“So this is Christmas… what have we done?”

I’ve becoming increasingly frustrated with how we in America go about Christmastime.  When I say ‘we’ I mean the country as a whole, but also the willingness of the followers of Christ to not stand out and be any different.

Since I am part of His Body, the Church, I’m going to use the word ‘we.’  I also use ‘we’ because I am frustrated that my heart has not changed in this area as quickly as I would like.

We rail against communities and schools for not allowing ‘Merry Christmas’ or Christmas songs at the school concerts and bristle at words like ‘Happy Holidays’ and ‘Seasons Greetings’.

Yet apart from our meager activity of attending our half hearted services, there can be little discernable difference that we are, in fact, followers of Christ.

I realize that is a very wide brush I am painting with and many churches are doing great things to be Incarnational at this time of year, but I think we can say that when those outside the faith think of Christians at Christmas they don’t see us as Incarnational, but as faith-based consumers.

The consumerism aspect has become way out of line in association with Christmas.

This has been driven home to me by a few notable things: 

-         our just-finished church sermon series detailing the plight of the least resourced, least esteemed and least protected around the world

-       the over-the-top, but sobering documentary “What Would Jesus Buy?”

-      


and the work of Advent Conspiracy

I am convinced that a joyful, Biblical celebration of the Incarnation has nothing to do with ‘Early Bird specials beginning at 3 AM’ – or crowds that trample one another in the name of getting a hot deal on a ”Christmas” gift.

We spend inordinate amounts of money on useless items while the plight and misery of the poor increases.  If you didn’t watch the Youtube clip please do – the numbers are astounding.

We often say things like this:

“We give gifts to remember that God gave His greatest gift – His Son”

But really if that is the lesson we want to teach our kids – then shouldn’t the gifts we give, be ones that we give away to those who are not a part of our family?

“We’re remembering that St. Nicholas gave gifts…”

Yes – Nicholas gave gifts – to poor children. 

“Well, it helps the economy – there’s a reason it’s called ‘Black Friday’”

Yes, it does help the economy – in fact when we were in China to adopt our daughter we learned (from our Chinese guide) that the Chinese government has allowed ‘Christmas’ to be something of a national ‘shopping’ holiday to spur the economy.  The banners across the streets we visited read “Merry Christmas” (ironic that such banners are outlawed in our democratic country).  The government of China saw how America celebrated ‘Christmas’ and decided it could work for their economy too.  And it has…

Here’s my take on the economy angle:

Christmas in the U.S. has been celebrated since about the Civil War.  From that time until the early 20^th century it was a celebration marked by family, charity, worship and a few gifts given.  The economy chugged along just fine without Black Friday – and gifts were not the focus.  If Black Friday & Christmas gifts bought are necessary to the health of our economy there is much more wrong then we are willing to admit.

Side note:  my 10 year old and I were talking after church last week and noted that it was interesting that the day we remember Jesus’ crucifixion is called ‘Good Friday’ and the day that promises the best deals on merchandise is called ‘Black Friday’.

These are my wrestlings; my frustrations with myself and others in the US who are followers of Christ with how we can obfuscate a demonstration of  the power and wonder of Christmas with shallow times of bathing each other in our comparative wealth.  And I will be the first to say that I do not have this conquered… but I want to.

 Please, this year and next and the next and the one after that, join me and others to pause to consider Christmas afresh.  Let’s pray that God would make us less self-centered and more incarnational.  Let’s find ways to reflect the heart of God by giving away instead of hoarding.  Make a difference rather than just consuming.

Instead of a Wii system, $200 could be multiplied by 5x from grants to provide $1000 in food and aid to Africa.

That 42” high def TV could be turned into $7000 to help with medicines around the world or even to help the desperately poor right here in the US!

We have an incredible chance to make an impact to help people live right now, but also for eternity.

 Are our neighbors seeing us dive into the gluttonous shopping fray and saying, “So this is Christmas?”

I know my heart needs to be changed more…

TWILIGHT - New Moon

I saw Twilight - I didn't see what all the hype was about.

I don't plan to see New Moon.

Every now and then I go to AintItCool.com for movie reviews.  Often there is very strong language.
Mr. Beaks reviewed New Moon and I had to share this one line with you:


"The TWILIGHT franchise probably won't be viewed as a massive pop cultural oopsy-daisy for another few years (these things take time to run their course), but when we're finally able to treat it like the New-Kids-on-the-Block joke that it is, I think we'll be most amazed that a series with so little story (at least as far as the films go) captivated such a wide audience"


If you're a fan, great.  But that sentence pretty much sums up why I'm not a fan... or even curious.

V – the 2009 reboot

I’m gonna be shameless here – I was totally enthralled by the original 80’s mini-series “V”.  It broke during the heyday of Return of the Jedi, Buck Rogers on TV and the space shuttle’s inauguration; an era when space stuff was very cool to a lot of us adolescent boys.

The suspense was great and the revelations stunning (a bit cheesy at times looking back – but stunning nonetheless) – I won’t spoil them here.

So when I heard that ABC was re-booting the series I wasn’t sure if they could pull it off… but I think they are on the right track so far.

The pilot was good – a bit bumpy with some bad dialogue (“Down on one knee is a classic”, “You rock”…seriously?) and wooden acting in a few scenes – but overall good.

Sadly they jumped the gun on the reptilian reveal – even the brief glance was too quick. 

This pilot should have been a 2-hour premier event that stretched out the suspense and built us toward something amiss – not the reveal that quick.  Same can be said for Erica’s partner.  Too quick.

My predictions for future Visitor reveals – the old priest and Brandon (Tyler’s friend).  They’re just set up way to good not to be.

I think it is interesting that planned or not, we meet attractive, charismatic, pseudo-saviors who arise on the scene when the world needs them most.  They like total control over the media and come promising universal health care.  Yet they are not what they appear.

Am I saying this bears any resemblance to current politics? 

I’m just sayin’ is all.

"We are of Peace. Always."

(All they are saying is give peace a chance.) ;)

In essence they are saying 'we are here to provide for you and make life better, we are coming in peace and that is always our M.O. - so trust us'   But behind closed doors they are about domination, they are about control.

I'm just sayin' is all.

I was chatting with a friend Jeff recently about alien themed media.  We had seen the movie “Knowing” together and he was telling me about the movie “The 4^th Kind”, which based on his comments I now want to see.  Those coupled with “V” present a common consistent message:  The Bible and Christ specifically are not to be trusted – the notion of panspermia, and that our possible only ‘hope’ lies in the benevolence of Visitors from beyond.  In fact much of "The 4th Kind" looks suspiciously like a movie about demon exorcism.  A growing number of UFOlogists say they are no longer convinced that these beings are from across the galaxy, but from are inter-dimensional beings.  IF vast distances are no longer the issue - then intent is.

I love that fact that one of V’s main characters in this reboot is a priest struggling to come to terms with how V’s fit in with Scripture. (For the sake of avoiding comments and dissertations on Ezekiel’s wheel – let me remind us all that Ezekiel’s vision was about the supremacy of God – not what the wheel looked like or whether it was a UFO – it wasn’t.) Finally, a person of faith who is not portrayed as a complete dunce! And I thought the artistic choice to show the crucifix falling and shattering to pieces was a perfect visual of the V’s intent – they have come as savior’s to displace any other savior – yet their plan is domination and decimation.  And in the first episode we literally see people on their knees with arms raised in worship to the 'motherships' above the city.

And the questions people of faith are asking on the show…?

“I’ve been doubting God”

“Are the V’s angels or demons?”

“Is everything I believed a lie?”

It is interesting to note that UFOlogists also indicate this is a consistent message of those who have been ‘contacted’ by ‘aliens’.  Odd that it is never Mohammed, or Buddha, or the Upanishads – only Jesus.

“The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy,” Jesus said.  I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

In context of the show…. fitting.

I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series plays out.  How the resistance is built and how the defector V’s fit in. And you know that the alien baby subplot has to come back – it will be interesting to see that reveal along with a full reptilian head. I’m bummed that we have just one more episode in 2009 and have to wait until spring for more.

And until then… the Fifth (V) Column says ‘hello...’

2012 - movie review

1^st half of movie = suspension of disbelief.

2^nd half of movie = some decent morality lessons.

So – all told I’ll give it 3.5 stars of 5

There’s been a bunch of hoopla recently about the date 12-21-12, and depending on whom you read, it either marks the end of the Mayan calendar (and thus the end of the earth), or the beginning of a new cycle in the Earth’s history ushered in by cataclysmic events.

Personally, I don’t put any stock into the Mayan calendar.

I do recognize that there are many end times prophecies in the Bible that will be quite cataclysmic – earthquakes in ‘strange’ places, wars, famine, the raging of the sea, visible disturbances in the heavens, a massive heat wave (which could theoretically be triggered by a massive solar flare), and what “looked like a mountain on fire falling into the sea.”

So big, terrifying events are indeed on their way.  Whether these occur in 2012 or not remains to be seen, but they will have devastating effects on the earth.  (As an aside, scientists claim that we are due for a massive solar flare soon – which at the least could possible render all electronics useless – and this is not without precedent.)

And please, please, please don't even bring up the whole Nibiru thing (rolls eyes).  Glad that this movie steered clear of that!

But back to the movie…

It starts in 2009, in India, with a conversation which includes some scientific sounding jargon that most movie-goers including myself will not be able to question the veracity of, due to our lack of knowledge… but suffice it to say that it sounded like a “we’ve never seen this before – so you can’t question it” scenario.  Basically due to massive solar flares, the sun is microwaving the earth's core and turing the mantle(s) into liquid... but somehow leaving the earth's crust.... crusty.

The president of the USA is warned and he subsequently warns other heads of state. 

Here’s one of my first gripes.  You find out later in the movie that these heads of state include mainly only countries that are: a.) wealthy and b.) familiar big players.  Zero mention of informing anyone on the continent of Africa, or South America, or Australia or the mid-East.  It’s pretty much the U.S., Canada, France, Italy, the U.K., Japan, Germany and China.  I’m sure I missed one on this list… but that was about it. Seriously?  In a movie that ends with a call to preserve the human ‘species’ this is how little is thought of those places not part of the G8 summits?  Hmmm.  Maybe there is some truth showing through in this movie.

Rather than give a blow by blow review, here’s my nickel review:

Actors - nothing Oscar worthy, but good for a disaster flick.  And I really enjoy John Cusack.  Though he tends to feel like the same character in most of his films.  Is this just Lloyd from "Better Off Dead" all grown up?  Or was Lloyd in "One Crazy Summer"?  Or was that "Grosse Point Blank"? See what I mean?

Cusack and Amanda Peet do manage to convince that they are concerned for the kids' well being.  But not necessarily that these kids are their children.

The plot is fairly weak – but come on it’s a Roland Emmerich movie.

And Mayan and scientific doubts notwithstanding, the movie – like so many others – misrepresents the Christian end-of-days prophecies.  No Mr. Emmerich the ‘rapture’ is not synonymous with world wide tectonic shifting, super volcanoes and world wide simultaneous tsunamis.  And yes – we catch the in your face crumbling statue of Jesus in Rio as a not so subtle reminder that you view the Bible and its prophecies as weak.

The special effects were great.  But you have to head into this movie with the knowledge that these are going to be what can only be considered the most logic-defying, laugh out loud implausible disaster scenes ever put to film.  And a scene like this (where our heroes not only cheat death, but groin-kick and mug the grim reaper) happens more than once.

So great visuals, but totally unbelievable.
Outrun a Yellowstone supervolcano? No problem.  Only had 2-3 plane lessons?  No problem – all this airplane flying stuff is easy, right? OK – I’ll stop there.

Oddly, I ended up liking this movie – with a bit more editing and less over the top sequences it could be as good as ID4.  Emmerich also seems to think that natural disasters can chase our heroes (see also “The Day After Tomorrow” where the element ‘cold’ chases people down a hallway!)

Some of the family dynamics and conversations are good reminders to not leave relationships undone, and to value each day we have.

The human spirit of compassion is highlighted.  It was like during the 2^nd half of the movie they went from – “look at our pretty special disaster visual effects” to “be human.  Be compassionate. Be forgiving.” And more than once we see reflected what Jesus told us was the greatest form of love – that one would lay down his life for his family, friends, even complete strangers.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The human race is preserved with massive ‘arks’ that were built by the Chinese (how?  Hello?  Though never mentioned explicitly through forced labor!) at the request and financing of wealthy countries.  (survivors include those chosen as "helpful to humanity - scientists, artists, intellectuals, etc.... and those who could afford 1.5 billion Euros a seat.  Lifeboat indeed!) And it only took them 2 to 3 years to build them all and the massive underground hanger in the middle of China?   To quote Bill Cosby, "riiiight!"  This over-reaching plot element assumes that the Chinese government desires that they not be the only country or people left on the face of the earth once the smoke clears.  Emmerich has obviously never studied Mao or the even the current Chinese heads of state.  And wait - if the world is ending, what good is a fiat paper currency to those who will survive?    But I digress… curse you, Logic!  I forgot that reason went out the window once the limo smashed its way through the tumbling office building  :)

The earth is flooded except for sparse areas – the largest of which is … wait for it… the continent of Africa!  Ah – the ‘cradle of civilization’.  Where we are told our ‘first ancestors evolved’.  Our heroes and the remnants of humanity are last seen heading for Africa.

I don’t think this ark element was a snub at the Biblical account.  Almost all cultures have worldwide flood stories (which I and others contend came from a shared actual experience) – so the idea of making new arks is not an affront to the Noah account, but a recognition that ‘hey!  That’s not a bad idea!’

As the credits rolled I turned to my friend Frank and discussed the movie.  Both of us have a hobby of editing commercially released movies, and we both said similar things at roughly the same time – with a few more edits it could have been even better.  So… 6 months from now when it drops on DVD it will be a project for me/us.  :)

I read on several websites that 2013 will be possibly be heading to television – will it survive without the flashy FX and without the sense of an impending end of the world?  I doubt it.

I mean – it’s not like it’s “V” or anything  ;)

The Twelve CDs of Christmas

So you’re looking for a new, meaningful, refreshing Christmas album this year?

I humbly submit the following “Twelve CDS of Christmas”*

(no particular order)

      1.    Noel – Hindalong, Daugherty, et al.

   So unique, so blissfully wonderful

      2.    Carol – American Boychoir

    Was this CD created in heaven and floated down to earth like a snowflake?

      3.    Come, Let Us Adore Him – Various

                    Some really wonderful original songs

      4.    Holy Night – Kevin Max

                    Creative and quirky

      5.    Christmas Songs [box set] – Sufjan Stevens

    Honest, raw, real and hey!  Banjo!

      6.    Your King Has Come – Various

                  More beautiful arrangements and standout original tunes.  Best version of Silent Night. ever.

      7.    Peace on Earth – Casting Crowns

                  This is a bar setter in terms of refreshing the songs without totally changing them

      8.    Lost Christmas Eve – Trans-Siberian Orchestra

                  You must read the story that comes packaged with the CD to really get the power of this album

      9.    Humble King – Vineyard Music

                  Great standards, some old forgotten tunes and some great songs from around the world.
                 Also my first introduction to one of the best Christmas Carols ever written –
                “The Wexford Carol”

10. Christmas Portrait – Carpenters

                        seriously, how could this not make the list?

      11. Christmas Songs – Diana Krall

                jazzy, cool and comforting

      12. Merry Christmas – Johnny Mathis

               Childhood nostalgia

*exceptions:

-- The album “The Word Incarnate” by Stephanie Seefeldt (née: Martens) will always
    make my favorite Christmas albums – there’s so much of who I am wrapped into
    the album.  It is unfortunately no longer available

-- “Behold the Lamb: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ” by Andrew Peterson is so much more than a ‘Christmas’ CD that I play it throughout the year.  Yes, it is Christmas, but it is just such an awesome worship project that I can’t relegate it to just a Christmas list

Holiday Novelty – perennial faves that are fun, but not Christ focused:

        ·      Christmas in the Stars – A Star Wars Christmas
     (pure cheese and really nothing to do with Christ)

        ·      Muppets & John Denver – A Christmas Together
       here comes the fun

        ·      Muppet Christmas Carol Soundtrack

             Still my favorite version of the Dickens classic

The G4 PROJECT - Day 9

Living Water at the Well [part III]

(this post is rather late, since I needed a break from the internet… it was becoming too consuming)

We left off with Jesus and the Samaritan woman discussing that God’s worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and Truth….

The Samaritan woman’s interest is more than piqued – she is truly thirsty now for the living water.

“I know that the Messiah is coming,” she says,” when He comes He’ll explain all this to us.”

And in one of the few instances where Jesus directly confirms who He is, He answers,” I who speak to You am He.”

(cultural aside:  let me remind you that not only was it culture breaking that Jesus (a Jewish man) would be talking to her (a Samaritan woman) – but that Jesus chose for one of His divine pronouncements of deity specifically this woman should remind us that the Christian faith elevated the worth, importance and dignity of women – and continues to do so in our day in places such as China, India and the Sudan.)

Her jaw must have dropped.  I’m getting goose bumps and watery eyes at the thought of being in her shoes.  Seeing the Messiah with your own eyes; audibly hearing His voice…

Given their conversation, knowing His patience and yet unwavering pronouncements of truth, experiencing this person’s graciousness.  This is unlike any righteous or religious person she has met and then He affirms that He is the long awaited Messiah.

How that must have blown her mind, her preconceptions of God’s character.  God’s ultimate representative did not bring her condemnation, but grace.

The disciples return to Jesus and the woman leaves for her hometown – leaving her water jar behind.  She tells everyone she can that she thinks she has met the Messiah, the One who knows all the intimate, even sordid details, of her life.   Many begin to believe.

The Samaritans invite Jesus to stay… and He does.  Listening to His teaching they put their trust in Jesus, telling the woman it is no longer just based on her words – but now they have seen and heard from Him directly.

“And,” they say, “we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

What a great Savior He is!

He comes to the despised, the outcasts and offers grace piled on grace.  He shows the tender, compassionate heart of God the Father to those who expected only judgment.

What a Savior!

The G4 PROJECT - Day 8

Living Water at the Well [part II]

Feeling the flush of revelation, she turns the conversation away from her sin.

“(because you know these intimate details of my life) It’s obvious you are a prophet (from God).  What about worship?  Moses, Abraham and Jacob, who we also claim as our ancestors, worshiped on this mountain (Mt. Gerzim), but you (Jews) claim that the real place we ought worship is in Jerusalem – who is right?”

so much here.

The Samaritans and Jews had a long standing disagreement about whose sacred books were correct – the Samaritans having changed a few words in what was mostly the Hebrew texts.  As such they also disagreed about the format of worship.  Where should we worship?

Her question is the perfect opportunity for Jesus to clarify what God is looking for.

In essence He responds like this:
“Ma’am, since you regard me as a prophet of God, you should take to heart and believe what I am about to tell you.  A time is coming when the true worshippers of God won’t be bound in their worship to a particular location.

You Samaritans are worshipping by guessing, using your best attempts, but they are off.  We Jews worship what we do know, because we do have the true Word of God – and God has said the Messiah would come through the bloodline of Judah.  So we are called ‘Jews.’  But a time is coming – and it has already begin – when the true worshippers of God will worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth – those are the kind of worshippers God is looking for.  God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Spirit and truth.

What does He mean?

Spirit –

-      ***  the time would come when those who trust in God’s Messiah would have the Holy Spirit living inside of them.  Since the ‘residence’, if you will, of the Holy Spirit seemed in Jesus’ day to reside in the temple, it will not matter where worshippers worship in the future, since the Spirit is with them.  This is one of the reasons that it always strikes me as odd that people get worked up about non-biblical issues in church buildings saying, “but this is God’s house”.

"Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me?” (Isa. 66:1)

-      *** The greek for ‘spirit’ is ‘pneuma’ – it means wind.  And not just any wind, but a wind with strength.  It’s the word we get pneumatic from, and if you’ve ever used a pneumatic nail gun – you know it is not a gentle breeze.  Jesus may have also been saying that God’s worshippers will being a vitality to their worship – not half-hearted praise.

-      *** Their worship will be spiritual – not just outward formalities or rote ritual.

Truth-

-      *** In part He may be addressing her question by referring to the fact that the Samaritans holy book was an altered version of the Hebrew or Jewish scriptures.

-      *** The worshippers of God would sing and speak truth about God in their worship.

-      *** “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being…”(Ps. 51:6)  God desires that our worship be authentic, that when we sing phrases like “You are my everything” that they are not just air across our lips; that when we sing “I surrender all…” we mean it, that we are not internally holding onto ‘pet’ sins, that we are not just paying lipservice.

     tomorrow - part III

The G4 Project - Day 7

Living Water at the Well   [part I]

It is the heat of day – noon – and Jesus stops to rest.

He has sent his disciples on ahead of him to town to buy food.

They are traveling through Samaria – an area avoided by Jews who want to remain ‘undefiled’, and yet

Jesus has told them he must go through Samaria.  Is it because it is a shorter route… or is there another reason.

He is next to a well.  A deep well dug by the great Patriarch, Jacob.

There is a woman drawing water, a Samaritan woman.  Considered by the Jews to be a half-breed people, the Samaritans are the descendants of Jew who intermarried with the pagan tribes of the area and their worship reflects this mixture…. They even have their own sacred temple.

Since she is here at mid-day she has come in the most oppressive part of the day, most likely to steer clear of the stares and whispers, perhaps even the audible condescending remarks of the other women.

She is an outcast among outcasts.

Jesus, breaking cultural taboos, asks her for a drink.

He is speaking to a woman and a Samaritan at that.

”Will you give me a drink?” Jesus asks

‘Here it comes,’ she must be thinking, ‘Another clever way to humiliate me, for someone to tell me how terrible I am’

"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" she responds.

He next words drip with compassion and tenderness…” "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

His words are cryptic.  They are meant to pique her curiosity and expand their conversation.

She takes the bait.  “Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it…”

Jesus replies, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Living water? Eternal life? The gift of God?

Clearly he is a spiritual man.  Clearly he is a man of compassion to speak with her, indicating that she could experience something of lasting eternal significance.

Still not completely understanding his riddle, she asks him for this never-ending eternal life water.  She longs for not only a temporary solution to the need for water, but she thirsts for the eternal.

And Jesus then turns the tables.  Because He is God in the flesh, He knows all and sees all. Fully aware that she is not married, but is living with a man - outside God’s plan  - He does not point a finger of judgment, or yell at her to repent.  He graciously helps her to see that she is in need.  A choice needs to be made between the fleeting ‘fix’ of the pleasures of sin and the abiding joy and soul fulfillment of right standing with God.  The two cannot coexist.

“Go and call your husband.” says the omniscient Son of God.

“I have no husband,” she answers.  It is the truth, but it sidesteps the reality of her daily life.  She knows what she is doing is wrong, she does not try to justify it.

He reveals a slice of His divinity to her; His eyes must seem to be peering into her very soul:  “ What you say is true – in fact you’ve been married five times, and the man you’re living with now is not your husband.”

'He knows' she must be thinking. 'This is clearly a man sent from God who knows the intimate details of my life - he knows the ugly details.  Not just my current 'situation', but somehow he knows how many times I have been married before this.'

It must be a terrifying moment for her.

Nervous.  Ashamed. Uncomfortable.  Whatever her internal disposition, she tries to shift the conversation off of her sin, to less personal issues…

The G4 PROJECT - Day 6

descent

Reading: John 3:22-36

Soundtrack: American Boychoir – HYMN

Jesus’ disciples are baptizing people who have come to them sensing their urgent need to repent of their sins. 

John the baptizer and his disciples are doing the same – carrying on the task, the assignment that has been given them by God.

On the heels of a ‘discussion’ (possibly an argument) with someone over ritual purification, John’s disciples throw this out to him:

“John, the guy you pointed out – the guy you gave testimony about – well more people are going to him and his disciples to be baptized”

John’s humility is so beautiful – it reminds me of Moses, who the Bible says was the most humble man on the face of the earth during his time.

So humble was Moses, that when God offered to wipe out the Israelites and make a new nation from Moses, Moses replies to God that this would make the other nations declare Him a weak god unable to do as He promised.

That’s humility.

John displays similar humility here.

He tells them that a person can only do what he has received from heaven.

God has gifted each of His children with certain gifts and abilities.  We can certainly develop our skills, and walk through doors He opens for us – but we should not be longing for or looking for a ‘greater audience’ or a ‘bigger platform’.  If God has that in store for us, He will direct our paths.

John’s famous statement follows – “He (Christ Jesus) must increase and I must decrease”.

While John was talking about the specific ministry of baptizing, he also was speaking  in general about Christ’s rise to prominence in the land.  Once again He tells his disciples that Jesus is the Son of God, come down form heaven and that Jesus speaks the very words of God.  Further he says tat whoever receives what Jesus has to say and believes in him will have eternal life, but those who reject Him will not.

The longer we walk with Christ, the more we submit our hearts to him in prayer and worship, the more I think we see John’s attitude as not merely noble – but as the only reasonable posture.

Christ is all.  He is before all things.  He created all things.  In Him all things hold together.  He is God incarnate. In Him is redemption – the forgiveness of sin.

How could a follower of His ever assume to tightly grasp at pride, or prominence over God Himself?

Let the humble descent begin.  Laying down pride and puffed up notions of ‘rights’.  Hold loosely the tasks you think define your identity. Be glad and rejoice as a child and one called to serve the only true King – the humble King.

The G4 Project - Day 5

The Light speaks at night

READING: John 3:1-21

SOUNDTRACK: the blissful quiet of a house before all are awake

It is the dark of night and he steals away, unnoticed by his peers. He comes in the dark of night.   Perhaps he does not want anyone to know what he is doing.  He is afraid of their sneers and judgment.  He has a burning, nagging question that just won’t go away. He wants to know if Jesus is the One.

His name is Nicodemus.  He is a member of the Jewish ruling council.

Finding Jesus, he begins with either honesty or flattery – not sure which. 

“Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

Jesus cuts to the chase.  And answers a question not yet verbally articulated by Nicodemus: What does God require for salvation?

His answer – now common verbage to us – was staggeringly perplexing to Nicodemus. So please indulge my attempt to paraphrase their interaction:

J: “Here it is plain and simple – if anyone wants to enter God’s kingdom, he has to be born all over again”

N: “Huh?  How does an old man like me be born a second time? How’s that even possible – I mean, people are born once.  There’s no biological way that can happen!”

J: “It’s true.  Unless you are born physically and spiritually – you’ll never see the Kingdom.  Flesh gives birth to the physical – but it takes Spirit to give birth spiritually.  You have yet to be born spiritually.  Look, this shouldn’t surprise you.  God’s Spirit moves wherever and however He chooses.  Just like the natural wind you can see the effects, but you don’t know were it came from or where it’s heading next.  Same thing is true of everyone who has been born spiritually – you see the effects of this spiritual wind.”

N:  “Huh?  I still don’t get it”

J:  “Seriously?  You’re one of the big wigs – one of the main teachers of all of Israel!  I’m telling you things I know - what I've seen firsthand, but you still won't accept my eyewitness account.  If you don’t get what I mean about earthly stuff – how are you going to understand heavenly stuff?  No human has ever been to heaven, except the One who came from heaven - the One who is talking to you about these matters.  And just like how Moses put a bronze snake on a stick in the desert so the people could be healed of the venom of the snake… remember that?  They could do nothing but trust that what God said would happen and that by simply believing they would be healed.  In a similar fashion, the Son of Man is going to be raised up (on a cross) – and all who put their trust in Him to be healed of their sin will have eternal life.”

“See God has such an immeasurable love that He sent His one and only unique Son, that everyone who places their trust in him exclusively won’t perish in the afterlife, but have everlasting, eternal life.  God wasn’t sending His Son into the world to pronounce judgment on it, but to save it through Him.  Whoever believes in the Son  does not need to fear condemnation, but Whoever rejects the Son is already condemned, because that person chooses not to trust in God’s way of salvation – His unique Son.  Here’s the judgment – God sent Light into the world to showcase God’s heart and character, to bring forgiveness, but people reject Him because they would rather wallow in their own darkness because the dark deeds have seduced their hearts.”

“Everyone who rejoices in their rejection of God won’t come to the Light, because His radiance clearly shows the ugliness of that rejection; they are afraid that this God-rejecting, self-exalting attitude will be seen for what it is – a distorted hollow sham. But whoever loves God’s truth and tries to walk in that Light gladly walks toward the Light so that people will see it is not them who are good – but the One they follow is working in them.”

You and I have the same need Nicodemus had - we need to know how to be rescued from our sins.


We have been bitten by the fangs of the Serpent and the venom of sin is killing us.  We need to look to Him who was lifted up and believe that His sacrifice will heal us.  Not our efforts.  


And we, like Nicodemus, need to be.. born all over again - a spiritual birth through Christ.

Powerful words spoken between two men in the darkness of night.  Powerful words, spoken by the Light. 

And now a poem from Longfellow.  See the connection?

THE SOUND OF THE SEA

The sea awoke at midnight from its sleep,

  And round the pebbly beaches far and wide

  I heard the first wave of the rising tide

  Rush onward with uninterrupted sweep;

A voice out of the silence of the deep,

  A sound mysteriously multiplied

  As of a cataract from the mountain's side,

  Or roar of winds upon a wooded steep.

So comes to us at times, from the unknown

  And inaccessible solitudes of being,

  The rushing of the sea-tides of the soul;

And inspirations, that we deem our own,

  Are some divine foreshadowing and foreseeing

  Of things beyond our reason or control.

The G4 PROJECT - Day 4

Wedding, Water, Wine

Jesus was invited to a wedding in Cana, along with his disciples and family.

While they are there the wine runs out.  This would have been a major embarrassment to the family.

Jesus’ mother makes a implied request of Jesus – “they have no wine (please do something)”

Jesus, noting the separation between them as He has moved into adulthood says, “Woman, what does this have to do with me?  My hour is not yet come.”

He is saying, “the hour of my revealing isn’t yet, the time when I bring reconciliation at the cross is yet a ways off.”

He knows that once the limelight is on Him that in essence the clock is ticking down to the Hill of the Skull.  I will freely admit I don’t totally get how that works with God’s sovereignty… but there it is.

Mary, in good Jewish mother form, ignores his reply and says to the servants, “do whatever he tells you.”  Again the implication that He will do something.

This is such a curious interaction and one completely unique as Jesus is both fully divine and fully human.  And it sounds like Mary is telling her son (who is also the Son of God) what to do.  Curious.

Jesus has the servants fill six stone water jars to the brim with water.

I’ve heard and read several different interpretations on this:

-       the 6 jars represent the 6 days of creation, 6 being the number of man and Jesus was coming to bring to completion the plan of God

-       the 6 jars represent the ‘fullness’ of the Old Covenant and Jesus is indicating that a new covenant is starting by filling them to the brim showing that the OT has served its purpose and is ‘done’.

-       The water remained water in the jars, but only those who tasted it after Jesus instructions received wine.

The thing that I don’t get is the ‘why’?  To help the new couple save face?  Perhaps.  Why does the master of the banquet indicate that most people “bring out the good wine first and then later when the guests are drunk brings out the cheap wine, but you saved the best wine until now!”  Wine was a staple in their culture and was to them a sign of joy and God’s blessing.  But drunkenness was specifically against the law.  So who exactly tasted this miraculous new wine?  Just a few?  Did the entire party partake?

Surely Jesus wasn’t advocating or making it possible for drunkenness to occur.

The text indicates this was the first of His miracles.

There is much I don’t get here.  But one thing is clear – Jesus, while remaining faithful to not dishonor God, was not afraid to be at a party; that He blessed a wedding celebration and that even from His very first miracle He knew He was headed to the cross.

The G4 Project - Day 3

What's in a Name

READING: John 1:35-51

SOUNDTRACK: the blissful quiet of a house before all are awake

Jesus begins to call His first disciples:

Andrew had been one of JtB’s disciples who upon hearing JtB’s declaration (the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world) that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah, literally begins to follow Him.  This interaction was enough to convince him John was right and he runs to get his brother, Simon.

“So you are Simon son of John?” Jesus rhetorically asks.

There are some British phrases which I love.  Typically in America we would say something like, “Our drummer is named Tom.”  The British would say, “We have a drummer called Tom.”

I like ‘called’ better, because as humans we love to name things: animals, cars, battleships.  I have a friend who names each new server we get at the church… we’ve been naming things since the Garden.  And while we have our chosen names for things, we call them one thing, there are many instances in Scripture where God has an altogether different idea.  My name, for instance, means ‘dark water’.  Simon, in Hebrew means ‘listening, obedient’.

Yet Jesus tells him, “You shall be called ‘Peter’” and that is how most of us know him today.  ‘Peter’ means ‘rock’ and anyone who has read through the gospels sees that if anything he was not necessarily a rock of stability.  He often was the one to lob a dumb question (from our perspective).  But a question that was most likely on the other disciples’ minds.

But then look at what happened at Pentecost after the resurrection!  Peter does become a ‘rock’ and a pillar within the first leadership of the Church.  Jesus knew who Peter would be.

As the much overplayed song on the radio says, “there is hope for me yet… God’s not finished with me yet.”  And Revelation indicates that there are least some (the overcomers) who receive from Christ a white stone that has written on it their new name – the name He knows them as.

I wonder what God’s name is for me.  Because while ‘dark water’ may be fitting on some days, I’d rather be less brooding and more useful.

What, perhaps, is God’s name for you?  Not how you see yourself, but who He knows you to be and who you will become through His grace?

Next we are told that Jesus tells Phillip to follow Him.  Phillip excitedly goes to get his doubtful brother Nathanael, telling him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Phillip sees enough of Jesus to see that He is not just a good teacher, or a new prophet, but rather the fulfillment of the prophecies.

Nathanael retorts with, “Nazareth? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Nazareth at the time (I have heard) was a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures.  People from many nations; of many religions lived there.  To the upright Jew, Nazareth was seen as a cesspool of sorts – that no one of moral standing could possibly come from that degenerated area.  (Aside:  Again what a picture of the heart of God that He chooses to live in this type of area!  Not with those who have it ‘together’)

“But come and see!” Phillip insists.

Nathanael, reluctantly I am sure, goes with him.  Before he can say a word, Jesus says of him, “Look!  Here is a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false (no deceit).”  I have also read – but cannot verify – that Jesus’ words mean:  “Here is a true Israelite, whose bloodline is pure.”

Regardless, it is enough to catch Nathanael’s attention.

“How do you know me?” he asks of Jesus.

To paraphrase Jesus’ response, He says, “Before your brother told you about me, I saw you sitting under the fig tree.” It was very likely that not only had they been separated by some distance, but that given Jesus’ earlier declaration of who Nathanael was, that Nathanael may have been in prayer while under that tree.

It is enough for Nathanael to instantly declare that Jesus is both the Son of God and the King of Israel – no light titles indeed!

You can almost hear the broad smile in Jesus’ response:

Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Greater things!

And he alludes to Himself as Jacob’s ladder – the bridge between heaven and earth – the One who would restore the rift, the broken relationship.  Ultimately this ladder finds its fulfillment at the cross.  Nathanael has met the promised One – the Messiah, God’s Son, the King of Israel.

the G4 PROJECT - Day 2

The G4 Project – Day 2

JtB & JtC
READING: John 1:19-34
Soundtrack: Nesciens mater: choral works of Jean Mouton (selected tracks)

John the Baptizer (JtB) enters the scene.  Having read Luke not that long ago, it is plain that John and Jesus are cousins – however both John’s parents were human.

John comes baptizing the people for repentance of sins.  In John and Jesus’ day the people were expecting the Messiah at any moment - and many want to be ready; to be right with God.  This expectation was due in part to the Roman occupation and the Hebrews desire to be freed from this oppression as they had once been freed from Egyptian oppression.

Naturally the religious leaders send a delegation to John asking him who he thinks he is: “Are you the messiah?  Are you Elijah? (fulfilling the prophecy in Mal. 4:5) Are you the Prophet? (whom Moses spoke of in Deut. 18:15)?”

“I am not the Christ” John responds. “I am not Elijah (though Jesus would clarify this later). I am not the Prophet.”

Then who are you?  We need an answer to take back to those who sent us!

“I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said." (Isa. 40:3)

Whoa!!!  Don’t just skip over this!  One of my frustrations with many English translations of the Bible is that the sacred name of God “YHWH” (often pronounced Yahweh) is translated to the generic ‘Lord’ and most often this connection is made by having LORD (all caps).  I think we miss something by using ‘Lord’.

This is no generic 'god' being spoken of!  This is The One and Only, True and Living God Who revealed Himself and His sacred Name to Moses in the burning bush!

John was not saying I have come to prepare the way for a great religious teacher or a new rabbi.  John was saying, “I am here doing what God has called me to because God Himself is coming!”

Powerful words!

John the Baptizer goes on to say that the One Who is coming is so great that he (John) is unworthy even to the most humiliating of tasks assigned to a slave of that day – untie a sandal!

John (author) skips over JtB’s baptizing of Jesus, but it is fascinating when you read the Gospel accounts together.

Since JtB and Jesus are cousins I firmly believe that when JtB said to Jesus “You should be baptizing me” it was not because he yet recognized Jesus as the Christ.  JtB knew his cousin was a very righteous man and that for that reason Jesus should be the one doing the baptizing.

However in the G4 we see when the realization hits JtB:

"I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but He (God) who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Only after Jesus is baptized by JtB does JtB realize that his very own cousin is not just Jesus bar (son of) Joseph, but Jesus the Christ (JtC) – Son of God!  Even Yahweh enfleshed!

“The next day (after JtB had baptized Jesus) he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

The Hebrews… Israel… had been awaiting a Messiah to deliver them as Moses once had.  JtB, directed by the Spirit, tells them that not only will Jesus bring them deliverance – but that Jesus Himself will be the Passover lamb for this deliverance and coming exodus.

Here comes the all-powerful Word of God, creator of heaven and earth, come to demonstrate the heart of the Father... to help us 'see' and know God... and to be slaughtered like a passover lamb, so that flagrant, rebellious offenders deserving of separation and anguish and flame would be forgiven and adopted.

THE G4 PROJECT - Day 1

[Due to illness, this project is starting 2 days later than originally planned.]

The G4 project is an experiment in daily blogging.  As I make my way through the book of John, the 4^th Gospel (hence G4) I’d love to have you journey along with me and feel free to comment as we go.  My goal is to post daily (M-F) as I read and meditate on the Gospel of John.  My goal is not a chapter a day, but rather to read until something strikes me.  With that said… here we go….

Day 1
Chapter 1, vss. 1-18

Soundtrack: The Choir Of Trinity College Cambridge - Vocé

The Word.

These opening verses of John are like an intense, poetic, kaleidoscopic explosion of attributes of Christ.  Nouns, adjectives and verbs used like brilliant colors to highlight His glory painting a cathedral using words as the medium to describe The Word.

And Truth!  Truth about Christ shines forth so stunningly beautiful here.

Many of us have read this passage – and many times at that.  How powerful to be refreshed once again by the truth that Christ has existed eternally with the Father from eternity past; that all things were made by Him; that in Him is life and light!

He is perfect beyond comprehension.  He is powerful beyond comprehension. He is glorious in His being. He is Life; He is Light.

Our world seems to get darker by the day – and yet here again the reminder that the darkness cannot overcome Him Who is the Light!  Ah… sweet Hope come quickly!

Here is the One who is Creator and giver of all good things and yet His creation rejects Him.  He came to those He had made and they disowned Him, they refused Him – though not all.  The ones who turn, trust and receive Him He calls His children!  There is much talk about how we, simply by being human, are all “God’s children”, but God, through John makes it clear that the right to be called a child of God is not inherent, but comes through belief in Him alone as Savior & Lord; comes through rebirth by faith.

His children – dearly loved.  Adopted, chosen, held closely, loved immeasurably!

Verse 14 is one of my favorite Scriptures.   “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  This is no disassociated God – no far off deity watching ‘from a distance’ (sorry Bette Middler fans).  He is a God who is immanent, who is close, who draws near, He who humbles himself in ways that seem paradoxical to Deity.  (More on that in Advent. )

He is a God who wraps Himself in human flesh to make known the lavish grace of God – that mercy and forgiveness are available – freely!  He comes full of grace and truth… not just bringing or carrying these virtues… but entirely full of them.   He is a God Who dwelt among us to shows us visibly the Father’s heart toward us.

It is impossible for mere mortals, for us creations, to see the fullness of the triune God of the Scriptures.. but God, the only God, who is at the Father’s side has made Him known to us. (v 18)

What a powerful statement of Jesus’ divinity! God - who is seated at God's side. The eternally existent second member of the Trinity – the Son – comes to visibly show us what God is like.  The Greek says, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is in the bosom (heart) of the Father, He has made Him known.”

The Word – the full expression of the heart of God – who came to repair the rift, and to show us again God’s character, Who God is… His grace, mercy, forgiveness and love.

And from His fullness we have received grace upon grace.   Grace piled upon grace.

Grace multiplied exponentially!

Take a moment to be in awe and thanks.

The Wingfeather Saga continues!

I first encountered Andrew Peterson when he opened for Caedmon’s Call at a concert in Waverly, IA in 1997.  Because of his beautiful folk music and ability to use common but spellbinding lyrical imagery, he quickly became one of my wife’s and my favorite musical artists and we have seen him in concert several times since.

When I heard that he was beginning to write children’s fantasy books, honestly my first reaction was skeptical. Given my background in Christian retail, I can tell you that it seems too often a good-selling musical artist will write a book that wouldn’t hold its own apart from the author’s name.

I am delighted to tell you that this is most definitely not the case with Andrew Peterson and his Wingfeather Saga books.  These books are not carelessly written – they are gems your whole family will love! 

I had heard that Peterson began these books having been inspired by the C.S. Lewis “Narnia” books and that influence is noticeable but not in a copycat way.  Hopefully that statement comes across as the huge compliment it is mean to be.

His first book (in what will be a trilogy) “On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness” introduced us to the Igiby children (Janner, Tink & Leeli), their mother Nia and their quirky, ex-pirate grandfather Podo.  They live in a land overrun by a lizard/snake race called Fangs and wonderfully bizarre creatures – like the Toothy Cows.  After finding a secret map, the book follows their adventures with the haunting question – what was their now-deceased father (Esben) like?  Who was he?  The answer is so cool.

Their adventures are humorous and spine tingling and Peterson does a fantastic job of ending chapters in a cliff hanging way – such that neither you (or your children) will want to stop reading.

I don’t want to spoil the plot of either book, but I can tell you that what comes to mind when reading are echoes or hints of: Narnia, Lord of the Rings (though not as arduous), the Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and some delicious Douglas Adams moments.  Yes – they are that good!

The second book “North! or Be Eaten” picks up wonderfully where the first left off, which is a good thing because upon reaching the end of book one we were dying to know what would happen next.  With new and daring adventures, characters and creatures, “North” again shows Peterson’s skill at engaging the reader; drawing you into the story.  "North!" was just as riveting (or even moreso) than the first book.  We didn't want to put it down.  Like any great story, the second act is darker than act I, setting the stage for the final act.  And we were truly shocked and surprised at some of the twists and turns.  Book 2 ends with and even more dramatic cliffhanger and the agonizing wait now begins for book 3.

Wonderfully and artistically crafted, these are books of family, danger, heartbreak, hope, humor and redemption.  These are not just great children’s books – these are great books!  Pick them up now!

addition: I desperately hope these will one day be made into quality movie versions as well