Another Lap

Since childhood I've been attracted to all things mechanical, especially automobiles (or "motorcars" as our British friends call them). My first car was a used 1962 Corvair. I got mine before Ralph Nader decided he needed to protect us from them. It was light green with tan vinyl upholstery. The Corvair provided me with my first opportunity to tune and care for an automobile. It had fancy wheel covers, a tachometer on the dashboard, and a green 6 ball for a gearshift knob. Of course it had dual glasspack mufflers so it sounded pretty bad, but with only 102 horsepower its bark was much worse than its bite. In 1967, with my Corvair as a trade-in and with money saved from working every summer and Christmas break, I was able to buy my first new car - an Oldsmobile 442. With over 360 hp, its bite was substantially larger.


I've often dreamed of driving a Formula 1 race car. How cool would it be to fly through the streets of Monaco in a McLaren-Mercedes revving at 18,000 rpm? I've always thought that the life of an F1 driver like Juan Fangio, Graham Hill, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher would be glamorous and exciting.


With the arrival of a new year and a new decade, God has reminded me that my life is a bit like a Formula 1 road race. The faster I drive, the faster each lap (and each year) goes by. I sometimes seem to be going so fast that the scenery along the course is just a blur. The faces of those standing alongside the track are all but indistinguishable. My grandmother knew what she was talking about when she told me that the older you get, the faster each year goes by.


This month I have felt God asking me to trade my McLaren-Mercedes for something much slower, maybe even a bus so others can go with me. I think He wants me to look into the faces along the course and to even take some of the side roads off the track. He has shown me that the faster I go, the more difficult it is to follow the last half of Jesus' commandment - to love our neighbors as ourselves. I think He's trying to tell me that this "love" of which Jesus speaks is much more than just the passive opposite of "dislike." I need to do a better job of actively sharing His love with those in my community. My prayer for 2010 is to have a lighter accelerator foot and better vision so that I can recognize those daily opportunities to share the love of Jesus, and the courage from the Holy Spirit to stop and share rather than just race on by. Any riders?


An ex-Michael Schumacher wannabe

Two Shepherds’ First Christmas

Overheard on a hill overlooking Bethlehem, 0 BC


"Woof! Woof!"

"What is it Lassie girl?  Another wolf, or has one of those not-ready-for-Mensa sheep wandered off again?  Whoa!!  Wake up Sam! Look at the size of that star!  It seems to be lighting up the whole city, but especially that old stable.  What are all those lights flying toward us?  Goodness gracious!  It's a herd of angels!  Sam, did you forget to take that wandering sheep back to Mr. Schmidt's flock?"


"Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people."


"Fear not, my foot!  I may have to change my undies."


"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."


"A Savior, which is Christ the Lord?  Whatta ya think that means, Sam?  Maybe a leader like David who can smack down all the lions and gladiators in the coliseum and help us send these Romans packing?  Or could He truly be the Anointed One, the Messiah, sent by God to rule the whole world?"


"And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."


"Well, I guess that explains the big star."


"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."


"Sam, I'm still not sure what to make of all this, but I think we should check it out.  Get your staff and let's go pay our respect to this little "Soul Man".  Lassie, you watch the sheep. Hurry Sam!"


"Hold on Dave, I'm coming."

The Gift

As I was considering a new post for this Advent season, I began to think about Lon's Advent sermon series on "The Wonder of a New Baby."  I also sought some guidance from my best friend (my wife, of course).  She suggested a blurb about "The Gift."  We have three wonderful children who have three wonderful spouses.  They have now gifted us with eight wonderful grandchildren.  As I think back on the births of our children and grandchildren I can still recall the wonder and awe as I held those little bundles of cells who, in only nine months or so, had become perfect little beings.


I suspect that Mary and Joseph must have had those same feelings, but maybe a bit more "wonder" (if that's possible) about what Jesus' life would be like.  Gabriel told Mary that her son was to be named Jesus and that He would be great and called the Son of the Most High.  She was told that Jesus would be given the throne of his father David and that He would reign over the house of Jacob forever and ever.  Gabriel didn't mention anything about a cross.  As I consider Mary's thoughts, I think about the haunting lyrics of the Christmas song, "Mary, Did You Know?" by Mark Lowry.  I expect that Mary was told only what God wanted her to know in order for her to lovingly raise Jesus as her own.

While in residency here in the late 1980's, we had the pleasure of meeting Greg and Diana Botkin.  Greg was also in the residency program and they had children as well.  As busy as they were, they took the time to home-school their children.  Diana is an accomplished artist and provided much of the family's income with her paintings.  While they were here, she won several awards and was commissioned by Mead Johnson to do some Enfamil art work.  Both Greg and Diana are devout Christians and much of her work has Christian themes.  As I considered the idea of "The Gift" associated with "The Wonder of a New Baby," I remembered a piece that Diana had done in charcoal some 20 years ago.  To me, it speaks volumes about a God who loves us so much, and wants so much for us to love Him, that He came into the world He created, and in the only fashion possible reconciled our debt for sin and justified us once again into a right relationship with Him.  She called it "Behold the Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin of the World".  To me it is "The Gift."

Thanks Giving

"I will praise God's name with song and glorify Him with Thanksgiving." [Psalm 69:30 NIV]

Thanksgiving Day is rapidly approaching. You know, that Thursday before the busiest shopping weekend of the year. As I ponder all that I have to be thankful for, I am reminded that many of my blessings are associated with FPC. Here's a "Thanks Giving" list of just a few things that come to mind:

• for the freedom to worship openly and without the threat of persecution by our government or others,
  
• for all those who have come and gone before us; those who for 175 years have worshipped here, prayed here, and worked here, and now worship elsewhere or dance at the feet of Jesus,
  
• for both our Pastors, Lon and Rob, who teach us, nurture us, and challenge us to continue growing in grace,
  
• for our prison ministry, led by RevPete, where being "free in the Spirit" has real meaning,
  
• for our wonderful musicians, led by Mike and Ann, who bless us with their voices and instruments,
  
• for a caring staff, Dawn, Suzanne, and Darrell, whose ministry is the "business" of our church,
  
• for all those who volunteer to lead our worship, teach our classes, serve on our Session and church committees, lead our youth groups, prepare our meals and snacks, and give of themselves in any other way to make FPC an active part of Christ's Church,
  
• for those who give unselfishly and anonymously to keep our facilities attractive, functional, clean, and comfortable (warm in winter and cool in summer, not vice versa),
  
• for the joy of having been the host of the Madisonville Great Banquet for over 25 years and having witnessed the changes in lives that Jesus has wrought through it,
  
• and, of course, for that "paid in full" stamp on the charge ticket for my sins; paid for by my risen savior, Jesus, whose earthly birth we'll celebrate next month, but whose spiritual birth we celebrate anew in our lives each and every day.
  

So, before you head out to the shopping malls on Friday, enjoy Thanksgiving Day with your family, and during your "Thanks Giving" prayer, remember the blessings we share at FPC.

Feeding the 5000

The year is 30 AD. The location is Galilee, around the Sea of Galilee (or Sea of Tiberias, or Lake Gennesaret - depending on where you live). A young journalist, Matthew Matthews from TV Station WWJD is traveling with an itinerant carpenter/prophet, Jesus of Nazareth. "Matt the Mouth", as he's known is reporting on the teaching and activity of Jesus with this new micro-blogging communication tool called "Twitter". He's been tweeting reports fairly regularly and they're beginning to get really interesting. Lets join him now and see what this Nazarene carpenter is up to. Click the link below and remember to read the tweets from the bottom up. "Jesus Feeds the 5000"

Pilgrim’s Progress Redux

An Adventurous Journey 

Lisa and I just returned from a 3,464-mile journey to Moab, Utah.  We met relatives in Kansas, experienced the joy of a leaking air mattress while camping, and saw some incredible scenery.   During a four-mile hike in Arches National Park, we tried to imitate houseflies in clinging to a rock "wall" to avoid sliding into a muddy pool of deep water.  With teamwork, we were successful.  The journey involved a lot of driving.  Lisa and I had the time to read about another great and adventurous journey.  We read to each other "Pilgrim's Progress."  

The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and published in February, 1678.  It is regarded as one of the most significant works of English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been out of print.  John Bunyan wrote the book while in prison for preaching outside of the approval of the state sanctioned Church of England.  Three years after its publication (1681), it was reprinted in colonial America, and was widely read in the Puritan colonies.  Many of our ancestors had at least two books; the Bible and Pilgrim's Progress.  The story, though old, is still meaningful and deep, as it explains some of our growth process as we journey in our Christian "walk."  The main character's name is Christian, although he was previously known as Graceless.   

The allegory shows how we face temptations, trials, grace and growth as we progress from accepting Jesus as Savior to being glorified in heaven.  Christian journeys from his hometown called the City of Destruction (the world in which we live) to the Celestial City (Heaven).  He meets people who are wishy-washy, who talk the talk but don't walk the walk, and who are strongly opposed to religion.  He also meets folks who are full of truth, encouragers, and helpers.  He is just like us.

Lisa and I are going to lead a Sunday school class through the book.  If any of you tried to read Pilgrim's Progress many years ago, take heart.  We will use a version in modern English.  We will go slowly enough to read the story and tie it together with the appropriate scripture.  So, if you are not actively involved with a class, we would like to encourage you to consider journeying with us, and a man named Christian, as we grow with him.  Our class is for young adults, but aren't we all young at heart?  We are going to begin our journey on October 18.  The journey will be fun, instructive, and will have some challenges.  With good teamwork, it will be great.  We hope you will join us!

Mike Ladd

The Best is Yet to Come

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."  John 2:7-10 NIV

This was Jesus' first miracle, performed only three days after he was baptized by John. For years, this water/wine thing has provided fodder for theological arguments. Did the 150 gallons of wine that Jesus made contain real ethanol and if so, was the wine 1% alcohol, 6% alcohol, or 10-15% alcohol like the wines of today. We do know that Paul admonished the church in Ephesus, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18 NIV 

I think that when we dwell on the "proof" of the story, we miss the real message. In the wedding celebration, Jesus acknowledges that God created humans as social beings. We are meant to live in community with one another. As the saying goes, when we share our lives with one another sorrows are divided and joys are multiplied. Another part of the message is that Jesus desires to fill every corner of our lives. There is no request too small or too large for Him to fill. Whether we ask Him for a few extra gallons of wine, or for peace during a job interview, or for healing from metastatic cancer, He wants to provide what we need.

Finally, I believe that the most important part of the message is the promise that the best is yet to come. Those who remained at the wedding celebration after the first batch of wine was gone were rewarded with the best wine of the party. Many of you have heard the story of the woman who asked to be buried with a fork. As a child, she learned that whenever her mother or grandmothers told her to keep her fork after a meal, it meant that dessert was on the way, and for her dessert was the best part of the meal. Our lives in this world are not always easy or pleasant. In John 16:33 Jesus says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." The author of the letter to the Hebrews alludes to life in this world as a long race. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" Hebrews 12:1 NIV. "Perseverance" is the key. It's not important who wins the race, but that we all finish. This perseverance comes from living in Christian community and from relying on Jesus to provide all we need. Then, as we cross the finish line, we can claim as Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Keep your fork!

Sonblock

Recently I was blessed to be able to relax at a beach in South Carolina for a week. I've heard that God lives in the mountains, but vacations at the beach. Rob Bell says that our world is "drenched with God." Nowhere is this more evident than in the awesomeness of oceans and beaches. I love the beach, but while there I recognized that I had graduated to the "grandparent tagalong class." In watching all the young families I realized that, like the Gospel, the beach is new to every generation.

The fact that "God has no grandchildren" has never been more evident than it is today. The American Religious Identification Survey 2008 published in March 2009 revealed that the American population continues to self-identify itself as predominantly Christian, but Americans are slowly becoming less Christian. 86% of Americans identified themselves as Christians in 1990 and 76% in 2008. The historic mainline churches and denominations have experienced the steepest declines, while the numbers of non-denominational Christians have been trending upward, particularly since 2001. Membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA) fell by 69,381 in 2008, continuing a trend that began in the mid-1960's. The 2008 decline was the largest numerical and percentage net membership loss since Presbyterian reunion in 1983. The challenge to Christianity in the US does not come from other religions, but rather from a rejection of all forms of organized religion. One out of every five Americans failed to indicate a religious identity in 2008. The "Nones" have grown from 8.2% in 1990 to 15.0% in 2008. One sign of the lack of attachment to religion is that 27% of Americans do not expect a religious funeral at their death.

Why do we now have generations of folks who have never tasted abundant living through Jesus? I submit that it is because we "grandparents" have abdicated our responsibility to make the Gospel relevant to our children and therefore our grandchildren as well. So what can we do? As General Assembly Stated Clerk Grady Parsons says, "Presbyterians can be evangelists." Mother Teresa taught us to bring people to Jesus "one by one." The Great Banquet teaches us to "make a friend, be a friend, and then bring your friend to Christ, remembering to talk to Jesus about your friend before you talk to your friend about Jesus." Jesus died for all of us. There are no "throw away" people or generations. It's time to remove our "Sonblock" and to allow the Holy Spirit to empower our evangelism.  Remember what happened on the day of Pentecost?  Since the devil loves pew sitters, it's time to leave the comfort of our sanctuaries on Sundays and Wednesdays and to take the Gospel and the love of Jesus back to the streets. Can you feel that wind blowing in from the ocean?

Anyone for fishin'?