Dark Orthodoxy

Imagine, this!  A preacher who sets time limits on how much he can say! I've prayed for those who pray I might watch the clock! So is timing the sermon blasphemy or a sacred obligation? You are free to hold either outlook. It's not a point of Orthodoxy:  a "must-have belief" universally held among all those who embrace the faith.

As I preach through the gospel of John, I can't do it in one sitting. Yesterday we considered what Jesus meant when he claimed to be "The Light of the World".  Because the instant he made that claim public, "Orthodox people" scrambled to cut the power on his mic.  Their reaction said, "In OUR world, you are static, not light!" 

We can make nice distinctions between Jewish Orthodoxy, Christian Orthodoxy, or orthodoxies of the secular kind, but there was a contest going on between what Jesus proposed, and what a group already presumed to be right.

Dark orthodoxy lets organizational outlook replace a real, and honest relationship with God. Let believers beware.

Dark orthodoxy enshrine our ways in opposition to the way Christ would show us.  This is a clear and present danger. In contrast, LIGHT keeps us honest with ourselves before God. 

How does Dark Orthodoxy react to Light? Add your own observations to this list: when "holy wars" are anything but holy, dark orthodoxy comes to light.

Dark Orthodoxy...

... Wants to silence voices that their group hasn't legitimized, or can't control.

... Claims to uphold truth, but rules out facts that could be inconvenient.

... Professes freedom while producing fear. They threaten expulsion and punishment for those who won't comply.

... Uses organizational power to hide what others ought to know. 

... Promotes hidden and hostile agendas.

... Is quick to engage in smear campaigns. They paints others who love God with a sinister brush.

Jesus makes it plain how God would purify the people who call upon His Name. We either receive or resist His grace. 

But The Light is where heaven's fellowship is.

Prayer and God's Calling for His People

Not to be legalistic, but is there still something God's people should learn when we read about how God had Israel live and worship before Jesus came? 

Back when life and worship were integrally connected. For instance, in Numbers 10:1-10... could there be any relevance today to how the camp of Israel used their silver trumpets? When ministers sounded the call to a sacred assembly, or before engaging the enemy, it was not a "come if you feel like it" invitation.

The trumpets were culturally nothing new, perhaps a refined example of bronze-age technology. God had his people use the technology available for his service, his way: that's another discussion for another day. The trumpet was used to call people together, so Israel knew when it was time to break camp and move out, according to God's order and timing. At feasts, the trumpets were used like a call to prayer.

The same trumpets were used in times of crisis to sound the alarm.  In war, before battle, the trumpet was sounded not only to direct troop movements--but in an especially significant way: as a prayer to the Lord of hosts--an appeal to heaven that God might remember them and spare them from the Enemy. The sons of Aaron were the ministers who sounded the trumpet call.  Likewise, thy sounded the trumpets for heaven's remembrance when Israel offered festal sacrifice ... for burnt offerings offered for sin or consecration, and for peace offerings offered in fellowship with God.

So God provided means for to call together His people.

 This was sanctified and set in place by God. 

Salvation and blessing was sought both in battle, and at the altar.

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THIS  SUNDAY, Jan. 27 at 5 PM the trumpet is sounded for us to join in a Concert of Prayer.

May what we offer through this Concert of Prayer be that which pleases God 

 May this hour attune our ear to where He would move us. 

May we present ourselves holy and united before Him. 

May our coming together truly be our appeal to heaven 

that God might remember His Church. 

Let us break camp to follow the Lord where He would take us... 

Lest our actions say, "We gather when we feel like it, rather than at the time of God's call,"

 May we come out from our homes, and our private lives, and be the Lord's assembly. 

For "church" means  "those called out" ~ and His call for us includes the Call to Prayer.

We're More Than Ornaments, Aren't We?

Today we'll take down the Christmas tree, so I had to spend a few minutes as some of you might, enjoying that last look over decorations given and received over the years. Thinking back where this or that ornament was acquired. Some are  as old as any of my memories, treasures that my newlywed parents owned. Most came from different cities and countries visited over the years during different seasons of life, courtship, and ministry. You realize that different likes and different lessons became part of passing through places where you've been. The "places we pass through" leave a lasting imprint on who we are... where we're likely to go.

Tell me where you grew up, and I can at least take a good guess at how you like your cornbread or if you like it at all. More importantly, environments may not determine our faith, but God knows they shape it. Therefore healthy churches and communities are maybe partially defined as where people are becoming the family and force for God that they are meant to be. Places we meet God and meet the people of God will shape us, and what we believe life is about, and how deeply we are able to care for others. From where we've been, God wants to develop in us a capacity to be present where we are: to bless and be blessed. If the places we've been were consciously walking with God, great. Others like Jacob suddenly awaken to understand that we do not camp where we camp by accident, but by some unseen providence. (This certainly leaves its imprint upon us.) A realization and reclamation by God in our hearts. As we move from place to place with God, the imprint will not just be made on us--but believe this--God will somehow make His Imprint through us. 

Contempt for Contempt for Christ's Sake

This morning's waking thoughts were not, "Good morning, Lord". Momentarily, my thoughts retraced some places I had been in my past: inclinations that could sneak up behind me (or inside me) unless I go straight to the Lord. I can agree with His Spirit within me:"This is not how I want to start my day, or spend my day, Lord. Redirect my soul, cleanse me, and bring my thoughts right now back to You, and back to what You've planned for me today "

As I got up, and kissed my wife, and sat down for coffee, I was praying about new directions in my own morning Bible study too. I soon plan to teach and preach from the gospel of John and for some reason my mind went immediately to the story in John 13, where Jesus washes his disciples' feet.

Not to do a whole Bible study here... but the insight is that Jesus showed his disciples something. Nobody hates sin's defilement the way He does. And on the night he washed their feet, he knew that he was about to take the whole world's sins upon himself. Yes, he came for that reason. He taught the holy apostles that they too still needed some cleansing and that they too were to join him in serving people whose lives had gotten covered with gritty reality and dirt.

Ah, my Baptist brethren. We can preach how the Good Samaritan bound up a poor man's wounds, and still pour salt into the wounds of a man or woman's broken heart. On better days we're in touch with our own need for cleansing. All sin grieves the Lord, including the sin of imagining that we can afford to hold contempt for those who have spiritually muddied their feet. Scripture has no sympathy for wallowing in the mire, but we do see Jesus taking the towel to the  souls of his disciples as well as to their feet.

There's a television show about the dirtiest jobs. I don't watch the show, but I doubt it has ever dealt with spiritual counseling and the job of simply being a follower of Jesus, willing to love others and help them get clean. "Simon, unless I wash your feet. You have no part with me."

"Then, Lord, not just my feet. Wash me completely!"

Looking Around Zion

When was the last time you received an invitation? I gave a few to people this week, telling them about  "Back To Church" Sunday. In itself, that theme doesn't enthuse me. But if our lives are inviting, and our God is inviting, then people are drawn to look closer at what stands out and shines.

This week I read an invitation written over 2,700 years ago, and it was an invitation to take an inside tour of the "City of David", and to see the strength and scope of that citadel. Hordes of battle-hardened invaders had come against those walls, and had to turn back and go home. So with that history behind them, Psalm 48:12-13 was written. 

"Walk about Zion, go around her, 

count her towers, consider well her ramparts, 

view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation."

Some time later armies would breach those walls. They were not invincible, after all. Thanks to archaeologists, and virtual modeling, you can take a virtual tour at http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/en and get a feel for what might have been there. IF you happen to be a bit of a history buff.

It's at least a challenge to me that this psalmist could say, let me show you what we've got. Take the tour. We don't just show them the fine old architecture that speaks our rich and long-standing church traditions. We don't just show them drawings, and give our own "virtual tour" of how it's going to look when all is perfectly put together. People look for enduring quality and stability that comes from a proven relationship with God. A grand-event at church is great. But how do these people serve others? How do friendships thrive? How do broken hopes find healing? How are people joying in the Presence and love of the living God?  We want to live in a place that God has made His place. That was the vision. That is The Church Jesus meant when he promised to build it.  

The Story Continues

There's so many selling what I don't need, I sometimes screen out what I do need. Sorting mail and email, I have to check  to make sure I don't throw away something I shouldn't.  We do want to share the best news we ever heard, so we try to "earn" a hearing. Even then,  people do their message screening.


 I met a guy in the park awhile back walking his dog. He "wasn't interested in religion" but it was okay to talk about family letdowns and relationships. Somehow, the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers came up and, surprise. I wasn't spamming him any more.


There's a room where adults will gather this Sunday for Bible study. Tacked behind the teacher, there will be a "story cloth". It's an attractive visual to back up one of those messages we give out again and again. Stories from God's Word are a power tool to help us get to know God better, and to say that He is still at work in lives today.

I don't know that we need the cloth: I do know we need the method. We used storying on a local playground for outreach to neighborhood children. Several of us are memorizing stories to share next month with adult villagers  in Africa. A church member went to the hospital and used Bible stories to become a spiritual therapist to her physical therapist. Today, on the go, family room, boardroom, weight room, or waiting room, or biking along a trail, there' are many places where people can swap a story.

Do you have a story about sharing a story?

christianophobic?

It's not quite 6 AM. I woke half-refreshed at 4 AM. It was worth it. Early morning lends a luxurious kind of silence, a garden for the soul. I've been reading Deuteronomy... blessings for all who walk in the Lord's ways. Curses to all who depart from him. And as hearts return to God, He returns to them. So does the joy of living.


Later today, I will visit a place where Muslims meet regularly for worship. I can prayer walk too. Our speaker will talk about Islamophobia in America. I wonder as I hear so much about violence in Syria: do Muslims ever suffer from Islamophobia? Nobody says too much about "Christianophobia." I know there's that whole characterization of backwoods people clinging to their Bibles and guns. There's militant atheism out there too. But I myself get a little Christianophobic. I love how church can be a place of healing. I don't love when it's a place people get burnt. 


Not long ago I visited a large church's blog. It had "Grace" prominent in their title. A minute's reading was all I could take. The tone was certainly not "grace", if anything it was an orgy of criticism. Then I fear the merchandising of the missional, people who want to bottle God's anointing and sell it to you for $ 19.95. The endless stream of seminars and media and what's next to make lukewarmness more spectacular. Afraid I've been there. I pray I never go back. In that sense, let me be Christianophobic.


Maybe fearing God requires a tinge of Christianophobia. To fear any lack of sincerity in myself or the Church of God. To despise any delusion that causes us to embrace something less than what His Ransom intended. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 


Grace makes room. Grace makes real. Grace secures. Grace graciously sets us straight. Fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears, to paraphrase, still has a lot to learn about love. Starting where?   "We love because He first loved us." ~ Breathe easier.