Adaptation vs. Assimilation

At one time in American history, the lines between the church and society were so blurred as to often make them indistinguishable.  For example, De Toqueville's analysis of America in the early 1800's is stunning in that respect:  "On my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things.  In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions.  But in America I found they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country."  (DeToqueville, p. 308)  What this really means is that virtue and morality were the underpinnings of this country - specifically Christian virtue and morality.  Those that came here did not bring their baggage and old world values with them.  They came looking for a better life, and they assimilated into this way of life here, with a clear cut concept of right and wrong, and knowing this was what was expected of them here in America.  In other words:  those who came to America not only knew that they were expected to change and adapt to this country's virtue and morality, they welcomed it.

The same is true of the church.  Fundamental doctrines such as "Law and Gospel" have been misunderstood for centuries.  The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit of Christ gives life.  Saved by faith?  Yes.  Saved FOR works?  Of course.  So every effort is to be made to conform to the law, not that it might save us, but that it protects and preserves the common good of the neighbor, and thus it honors the God to whom all creation owes its existence.  Yet throughout history, the pendulum has swung between extreme legalism (the pietists and others of the past) to antinomianism (a.k.a. "without law" - the liberal progressive bunch that seeks to "unsin" so many things contrary to God's law today).  We are living very much in the age of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "cheap grace:"  The grace and forgiveness we bestow upon ourselves, without seeking that from God.

This is probably nothing earth-shattering, but American society and the church are on parallel paths today.  No longer do immigrants adapt to the culture of America.  It has changed so fundamentally and profoundly from within that there is no standard of morality and virtue any longer.  Instead, we have assimilated all manner of bad and just plain evil behaviors into our societal norm that the spirits of religion and freedom are no longer marching in sync.  They have gone the way of every other country on the face of the earth.  Many of those countries are closer to collapse than we are.  Greece would be a fine example of this. Recent rulings by the Supreme Court here, along with evidence of massive fraud, scandal, lies amongst our political leaders, coupled with corruption and perverse practices even among such controversial things as abortion have demonstrated that the foundations of virtue and morality once held in high esteem in this country and what once made this nation great, are a thing of the past.

The question - and challenge -before us is simple and it is this:  Are we going to recapture any semblance of moral underpinnings here in this country, or are we going to simply continue down the slippery slope of "anything goes?"  Some of us are vowing to recapture that essence and attempt to adapt ourselves and our lives to it once again, even if others won't follow.  Will you in your personal life and in your public life adapt to a norm, or will you assimilate all of your bad habits into that norm?  That is the choice facing us today.  I pray we can collectively make the right choice before its too late.

Learning From History

"Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."  It has been said by countless generations before us, and as recently as Winston Churchill during World War 2.  The history contained in the Old Testament demonstrates that very reality:  that when we fail to learn from history and do not change our destructive habits, they are bound to repeat and bring about destruction and ruin once again.

Now, not only do we not learn from history, we want to whitewash, sanitize, and otherwise eliminate it.  ISIS, in its current march across the middle east, is destroying anything of historical or cultural significance that doesn't fit with its' insane world view.

The saddest reality of all?  We are no better than them.  Look at the attempts to remove the Dixie Flag from government property, the removal of historical role playing games from sites such as Amazon because of the "Dixie" flag, and the cancellation of the syndicated show "the Dukes of Hazzard," all because of the same display of said flag.  Even the controversy itself shows extreme ignorance of history.  It is referred to as the "Confederate Flag."  This is simply not true.  It was NEVER the flag of the Confederate States of America.  Yes, as was pointed out to me, it was used in part of one version of the 'Confederate Flag,' but it was never itself the Confederate flag.  Several state flags today also incorporate that image in their flags.  Where is the outrage and the call to ban them?  Hawaii has a British flag incorporated in it - why are we not outraged that our Revolutionary oppressors are memorialized there?  Instead, we ban a TV show that never offered any sort of racist or racial remarks, and even now call for the removal of statues that honor any historical figure associated with the south.  This is political correctness gone completely out of control, and demonstrates clearly and firmly that we are not only not learning from history at all, but that we are about to repeat it once again.

The simple reality is that the "rebel" or "Dixie" flag is, in fact, a symbol out of the era when several states formed a new union all over the battle of states' rights.  Yes, the hot topic was slavery, but the war itself was fought over the right of states to govern themselves without excessive government interference.  The flag itself was never, however, a symbol of slavery, racism, or any sort of anti-abolitionist movement.  It came to stand for southern pride (i.e. the "Dixie" flag).  And yet in the fervor to ban it, I have yet to hear anyone actually correctly identify the flag as what it actually was, NOT what people want it to be today.  It was never the confederate flag.

Our history must be remembered.  Especially, we must remember one of our darkest hours (the Civil War era) so that we never repeat it.  I'm not advocating that the Dixie Flag be kept on state grounds, but this banishment has been taken way too far already.  When one does even a cursory reading of why the Roman Empire collapsed, for example, one can see that America is already well on its way.  Why?  In part because it cannot remember or retain what made it great in the first place.  Want to know what is expressed in the founding fathers' vision, throughout their own statements, and even seen in an outside observer in the 19th century?  Here is what 19th century French observer Alexis De Tocqueville had to say:  "Religion in America takes no direct part in the government of society, but it must be regarded as the first of their political institutions; for if it does not impart a taste for freedom, it facilitates the use of it.  Indeed, it is in this same point of view that the inhabitants of the United States themselves look upon religious belief....  such are the opinions of the Americans; and if any hold that the religious spirit which I admire is the very thing most amiss in America...  I can only reply that those who hold this language have never been in America and that they have never seen a religious or a free nation."  (DeTocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835, this ed. 1994, pp 305-7)

In other words:  It was religion that made America great.  Specifically, it was the Christian principles on which this nation was founded.  Anyone who would argue or belabor this point is also one who, simply put, does not know history.  In fact, that may very well be at the cause of today's national crisis.  Our Judeo-Christian roots and heritage are being whitewashed and otherwise destroyed, and as such, the nation is being slowly destroyed as it fades into oblivion and the annals of history.  Why?  because we fail to learn from our own moral past, and the corruption and immorality that pervades society is slowly eating us from within.

Remember the words of the Apostle Paul:  It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. ...You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  (Galatians 5:1, 13)  Until the hearts and minds of America remembers its history and roots, and returns to them, the Republic is dead.  Long live the Republic.

Surburg's blog: Mark's thoughts: When the ultimate questions not l...

Surburg's blog: Mark's thoughts: When the ultimate questions not l...: A little while ago I had a conversation that left me stunned.   There is an individual whom I have known for quite some time.   This ...

The Coming Storm

I'm always fascinated by the changing social norms in this country.  National Review Online wrote a piece recently which essentially calls deviant behavior the "new normal."   As many of you know, I am a strong believer that the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights (not to mention the other articles of freedom:  The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence) have clear moral foundations in Christian value.  I'm not talking Christian values as practiced (or rather violated) by some, but the values standard that we all as Christians should aspire to uphold and live by.  This nation will continue its downward slide until we recapture the essence of that value.

In many ways, it goes to what a growing segment of the population is fixated on:  namely, the Christian claim of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  So many who claim to not even believe in God seem fixated on the topic.  It seems that the common theme to the claims challenging Jesus' resurrection lie simply with the fact (and it is a fact) that it cannot be proven.  Many have tried, but there is simply no way to, short of building a time machine, going back to witness all the events that are historical, by the way, and see what happens first hand that first Easter Sunday.  Oddly enough, there are many who were indeed witnesses, and they have recorded their accounts for us.  We call it the "Bible."  It is also worth pointing out that, as we cannot "prove" that it happened, we also cannot disprove it.  This is an important distinction, because when one takes the approach we are supposed to have in our legal system, it would follow then that the truth lies in the preponderance of the evidence.  As I mentioned, many of the events recorded along with the Biblical account are indeed factual and borne out by other ancient and historical witnesses.  This is not written to discuss the resurrection per se, but simply to point out that as a result of what opens this post, the world is going to do its best to prove to the Christian community that it did not happen, thereby unraveling everything else that goes along with it, including the moral value that comes from Christianity on which this country was founded.  They cannot prove that.  Yet they will continue to try.

It is the logical outcome of a world that has become self-absorbed and cares only about its own interests and not at all about others.  This is the world we live in.  Oddly enough, it is the world of the Old Testament Patriarchs as well, and the warnings they were given by all manner of observers, prophets, and the like, went unheeded, until the storm hit, as predicted.  It was Dr. Gracia Grindal of Luther Seminary who, in the 1990's, commented that the church used to be a place where nothing was permitted and everything was forgiven.  Today, she says, everything is permitted and nothing is forgiven.  This is at the heart of today's deviant behaviors being seen as "normal," and yet un-forgiven.  It is also at the heart of what is at stake here in America.  We as a society must re-learn the standard for "normal" behavior in America, and must learn to enforce it.  At the same time, we must also learn to forgive more as well, because in the end, none of us can stand completely virtuous and upright.  Or as Romans says, "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."  Our society is headed for a disaster of Biblical proportions if we continue to lose sight of that moral standard and value that shaped and guided this country through its founding and growth.  Yes, we had many problems during those times as well, but that same standard continued to guide and shape our response to those problems as time passed.

Last Sunday, we dedicated a new church building to the glory of God.  Emotions still are mixed, despite that it was a fantastic day, and the weather was beautiful.  First of all, it is one more of those "I didn't think I'd ever be doing this" moments in life.  But second, it goes back to a year prior when we broke ground, and there was indeed a storm that came through as we were wrapping up our cookout after the groundbreaking service.  Pastor Russ Saltzman spoke of the disciples and their incredulity at the massive stones which made the Jerusalem temple in Jesus' time, and Jesus' own prediction that a time would come when not one stone would be left on another.  The same is true with our church building.  How different it looks today than from a year ago.  How different the weather was from a year ago as well.  And if it becomes nothing more than a church that seeks to only serve its own interests, it will be little more than a collection of concrete, wood, sheet rock and glass.

You see, the mixed emotions lie with the coming storm here in America that will follow the godlessness and a-morality (the "new normal" of deviancy) that exists today.  We cannot ever be a church that seeks to impose its' will on society.  However, we cannot also ever be a church that simply sits by and does nothing while our society crumbles around us.  Years from now they'll ask us:  "where were you when the United States collapsed?"  and our reply cannot be "we just stood by and watched it happen."    Seems the place to begin is with recapturing what it means to be a nation founded on Christian virtue and principle.    Seems we all could spend a lot more time learning right from wrong in an absolute sense, rather than on what we think right and wrong ought to be.  And, it seems we all need to learn how to forgive more, and let the forgiveness we receive from God guide us as we strive to live lives of virtue, guided by the moral fabric that has guided countless generations before us.

That Pesky Little Thing Called "the Truth"

     The truth.  Or lack thereof.  Our news has been inundated with it of late.  Let's see... there was the whole "hands up.  Don't shoot."  of the Michael Brown fame and Ferguson Missouri.  Not to belittle those instances where the police (or anyone for that matter) oversteps their authority, but this was seen imitated in congress, at NFL games, on T-Shirts, national news broadcasts, and in protests and demonstrations since.  There is only one problem:  It never happened.  An entire movement in this country began and perpetuated on a lie.

     This is perhaps one of the most notorious and visible examples,  but lest we forget all of the apparent lies and mistruths that current presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been caught in of late, (Google Hillary Clinton's lies and you'll get links as far back as 2008 - too many to provide a link here).  Of course there's also the new "Baghdad Bob," - we can call him "Baghdad Barack," for all of his distortions of the truth when it comes to the handling of the ISIS threat. (remember Baghdad Bob from the 2003 second gulf war, claiming that Iraq had repelled the allied invaders as the allied tanks were rolling through the streets behind him?)  Josh Earnest, the U.S. press secretary, seems to have trouble telling things like they really are.  And of course, there is also the accusations of rape and sexual abuse that seem to abound in today's culture.  This is not to diminish those who truly do suffer such abuse, but lately it seems fashionable to simply cry "rape" when in fact, it never happened.  The most famous current example would be "mattress girl" - who, as facts come out because of a lawsuit filed by the alleged perpetrator, she was nothing more than a scorned and spurned college coed who decided to get even when the gentleman in question would not succumb to her sick and perverted sexual advances.  The result?  She destroyed and sullied another's life and reputation.   And yes, she carried a mattress around Columbia University for a year, calling attention to a very serious matter, but once again, all based on a lie.

     Lies in politics are called "spin."  Lies in society are often referred to as "little white."  Truth becomes stretched.  Lies in a court of law are not supposed to happen, but yet the courts are inundated with lawsuits in which one side (often both) must necessarily be lying.  The truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.  So whatever happened to the truth?  Why does the legend of George Washington not hold sway at all here in 21st century America?  Why have we adopted a teleological ethic where "the end justifies the means," and therefore it is perfectly acceptable and permissible to lie to gain what one wants?

     Now there is no need to begin quoting Scripture when it comes to the truth.  Jesus speaks of the truth often, and when the world is caught up in its own lies, it is doing the bidding of the father of lies:  the devil.  Most people still seem to have an inkling that lying is not acceptable.  And yet it permeates our society.  Worse, the lies are accepted and acted upon, and often the results are horrible.  Lives are ruined, towns are destroyed, hard working citizens are vilified, and the world is left a worse place than before.  Lies lead ultimately to pain, accusations, bondage, powerlessness, and fear.  Truth always leads to healing, grace, hope, freedom, power, and peace.

     So where do we go from here?  What can be done collectively to get back to the heart of the matter, namely the "truth?"  Jesus does say "you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."  The implication is that in living, believing, or perpetuating lies will continue to bind us collectively, and keep us as slaves to evil.   As Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, "God's truth judges created things out of love, and Satan's truth (lies) judges them out of envy and hatred."

     It would follow that to recapture a greater sense of truth means we must first recapture what it means to love our fellow man.  Love is, after all, the greatest of the three remaining virtues (faith, hope, love - 1 Corinthians 13).  In fact, lies are self-serving.  Love is not.  "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:5-7)

     Yes.  To recapture truth in society, we must also relearn how to love one another.  And by the way?  The greatest example of that love would be given in God's Son.  "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

A Celebration. AND a Warning.

What follows is an expanded version of a paragraph from our Sunday bulletin, as we began worship in our new building last Sunday (May 10).

Why does this congregation exist?  People want to think this all began with two factions holding profoundly different beliefs.  It did not.  This has little to do with failed votes to leave another denomination, hostilities between warring factions, two hermeneutics, or methods of operation and interpretation, at work within a denomination that, as former ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson said "were opposed to one another and yet equally valid."  It is not about people.  Not about buildings.  Not about denominations.  Not about personal practices.  It's not about us at all.

Rather, It began with the establishment of the church with the apostles’ commission to go and make disciples and baptize – all in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Much has happened in the nearly two millennia since:  Empires and kingdoms have arisen, only to fall again.  Kings, emperors, tyrants, and despots have come and gone.  The church has formed, only to be under constant assault by the ancient adversary:  the devil.  Congregations have begun, only to disband once again.  Magnificent buildings have been erected, only to crumble into the depths of history.  Wars have been fought, sometimes on a global scale.  Competing ideologies have led to all of these.  But the one constant in all of this was and is the Word of God, that often stands in stark contrast to the troubles of our past and present. 

Of course, pointing out the troubles this world has is nothing new, and warnings of the conditions today have been given.  "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Ti 3:1–5).  Even Thomas Jefferson said "God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever."  (quoted on the Jefferson Memorial)  Here he indicates that we will either be one nation under God, or apart from God, simply one nation going under.  It doesn't become any more of a warning than that.  And the warnings from Scripture demonstrate that little has changed in 2000 years, or even 4000 years, where the common practice of history is that affluence breeds apathy.  These are the things the warnings attempt to direct us away from.  They also attempt to direct us toward the one constant:  God's Word.

Its all about the message.  This world needs it.  Mother Basilea Schlink (a Lutheran nun from the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary) was firmly convinced that the rise of natural disasters since the 1980's is God’s wake up call for us.  Max Lucado wrote a book about 10 years ago called “It’s not about me.”  But the reality of the world is that self interest is all that matters, and little else.  And while we celebrate the building, mothers’ day, and so on, its not about any of them either.  Or look at the disciples.  They are in the presence of the Messiah, and what does Jesus catch them debating?  Which one of them is the greatest (Mark 9:33ff).  Nothing has changed since the time of Christ.


The world is indeed crumbling.  Mother Basilea witnessed the destruction of Germany first hand as allied forces bombed it to dust in the effort to eliminate the evil of the Nazis and Hitler.  We see today that the rise of affluence breeds not only apathy, but an appetite for more satisfaction of self interests.  It is time to, once again, recommit ourselves to the pure word of God and its proclamation.  It’s not about us, or about this building, or anything but the love of God, given to us.  It is the only thing that can rescue us from this dark world, and the only thing to proclaim without ceasing to others.  

It was in recent history that a handful of people set about the task to establish a small congregation in a small town in a small portion of the Great Plains, with the intent to carry out the commission given to those first apostles.  What you see here today is but the beginnings of that commission, despite that this building is now nearly complete.  In the grand scheme of history, it is doubtful that this “Trinity Lutheran Church” will even be remembered.  But that is not what is important.  What is important is found buried in the entrance slab to the right of the front doors:  A Bible.  And in that Bible?  A commemoration:  “The Bible in this foundation is placed as an eternal reminder that all who enter should hear nothing else than the Word of God, and all who leave this place should do nothing else than live by it.”

Though nearly complete, it is not complete yet.  And it will not be, until such a day as those conditions are met:  where nothing BUT the Word of God is proclaimed within its walls, and the people who leave these doors do nothing but LIVE by that same Word.  

The Collapse of Freedom

Recent attacks on the so-called "Mohammed Art" event in Texas demonstrate something very clear:  People are using their freedom in a very irresponsible fashion.

I'm beginning to suspect that doing so is yet another symptom of the decline of America.  It's not all that new:  We've got such "so-called" art (under the same guise of 'freedom of speech') as Maplethorpe's "Piss-Christ" (which stretches the limits of vulgarity and credibility under any category) which also greatly offended the Christian community in America.  Then you've got "vaginal knitting" (you really can't make this stuff up), which simply stretches the bounds of good taste and a whole host of other fronts.  And then you've got the recent "Charlie Hebdo" attacks in Paris, and now the Mohammed 'Art' exhibit in Texas, which was apparently nothing more than a cartoon exhibition in the flavor of the more famous "Charlie Hebdo" cartoons, mocking Islam's Mohammed.

Everyone wants to make these all about free speech.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  This is not about free speech.  This is about using free speech in a highly irresponsible and disrespectful fashion.  Does the constitution protect the right to free speech?  Yes.  Does the abuse of such freedom also demonstrate the decline of society?  Absolutely.  You see, with freedom comes responsibility.  And to use freedom responsibly means that one will not intentionally offend another group or mock closely held beliefs just because one can.  And yet, this is what we see happening all over the world in abundance today.  This is not to say that the revenge being carried out by Muslims is justified - nothing could be further from the truth.  Christians have endured numerous attacks on our cherished values and beliefs without the extreme violence that terrorists are carrying out in the name of Islam today.  What am I saying here?  The abuses of "freedom of speech" occurring all around the world, including here at home, are further signs of the decline of civilization.

At the very least, Christians should recognize that there is a higher calling above the simple cries of "freedom of speech."  St. Paul tells us that we are indeed set free (It is for freedom Christ has set you free).  However, what follows is that freedom (a deeply held and cherished value in America, and one ingrained in the fabric of the Declaration of Independence) is not something to be abused, but something to be taken very responsibly.  St. Paul also writes following that verse:  "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."

Once again, Scripture demonstrates how we ought to live as Christians and simply as a world community.  But it also contains a prophetic warning as to what will happen if we do not live that way.  We are at a crossroads:  Will we be responsible in our freedom, endowed as a gift of our God?  Or will we continue down the path of moral, spiritual, and ethical decline with such abuses of freedom as we've been seeing in abundance lately?  I pray for the former, but I fear we are indulging the latter.  If that is true, then we've learned nothing from all of the failed nations, empires, and civilizations who have gone before us and suffered the same fate.

Random thoughts from Pastor Mitch: Fiddling while Rome burns

Random thoughts from Pastor Mitch: Fiddling while Rome burns

Information Overload

We are an instant access society.  I recall in my early days of being a  pastor, I was also the track and cross country coach at Grantsburg High School in Grantsburg Wisconsin.  There was a very talented athlete that attempted to run cross country as a senior.  It was his first time running.  He also had an incredible natural running ability.  However, it was squandered because he quit shortly after beginning, and the reason given was that he "wasn't the best."  What he wanted was to be able to come out, run for the team, and be the absolute best runner in the school, and presumably the state - instantly.  And because he wasn't an instant success, he would not also work to attain that goal over time.

I ponder if this attitude is due in part to our instantaneous access to all manner of information, data, reporting, and so on.  I'm getting frustrated with the new fiber optic service in town which seems to lack the bandwidth to provide service for all of its customers.  They advertise blazing fast speeds (in excess of 50mB per second) and yet downloads can "spin" for minutes at a time.  We can send emails around the world in seconds.  We can hear news as it happens.  We are well aware of the atrocities being committed against Christians around the world, in part because those perpetrating such evils record their deeds of darkness and evil, and in part because we can transmit video around the world almost instantly as well.  People now spend hours at a time on Facebook, often reading the mundane and trivial events of someone's life in short posts.  We hear of politicians' and analysts' viewpoints and positions, often not through the truth but through spin - efforts to make what amount to lies appear as though they are the truth.  We often find out when politicians are lying (which seems to be more and more frequently).  We see that they are often all about control, power, money, and self-advancement.  We can download music, video, stream live events, watch the news on multiple channels, and even access many of the "classic" TV shows of yesteryear to watch at our leisure.  We can download entire books, stream magazines, and find a point of view that will fit virtually anyone's perspective.  And honestly, I find that our minds cannot process all this data.  Our "instant access society" has reached the point of information overload.  The net result is that we are more confused about things than ever before, because contained in that overload are competing and contradictory claims about everything.

As such, the landscape in America has become more confusing than ever.  It drives us collectively to stop trusting in anything other than ourselves, which means we are reduced to defining life and the universe on our terms only.  As the old saying goes, "we cannot see the forest for the trees."  We cannot make sense of the world around us because of the information overload that bombards us daily.  And so what often disappears first is any sense of the divine in the universe - meaning we either ignore God or simply dismiss Him altogether when it comes to living out our lives.

In the Gospel of John, we are given an encounter between Mary, Martha, and Jesus.  The two sisters have invited Jesus into their home, and Mary is listening intently to Jesus' words, at the expense of anything else.  Martha, on the other hand, is trying to play the good host and is frantically scrambling to get all things done and ready.  She complains to Jesus about Mary, and his reply spells out for us that if we are to see the forest through the trees (that is, to see the big picture), Mary has chosen the one thing that is needed:  to hear, listen, focus on, and apply Godly teaching, wisdom, truth, and virtue in her life.

Seems like a valuable lesson to me.  The world, through its constant bombardment of our senses and mind, wants to convince us that God isn't real, or that God doesn't matter.  And yet the way to lasting peace is to put to practice Godly truth in a way that really matters - making it of first importance in our lives.  It is a good place to start if we truly want to make any sense out of the information overload that rules our world.

"A Story Worth Telling" - A sermon for the Resurrection of our Lord

The women - the most stalwart of Jesus' supporters - had the story of the century - of history.  And they were afraid, and said nothing.  And yet, they told.  Eventually.  And soon Peter told.  Soon the others.  Soon more than 500.  Soon even a persecutor of Jesus’ followers.  And soon it becomes “of first importance.”  Soon it becomes the greatest story ever told, carrying the most impact and changing the most lives.  Immediately it becomes forgiveness of sins, deliverance from death and the devil, and everlasting salvation to all who simply believe.

That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That is the profound impact it had.  That is the legacy we are given as well.

You want to tell a story worth telling?  Augustana Track Coach Paul Olsen (who was also a professor of English Literature), would often begin each season with some of his own prose.  He once said,   "Taking risks will not cause a person to die.  Only not risking will.  Only the risker’s have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all."  Yep, it's risky business today to talk about Jesus.  It might get you killed, as we've seen the killings of Christians around the world recently AND we've seen threats of killing right here at home, say, in Indiana, by those who claim to have Christian values!

Here's the reality of things:  In this world, things are always darkest just before they go pitch black. And then, in that darkness, we finally recognize the truth—the truth that our own power or smarts are never enough—we discover that we need to rely solely on the promise of God the Father.  THAT is the light that shines in the darkness, and the light always wins.  I pray that the current darkness of the world - with terror on the march, with crime and murder and intolerance seemingly unchecked, with reality skewed to where evil is now good, and good is now evil - that darkness will give rise once again to a new awakening - a new excitement - a new reaction - a new revival - a new zeal for the need for Jesus!

It was also years ago that as a geology major at Augustana, we took a spring break trip to south Texas.  While spring break is often known for its drunken and drug fueled a-moral parties down in Florida and the like, WE would go study geology!  That year, we stopped off at Carlsbad Caverns.  We didn't go into the developed cave, with its lights, paved pathways, and even car tours- oh no!  We went to the "new cave:"  A five mile hike up "slaughter canyon," and then through a locked gate into a completely undeveloped cave, meaning we had a guide and flashlights to be able to even navigate past stalagmites, stalagtites, and large vertical chasms so deep one couldn't see the bottom with the limited light we had.  And yet, when we got a mile deep under the surface of the earth, turned off our lights, and saw (or didn't see, rather) the darkest of dark - darker than any night or interior room we could enter - and then saw how a single light could light up the entire cavern, it once again demonstrated how indeed the light can never be overcome by dark.  This too, is a story worth telling, but no where near the power or impact of Jesus, the light of the world!

The world’s history demonstrates a recurring time of darkness brought about at our own hands collectively.  Thus far it is followed up with a resurgence in getting back to God - it is the history recounted in the Bible, and it is demonstrated in the history since, even including such events as the Lutheran Reformation.

Things are dark now in this world.  Are they as dark as it can get?  Will the world now turn back to Jesus?  Only time will tell.

But YOU:  - be ahead of the curve and do it now, not after the darkness falls!  Don’t wait for complete and utter hopelessness, because in truth, it cannot get any more hopeless than now - for without Christ the powers of sin, death, and the devil, will overcome and overwhelm us!  Take a risk, and Stand up for Christ!  Be bold and loudly proclaim the name!  Live lives as though Christ mattered to you!  Make your lives one which witness to the salvation we’ve been given - that death is most definitely NOT the end!  Take a risk and lift high the cross of Christ!  It does not matter where you’ve been.  It matters where you are going from here.  And because He is risen, you know where that is, if you believe that the tomb is indeed empty!

And it IS empty!  So now go.  Go and make today the first day of the rest of your life!  Don’t settle for average, don’t settle for death, and don’t settle for darkness.  Live in the light of Christ and proclaim it by what we say or by what we do!  It is the greatest story ever told, and it is because it is God’s story, and it is indeed a story worth telling!

The Grave is empty.  HE IS RISEN!  Text and tell everyone you know!

Good Friday Meditation

I gotta admit: I’m just so not ready for this day.  I mean with all the now concluded midweek services, with home and family, the return of spring, the burdens of life, the arrival of family, [the imminent completion of a building], and so on, Good Friday snuck up on me and though I knew it was coming, I was caught off guard.  Come to think of it, this seems to happen every year.  And ready or not, here we are.  It’s Friday.  And yes, though Sunday’s-a-comin’, it won’t get here before passing through this day.  And FWIW, I’m not ready for Sunday, either!

Oddly enough, it was an obscure reference out of a published volume of the writings of Josephus that contained a footnote which identified today, April 3, as the exact date of the original crucifixion of Jesus.  I do not know how they arrived at that, nor can I find any studies or evidence to back up the claims of that little footnote, but I find it fascinating nonetheless.  And perhaps because such things begin occupying my time, that too is why I’m just not ready.

And while many of us might claim to be ready, I don’t believe that in the end, any of us are.  Let’s look at it: The crowd certainly wasn’t ready.  They were shouting hosanna’s just a few days prior, expecting Jesus to be the king that would overthrow the Romans.  They didn’t even comprehend what kind of a king he really was.  Pilate wasn’t ready either.  Though his historical proclivity for ruthlessness doesn’t seem to apply in Jesus’ case, he was clueless as well: He was incredulous as to the nature of what kind of king Jesus was, and when it came to truth, it was clearly all relative as he scornfully asks, “and what is truth?”  The disciples suffered from the same mentality as they stood by and even fled in disbelief as the events of Jesus’ passion unfolded.  Even the women, who were perhaps the most stalwart and comprehending bunch, weren’t ready, as the hopelessness of Jesus’ death came crashing down on them in a wave of emotion, leading even to disbelief as they went to anoint his body after the sabbath.

It seems that only God was ready - finally.  After centuries of warning Israel of the consequences of their godless disobedience - after prophet after prophet proclaimed that something better was on the horizon - after Job’s glimpses of a redeemer or advocate - and even after empire after empire came and went - time had reached its fulness.  And it would seem that these events were not intended to be foolishness, a stumbling block, or even insanity to the world.  And certainly for the latest Christian martyrs in Nigeria (147 college students, all Christian - murdered yesterday), it was neither foolishness nor a stumbling block.

 From St. Paul we read:  "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.'   Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength."  (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

Only Jesus truly was ready and for him it was neither foolishness or stumbling block, as he asks the suffering to be taken from him, but also expressing “not my will but thine be done.”  It was necessity because of God’s love for his creation.  And so today - we call it good - despite its darkness, the cross becomes the power of God for us.  Meaning we also must, as we seek to imitate Christ, claim “not my will, but thine be done, O Lord.”  And I’m perhaps not ready mostly because too often in my life, it is my will and NOT God’s that wins the day.

So what is the message of the cross to you?  Foolishness?  Stumbling block?  Necessary?  The power of God?  Are you ready?  Are you ready for this weekend?  Are you ready for the remembrance of the death of the Messiah?  Are you ready for all the events of this weekend, including the resurrection proclamation on Sunday?  So who’s ready?  None of us truly are.  And that’s the point: God provided salvation because we are never truly ready or able to do it on our own.  And that’s also  the beauty of it, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Moral Awakening

It is the Monday of Holy Week.  Preparations are in full swing to get ready for the greatest festival of the entire church year:  The day Christians celebrate what sets them apart from every other religion on the face of the earth - namely that God accomplishes what we cannot.  Every other religion places the act of "salvation" (call it 'life after death' or whatever you wish) firmly in the hands of the individual - it's all based on "what you do."  Let's face it - the world is most definitely NOT a fine place, no matter what Ernest Hemingway might have claimed.  Islam especially believes that its salvation can come through, of all things, the death and destruction of other unbelievers, once again placing the burden of any notion of salvation upon the individual.  Christianity stands alone in that the burden - and gift - of salvation is accomplished on our behalf by God (or more specifically the Son of God) simply because Christians recognize the sinful, and dare I say it - evil - state of humanity.  We simply do not have the power, the authority, or the means to save ourselves because of it.

Recent events in Indiana have only shown the insanity and hatred that is coming from, of all groups, those who claim to be the most tolerant.  As the "National Review" headlined, the "intolerance" in this debate is coming from those who seek to destroy anyone with a differing opinion.  Personally, I do not care what side that one might fall on the issue.  What I am deeply concerned about is that those who claim to be so tolerant of different views (without even knowing who I am or what my thoughts are on the matter) labeled me as a pig, suffering from a cognitive deficiency, hateful, a bigot, and a handful of other words.  This only demonstrates yet again that in this world, no matter how much good we might think we are bringing about, in the end we are only bringing about more sin, more death, and more destruction.

On the global scene, it could be far worse.  I give thanks to God that 21 Egyptian Christians, along with countless others, while having all died brutally at the hands of Isis, did so without denying their faith in Christ and knowing that their salvation is coming purely as God's gift because of their faith in Him.

I had an epiphany of sorts the other day.  As I see the world and our society crumbling down around us, I began to wonder if the rampant evils - the hatred and destruction that is so commonplace - will finally bring about a new moral and spiritual awakening in America.  It is long overdue.  It is one thing to stand firm in your beliefs, but it is something totally different when such firmness either garners the venom and hatred of those who might disagree, or worse cause bodily harm all because of those beliefs.  It seems any more that when someone seeks to be allowed to hold deeply religious or spiritual beliefs, it garners extreme hatred and prejudice along with threats of retribution.

This is the very thing Jesus came to save us from.  And from our lesson on Sunday (Philippians 2:5-11)  it becomes clear that either people willingly bow before Christ now, or will be forced to one day when the end of the world is ushered in.  Some believe that day may be soon upon us.  It could very well be.  Rather, until that time, I ponder on whether the hatred that is shown toward everyone and the absolute evil of terrorism worldwide will finally get folks to stand up and notice.  This is my prayer.  And this is what I, and we, must work for:  A new spiritual and moral awakening in this country as we recognize that evil does in fact exist, and that the standard for our mindset is to be measured by the standard Christ set for us.

Moral Clarity

We believe that we are morally superior to the rest of the world, when in fact we are morally bankrupt.  The spate of new laws and "recommendations" from efforts to undo the second amendment, to the government wanting banks to alert them when someone withdraws more than $5000, to the fraud of Ferguson and Michael Brown (and the complete silence regarding a victim who DID plead for his life) suggests that our world is completely upside down.  As Dr. Gracia Grindal said many years ago: there was a point in time where nothing was permitted and everything was forgiven.  Today, everything is permitted and nothing is forgiven.  How true.  And how telling of the moral crisis in America.

We have come to the point in this nation's history where somehow we seem to think that we can regulate morality and ethics.  The problem is that both must begin from within.  The prophet Joel said "Rend your heart and not your garments.  Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love..."  No amount of regulation or legislation will stem the tide of moral bankruptcy here in America.  A change in the hearts and attitudes of everyone is the only thing that can accomplish this.  And that change must necessarily come about because of another spiritual awakening here in America.

The other day I was listening to the news on the way to Kearney.  A group of people were in a town hall meeting of sorts with the President.  He was asked what he would have done differently in his first 6 years of office, and the response was "I should have closed Guantanamo Bay on day 1" which was met with light, glib applause.  This only further illuminates the moral confusion and relativity that exists in this country, if that is the "worst mistake" he thinks he's made as president.  Until we collectively come to terms with the concepts of good and evil, this moral crisis will continue to grow.

Martin Luther, around the time of the Reformation (1517 AD), wrote this:  "A theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil.  A theologian of the cross calls the thing what it actually is." (LW 31:39)  While Luther's "Heidelburg Disputation" was concerned more about abuses among theologians regarding the Word of God, it certainly speaks to the moral ambiguity that exists today, in that anything goes.  It was in 1988 that a fellow through hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail commented that "if you can do it, then it is natural order, and therefore acceptable."  The implications of that statement are then that such things as murder would be a part of a naturally accepted order simply because we have the capacity as humans to carry it out.  Society has always viewed murder as a crime.

The "so-called" liberal ideology is what calls for all these regulations.  It goes by various names:  Liberation theology, Feminist theology, Social Justice, Restorative Justice, and so on.  They are needed, we are told, to ensure the collective good.  However, that is a lie.  It always has been.  There is nothing wrong, mind you, with seeking to bring about things that work for the collective good of society.  But in the end, we find all too often that such efforts are nothing more than selfish ambition.  Few people truly care about others.  They only seek to serve the good of those who are advocating such social changes.  With power comes great responsibility and that responsibility is usually squandered.  Instead, we find that it is true that "absolute power corrupts absolutely."

The prophet Joel was right:  humility in the face of God comes from the heart, and so must a collective moral responsibility.  As long as we act from our own self-interests, we will continue to see the world increasingly in crisis, and spiraling further downward toward self-destruction.

I will continue next week with a more in-depth look at history as we attempt to gain a better moral clarity for the world.

This Has All Happened Before...

What is it about the glut of apocalyptic-end-of-the-world and/or zombie shows that all depict a remnant of humanity struggling to survive lately?  I believe that it says something profound about humanity itself.  I believe they are a sub-conscious reaction to just how serious the human plight has become.  Many of them, I've only made it through just a few minutes' worth before turning off because of just how vile and graphic they were.  Accordingly, I will use one that I felt portrayed a rather accurate sense of reality when it comes to the human condition:  A four year remake of the 80's TV show "Battlestar Galactica" which aired in the mid 2000's.

Simply put, the "12 colonies" of humanity are destroyed by a race of conscious "machines" (the Cylons) that they created.   A recurring theme is in the moral depravity of mankind, the futility and lip-service-only of their polytheistic religion, but above all, that in their "Scriptures" there is a passage which states "This has all happened before and it will all happen again."  The interesting twist comes in the "Cylon" religion, which is monotheistic, and eventually leads to a "sort of" expression of God's love for humanity, rather than vengeance.  It would appear that within the show, indeed history has repeated itself many times, with the conclusion coming to 21st century earth, perhaps leaving the viewer with the question:  "What are you going to do to prevent history from repeating itself once more?"  It was Winston Churchill (likely paraphrasing Spanish philosopher Santayana) who said in essence that 'those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it.'

The Book of Ecclesiastes also says something of the sort.  As the teacher ponders the meaning of life and the purpose of humanity, he states "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."  (1:9)  It seems that roughly 3000 years ago, he too recognized that indeed:  those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it.  And what was one of the underlying causes of Israel's downfall in the Old Testament?  Moral relativism, which led toward the nation being apathetic toward God.

Recently on a Lutheran online forum, a discussion was begun over an op-ed piece from the New York Times by David Brooks.  In that discussion, the author was criticized by some, and regardless of what you may or may not think of him, his point is spot on:  America needs to reassert a strong sense of morality - before its too late.  It would seem that history is indeed repeating itself once again, and if we have failed to learn anything from it, we are about to repeat it.  In other words, as the moral fabric of this country crumbles (and granted it has needed several "correctives" already in its history), the country itself crumbles as well.

In the end, the message of the remade "Battlestar Galactica" is a critical one for us:  history is about to repeat itself once again, and are we doomed to let it do so?  Or are we going to learn from our own past and recapture our moral and spiritual compass of days gone by?   It was the French observer Alexis de Toqueville who famously observed "Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things. In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions. But in America I found they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country."  (Democracy in America, 1831)

We are indeed at a crossroad.  It is equally true that there is nothing new under the sun.  So we will either have another moral and spiritual awakening and renewal, or the world will plunge into a darkness not seen since the middle ages.  Where will we go from here?

Building (Disciples)

Today, being Friday, is one of those "hurry up" days where it seems there's never a shortage of things to do and to complete.  The usual assortment of things such as having lunch with our daughter at school (a Friday "tradition" of sorts), getting the bulletin ready for Sunday (proofing and adding, as Kristi Kreuscher ably does the layout and the copy), and of course the message and theme for Sunday need to be firmly nailed down, if not already done.

There has been for several months now, the added dimension of the church building going up just outside of the city limits of Gothenburg - out among the corn and bean fields of Nebraska.  This building has been in process since I arrived here nearly 3 years ago now, and is nearing completion. This building has come with a whole new set of challenges.  While certainly if money were no object, anything and everything we could anticipate would be added and included in the build itself.  Rather, while we have had excellent representation and input from our builders (Brown Church Development out of Kearney), there have still been many things we've needed to anticipate simply out of necessity to our situation and so on.  Take yesterday for example:  Brent Block and I over lunch installed several one inch "sleeves" or tubes above all the doors of the classrooms and leading into the utility room.  These sleeves are below the sheetrocked "lid" and above what will eventually be a grid type suspended ceiling.  Their purpose is simply to allow all the data wire to be pulled (a job we are doing ourselves as a cost saving measure) without the need to run any wire in the attic spaces above the various parts of the building.

When it comes to our calling as Christian disciples, we are built in much the same way.  It is one thing to know the Gospel, and to see God's truth in Jesus Christ.  (or even just to come to that point of Romans 1:20 - to recognize the reality of God in the universe itself:  its complexity, beauty, and the forces that continue to shape it).  It is another thing entirely to begin to truly comprehend the nature of that ultimate truth, and to know just how many "details" we are called into greater awareness of when it comes to following Jesus.  On the one hand, getting lost in the many "little details" can be overwhelming - much the way it is in trying to anticipate all of the little things that we need to add to the physical building we are erecting now.  On the other hand, when one truly comes to the place of following Jesus no matter what - the details and the many facets that it might entail for us don't seem to matter.  In fact, as we trust and rely on God more and more, those details are added without even a second thought, as our reliance on the grace and mercy of God gains greater traction in our lives.

Placed in the slab leading into the front doors of our building is a Bible.  It is sealed as a sort of "time capsule," and completely encapsulated in the concrete slab.  It is not a fancy one, but included in it are 3 things besides the Bible.  There are two bookmarks that outline a 90 day reading plan undertaken in the past two years on two separate occasions here, and there is an icon of the Holy Trinity - our church's namesake.  The note included in this encapsulated Bible says:

How can a young person keep their way pure?  By guarding it according to your Word.  

(Psalm 119:9)

The Bible in this foundation is placed as an eternal reminder that all who enter should hear nothing else than the Word of God, and all who leave this place should do nothing else than live by it.  

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” 

(Psalm 119:105)

In the end, that is the only truth, the only detail, and the only real thing that we need:  To hear God's Word and to live by it.  All the other details of life will fall in place if this eternal truth of God is life's foundation.

Pacific Crest Nostalgia

I completed typing my entire hiking journal (on the Pacific Crest Trail) this evening, including both the bulk of it in 1988, a second attempt at reaching Canada in 1995, and the intervening years with some short hikes and climbs in and around Yosemite National Park.  It has been a blast reliving all the events of that journey of discovery from 26 years ago - both the good AND the bad.  Now at 50, I believe I’m too old to be much of a hiker, though I long for those days of nearly limitless vistas and a myriad of conditions.  However, I also think of Johnnie Olley, 74 years old at the time, who hiked a significant portion of the trail, and am longing to, once again, attempt to hike the remaining two sections.

While I have become very nostalgic about the trail and have an intense desire to just “drop it all” and go hiking, because the “mountains are calling,” reality sets in on a multitude of fronts.  I have a family to take care of.  I battle rheumatoid arthritis that, though the medication is loosely keeping it in check, strenuous activity causes it to flare.  I have a mission that far outweighs the self discovery of yesteryear, namely to name the name of Christ - publicly, now as the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church.  And while I intend to have my family join me in a “short” (nearly 16 mile round trip!) Hike to monument 78 from the Canadian side this summer (at least to say that I have been at both ends of the trail), I really wonder and ponder if there is a way to take longer time, do shorter days, and still have the strength, the stamina, and the presence of mind to finish those approximately 187 miles.  Now, unlike in the foolishness of my youth, that seems like a daunting task.  It may well be a task I also may need to pursue on vacation sometime.  Perhaps it can become a family sort of outing as well.  Or perhaps it will forever be nothing more than a continued desire in life.

I have no doubt that there would be many who would argue that it would simply be a foolhardy venture at best.  And in some ways, the PCT has become a freeway now, thanks to Cheryl Strayed’s book where she purportedly “finds herself” (stopping far short of truly making any substantial self-discovery in my opinion) and thus creating a glut of wannabes who all want to “hike the PCT.”  I recall how before I began, I was gung ho, and knew there was nothing that would stop my from making the entire journey.  Then as I stood at the Mexican border and the temporary PCT, I looked north and all I thought of was that first step of millions (3,437,280 to be more accurate) that was about to begin.  And soon thereafter I discovered that I could either enjoy the trip, or get to Canada, but not both.  Not for me.  And now with the glut of hikers all clamoring for the crown jewel of the national trails system, I find myself drawn toward the Continental Divide trail as a possibility for our family as it is a short day’s drive from here in Wyoming.

So while my ventures on the PCT that were written down over the years are now fully entered into the computer from the original logs, I suspect that this journal is not over.  Not yet.  Not as long as there is breath and the desire in me to continue.  Despite hiking in Montana and damaging a nerve in my low back.  Despite the attack on my joints from RA.  AND... despite the advancing age and generally poor physical condition I now find myself in.

In a way, perhaps it is appropriate that the final day's journal entry re-attempting Stevens Pass to the trail’s end was never completed.  Who knows if literally I might one day sooner than later complete that portion of the journey?  Or more appropriately, it serves as a metaphor for life itself and the lessons that need to be relearned from the PCT over and over - that those lessons are never fully learned until my last breath is drawn.

One of those lessons was in my persistent prayer in those days of 1988 - our daughter that my beautiful wife and I have turns 8 tomorrow!  Though it took 16 years after for that “right one” to come along, it was my wish then and is my joy now.  Newer and better things...  Newer and better things!  All through the power of prayer and the belief in God who saves us through the redemption in Christ Jesus.

For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  - Romans 1:20

All Things Star Trek

I will admit, that the death of Leonard Nimoy has made today a rather melancholy one for me.

You see, I grew up on Star Trek.  Call it my left-handedness (and hence right-brained-creative-sci-fi-dreamer in me), but in many ways it defined me.  Not in the sense of ultimate truth:  knowing right from wrong, and so on.  Rather, in shaping my life in such a way as to reinforce and enhance all those things that my parents and others strove to teach, and those things that make me who I am today.

Let's face it:  it was cutting edge stuff in its time.  The first African-American lead (Uhura), the portrayal of a Russian as trusted friend and crewmate (Chekov) at the height of the cold war with the Soviet Union, the interdependence of all humans working together for good with a multi-ethnic crew, and even an episode that pays homage to Jesus Christ (the "sun" worshipers in the episode "Bread and Circuses" actually worshiping "the Son of God" - from Uhura's revelation at the end).  All of this to "seek out new life and new civilizations" in  spirit of peace and exploration for the betterment of humanity.  And while it tanked after only 3 seasons, it's almost cult-like following since make it one of the most profound visions of the future of the 20th century.  Heck, even the first Space Shuttle was named in honor of the USS Enterprise!  Cell phones, memory disks and cards, and a whole host of things are reality now that were just sci-fi fantasy in Roddenberry's 1960's vision of the future!

However, all things must end, and this includes life.  I suppose that what is really going on for me is that as the cast and crew of Star Trek die off one by one, it only too well reminds me of my own mortality and advancing age.   That which I so dearly loved as a kid and still have great love for today is becoming a thing of the past.   I for one could not imagine a world where there was no hope beyond this life.  While Star Trek has certainly shaped a generation and has given us a rather poignant glimpse into the future, it too shall one day be forgotten, as we all will be.  And I pray not only for a world where the reality of evil that is so alive and well today could one day be a thing of the past, but that we truly could work together to tend to this planet that God has given us stewardship over, and that all might come to greater knowledge of the ultimate truth to be found in God alone.

I am, and always will be, A Trekkie.  Rest in Peace, Mr. Nimoy.  And I thank you for all that you taught me.

Leonard Nimoy's final internet message shortly before he died:  "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP"

Of Ideologies and Religion

I suppose it could be said that all religions comprise an "ideology" of sorts, as they all follow the teachings of another.  That said, what really matters in the end is "ultimate truth."  Focus on the Family put together an amazing set of instructional DVD's that put this into perspective, namely that first and foremost, "ultimate truth" and "ultimate reality" can only be determined by God.  Humanity in its age-old bondage to see the self as ultimate, rejects any other truth that would trump "truth" as WE define it, and THAT is what ideology is really all about.  In the end, ANY ideology - be it political or otherwise - really comes down to redefining truth on our terms, and not in any sort of penultimate way.
     Political ideology pretty much follows the same path.  Today for example:  the president vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline.  Now I really don't care what side of the issue you may come down on this.  The simple fact is that the majority of Americans in every poll are in favor of it, and because of the president's ideology, he vetoed it.  Last I checked, our government was set up so that elected officials carried out the will of the people, and that the Constitution was set to ensure that the government was limited in ways in which it could thwart that will.  This is to say nothing of whether or not the majority rule in this case was also an ideology:  one of the need for petroleum and its by-products, which in western society is a given.
    Also today, we see that the world is simply NOT a fine place.  Christians are facing persecution, and recently 21 Egyptian Christians faced their own deaths, not willing to renounce their faith even as they were being beheaded.  ISIS too is an ideology - one driven by pure hatred and evil, with strong roots in Islamic history.  The simple historic fact is that today's terrorism is pure evil and has nothing to do with the Crusades of the 11th and 12th centuries.  The first attack between Islam and Christianity occurred roughly 400 years prior to the first crusade, and it was Islam attempting to take over the Holy Roman Empire, not the other way around.  There were hundreds of similar battles and attacks in the years that followed, allowing for Islam to take over nearly 2/3 of Christian Europe and Middle East, until the Christians began to fight back in 1095 AD.
     So let's come to the heart of the matter.  What makes one ideology better or worse than the other?  As I would maintain:  nearly ALL religions comprise an ideology, and nothing more.  I say "nearly" because in the field of comparative religions, there is indeed one that stands apart and alone:  Christianity.  The Lutheran doctrine of "Law and Gospel" (without going into great detail in this post) summarizes this critical component.  It essentially postulates that humanity is a fine mess, and that we, ultimately, are responsible for our own mess.  Furthermore, we cannot in the end save ourselves from our own stinky mess.  Salvation comes through God alone (through Jesus' death and resurrection), simply because we cannot save ourselves.  This one religious tenet sets Christianity apart from EVERY other world religion, all of which leave the business of salvation dependent upon you and what you do.  Islam is only one of a long line of such religions, where salvation is in your own hands.  Islam has a disturbing track record of believing and teaching that the road to salvation is in killing your enemies in gruesome fashion.  Any other religion that relies on the self in any fashion is not a true religion, for it denies the power, authority, and sovereignty of God.  When Christians, too, rely on their own intellect and ability alone, they have reduced the Christian faith to an ideology only as well.
     When it comes to politics, our only concern must be for understanding ultimate truth and reality.   With all the "so-called" truths out there, where will you turn for "ultimate truth?"  If it comes from anywhere other than God who created the universe - the God who saves you not because of yourself but because of His love for you - it comes from the wrong place.

You Can't Spell Discipline without D-i-s-c-i-p-l-e

It is Wednesday.  Ash Wednesday to be specific.  It's a time that once upon a time, was observed worldwide by millions.  Though many still do observe it, the significance and meaning have faded for a host of reasons.

It's time to reclaim it.

       Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent - specifically a time of inward reflection, penitence, recognition of our own sinful, mortal state.  Simply put:  we recall only too well that we are human, and not God.

       For today, the Title’s the theme.  It’ll be our theme throughout Lent as well.  It’s why this year's imposition of ashes, you will hear “turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”  The Gospel calls us to be disciples.  Well you know what that means, or at least you should: It means we pray daily, we worship together weekly, we read our Bibles regularly, we share the Gospel with others, even as we are holding ourselves and one another accountable to God’s Word and instruction, and we give generously of all that we have and all that we are.  I know.  Easier said than done.

But if we are talking about being disciples...  If we are following the traditions of Lent and reflecting on our own mortality and our own unworthiness to stand righteous and just before God, AND we are also continually reminding ourselves that by the grace of God we are called to be disciples, meaning we follow Jesus and do not lead ourselves... we must necessarily also then talk about discipline.

You see, the two go hand in hand.  You cannot be a disciple without discipline.  And though we can talk the good talk all we want about the marks or habits of discipleship, that talk means nothing without the discipline to follow through.

Discipline is one such Lenten emphasis.  It is why among some that Lenten disciplines are often discussed and undertaken this time of year: such as the giving up of certain foods, fasting, efforts to eliminate bad behaviors from our lives, and the like.  But Lenten disciplines, like the Gospel itself, are meant not just for certain times, but to be carried out the whole year and lived.

That is what makes Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent so critical - we truly are a mess!  All we need do is look at the world around us to see that it is so: Radical Islam carrying out the tenets of their religion and executing not just Christians and wanting to exterminate Jews, but killing anyone who disagrees with their wild ideology.  Governments that are clueless and self serving, a world that we are being anything BUT stewards of, and so on.  But I don’t need to remind you of that.  Or at least I shouldn’t need to.

We recognize all of this not out of some sort of perverse self-debasement or deprecation, but to drive home what truly ought to be seen as radical in us: the love of God in Christ Jesus.  There’s a reason Lent is before Easter: Once the disciplines of Lent “conclude,” and carries us then into discipleship where we follow the living God, we see just how radical and amazing the love of God in Christ Jesus is for us  - as the song goes, “Amazing love, how can it be, that you my King should die for me?”

The challenge is not to just mindlessly carry out such “disciplines” during Lent.  Just because someone else does them is not a valid reason to do them in your life either.  As my father would often say, “If your friend jumped off a cliff, would you follow them?”  Lenten disciplines should be genuine, and should always be framed through our desire to be disciples - to follow Jesus - no matter how much out of our comfort zones it takes us.

So be disciplined this Lent.  And let it carry beyond into the entire year.  And may it be in accordance with God's Word, that our lives are lived in a manner worthy of the radical grace of God, that claims us despite our own unworthiness.