What Hath God Wrought?

It was a new day in 1858 when America and Great Britain celebrated the first trans-Atlantic cable message from Queen Victoria to President James Buchanan. The 99-word message took 17 hours and 40 minutes to travel under the sea. The message was transmitted on Aug. 16 and delivered on Aug. 17.

Contrast this with a modern couple who posted photos of their newborn daughter on the Internet within minutes of her birth for their American family to view. Nothing unusual about this, except the new father and mother were in Japan!

A few years ago I got a church ministry assistant in another city on the phone. I sent a photo attachment to her via computer and talked with her as she identified the people in the picture to me.  Such was impossible a few years ago when we relied on mail service that might take days to accomplish. I talked about this in class the next day and the college students simply rolled their eyes!

Young people take instantaneous communication for granted, but I still sometimes marvel at what we have now. We've come a long way since Samuel F. B. Morse's simple telegraph message in 1844: "What hath God wrought?"

Not only is communication far swifter today, but there's more of it. The latest figures available state nearly seven billion cell phones are in use. I still find it hard to fathom that grammar school children have cell phones in their backpacks, but it's a new day. I've chided college students for bringing phones to class fearing they might potentially interrupt, but many students don't wear wrist watches anymore. Their cell phones are their watches.

By the way, I understand the most common question when talking on a cell phone is "Where are you?" Former NPR on-air personality Garrison Keillor was correct when he called them modern-day “locator devices"!

We have a lot to say today and we can say it very quickly.

During this Easter season we focus on a very significant message delivered by an angel at the empty tomb: "He is not here. He is risen" (Matthew 28: 6). 

Angels in the Bible have two purposes: to praise God and to deliver messages. Come to think of it, Christians have the same calling. We praise God corporately in public worship and privately in personal devotion. And we're charged to complete the four Easter imperatives in our lives: come, see, go and tell (vs. 6-7).

We've found forgiveness and new life in Christ. Now it's God's plan that we take the message to others. And God is good to have given us modern technology the church can "baptize" and use to communicate to our world.

A Friday To Remember

The wind in my face was bitterly cold in downtown Dallas a few years ago. My continuing education classes had ended at the seminary in nearby Ft. Worth, so the afternoon was free for some sightseeing.

A chill came over me independent of the temperature when I walked onto Dealey Plaza and saw firsthand those sights emblazoned in my memory: Elm Street, the triple overpass and the sixth floor window.

I thought back to that terrible Friday in November, 1963. Our class had just returned from lunch when Mr. Vines, our principal, made an announcement on the intercom.

“Boys and girls,” he said, “some of you may’ve heard already that our president’s been shot. Let’s try to finish out the day in school and I’ll let you know the latest news when I hear more.”

Nevertheless, the senseless death of President Kennedy so paralyzed us that I don’t remember our doing much work in school that Friday afternoon. I remember being glued to the television throughout the weekend and during the funeral on Monday.

That Friday in November will live in the bad memory section of my brain forever.

This week the world remembers another bleak Friday on which Jesus of Nazareth was murdered.

His death was senseless, too, for he’d done no wrong. In fact, bribed witnesses had to be brought in to lie about him at his trial. One of the thieves who died with him realized Jesus' innocence: “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23: 41).

British writer Richard Jefferies told of a little boy who gazed at a graphic painting of Calvary and exclaimed, “If God had been there, he wouldn’t have let them do it!”

But God was there! He wasn't removed from the event at Calvary. Paul insisted “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19).

God was present at the cross, and he showed us that he loves us in spite of disobedience, that he offers forgiveness to all and that he wants to be our partner in building a life filled with hope.

God’s redemptive plan wasn’t completed on Friday. The Father was faithful to his son and raised him on the third day. Now God promises to welcome all his children on the other side of death.

In light of God’s ultimate plan we believers have renamed that awful Friday. 

We call it Good Friday. 

And so it is.

Wise Counsel From Prison

He was young when he became interested in the work of John the Baptist, and through him met Jesus. But now he was an old man facing the wrath of Rome. The city burned in July 64, and the corrupt Emperor Nero found a scapegoat in the Christians. The followers of Jesus were a peaceful people who went about doing good but were easy to falsely accuse. 

All Peter had to do was deny Christ and go free. But he remained faithful.

We think Peter might have written his first letter during his time of incarceration. He took a moment to exhort younger pastors who would carry on the work in his absence (1 Peter 5: 1-4).

“Work willingly, and not of compulsion,” he wrote. This means that the call of God thrust upon a pastor is a joyful burden. Pastors serve because they see value in the work of helping others, not because they feel pressure from anyone or any source. The adage is true, “Do what you love, and you won’t work a day in your life.”

Secondly, Peter said the pastor mustn’t work for wealth, or as the King James Version states, avoid “filthy lucre.” I’ve known very few pastors who tried to grow rich. Most have the burden of school debts and the burden of self-employment taxes according to IRS guidelines! I’m probably typical of many, and I completed my degree work at age 31 and purchased my first house at age 35.

There was a standing joke at the seminary I attended. One couple lamented that they again had pork and beans for dinner the night before.

“What! You mean you had pork with your beans?” another couple exclaimed!

There have been celebrated cases of some who handled money irresponsibly in their quest for wealth, but, fortunately, these are few.

Finally, Peter advised the younger pastors to lead by example, not by fiat. A pastor must exercise authority as he administers the church, but his leadership must be empowering and respectful. In an emergency, he can say, “Do this now!” But in the customary work of ministry he must say, “I believe this is the best way. Let’s do it together.” And his life must reflect the principles he preaches on Sunday. It must be “do as I do,” not, “do as I say.”

Of course, no pastors are sinless, and they need to readily admit it when they mess up, repenting before the Lord and confessing to the people. Part of leading by example is being open to our mistakes and turning from them when we learn better.

Peter’s words from prison yet encompass sage advice for pastors as they shepherd the Lord’s flock.

Suffering For The Right Reason

I was completing my junior year at Minor High School when Ms. Lamb pulled me aside one day and said A.B. Baggott and I were named to Boys State that summer. I wasn’t sure what this was, but she explained it was a week-long civics lesson including a trip to the state capital for meetings with elected leaders. And so it happened that I was assigned to City Nine with 40-50 other high-schoolers.

Part of Boys State was the military regime of morning calisthenics and marching to meals and classes. Some of the City Nine boys decided to invent marching cadences with profanity and sexual references. After a few days I went to talk with our counselor. I told him I’d just made a recommitment of faith and was trying to be a better Christian, and these cadences weren’t honoring to God nor to the purpose of Boys State.  He agreed, and suggested we have nightly devotions the final three nights. He asked me to lead the devotions. I quickly assented, though later remembering I was away from home without devotional aids in hand!

I heard some grumbling in the showers the next morning after the plan was announced. But each city awarded a Best Citizen Award at the end of the week, and City Nine gave me its award.

I’ve told this story to youth groups over the years not to praise myself, but to illustrate that often when we take a stand, we face affirmation rather than derision.

I really can’t say I ever suffered for my faith. Boys State was the closest I ever came, and even that fell short of suffering. But Simon Peter knew suffering first hand. He was pastor of the Christian church in Rome. He preached a gospel of peace and did good works but was arrested with the false charge of plotting to burn the city. He wrote to fellow believers in Rome and told them suffering is part of following Christ, and we must do so with joy, seeking to bring honor to God. But he also exhorted his spiritual family not to suffer as law-breakers. Christians are to be law-abiding citizens in all respects (1 Peter 4: 12-19).

It’s always disconcerting to hear Christians hide behind their testimony when they’re caught with their hands in the cookie jar. One robbery suspect did this in Mobile last year when on the “perp walk” at the Mobile Police Department he told reporters, “I love Jesus to death!”

We’ve also seen this kind of thing more recently and more seriously with sexual abuse accusations.

When Christians mess up, we must acknowledge our wrong and repent, not hide behind the façade of hypocritical faith.

Thank God For Billy Graham

I respect churches who allow young preachers to hold forth in their earliest days of ministry. I was 17 when I preached the first time. I told the church all I knew, and a lot I wasn’t sure of, in my 11-minute sermon!

I was a Samford student when a church in the Birmingham area contacted me about filling their pulpit. It became an eight-month commitment as their interim pastor. I remember a senior adult in the church named Charlie. He was retired and went to Bible conferences all over the area, and everybody knew him.

The Billy Graham organization planned a crusade at Legion Field in 1972. Charlie was involved. He told me to come “backstage” one night and he’d introduce me to Billy Graham. I thought, “Right!”, but I met Charlie backstage one night and he introduced me to Billy Graham. I was so taken by the man’s presence I think the only words I thought of to say were, “God bless you, sir.” He shook my hand and he was gone.

I’ve jokingly told folks over the years that I’ve had a blessed ministry since I once shook hands with Billy Graham, “and the glory of God spilled out all over me”!

The world lost a great man recently when Graham made his heavenly homegoing.

He’s one of very few non-politicians who lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, and whose funeral was attended by the president and vice president of the United States.

A hobby club friend posted on social media last week his opinion that Graham’s ministry was tainted because he didn’t speak out strongly for civil rights. Au contraire, I responded to him. I remembered the ’72 event, and the Graham organization’s insistence that the crusade be fully integrated. This brought a measure of blow-back from racists in our town, I’m sorry to say. But Graham was a pioneer in bringing all people together and to Christ.

I’m sure Graham could’ve been more outspoken for civil rights or world peace or whatever else, but he was single-minded in his quest to present Christ to as many as possible throughout the world.

The Apostle Paul was also single-minded. He’s been criticized for tolerating slavery in the Roman Empire. It’s been estimated that one-third of the Empire were slaves. But if Paul had taken a stand, the Empire would’ve crushed him like a bug. He chose, rather, to plant churches to do the work of Christ. Paul planted a seed, however, when he told Philemon to treat his runaway slave not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ.

Thank God for Billy Graham and his single-minded quest to preach grace to a needy world.

I Will Make You Fishers of Men

I see him frequently in a local business, and we often joke a bit when I’m in his check-out line. Recently he was on his knees stocking shelves when I came in.

“It’s good to see you on your knees praying,” I said with a smile.

When he came to the counter to help me after I got what I needed, he said, “I don’t pray. I’m an atheist and it works out well for me.”

I was a bit surprised by his serious reaction to my light-hearted comment. Then he continued, “I don’t fear for eternity. I think I’ll be fine.”

I suppose I navigate in a tight circle and don’t often meet self-proclaimed atheists, though some studies suggest around 12 percent of Americans say they don’t believe in God. I’m in a hobby club with an atheist and we’re friends. I tell my friend frequently that I pray for him that he’d find Christ. And I responded to my clerk friend, “Well, eternity is one thing, but serving Christ in life is a happy experience.”

It’s not just atheists that the church meets, but also those who are apathetic. Fewer people attend services now than in the past. One source suggests 40 percent of Americans attend worship, but only 28 percent of those between 23 and 37. And it’s not unusual to see many churches having fewer services or even closing their doors. I saw in a home and garden magazine in a doctor’s office about an architect who transformed a chapel into a family residence. We have a former church in our community that’s now a police annex.

Churches have reacted to new realities in a variety of ways, including additional service times, website and online giving options and using social media. Even Pope Francis has more than 10 million Twitter followers.

Our church installed a projector a few years ago when we re-lamped the sanctuary. One lady was outspoken in opposition fearing that we planned to “put the hymns on the screen.” We didn’t until an 80-year-old saint requested it. She said she had carpal tunnel in her hands and holding the hymnal could be painful. A senior adult prodded us to try something new!

Stats also assert that about half of unchurched Americans would consider attending church if invited by friends. All of us rely on friends when we move to a new community and need a doctor, dentist or hairdresser. And Christians who make friends can be true friends by inviting others to worship with them.

And we mustn’t discount the power of prayer as Christians. We believe in the power of God that can melt hard hearts and bring people to faith.

How Would Jesus Drive?

It was a number of years ago that eight-year-old Whitney stopped me in the church hallway.

With hands on hips she said, “Preacher, you need to wear your seatbelt!”

Her mother laughed and explained they’d passed me in the city that week and perceptive Whitney saw I was beltless. She couldn’t wait to chide me at church the next Sunday. And justifiably so since I was at fault.

I thought about Whitney lately when I spoke from 1 Peter—a book Southern Baptists are studying this year. Peter wrote, “Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they observe, glorify God . . .” (1 Peter 2: 12).

Christians were ridiculed and lied about in Peter’s day. Nero blamed Christians for the burning of Rome, accused them of cannibalism when they observed communion and said they were disloyal citizens since they had a higher authority than Rome. But, Peter insisted, unbelievers must not be able to ridicule us because of the wrong we do. A part of doing right is obeying the laws of the land, including traffic laws.

I took the familiar WWJD (“What would Jesus do?”) bracelet in the message and changed it to HWJD, or “How would Jesus drive?”

I told our congregation that I’m sure Jesus would drive safely, obey the speed limit and be courteous to other drivers. And if we follow him, we must do the same.

I asked our members how they taught their 15 and 16-year-old children to drive, and if they drove the same way. This sobering question is worthy of deep reflection, for many Christians leave holiness at home when they get into their automobiles.

Oh, my. They had the torches, tar and pitchforks out for me after the sermon! Actually, it wasn’t that bad. But to alleviate the tension, I told our people the kind of car Jesus drove: a Christsler. One of our worshippers spoke up and said, “But the disciples were in one Accord.” Normally parishioners are to say “amen” to the pastor, but this retort was a good one and we all had a good laugh.

But back to the main idea, Christianity is to superintend every part of our lives. Jesus said we’re to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). And this certainly includes the time we spend behind the wheel. None of us is guiltless, of course, but we must guard our personal witness. I blew it with young Whitney, but now, 20 years later, I still think of her and don’t want to disappoint others with my carelessness or rebellion. We must be Christians 24/7.

Behold. How They Love One Another

The season of love is here, and most of us are thinking of ways to show others how much we love them.

A teacher colleague always waited until the day following Valentine’s Day to buy his wife candy because the store had a BOGO sale that day. His argument was that she got two boxes of candy, and her argument was that her gift was the day after Valentine’s Day. This happened so often that I suppose they agreed to disagree and continued with the process.

Love is a major theme in scripture. We’re reminded in the 25 most important words of the Bible that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John 3:16). True love always gives, and God set the example in giving sacrificially for our benefit.

Once we commit to follow the Lord, we also commit to love others. As Simon Peter wrote, “see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22).

The older I get the more I see brokenness in families. I’ve known brothers and sisters who harbored animosity, and parents who have nothing to do with their children. Sometimes parents practice “tough love” when children are chemical abusers, but most often the brokenness I’ve seen is due to inheritance issues that accentuate human greed. A little bit of money can bring out the worst in human character.

I’ve known two brothers, and two sisters from another family, who worshipped every Sunday in the same church while despising one another.

In our spiritual family, too, love must be supreme. We can disagree over carpet, paint and furniture, but there should be no question about our love for one another.

The words of the Apostle John are sobering: “He that loves not his own brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20).

A pastor I knew befriended a church drop-out, and the drop-out told his story. He was in a business meeting when the pastor tried to encourage the church to buy a bus to pick up neighborhood children for Bible study. This was in the era of church bus ministries when this was common. The meeting became heated when some members objected to spending money for such ministry. In the middle of the meeting a man leapt to his feet and shouted, “Shut up, preacher! Shut up!” The drop-out told my friend that this was the kind of thing one might see in a bar but shouldn’t see in a church.

It was said of the early church by their critics, “Behold, how they love one another.” We should strive for this same kind of criticism.

True Love

In this season of Valentine's Day, it was strange to read about a love-crazed Michigan woman who tried to use the classified website "Craigslist" to hire a killer.

Authorities said the woman posted two ads for "silent assassins" to "eradicate" a California woman whom she saw as a romantic rival. She was arrested after being indicted by a grand jury and faces up to 30 years in prison for soliciting an assassin.

Love causes folk to do some strange things. Love figures into the plot of many Shakespearian plays, sometimes bringing about great harm. I saw the movie "O" recently, a modern adaptation of "Othello," and was reminded of how love can be perverted.

The apostle Paul wrote a summary of true love in 1 Corinthians--a summary that cannot be improved.

The apostle wrote to a troubled church. This fellowship was filled with problems that mocked the church's reputation in the community.

One problem was lack of order in worship. Some church members chose to deliver messages in a "Spirit language" that others didn't understand. This brought about Paul's assertion that he'd rather speak five plain words for the benefit of those seeking God than 10,000 words in a Spirit language that was misunderstood. And if the Spirit language were used, Paul insisted it be used with guidelines.

"Let all things be done decently and in order," he wrote.

And some Corinthian women, rejoicing in a freedom to participate in Christian worship denied them in Jewish worship, used their freedom irresponsibly by casting off social custom.

"What will people think who come to you to hear about God?" Paul asked.

The service of communion had likewise become perverted. The Corinthians celebrated this event much like our tradition of covered dish meals, but worshippers selfishly refused to wait on their Christian brothers and went ahead with their eating and drinking.

Amid all these problems, Paul wrote the beautiful love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13.

Inspired preaching or Spirit language or acts of mercy pale in comparison to love, he said.

Then getting to the very heart of the matter, the he insisted love "seeketh not her own" (v. 5). Another translation says, "love is not selfish."

True love is one that seeks the advancement of others over ourselves. True love means we are servants to others and desire their well-being more than our own. True love means that we never seek the harm of others but their fulfillment in life. True love is giving, not taking.

Paul's standard is still valid.

Unselfish love is the kind God showed when he sent his son to save us all, and unselfish love is yet the standard all who follow him must seek.

Living in God's Grace

We had an interesting Sunday School lesson recently about disciples of John the Baptist. One was Apollos who didn’t know much, or anything, about Jesus, but was a first-rate preacher. He reminds me of the old description of a fanatic: one who has lost sight of any objective but has redoubled his efforts! And then there were a dozen John the Baptist disciples who had never heard of God’s Holy Spirit. All of this is in Acts 18-19.

Our teacher summarized the anomaly by saying that these John followers were living “between dispensations.” They were in the old covenant instead of the new. They lived without knowledge of what God did by sending Christ to save us from our sins.

“Between dispensations” intrigued me. I began to think about some I’ve known over the years who perhaps did the same. They found themselves somehow sandwiched between Old Testament legalism and New Testament grace.

We had a high school coach who felt called to ministry. He came back from a conference believing Christians shouldn’t have television sets in their home. He tossed his and encouraged his church to follow his example. And I had an uncle whose church taught the same thing. It was odd that he kept his TV in the attic and went up there secretly to watch!

It was common in those days for preachers to rail against cigarettes. I remember services where men would put their cigarettes on the altar, making a promise to stop smoking. These were heart-felt commitments, to be sure, and with what medical science now knows, it makes sense not to use tobacco. But there is a dearth of scripture about this, and I suppose one can smoke and be a follower of Christ. The prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon, used to say he smoked cigars to the glory of God!

I remember being exhorted not to play cards or go to car races as a young Christian. In the intervening years I’ve often joked about eating being the only sin we Baptists can enjoy since we can’t drink, smoke, dance or play cards!

Certainly, I understand the need for moral instruction, and that believers ought to refrain from questionable activities that would harm our influence on those weaker in faith. But I believe falling into legalism to be accepted by God is living between dispensations.

That’s Old Testament.

The new Testament teaches about a God of grace who accepts us as we are, puts his Spirit within us to guide us, and patiently leads us in good decision-making. He works in our lives to make us better people. And grace means he doesn’t stop loving us when we mess up.

Take Charge of Your Money

I was probably 10 or 11 when we visited with a relative one weekend. The family pulled out a deck of cards and I played poker for the first time. My dad was a simple man, and he simply said to me on the drive back home, “Michael, those cards can get you into a lot of trouble.” Point taken.

But there are other cards that can get us into trouble, too: credit cards.

Over 200 million Americans own them, averaging 2.3 cards per user. Of this number 75 million pay their entire debt every month, but 125 million carry debt from month-to-month with interest. The average debt is $8000, which is down a bit from a high of $10,500 in 2008. According to the website, wisebread.com, paying the minimum payment on a credit card purchase results in doubling the original debt over the course of the loan. In other words, if we charge a purchase with a card, we may end up paying twice the price for the item for the sake of instant gratification.

Compare typical credit card interest of 15-22 percent with a bank loan of four or five percent.

Jesus said a person’s life doesn’t consist in the abundance of possessions, but we’ve been arguing with him every since. Our world says things add to quality of life and we can own them now; we don’t have to save our money.

God’s people in the Old Testament honored the Lord with their “first fruits.” The farmers knew the first of the harvest was the best, and it was what they brought to God as a sacrifice. The principle is that God is worthy of our best (Leviticus 2:12).

Modern believers know that rather than bringing grain or sheep to God, the tithe is the way we express this principle. We honor God with our income—the first check, as it were.

But the average Christian gives 2.6 percent of their income to God.

A denominational official talked about this in a pastors meeting years ago. He suggested it might be advantageous to encourage our members, many of whom were mired in debt, to increase their gifts to God by a percentage each year, moving to the biblical tithe. One of my friends sitting nearby grew red-faced and shouted, “OK. If I’m having two affairs, you’re saying I only need to give up one?”

My friend was lobbying for strict obedience, and that’s fine. But I tend to agree with the denominational official’s more reasoned approach. I challenged those in our church recently in the 2.6 percent category to consider increasing their gifts incrementally to the Lord in 2018 as a way of honoring and trusting him.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses

I’ve known a few pastors over the years who seemed to generate conflict, even taking it as a sign of faithfulness to God. Such as the pastor who fired the choir. There was some intrigue going on in music ministry and he simply announced from the pulpit that the choir was toast. I’m unaware of efforts he might have made previously to reconcile, but I always thought this was a good example of how not to win friends and influence people! A few weeks later he was toast.

But it’s also true that many pastors, while trying to be good shepherds to the flock, stumble into issues not of their making.

I was preparing to leave town on a Saturday morning several years ago for an out-of-state conference with an airline ticket in hand. I’ve always been diligent to fulfill these opportunities to gain new ideas and meet new people. The telephone rang minutes before I needed to leave. A church member announced her mother had died that morning and they wanted me to do the funeral on Monday.

Her mother wasn’t a member of our church, but a lady I’d met in the local nursing home.

I politely explained that I’d be out of town and that the deacons were aware that my associate would handle things for me until I returned. I’ve driven home to conduct funerals when this was possible, but this wasn’t possible with an out-of-state, non-cancelable event. She wasn’t happy with this and let me know when I returned that though my associate eventually conducted the service, she’d spent money on two long-distance telephone calls trying to enlist former pastors to speak at the service. This was in the day when long distance tolls were 30 and 40 cents.

Years later when I left that place the church had a reception for me.

“Michael, you’ve been a good pastor, but the only issue I ever had with you was trying to find a preacher to do mother’s funeral,” she said.

I’ve thought about this experience over the years wondering if I could’ve done something different. I don’t think so. But I’ve always been bothered to know that she felt I let her down, though I was as apologetic as I could possibly be.

The fifth petition in The Lord’s Prayer is that we ask God to forgive us just as we forgive others. This is the only petition that has a footnote, for Jesus elaborated on it at the end of the prayer.

The Christian life only works when we take God’s forgiveness and grant it to others. All of us need forgiveness for offenses grave and less than grave, but offenses nevertheless.

Watch My Back

It was like Christmas all over again when I decided to reorganize my clothes closet. I found a warm jacket I’d forgotten about, and it’s been comfortable in these frigid days. And I found a suit I’d not worn in some time—a three button suit that looked nice. I wore it to church on Christmas Eve and felt good about myself. A nice lady asked if I was wearing a new suit. I told her no, it was “recycled.” Then she said, “But, there’s a hole in the back of your jacket.” Slipping it off, I saw there was. Somehow in dressing that morning I’d not noticed a tear in the jacket, especially since the suit is dark. This just proves once again that choir members have a vantage point in church that others don’t have. Not only do they get to see the bald spot on the pastor’s head, but they get to see any tears in the back of his jacket!

I told this story in church the next Sunday and we all had a good laugh.

My wife and I had a pastor when we were teen-agers who used to lament from the pulpit that his wife couldn’t afford a new dress. I thought about him, wondering if some church member would take pity on me having to wear “holy” suits to church. So far, no benevolence!

The poet Robert Burns didn’t see a tear in the minister’s suit, but he did see a louse on a lady’s bonnet in church, prompting his famous line: “Oh would some Power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us.”

One responsibility we have in the body of Christ is to help one another see ourselves as we really are. We all have blind spots we can’t deal with if we don’t know they exist. Some might call this confrontation, but this is a strong word. Confrontation implies a stern reprimand with a view to repentance. Sometimes we do need a strong word to shake us out of our lethargy, or out of our callousness. But at other times we need a gentle word about improving some area of our character.

Several years ago, I heard Southern Baptist leader Jimmy Allen teach the book of Ephesians to a group of pastors. He dealt with the well-known image of the Christian soldier in chapter six—the sword of the Spirit and the breastplate of righteousness and the like--but insisted the soldier was vulnerable. We were a bit puzzled, until he told us the soldier was vulnerable to an attack from the rear. Then he said, “The Christian army protects one another. We watch one another’s back.”

The What Ifs Of Life

We often hear about the new president's "first 100 days." Writer Thurston Clarke published a history in 2013 not of the president’s first 100 days, but of his last 100 days. The president is John Kennedy and the book documents what JFK was doing day-by-day before the tragedy of Dallas. Clarke pulled together narratives from many sources and many cities. The reader feels a sense of dread as the days tick by and Nov. 22 approaches.

An intriguing aspect of this book is the initiatives Kennedy began that he wasn’t able to complete.

He ordered the removal of 1000 American advisors from Vietnam by December, making clear he saw the war as unwinnable and planning to remove all U.S. troops before the war escalated. He also made secret overtures to Fidel Castro in Cuba, promising better relations if Castro would cease exporting soldiers to other Latin American nations. JFK intended to seek an opening to China as well, many years before President Nixon’s historic trip. Kennedy pushed a tax cut bill that he believed would promote greater prosperity in the nation. He also took new interest in the plight of Soviet Jews and promised to do what he could to help them gain greater freedom.

And on a more personal note, the death of their newborn son, Patrick, brought the Kennedys to a new closeness in their marriage.

We can only imagine the “what ifs” had the assassination not taken place in November.

I’m convinced many of us are tormented with “what ifs” in our lives. “What if I’d gone to the doctor sooner?” or “What if I’d not driven that route that day?” or “What if I’d been morally stronger?”

Alas, the “what ifs” plague us, but there’s nothing we can do to alter the course of the past. No one of us, no matter how strong, is strong enough to pull back the hands of a clock.

This is why St. Paul’s word in Philippians 3 has always been one of my favorite texts in the season of New Year. “Forgetting those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the high calling of Christ,” he wrote (Phil. 3: 13-14).

We do learn from the past, to be sure, but Paul’s word is to forget the failings that discourage us, and to infuse our lives with a new and greater purpose.

The message of the Christian gospel is that there need not be any “has-beens” in God’s kingdom. He is the Lord of mercy who specializes in restoring his wayward people from their failures and dashed hopes. And he promises to be our partner in building a meaningful life of service to himself and others.

Time For Resolutions

It was a moment of levity on an altogether sad day.

We buried a wonderful Christian man several months ago. His death was premature in our judgment and we were heartbroken to lose him. The family elected to return to our church for a meal after we left the cemetery, and the nice ladies in the church had everything ready for us.

While we were eating, the area directors for Weight Watchers came early to set up for their inaugural meeting that evening. We'd recently agreed to the organization's request to make our church their Shelby County site. We feasted in the fellowship hall (since eating is the only sin Baptists can enjoy!) and then walked past the two weigh-in stations in the hallway just outside. I thought, you can't make this stuff up!

It reminded me of a study done by the University of Scranton that found weight loss the number one resolution Americans make each year, followed by exercise and smoking cessation.

The study determined that those who make resolutions are ten times more likely to see positive change in their lives than those who don't. Even though we often joke about breaking resolutions, there is evidence they work. And now’s the time we traditionally think about resolutions.

Luke 2:52 covers 18 years in Jesus's life. The gospel writer says Jesus grew mentally, physically, socially and spiritually. These are good categories for modern believers to consider as we formulate resolutions.

For example, we can grow mentally by reading and taking classes. We can grow physically by beginning an exercise regime or taking up a fun sport offering exercise as a fringe-benefit. We can grow socially by joining a civic club or a hobby group or by repairing broken relationships with others. And we can grow spiritually by making a new commitment to support our church, and a quest to discover and use our spiritual gifts in ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Positive change is necessary in our lives because the Bible urges us to "redeem the time" (Ephesians 5:16). Death comes to us all and ends opportunities to invest in worthwhile things.

The Social Security Administration has an actuarial table on their website. The user puts in their age and the table shows a projected age. I put in my age and found my statistical life expectancy is 17.12 years. Of course, this is only a guess. My dad lived to be 92 after a 30-year retirement.

The point is we're all terminal. Death is coming whether welcomed or not, and we must use the time God gives us to honor him and serve others.

With this in mind, what are your resolutions for 2018?

The Christmas Villain

One of the villains of Christmas is the innkeeper. It’s no wonder the little boy assigned that role in his church’s Christmas pageant did so unwillingly. On the big night the boy stepped forward to speak his part, “I’m sorry. There is no room in the inn.” Then he added, “But please come in for a cup of coffee.”

The innkeeper seems to get more animosity than Herod, the real villain of Bethlehem. Having been an innkeeper, I must admit, has colored my understanding. Potential guests sometimes argued with me about rooms, but if there’s no room, there’s no room. Joseph is the one at fault. He should’ve phoned ahead for a reservation and guaranteed it with his credit card!

The innkeeper really isn’t a villain, but an exemplary person of compassion. He did what he was trained to do—help people. He gave what he had to Jesus. The barn at least offered shelter. It was better than having the expectant Mary camp outside.

We, too, can give what we have to the Christ of Christmas.

We can give our money. Some may argue that they don’t have much, but that’s not the issue. And it’s true that God doesn’t need our money since he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. But giving is a God-given way to keep our hearts warm.

There is a natural illustration in Israel. The Sea of Galilee is teeming with life, and pours this life south through the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is dead because nothing flows out—it constantly receives.

We’re either Sea of Galilee people or Dead Sea people.

We can give our words. If Christ is lord of our lives he must be lord of our tongues, too.

Dr. John Howell told of a counselee who grew up feeling worthless because her father’s most oft-spoken words to her as a child were, “You are stupid.” It’s hard to imagine a father saying this, but it’s hard to imagine in our saner moments that we speak cruel words to others—words that can sting and scar.

One lady had it right when she said she “tasted” every word before speaking.

We can give service. All of us have gifts we can use in the service of Christ. We may not preach like Peter or pray like Paul. We may not sing like Elvis or play like Liberace. But there’s some ministry we can do for the glory of God.

Methodist evangelist Sam Jones used to say that if he could have religion in any part of his body, he wanted it in his right arm so that he could do something definite for Christ.

When Santa Came to Church

Former Democratic National Committee interim chair, Donna Brazile, in her recent book wrote about Donald Duck who followed the Trump campaign around the country in 2016. The character’s presence was intended to suggest Trump “ducked” hard questions. Brazile received a complaint from ABC/Disney about copyright infringement and moved to shut down the duck. She found the Washington DNC wasn’t responsible for the duck, but rather what she referred to as “Brooklyn”—the Clinton campaign headquarters in New York, and the candidate herself.

This story reminded me about Santa following me to church.

I served an Indiana Baptist church while a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. I learned that a Christmas tradition was for Santa to come to the sanctuary after a worship service and give gifts to the boys and girls. I was shocked. “This is the place reserved for worshipping God,” I said. “I don’t think it’s right for Santa to be here, especially since we have a fellowship hall if this has to be done.”

The church had an adequate fellowship hall, though some seniors complained about the steps required to get there. But for the next two years the church acquiesced to the pastor’s opinion that Santa didn’t need to be in the room where we worshipped God.

I’ve often wondered if the congregation didn’t revert to the traditional Santa visits after I graduated and moved to a full-time ministry!

The Christian church has debated the propriety of many things in public worship in recent years.

I suppose the first to go was “dressing up” for church. Since many unchurched make not having “Sunday” clothes an excuse, some churches determined to “dress down” and make this one less impediment. Now we even have unshaven pastors wearing grungy jeans and tee-shirts in the pulpit, if they have a pulpit!

And then our hymnals became an endangered species. My generation revered the hymnal since it taught us music and theology. But now many churches project words on a screen for singing. One of my acquaintances insisted this is better since “we look up to God” when we sing. Another friend reminded him “God is in China, too” when we look down and sing!

And another jettisoned item is artwork. Churches through the ages installed stained glass and portraiture to teach spiritual truth and to instill an appreciation for beautiful art. Now churches build simpler buildings, often with black walls for better stage lighting.

As we continue to discuss what is appropriate in the worship place, we do so with thoughtfulness and prayer. The paramount principle is that God is the object of our worship, and we must approach him with reverent and contrite hearts (Psalm 51:17).

Advocate and Redeemer

We’ve certainly seen some unusual things in America this past year, and the list grew a few weeks ago when three UCLA students were arrested in China for shoplifting. They faced the specter of five to ten years in a Chinese prison, but fortunately the U.S. president was in China last month. President Trump convinced Chinese President Xi Jinping to drop the charges and send the young men home.

Now our president has a habit of tweeting multiple times on issues, and he did after this event when he reminded the students to thank him. I believe one request was probably enough, but the president didn’t ask my opinion. Nevertheless, the students held a press conference and did thank both presidents, their coach and their school, as they should have.

It occurred to me that this incident has a biblical parallel.

President Trump spoke up on the men’s behalf, so he was their advocate.

The scripture declares that advocacy is one ministry of Jesus Christ. The apostle John wrote, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1).

John said that Christ comes before the judge of the universe, the one who demands obedience to his laws and precepts, and pleads for mercy for us unworthy sinners. He is our advocate.

But the Bible further teaches Christ to be our redeemer. The same apostle John also wrote, “And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed people for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

In this analogy, President Trump would have been a redeemer had he offered to go to prison for the UCLA students, to take their rightful punishment so that they might be free. Of course, this is a bit ludicrous to imagine, and it didn’t take place.

But think of our savior who not only pleads our case before the heavenly father, but also was obedient “even unto death” as the apostle Paul wrote. Jesus went to the cross as an innocent victim bearing the sins of the world. The unblemished lamb of God took your sins and mine on himself so that we might know forgiveness and acceptance from God.

When we think of Christ as both advocate and redeemer, we marvel at God’s love. And we learn afresh the earnest desire of God that everyone come to him for forgiveness and salvation. He’s demonstrated this love by paving the way to heaven for us all.

Christmas Grace

Joe (not his real name) called me one day about a dozen years ago when he read in a collectors' newsletter about a planned convention in Plains, Ga., and a banquet with former president Carter. He told me about his collecting interests and the famous politicians he'd met. We met in Plains, shared a meal and became friends. We'd talk every few months and looked forward to our annual meeting.

I was shocked to get notice a few Christmases ago that Joe died at age 57. He'd had a number of health problems after a recent hospitalization. I drove to the funeral and was surprised to see a former church member officiating.

Darryl (not his real name) was a member of a church I served in the 80s. He was a coach and a fine Christian layman. He did lay preaching over the years and told me he was now a part-time pastor. Joe had some anxiety issues and someone recommended he contact Darryl. The men shared friendship and prayer and Joe made a commitment to Christ before he died

God used Darryl to help a man who was about to be called home.

An interesting thing about Darryl is that he and the wife I knew divorced several years ago. I thought of how divorce used to be a cardinal sin in some places, leading to congregational disagreement about who was qualified to serve in various offices. Whereas the church must uphold the biblical standard of marriage, it's true that all of us fall short in some areas.

I was grateful that in his capacity as a Christian minister Darryl invested his life in Joe's and made a difference.

En route to the funeral I passed a familiar house. I remembered going there years ago with two deacon officers to visit a man rumored to be guilty of heinous sin. He received us graciously, tendered his resignation as a deacon without our having to ask, and pleaded with us to pray for him. We did and continued to pray for him. He didn't drop out of church, but found other ways to serve God.

It was years later after we'd moved that I read in the church newsletter about his being elected a deacon once again. I wrote a note congratulating him and telling him how proud I was that he'd proven faithful.

I've been thinking lately of how God worked through caring congregations to love two men and bless them in God's work.

Because Joe loved Christmas, a soloist sang "Silent Night" at the grave site—my first time to see this.

One message of Christmas is that God loves us and offers grace in our failures.

Empty Chairs At The Table

Thanksgiving is, indeed, a wonderful time for families and friends to get together and enjoy themselves around a table of good food!

I’ve been thinking lately about other memories from the holidays. I remember my boyhood pastor saying once that Christmas always had a tinge of sadness since it was the time his father died.  Little did I realize for Donna and me the same kind of memories would materialize.

It was Thanksgiving, 1992, and we sat at the table with my in-laws in Birmingham. My father-in-law, Robert Bell, always a good-humored man, joked that afternoon about his getting older. He’d been forgetting things and laughed that a few days before he’d missed his cup while trying to pour coffee. A few weeks later the medical tests came back and revealed a brain tumor.  He died that summer. 

The next Thanksgiving, my mother talked about her medical ailments. She’d not felt well for some time. Still not feeling well at Christmas, she had to go lie down in the middle of our dinner. Family members insisted on taking her to the emergency room. The doctor found a spot in her lungs, and suggested she go to a hospital as soon as possible. The good doctors at St. Vincent’s in Birmingham found that her cancer had started in her right kidney, had traveled to her lungs, and possibly to her brain. She died in only seven weeks.

The older I get the more convinced I am that what my boyhood pastor said is often true. Part of the mix could be that Thanksgiving and Christmas are easily-remembered benchmarks for family losses. I’m not sure. But I do know that for many of us there are feelings of loss tucked away in the pleasant holiday memories.

But, maybe these aren’t entirely unpleasant memories. Despite their premature deaths, in our estimation, my family can look back with gratitude to the years we had with our parents. Mr. Bell was the gentlest and most generous man I’ve ever known. He worked hard for what he had, but was always willing to give of himself to help others. And what can I say about my mother other than she was a sweet and loving woman who was always my advocate, no matter what. The older I get the more I see her as a role model of what a mother ought to be.

Many of us think about those who won’t be with us on Thanksgiving. But we’re grateful that God loaned us some special people and enriched our lives through them. As Paul wrote to his Philippian friends, “I thank God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3).