Live Music

One of the many things I appreciate in life is live music. Attending a concert or performance where people are playing instruments that I can’t play is something I enjoy doing. This week I had an opportunity to attend two events where live music was being played. One was A Festival of Lessons and Carols at Converse College. The following is from the program from that night:

            The Festival of Lessons and Carols originated in 1880 with Archbishop Benson when he was the Bishop of Turo for use in that Cathedral. In 1918, it was simplified and modified to use in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, by its Dean, The Very Reverend Eric Milner-White, to whom we also owe the Bidding Prayer.

The Christmas service has been a tradition at Converse College for the past 109 years. It is a service of worship involving all segments of the Converse community. We welcome all who join us on this occasion.

The service included music from the Converse Chorale, the Spartanburg Festival Chorus, the Converse Wind Ensemble, and Dr. Brennan Szafron, organist. All of the music was outstanding but what really was impressive was the organist. In this day and age there appears to be a reduction in the number of people taking up playing the organ. Most other instruments are easier to obtain and/or carry around with you. Even a piano is something you can have in your home. But an organ is usually reserved for large concert halls, churches, or cathedrals. While playing an organ does require some of the same skills as playing the piano it is not exactly the same. I have included some information obtained from the web about the organ below. There is far more to the organ but it will give you an overview. It is worth your time to read about it and go and hear an organist perform. Certainly church services where hymns are played on the organ can be a wonderful experience, but hearing someone play something from Bach or Handel goes beyond that.

The other event I went to was a 30 minute performance by a group of classical guitarists. One was a more experienced player, the teacher; the others were children ranging from about elementary school through high school. It was a total of seven people playing and they played a few Christmas carols. It was quite impressive for a group of young people to perform so well. It was a small setting in a music store with about 15 people watching and listening. I was probably one of about 2-3 people who were not related to one of the performers. It didn’t matter to me, though. I enjoyed being there.

It just goes to show that you can experience great music in either a large auditorium or in a small room. Oh, by the way, both were free. So you also don’t have to pay $60 a ticket to hear great live music either. 

Pipe organ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipe_organ

The pipe organ is a musical instrument commonly used in churches or cathedrals that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called wind) through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass. Most organs have multiple ranks of pipes of differing timbre, pitch and loudness that the player can employ singly or in combination through the use of controls called stops.

A pipe organ has one or more keyboards (called manuals) played by the hands, and a pedalboard played by the feet, each of which has its own group of stops. The organ's continuous supply of wind allows it to sustain notes for as long as the corresponding keys are depressed, unlike the piano and harpsichord whose sound begins to decay immediately after attack. The smallest portable pipe organs may have only one or two dozen pipes and one manual; the largest may have over 20,000 pipes and seven manuals.^[2]

The origins of the pipe organ can be traced back to the hydraulis in Ancient Greece in the 3rd century BC,^[3] in which the wind supply was created with water pressure. By the sixth or 7th century AD, bellows were used to supply organs with wind.^[3] Beginning in the 12th century, the organ began to evolve into a complex instrument capable of producing different timbres. By the 17th century, most of the sounds available on the modern classical organ had been developed.^[4] From that time, the pipe organ was the most complex man-made device,^[5] a distinction it retained until it was displaced by the telephone exchange in the late 19th century.^[6]

Pipe organs are installed in churches, synagogues, concert halls, and other public buildings and are used for the performance of classical music, sacred music, and secular music. In the early 20th century, pipe organs were installed in theaters to accompany films during the silent movie era, in municipal auditoria, where orchestral transcriptions were popular, and in the homes of the wealthy, equipped with player mechanisms.^[7] The beginning of the 21st century has seen resurgence in installations in concert halls. The organ boasts a substantial repertoire, which spans over 400 years.^[8]

October - Week Four

One of the responsibilities I have during the month of October is to lead our church in worship each Sunday. Our small church has a retired minister as our stated supply (Presbyterian term) who takes a sabbatical during October (a well deserved one I might add.) A few years ago he asked if I would speak in his absence and the rest, as they say, is history. I am going to attempt to post my sermons for this month here on this blog. 

Disclaimer: What I am going to post is going to be a rough attempt at a transcript of what I actually say. Now I am creating this transcript before I speak so it isn't really a word for word transcript. Also, when I write a paper I try to use sentence structure and vocabulary and all those things you learned about in school correctly. I do try and speak professionally as well but my point is don’t grade this as a writing, but as a speech. Even then I hope you get the point of the message and don’t get caught up in the grammatical issues. Feel free to comment.

Good Citizens

Titus 3:1-8

October 28, 2012

Read Scripture:

3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8The saying is sure. I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone.

Background

Let me begin once again with some background information. Titus is a book in the New Testament right after Paul’s letters to Timothy. This too is actually a letter written to Titus by Paul around 66 AD. It is known as one of the Pastoral Epistles and was written to encourage Titus as he was left behind in Crete to lead one of the churches Paul had started. As you know, Paul traveled all over the Greek speaking world spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and establishing churches along the way. He then often wrote letters to those churches or other companions of his answering questions, alleviating concerns or to encourage them as they struggled with doubts or confusion created by what he called false teachers. The beginning of the letter is instructing Titus in what the qualifications are for leaders in the church. Also, in addition to listing the qualities leaders should have Paul warns Titus to guard against those false teachers. Specifically, the ones who continued to insist on the Jewish path to salvation which required certain works. For instance, their insistence that circumcision and adherence to rituals and ceremonies of the Mosaic Law were required for salvation went against Paul’s preaching. Paul had always preached salvation through faith so the stipulation that Christians should follow Jewish rituals goes against his message. He often said that anyone who preaches a path to salvation other than faith in Jesus is nothing but a false teacher and should be ignored.

How we are to act?

Our passage this morning addresses what the people should be doing with respect to civil authorities. Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 3 explain how and then Paul explains why. He begins by telling Titus to remind the people of Crete to be subject to the rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready for every good work. The fact that he says remind them implies that he, Paul, has already instructed them to act this way. As William Barclay points out, “Here there is laid down the public duty of the Christian; and it is advice that was particularly relevant to the people of Crete. The Cretans were notoriously turbulent and quarrelsome and impatient of all authority.” These people would have had many occasions to be disgruntled with the ruling authorities of the time, the Roman Empire. Yet Paul expects them to respect the rulers that have been placed over them. In other places in God’s Word we read that even rulers who go against God’s will were nonetheless placed in positions of power by an all knowing God. Because of that we should be obedient to those rulers. In Jeremiah 29 verses 4-7 we hear of similar instructions from God to the people who are being driven into exile. “4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” The exiles are instructed to do their part in making this foreign land profitable, to integrate with this society that they don’t want to be apart of. He is not calling on them to isolate themselves from the other sinful Babylonians or their leaders. In this case He is letting them know they will be there awhile and in order for them to increase as a people they will need to associate with their captors and work together with them to make the city thrive. There are limits to their obedience, however. From the book of Daniel we know Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were loyal to Nebuchadnezzar until his decrees required them to worship someone other than God. Even during those episodes they were not quarrelsome as Paul instructs us to avoid, they just simply refused to worship something other than God. They were willing to follow rules, pay taxes, obey laws whether they like them or not, until they infringed on their moral responsibility. Paul in instructing Titus to encourage the Cretans in the same manner. And even now we, too, are called to subject ourselves to ruling authorities. In our country we are given the opportunity to choose those leaders but our guy or gal doesn’t always win. There is no Biblical authority that says we only have to follow the laws we agree with. We can, if so led, try to bring change to those things we feel are wrong, but we are told to “speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.” (Titus 3:2)  Just being a loud-mouthed objector to any and everything that a leader is doing is not the Biblical approach. Jesus himself instructed his followers to “...Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mark 12:17) It takes effort to be obedient when we disagree with authority. Yet, that is exactly what we are called to do.

Why we are to act that way? Because as Paul says in verse 3, “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another.” It was then that God’s mercy and kindness appeared in the form of a Savior. And it wasn’t because of any good works that we had done, but because of His mercy.

THE LION AND THE DOG

D.L. Moody once saw a man beat his dog at a zoo because he was mad at him. He had made a bet and boasted about him being so obedient and when he tried to get the dog to so something he wanted, it wouldn’t do it and he lost his bet. He got so mad at that dog and just beat him and beat him and beat him mercilessly.

Finally, after he was wounded and bleeding and whimpering, he threw him in the lion's cage so that the lion would eat him. And that poor whimpering, beaten, pitiful dog, standing shaking on his legs was in the presence of that great lion. And that lion came over to that dog and sniffed him and then he began to lick that little dog and the dog laid down and the lion laid down there just keeping him warm and licking his wounds. And the man, after a little while felt sorry for the dog and told the man to let him have his dog back. And the person in charge of the lion cage who had seen him beat that dog said, "Fine, you can have your dog back. But you're going to have to go in there and get him yourself!"

And that's the way it is with me and you – we were…by sins and sin, beaten, bruised, battered, and unacceptable in God’s sight and worthy of being devoured and condemned, but instead the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus, has taken us in and has healed our wounds and now protects us from the enemy that once enslaved us! (From a sermon by Ricky Nelms, The Power To Become, 7/22/2010)

How Should We Then Live?

Francis Schaeffer (one of great Christian thinkers of the last century) wrote about living out the Christian faith in a morally failing world. In his aptly titled book, How Should We Then Live?, Schaeffer seeks answers to questions like, “What is the relation between a Christian and the culture?” I think this question should grip every Christian: “Now that God has converted us, how should we then live?”

One answer, Pietism, proposes that we retreat from the world and keep religion to ourselves – faith should be personal and private, without worldly effect or influence. The opposite idea, “triumphalism,” wants Christian truth forced on others: the faith should change the world without regard to the preferences of people or even whether it has properly impacted us. Instead of either of those, the Bible says that the kingdom of God is within, while its influence radiates out. Its rule advances by the grace of the gospel as it changes hearts and lives.

As a result, the true Christian makes a difference in the lives of others through the difference God has made in our lives. Jesus calls it salt and light – preserving, flavoring, blessing, influencing. We make a difference in the world when we are the people we should be – so transformed by the grace of God that we are an aroma of life to those whom God is saving. (Once Saved Always Changed, Sermon by Glenn Durham)

We are not called to cram the gospel of Jesus Christ down everyone’s throat without respect to their current beliefs or feelings. Rather we are to let the love of Christ radiate outward from within our own being so those around us are transformed by the Holy Spirit. Our actions speak louder than our words. When others witness us acting with love and compassion toward others, especially to those with which we disagree, they are witnessing the love and compassion of Christ. When they see us quarrel with others, bicker over every little thing, the love of Christ is obscured and an opportunity passed.

Paul continues in his letter to Titus that he insist on these things because when Christians devote themselves to good works it is profitable for everyone. The good works are not what saves us, it is our response to the mercy of God. Our good works reflect our appreciation for what Christ did for us.

There is a magnificent story in Marie Chapian’s book Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. The book told of the sufferings of the true church in Yugoslavia where so much wrong has been perpetrated by the politicized ecclesiastical hierarchy. That which has gone on in the name of Christ for the enriching and empowering of corrupt church officials has been a terrible affront to decency.

One day an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived in a certain village. He commiserated with an elderly man named Cimmerman on the tragedies he had experienced and talked to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with Christianity. He reminded Jakov of the dreadful history of the church in his town, a history replete with plundering, exploiting, and indeed with killing innocent people. “My own nephew was killed by them,” he said and angrily rebuffed any effort on Jakov’s part to talk about Christ. “They wear those elaborate coats and caps and crosses,” he said, “signifying a heavenly commission, but their evil designs and lives I cannot ignore.”

Jakov, looking for an occasion to get Cimmerman to change his line of thinking, said, “Cimmerman, can I ask you a question? Suppose I were to steal your coat, put it on, and break into a bank. Suppose further that the police sighted me running in the distance but could not catch up with me. One clue, however, put them onto your track; they recognized your coat. What would you say to them if they came to your house and accused you of breaking into the bank?”

“I would deny it,” said Cimmerman.

“‘Ah, but we saw your coat,’ they would say,” retorted Jakov. This analogy quite annoyed Cimmerman, who ordered Jakov to leave his home.

Jakov continued to return to the village periodically just to befriend Cimmerman, encourage him, and share the love of Christ, with him. Finally one day Cimmerman asked, “How does one become a Christian?” and Jakov taught him the simple steps of repentance for sin and of trust in the work of Jesus Christ and gently pointed him to the Shepherd of his soul. Cimmerman bent his knee on the soil with his head bowed and surrendered his life to Christ. As he rose to his feet, wiping his tears, he embraced Jakov and said, “Thank you for being in my life.” And then he pointed to the heavens and whispered, “You wear His coat very well.” (Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God? (Word Publishers, Dallas: 1994), 101-102)

These verses, chapter 3:1-8 have dealt with the believer’s testimony in the world, a world that is divided politically, economically, religiously, culturally, racially, and domestically. In this fragmented world, God has called us to manifest His love through the gift of His Son in a way that not only brings people to a saving knowledge of Christ, but that demonstrates the power of the cross to bring people together in loving relationships. In his book, Why the Cross Can Do What Politics Can’t, Erwin Lutzer has a chapter that points to the cross as a power for reconciliation. His comments in a couple of paragraphs form a fitting close to the believer’s responsibility to manifest the power of the cross as God’s means of not only reconciliation with Him, but of reconciliation with one another.

In such a world, many relationships are either brief, high-intensity encounters which quickly burn themselves out, or casual interactions that do not fill the human desire for love and a lasting connection. Americans are, for the most part, a lonely lot, seeking to fill the void with the latest gadgets or entertainment venues. Deep relationships characterized by loyalty and commitment are few in number and little is done to encourage them. Thus our desires are unmet, and as a nation we keep turning to those solutions that only inflame greater unmet desires.

To where do we turn?

The church is called to model wholesome, caring relationships in a culture that no longer believes that such friendships are possible. Our calling is to eschew that part of our culture that is fueled by a radical individualism that selfishly seeks one’s own “good” at the expense of one’s neighbor. We have to prove that deep and loyal friendships can exist among those who otherwise have racial, cultural, and economic differences. In other words, we are to model oneness for which Christ prayed. It is at this very point that we should be most unlike the world.

(Erwin W. Lutzer, Why the Cross Can Do What Politics Can’t (Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon, 1999), 119.)

It’s not hard to find someone on TV or radio that wants to stir up trouble in local, state, or national politics. God calls us to be good citizens. Sometimes that does require action on our part but when it does, we are still called to show the love of Christ even in situations where that is hard to do. Responding to those we disagree with in a quarrelsome manner and with malice, is not how God has responded to us, even in our sinful nature. It is imperative that we remember that and follow the advice of Paul and let the love of Christ radiate outward from within our hearts.

Let us Pray

October - Week Three

One of the responsibilities I have during the month of October is to lead our church in worship each Sunday. Our small church has a retired minister as our stated supply (Presbyterian term) who takes a sabbatical during October (a well deserved one I might add.) A few years ago he asked if I would speak in his absence and the rest, as they say, is history. I am going to attempt to post my sermons for this month here on this blog. 

Disclaimer: What I am going to post is going to be a rough attempt at a transcript of what I actually say. Now I am creating this transcript before I speak so it isn’t really a word for word transcript. Also, when I write a paper I try to use sentence structure and vocabulary and all those things you learned about in school correctly. I do try and speak professionally as well but my point is don’t grade this as a writing, but as a speech. Even then I hope you get the point of the message and don’t get caught up in the grammatical issues. Feel free to comment.

Pick Me

Mark 10:35-45

October 21, 2012

Read Scripture

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’³⁶And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ ³⁷And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ ³⁸But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ ³⁹They replied, ‘We are able.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;⁴⁰but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’

41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. ⁴²So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. ⁴³But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ 

The book of Mark is one of the four Gospels in the New Testament. Who was Mark? When was it written? Although the book never mentions who the author is it is believed to be John Mark who was a companion of Peter’s on his journeys. Because of that it was written with a Greek-speaking audience in mind. Hence, many of the Jewish customs are explained and few references are made to the Old Testament.  It is also considered by most scholars to be the oldest of the written gospels. According to Dr. Paul Ferguson, “In contrast to Matthew, who fully records the discourses of our Lord, Mark pictures His deeds. So, while Matthew gives us fifteen of his parables, Mark details only four, and that in a condensed form. Mark’s style is swift-paced, pertinent, and proceeds straight to the goal, like a Roman soldier on his march to battle. It is a gospel of action and accomplishment, written to the Roman who was also a man of action. Here Jesus is not adorned with words and narrative, but He is stripped and girded for action. It emphasized what Jesus did rather than what He said.”

In our verses this morning we hear James and John asking Jesus for a favor. Matthew also records this encounter but in his version it is actually their mother that makes the request on their behalf. Either way we have two disciples who haven’t yet understood what Jesus is about to go through or what it means to be a follower of Him. In Mark 32-34 we read that “They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, ³³saying, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; ³⁴they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.’” Right after explaining how he is going go through some terrible things all the disciples hear is he will rise again and they are looking forward to his Kingdom. They still viewed this as Jesus rising up and becoming a world leader like Herod or Caesar who would then be able to lord over all the people. When that happens, these two want to be right by his side and presumably partake in all the riches that world leaders seem to have. Notice how they go about asking. Now Jesus has already explained that when they ask for something in His name God will grant their request. They apparently take this as some kind of genie in a bottle offer. Depending on the translation you read they then ask Jesus will you do what we want you to do. Or they say Jesus we want you to do what we ask. Either way you view it they are “buttering” Jesus up before actually making their request. Jesus simply says, “What do you want me to do?” That is when they ask for the most honored positions someone could have in relationship to a king. Jesus’ response is first that they don’t understand what they are asking for and second he basically asks them if they are worthy of such an honor. Specifically he asks “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.” They claim that they are and goes on to say that they will drink from the cup and be baptized with the same baptism. The cup is a reference to what was referred to as God’s wrath and the baptism to suffering and submission to death. James is later martyred and John exiled until his death so they do eventually experience suffering and death. Jesus goes on to say that even if they are worthy it isn’t his decision to make. God will decide the places of honor but it is their responsibility to live a life of preparation for that honor. Verse 41 then says that the other ten were angry with James and John for making this request. Interestingly, it isn’t that they are appalled that these two would make such a request, but rather that they beat them to the punch so to say. This isn’t the first time the twelve had discussed positions in the kingdom and who was the greatest of them. But now they see two of their group making a move for the top. When Jesus sees their anger and understands why, He explains once again what it means to be a follower of Him. He begins by comparing how the Gentiles view leadership compared to how they should view leadership. The Gentiles use positions of power to lord over the underlings and are tyrants over them. As His disciples, however, they should strive to be servants of all. This bit of advice is similar to what he had told them before. In order to be first in the Kingdom of God you have to be last here on earth. He doesn’t just tell them to do as I say not as I do. ⁴⁵For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. He spent many hours each day teaching and healing all those who came to him. Jesus even washed the feet of the disciples in spite of their protests to give them a living example of what it takes to be great. This seems to go against all the advice of today’s society. We can read all kinds of material, watch all kinds of videos, attend all kinds of seminars and they all seem to encourage us to be forceful in fulfilling our goals. Those goals, we are taught, are to be the best at whatever we are trying to do. Sometimes we are taught that that might result in some questionable practices, but if we want to get ahead, you have to do it.

This reminds me of some politicians today. As we approach another election and have to decide who should lead us we should look at how our politicians represent us. Are they servants or do they use positions of power to rule over their constituents?  This is not to say that all politicians are power hungry tyrants or that God does not approve of a career in politics. All we have to do is look at the Old Testament at Joseph and Daniel as two examples of people God placed in positions within enemy empires, and not only in a position, but a powerful position within those kingdoms. Our system of government was founded on representatives serving the people they represent. Most, if not all, will campaign to be your servant in Columbia or Washington, but when they get there are their actions self-serving or representative of serving the voter?

What is really going on here with James and John is they are asking that their will be done over God’s will. Carson Wheitnauer states this is nothing but another form of idolatry. Now before we sit in judgment of these two disciples how many times have we prayed for something we wanted with no regard for God’s will?

·         “God, I promise I’ll do anything for you, if you’ll just get me an A on this test.”

·         “God, I know I haven’t been to church in a while, but please, I need a raise at work.”

Can you imagine if you did this in any other context? What if I said, “Terry, I need your help.” She’d go, “OK, how can I help?” And I said, “Can you find me another wife?” Terry would not be pleased. If I am looking for another wife, well, I’m already married. Asking my current wife to find me another wife is illogical, and offensive.[i] It also might not be the best way to ensure a good night’s sleep. Yet we don’t seem to have a problem asking God to replace Himself as the object of our worship with something else. 

Athletes can be the same way. Many of them are a “look at me” kind of player. What can I Tweet today that will keep me in the news? How can I make sure I don’t fade away from the public eye? Why is it so important for them to be seen and heard? Because with the notoriety comes money. With that comes admirers and people who now hold you up as some kind of hero to be worshiped. The funny thing is some will pray to God for Him to help them throw a TD pass or hit a homerun, not because they want to win, but because they want that next contract to be bigger than the one they have now. Something else placed ahead of God.

Not all athletes are that way. Two very familiar athletes here in South Carolina are not “me first” kind of players. I’m talking about Marcus Lattimore of South Carolina and DeAndre Hopkins of Clemson. Hopkins, affectionately known as Nuk, could have easily adopted a “me first” attitude after last season. Two years ago he was the freshman receiver who was going to be the next great thing at Clemson. He worked his way into the lineup and became a reliable option on a team that didn’t have quite the receiving talent they do now. Then last year in comes this guy named Sammy Watkins. Sensational freshman along with some other talented players and all of a sudden Nuk is an afterthought. Instead of engaging in some “me first” antics he gets back to work and commits himself to developing the talent God blessed him with. Now he is the leader on the team but still deflects attention. He recently was baptized after a practice in front of his teammates showing his faithful commitment to Christ.

Lattimore has risen to the level at South Carolina that affords him superstar status. One that means he can start lining up the people he wants around him that will be willing to serve him as he moves on the next level. Instead, he takes the time to serve others. We have an eighth grader at Gable who was just diagnosed with cancer this year. He is a huge Gamecock fan so at a pep rally a couple of weeks ago, he was presented with a autographed Marcus Lattimore jersey. Lattimore didn’t have to do that. In fact, he being a former Byrnes standout, a rival of Dorman, certainly didn’t have to do something nice for a kid who will one day attend Dorman. But he did. Service in the name of Christ is more important that football rivalries.  Both of those athletes glorify God with their service to others and by working hard to be successful.  Their success glorifies God. 

Now I am certainly not against hard work in order to be successful. Jesus doesn’t teach us to lie around and be lazy and serve people in the sense of wait for someone to tell us what to do. We are taught to actively serve others. Notice the scripture says ⁴⁴and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. A slave of all. If a George Clooney came around again to film a movie or Cam Newton or Chipper Jones was in town and we had a chance to serve them most people wouldn’t have a problem dropping whatever they had going on to go and help them for nothing. Just associating with them would be payment enough. What about the poor and neglected? Are we as willing to visit the sick, serve in the soup kitchen, or deliver meals to the homebound for nothing in return? I know some of you do just that. That is the kind of service we are called to do. Service to the church is no different. We also don’t have to think we are qualified to enter in to service either. God can use us to accomplish his will even when we feel inadequate.  When we humbly submit to his will things have a way of working out. In closing, let me share this story with you. It is from a mother of a cub scout.

My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in Cub Scouts only a short time. During one of his meetings he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give all to "dad".

That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. Dad was not receptive to doing things with his son. But Gilbert tried. Dad read the paper and scoffed at the idea of making a pine wood derby car with his young eager son. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. Finally, mom stepped in to see if she could figure this all out. The project began.

Having no carpentry skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the directions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. I read aloud the measurements, the rules of what we could do and what we couldn't do. Within days his block of wood was turning into a pinewood derby car. A little lopsided, but looking great (at least through the eyes of mom). Gilbert had not seen any of the other kids' cars and was feeling pretty proud of his "Blue Lightning", the pride that comes with knowing you did something on your own.

Then the big night came. With his blue pinewood derby car in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race. Once there my little one's pride turned to humility. Gilbert's car was obviously the only car made entirely on his own. All the other cars were a father-son partnership, with cool paint jobs and sleek body styles made for speed.

A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert's lopsided, wobbly, unattractive vehicle. To add to the humility, Gilbert was the only boy without a man at his side. A couple of the boys who were from single parent homes at least had an uncle or grandfather by their side, Gilbert had "mom".

As the race began it was done in elimination fashion. You kept racing as long as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the finely sanded ramp. Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car there. As the last race was about to begin, my wide eyed, shy eight year old asked if they could stop the race for a minute, because he wanted to pray. The race stopped.

Gilbert went to his knees clutching his funny looking block of wood between his hands. With a wrinkled brow he set to converse with his Father. He prayed in earnest for a very long minute and a half. Then he stood, smile on his face and announced, 'Okay, I am ready."

As the crowd cheered, a boy named Tommy stood with his father as their car sped down the ramp. Gilbert stood with his Father within his heart and watched his block of wood wobble down the ramp with surprisingly great speed and rushed over the finish line a fraction of a second before Tommy's car. Gilbert leaped into the air with a loud "Thank You" as the crowd roared in approval.

The Scout Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?" To which my young son answered, "Oh, no sir. That wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I wouldn't cry when I lost." -----

Children seem to have a wisdom far beyond us. Gilbert didn't ask God to win the race, he didn't ask God to fix the outcome. Gilbert asked God to give him strength in the outcome. When Gilbert first saw the other cars he didn't cry out to God, "No fair, they had a father's help!" No, Gilbert went to his Heavenly Father for strength.

Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to rig the race, to make us number one, or too much time asking God to remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get us through the struggle.[ii] Remember in order to be great we have to be willing to serve others and submit to God’s will and not our own. 

Let us pray.

---

[i] Illustration adapted from Carson Wheitnauer

[ii] (http://www.gospelweb.net/Illustrations/PinewoodDerby.htm)

October - Week Two

Please read the disclaimer from last week’s post. The same applies this week.

Fenced In

Job 42:10-17

October 14, 2012

Read Scripture

10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. ¹¹Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. ¹²The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. ¹³He also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. ¹⁵In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. ¹⁶After this Job lived for one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations. ¹⁷And Job died, old and full of days.

With the new season of TV shows having started recently I’m sure you’ve seen at least one show that starts with a scene of celebration where the characters are reminiscing about some recent success. Then at the bottom of the screen you see the words…three months ago…and we flashback to the events that led up to the final celebratory scene. The rest of the hour we are transported through all the trials and tribulations our favorite characters must go through before they come out on top. That is the approach we are taking this morning. We just read the end of the book of Job and find that Job has been blessed with twice as much as he had before and lived a long and full life. But when we flashback to the events that preceded this ending we see a story full of heartbreak and despair. The book of Job is about suffering. Often we view this story and ask the question, “Why do good people have to suffer?” Perhaps though the underlying wisdom this book provides us is “How to good people suffer?” To truly appreciate all this book has to offer I want to once again look at the historical background of the story of Job. Who wrote the book? When did it take place, etc? My research has concluded that we don’t know exactly who wrote the book or exactly when Job lived and endured these trials. However, neither is vital to the reader benefiting from the message. Best estimates however, place Job as living during the time of the patriarchs somewhere around Abraham, between Noah and Moses. Clues in the book such as the mention of a flood, but no mention of a Mosaic law leads me to believe a time around 1500-2000 BC is probably accurate. Who are the characters in the story? God, Satan (the Adversary), and Job are the main characters. We will also discuss four friends of Job that come to comfort him during his suffering as well as his wife and servants who play a part, but the story is really all about Job.

The book begins with an introduction to our main character, Job. He is credited as a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. It then lists his family and all of his possessions which go to show how blessed and successful he is. Then we read of a heavenly gathering before the Lord which includes Satan. Verse 7 begins; ⁷The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ⁸The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” ⁹Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” ¹²The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. There are a couple of things to notice here. Satan’s approach is different this time than when he came to Adam and Eve. Then he approached the humans and challenged them to rebel against God. This time his method is to approach God in an effort to discredit His sovereignty and love for creation. It is God though that challenges Satan. Satan believes that Job only loves and fears God because it is in his best interest. By doing so God has provided him with a large family and many possessions. Satan’s words are that God has fenced him in and shields him from hardship. In essence Satan is saying that God is bribing Job to be righteous. Of course God knows this isn’t true but allows Satan the power to inflict loss on Job, but not harm him personally. Satan accepts the challenge and immediately begins to disrupt Job’s life. There is one loss after another. First he loses his oxen and donkeys to the Sabeans who attack and kill all the servants but one and carry off the animals. While the lone survivor is telling Job another servant comes to tell him that fire from heaven, probably lightening has struck and killed all the sheep and the shepherds watching over them, except him. Before he finishes speaking, another servant comes to tell him his camels were taken by the Chaldeans and the servants that were with them were killed, with the exception of him. And finally, another servant comes to tell him that all of his children are dead because a great wind came across the desert and collapsed the house they were in, killing them all. Job’s response is written in verses 20-22; “²⁰Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. ²¹He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” ²²In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong-doing.

Chapter two begins with the heavenly beings again gathering before the Lord. God points out to Satan that even with all the calamity thrown upon him, Job continues to persist in his integrity. Satan basically says that men will give everything they have to save their own lives so Job hasn’t really proven anything yet. So God allows him again to inflict whatever illness he wants, but he must spare his life. It isn’t clear exactly what Job comes down with but we read that his body was covered in sores and he would take broken pottery and scrape his skin off as he sat among the ashes. Finally, his wife says to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God and die.” They believed back then that if you cursed God you would be instantly killed so she was encouraging him to do just that. His response to her is that she is talking foolishly. He says they should accept the bad things happening to them just as they had accepted the good things God provided. Job is at an all time low, but he still hasn’t cursed God.

The next several chapters deal with the dialogue between Job and his friends. The Bible tells us that as they approached Job they didn’t even recognize him he looked so bad. It was a week before they would even speak to him in his suffering state. They were waiting for him to speak first which was the custom of the time. If someone was suffering because of the loss of a family member, you would wait for the grieving person to speak first. Job finally does. What he says is that he curses the day of his birth. Now this isn’t the same as cursing God. He is stating that he just wishes he wasn’t even born. He would be better off having died in childbirth than to live this life of suffering. Even considering the riches he had before this he still wishes for death.  He feels fenced in by God. His friends then take turns speaking to him and his response to each is recorded. Basically they try to get him to repent for whatever sin is causing this suffering. They believe that his suffering is directly related to some sin he has committed. They along with most people during that time believed that all suffering was because of a sin and that suffering was proportional to the sin committed. Clearly because of the suffering Job was experiencing he had committed a serious sin. Job maintains his innocence. Job recognizes himself as a sinner, but also realizes that he has not done anything that approaches a good enough reason for him to be suffering this much.  His friend’s words were meant to comfort him and help explain why this was happening, but in fact, all they did was cause even more pain for Job. Throughout all the dialogue Job begins to seek an audience with God. He wants to bring his case before the Lord and needs an Advocate or Mediator. This points to the future incarnation of Christ who now serves as our Mediator which is what allows us to come before God with righteousness, with Christ’s righteousness. As we move forward in the book we then hear from Elihu, a younger man who can’t hold his tongue any longer. His speech goes on to say that all parties involves here are wrong. Job has it wrong as well as the other three men. He feels that Job is justifying himself instead of God and the three friends are providing no real answer and are only condemning Job. Job’s suffering should be viewed as discipline and it is used as a means to steer Job away from hell. He claims that God is just in everything He does and is not accountable to man. Elihu’s speech prepares the way for God to speak to Job.

Chapter 38 begins with the voice of God coming from the whirlwind challenging Job to answer a few questions himself. ⁴“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. ⁵Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? ⁶On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone ⁷when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? ⁸“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb?— ⁹when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, ¹⁰and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, ¹¹and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped’? ¹²“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, ¹³so that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? ¹⁴It is changed like clay under the seal, and it is dyed like a garment. ¹⁵Light is withheld from the wicked, and their uplifted arm is broken. ¹⁶“Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? ¹⁷Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? ¹⁸Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this. ¹⁹“Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, ²⁰that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? ²¹Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!” This type of questioning goes on through chapter 41. About halfway Job speaks and declares that he is of small account and has spoken once but will not speak again. He realizes his inadequacy to understand the workings of the Lord. When God finishes speaking Job does finally speak again and admits that God can do all things and that no purpose of His can be thwarted. He admits to uttering what he did not understand and he repents. The Lord then address the friends and rebukes them for what they had said and tells them to take a burnt offering to Job and have him pray on their behalf that He will not deal with them according to their folly. One thing to remember here is that we as the reader know the whole story. That is that God allowed this to happen as a challenge to Satan. Job never knows this. His possessions are restored and in fact doubled, and he has seven more children. An interesting viewpoint on why he only had seven more children and not fourteen since everything else was doubled, is that he will be reunited with his first seven children in heaven and thus his family will have doubled. As this story concludes and we find our main character on top again it is appropriate to point out that this poem is considered one of the greatest writings ever, secular or Biblical. Consider these quotes:

“Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work

only, I should save Job.” (Victor Hugo)

“…the greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature.” (Tennyson)

“The Book of Job taken as a mere work of literary genius, is one of the most wonderful

productions of any age or of any language.” (Daniel Webster)

http://executableoutlines.com/pdf/job_sg.pdf

So how can we use this beautiful work to help us in times of suffering? There are a few things we can take from this story. One is that even righteous people suffer. When you consider how upstanding a person Job was and the level of suffering he had to endure, we have to accept that we too are going to go through difficult times. And those difficult times are not proportional to any sin we have committed. The New Testament writers never tell us that accepting Christ is going to turn our lives into nothing but good times. In fact, we are told just the opposite. We can expect to be persecuted for our beliefs.

I’m reminded of the story of Chippie the parakeet. "Chippie never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage, sending a song into the air; the next second he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

"His problem began when his owner decided to clean his cage with a vacuum. She had stuck the nozzle in to suck up the seeds and feathers at the bottom of the cage when the nearby telephone rang. Instinctively she turned to pick it up. She had barely said hello when--ssswwwwwpppppp! Chippie got sucked in. She gasped, let the phone drop, and switched off the vacuum. With her heart in her mouth, she unzipped the bag.

"There was Chippie--alive but stunned--covered with heavy gray dust. She grabbed him and rushed to the bathtub, turned on the faucet full blast, and held Chippie under a torrent of ice-cold water, power washing him clean. Then it dawned on her that Chippie was soaking wet and shivering. So she did what any compassionate pet owner would do: she snatched up the hair dryer and blasted him with hot air.

"Did Chippie survive? Yes, but he doesn't sing much anymore. He just sits and stares a lot. It's not hard to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over! It's enough to steal the song from any stout heart." Life is like that sometimes. You never see it coming, but life just sucks you up, washes you up and blows you over.

http://www.sermonnotebook.org/old%20testament/job%202_7-13.htm

Another lesson learned from this story is that we, as humans, cannot fully understand God’s mind and how each event in our lives relates to another. When you read the questions God asked Job that were intended to qualify him to understand why this was happening we can see that we don’t even approach the ability to understand. Some questions just won’t be answered on this side of heaven.

And finally, suffering allows God to be glorified by not only the person suffering, but those around him. You know the saying, “Boy, winning the lottery really changed him.” Did it? Or did it change those around the man that won? Both could be true. It’s the same with suffering. No one really suffers alone. People are affected when someone they love is battling difficult times or health issues. How those people respond as well as how those around them respond can bring honor and glory to God. We are not expected to sit quietly and “grim and bear it” when we are in suffering. God expects us to cry out to him, to cry out to those around us for support. We are not expected to face struggles alone.

I’m wearing three bracelets this morning and have since school started back this year. All three represent someone I know who has glorified God in suffering. This blue one was given to me when Hannah Sobeski was battling cancer as a teenager. She later entered into God’s glory ending her battle but never losing faith along the way. This yellow one is for Austin Simpson, who many of you contributed to a fund raiser Allison organized on his behalf a few year ago right here at our FLC, who as an eighth grader continues to battle Duchenne muscular dystrophy. And this green one is for Jacey Bagwell who many of you know, who has battled and overcome cancer, but continues to deal with the life changing effects of that struggle. None of these kids or their families sinned so great as to deserve this struggle. But what each of them and their families has done is glorify God in the midst of this suffering. What this community has done in support of them glorified God. Why did this have to happen? I don’t know. But God in His infinite wisdom has a plan for each of us. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-9 “³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. ⁶ If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. ⁷ Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” Jesus says in John 10: 28-29, “²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” It doesn’t matter what the struggle is, how great or small it is, or how it ends. God chose us. He will not let us slip through his hands. And even when we don’t know why we have to suffer, we can look to the book of Job for an example of how the righteous suffer. When we feel fenced in and nothing but pain and suffering is around us we can do as the Psalmist said, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2.)

Let us pray.

*The following was not a part of the sermon but I am including it in the blog post.

If you are a football fan at all then you know that the month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The reason football fans know this is because of all the pink you see NFL players wearing during this month. I’m gonna take this time to tell you something I think some of you are aware of and some of you might not be aware of…(Journey fans will appreciate that)

September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that, according to the American Childhood Cancer Association, childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of children -- more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS -- combined? Forty-six children and adolescents are diagnosed every single day. One in every 330 children develops cancer before age 19. One in every five children diagnosed with cancer will die. The federal budget for National Cancer Institute is $4.6 billion. Of that, breast cancer receives 12 percent, prostate cancer 7 percent, and all 12 major groups of pediatric cancers combined receive less than 3 percent of all funding. [Emphasis mine]

Despite the increased number of cases of pediatric cancer, 80 percent of childhood cancer cases are treated successfully. While most childhood cancers are considered highly curable, survival often comes with a "cost." Two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors face at least one chronic health condition and many survivors will receive on-going monitoring and continued physical and psychological care throughout their lives. In addition to the lifelong health implications, treating childhood cancer often comes at a great financial cost to families. The average out-of-pocket cost for a family with a child battling cancer is more than $9,700. Even in cases where health insurance is available, expenses can add up quickly. In addition to the cost of cancer diagnosis and treatment, the hidden costs of food, transportation, and accommodation often add to the financial burden for these families.

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sherri-bushong-maxey/childhood-cancer-awareness-month-_b_1878906.html)

Other Childhood Cancer Facts

Did you know?

• On the average, one in every four elementary schools has a child with cancer. The average high school has two students who are current or former cancer patients.
• Childhood cancers affect more potential patient-years of life than any other cancer except breast and lung cancer.
• The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown. At present, childhood cancer cannot be prevented.
• Childhood cancer occurs regularly, randomly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region. In the United States, the incidence of cancer among adolescents and young adults is increasing at a greater rate than any other age group, except those over 65 years.
• Despite these facts, childhood cancer research is vastly and consistently underfunded.

(http://www.alexslemonade.org/resources/facts)

I wanted to bring this to your attention because there are many worthy causes out there vying for your tax deductible donation. Reputable organizations use those funds wisely and make sure they help those that you are intending to help. I certainly don’t want anyone to stop giving to a cause they believe in. However, maybe the next time you see a fund raiser designed to help out a family who has a child battling any one of a number of childhood cancers or diseases, you might take the time to donate whether or not you get a deduction on your taxes. It also won’t matter if you know the family or not. They will appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Sonny