Alan – Page 17 – Traditores

Random Links

Posted on May 2, 2014May 2, 2014 by Alan

I’ve been building up some links-of-interest for a while…and waiting for my flight to Manchester, New Hampshire here in Baltimore, Maryland may give me time to finally post them. 🙂

In newest to oldest order…

Case studies in cognitive dissonance: “Methodists OK same-sex benefits for employees”

How’s this for a “What does it say about God”?:

The United Methodist Church does not recognize gay marriage, but the church’s Judicial Council stated that “certain basic human rights and civil liberties are due all persons.”

Want to wager how long the rest of their “evolution” is going to take?

Worse than being an atheist: “God not-botherers: Religious apathy reigns”

Starts off with (including the italics): Continue reading “Random Links”

Choose Your Train (You Must)

Posted on April 27, 2014April 28, 2014 by Alan

Recently I heard the track “Dark Passenger” by the group Fozzy. It starts off with:

Jesus is my co-pilot
Or that’s just what they say
But it’s not the Savior
Who guides me every day

Although the lyrics are a bit ambiguous, and it almost sounds like the anti-hero of the song wants to repent, you know it is the Devil who is guiding the tune’s subject every day.

Fozzy’s song brought another train one to mind (for some reason, when I hear the word “passenger” I think of trains…I give credit to my train-loving 6 year-old :-)). Curtis Mayfield wrote this classic (“People Get Ready”), which begins with:

People get ready, there’s a train a comin’
You don’t need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin’
on’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord

And…as my mind continued it’s odd way of traveling down the tracks…”Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne was next in line. It’s initial verses are:

Crazy, but that’s how it goes
Millions of people living as foes
Maybe it’s not too late
To learn how to love, and forget how to hate

Mental wounds not healing
Life’s a bitter shame
I’m goin’ off the rails on a crazy train
I’m goin’ off the rails on a crazy train

So…based on how they all start…which train would you like to ride?

But my brain didn’t stop there. It seemed to me that those three songs, in a slightly different order, also mimicked the choices C.S. Lewis wrote about who Jesus is in Mere Christianity:

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

Jesus is either part of the Crazy Train, is a Dark Passenger, or He is Lord. What say you?

And…as Lewis says…”You must make your choice.”

(Not choosing is a choice against “Lord”…)

Now, in case you are interested (and understanding that YouTube links don’t always remain working), here are the three songs that inspired this post in the order they were mentioned: Continue reading “Choose Your Train (You Must)”

Wedding cake with bride and groom split in the middle

“What God Has Joined”

Posted on April 27, 2014April 27, 2014 by Alan

Jesus’ words about divorce appear to leave little room for the practice in a Christian context:

It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31, English Standard Versions).

And…

He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery” (Matthew 19:8).

However, as you consider those verses…please take into account “What God Has Joined” by David In-Stone Brewer in Moral Issues and Christian Responses:

If you, like me, find small print a bit difficult to read, click here to open it in a separate, more easily adjusted window.

Also, in the spirit of full disclosure, I have been divorced.

Good “Happy Easter” News

Posted on April 20, 2014April 20, 2014 by Alan

Some good "Happy Easter" news:

"China on course to become ‘world’s most Christian nation’ within 15 years"

And, on this day we celebrate the empty tomb, may we all be as wise as those described by…

Officially, the People’s Republic of China is an atheist country but that is changing fast as many of its 1.3 billion citizens seek meaning and spiritual comfort that neither communism nor capitalism seem to have supplied. (Emphasis mine.)

Hat tip to Instapundit.

“A Man After My Heart”

Posted on April 14, 2014April 14, 2014 by Alan

During a Sabbath visit to a synagogue in Antioch, the apostle Paul notes of David:

And when he had removed [Saul], he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will’ (Acts 13:22, English Standard Version, emphasis mine).

Considering some of David’s failures, it really seems like God may have misjudged. For instance, take a look at 2 Samuel 11:1–15 and see how David commits adultery topped off by murder in less than a chapter.

Yet, later in that same book we can see a bit of the heart our Lord noticed. Just imagine having a son who rebelled against you and (albeit with a bit of a cooling down period) you show him mercy…only to have him try to dethrone you again (which includes him alpha-dog sleeping with your concubines). Being king is so important to your boy that… Continue reading ““A Man After My Heart””

A Wedding and a Funeral

Posted on April 13, 2014April 14, 2014 by Alan

As many of you are probably aware, the reason Michelle, Augie, and I are here because of a planned marriage. It is institution that goes back to the very beginning of human time.

How do we know that? Because of an interesting conversation between our Lord and Savior and some first century religious leaders:

3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:3-6).

When two are wedded they are “one flesh”…and the ceremony is so joyous that many are often brought to tears of happiness.

Having said that, as we entered the last week before the scheduled nuptials, Michelle and I also got news about Jim—that the Lord is going to call him home potentially within the next few weeks. I got teary-eyed as I wrote those words in these sermon notes, and I am getting teary-eyed right now…as I suspect is true here of many others who love Jim and Gerry as much as Michelle and I do.

A wedding and a funeral…well, a funeral to soon be…

The promise of a new life together and the temporary separation…and let’s be sure to emphasize the word temporary…of two who shared those blessed vows so many years ago… Continue reading “A Wedding and a Funeral”

Not One Word…Had Failed…All Came to Pass

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Alan

Although it’s been a while since I read these words while going through all 66 this year, they have stuck with me:

Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass (Joshua 21:45, English Standard Version).

This could not be any more true in my life and that of my family. It doesn’t mean that we (or I) have gotten everything we (or I) wanted. Instead, our Lord has always provided exactly what He has promised.

When we think otherwise it is just proof that we have misunderstood (often fundamentally) His guarantees.

May God give you what He promised instead of what you want. May you recognize your need so that when, in eternity, you get what you desire…it shows you have chosen wisely. Your choice, thanks to the Most High’s promises, will come to pass.

Do You Know What Your Sin Is, Balaam?

Posted on February 23, 2014February 23, 2014 by Alan

As seems so often true, if I really like a television series it only lasts one season (or less). Firefly fits that category perfectly (although I don’t know if I actually watched it while it was first airing). The good news is that it was followed up by a tremendously entertaining movie, Serenity. (If you like sci-fi and/or action-adventure.)

In that film, the primary “bad guy” (known as “The Operative”) is played perfectly by Chiwetel Ejiofor. One of his most memorable phrases is “Do you know what your sin is?”…first used with a doctor whose pride meant he exposed Alliance leaders to a mind-reader (who has now escaped and holds their darkest secrets).

The Operative’s “Do you know what sin is?” question came to mind as I read the story of Balaam in Numbers 22-24. Short version is that Balak, king of Moab, was wise enough to see how large Israel was and what had happened to those who opposed them. (It did not bode well for him and his nation, Moab.) Balak figured he could pay/bribe the prophet Balaam to curse Israel, and all would be well. Continue reading “Do You Know What Your Sin Is, Balaam?”

Eye-Service and the Fear of the Lord

Posted on February 9, 2014February 9, 2014 by Alan

Paul Gets Practical

We are now most of the way through our “walk about” in Colossians. This is talk number nine of eleven in the series, “Dear Least Important Church…”

And after reading today’s section, Colossians 3:18-4:1, I thought to myself, “Finally Paul is getting practical.” Now, don’t get me wrong…I’m not suggesting that everything that preceded this section wasn’t useful. However, when I read these verses they seemed pretty simple “dos” and “don’ts”…without being wrapped in deep theological thoughts. Let’s see if you agree as we review them together. Please turn with me to Colossians 3:18 and we’ll read through the first verse of chapter 4: Continue reading “Eye-Service and the Fear of the Lord”

To See or Not to See

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Alan

In the first chapter of today’s Bible reading I ran into this interesting section:

9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank (Exodus 24:9-11, English Standard Version, emphasis mine).

The reason I found it interesting is because it brought this other verse to mind:

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known (John 1:18).

And…if that isn’t enough…also check out Exodus 33:20, John 6:46, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 John 4:12.

What gives? Nobody has seen God but Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel “saw the God of Israel” and “beheld God”?

The answer is simple. We should take the Bible literally…but we also should take it literarily. That is, when we read any other literature we have no difficulty understanding how language works, including levels of meaning for the same word. Those seventy-four men saw God in that they saw His effects and how He chose to reveal Himself. It is applying the words “saw” and “beheld” too literally to insist it is the same as you and I sitting across from each other at a booth at a diner.

Having said all this, if you long to see God you can…and I’m not talking about waiting until you are on the other side of eternity (assuming you are saved).

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:1-3, emphasis mine).

Or, more simply (from the mouth of Jesus)…

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9, in part).

And whoever sees me sees him who sent me (John 12:45).

Stylish Fedora Reveals Location of Mobster

Posted on January 25, 2014January 25, 2014 by Alan

This is not theological, religious, spiritual, etcetera…

If you click on the image below you can read the humorous article whose genesis was the reaction I got to my Facebook profile picture with a fedora. Personally I thought I looked like a 50s cop, but…

Credit to the free "Funny Newspaper Generator with Your Own Picture" for producing the PDF. They are also responsible for the moose article. 🙂

Doubling Down

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Alan

As I continue this year’s trek through all 66, I ran into the incident where, when asked by Moses to allow the Israelites to go worship in the desert for three days, the Pharaoh wasn’t so inclined. Not only did he say no, he decided to double down:

6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God (Exodus 8:6-8, English Standard Version).

That incident reminded me of when, after his father Solomon died, Rehoboam was approached by “all Israel,” asking him to reduce the burdens Solomon had put on them. King Rehoboam told them to come back in three days for an answer. Although the new monarch was wise enough to ask for counsel, that’s about as far as his wisdom went as three days later…

13 And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men,
14 King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions” (2 Chronicles 10:13-14).

In both cases we have people implicitly questioning a ruler’s power, and in both cases the ruler doubled downed on proving who was in charge.

The first lost his army at the bottom of a sea (Exodus 14:28) and the second saw his kingdom shrink from twelve tribes to two (2 Chronicles 10:16-11:4). Maybe doubling down wasn’t such a great approach? Something we ought to consider when someone dare question our authority, eh? 🙂

Oh, and we all know Who really was in charge…

Clothing for a Name

Posted on January 19, 2014January 19, 2014 by Alan

Royal Priesthood

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10).

If you’ve been a Christian any length of time, it is likely that you have heard those words…and they may instill in you both a sense of honor and feeling of unworthiness. Caught up in the hustle-and-bustle of daily life…along with all its various trials and tribulations…they are easy words to lose track of but awesome ones to remember.

You are a chosen race
You are a royal priesthood
You are a holy nation
You are a people for His own possession
You are God’s people

As we continue our “walk about” through Colossians with this eighth talk in the series “Dear Least Important Church…”…let’s remember those words from Peter as we hear these from Paul in today’s reading from Colossians 3:12-17:

Continue reading “Clothing for a Name”

“Evolution Is Most Certainly a Matter of Belief—and so Is Christianity”

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Alan

Albert Mohler once again puts my thoughts into words a lot better than I do, this time with regards to how a belief in macro evolution requires just as much faith as Christianity:

"Evolution Is Most Certainly a Matter of Belief—and so Is Christianity"

Hopefully to encourage you to read the whole thing, here is a quote:

So belief in evolution is not something one simply chooses to believe or to disbelieve, "like a religious proposition." Instead, it is "settled science" that simply compels intellectual assent.

The problems with this argument are legion. In the first place, there is no such thing as "settled science." There is a state of scientific consensus at any given time, and science surely has its reigning orthodoxies. But to understand the enterprise of science is to know that science is never settled. The very nature of science is to test and retest hypotheses and to push toward new discoveries. No Nobel prizes are awarded for settled science. Instead, those prizes are awarded for discoveries and innovations. Many of those prizes, we should note, were awarded in past years for scientific innovations that were later rejected. Nothing in science is truly settled.

Later, Mohler continues:

But the most significant problem with this argument is the outright assertion that science and religion represent two completely separate modes and bodies of knowledge. The Christian understanding of truth denies this explicitly. Truth is truth. There are not different kinds of truth that operate by different intellectual rules.

Every mode of thinking requires belief in basic presuppositions. Science, in this respect, is no different than theology…

Please do take the time to read his entire article…and, if you don’t mind a much less graceful related discussion, listen to my "Out of Nothing" sermon (or read it’s sermon notes).

Ultimately, no…Christian…you aren’t a dummy for believing in creation, and scientists are not using a "higher" approach to reason than you…well…unless you truly have "blind faith."

But, I would argue, so do many people, including scientists, who believe in macro evolution.

Where You Once Walked

Posted on January 12, 2014January 12, 2014 by Alan

Ministry of Silly Walks

Although I didn’t really watch much Monty Python while it was being actively created, I have found a lot of what I have seen pretty funny. Now, by mentioning that show it doesn’t mean I recommend Christians imbibe it indiscriminately. They were talented comedians, but not apparently Christian ones…and there is some material that likely falls afoul of Psalm 101:3-4:

3 I will not set before my eyes

anything that is worthless.

I hate the work of those who fall away;

it shall not cling to me.

4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;

I will know nothing of evil.

In either case, one skit worth viewing is “The Ministry of Silly Walks.” Per Wikipedia:

“The Ministry of Silly Walks” is a sketch from the Monty Python comedy troupe’s television show Monty Python’s Flying Circus, episode 14, which is entitled “Face the Press”. The episode first aired in 1970. A shortened version of the sketch was performed for Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl. This sketch involves John Cleese as a bowler hatted civil servant in a fictitious British government ministry responsible for developing Silly Walks through grants. Cleese, throughout the sketch, walks in a variety of silly ways. It is these various silly walks, more than the dialogue, that has earned the sketch its popularity.¹

Since my sermons are presently only audio, I cannot give you a visual…especially since I have long legs and would knock stuff over in the room I’m preaching this in. 🙂

But it is funny…and came to mind with today’s sermon entitled “Where You Once Walked”—the 7 in an 11-part series on the book of Colossians.

Continue reading “Where You Once Walked”