Laying A Foundation

Abraham is a well known figure in the Bible, and for good reason. After all he trusted in God, left all he knew, and was blessed to be a blessing to others. I am all for Abraham being well known. Indeed, his is a story followers of Jesus ought to know. After all, he is like our great-great-great-great (and a lot more greats) grandfather in the faith (cf. Gal3:7-9, 16-17), and we can learn much from his life.

Yet there is an overlooked person in the Abraham narrative I want to bring into the spotlight a bit this day; his name is Terah. “Why Terah?” “In fact, who is Terah?” you may ask. From Genesis11:26-32 we learn Terah is Abraham’s father (well, Abram at this point). Genesis 11:31 says Terah took Abram and Lot (his grandson) and left Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan.

Now do not miss this. This is the same Canaan to which Abram finally went; the same Canaan God gave to the offspring of Abraham (Gen12:7). In other words, it seems Terah started off on the exact same journey for which Abraham is known. Granted, for some reason Terah stopped in Haran, but do not miss that his initial movement (dare we be open to saying following God in obedience) got Abraham that much closer to where God wanted him.

To be clear, I understand the text does not say God communicated with Terah. I also understand that if God did communicate with Terah he did not go as far as God desired him to go. Yet that is also part of my point. His “obedience” got Abraham to a place that was closer to God’s desire – and followers of Jesus everywhere benefit from it.

I realize there is a lot unsaid in this post; I am also going to make a big jump to an application. Yet here is the point; never underestimate how the changes Jesus brings about in your life can lay a foundation for something “magnificent” in the life of another. Indeed, no one lives in a vacuum.

I intend to follow up again, give a few examples, and explain “magnificent” in the near future. Yet for now, on this Good Friday, do not dismiss your faith and obedience – even if it has fallen short of what you think God desires. Things are indeed difficult at times (cf. Good Friday), but Sunday (and the Resurrection) is coming; the Resurrection is reality. 

God's Story & Black Friday

Long before the day after Thanksgiving became known as Black Friday, there was another Friday that was black. On that dark Friday, over 1,900 years ago, an obedient Son laid down His life to ensure that His Father’s Story – which includes His will to dwell among people in an unhindered relationship again – would not be thwarted by anything ever again.

Jesus, whose name means The LORD (YHWH) is salvation, was brutally executed. The forces which control this world – and keep it in darkness – deceived people into killing the Prince of Peace. Yet in a beautiful twist of irony so majestic that it could only be found in God’s Story, the servant who laid His life down was raised back to life and is now enthroned as the King above all kings…and the whole world groans, longing for His return when He will make things right. 

Wow, there is a lot that needs explained in the above paragraphs...but I want to keep this short. Therefore I will cut to the chase.

What bearing does that black Friday have on the Black Friday that is now less than 48 hours away? I would say a lot... Yet if I expounded on even some of the “a lots,” this would not be short. So, while it is true that Jesus died because of the sin of humanity...it is also true that we do not grasp how far that sin reaches its ugly hands.

It certainly shows up in greed, and while other descriptors could be used to describe these Black Friday disasters, greed certainly is applicable.

But alas, in order to keep this short, I am not going to rant and rail against Black Friday (like I kind of did last year). Yet more importantly, in order to turn one of the evil one’s weapons against him, I am going to say the following (by the way, the cross gives us the opportunity to turn every weapon of the evil one against him). If you plan to go Black Friday shopping I am not going to try and talk you out of it. However, I do want you to consider – and actually do – the following…   

1) For whatever amount of money you save on Black Friday, give a sizeable portion of that to something like The BigDent [www.bigdent.org]. The Big Dent is a Christian organization that works with microfinance to help people in the two-thirds world with a small loan. This loan is then paid back, which provides more money to loan to other small businesses. This is a way the cycle of poverty can be broken. Oh yeah, you do not even have to fund the whole loan if you did not save that much…but there are so many on the list – with varying amounts – that you may be surprised.

Here is another one that extends beyond Black Friday.

2) For whatever amount of money you spend on your “Christmas shopping” as a whole, give a portion of that away to a local charity. What we do at New Life Christian Church, in Emporia KS, where I preach is this:

We encourage families to at least “tithe” (give 10% - they can give more) of whatever money they spend on Christmas gifts back to the church. We then take this money and send it to The Voice ofthe Martyrs [www.persecution.com] in order to help persecuted Christians around the world. This help does take the form of a Christmas Care pack – but these care packs are much different than what many in our culture would think. This year they are going to Nepal, and $25 will provide a backpack, a children’s Bible, school supplies, a sweater for school, socks, and shoes. 

While I am sure there are other better ideas out there somewhere, that is not the point. The point is people today can harness an aspect of our culture’s Black Friday and be a light shining into the darkness for others in great need. Nice huh? In other words, turn a weapon of the evil one – i.e., grossly disproportionate wealth – against him by diverting some “savings,” and even planned expenditures, to help others.

There, how’s that for short? Oh yeah, even if you are not a Christian and are reading this blog, please feel free to give to the above organizations. I think if you checked into them your heart would break for what those they help experience. However, if you want to give to a local charitable organization instead, I have no problem with that. 

The reality is, the black Friday over 1,900 years ago does have profound implications for the Black Friday in less than 48 hours. To not consider those implications is less than Christian – if you are a follower of Jesus that is.  

Preparing for Advent [1]

Most of what follows is a post from last year; "Advent or Christmas [1]".  My intent is not to simply have you read something from the past.  No, I intend to learn along with you and fight against being shaped by our culture.  
So, here's the deal: 1) please read this post from last year.  The good news is this time the post on Advent is not in the middle of it (12/16 or so last year), but prior to it even beginning!!!  It is kind of like a head-start on Advent.  But what is Advent you might say?  Please read on...  2) I plan to post follow-up thoughts to each of these "old posts" as I re-post.  Where has my thinking changed?  What needs to be more clear?  By the way, you can help me with those thoughts.    


OK, now here is the post from last year 
Have you ever been upset about something and even “fought” for said thing, only to later learn you were either all worked up about nothing or worse yet, wrong?  Take the uproar caused by some (well meaning) people who will fight and even boycott a store which does not say “Merry Christmas” during this time of year.  While there is validity in trying to “keep Christ in Christmas,” unfortunately the whole thought process is standing on a faulty foundation.  In other words good intentions can be misguided, even harmful. 

Speaking from a historical vantage point, we are in the season of Advent.  Advent begins the Sunday closest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, which is November 30^th, and lasts four Sundays.  This year Advent stretches from November 27^th until December 24^th.  Christmas Day begins the Christmas Season, which always lasts 12 days until the 5^th of January (the 6^th being Epiphany).  This means Christmas is more than a mere day.  This makes sense as the implications of Christmas impact everything.  We all know a mere day can be easily lost in the shuffle of the busyness of our lives.  Yet the Christmas Season is a celebration of the Incarnation – a history altering event!  This also means saying “Merry Christmas” is not technically accurate until the 25^th of December, but do not worry – you can keep saying it past the New Year! 

A variety of questions may come into one’s mind right now.  A few of them may be: Why does this matter? Who cares? How did this happen? Can we do anything about this? Should we do anything about this?   

Firstly it matters because ignoring history is not wise.  While we should not be shackled by history, we should at least allow it to inform us.  Better yet, we should seek to make use of the godly principles we can learn from it.  Our forefathers (the saints who have gone on before us) were wise in establishing a Church Calendar.  Sadly, many outside of the more “liturgical churches” ignore it.  For Christians to ignore history is unnecessary and dangerous – even foolish. 

Secondly, Christians ought to care about the Advent and Christmas distinction.  It is HUGE.  The word Advent is a Latin translation of the Greek word parousia (parousiva), which basically means coming or presence.  In other words, the focus of Advent is on the first and second comings of Jesus.  Obviously these are vital to the Christian faith, yet they also have implications for everyone – regardless of religious beliefs.    

Thirdly, we ought to do something about it.  Unfortunately far too many Christians have been duped by culture.  We have become placated with less than the gospel message.  This time of year is full of good intentioned Christmas stories and Nativity scenes.  The efforts behind these are noble, and all of them can be a vehicle through which God works.  Yet a focus on Advent helps us to remember things are not as they appear.  The Christmas story told by the writer of the Gospel of John makes this very clear.  Yet if you turn to John you will not find it.  No, to read his account you need to turn to Revelation chapter 12.  Indeed, thing are rarely as they seem to be…  

I plan to have a succession of posts fleshing out the importance of this distinction in applicable ways for us.  In the mean time “Holy Advent” to you and yours.  

Countdown...

For many the countdown has been on for, well, maybe about 11 months now.  Finally it is only a few days away…  Actually, that is incorrect.  It is now way less than 24 hours away.  No, the “it” is not Thanksgiving Day (although I did intend to write and post this earlier in the week).  The “it” is perhaps the most unholy of days – black Friday. 

It is no longer enough to get up way before dawn the day after expressing thanks for all of our “blessings” to go out and get more of these “blessings” at a reduced price.  That way of doing things is soooo 2000.  It is not enough anymore to be camping out for days (or even a week) in advance of the biggest shopping day of the year.  That, by the way, is probably soooo 2010. 

Come on now, this is 2012, and the way we roll is by starting black Friday on, uh, turquoise Thursday.  Oh, I mean Thanksgiving Thursday.  Now before you get riled up about this intrusion on a day of thankfulness, you will be pleased to know (depending on the stores you choose to visit) that you can eat your turkey (maybe for breakfast) before heading to stores that will open at 3:00pm or so.  Yet some will open at 9:00am, or earlier. 

I could make this longer, but I will refrain.  Yet I will admit I am using some strong words and being a bit sarcastic as well.  However, my next sentence will be neither sarcastic nor an overstatement.  Our culture (for years and years) has been leading people on a way one path to hell. 

If we do not take the time to ponder the results of actions, or listen to others telling us something that seems brash, or ridiculous, or something that is obviously wrong because I have never heard that before, then we may wake up one day and wonder, “Where did things all go wrong?” 

I am not against saving money.  I am not against giving gifts.  I am not pleading for the government to pass a law against “black Friday,” or anything like that.  I simply want us (especially if you are a follower of Jesus) to think.  What does all of “this” really get us?  For some it gets a pressure of feeling they “have” to go out on Friday (or Thursday) and get great deals for gifts for their kids…because after all money is tight…and the kids really need this stuff – or we really want to give it to them – and we can save a lot of money (and who doesn't want to see their kids "happy"?).  Stop.  Just stop, please.  Do we realize where that is going to lead? 

Now specifically for followers of Jesus, we need to acknowledge the fact that we live in a materialistically driven culture.  We must wrestle with the truth that what keeps many from God (or stagnant in their walk with Him) is money (cf. Mk4:7,18-19).  I am not anti-money.  I cannot be because God is not anti-money; He owns it all anyway.  Yet what I am “anti” (right along with God) is what it does to people.  Indeed, I know what it can do to me.  Yet sadly, I am not even fully aware of that - because I am blind to so many things.    

I am also “anti” how black Friday and the like overshadow Christmas; or how somehow people think they are preparing for Christmas by saving a lot of money.  Christmas is not a day, it is a season.  Yes, Christmas is an entire season preceded by another season – Advent.  We will have more on Advent later; perhaps on the most unholy day of the year.