Why Bad Things Happen to People?

Luke 13:1-9

Love Your Neighbor

Here is a little story about someone loving their neighbor when their neighbor is being quite unlovable.

Wed May 27, 8:17 pm ET

FORT SMITH, Ark. – A convenience store clerk wouldn't open the register for a robber but gave the man $40 from his own pocket after the robber told him he needed the money for insulin. Police were called Monday night to the E-Z Mart, where the clerk explained that a man he didn't know entered the store and lifted his shirt to display a pistol tucked in his waistband.

The clerk said the man told him, "I hate to do this," and told him he needed $40 from the register.

The clerk said money in the register wasn't his to give. It was then the robber said the money was for insulin. The robber accepted the money from the clerk's wallet, thanked him and shook his hand.

Police are searching for the robber.

Listen to the words of Jesus:

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Mat 5:38-48 ESV)

This attitude that Jesus calls us to, and empowers us with, is unnatural and anti-human. It goes against everything you naturally think is right. It is not fair. There is no justice in this attitude.

It is pure grace. Behold, He is making all things new!

Questions and Answers

Yesterday our church had their monthly question and answers meeting after the service. You can hear the audio of the session here. Below are the 5 questions I at least attempted to answer:

1. Why don't you give altar calls at the end of a service?

2. Why do we have communion only on certain weeks?

3. Is reading books or watching movies written and produced by atheists and other secularists wrong?

4. Is birth control ok? What about drugs for mental health purposes?

5. Is polygamy wrong? Why is it so prevalent in the OT?

We're sort of pressed for time in these sessions, so some of the answers may be a bit rushed, but I think we're at least able to give a basic overview of the answer. Enjoy!

Paid in Full!

Your debt has been paid.

Same Sex Marriage, Eugenics and Orwell

Dr. Veith has a number of excellent posts on his blog today and I would urge you to check it out.

First of all he details a story about a gay marriage bill being written into law in New Hampshire. Now the law would have no trouble passing the State legislature, but it hasn't passed so far. Why? Not because of some radical conservative opposition, but because within the current bill there is a 'conscience clause' for clergy to legally prohibit same sex marriages in their Churches. Those voting against the bill want that clause out of the bill! They claim this is "writing discrimination into law." (For anyone who has read anything by George Orwell, you should be able to see his amazing prophetic ability at this point). Essentially they are saying, "If your religion doesn't see things our way, we will come after you with the force of law."

The second story that's out today is about Sweden's writing into law the legalization of abortion based on gender selection and other genetic reasons. (Once again, Orwell was right) Now Sweden is "progressive" as they come. So what's more progressive then allowing the killing of unborn children because of their gender? Which gender will be more aborted? In every instance throughout history, it has been girls.

Or maybe it's not so progressive since China and India had been practicing these abhorrent things for centuries (as a matter of fact, the West had always called for the end of abortions based on gender, until now). In the United States, there is a bill up for vote that would prohibit abortion based solely on race and gender. Who is against it? Progressives that include staunch feminists, and minority advocate groups. As the writer at Veith's blog notes, it has no chance of passage.

I guess George said it would be like this

Update: Missing link, not so much

It appears that the much heralded "missing link," I reported on the other day is not heralded as such by everyone. Chris Beard is the curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. He argues in this piece that although this discovery can be seen as significant for some reasons (read the piece), it most certainly cannot be considered a "missing link."

Heres' an excerpt:

In order to establish that connection, Ida would have to have anthropoid-like features that evolved after anthropoids split away from lemurs and other early primates. Here, alas, Ida fails miserably.

So, Ida is not a "missing link" – at least not between anthropoids and more primitive primates. Further study may reveal her to be a missing link between other species of Eocene adapiforms, but this hardly solidifies her status as the "eighth wonder of the world".

Instead, Ida is a remarkably complete specimen that promises to teach us a great deal about the biology of some of the earliest and least human-like of all known primates, the Eocene adapiforms. For this, we can all celebrate her discovery as a real advance for science."

HT: Between Two Worlds

Is Christianity in America dead?

Mark Driscoll doesn't think so. In this article, Driscoll argues (in response to the Newsweek article posted here a couple weeks ago) that Christendom in America may be dead, but Biblical Christianity is thriving. For a fleshing out of this helpful distinction, read the short article linked to above.

Update: DHS Pulls "Extremism" Report

Earlier this month we ran a story, under the title "Sandwich Humor: Sad but true," that profiled a domestic terrorism report released by the Department of Homeland Security that, in essence, said that people who were "dedicated" to issues like abortion and immigration were to be considered "right-wing extremists."

Late last week the DHS pulled the report. You can read about here.

Angels and Demons

One of the more thoughtful conservative Christians out there today is Ross Douthat. He writes a column for the New York Times that is must reading for up to date cultural analysis in light of the Christian faith. This week he's out with a column about Dan Brown and his new movie, "Angels and Demons." He argues that understanding the popularity of Brown will give us a good insight into modern American religious life.

Here's an excerpt:

"In the Brownian worldview, all religions — even Roman Catholicism — have the potential to be wonderful, so long as we can get over the idea that any one of them might be particularly true. It’s a message perfectly tailored for 21st-century America, where the most important religious trend is neither swelling unbelief nor rising fundamentalism, but the emergence of a generalized “religiousness” detached from the claims of any specific faith tradition.

The polls that show more Americans abandoning organized religion don’t suggest a dramatic uptick in atheism: They reveal the growth of do-it-yourself spirituality, with traditional religion’s dogmas and moral requirements shorn away. The same trend is at work within organized faiths as well, where both liberal and conservative believers often encounter a God who’s too busy validating their particular version of the American Dream to raise a peep about, say, how much money they’re making or how many times they’ve been married."

HT: Between Two Worlds

Missing Link?

According to this report it appears that scientists have discovered what they call the "missing link" between apes and humans. It has been declared the '8th wonder of the world.'

What should Christians make of all this? First of all, it seems to me that there has been many other announcements over the years about a missing link being discovered (cro magnon man, Lucy, etc.) that have ended up not delivering the goods. So we ought not just accept the story as it is without doing some investigation.

Secondly, we ought not be afraid of that which is true. All truth is God's truth. If it is proven that this links humans and apes what does it do to Christianity? Some would say it sounds the death knell. However the reality is this tells us nothing about the origin of the universe (remember something can't come from nothing). Most importantly, (and I am speaking about what matters most to Christians, not about science) we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus still rose from the dead.

So we can debate about how to interpret Genesis 1-2 in light of these findings, but always remember your faith is not in a particular view of creation, it is in a Creator who lovingly stooped down to His creation to rescue them in Jesus Christ. In light of this fact, whether God created the world in 6 literal days, or through some form of evolution over a longer period of time really doesn't make that much difference to me. What matters always is Jesus.

Division

"Jesus: A Divider, not a Uniter"

This puts things in Perspective

HT: Between Two Worlds

Majority of Americans: Pro-Life

Interesting poll released from Gallup today finds that for the first time since they started asking the question (since 1995), the majority of Americans identify themselves as pro-life.

This is an encouraging development (at least when it comes to how they I.D. themselves). How has this happened? I think in this particular area, Evangelicals have been very effective at teaching the truth about what abortion actually is (the taking of an innocent human life). Science and breakthroughs in technology (3-d ultrasounds for example) have also shown even skeptics that clearly what is actually growing in the womb is a baby (the human kind in particular).

This is cause for some celebration, but not rest. There is still much persuading that needs to be done. Pro-life folks have far better arguments and we need to use them.

Total Church Training Part III

No, Mr. President

Total Church Training Part II

The Devil Votes Christian Values: Why We’re Tempted to be Glorified Satanists Rather than Crucified Followers

The Devil Votes Christian Values: Why We’re Tempted to be Glorified Satanists Rather than Crucified Followers

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Gospel Centered Community

Right now I'm in the middle of a book called Total Church. I have found it helpful and insightful for what a Gospel centered Church should look like. Below is the first of three sessions from the one of the authors (Steve Timmis)at the Resurgence. Over the next few days, I will be posting from this series on the blog.

The fascination with, and overuse of the word 'hate'

I just heard that Miss California is being allowed to keep her crown, even after her "offensive" statements against same-sex marriage (“I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised.”)

Frankly, I don't care at all about beauty pageants. However in all the talk the last few weeks about this girl's position against gay marriage one word has been used an awful lot by those who oppose her: HATE. I hear this word thrown around more and more it seems, and to tell you the truth, when used for trivial matters like this, it becomes a nonsense word. Can anyone read the above quote and say with a straight face, "How hateful!"?

Hate would be what Hitler had for Jews or maybe what Pol Pot had for intellectuals.

Kind of disagreeing about what constitutes marriage, and then apologizing if it offends? That's called disagreement. I know this is hard for some to understand, but it is possible to disagree on a particular position and yet still be tolerant, and loving towards the person you disagree with.

The Profile of a Godly Mother

Thanks Mom

Imputation: The Most Important Part of the Gospel

God is back?

Is God back? It seems like lately there has been a flurry of bad statistics about the state of the Church in America (check out Barna's site for more details). However this book argues that things aren't so bad at all. Everyone's not becoming secular and atheist in their thinking. As a matter of fact, religion is stronger today around the world, perhaps than it ever has been. Here's part of their description:

"Since the Enlightenment, intellectuals have assumed that modernization would kill religion—and that religious America is an oddity. As God Is Back argues, religion and modernity can thrive together, and America is becoming the norm. Many things helped spark the global revival of religion, including the failure of communism and the rise of globalism. But, above all, twenty-first century religion is being fueled by a very American emphasis on competition and a customer- driven approach to salvation. These qualities have characterized this country’s faith ever since the Founders separated church and state, creating a religious free market defined by entrepreneurship, choice, and personal revelation. As market forces reshape the world, the tools and ideals of American evangelism are now spreading everywhere."

So here's the argument folks: Religion is thriving around the world and the reason is because of the American, consumer model of religion. Do you see any problems with this? Is this a good thing for the Church? Is it a good thing for the societies of the world? Do we want to create more 'consumers' of religious goods and services?

Vocation: How God Serves Us

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Veith's book, God at Work:

"When God blesses us, He almost always does it through
other people. The ability to read God's word is an inexpressibly precious gift,
but reading is an ability that did not spring fully formed in our young
minds. It required the vocation of teachers. God protects us through the cop on
the beat and the whole panoply of the legal system. He gives us beauty and
meaning through artists. He lets us travel through the ministry of auto workers,
mechanics, road crews and airline crews. He keeps us clean through the work of
garbage collectors, plumbers and sanitation workers, and the sometimes
undocumented workers who clean our hotel rooms. He brings people to salvation
through pastors and anyone else who proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the
lost. The fast food worker, the inventor; the clerical assistant, the scientist;
the accountant, the musician-they all have high callings, used by God to bless
and serve His people and His creation."

Sandwich Humor: Sad but true

With the help of Homeland Security, police zero in on a possible domestic terrorist.

HT: Sacred Sandwich

Missional Living

Over at The Resurgence, Jonathan Dodson has some helpful, practical suggestions for intentionally getting out to your mission field (which is to say: where you live):

Eat with Non-Christians

We all eat three meals a day. Why not make a habit of sharing one of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians? Go to lunch with a co-worker, not by yourself. Invite the neighbors over for family dinner. If it’s too much work to cook a big dinner, just order pizza and put the focus on conversation. When you go out for a meal, invite a non-Christian friend. Or take your family to family-style restaurants where you can sit at the table with strangers and strike up conversations. Have cookouts and invite Christians and non-Christians. Flee the Christian subculture.

Walk, Don’t Drive

If you live in a walkable area, make a practice of getting out and walking around your neighborhood, apartment complex, or campus. Instead of driving to the mailbox or convenience store, walk to get mail or groceries. Be deliberate in your walk. Say hello to people you don’t know. Strike up conversations. Attract attention by walking the dog, carrying along a 6-pack to share, bringing the kids. Make friends. Get out of your house! Last night I spent an hour outside gardening with my family. We had good conversations with about four of our neighbors. Take interest in your neighbors. Ask questions. Engage. Pray as you go. Save some gas, the planet, and some people.

Be a Regular

Instead of hopping all over the city for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out, and coffee, go to the same places at the same times. Get to know the staff. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. I have friends at coffee shops all over the city. My friends at Starbucks donate a ton of leftover pastries to our church 2-3 times a week. We use them for church gatherings and occasionally give them to the homeless. Build relationships. Be a regular.

Hobby with Non-Christians

Pick a hobby that you can share. Get out and do something you enjoy with others. Try city league sports or local rowing and cycling teams. Share your hobby by teaching lessons, such as sewing, piano, knitting, or tennis lessons. Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself.

Talk to Your Co-workers.

How hard is that? Take your breaks with intentionality. Go out with your team or task force after work. Show interest in your co-workers. Pick four and pray for them. Form moms’ groups in your neighborhood and don’t make them exclusively non-Christian. Schedule play dates with the neighbors’ kids. Work on mission.

Volunteer with Non-Profits.

Find a non-profit in your part of the city and take a Saturday a month to serve your city. Bring your neighbors, your friends, or your small group. Spend time with your church serving your city. Once a month. You can do it!

Participate in City Events

Instead of playing XBox, watching TV, or surfing the net, participate in city events. Go to fundraisers, festivals, cleanups, summer shows, and concerts. Participate missionally. Strike up conversation. Study the culture. Reflect on what you see and hear. Pray for the city. Love the city. Participate with the city.

Serve Your Neighbors.

Help a neighbor by weeding, mowing, building a cabinet, or fixing a car. Stop by the neighborhood association or apartment office and ask if there is anything you can do to help improve things. Ask your local Police and Fire Stations if there is anything you can do to help them. Get creative. Just serve!

HT: Between Two Worlds

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