Another Good Book

We recently had an election. Once in a while I am asked why I do not preach sermons about elections--how to vote, etc. There are many reasons for this, most notably that we are tempted enough to do what Psalm 146:3 tells us not to do: "Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation...." Perhaps the most powerful sermon that could be preached about elections is NOT to trust in elections for anything eternal and ultimate.

But of course it behooves us to vote, and every election time, although I do not preach on how to vote, I usually do turn my mind to that vast subject of how, as citizens of heaven, we best fulfil our citizenship on earth. Recently I mentioned Carl Trueman's book Republocrat, and now I want to mention another that I am reading: The City of Man, by Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner.

Although these two books come at it differently (Trueman from what might be called the "center-left," and these guys more from the right), what they have in common is this: they all advocate that we think about our political commitments as comprehensively as possible. Abortion and gay marriage are not the whole ballgame; they are parts of it, but they are not the whole game. There are other moral issues at play.

Gerson and Wehner begin (after some introductory chapters) with "The Morality of Human Rights," writing: "... issues of war and peace, human rights and genocide, extreme poverty and pandemics have massive human consequences and, therefore, unavoidably moral dimensions."

That's about how far I've read in this book--so far so good! I'll let you know if somethings trikes me, one way or another, as I keep reading.

What Do Atheists Know About God?

If you have asked that question, or if it seems a strange question, follow this link.

For All Facebook Users--and Public Speakers...

Above is a pictorial representation of Mark Zuckerberg's speech, done by an outfit called Fastcompany. Mark Zuckerberg is the founder of Facebook, and his speech was to explain, um, what is coming down the pike for, um, Facebook. I know just how he, um, feels; maybe you do, too!

What the Bible Is and Is Not

That is the title of an interview with Mike Emlet, whose book Crosstalk Ross used as a basis for a Sunday School class a while ago. Emlet was interviewed on the show "Family Life" on September 30 and October 1. It is well worth a listen--you can listen to the Sept. 30 interview here. The Oct. 1 (part 2) interview is here.

The Many Uses of Bicycles

All you bikers out there (bicyclists, that is--not Harley-riders :)), check this out. A new use for bicycles, perhaps coming soon to a city near you...

Copenhagen Cargo Bikes from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Suffering and Joy

In studying 2 Timothy, one of the remarkable things is Paul's situation--he wrote 2 Timothy "in chains" (2:9), as a prisoner (1:8), and in the prospect of his death (4:6). Yet his letter is not focused on himself, and he writes with great hope.
This should not surprise. For followers of Jesus Christ suffering and joy go together. I was reminded of this again from 1 Thessalonians 1:4-6: "For we know, brothers beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction... for you received the word with much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit...."
Gordon Fee remarks: "Here we find that remarkable collocation of joy and suffering found throughout the NT. The early church understood suffering to be part of its lot, and believers were not to be surprised by it; yet because they they had experienced their new life as the indwelling of the Spirit, they also lived with great joy."

Of Cheap Stunts

I hate to belabor this point--it should be obvious. But the stunt by the "pastor" in Florida to threaten to burn a Koran (or Quran) for its publicity value illustrates what the gospel and Christianity is, and is not. (I do this in part because I had breakfast with a brother this morning who was accused at work of being one of "you guys" who burn Qurans. It is one thing to endure scoffing for the sake of the gospel; it is another thing to be mocked for the idiocy of someone far away who happens to have "Christian" in the name of his church. I for one want to distance myself farther from that "pastor" than from the Muslim down the street).
If following Jesus means that you are right and righteous, and that ________ (fill in the blank with "Muslim" or any other kind of people) are wrong and evil, then we should burn Qurans (and lots of other books, including many on our own bookshelves). But for our instruction there is a group of people in the New Testament who thought they were right and righteousness, and despised those who were not like they were. But they were the group of people for whom Jesus had the least "tolerance"--the Pharisees. Read Luke 11:37-54. If being "right" and "good" make one worthy of God's attention and acceptance, then the Pharisees are at the top of the heap. But they were at the bottom of Jesus' heap.
Following Jesus, it turns out, begins with the recognition that I am neither right nor righteous, but am in fact enslaved to worshipping myself. That enslavement takes many forms--including enslavement in a false religion, of which Islam is but one example. But what I share with the Muslim by nature is that I believe I can save myself, that a just God must consider I am a good person, and such nonsense. And the only thing that can deliver both the Muslim and me (or anyone else) from being thus enslaved is the gospel. So that whatever I have of being right or good is not native to me, but wholly by God's grace, in response to which, in the worlds of Isaac Watts, "each of us cries with thankful tongue, Lord, why was I a guest? Why was I made to hear your voice and enter while there's room, when thousands made a wretched choice, and rather starve than come?"
As followers of Jesus our response to Islam should be the same as to every form of enslavement to sin: prayer that God will open blind eyes, and gospel proclamation (which is a costly thing--let's face it!). Not cheap stunts that drag Jesus' name through the mud.

The "Center" of Paul's Theology

Here is something to ponder, if you have the occasion to meditate on it. I have begun a series in 2 Timothy, and on Sunday I tried (emphasis on tried!) to convey a sense of what is at the "center," the middle, the focus, of Paul's writing. Here is a summary by Gordon Fee that is worth pondering (and there is a lot to ponder, as it is very concise):
"Through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus, our Lord, a gracious and loving God has effected eschatological salvation for his new covenant people, the church, who now, as they await Christ's coming, live the life of the future by the power of the [Holy] Spirit." (God's Empowering Presence, p. 12).
I realize for many (muself included) that is too dense to digest. Think about it, though. Ponder it. In Christ, we live the life of the future (the life of 'the age to come' in Paul's epistles, also called "eternal life" or just "life" in John's gospel; also called the life of the kingdom of God/heaven in Matthew and Mark). And it is life lived in the church--and it is life lived in the fallen world ("this present age").
Like I said, a lot to think about.