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Monday, March 17, 2008

What Love's Got to Do with It

.......Two young women, both sisters in their early twenties, were reuniting during summer break after a couple very busy years at their separate colleges. They met at their favorite hometown bakery and coffee shop. The oldest arrived before her sister, who walked in ten minutes later, wearing dyed blonde hair with very dark roots, dark purple lipstick, a black halter top with a picture of a skeleton hanging on a cross, a miniskirt, leather boots, and jewelry in places that her older sister knew hadn’t been pierced a few years ago. Trying to not look shocked, the elder cheered, hugged, chatted, ordered food, and sat down with her sister before addressing what couldn’t be completely ignored.
.......“So what’s with the new look?”
.......“What do you think?” asked the younger.
.......“Um, … well, … I’m not sure what to think.”
.......The younger sister chuckled and then said, “It’s part of my seeking deeper service to the Lord.” Apparently not noticing or simply disregarding her sister’s half-cocked eyebrows, she continued, “As you might recall, I’m heavily involved with the campus ministry to the inner city. So we dress in a way to blend in with those to whom we’re witnessing; we don’t want to scare them off by dressing like FBI agents or whatever. This way, we earn their respect and hopefully a chance to show them the love of Christ.”
.......“Oh, I see,” the elder replied, “you want them to know how much you love them and how much Christ loves them, and this is accomplished by dressing like them.”
.......“Well, not just that, –” the younger started to say, but her sister interrupted.
.......“Is that how we’ve known that Grandma loves us? When we walk into her house, do we often catch her dancing around the kitchen to Beyonce? Does she prove her love by announcing how much she couldn’t believe what happened on the latest episode of Bridezilla? When’s the last time you saw Grandma in hip huggers or a halter top?”
.......While the younger sister laughed, the older continued, “Sure, she may ask us what we’re listening to, or what we’ve been watching. She has even cautioned us about some of the latest styles. And that is actually how she loved us – by caring about us, discussing our interests, warning us, … not by being like us. She also loves us by allowing herself to be interrupted by us any moment of the day, fixing us something to eat even if we say we don’t need it, praying for us, sending cards and packages to us at college, faithfully setting before us an example of grace, temperance, and modesty.
.......“How did Mother Theresa show love for the impoverished? How did Christ show love for Legion? What is more likely to get the attention of a biker gang? – A 220-pound Christian guy with tattoos, a leather vest, and a Harley, who offers to buy ‘em a drink? Or a 150-pound Christian guy in khakis and a button-up shirt, who offers to buy ‘em a drink? Do you think people cannot recognize love just because it comes in a moderately-dressed package?”

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

The Lord's Table

In some Christian circles, “communion” is more commonly referred to as the Lord’s table.” This latter expression, I think, can be quite useful in helping us to better understand a number of very important Scriptural principles and their necessary applications. The reason for this is that we all know what a table is, we all have had dinner around a table, but we are not as familiar with the definition for communion. How many times in the past week or the past month or the past year have you used the word “communion” in your everyday conversation? And of those times, how many times did you use the word in reference to something other than a periodic church ritual where people partake of a pinch of bread and an ounce or so of some grape beverage?

Sadly, however, the nature of the Lord’s table even may be less understood than it was fifty-plus years ago since families seem less likely to have frequent meals together in the dining room in the absence of a distracting television. Interestingly, we do see more and more consistency between our current culture’s approach to meals with family around their table and our current church’s approach to meals with the Lord’s family around his table. How often do the individual family members just grab a bite or two whenever they can and take it with them to their bedroom, downstairs in the den, in the car, or next to the computer? And how often do you hear it promoted from the pulpit for each individual to worship “as each one chooses”? How often have you been concerned about those who call themselves believers but are not faithful to attend church? Have you ever observed a lack of ... connectedness, comradeship, or perhaps a better word would be … communion among believers in a local church?

So as we begin our discourse about the nature and efficacy of the Lord’s table, you may need to use your imagination when comparing it to your own table. Better yet, may I provoke you “unto love and to good works,” – specifically, in this case, the good work of regularly eating with your family around the dining table in your home – and “not forsaking the assembling of [yourselves] together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

No Discord at the Table

Throughout the Holy Scriptures, we can observe an association between expressions of gladness and moments of feasting. The two naturally go together. Conversely, animosity and isolation go together. How long do you think it would take the members of a family who are bearing grudges against one another to start making excuses as to why they “will not be eating around the table tonight”?

When there’s been a rŏw in the Rauch house right before dinner time, we do not ask the Lord’s blessing or take a bite of food until reconciliation has taken place. Several times, we have been called to the table and sat down, then Dad has to repent of some sin against another family member or I, as the head of household, have to require confession and forgiveness to be expressed among the children for some recent discord.

When the church gathers to worship the Lord and partake of the Lord’s table, the Head of such table also desires and requires an attitude of fellowship and glad harmony amongst those who expect to share of Him. Proverbs 6:19 lists, as one of seven abominations unto the LORD, the man “that soweth discord among brethren.” Then Christ says, in Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

So our coming to the table, eating, and drinking, expecting to be sustained and satisfied, is a declaration that we have “a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men” (Acts 24:16). How many of us are telling lies at the table? How many of us should be fasting instead of feasting, at least until we have been reconciled to our brother or even our Father? Perhaps this is why so many churches have communion only rarely.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Smoky Mirrors

James 1:23-24 states, “If any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” The implication seems to be a man with apparent blemishes looks in a mirror, has no problem with what he sees, and thus contentedly walks away with no intention of addressing the blemishes. How can he be so comfortable with himself looking like that?

The value of a mirror is simply in showing us what we look like; it does not at all show us what we should look like. The value of a model, pattern, or standard, on the other hand, is to show us what something should look like (which is why the term “supermodel” is a lie); but a model does not show us what we actually look like. Scriptural preaching should involve both.

The evangelical preacher should hold up the standard for the church to see. Good exegesis should help Christ’s Bride to see precisely what the Groom desires regarding the Bride’s physical appearance, wedding gown style, jewelry, health, manner, disposition, and lifestyle. The preacher should hold up a mirror almost simultaneously, very graciously pointing out the areas which are inconsistent with the standard. In practical terms, the preacher should combine exposition of what God’s law has required for thousands of years with a competent understanding of the church’s state and condition today, especially as distinguished from contemporary culture.

Many preachers can be found who do a bit of one or the other, but less common are those who do both simultaneously and do it well. Some complain about how bad things are and give us many statistics from George Barna’s polling research, but they provide us with poor instruction as to what we should effectively do about it. Others love to openly share their perspectives in a Bible study, where “what it means to you is good for you. Just don’t try to tell me what to do.” No wonder a hearer of the Word can go away and easily forget what he looks like. Perhaps no one has told him what he should look like.

Evidence of the Testator's Death

Within his last will and testament, a man has provided specific directions regarding what is to be done, upon the event of his death, with those particular things and persons for which he was responsible during his life. Now the beneficiaries should not be surprised that, when the estate is to be settled, the executor might require evidence of the testator’s decease.

The LORD says, within the writings of Jeremiah (31:31-34), “Behold, … I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, … not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers …, which they broke. But this shall be the covenant that I will make …, says the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. … I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” The Hebrew writer recalls these words before he goes on to write (in 9:16-22) that “where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood … and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.’ Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. … And without shedding of blood is no remission.”

Every time we partake of and pass the communion cup, we are acknowledging our assent to the Lord’s proclamation that “This cup is the new testament in [His] blood, which is shed for [us]” (in Luke 22:20), for by partaking, we “do show the Lord’s death till He come” (I Corinthians 11:26). When we partake of and pass the cup, we thereby testify that the Testator has died. When we pass the cup, we “do show the Lord’s death” to one another, testifying, “He did die. Look here! This is His blood.” When we partake of the cup, we testify that the new testament is therefore in effect – specifically that God’s law is written in our hearts, He is our God, we are His people, our iniquities are forgiven, and our sins will be remembered no more by Him.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Frozen Banana Delight

The other night my wife tried an old trick. “Want some ice cream?” she said, and then she offered us some frozen pureed banana with some raw cocoa topping. As I said, the bananas were frozen and pureed such that its consistency and appearance greatly resembled that of soft homemade ice cream. But it tasted like … well, … frozen pureed bananas. – Go figure.

The idea, I guess, is to encourage us to eat more healthy food and less junk food. In spite of what we’re being told by the health conscious around us, we still remember having often enjoyed hamburgers, chicken, pizza, and, of course, ice cream. So now we’re being offered healthy alternatives in the form of soy patties, soy nuggets, fruit pizza, and Rice Dream. Since our taste buds are so accustomed to desiring and enjoying the foods that are not so healthy, we try to trick them by telling the ears and eyes that we are about to enjoy some ice cream, … “healthy” ice cream.

But this is an old trick. The church has been doing it for years now. We know that many are not very excited about what we have to offer, even though it’s better for ya. So we say, “Want some fun? Want some entertainment? – Look! We can give you pop music, and we can show you videos during worship!”

But there’s a problem with this approach in both applications. When we call fruit “pizza,” we are confessing that pizza is more desirable than fruit; and when we call worship “contemporary” or “seeker-friendly,” we are confessing that the world knows how to worship better than we do. As a pastor of mine (Douglas Wilson) has said: “Anything the world can do, the Church can do five years later and worse.”

Who are we kiddin’? Can we no longer recognize truth, beauty, and goodness?

Discipline to Listen

Have you, as a father, ever found yourself quite uninterested in what your little children have to share with you? Certainly there are moments when our children surprise us by recognizing the Wendy’s restaurant sign when they’re only two-years-old. Or they make us laugh by climbing into the snack cabinet. Or they stump us by asking “How did my baby brother get inside Mommy’s belly?” But then there are those moments when they boast about how they would’ve fought off that T-Rex if he had come into their town, or they begin telling you the story that never ends, or perhaps they want to explain the rules of subtraction to you. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep from yawning or to raise one’s eyelids in an expression of supposed interest.

But the Holy Spirit makes clear through the Scriptures that earthly fathers are to behave like our heavenly Father. This principle can be seen in passages like the following: “As a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee,” – Deuteronomy 8:5; and “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him,” – Psalm 103:13.

We also have heard from many a modern pulpit of I Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” – and Psalm 34:15 – “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” We’ve been told that God cares about the little things as well as the big things.

Sometimes it is a challenge to be truly interested in our children’s particular observations, about which our own excitement waned years ago. But our heavenly Father “understandest [our] thought afar off” (Psalm 139:2) and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts “as the heavens are higher than the earth” (Isaiah 55:9). Our generation gap doesn’t even compare with the gap between the heavens and the earth. So the only way we’re really going to convince our children that God listens even to our own boring prayers is by faithfully giving them eye contact, a listening ear, and time.