Year: 2013

After the resurrection, Jesus was different. I’m not saying He was a ghost or “not Jesus” but He was different. He seemed to slip in and out of the scene. There was a special heavenly glow about Him. It was not unlike the difference between the disciples, before and after Pentecost. It’s kind of like the difference in us, before and after Jesus. Jesus promised that we would be new creations. We are, but I’m not sure we always appreciate just how different we are. I like to call us, Resurrection People. It is helpful to remember we are different and just how we are different after Christ. Resurrection Perspective. After Christ we don’t see things completely like God does, but we do see things differently. We have an elevated view of things. This new view isn’t constant. We can fall back into seeing the world like we did before Jesus. If we are faithful, he grants us views of things somewhat as He sees them and perspective is everything. Resurrection Purpose. The saddest thing about people who don’t have Jesus, at least on the surface, is their fruitless search for purpose. Mankind scurries about looking for the “meaning […]

I watched the Bible, Part Four, last night. It was great. Like any summarization, they skipped some of my favorite parts and skimmed over other things. It seemed important to me that Paul of Taursas was originally Saul, but that’s not a huge deal.  There were segments that hit me harder. My favorite might be when Jesus tells Thomas that he has seen and believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. He’s talking about us. We get caught up in admiring the personalities in scripture and we think it would have been great to have been participants in these great events. Wouldn’t it have been nice to have seen Jesus personally? Yet, Jesus is calling us who have not seen, blessed. That’s pretty cool. I guess the part that came across the strongest was the idea that the story is not over. Jesus talks to Peter about changing the world. The world still needs some changing. His plan is still the same: personal evangelism, one person at a time.  How are we writing our part of the story? How is The Bible – Part Five being written. Sometimes I think we are too hung […]

Happy Easter – Happy Resurrection Sunday. For us, this is really the big holiday, the great celebration. Jesus is risen and everything is changed. But I think it might be useful to remember who “we” are.  I watched Bill O’Reilly last night and he had a program about faith and recent attacks on people of faith. Yes, I am a person of faith. I believe in God. But that puts me in the same category as Christians, Jews, Muslims and many who don’t know who they are. Certainly there is a recent attack on people who believe in God from those who don’t. The nonbelievers think that science has the answers for every question and those who believe in God aren’t very smart. So all of us who believe in God stand united. But more than believe in God, I trust in God. I don’t just know He exists, but I trust His word as the final authority. I believe He is creator and sets rules for humanity and still intervenes in the lives of people. That puts me in a subset of believers in God. But that subset also includes folks who aren’t even Christians. But more than […]

Today is the day that turns our understanding of the world upside down. We call this day “good” although it memorializes one of the most horrifying deaths imaginable. We celebrate death, even though we ordinarily don’t even want to talk about death.  My wife and I enjoy listening to the audio book series, The Number One Ladies Detective Agency. It takes place in Botswana. The characters don’t refer to folks as dead or deceased but as “late.” It’s amusing but it’s not that different from our reluctance to think about death, ours or those we love.  Yet, death is a marvelous thing. Through the death of a seed, a tree grows, Through our deaths, we enter eternal life. Through the death of one God Man, salvation is possible for us.  Celebrate completely this weekend. He died, Praise God, so that we might live. He died, so He could rise. Celebrate His resurrection; but remember it’s possible because of His death.  Are there things in your life that need to die? Are there things that need to end so that real life can begin? His death makes joyous life possible; but there are things in us that must die as […]

A school in Alabama has decided that the Easter Bunny, and, in fact, the word “Easter” are too controversial and likely to cause discomfort for some. They are, therefore, banned.  This is disturbing on so many levels. First off this isn’t in New York or California. We are talking about Alabama, the Bible Belt.  I guess I could understand if teachers were asked not to discuss the crucifixion or the resurrection, but the Easter Bunny? What are these people afraid of? Be sure it is a question of fear. They are apparently afraid that Easter Bunnies will make one think of Easter Eggs which will remind someone of Jesus (not sure how) and, of course, we can’t have that.  People are concerned about school shootings and violence on students and teachers. They want to forbid guns and Jesus. Does that make any sense? It’s time to take a stand. Among the Easter eggs and bunnies and chocolate and candy, let’s mention Jesus. Let’s tell kids the reason for this season.  The most important event in human history shouldn’t be reduced to bunnies, especially when even they have become too offensive. If people seem offended if you mention “Easter” spare […]

Today is semiannual physical check up day at our house. About a week ago Rosemary and I went to a lab and had blood drawn and gave fluid samples. Today we meet with our internist. We get poked and weighed and evaluated. We end up with a bunch of numbers: weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, etc. Based on these numbers we get an idea of how we are doing physically. Based on these numbers perhaps we make some adjustments: change a medication, alter a diet, make an appointment with a specialist.  I like check up day, after the checkup. There is normally a since of “made it” and “that wasn’t too bad.” Normally there isn’t horrible news. If there are things out of line, usually we can fix them with a bit of adjustment. The biggest relief comes from knowing it’s over. Rose and I usually celebrate by going to lunch and making wild promises to do much better over the next six months. As important as our spiritual lives are, you would think we would do spiritual check ups at least as often as we do physical ones. I don’t. I go forward with only the vaguest […]

Matthew 21:1-11 21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to Daughter Zion,    ‘See, your king comes to you,gentle and riding on a donkey,    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”[c]

As we age, much of what we have relied on becomes unreliable. Our bodies start to fail us. Our minds tend to lose a grip on reality. Our sources of income dwindle. Our friends die. Our families become preoccupied with their own lives. We have little to rely on but Jesus. That’s part of His plan. He provides our final opportunity to place our trust where it belongs. He did the same with the children of Israel. When they became too reliant on anything but Him, He took the offending crutch away. Our world is marching toward its end as well. It’s aging as each of us is. Just as God dealt with Israel and He deals with us, He is dealing with the world’s population. Haven’t you notice how the things that people rely on have become much less reliable. The physical world is failing with earthquakes and storms. The political world is completely untrustworthy. The financial world is no place to put your trust. A loving God allows these things as the end approaches. He wants us to put our trust where it belongs: in his Loving and Powerful arms. We really have no other viable choice. […]