A Review of the Circus

The following post is not a critique on Michael Jackson, his music, or his life. Let me make that clear from the start. I am not concerned here about evaluating anything about him. My comments are strictly related to the circus that has surrounded his death. For example, I just read that the memorial service that the city of Los Angeles put on was so expensive that they've set up a website to receive donations to help pay for it.

I've (unsuccessfully) tried to avoid the whole mess, but you can't turn anywhere without hearing about it. (In fact, you're reading about it right now! Ugh - I'm a carrier!) You sit in a restaurant with a TV on, and there it is. You listen to sports radio (sports radio!!!), and there it is. You overhear someone at work, and there it is. You buy anything from the grocery store, and there it is all over.

I'm amazed that anyone's death would generate so much attention (but I'm not surprised). No offense, but the man sang songs and danced. He sang songs, and he danced. But there something inside a whole lot of people (perhaps some of you reading this) that has been deeply affected by his singing and dancing. For some, that resonance is so strong that they are highly motivated to be a part of the funeral event. Somehow, Jackson was that important to them.

Some have expressed anger that a man accused (but acquitted) of heinous acts would receive such adulation. Like the recent death of former NFL star Steve McNair, I've also read those who advocate that we completely ignore any moral indiscretions because the performance on stage (or on the football field) was so good. Apparently, talent is of higher value than ethics.

But, there's a certain logic to all of this circus, at least in a non-Christian environment. In a society that rejects Christ, or God in any way, must venerate societal icons. If all we have is what people accomplish during their short lifetimes, then those who achieve in even one particular area logically must be celebrated, regardless of other aspects of their lives. That's all we have to lift up, if there is no Christ to lift up.

So, my anger (I'll admit it) gives way to pity. Rather than seeing the circus and getting mad, my emotional response is becoming pity more and more. How sad it is that instead of venerating Christ, people worldwide are lifting up a mere man. Not that we shouldn't properly grieve the passing of individuals, but the iconic adulation is misplaced. We should grieve the Cross more than we grieve the loss of an entertainer. We should celebrate the resurrected Christ more than we should give our devotion to a quarterback or a singer or a politician.

We are witnessing misplaced devotion. And it is profoundly sad - more sad than the loss of a mere man.

What a Week

In one week's time, we saw the passing of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, and Billy Mays: the "King of Pop," the queen of pin-up girls, the longtime sidekick to the king of late night television, and the king of informercials. They had world-wide fame, had millions of dollars, and were the most achieved in their fields during their day. And what I'm about to say is in no way intended to say anything negative about any of them.

My point is simply this - are any of the things that we know them for (fame, wealth, success) providing them with any satisfaction now? I don't know their spiritual states, I have no idea of their relationship with God, and I won't speculate on what each of their eternal destinies are. Whether their present states are good or bad, the question is the same: Are of the things we know them by giving them any satisfaction now? If any of them are satisfied now, it's not because of those things. If any of them are not satisfied now, these things are obviously not fulfilling them. (I sincerely hope that each of them are fully satisfied now.)

What do people know you for? By what means do people know of your name, know you exist, even interact with you? By what means do you want people to know you? If I were to ask people around you to describe you, what attributes would they focus on?

We have every temptation possible to want to be known by things that will not bring us one bit of satisfaction after we shed these mortal coils. We want to be known as having X or doing Y or being Z, and the temptations are to pursue the XYZ's that will not benefit our eternal satisfaction one bit. If the kings and queens of XYZ are not satisfied by them, how can mere citizens of those kingdoms be satisfied?

Satisfaction can be had - satisfaction now as well as satisfaction after we pass on. The Christian life is not only about delayed satisfaction, but true satisfaction now (otherwise, the Gospel would say, "Grab fleshly satisfaction now while you can"). In fact, it only stands to reason that the same things that will satisfy us after death are the same things that can most satisfy us before death.

Let the ridiculously overblown coverage of these deaths prompt you to ask yourself where you are really seeking to find satisfaction. Ask if your pursuit is something that will be satisfying you 2 seconds after you die ... or 500 million years after you die.

Our deepest satisfaction now and forever is found in a person - The Person. Pursue Him. Chase after Him with the same fervor as the world pursues satisfaction in XYZ. Make knowing God through Christ your life's career goal. Do not be satisfied with only being saved - be satisfied by walking with Him closely on a daily basis.

Only what will satisfy you after death can truly satisfy you before death.

Thanks

Thanks, thanks, thanks to Debbi for putting together another great VBS. Even though I'm writing this before it's all over, what I've seen so far is wonderful.

Thanks to everyone who helped out, too, but I really want to highlight her contribution. Debbi carries a huge load every year for VBS, not only doing what the director should do, but also doing all the things that she can't find volunteers for. It's a stressful responsibility, and she always handles it with excellence.

This is one of DBC's great opportunities to minister to our kids, to reach out to the community, and to make sure the Gospel is clearly presented. It's more than fun and games - it's being missional.

Please remember to pray for Debbi, for the kids who heard the Gospel, and for DBC to increase it's impact on our community.

For us to be more and more the church God wants us to be, it will take more of us to give of ourselves, just as Debbi and her crew gave of themselves for our VBS kids.

The Power of the Very Small

Part of the package of pastoring is that things like kidney stones become a lot more public than for other folks. And I have appreciated your expressions of care and concern that have come with it.

Being a novice in the whole stone thing, I am learning what many of you have already shared - especially the phenomenal amount of pain that can be caused by something so small. I was reduced to a curled ball of writhing whining in pursuit of only one thing - relief. A 2mm mineral pellet took down a 175-lb man. The power of the very small.

This reminds me of James 3:1-12, which speaks of the power of the tongue - like a small rudder, it can cause an entire ship to change directions. Entire lives can be changed by a spoken word. Indeed, wars have been started by the power of the tongue. The power of the very small.

Sin is the same way - even the "small" ones can take you down! We have the mistaken notion that small sins are less dangerous to our souls. They may be less dangerous in the impact they have on others - stealing candy poses less danger to the victim than taking a bat to his kneecaps. But that doesn't mean that selling out your character for candy poses less danger to your soul than selling out your character to get violent revenge. Both eat away at your inner being with the same voracious appetite. "Small" sins can destroy us as readily as the "big" ones. The power of the very small.

But Jesus also talks positively of the power of the very small. He says in Luke 17:5-6 that even the faith of a mustard seed has the power to move mountains. Frequently, Jesus refers to little children as the models of the kind of faith that we can have. Even the Kingdom of God is likened to a mustard seed, one of the smallest seeds, but grows into one of the largest plants in a typical garden in Jerusalem. Not one single Christian should feel too small (or too young, too weak, too inexperienced, too uneducated, too whatever) to be used mightily in God's kingdom. All it takes is the faith of a mustard seed. The power of the very small.

Just like a little kidney stone can take out a grown man, your faith can move mountains. Abdominable pain will forever remind me of what even a little faith can do.

Opportunities Before Us

This Summer, we have many opportunities for each of us to become more missional (which is what our recent Philippians series was all about). I look at these opportunities in two ways: 1) Of course, there is the goal to accomplish some tasks, but my primary motive is: 2) As we give of ourselves to God's mission, He changes us - He develops us more into the image of Christ. I would like for you to consider the following opportunities because I know what God can do both in you and through you when you serve Him in ways like these:

1. Pray for the Youth Mission Trip: In last week's bulletin, and in this week's bulletin, there is an insert of prayer requests for each day that the youth will be on this trip. Please take this insert, stick it in your Bible or on your fridge, and pray daily for them. I believe firmly that the report we get back will be far greater if we commit to pray.
2. Give to the Youth Mission Trip: Fundraising is not yet complete - as of this writing, they still need about $1800 for the entire group. Please considering donating or "hiring" one of the youth after they return to do odd jobs to raise funds.
3. Prepare for VBS: There is a lot of work that needs to be done to get the building and the teaching materials ready for VBS (coming up in less than two weeks!). This Saturday, starting at 9am, we're coming together as a team to get everything ready, from painting to constructing to preparing simple crafts. There's something for everyone. I appreciate those who turned out last Saturday, but to be honest - it was too few people. The return on investment of the prep work we do is enormous - children will discover truths about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please consider the importance of this outreach and help us with quite simple tasks to help make it happen.
4. Volunteer for VBS: Debbi still needs helpers - if you can play games, walk from one part of the building to another, move some chairs, throw away trash, haul away trash, we need your skills. Of course, we need those who are gifted in working with children, but we also need a lot people who don't necessarily have that gift.
5. Moving ABC Women's Clinic: ABC Women's Clinic is moving locations, and they need volunteers Monday and Tuesday. They must be out of their current building by Tuesday, so they need people who can load and unload supplies, people with trucks to provide more capacity, and so on. ABC Women's Clinic is the only clinic for several counties that offers a Christ-centered approach to unwanted pregnancies. To help, just show up at ABC on Monday or Tuesday (ask me if you have any questions).
6. Make Breakfast: We're having a breakfast before church on June 21. We need men who are willing to help make a simple breakfast. We usually get enough men to help with that - but please sign up so that we know what's covered. We often, however, don't have enough help setting up and cleaning up. Please plan to arrive early to help set up and stay a few minutes later to clean up.
7. Organize a Picnic: We'd like to have a few all-church summer activities, and I'm not the world's best at putting even a simple event together. I would love for one or two people to offer to plan a few simple events, like a Sunday evening picnic and volleyball game.

A lot of Christians want to experience more of Christ in their lives, and there are many ways to do that: regular Quiet Times, spiritual retreats, gathering with other believers, and so on. But the Bible is very clear that one of the ways we experience more of Christ is to serve Him and the needs of His Church. He's created a great Win-Win situation - when we serve Him, not only do we accomplish the goals that He has, but we also get to experience more of Him. Yes, it's a sacrifice - but it's a sacrifice that has tremendous rewards.

Please take 60 seconds right now to pray about helping with one or more of these needs.

Why Did God Create Me? (Part 5)

For the last four weeks, we've been exploring the question of why God created us, the human race. (Please refer to the previous posts for those discussions and conclusions.) This leads us to the obvious question about why God created me. Understanding why God created us is theologically interesting, but a little too philosophical to be practical. Why did He create me in particular? (Not that any of us is all that phenomenal, but we are the only me's that we have!)

Although the purpose of creating all of mankind may be a bit philosophical, we've got to understand that purpose before we understand our individual purposes. In other words, I cannot discover why God created me until I understand why God created us.

Whatever purpose I have, it must be related to the purpose of mankind in particular. As a member of the human race, my purpose as a member must be derived from the purpose of the race as a whole. Last week, we concluded that:

We exist to bear His image in order to bring Him glory and to enjoy Him forever.

Therefore, my personal purpose must somehow be to bear God's image and bring Him glory and enjoy Him forever. Whatever my specific purpose is, it must be an example of this larger purpose. God's individual purposes for us can be quite a bit different: Some exist to bring the Gospel to different people groups, others exist to build houses, others exist to raise children, others exist to teach, others exist and so on. (Most of us have purposes that include several different things.) All of these are equal in their ability to serve God's goals - the plumber is no less a part of God's plan than a pastor is.

God's purpose for each is different in its features, but ultimately, God's purpose for each of is a unique example of the purpose of mankind. The homemaker's purpose is an instance of being an image bearer of God, to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. Same for the manufacturer, the athlete, or the scholar.

So, as you endeavor to discover God's purpose for you, if it does clearly fit into the purpose of mankind, it cannot be the purpose for your life.

Here are some helpful thoughts in exploring what your purpose might be:

• Discovering your purpose is a journey, not a destination. Your purpose will change over time, so don't expect to suddenly "figure it out" and then never face the question again.
  
  
• We can't just make up any purpose - it must be an example of the overall purpose of mankind.
  
  
• God often gives us great freedom - we know the main purpose, and we have choices before us of how we live to fulfill that purpose. So, "my purpose" may not be something that God has defined narrowly for me - He may well have a broad definition, and as long as I stay within those parameters, I have a lot of freedom. Some have broader parameters than others.
  
  
• Sometimes, God has something very, very specific. Moses had a very specific purpose. David, Paul, Elijah, Isaiah, and many others had very specific purposes (they didn't have the same freedom as most people do).
  
  
• If God had something very specific for you, He won't make it a guessing game where you have to try to decipher the clues. When He has something very specific, He makes it plain and clear. In all the Biblical examples of people with specific purposes, God made it obvious.
  
  
• Use all the God-given resources to discover your purpose: Scripture, wise counselors, prayer, patience, good Christian books, and the immanently useful tool of trial-and-error. (It's OK to fail if you're exploring to find God's purpose.)
  
  
• When you think you have an idea of what God might want of you, and you've made good use of all the God-given resources listed above, then the best thing is to take one step in the direction you think God wants you to go. Then stop and tell the Lord, "To the best of my ability, this is the direction I think would please You. If I'm wrong, please stop me. Otherwise, I'll keep going in this direction as long as I think it's right." Then see what happens. What Lynne and I have discovered is that once you take that first step and then give it back to God, He very often immediately confirms that you're on the right path or that you need to turn back. Rarely do we feel like He's not given us more revelation after taking a step of faith.
  
  
• You are very unlikely to discover your purpose if you do not pursue it.
  

There's a very good reason why God doesn't just write out our specific purposes on a piece of paper. He develops our character and our faith in the journey. It's a growth process that He wants us to go through, and one that we can't skip and still grow to maturity.

Most likely, you won't just discover your purpose like solving a math problem. The common experience that I've observed is that your purpose is gradually clarified over time. Over the years of seeking God, you get a clearer and clearer picture of your purpose as it slowly comes into focus. But I find a greater and greater peace the more I discover God's purpose for me.

Why Did God Create Us? (Part 4)

For the last 3 weeks, we've been exploring the question of why God created us by asking several other questions in order to get to an answer. So far, we've asked:

1. How did God make man different than the animals?
2. How does the penalty of sin drive us away from our purpose?
3. What is the end result of redemption?
4. What is the goal of our mission?
5. Was there an important story before man was created?
6. What is the ultimate purpose of Christ taking on a human nature (the "incarnation")?

Please refer to the previous posts to see how each of these questions has been answered.

All of the answers keep coming back to this concept of the imago Dei (the "image of God"). We were created with it uniquely, sin damaged it, redemption repaired it, our mission is to bring this repair to others, the angels are watching the drama of it unfold, and Jesus bore the image perfectly, which was absolutely necessary for our salvation.

Clearly, God created us to bear His image, and to bear it well. But since the image of God is what allows us to have a relationship with him, we can also add that God created us to have a relationship with Him. That's why He gave us the image, that's why we had to have it repaired when it was damaged, and that's why Jesus had to bear it perfectly. God created us specifically to bear His image and to be in a relationship with Him.

What's the big deal about bearing God's image? Because that's what glorifies Him most. The best thing we can do to glorify God is to reflect His image with excellence. The more we bear His image, the more we glorify Him. There is nothing in this universe more glorious than God, so it makes perfect sense that the best way to bring Him glory is to bear His image - to be like Him as much as possible. If we are like anything else, we cannot bring Him as much glory as being like Him. The more we resemble Him, the more glory we bring to Him.

Therefore, when God created us in His image, He uniquely created us with the ability to bring Him glory - more than any other creature.

One of the classic statements of the faith comes in response to the question, "What is the chief end of man?" The answer that the Church has taught for centuries is, "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." That's exactly correct! Specifically, to glorify Him by bearing His image accurately, and to enjoy Him forever by being in a relationship with Him (which is made possible by the image of God created in us and repaired by Christ).

We exist to bear His image in order to bring Him glory and to enjoy Him forever. We have a lofty purpose indeed! God created us for the grandest purpose imaginable.

Next week, we'll close out this mini-study by exploring how to find our individual purposes, now what we know the general purpose of mankind.