associated ourselves with political parties for far too long, and most people don’t see the drastic differences between Republican (and Democratic) public policy issues and the values and beliefs that our faith compels us to support.

 

Jesus lived in a time where political unrest and tensions were so high that violent uprisings and rebellions broke out daily – especially God’s people continuously battling the Roman Empire.  In fact, many “messiahs” claimed that they would rescue to Jews from the Roman Empire only to be publicly executed for their actions against the state.  Jews would follow these “saviors” from oppressive government straight to their death.

 

It was against this backdrop that Jesus claimed to be the true Messiah – one who led a revolt not in the political arena, but rather in the areas of spirituality (our love for God) and social justice (our love for people).

 

If Jesus did not embattle himself in political policy and the actions of government, why should we think that Christians should be the voice calling out to make legislation in our times?

 

I believe that Christians do not believe the power we have as the Church to be an unstoppable force for good and for God in this world, so we attach ourselves to a political party that we do believe is powerful enough to enact change.  If we continue on this path, we will stray so far from God’s plan for His Church that we will be living in blatant defiance of Him.

 

So I propose that instead of entrusting ourselves to political parties who can never truly represent the values and beliefs that God has charged us with, we should adopt the mentality of the onemillioncan.com website:

 

“On our own, we each can make a difference in the world.

But collectively we are a force for good that exponentially surpasses what we can do alone.

Moving together, small sacrifices from each of us can make a huge difference in the lives of people around the globe.”

While I was working as a high school custodian I heard lots of stories about school scandals from the years earlier.  One in particular had to do with the most beloved custodian to ever work at that school....

  Bruce was more than just a head custodian - he was a dedicated worker, kind and caring boss, and friend to the students and teachers alike.  If anyone had an emergency and need help or just needed in the building on a weekend or holiday, they could count on Bruce to meet them up at the school and help in any way possible.  But Bruce wasn't just a flash-in-the-pan employee trying to climb the corporate ladder, he was devoted to his school and spent several years pouring his life into the people who worked and attended there.  For years, Bruce was the constant in the hallways.  He was the first person people would see as they walked into the building each morning.

  Until the fateful day that he was missing from the hallways.

  Students and teachers didn't see their favorite custodian roaming the hallways, cleaning the cafeteria, mopping the floors, and picking up the trash around the building.  Questions began to cirulate:

  "Where's Bruce?"

  "Didn't you hear what happened?"

  "No!  Is everything alright?"

  "I'm afraid not.  He was fired yesterday."

  "What?!  How could they fire Bruce?!"

  "Turns out he was double dipping.  He was on the clock for the county while he was working for the football booster club.  Basically, he was getting paid for two different jobs at the same time.  That's a big no-no as far as the county is concerned."

  Conversations like that were spreading like wildfire throughout the school.  It was not long before the whole school was in an uproar.  People thought it was unfair, too harsh, and a horrible decision for the county to fire such a great employee.  However, the deed was done and there was nothing anybody could do about it.

  And that's when the real trouble began.

  The next day at school seemed to be going as normal.  Nothing out of the ordinary.

  The other custodians had spoken to Bruce since the incident and it turned out that the county was really mad at Bruce, but they were doing their best to be kind to such a great employee.  They had decided to let Bruce work in the same county, just at a different school.  This would be great!  This county pays more than any other Metro Atlanta county, and the benefits are out of this world.  It seemed that the situation was not a dire as it first appeared.

  Then it happened.

  BBBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  The fire alarm blasted through the hallways and students filed out of the classrooms and outside to the parking lot.  The teachers were confused.  There had been no scheduled fire drill today.  A student must have pulled the alarm.

  After the building had been searched and the "all-clear" had been given, the administrators began to wave the students back into the school.

  But no one moved.

  They stayed put.

  Some students began yelling something about bringing Bruce back, and that they weren't going back inside until they had hired him back.  Soon, the chants of "Bring back Bruce!" echoed throughout the school parking lot.

  It was apparent that this was a walkout.  The students were making a stand.

  Administrators had to threaten detention and suspension to get the kids back inside, and even then some students chose suspension and police force over ending the protest.

  The school was buzzing with excitement about the walkout for the rest of the week and even continue for the next few weeks after that.  For the students, the walkout was a success.

  However, in their haste to make a statement, the students didn't think to consider what their display would cost Bruce.

  After hearing about the walkout, the county decided that Bruce had too much pull in their school system and retracted their offer to place him in another school within the county.  He was now forbidden to work at any school in the county - no elementary, middle, or high school.  And Bruce had to say good-bye to the great pay, benefits, and years worth of vacation he had accrued.

  In one moment, the very students who thought they were helping the man they had come to love had actually cost him dearly.  Their actions cost Bruce more than they'll ever know.

  Flash forward four years.

  Most of the students never knew that their deeds had hurt the reputation of the man they sought to defend.  In fact, during my last week on the job I picked up a yearbook.  Inside the front cover were little headlines from each of the school years that the graduating seniors had spent at that school.  And the headline representing their freshman year read something to the extent of:

  "Walkout in support of Bruce.  Way to go!"

  Still, four years later, an event that actually hurt the man they sought to help is being celebrated as a success.

  This made me think:  How often do we celebrate things done in God's name that actually hurt His cause?

  Is it possible that we think we're standing up for Him, but in reality we're dragging Jesus' name through the dirt?

  Would Jesus be pleased to see people standing outside of abortion clinics and yelling at doctors and patients?

  Is God smiling while we hurl insults to homosexuals, condemning their lifestyle?

  Does He get kicks from seeing His people screaming at the people leaving the bars or the Muslim's leaving the mosque?

  Are we celebrating the right things?

  Have we become known as a people displaying God's love, or a people spewing hatred?

  Are we representing Him well?
 
Or are we undoing everything He is working towards?

In Part I of the series on atonement, we looked at the book of Hosea and the parable of the Prodigal Son as illustrations for atonement.  This is a view that Western society usually understands really well, and that is a perspective of individual atonement.  Today, we'll explore the idea of communal atonement.

  Both the book of Hosea and Jesus' parable were intended for a primarily Jewish audience.  This meant that the lessons applied from these stories would be found through the lens of Eastern culture.  In essence, Eastern stories would personify entire nations or groups of people as individual characters in a story.  So the original audiences would have understood that Gomer and the Prodigal Son represented the nation of Israel. 

  For them, atonement wasn't just an individual's experience (though that's part of it), but it was the experience of God's people as a whole.  They call this communal atonement.

  Israel as a nation had become a whore - worshipping other Gods.

  Israel had wished their Father to be dead - turning their backs on His commands.

  Israel had left home in search of something better.

  And had come up empty handed.

  However, their Father stepped in and took upon Himself their shame and brokenness, and through that process He brought His children back home.  They had been redeemed.

  For Israel, the entire nation had been bought back as Gomer had been - and this meant that no matter who may have temporarily left the community, they were always welcomed back with open arms.

  What does that mean for us?

  The Easter season is upon us, and for many people, Easter Sunday will be the only day this year they will return to church, to the community of believers.  Some of us will - believe it or not - have problems with this.

  How can he show his face here after the way he cheated on his wife?
 
I can't remember the last time she was here.  Wasn't it three husbands ago?
 
How dare those homosexuals flaunt their sin in God's house!
 
She should be ashamed to show her face here after all those things she said behind my back!

  Which brings us back to the prodigal son.

  The father has thrown a party to celebrate the return of his son.  The fattened calf has been killed, wine is flowing, and people are having the time of their lives.  I can imagine stories being told of the great times the family had in past years, and the hopes for what the future holds for this reunited family.

  But someone is missing - the older son.

  The father walks out to meet his son standing outside the house. 

  "How could you welcome him back?  Let alone throw him a party!  I've been here all along, serving you, working hard to bring honor back to your name - the name honor that your other son threw in the trash as he wished you dead and left!"

  The older son begins to sob.  His father wraps his arms around his older son, pulling his child's face to his chest.  The son weeps in his father's embrace.

  "I haven't forgotten you!  I know that you have served me, and one day you will get your reward.  But today...today is a day for celebrating the safe return of your brother.  Come, let us go and celebrate."

  Because Christ has atoned for our entire community, there is no reason to be the brother standing ourside the house complaining.  All of us have been redeemed, and for that very reason, we cannot refuse to celebrate with our brothers and sisters who have returned.

  This Easter, may we remember this communal atonement celebrate that our people have been bought back.

Introduction:

 It seems like forever since I last posted anything here, but over the next couple of days I will attempt to write about several things that have been on my mind lately.

 Today's post will be the first (maybe) of a series dealing with Christ's death and resurrection.  I want to take this opportunity to share two stories of atonement and then explain what that means for us.  I'll break the stories up so it won't seem so daunting of a task to read it all at once.

 Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

 Something More:

 Hosea is an older man - not too old, but not young, either.  He is also a prophet, the messenger of God to the people of Israel - a man whom many people respect and admire, and someone who stands as an example of what it means to be part of God's nation of priests.  If you were to look at him, I assume that you would see a kind, gentle man whose heart is full of joy and compassion.  He might not have the most handsome face or attractive body, but his Godly spirit radiates from his person.

 And Hosea has a wife.  A younger, beautiful, exotic woman who many men fantasized about and longed after.  She had a stunning body and seductive personality, and she used these to her advantage.  Her name is Gomer.

 You may be asking, "How did an older, gentle man like Hosea get a young, sexy woman like Gomer?"  During these times marriages were still prearranged, so Gomer likely had little or no choice in the matter of who she married. 

 So this gorgeous woman who has a mysterious power of men, a woman who could get any man she wanted, is married to a man who has little to offer.

 Sure, Hosea provides everything she could ever want: clothing, jewelry, fancy dinners, romantic dates, etc., and anyone else would consider herself lucky to have a husband like Hosea.  But Gomer feels like there has to be more. 

 There has to be something better out there, she thinks.

 And so she leaves Hosea to pursue other men.

 I Wish You Were Dead!

 So there's this man.  He is doing well for himself: a large farm, many animals and servants, plenty of money, and two strong sons whom he cherishes with all his heart.  He has spent his life working hard, breaking his back to provide a wealthy, luxurious life for his family.  Many days he spent in the fields working from the break of dawn to the setting of the sun so that he might have something to pass on to his sons when he is gone.

 And he has spent a great deal of time teaching his sons how to be successful: how to work hard, manage a large estate, and, most important, how to be a man who loves God and loves his family.  For this man, his sons represent the future of his family, and he loves them more than they know.

 The younger of the two sons has been feeling anxious lately.  He is tired of being couped up at his father's estate - he's ready to go out and experience all the world has to offer.  So he devises a plan to leave.

 Then one day, the son approaches his father and asks for his inheritance (a request which, at this time, would imply great disrespect - basically saying, "I'm ready to leave.  I wish you were dead!")

 The father is hurt, his heart broken by the very son to whom he has devoted his entire life.  But he submits to his son's request and gives him an early inheritance.

 And so the son leaves his father to chase all the world has to offer.

 No One Would

 Gomer was living life in the fast lane.  She used her body to get anything and everything she wanted.  From jewelry to money, clothing to wine, she had it all.  She went from man to man, sleeping her way to the top, almost forgetting that she was still married.

 But time was a cruel mistress for Gomer.  Soon, bags formed around her eyes, that silky smooth skin began to wrinkle, and her good looks began to slip away like sand through her fingers.  Though her beauty had gone, her Gomer's desire for wealth had not, so she continued to use her body to get anything she could.

 Now that her looks had faded, Gomer was no longer in high demand.  She went from sleeping with handsome, powerful men to having sex with anyone who could pay her - selling her body for any amount.

Eventually, she could not even pay her bills, so Gomer was forced to sell herself, not for sex, this time, but into slavery.

 Battered, bruised, aged, and disgusting, she stood on a platform while the auctioneer pleaded with people to buy her.  The people in the audience just shook their head in pity as they looked upon a once beautiful woman reduced to begging for someone to take her.

 No one would.

 The Day the Dream Died

 The son left home and enjoyed the good life.  He threw parties, paid women for sex, and bought everything he ever imagined.  Life was good.  Everyday was his paradise and everyone was his friend.

 Until the money ran out.

 The parties stopped, the women were too expensive, and the friends were gone - the dream was over.  The man tried to get a job to keep up his lifestyle, but there was not a decent job to be had.  Eventually, he found a job caring for and feeding pigs.  The job was messy, the smell was horrible, and the pay was next to nothing.  Not only could he not continue his life of partying, but he couldn't even buy decent food!

 My father's servants eat better than this, he thought.  Maybe he will take me back, not as a son, but as a servant so that I could at least eat.
 
And so, covered in dirt and grime, the boy made his way home.

 Again.

Thoughts from the Platform

  She looked around at the people in the audience.  Inside she prayed someone would buy her, not so much for the money, but more so because she felt ashamed.

  How did I get here?  I had it so much better with Hosea.  He gave me everything I needed.
 
If only I had stayed...
 
I hope he doesn't come.  If he finds me like this, he would see me for who I truly am.  He could laugh at me, mock me, or, even worse, stone me.
 
And I'd deserve it.  I've been a horrible wife.
 
I've been a horrible person.
 
Someone please make a bid on me...

  Then, a voice from the back.

  "I'll pay full price!"

  She turned her eyes to the man making the bid.  At first the figure was blurry, but as her eyes focused, she could see the man...

  Thoughts on the Road Home

  He couldn't tell if the dust in the air around him had been kicked up by his feet or if it was the dirt flaking off of his body.  Either way, it was hard to see in front of him.  It was probably better this way.  He spent most of the trip reflecting on his past year.

  He could kill me.  After all, I brought dishonor to him and my whole family - and to myself.
 
I wonder if he will even speak to me.  Will I be dead to him?  (At this time, if a son dishonored his father, traditionally the father would hold a funeral for his son.  Though the child may not be physically dead, he would be dead to the father in a metaphorical sense.)

  I've failed so miserably.  I feel worthless.  Why did I leave home?  My father provided everything I needed.  How could I be so foolish?
 
Will he hire me?  Or even speak to me?
 
Or is it too late?

  He made it to the pathway in front of his father's estate.  As he looked towards the home, he noticed something in the distance - something moving towards him at an astonishing rate.  He could barely make out the figure through the cloud of dust around him, but as he got closer and closer, the figure became more clear.

  Could it be?

  Nothing You Could Do

  Hosea emerged from the back of the crowd.  "I'll pay for price for this woman!"  He repeated.  The people turned and looked.  It was her husband!  Why even pay for this whore? they wondered.  She brought shame, pain, misery, and broken hearts to his household, and now he is going to buy her?  At least take her home for free.  What an idiot!

  He pulled out a sack of coins, handed it to the moderator, took his wife by the hand, and led her back home.

  There was complete silence on the road.  Neither one said a word.  Thoughts were racing through Gomer's head.  She couldn't handle the guilt and shame she was feeling.

  "I'm sorry, Master," she finally broke the silence.

  "Do not call me 'Master.'  I am your husband and you are my wife.  We will return home and live together in peace and unity."

  "But why?  I've brought shame and disgrace upon you!  You are the Godly man that everyon admires and I'm nothing but a whore.  I've sold myself to countless others.  I'm dirty - no, I'm dirt.  Why do you still want me?"

  And then the words that broke her heart: "I love you.  I always have, and I always will.  And nothing you could ever do would make me love you any less."

  She broke down in tears. 

  He still loved her.

  Welcome Home

  It was his father!  And not only that, but he was running!  The son couldn't believe what he was seeing.  No man would run under any circumstances - if he did it brought shame upon himself.  But it was his father running to meet him.

  The son dropped to his knees and started to beg.  "Please, just hire me as a servant and I will - "

  But before he could finish, his father embraced him.  A man showing emotion was another sign of dishonor, but this father did not care.  In fact, he further disgraced himself by removing his own robe and rings and placing them on his son.

  "Let's rejoice!  For my son was dead but is now alive!  He has returned to me!"

  The son couldn't force any words out of his mouth.  Only tears and sobbing came forth.

  His father disgraced himself because of the joy brought the return of his disgraceful son.

  It was as if the father was saying, "You are full on shame and dishonor, so I will dishonor myself and place my honor upon you."

  There, halfway to the home, the two men hugged and wept.

  The son was home.

  Acres of Hope

  What a beautiful picture.  The wife has returned to her husband and the son to his father.

  But I think the most significant part of the story comes, not from the son or from Gomer, but from the father and Hosea.  In both instances, the wife and son brought shame, dishonor, and disgrace to their households. 

  And what do Hosea and the father do to restore their family members to grace and love?

  They bring disgrace to themselves.

  They sacrifice themselves in order to restore and redeem their beloved ones.

  Sin is when we think things could be better outside of God's way.  It's when we say, There's got to be something better or I want to experience all life has to offer.

  When we realize that we had it good to begin with, that we had just bought into lies of something better, we are full of shame, pain, and regret. 

  How could this happen?  We had it so good.  We had the "something better" and "all life has to offer."

  So what does God do?  He brings shame and pain upon Himself, "humbling himself to death on a cross," so that by taking our guilt, our disgrace, and pain, that we might be reconciled to Him.

  What a beautiful picture of love.

 

 

And now, here's what I'm going to do:
   I'm going to start all over again.
I'm taking her back out into the wilderness
   where we had our first date, and I'll court her.
I'll give her bouquets of roses.
   I'll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope

 

Hosea 2:14-15

 

Our Sunday School class just finished a series on Kingdom, and I thought I'd share a few thoughts from the past weeks.

In the Beginning...

I love Luke's account of the inauguration of Jesus' ministry.  He stands up in the synagogue to teach - something not uncommon for a rabbi to do while in his hometown.  The attendant hands him the scroll of Isaiah and Jesus begins to read aloud:

And then he rolls up the scroll, returns it to the attendant and speaks:

Of course, the people of his hometown reject Jesus' claims and he is run out of town.

A point I'd like to make: Jesus says that the Spirit of the Lord has anointed Him to bring the good news.  The greek word that Luke uses for "good news" is a form of the word "euangelion" which, transliterated, is "evangelical."

So here we have Jesus, the first evangelical Christian.  But what does that mean for His ministry, for the kingdom, and for us?

What does it mean to be an evangelical?

I believe the answer is two-fold:

We are to bring the good news that there is an eternal kingdom, a rest for the poor in spirit; the good news that we can be released from captivity to the things of this world that have wrapped chains around our hearts and lives; the good news that those who cannot see or cannot trust or cannot have faith - they have a reason to hope again, a reason to believe; the good news that those who are oppressed and burdened by religion can be set free from the impossible rules and regulations placed on them by the religious elite.

But we are also to bring the good news by serving the poor, the hungry, the starving and homeless; by working to set free those literally held captive because they are a certain ethnicity, religion, or social status; by working to help the truly blind see and live; and by standing up for the oppressed around the world.

A New Kind of Kingdom...

We did a case study of four empires compared to Jesus' teachings on the kingdom of God.  Here is a brief summary:

Case 1 - Egypt
Was built on the backs of slaves
Stored up excessive amounts of wealth
De-humanized people
Grew in economic and military power at the expense of others

***The people of Israel were led out of captivity in Egypt to a mountain called Sinai.  Here, God tell His people that He wants them to be a kingdom of priests, a representation to the world of who God is...a kingdom of God.  This kingdom values people, re-humanizes rather than de-humanizes, and does not accrue wealth and power at the expense of others***

Case 2 - Israel
Began great, but then things began to go wrong
Slaves were used to build the temple
Stored up excessive amounts of wealth
Grew in economic and military power at the expense of others

***Because the kingdom of God departed from the values that God asked them to uphold, He removed His protection from them and Israel returned to captivity.***

Case 3 - Rome
Built on the backs of slaves
Heavily taxed the conquered foreign lands in order to build up wealth
De-humanized conquered peoples
Grew in economic and military power at the expense of others.

***Enter Jesus.  His ministry was devoted to helping those on the underbelly of empire.  He re-humanized people (healings and miracles), taught to give money rather than store it up (told the young rich man to give all he had to enter the kingdom), and preached a message contrary to the message of empire (the poor in spirit, sinful, unclean are valued in the kingdom - not the rich, powerful, and religious)***

Case 4 - America
Built on the backs of slaves
Brutal to conquered groups (trail of tears, etc)
Stored up excessive amounts of wealth (5% of the world's population controls 20% of the world's wealth)
Grown in economic and military power...hopefully NOT at the expense of others

***We, as followers of Christ, need to be the kingdom representing God to the world.  We need to fight for the oppressed, help re-humanize, devote our lives to giving of ourselves to help others - Instead of building our power and wealth at the expense of others, we need to build up others at the expense of our power and wealth.  We need to be the Kingdom of God or else we run the risk of following in the footsteps of the empires before us***

The Kingdom of God is...Where?!

A lot of controversy surrounds the scripture that we used to finish up the series.

The Kingdom of God is inside you? 

There's some debate over how this scripture should be interpreted (many modern translations say "among you" rather than "inside you"), but there is significant reason and scriptural evidence to suggest that Jesus did mean that the kingdom is inside us.

But how do we interpret that?  What does this mean for us?

When God works on us, we often say that He is working in us (or even on our hearts which implies that it is a work within us).  There is this sense that when God is moving, when God is present, He is present inside of us. 

And what Jesus says in this instance leads me to believe that wherever God is at work, wherever God is present, wherever God is moving, there is the Kingdom of God. 

So whether it's in the hearts of the Pharisees

Or in the alleys of downtown Atlanta

Or in the tribes of Africa

Or in the mosques in India

Or in the church up the road

Or in the house you live in

Wherever God is moving, there is the Kingdom of God.  Our Father is still at work and is in the process of bringing His Kingdom, and He has asked us to join Him in being evangelical, being anti-empire, and shining His light into the darkness.

**Disclaimer: This is a letter to my friend “Sam.”  I have changed the names of the people involved, but this is a true and sincere letter to my friend who is hurting.  My prayer is that if someone who is in the midst of hard times reads this letter that they, too, may find the hope offered in its message.**

 

My Dear Sam,

 

I love you.

 

And I always will.

 

I can still remember the moment we met (almost ten years ago!).  When Barry introduced us, I could immediately feel the connection.  There was something between us – something that gave me the sense that our lives would become intertwined and that neither of us would be the same again.

 

For the next two years things were going great.  You taught and offered me more than I could give to you, and, still, you were always there for me.

 

But after a few years, things began to change.

 

You began to change.

 

You went from being warm, inviting, and caring to exclusionary, self-absorbed, and hurtful.  Maybe it was your other friends or maybe I just didn’t keep up with the way things around us were changing, but you started to hurt me. 

 

I remained faithful to you in the belief that eventually you would come around – but you didn’t. I still remember the moment you left me out in the cold – literally – alone.  I couldn’t take the change.

 

So I left you.

 

Over the next few years I entered a period of what could only be described as “wilderness.”  Sure, I made other friends and grew spiritually, but deep within my heart I still yearned for the day when we would be together again.

 

Then, six years ago, I found my way back to you.

 

I walked up to you and you welcomed be with open arms – it was as if nothing had happened.  You were back to your old self and I couldn’t have been happier.

 

During the next two years, we were inseparable.  Your joy and passion were contagious and spread like wildfire to all of those around us.  God was doing mighty things in and through our lives.

 

For the first time in my life, I truly felt that I was a part of something bigger than myself and I loved every moment of it.

 

Things weren’t always happy – we had our rough times, too.  But through it all we remained focused on God and He fostered our friendship and continued to move in our lives.

 

Life had passed so quickly and soon it was time for me to leave.  I had to move on to what other people were proclaiming to be “bigger and better things.”  And though outwardly I was strong, claiming to have no problems leaving you behind, my heart broke when we met one last time to say goodbye. 

 

And so I left.

 

In retrospect, it was for the best.  We both needed to move on, build other relationships and allow God to work through us in new ways.

 

Over the next few years, I made new friends and allowed God to saturate new areas of my life.  I learned to rely more on Him and less on those around me, and I trusted that He was teaching you similar things.

 

Then, not too long ago, I moved back to town and had an opportunity to meet up with you – and maybe even begin ministry together again.  My mind was racing with dreams of what things would be like this time.  I had grown so much that surely God would use us in bigger and better ways than before.

 

And I walked in the doors to meet you.

 

But you had changed.

 

I was now a man who was older, stronger, hopefully wiser, and definitely more dependant on God, but you…

 

You were a mere shell of who I remember you being.

 

Where once joy and love reigned supreme, now brokenness and hurt were apparent on your face.

 

I found out that you had made new friends.  But as you offered you hand to these people, they pulled you down, kicked you, and beat you mercilessly – leaving joy and passion hanging on for their lives.

 

As I lay in bed that night, I cried.

 

What had happened to my dear friend whom I love?

 

Over the following weeks and months I spent every chance with you that I could.  I can see that your former young, vibrant self still exists – it’s just buried deep inside you.  After all you’ve been through, it has been hidden.

 

I would have done the same thing.

 

But I want you to know that I am making you a promise, a commitment:

 

Just in the same way that you were there for me when I had nothing to give, I will be there for you.

 

In the same way that you loved everyone unconditionally, I will love you.

 

In the same way that you brought joy and passion and excitement to those around you, I will do my best to give you my joy, my passion, and my hope.

 

For you, Sam, there is only one thing you need to remember:

 

You

 

Are

 

Still

 

Loved.

 

And you always will be.

 

-Matt

In high school, I was the leader of the worship band for our student ministry at church.  So every Wednesday night our band would take the stage and play and sing for about twenty minutes.  A typical Wednesday night started with a video, then announcements, one more video, and then we'd play.
 
One particular night, during the announcements I had to go to the bathroom - bad!
 
I sprinted to the restroom in the back of the student center, found a urinal, and began to relieve myself.  However, halfway through, I heard the announcements end and a video begin.  This was my cue to make my way to the stage.
 
I would have to cut my personal time at the urinal short.
 
Without delay I zipped up and washed my hands.  Unfortunately, in my rush to finish up, I experienced something that men around the world fear - "the dribble." 

Yes, I had a pee stain on the front of my pants.
 
I did a decent job of cleaning up and hit the stage with no time to spare.  The lights came up and we began to play the first song.
 
After the first chorus, I noticed that the room seemed a little darker than usual, but couldn't figure out why.  Looking around, I suddenly realized why I was having a hard time seeing in the room.
 
The lights were on, but not the stage lights.
 
They were blacklights.
 
And if you know anything about blacklights, you know that they illuminate every spot and imperfection on your clothing - including pee stains.
 
So there I was, in front of a packed house, playing guitar and singing while the world looked at the stain on my pants.
 
*************
 
Christianity began under the rule of the Roman Empire.  At this time in history, the Roman emperor was celebrated and worshipped as a god - and it was required to offer praises and monetary sacrifices to the one who sat in the throne.  A citizen was, however, free to worship any other gods he wanted as long as he also recognized and procalimed that "Caesar is Lord."  Anyone who refused to submit to this emperor worship was declared an atheist and punished with severe penalties including torture and/or death.
 
For the early Christians this idea of "emperor worship" was a problem.  Though Caesar did not limit who else you worshipped, God did.  And so the Christians refused to pledge allegiance to the earthly authority, instead proclaiming that "Christ is Lord" and "there is no other name by which men can be saved."
 
So Christians were viewed as atheists and many were persecuted and killed.
 
However, despite their persecution and the often times immoral rule of the emperor, the early Christians submitted to this authority (Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar").  They may not have agreed with the decisions of their leader, but they always offered prayers of intercession and never stood out against the laws that Caesar passed. 
 
In fact, early Christians refused all political means to power and political ways of fighting and even renounced all forms of political protest.  The martyr-bishop Cyprian put it beautifully: "God loves confessors and not demonstrators."
 
*************
 
Today, many Christians have departed from refusing political demonstration and action against their leaders, and this poses a problem for us.  Though we live in a democratic society and have a responsibilty to take part in our governing system, I think that is some ways we have taken it too far.  There are those who wave signs proclaiming "God hates fags", and there are those who hurl insults to broken women entering and leaving abortion clinics.  We boycott Disney and other companies and have even become a demographic to help political candidates win elections.  Christians have become the very thing they once resisted becoming: a political force.
 
Don't get me wrong, there are things we should be against, but the sad truth is that Christians have become known more for what we stand against rather than what we stand for.
 
Jesus said we are to be the "light of the world."
 
But I think we've missed the point.
 
Instead of being a lamp, lighting the way to freedom in Christ and the truth of salvation through His death and resurrection, I'm afraid we have become merely a blacklight exposing the pee stains of the world in which we live.
 
So let us stand for what is right, and become a people who are confessors, not demonstrators.

One of the all-time greatest television shows has to be "Home Improvement."
 
This show has it all: humor, sincerity, tragedy, triumph...and almost every episode ends with the great theologian/philosopher Wilson Wilson giving sage advice to help solve Tim Taylor's problems.
 
However, in my favorite episode it is not Wilson, but rather Rev. Mike Webber (played by Dan Akroyd) who offers Tim counsel.
 
Here's the story:
 
Randy, Tim's fifteen year old son, has become disillusioned with the "hypocrisy of organized religion" and "self-serving corporations" and starts working at a Hospice home in order to make a difference in the world.
 
As part of Randy's revolt against organized religion, he refuses to go to church.
 
Tim is livid!
 
Basically, Tim's view of church is that you get credit for attendance, more credit for staying awake, and bonus points if you understand the sermon.  He hates that Randy wants to skip out on Sunday service, and he doesn't quite understand why Randy wouldn't attend.
 
Near the end of the episode, Tim and Rev. Webber are hanging out after a taping of "Tool Time" when Tim decides to ask the good reverend what he thinks of the "Randy Situation."
 
"My son, Randy, is a great kid - he spends his time volunteering at the soup kitchen and Hospice home, but lately he's decided he doesn't want to go to church.  I'm not sure what to do about it," Tim says.
 
Rev. Webber smiles and asks, "Tim, what do you do in your spare time?"
 
"I love working on my hot rod," he answers before going into further detail.
 
Tim and Rev. Webber talk about the hot rod for a minute, and then, after a brief pause, Webber says, "See, Tim, some people go to church every Sunday and work on their hot rods the rest of the week.  And then some people spend their week helping those less fortunate but skip church on Sunday."
 
"Are you saying my son is a better Christian than me?" Tim gets defensive.
 
"Not at all.  I'm just saying that some people spend their time learning, and some people spend their time doing."
 
****************
 
When I first saw this episode, it made me extremely uncomfortable.  I felt like the message was that church is bad or useless and that people who regularly attend services are just paying lip service to God.
 
And maybe that uncomfortable-ness is the point - because maybe I missed the point.
 
James pleads us to "prove [ourselves] doers of the word, and not merely hearers."
 
A few verses later he says,
 

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."

 

It appears that James has a similar message to that of Rev. Webber.

 True religion is not to make sure we are in the pew (or padded chair, or folding aluminum chair, or whatever else they use these days), not to make sure we merely hear the word.

 But rather it is to be a doer: one who "spends their week helping the less fortunate," the orphan and the widow.   

 Which leads me to believe that God is more pleased with the people who miss services or "functions" because they were busy passing out blankets to the homeless people the night before than with the people who "go to church every Sunday and work on their hot rods the rest of the week."

 

 
We all have our view of Jesus.  Some of us like the 8 pound 6 ounce baby Jesus, some of us like the tuxedo-shirt-wearing-Jesus, some of us like the ninja Jesus.

  In fact, often times our pictures of Jesus stand diametrically opposed to one another. 

  But people aren't stupid - They all have Biblical evidence to support their claims.  In fact, many of these issues have been debated for centuries.

  Some people can't imagine a loving God could send people to judgement in Hell, so they find scripture that shows a Jesus who doesn't send people to Hell.  Some people can't believe that there is no retribution and eternal conseqences after this life, so they find scripture that shows a Jesus that preaches eternal suffering for people who refuse to follow His way.

  Some people see Jesus as the ultimate pacifist, and they use scripture to demonstrate His peaceful message.  Others "can't believe in a Jesus that [they] could beat up" and they use scripture to show His manly, violent, aggressive side.

  And the list of opposite views goes on

  And on...

  And on...

  When we read scriptures, we bring our background, worldview, ideas, morals, etc with us, and this colors our view of who Jesus is and what He desires for (and from) us.

  In fact, in most cases, as our ideas about Jesus become more refined, He looks more and more like who we want Him to be - more like ourselves.

  We can never separate our readings of scripture (and, therefore, our views of Christ) from all the baggage we carry with us.

  And while it is good to seek a true picture of who Jesus was and who He is today, let us embrace this tension.

  This tension between Jesus becoming more like us....

  And us becoming more like Him.