Epiphany's Child

Friday, January 6, 2023

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod.  About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”  King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.  He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:  ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”  Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.  Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child.  And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”  After this interview the wise men went their way.  And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem.  It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!  They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.  Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.  Matthew 2:1-12

The magi are (according to tradition) the first Gentiles to recognize the Christ child as the promised Messiah.  As they disappear into the Eastern horizon we see their mission completed, tying together Christian and Jew, worship, and warning…the meeting of holy moments with political danger.

And so, the Lord, God of Time and Eternity enters the cesspool of humanity’s darkest hour with foreign dignitaries bowing at his feet, showering him with expensive gifts of honor, while a Jewish king frantically seeks to kill him.

Epiphany is (or should be­) a stark reminder that popularity and politicking are short-term issues; godliness is forever.  The Son of God came to this world to offer humankind salvation – eternal life.  Herod’s monstrous reaction, killing every male child, born within the time frame he learned from the magi[1], was a temporary and heinous rejection of God’s will.  And it is played-out that way every time a human grab for power is brought to bear.  There is little difference between Herod, Vladimir Putin, Stalin, Hitler, Sadaam Hussein, or, well…you get the point…and the dog-and-pony-show, if you just watch Washington operate.

For You Today  

The so-called right side of history is also (always) the right side of eternity.  God is in charge of that.  The saying:  Wise men still seek Him is unquestionably true.  When wise men find Him, they have the choice of the magi or murdering king.  It is God’s magnificent gift of free will in which that choice breathes.  And in that choice lives life or death.  Choose wisely.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

Star of Wonder  and  The Cry Heard in Ramah

Images:  Title Pixabay.com   Images without citation are either personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] Read the slaughter of the innocents in Matthew 2:13-18

Yes...and No

Friday, December 16, 2022

Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’  Anything beyond this is from the evil one.  Matthew 5:37

Humpty Dumpty made his appearance as a riddle of the late 18^th century.  His presence has graced virtually every literary idea-push from Mother Goose fairy tales to edgy political satire.  Alice (of the Looking Glass in Wonderland) has a conversation with Dumpty, the talking egg:

"I don't know what you mean by 'glory,' " Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't—till I tell you.   I meant 'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!'"

"But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-down argument'," Alice objected.

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."

"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."

"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master—that's all."

Alice was too much puzzled to say anything, so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again.  "They've a temper, some of them—particularly verbs, they're the proudest—adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs—however, I can manage the whole lot!  

Impenetrability!  That's what I say!"

The riddle of The Dumpty is much too dark for children, and therein lies the point; we can be as imperceptible as we wish, skewing the meaning (and therefore the intent) of our words.  Jesus says that’s too dark and evil for a believer.  A simple yes or no is clear, unmistakable, and wholesome.  And that is rather the Godly point.  To be any different than Thou shalt not, or thou shalt, when it comes to what thou dost…crosses the boundaries of love.  And, for Christ, that is the utmost concern…because it is the benchmark of Godly character.  To deceive, even with a so-called child’s riddle, is to be Satan’s offspring.

In our contemporary culture truth, unvarnished and untarnished, is just as uncomplicated (and uncommon) as it’s always been.  From interpreting economic forecasts to explaining a new law’s intent and purpose, politicians have danced with truth as you would dance with molecules of Coronavirus, just as far from being pinned with your words as possible.  The shade of darkness of Sir Humpty’s word-penetrability is directly proportionate to what’s at stake for the dissembler.

The most telling illustration of this in my memory is from 1998, when the Grand Jury asked President Bill Clinton if there was any improper relationship between himself and staffer Monica Lewinsky.  The president’s Dumpty moment surfaced when he responded:  It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.[1]

For You Today  

For anyone with a reasonably-sized vocabulary, it is always a temptation to hide-behind a word wall.  Jesus, ever the master at punching-through deceptive walls, is never taken unawares by any attempt to cover the truth.  Following Him means you will let your ‘yes’ and ‘no’ stand on nothing less, or more.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

   Of State Dinners and Spies and Diverse - and Dying

Images:  Title Via Wikimedia Commons   Images without citation are either personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] Bill Clinton and the Meaning of “Is”

Top of Your Game - Game Over

Monday, September 5, 2022

Now then, you kings, act wisely!  Be warned, you rulers of the earth!  Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant.  But what joy for all who take refuge in him!  Psalm 2:10-12

The despotic president/murderer of many, Saddam Hussein is long gone from the world’s political stage, having been chased from his leadership of Iraq into hiding, and eventually pulled from his hiding hole, tried, convicted, and executed by hanging.  He did not, as the Psalmist cautioned leaders to do, act wisely!  He had no fear of God.  He viewed himself as being in charge…and, for a brief nine years, his murderous regime seemed to be so; the collapse in 2003 once again reminded us all that every created thing is subject to God’s will.  No matter how high the Top of Your Game may be, God has set the Time of Your Game-Over, and there is nothing to top that!

The Psalmist set down for us all the means for a leader to be honorable and end well – to serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Whether you are president of the United States, or the elected dog catcher in the smallest of towns, there is always one to whom you report (besides the electorate or whatever checks and balances are in place), and that is He Who created us, and decides if we live or die.  In an age where personal sovereignty is worshipped, it would be prudent to remember God’s sovereignty is above all.

In a few years those under 20 will hardly recognize the name of Saddam Hussein, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, or any of the other newsmakers of the current time.  That is regrettable, as forgetting the mistakes of the past are surety of repeating them in the future. 

For You Today

Rather than gloat, or wail (over political outcomes, depending on whether or not you voted for those who fail or succeed), it is a better practice to reflect on our part in this process.  Just as it is incumbent on leaders to serve with reverent fear of God, it is the same reverent fear we who put others in office must serve.  We are tempted to opt-out of responsibility quickly in one of many ways:

·       I’m just one person; what could I have done

·       I voted for the other guy

·       His problem – I’ve got enough to worry about

Now, those may all be true to some degree, but one thing remains for the Christian believer:  Did I pray?  Did I honestly, fervently, and consistently lift up the leaders who make governing choices in my name?[1]

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

Advice for the Mighty and Now Then, You Kings, Act Wisely!

[1] Images:   Title Image from Video:       What if Sadaam Hussein Was Never Captured (YouTube)                                                         Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] From:  Advice for the Mighty, Rocky Road Post from January 5, 2015

Prophet With a Broken Heart

 

Friday, June 25, 2021

The Lord in his anger has cast a dark shadow over beautiful Jerusalem.  The fairest of Israel’s cities lies in the dust, thrown down from the heights of heaven.  In his day of great anger, the Lord has shown no mercy even to his Temple.  Without mercy the Lord has destroyed every home in Israel.  In his anger he has broken down the fortress walls of beautiful Jerusalem.  He has brought them to the ground, dishonoring the kingdom and its rulers.  All the strength of Israel vanishes beneath his fierce anger.  The Lord has withdrawn his protection as the enemy attacks.  He consumes the whole land of Israel like a raging fire.  He bends his bow against his people, as though he were their enemy.  His strength is used against them to kill their finest youth.  His fury is poured out like fire on beautiful Jerusalem.  Yes, the Lord has vanquished Israel like an enemy.  He has destroyed her palaces and demolished her fortresses.  He has brought unending sorrow and tears upon beautiful Jerusalem.  He has broken down his Temple as though it were merely a garden shelter.  The Lord has blotted out all memory of the holy festivals and Sabbath days.  Kings and priests fall together before his fierce anger.  The Lord has rejected his own altar; he despises his own sanctuary.  He has given Jerusalem’s palaces to her enemies.  They shout in the Lord’s Temple as though it were a day of celebration.  The Lord was determined to destroy the walls of beautiful Jerusalem.  He made careful plans for their destruction, then did what he had planned.  Therefore, the ramparts and walls have fallen down before him.  Jerusalem’s gates have sunk into the ground.  He has smashed their locks and bars.  Her kings and princes have been exiled to distant lands; her law has ceased to exist.  Her prophets receive no more visions from the Lord.  The leaders of beautiful Jerusalem sit on the ground in silence.  They are clothed in burlap and throw dust on their heads.  The young women of Jerusalem hang their heads in shame.  I have cried until the tears no longer come; my heart is broken.  My spirit is poured out in agony as I see the desperate plight of my people.  Little children and tiny babies are fainting and dying in the streets.  They cry out to their mothers, “We need food and drink!”
Their lives ebb away in the streets like the life of a warrior wounded in battle.
They gasp for life as they collapse in their mothers’ arms.  Lamentations 2:1-12

The fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC was unimaginable to its citizens.  Israel was the greatest nation on earth, and the Holy City the prized jewel of David’s crown.  That any king could conquer her, or would even try, was unthinkable. 

Yet, it happened.  Ten years prior, the city had been taken by Babylon’s forces, and a straw man king (Zedekiah) installed.  Jeremiah could see the writing on the wall (so to speak), and prophesied the total destruction of Jerusalem, along with the heart-wrenching scenes of starvation and pain as the spirit and pride is gutted from Israel’s national heart.  When it came to pass, it was as Jeremiah’s lamenting broken heart predicted.  The great city lay in ruins, including the great Temple of Solomon.

And it was all done with God’s permission.

What?

The short story on the WHY of Jerusalem’s destruction at JHWH’s direction is no different than the opening of Scripture in Genesis.  The city of God (like the Eden God had created for Adam and Eve) was inhabited by people who enjoyed God’s blessing, and promptly forgot how they got there.  The city rulers (as the Garden dwellers) reached for that which didn’t belong to them.  In national arrogance and pride they deemed themselves in charge, usurping a position to which they had no claim.

For You Today

July 4^th is not far away.  We celebrate independence on that day.  Certainly, we focus on independence from an English dynasty’s tyranny.  But, could it be, that we are not much different in Washington (and every other American city) than the first citizens, or Jerusalem’s kings?  History’s lesson is that those who are  most vulnerable are those who think themselves invincible.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!   

[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

Laying Down the Gloves

 

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.  1 Thessalonians 5:19

In the interest of full-disclosure I’ve found a way to anger just about anyone.  It’s been said (too often), if you want to start an argument, talk politics or religion.  Adding to that time-tested maxim, if you want a nuclear-blast kind of argument, combine the nitro of politics with the glycerin of religion.  Ok…so, here goes.

The conservative-liberal spectrum actually does have a center.  Those on the fringe far left or right are rarely those who manage to achieve anything resembling harmony or even civility.  A foaming-at-the-mouth-right-conservative and a foaming-at-the-mouth-left-liberal will never even agree that they disagree.  The only topic will ever be just how awful the other thinks and behaves.  One is steeped in the politics of CNN, the other worships on Fox.  The only meeting of the minds is that the other deserves to be drawn and quartered just long and painfully enough to give his opponent time to think up something really nasty and hurtful to do next. 

The fringe probably amounts to less than 20% of the population, but, as in squeaky wheels, they have the larger audience.  For the other 80% who tend to think a little more clearly (as in allowing for grace and humility), I tend to think of those who have a baseline theological understanding of political bent, but leaning (gracefully) towards the other side; at least to hear and try to understand, if not accede a change of heart and mind.  In this model, for instance, the LEFT-based person believes in affirming LGBTQ++ as normative, but is willing to hear (without dissing) the Biblical/conservative rationale for God's judgment on same.  The Conservative-based-with-liberal-leaning (of which I admit) is the mirror image.  I am an orthodox construct in historical Christianity as a base, interpreting progressive neo-Christian (meaning LGBTQ++ affirmation is ungodly and thereby inviting judgment).  At the same time my "liberal-lean" will cause me to listen with compassion and respect, even if it rankles my doctrinal anchors.  And I do so because the soul of the one to which I listen was created in the image of God - the same God Who created me.

How does that look in street clothes?  I want you to meet Douglas.  Back in the early 1980’s while attending seminary, I worked as a drive-up teller in a bank.  Douglas was a young, single man who worked the same shift.  The bank drive-up lanes were open until 9pm, so we had a lot of time to talk in-between customers.  Douglas was open about his sexuality, and the struggle with which he lived, just wanting a normal life.  Normal seemed an unreachable, and it wasn’t hard to see the tortured, bruised soul that longed to be accepted and genuinely loved.  But there was also an admirable bravery about Douglas opening-up to a very conservative seminary student, someone from the enemy camp.  In that I saw the possibility of true dialogue, a common ground of human compassion.

Other than those long discussions, spurred mostly by Douglas’ questions about God and faith, one forty-year-old memory stands; Douglas came to our home on campus (enemy territory) because we invited him to share a meal together.  It was a holiday, and this very alone young man needed some family time.  It was not a liberation seminar, or condescending normal family throwing the poor gay guy a bone…it was just a few human souls sharing a holiday meal.

Time and circumstances, combined with different life paths took Douglas out of our lives, but the memory remains.  Somehow after the family meal on a warm Fall afternoon, our differences between gay and straight, politically left or right, theologically conservative or progressive,were not the highlight of conversation anymore. 

For You Today

When you let-go of the fighting mode long enough for God’s Spirit to enter the equation, some marvelous changes have a chance to emerge.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!   

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[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

Of Politics and Pariahs

 

Thursday, April 8, 2021

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.  A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.  And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.  They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.  They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity — all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.  And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.  Acts 2:42-47

Pariahs, or outsiders, are just that, outside that which is accepted or expected by those on the inside.  In human relationships, that political dynamic equation never changes.  In America the insider (powerful) and outsider are determined at the ballot box; when either Dems of the left, or GOP’s of the right sit in the seat of the top dog, it is the other group who are left standing…outside.  In today’s cultural hot topics it can be expressed this way:

Those on the left or right are pariah to those on the other side.

No matter whether you favor the political left or right, both have in plain view a demonstrable Christian basis (if you dig hard enough in Scripture to find it…and also ignore the plain context that hurts your viewpoint).  The group of Jerusalem believers in Acts lived like “nearly Socialist” left-leaners, selling-off everything for the common benefit.  On the other side of the aisle, “nearly Laodicean, right-leaning capitalists”[1] rested in their wealth to create their perfect environment.  There you have Biblical foundation, much like Judas who was looking for the Messiah, but for all the wrong reasons.  Judas followed Jesus around hoping he would fulfill Judas’ hopes and dreams for a chance at being an insider, ejecting the pariah Roman occupation forces from Palestine.  His was the same line of reasoning rabid uber-nationalists stormed the Capitol in January….if you can’t see and do things the way I see and do things, there’s gonna be a fight to the death!

Political struggles are idealogical, centered in agenda, preferences, and greed.  They are not nearly as much grounded in ethics or moral behavior for the common good.  In the end, political struggles are all about winning and losing, never being our brother’s keeper.

When it comes to political struggles (from a theological viewpoint), those who are truly Christian will be pariah to both the left and right!

Getting back to the belivers at Jerusalem.  All the devotion to prayer, shared meals and generosity was voluntary.  Devotion to God’s ways produces awe/reverence/fear of God, which, in turn produces willingness towards trust, fellowship, brotherhood, joy, and generosity.  That will never come out of Washington.

The other side benefit is the answer to the problem in the church we see today of empty pews….when people start truly living in God’s ways, the trust, fellowship, brotherhood, joy, and generosity will be irresistable to people seeking meaning; the churches would constantly have the (joyful) problem of standing room only!

For You Today

Being a pariah goes against the human natural desire to fit-in, and be liked.  But that is different from what Jesus said (through Apostle Peter):

You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.  1 Peter 2:9

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com      Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

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[1] See Revelation 3:17

Unity We Can Live Without

 

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!  Psalm 133:1

A couple of quotes on “unity” by preacher/scholars have been “cooking” on my back burner for a while; the first is from the ministry of Dr. Adrian Rogers:

It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills.  It is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie.[1]

Walter Brueggemann follows the thought:
Proper unity manifests itself in an ability to live together without conflict, oppression, and having common objectives in tune with God’s purposes for the world.  At the same time, scattering should not result in fragmentation or divided loyalty to God.[2]

For me, both quotes are poignant commentary on Paul:

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.  Ephesians 4:11-13

All three thoughts are part of the same idea concerning the kind of unity with which we can survive (and thrive), and that which condemns us to revisit original sin.  Of the three, Adrian Rogers puts it on the shelf low enough for even a small child:  it is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error.

You hear a lot about “unity” these days, especially out of Washington, D.C...  Although it is never articulated (and how could politicians ever be clear), is that what they mean by political unity is for all of us to think like they do, so we can set things up like we all want.  An irascible fly in that formula for the petulance of keeping the powerful in power, is that unity (to a politician) means do it my way, even if it means ignoring any truth that contradicts what I want.

A disclaimer – I’m about to use political realities to illustrate what I’ve just said about Rogers, Bruggemann, and Paul, but these are not political plugs.  More so, these will show us what living under political banners causes – the kind of unity two cats have when their tails are tied together.

The previous administration was entirely about power and economy.    Led by a businessman-turned-politician, putting America first was the Holy Land.  The current administration lauds equality and justice.  Led by a career politician, the new Nirvana is holding hands at whatever cost.  The Republican party “values” center on the economic status quo and keeping the rules.  The Democratic party “values” almost no rules, and a Federal open-door policy to the treasury.  Both parties want everyone in the land to bow to their way of doing things.  In real-time what they are proposing is not unity, but uniformity, falling in lock-step behind the current leader, even if it means walking off the cliff of truth.

In short, Republicans need to read God’s take on materialism, you know, that irritating little thing about rich people ignoring the poor, and finding the gateway to Heaven a little cramped?

In short, Democrats could do well to remember that “equal” and “just” extend to all of life, even those living in the womb.

For You Today

A truly “woke” America isn’t just about ending oppression of one race, gender issues, or political strategies.  A truly woke America would be one that has learned (again) to be humble before He who is truly God.

Hint – He won’t be found when they call the roll on Capitol Hill, or Pennsylvania Avenue.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title Image:  Courtesy of Pixabay.com    Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

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[1] Longtime pastor of Belview Baptist Church, Dr. Adrian Rogers, via Goodreads

[2] The New Interpreter’s Bible (Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1994) P.414