So, tell me again -- who are the terrorists?

34 children and 12 women died while sleeping in their apartment building that was hit in an Israeli air strike on Sunday in Qana, Lebanon.

Some 500 Lebanese, mostly civilians, have been killed in the campaign according to the Health Ministry. Thirty-three Israeli soldiers have died, and Hezbollah rocket attacks on northern Israel have killed 18 civilians, Israeli authorities said.

"During the current crisis, Israel and the world need to know that the US Congress stands firm in its commitment to Israel's protection and right to defend itself against terrorism and state-sponsored terrorists," Dave Weldon (R) Congressman from Florida. Funny, I thought blowing up buildings full of women and children was what we call terrorism.

What disturbs me most is that so many of my fellow Christians cheer for the modern state of Israel as "God's chosen people" and that anything the nation does is endorsed by God Himself. For some balance I suggest John Piper's sermon on the issue.

I might also suggest a history lesson from Wikipedia concerning the Lavon Affair. To quote my favorite movie line once again, "We all covered up in it, they aien't a one of us clean. "

Bumper Sticker of the Week - Democracy

It is interesting to me that we only seem to bring "freedom" to our enemies and not our allies (ie. Saudi Arabia, which just happens to be our second greatest ally in the Middle East and the second most oppressive government in the world).

I am convinced that those who hate America do not hate our wealth, they do not even hate freedom. They hate that our freedom and wealth has led to decadence. They also hate the hypocrisy of our support of oppressive regimes (like the Taliban or "Mujahideen" during the Cold War) around the world in our efforts to promote the "American way of life". And that is what they fear that we will bringing to their country by force.

Quote of the Weak -- Indulgences

A German illustration of a priest collecting "indulgences" on behalf of the Catholic church. An indulgence could be purchased that would bring a blessing or "guarentee salvation" of one's soul. This was just one of the issues that sparked the Protestant Reformation. The last line of the poem reads, "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, / The soul at once into Heaven springs."

"After 1500 years you could purchase blessings from Rome. But don't be too hard on the Catholic church. Protestants have only been around for 500 years and we have TBN."

--Ross

Pray for the peace of Palestine

It is horrible that so many young Muslim men (and now women) are so willing to strap bombs to their chests and blow up cafes full of civilians. But have you ever stopped to ask the question, "What would make someone so desperate?"

Bin Ladin is an opportunist on a power trip, but what about the young men who are willing to die for him? Maybe they had a childhood like the boy in the photo from Gaza. Maybe their homes, or families were destroyed by a rocket fired from Israel and made in the good ole US of A.

I do not condone the taking of prisoners of war, nor do I condone the excessive force exerted by Israel in retaliation. But whatever happened to the rule of "an eye for an eye?"

What bothers me most tonight is that I am hearing so many evangelicals who are calling us to pray for Israel, but so few who make the same request for the Palestinians and the Lebanese. I know this comes from a misunderstanding of Paul's teaching about the spiritual covenant and the physical covenant God made with Abraham (Gal 4:21-31). It comes from an ignorance of history as recent as the 1940s. It comes from a fear of Islam and Arabs. But even if the Arabs (some of whom are not Muslim) are our enemies (as the enemies of Israel), are we not required by Christ to love and pray for them?

The Israel of God are those who have faith in the Christ (Galatians 3:26-29, 6:16). The Seed that was promised to Abraham is Jesus (Galatians 3:16, Genesis 21:17-20, 22:15-19). Ishmael (the father of the Arabs) was not cursed by God; he and Isaac were both blessed by God. (Jealousy caused Sarah to curse Ishmael and his mother as recorded in Genesis 21:8-21, yet God was at work to bless them all). Abraham is the father of many nations, but God is the Father of the true Israel, which is not a kingdom (or nation) of this world (John 18:36). Isaac was particularly blessed as his descendant would be the Christ, but it has always been by faith in the Gospel that anyone was considered righteous by God (Galatians 3:8) and grafted into the vine (Jesus).

There are many innocent Arabs (Christian and Muslim) who are suffering tonight at the hand of Israel, with the backing of the USA. Collateral damage we prefer to call it. I can only hope that the little boys who are digging through the rubble tonight will not be the suicide bombers of tomorrow.

In just a few hours thousands of American Christians will gather at their places of worship and will pray for the peace of Israel. When you pray, consider whispering a prayer for the peace of Palestine as well.

Quote of the Weak -- Community

"The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt."
-- Frederick Buechner

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distress, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:21)

A cup of Christ?

Icons have been used through much of Christian history to convey certain truths of Scripture. Some Icons are obviously heretical (ie. a depiction of the Trinty with three "Jesus" heads), while others may be helpful. This icon is meant to convey the "true presence of Christ" in the Eucharist.

I don't think this was what Jesus had in mind when He said , "this is my blood." Yet, it does give pause for thought.

Thoughts on Sacrament

How strange it seems to me now that we used the word "ordinance" instead of "sacrament." But I think this is precisely where the problem lies in much of evangelical Protestant America.

The definition of ordinance in my daughter's student dictionary says, "A statute or regulation, especially one enacted by a city government." Another dictionary adds, "A religious rite or ceremony." The definition of communion is, "The act or instance of sharing, as of thoughts, feelings, or interests". The definition of sacrament in the same dictionaries reads, "a sacred rite considered to have been instituted by Jesus" and "a manifestation of God's grace on earth."

Growing up in an SBC church I knew that the "Lord's Supper" was special, you had to be really somber and make sure that you had confessed all your sins or you might go to Hell. But I also knew that it, like baptism, was ONLY "a symbol" and that it was just bread and juice. In an effort to remove mystery we had created a superstitious symbol that had the power to curse. No wonder we Baptists don't want to take communion more than 3 or 4 times per year. In our Baptist rebellion against tradition, "church talk" and "dead liturgy" we have created new words, rites and elements that have been diluted of any meaning and simply created new traditions, jargon and liturgy that are devoid of depth. The only sacraments (in a salvation sense of the word) were the aisle walk and the sinner's prayer (neither of which can be found in Scripture).

It was at a weekly ecumenical men's prayer meeting that I first started seeing communion as communion. We believed that God's grace was being manifest to us in a tangible way as we broke bread and shared a common cup of wine. By faith we were receiving and sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ. I saw for the first time that disunity and hatred of my brothers made communion hypocrisy and me unworthy to proclaim my part in the Body. I came to understand that this group of men, my church and the Church universal is the Body of Christ. It was at this meeting that Christ's Body was discerned -- given on Earth, residing in Heaven and manifest in the Church. It was in every way a mysterious ordinance that was both a sacrament and communion. It is a weekly profession of faith and a tangible proclamation of the Gospel of Christ's body given for us and His blood shed for us.

Some years later as I had the privilege to baptize my daughter, I came to believe that baptism is more than a mere symbol or act of obedience. As I plunged my daughter's head underwater and pronounced her "buried with Christ in baptism" and raised her out of the symbolic grave "to newness of life in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," I knew that I had handled holy things. I had a bird's eye view as she took that first gasp of air after having been submerged in cold water, and I could imagine what the resurrection will be like. No, the water had no power to save, but something of God's grace was manifest in that moment through baptism. It is a visual proclamation of the Gospel.

What does Christ mean when He says, "where two or more are gathered in my name I am present?" In what way is Christ present with us gathered that He is not present with me when I am alone. He does not leave me, nor forsake me. I am never alone. Yet, there is a manifestation of God's presence when we are gathered in Jesus name that we do not have alone. Every Baptist I know would agree that the "presence of the Lord" can be felt in a worship service, and most have had experiences of "God's presence" in a time of prayer or intense struggle. Yet, we are afraid to say that "Christ is present" in baptism or communion.

Here is a winsome and wise quote from Millard Erickson (elder statesman of Baptist theology) on this point: "Out of a zeal to avoid the conception that Jesus is present in some sort of magical way, certain Baptists among others have sometimes gone to such extremes as to give the impression that the one place where Jesus most assuredly is not to be found is the Lord's Supper. This is what one Baptist leader termed 'the doctrine of the real absence' of Jesus Christ." (Christian Theology [Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books], 1123) (Thanks Ray!)

In a very real way the mission of the Church is to be a manifestation of God's grace and presence in the world. We are not God, but we are His body, His bride. The lost will never receive faith if the Gospel is not preached. The new believer will not be baptized and there is no communion outside of the Body. God's grace in the Gospel will not be witnessed in the world without the Bride. The Church is not the savior; Christ is the Savior. Jesus has not given the task to angels, but He has given the glorious task of proclaiming the Gospel to us, the Church. There then is no salvation outside of the Church and the Gospel that she preaches and proclaims in word and deed. Our task is a tangible, visible and audible proclamation of the Gospel.

I agree with my Baptist brothers in the importance of preaching. However, I do not believe that preaching has primacy. Rather I believe that preaching is sacramental in that God's grace is being manifest on the Earth in the spoken word, and that we must hear and believe the Gospel in order to be saved. Preaching, baptism and communion are opportunities for faith to be proclaimed and worked out, and God's grace to be manifest on Earth.

I have been accused of being a mystic, and to be honest I love mystery. I love scholarship as well. But I am content to leave some things in the realm of mystery. We have, in America, a need to explain everything. We simply cannot stand to have people think that we are fools. If only we could prove our faith... Have we forgotten that the Gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the word of life to those who believe? These mysterious ordinances are a way that we identify with Christ and separate ourselves from the World, and the Church together in word and deed proclaims the Gospel.

He gives and takes away...

Robin Mark sang a song Thursday night at the concert that has the words, "He gives and takes away, and still my heart will say 'Blessed be the name of the LORD.'" As he sang those words, I joined with him in singing even as our unborn child seemed to be in the process of being taken away.

Our fears for the baby were confirmed last night as the heartbeat had stopped and signs of imminent miscarriage were confirmed by the doctor at the ER.

For all that I think I do know about God there is so much more I don't know. I really don't understand why so many things happen, but I have to trust that God is good and He does good to those that love Him and are called according to His purposes. I have been told that it is foolish to look for purpose or try to figure out the reason for every thing that happens in our lives. Personally, I think it is foolish not to look for the hand of God in even the smallest things of life and if there is no purpose to tragedy then there is no purpose for anything. It can be foolish to jump to conclusions, but it can never be foolish to seek God.

As we waited for the doctor a lab tech came in to draw Lana's blood. I mentioned that I would not watch the process as it makes me a bit weak in the knees. To salvage my manhood, I mentioned that I had assisted doctors in Honduras, but that it was just different when it came to my wife and kids. The tech agreed, and then we talked more about Honduras and missions. As the conversation progressed she shared her concern for her unbelieving relatives. Her deep concern was evident through the tears that welled in her eyes. There is so much pain in the world. We prayed together for her nephew and nieces to receive faith and be led to repentance. "God certainly knows what He is doing," she said. "I'm glad He brought you here tonight."

Later in the night Walt and Craig came to the hospital to share their concern and pray for us. In the middle of pain and sorrow God had brought spiritual family together to comfort each other. Some are in the process of giving; some are in the process of receiving. Some of us have known each other for years, others we just met in passing. Together one day we will be before our LORD and proclaim together, "Blessed be the name of the LORD!"

Quote of the Weak -- Perfectionism

"Perfectionism is the enemy of good enough."
-- Russian Proverb

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distress, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:21)

To thine own self be true...

...but, who are you?

My upbringing taught me to be hyperconscious of what other people thought about me. The main reason I did not drink alcohol as a teenager was not the fear of God, but for fear of what others would think. Fear of what others will think is ironically why most teens in America start drinking alcohol. I was more concerned with impressing my parents, church friends and older people that I respected, because I wanted to be respected -- obeying the rules earned me respect. Most teens want respect or recognition and some find it in their friends -- for some disobedience and rebellion earns them the respect or recognition they desire.

As I have gotten older I have grown to care less and less what others think of me. I wish that I could say that I don't care at all, but if that were true I would not publish a blog. I don't even try as hard to give a good impression to the people that I love dearly.

If we truly love others we must be willing to love them as they are. The good, the bad and the ugly are all a part of who we truly are.

We are all in the same boat really. We start life with great expectations and being told to dream big. We grow up and life happens. We get older and panic because we have not achieved our dreams. For some truly blessed, they come to realize that their dreams were all together vanity.

I suppose my favorite dialogue in my favorite movie comes from a scene in Glory. A young private has just participated in his first battle against pure evil. He has dreamed of the day that he could take vengeance on his enemy and bring justice to earth. He has killed for the first time and come to realize that he is now guilty of all that has been done against him and more. Col. Shaw says to the young black soldier, "Stinks I suppose?" The soldier replies, "Yeah it stinks. Stinks bad, and we all covered up in it. Ain't a one of us clean." The end of the conversation brings the conviction that we must simply, "ante up and kick in (do our duty)."

I am in the process of trying to build a house, LORD willing. There are as many opinions on the matter as I have friends and family. I know men in Ethiopia who live content lives in huts. I know men in Ethiopia who live very discontent lives in huts. There is no intrinsic virtue in poverty. I know men who live content lives in large American homes. I know men who live very discontent lives in large American homes. There is no intrinsic evil in wealth.

The common thread of the content men that I know is not their possessions or lack thereof. Their common ground is Christ alone and that they know who they are in Him. The common thread I see in the discontent is a lack of depth and a constant yearning to be or have more.

"In the last resort what matters is not what the man does, but only his faith in Jesus as the Son of God and Mediator. At all events poverty or riches, marriage or celibacy, a profession or the lack of it, have in the last resort nothing to do with it -- everything depends on faith alone." -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Everything outside of faith is sin. In the end we must fear God and know that we will give account to Him alone. We must know Christ and walk alone in the community of faith. By faith we can be who we are, and only by faith can we be who we will be.