Revenge belongs to God alone, not you.

"If someone screws you, screw them back 10 times harder, at least they're going to leave you alone, and at least you'll feel good."  This is an entirely human sentiment, something that expresses well our sinful nature as children alienated from our Heavenly Father.  It is also, however, a sentiment in direct opposition to the Word of God.  What does God say about vengeance, what is our response supposed to be as followers of Jesus Christ?

Romans 12:14-21 (NIV)

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 5:38-48 (NIV)

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The sentiment expressed in the quote at the beginning of the post came from a rich businessman in 2005, that same businessman is now one of the most powerful people in the world, Therefore his attitude regarding vengeance carries serious weight.  The thirst for vengeance, the desire to see enemies crushed, is not, nor can it ever be, the attitude of a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Revenge doesn't belong to you, it belongs to God, he will defend the righteous and punish the wicked, he will uphold the poor and the weak against the rich and the strong.  

God loves you too much to ignore your sexuality.

People want to do what they want, when they want to do it, and how they want to do it.  People don't like being told what they can and cannot do.  This isn't a mystery, its obvious, a commonality of us all.  Our feelings about sex and sexuality are no different.  In order to fulfill humanity's desire to be autonomous, to make our own rules, elements of society have always sought to ignore the clear consequences of sexual activity outside of marriage, whether it be heterosexual or homosexual, the desire to be autonomous and reject limitations remains the same.
Sexuality has significant consequences for individuals and society that we ignore at our peril.  It can be a force for good when contained within a loving marriage, an expression of fidelity and love, but it can also be a powerful destructive force when it exceeds that boundary, resulting in STD's, divorce, rape, abortions, and all manner of non-marital sexuality, including homosexual expressions.  Sexual expression has to have limits, no society can function without them.  Biology ought to be one obvious restraint on human autonomy, after all, it takes a man and a woman to reproduce, but even this fact of nature comes under assault when people seeking autonomy are willing to ignore nature and embrace homosexual and transgender perspectives.
God isn't interested in ruining fun, God doesn't want to quash happiness or love, but God, as our Heavenly Father and our Creator, is not going to sit by and let human beings pursue dead-end paths that are only self-destructive, he loves you too much.  God, in the created order, has set limits upon our expressions of sexuality.
All sexual expressions outside of the marriage of one man and one woman are sin, not because I say so, but because the Word of God declares it to be so, thus the cheating husband is as equally ignoring God as the person seeking a lesbian sexual relationship.  All sin is an affront against God, if the Church has failed to make clear its opposition to ALL forms of sexual sin, especially our own, that is our failure.  If Christians have seemed more interested in opposing homosexuality than in helping the people of the Church overcome adultery, that is also our failure.  We, the Church, have failed in this arena, far too often.  Holiness begins at home, the people of the Church have failed to live sexually pure lives, for this we need to repent and return to being what God has called us to be.  As a people redeemed by God, we cannot pretend that sin, of any kind, is ok.  It won't be popular to say so, and we shouldn't expect those who don't believe in God to be happy to hear it, but God loves you too much to ignore your sexuality, and as imitators of Jesus Christ, so does his Church.

My words are primarily for myself, my family, my church, and beyond that, the greater Christian community.  If they spur the people of God toward self-examination, and greater efforts at holiness (by God's grace) they will have achieved their purpose.  If my words speak to the Lost, to those without God, let them hear me clearly: God loves you, his Son died to set you free, God wants you to come home to him, whatever your past, whatever your present, God can and will forgive you if you put your faith in him.  When you do believe, join a local church, it is the place where the people who were lost, but now are found, gather together to celebrate God's mercy and grace, and to share his love.

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

Genesis 2:24 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."

Mark 10:8b-9 "So they are no longer two, but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Matthew 5:28 "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.  The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.  For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit."

Sermon Video: Josiah - Renewal and Hope - 2 Chronicles 34

Josiah, the boy king, came to the throne at the age of eight following the assassination of his father, Amon.  The Chronicles doesn't tell us who acted as regent during his minority, nor who educated or trained the boy king, but we are told that at 16 Josiah began to seek the LORD.  At 20, Josiah began a systematic program of destroying and demolishing idols and altars to false gods throughout both Judea and also in the lands of the shattered kingdom of Israel.  At 26, Josiah oversaw the restoration of the temple complex whose repairs had been neglected for decades.  Having accomplished so much before 30, Josiah is an amazing example of youthful zeal for the LORD.
What Josiah would have attempted next we'll never know, for his future course was set by the discovery of the scroll of the Law in the temple.  Previous to this, for an unknown period of time, the people had been without a copy of the Law.  Imagine, Josiah sought the LORD without having personally read the Scriptures, with only second-hand knowledge of God.  The reforms of Josiah appear even more amazing given this limitation.  When the Scriptures were read in his presence, however, far from being reassured because of his personal faithfulness, Josiah was moved tear his robes in mourning as he realized just how far his nation had been, for generations, from the standard of God's holiness as outlined in the Law of Moses.
Knowing his people's sinfulness, Josiah humbly sought the LORD's forgiveness on their behalf, only to learn that the day of God's wrath in judgment could not be diverted.  God granted Josiah the mercy of peace during his day, because of his faithfulness, but assured him that soon judgment would come.  In response, Josiah gathered the people of Judah and Israel, from least to greatest, to rededicate themselves to the Covenant publicly.  This act of devotion to the LORD, knowing that the future held judgment, not blessings, was a further example of how thoroughly Josiah's generation sought the LORD.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

In defense of brotherly love - Samwise Gamgee and Hermione Granger

As is well known, my favorite book is The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.  In this masterpiece that launched the modern fantasy novel genre, the character of Samwise Gamgee follows his "master" Frodo on the journey to Mordor to destroy the one ring.  It is well known that Tolkien modeled the relationship between Frodo and Sam after the relationship between officers in the British army during WWI and their assistants, known as a "batman".  The relationship between Frodo and Sam is one of the greatest example in literature of brotherly love, loyalty, and friendship.  It should come as no surprise, then, that some would rather view this relationship through a sexual lense, wanting to see the Sam/Frodo relationship as a homosexual one.  Such a view would obviously ignore the intent of J.R.R. Tolkien, as the author, although for many this hurdle means nothing, but it would also destroy the nobility of the relationship for it would take away its most important quality: selflessness.  Sam is loyal to Frodo, and loves him like a friend, is there something wrong with leaving it at that?  Must every relationship have a sexual angle, can nothing be altruistic?
A similar thought occurs with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, it has been reported that the author considered having Harry fall for Hermoine, instead of what she actually wrote which had Harry's friends Ron and Hermione end up together.  What was written is far superior, however, for it makes the friendship between these three paramount, and their willingness to risk their lives to support Harry in his quest is more noble without the angle of sexual attraction and romance that would have made Hermione's choice to stay with Harry when Ron left temporarily in the Deathly Hollows a self-centered one instead of a self-sacrificial choice.
Romantic love is crucial to society, helping to hold marriages together, but there is something to be said for simple brotherly love, devoid of sexual connections, for love such as this has often changed the world.  "For God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Sermon Video: King Manasseh - Wickedness and Repentance - 2 Chronicles 33

King Manasseh was a wicked man, he lived the majority of his life steeped in idolatry, blasphemy, and he even committed child sacrifice, offering up his own son in a pagan ritual.  As a king of Judah, the covenant people descended of Abraham, Manasseh bears a greater responsibility for his sin than someone who does not know who the LORD is.  By his actions, Manasseh was guaranteeing that both he and his nation would soon face the wrath of God in righteous judgment.  The only question is, can that future judgment be avoided, can such a wicked man repent and be saved?
In a stunning turn of event, Manasseh does indeed repent when brought low by the LORD, and to top it off, God accepts his contrition and forgives him, allowing Manasseh to spend what time remained in his life trying to make amends for his past.
To counter-balance this message of hope for even the vilest of sinners, if that person repents, the remainder of chapter 33 of 2 Chronicles tells briefly of the life of Manasseh's son, Amon, who only reigned as king for two years before he was assassinated.  In those two years, Amon followed the example of the earlier part of his father's life by engaging in much wickedness, but unlike his father, he refused to repent and died in his sins.
All have sinned, all must repent and seek the LORD's forgiveness, but not all are given the multiple chances that were afforded to Manasseh, for Amon only lived till his 24th year, at which point he had to account for his life before God.  Today is the day of repentance, for no one is guaranteed tomorrow.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love? 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Nobody enjoys being corrected, but it is an absolutely necessary part of life, spiritual life being no exception.  Paul had ample reason to bring corrective discipline to bear on the people of the church of Corinth, and yet he chose to do so with a fatherly warning instead of public shaming.  Paul recognized the ineffective nature of using shame against a rebellious heart, focusing instead upon warning them in love.  That Paul eschewed using shame is not an indication that he wasn't serious about the discipline that was needed, in fact, Paul told the people of Corinth that his approach to them would be determined by how they responded to his letter of warning.  If the people accept the warning, he will be able to come to them in gentle love when he visits, but if they refuse to cede their pride to the authority of God's Word, Paul will instead be forced to visit them with the "whip" of tough love.  In the end, what matters is keeping the people of God on the path of holiness, if gentle persuasion works, all the better, if not, love will have to get tough.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Christians must not advocate falsehoods

This really shouldn't need to be said, but given the current political climate in America, it has become clear that many people who call themselves Christians, from both sides of the political spectrum, have decided that the truth must be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.  In other words, the truth is getting in the way of winning in politics, therefore the truth has become a luxury that can no longer be indulged in.  The goal of winning against political foes has been valued more highly than the character trait of being a disciple of Jesus Christ who honors honesty and the truth.  The resulting common use of half-truths and outright falsehoods, knowingly, is not only weakening our democratic republic, but the ministry of the Church itself and the effectiveness of the Gospel, for it demonstrates that those who have placed the pursuit of power above the pursuit of the truth, have also placed their allegiance to Jesus in a secondary role, at best.
If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, a true and committed follower who has been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb and given the gift of the Holy Spirit, you cannot serve another master.  The contrast between the kingdom of God, its priorities and methods, and the world in which we live, is very stark.  To "win" by the standards of this world, is to fail in the kingdom of God.  The world values power, fame, and wealth, the kingdom of God values humility, submission to God's will, and service to others.

Psalm 34:12 "Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies."
Proverbs 12:22 "The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful."
Proverbs 30:8a "Keep falsehood and lies far from me"
John 8:32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8:44 "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

Don't lie to yourself, if you've embraced falsehoods, if you are willingly believing and spreading lies, you're not serving the kingdom of God.  Whatever your goal is, no matter how worthy it may be, pursuing it this way is sinful.  It isn't worth it, to tarnish your character for the sake of power in this world is a fool's bargain.  The people of God must be speakers of the Truth, and we must have no patience for those who have chosen instead to embrace lies, nor any part in spreading them.

A world without extra food: The not very distant past.

While reading Tom Holland's The Forge of Christendom: The End of Days and the Epic Rise of the West, I was struck once more with the realization that most of modern humanity has no real notion as to what life was really like only a few short generations ago before the food surpluses we enjoy came to be following the Industrial/Agricultural Revolution.  Our ancestors lived season to season.  Every spring was a time of want, last year's harvest having been exhausted and this year's produce not yet available.  A single bad harvest could throw a family, a village, even an entire region into famine and starvation.  Is it any wonder that a people living such a precarious existence, while having faith in God, were still superstitious as they looked to the heavens and prayed that nothing would destroy their crop before the harvest?
Famine still exists in the modern world, much of it the result of human malfeasance, but weather related disasters still occur that threaten once more to plunge people into hunger.  There is a profound difference, however, between modern hunger and its past manifestations.  When hail, locusts, or a band of marauders ruined the harvest in 10th century Francia, 12th century Bavaria, or 14th century Ireland, there was no outside help to come to the rescue.  The U.N. did not exist to send relief, nor did international charities, or friendly foreign governments.  We still have humanitarian crisis in our world, and they still do spiral out of control at times, but a possible solution to them always exists.  There is enough food in the world to feed everybody, our ancestors couldn't imagine such abundance.
If you know history, you learn perspective, if you have a reality based perspective on the world, finding wisdom is far easier.  Is life difficult now?  Yes.  Do people suffer in the Third World and in even rich nations?  Of course.  Understanding that things were worse, significantly worse, in the past doesn't minimize the suffering of the present, but it does remind us that gratitude ought to be near to our lips far more often than grumbling.  There are a lot of people who don't know what they will eat tomorrow, but gone are the days when nobody could prevent starvation following a bad harvest.  Shouldn't we therefore be a people who don't have to be reminded to offer up thanksgiving to God?

Sermon Video: What do you have that you did not receive? - 1 Corinthians 4:6-13

What is the source of human pride if not ignorance?  All pride is built upon a false premise, that we have earned what we have.  In reality, what we have, we have received from God.  This is a truth that ought to be apparent in the way that the people of God live, for would know the kindness of God better than those saved by grace?

In an effort to bring the people of the church of Corinth to their senses, Paul utilizes biting sarcasm to compare their feeling of self-assurance to his own experience of the harsh reality of being persecuted for the sake of the Gospel.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

The Intolerance of the Gospel

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is intolerant, as a matter of fact, the whole Bible is intolerant, on purpose.  When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai, the first commandment was straightforward in its exclusive claim, "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3).  In a similar vein, the prophet Isaiah wrote, "O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth." (Isaiah 37:16)  The fundamental understanding of who God is, clearly stated throughout the Hebrew scriptures, is that there is only one God, that no other gods exist.
The New Testament takes up this refrain and amplifies it even further with the exclusive "I Am" statements of Jesus, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)  There is absolutely no way to honor the words of Jesus other than admitting that this is an exclusive claim, one that is by its very nature, intolerant of other attempts to bridge the gap between the human and the divine.  Jesus exclusively claimed that he was the path to God, the only true God, and that all other paths must fail.  This is intolerant, it does not embrace the notion that people can believe whatever they want, for in that same sentence Jesus also declared himself to be "the truth".
Racism, hatred, cruelty, and unkindness have nothing to do with the Gospel, the people of God must always oppose them, vigorously, the exclusivity of the Gospel and such immoral behaviors have nothing in common.  The Gospel is indeed intolerant of false hope and false promises, it must be, for there is only one truth, to pretend otherwise would only harm those who do not yet believe.

Sermon Video: May we be found faithful by God - 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

We have been entrusted with the Gospel by God.  Individual Christians, working collectively as the Church, have been given the awesome responsibility of being the guardians of the Gospel's message to a world which desperately needs it.  The question for us is simple: Will we be proven faithful in this task by God?
Our judgment of each other in this matter, is not accurate, our judgment of ourselves in this matter, can be misleading, but God's judgment will be both accurate and entirely thorough.  God will reward those who faithfully serve his kingdom, as only a righteous and holy judge could.

To watch the video, click on the link below: