Questions of Life

Over the next several weeks I am going to be asking you all several questions. How you answer these questions six months from now will be more important than you initial answers as you read them.

I won’t keep you guessing. The reason your answer six months from now will be more important than the answer you give today is that, if the answer remains unchanged for six months, it will show that we are headed nowhere. We may talk a great deal about the who, what, when, and where of ministry, but the only thing that matters is if we actually engage in the ministries we have planned.

Here is your first question: Think back on your entire experience at this church and name a time when you felt the most engaged, alive, and motivated. That may be hard for some of your. You may have to search far back in your personal history to find the answer.

I have a good guess as to your answer. I have this guess based on my experiences in asking this question before. In other settings, I can tell you this, most people felt more engaged when they were younger and had kids in the youth group. This is true for most of us. We were in the youth group or our kids were, and that led to us being involved as well.

There are two questions that must come after this first question. They relate to it very closely. First, are you sure that your spiritual activity at the time was directly related to any spiritual depth you may have experienced? What is the difference between spiritual depth and spiritual busyness? Can we recognize that difference in our own being.

Secondly, what happened that you stopped this spiritual activity if it was so grand? You don’t have to stop working with the youth group just because your kids are grown and away from home. If your activity in the church was such a tremendous source of joy and personal satisfaction with the church, I think God may be telling you to rethink you decision to take yourself out of the game.

As long as we continue to make use of the breath God breathed into us and the first human beings he created, I believe he expects us to use that breath to breathe life into the people around us. We do not retire from the kingdom of god. God calls us to be forever ready to “give an answer to the faith that lies within us.” How will you live for Jesus Christ today?

Pastor Craig

Foundations

We are success driven people. We like, and want results. Our worth, in many areas of our life, is determined by the results of our labors. Some of us thrive under those conditions. We like it. We know where we stand, and we know what we need to do to succeed. Our yearly employment evaluation is based on some score based on new sales, increased student participation or passing rates, number of cold calls, the percentage of calls that are turned into customers, eliminating shrinkage, or increased customer satisfaction ratings. I am sure you can think of dozens more.

We transfer certain amount of that to our spiritual lives as well. We want results. We want our prayers answered just the way we asked them. We want to “feel” a certain way when we leave worship. We want the songs we know and the Bible verses we like. We want to know that God is on our side. We want warm and fuzzy faith. The problem is that we don’t really live in a warm and fuzzy world. I have a friend whose mother died yesterday. I have a colleague who is dealing with a cancer they can’t find, but know is there. I have a sister who became a widow this last year and another friend whose son blames all of his misfortune on her and God. All of these people are people of faith. Their faith may be stronger than yours; then again it may not. Either way, they are trying to do the best they can, but they are not getting the results they would like. It isn’t a warm and fuzzy world.

Scripture talks about our life as a building. One of the things that matters most about this building is the foundation. Jesus speaks of the two builders, one who built his house upon a foundation of sand, and another who built his house upon the rocks. When the storm arrived, you know which one stood firm. We tend to think this means the house is undamaged, but we all know that severe storms will at least loosen a few shingles. The difference between the houses is the foundation. The house on sand is a total loss. The house on the rocks simply needs some repairs.

Paul talks about building with different materials in 1 Corinthians 3. He reminds those who build that some of their work may not stand the test of time. The best start is to begin with the only foundation that matters, and that foundation is a life based on faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith is recognizing that Jesus Christ pulls us up on the rock with himself. He does not promise success in all of our endeavors. Even Paul’s great missionary efforts met with some rejection and even violence. His message was not always welcome.  

Psalm 16:8 says, I have set the Lord always before me, Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken. The world, our world, may be shaken. Some of the work we have built on this rock may not stand the test of time. However, because HE is at our right hand, WE indeed our secure. May that bring you peace and give you joy.

Pastor Craig

SEVEN THINGS YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE 4TH OF JULY

The Fourth of July may be known for its stellar picnics, fabulous fireworks and heavy doses of patriotism, but what about the coincidental deaths and jumbo-sized gifts that have also marked America's 236 birthdays?

1776: Pomp and Parade, Two Days Late

America's second president John Adams is notorious for his love of Independence Day. Adams wrote that July 2, the date the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Britain, not July 4, the date Congress' president John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence, should be "the great anniversary Festival."

1826 and 1831: The Death of a President (or Three)

John Adams, the second president, and Thomas Jefferson, the third president, were bitter rivals throughout their political careers, but nearly twins in their deaths. They died hours apart on July 4, 1826, Adams at age 90 in Massachusetts and Jefferson at age 83 in Virginia. James Monroe, the fifth president, also died on July 4, five years after Adams and Jefferson in 1831.

1863: Vicksburg Victory

After one month, 15 miles of trenches, countless battles, near-constant bombing, Confederate Gen. John Pemberton surrendered to Union forces at Vicksburg, Miss. That surrender, on July 4, 1863 would mark a turning point in the Civil War. The town of Vicksburg refused to celebrate the Fourth of July for the next 81 years.

1870: Congress Makes It Official

It took nearly 100 years for Congress to make the Fourth of July an official holiday, despite the widespread celebrations that had been ringing in America's birthday since the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

1884: A French Birthday Present, Size XXL

The United States got what may be the country's largest physical birthday present on July 4, 1884, when the French presented it with the Statue of Liberty. It took four months to assemble the 151-foot-tall statue, which was shipped from Paris in hundreds of pieces. In other 1884 news, miners in Swan City, Colo., blew up their local post office on Independence Day because the town did not supply them with fireworks.

                1912: The Fourth Goes Global

It may be America's birthday, but the United States isn't the only country that celebrates it. Denmark started throwing a Fourth of July bash in 1912 after thousands of Danes emigrated to the United States. The Danish tourism office bills it as the largest Fourth of July celebration outside the United States.

1938: Federal Employees Rejoice

Congress officially declared July 4 a federal holiday back in 1870, but it took them nearly 70 years to give federal employees a paid day off. July 4, 1938, was the first Independence Day that federal employees picnicked, barbequed and fireworked without denting their paychecks.

How Do We Proceed?

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) ended its meeting and dismissed the commissioners yesterday. The several hundred men and women from all over the world now go home and try to communicate exactly what they did in Detroit for a week and why they did it. Some will return to hand shakes and “Job well done!” Others will be asked “How could this possibly happen?” with expressions of shock and dismay. Such is the nature of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Some will believe we have finally done the will of God. Others will believe we have ignored it once again.

There are few things we can say for sure. First, as a denomination we will continue to dwindle. Our stance in Detroit will be the basis for 17 international denominations to cut their ties with us. Churches will leave. Membership will decline. Our efforts to “fit in” just don’t seem to be working like we had planned.

Second, we continue to focus on the irrelevant, even when the irrelevant seems to make the front page. You have probably heard that the Presbyterian Foundation has been ordered to sell all stock in Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, & Motorola because of those companies’ ties to military efforts in Israel in opposition to the Palestinians. On the surface it makes sense. Is it really appropriate for a religious organization to own stock in companies that produce a product meant to bring violence on other people? This was the lead story on many internet news feeds. When you dig deeper, you find that “our” holdings in Caterpillar amount to 0.05% of the holdings owned by the foundation. When you add all three companies together the amount “skyrockets” to 0.35% of total holdings. Obviously, the sale of these stocks is limited to symbolic value only. It will not hurt our portfolio, nor will it hurt their bottom line. Actually, it is amazing this wasn’t done several years ago simply to avoid this kind of publicity!

Thirdly, our grand idea of 1001 new worshipping congregations within 10 years has been swallowed up in fights over gay ordination, same sex marriage, and divestment from the industrial military complex. Granted, the original counting of wine tasting clubs as worshipping congregations caused many people to question the emphasis. However, it was starting to look more promising until the really important matters came to the fore this summer. Yes, I am being sarcastic.

What does this mean for you as a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) sitting in your pew the first Sunday after the dismissal of the GA? It means you should pray. You should pray for a denomination that seems to have forgotten what its mission and ministry is about. You may start to pray first and foremost for all of us right here, because it is people like us who make up this branch of the Church. Maybe we have lost our way as well. The Gospel is not that we have sold our Caterpillar stock, nor is it that we have gotten our way on a particular issue. The Gospel is Jesus Christ died for sinners like you and me. His death and resurrection restores our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It restores our relationships with one another. It heals us from our brokenness. And, hopefully, it holds us together through our petty fights and disagreements.

The months ahead will be difficult. Make sure that your prayers are among the many offered for a new sense of vision and purpose, a desire to return to that which has never become old, worn out, or irrelevant. For God so loved the world, that he sent his one and only Son, that anyone who believes in the Son shall not perish but have everlasting life!

Pastor Craig

FATHERS

I write this on the days leading up to Father’s Day. Father’s Day was first celebrated on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington to complement the already established Mother’s Day. The original celebration was supposed to be on June 5th to honor the birthday of William Jackson Smart, Civil War veteran, single parent to six children, father to Sonora Smart Dodd, the sponsor of the day. However, pastors wanted to write a sermon worthy of the day and begged off for two more weeks.

There is an example. Many of us feel we do well raising fewer children with two supportive parents! The model for Father’s Day seems to set the standard pretty high!

We know there are some who long for positive male role models and cannot find one who will step up and put themselves on the line. The failure of some father’s to perform their God-given duties has been one reason some have encouraged a more abstract role or title when referring to God. The idea of “father” does not always give rise to thoughts of love, support, and affection. There are those who were not as fortunate as some of us. Or even more difficult, what about those who, as they think of their father and his influence in their life, can only recall pain, abuse, and suffering.

I am a traditionalist. I hold on to the idea of God as Father. However, he is not like our earthly fathers. All fathers everywhere know they have made mistakes. They have lost their temper. They have allowed work, hobbies, and even church to drain time away from their children. They can recall times they have been too strict, and they remember times they wish they had held the reins more tightly. As fathers, we recall all those things because we are well aware of the man we wish to be, and we know we have failed to reach the goal.

Fortunately, our Heavenly Father does not falter or fail. He does not fall short in his compassion and forgiveness. He fills in the blanks where our skills are weak. If your father chose to be absent from your life growing up, you now have one who wants the rest of your life and will never leave or fail you. If you had a harsh disciplinarian as a father, know that your Heavenly Father expects much, but he gives more than he expects. Your cup overflows.

So, on this Father’s Day, take time to thank your Heavenly Father for setting the standard for your earthly father. Praise him for his never-ending mercies and his healing touch so that our hearts may be open to receive the blessed gifts he wishes to bestow upon us.

Pastor Craig

Beginnings!

We celebrate two brave beginnings this time of year. Graduations are taking place all around us. In the past week I had friends graduate from high school, college, and had several colleagues awarded their doctorate. All of these are brave beginnings in that they publicly declare that something new is happening, and that this something new is life changing.

The other brave beginning is Pentecost. Imagine the roller coaster for the disciples. Jesus’ ministry takes them to the height of popularity. They are rock stars. People envy them.

Suddenly, Jesus is crucified. He’s dead. These one time rock stars are now huddled in fear that they will be next. The doors are locked; the lights are out. Let’s pretend that no one is home! But, through that locked door walks Jesus, the risen from the dead Messiah. Everything is back on track! Life is good.

Forty days later Jesus gathers them together to say “Goodbye” for real. “I am going away. Where I go you cannot follow just yet. Wait!”

Wait? Wait for what? Haven't we be waiting long enough? We want to start something. We are ready to return to our rock star status. But, the only job they are given is to wait, just wait.

So, they gather together, probably in that very same room where the celebrated the last meal with Jesus and where he walked through the locked doors. They wait for someone or something called “The Comforter.” They wait, and they wait. Then they wait some more. Ten days they wait. They are not exactly sure what they are waiting for, but knowing Jesus, they’ll be able to spot it when it happens. Jesus does not disappoint. A sound, no, more like a thunder of rushing wind seems to descend upon their very spot. They have feelings they are not quite ready to put into words. Their fear is gone. This is The Comforter!

All of a sudden, the need to hide in the upper room vanishes. The teachings of Jesus that seemed so obscure and difficult to understand are starting to come together. Yes, Jesus had to die. Of course, Jesus would rise. Certainly, The Comforter is the next step. Everything is clear, Everything has purpose. Peter walks across the room, opens the door, and leads the disciples down the stairs and out into the street.

Pastor Craig

What Happens At The End?

The end seems to be a popular topic currently. Christian literature has its Left Behind series. Popular and classic literature is filled with stories about ultimate endings and everlasting beginnings. The Lord of the Rings is about the end of the age of magic and fantasy, of dwarves and elves, and the beginning of the age of men, the ordinary.

I am currently reading a book called The Forever War. Imagine Vietnam with time travel and you’ve got it. The time travel idea means the warriors are out of sync with the chronological time of the universe. The interstellar jumps put the soldier out of the proper timeframe. Hundreds of years have passed as he, or she, goes through interstellar jumps fighting an alien threat. The problem is that this lack of chronology is only experienced by the warriors of each side and not the population of their individual societies. The soldiers fight simply because that is what they are told to do. A peace treaty may possibly have been signed hundreds of years ago, but they cannot know about it because their time is out of sync with that of their societies. They live in a time unique to their situation as they travel across the Galaxy. Their skirmish begins a new series of confrontations between the two races. Neither wishes to continue the war, but neither knows how to stop. They want the end that never comes.

The Gatekeepers tells the story of five adolescents that reappear throughout history in new reincarnations to save humanity of its cyclical desire to destroy itself.

Will the world be destroyed in a fiery holocaust as some believe Scriptures prophecy? Will we destroy ourselves by not caring for creation? Will the sun supernova at some date billions of years in the future? We seem to want to know? We probably don’t want to be here for it, but we want to know

These aren’t things most of us fret about on any regular basis. I doubt it keeps you awake at nights, but Jesus does think about it. In fact, he has it figured out to the very end. He knows your end and mine. He mentioned it to his first disciples. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If this was not so, I would tell you. I am going to make yours ready. I will make sure the banquet to receive you is ready, your bath is drawn, and your bed is made. When all is ready, I will return and gather you to the homecoming. Then we can finally be together for all eternity.[1]

Pastor Craig

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[1] John 14:3ff