It's happened two weeks in a row.

Last Wednesday I was at Parker Elementary for the Youngest Sister's violin lesson. I go every Wednesday and it's a highlight of my day to study with her. We learn about pitch and rhythm and the technique implicit in the Suzuki songs she's learning.

The lesson went along fine. She played, I took notes, Mrs. Branch gave us a practice sheet with tips for the week. The Youngest Sister put her violin away and asked could she walk me to the end of the hallway. Nothing unusual, we've been doing this same routine for two years almost.

I gladly held out my hand to her and she offered up her tiny six year old hand - grubby with rosin, magic marker, and pizza sauce. She squeezed me and I squeezed right back and she looked up at me, eyes coy and full of laughter and love for her daddy. She smiled her contagious smile and it melted away the morning's stress of mean-spirited "church" people. Automatically the corners of my mouth turned up.

We walked to the end of the hall and she took a drink from the water fountain, kissed and hugged me bye, and stood there waiting until I walked out the door. I turned to look over my shoulder through the wire grid of the safety glass and I swear to you it was like I was in a Hitchcock movie - you know, one of those scenes where the camera lense pulls back and the camera tracks forward? Everything is all distorted, except in this case the zooming was across time.

Here's what I mean.

Her six year old frame morphed into this long-legged, chestnut haired adult beauty skipping down the hall. She moved like a little girl in her zig-zags, but she was tall and leggy and all womanly. I knew instinctively to burn the moment into my brain with this sharp sense that God was telling me to hold tight to this sight, like a snapshot or some other precious trinket that contains all the memory of a special event. From the "schoolhouse" clock hanging in the hallway, to the terrazzo flooring and concrete block walls, to the bounce of her confident curls on the white of her uniform, all this surrounded her and held still in time, yet she changed right before my eyes.

"Hold on to this," my soul screamed.

"Don't miss this," my heart pined.

Even though I was about to be late for the next thing, I stood there and watched her skipping into adulthood, feeling like I was watching a secret happen. It was as if I saw time the way God sees it - the God who knows knows nothing of my boundaries, those forces of finitude. In that hallway all time collapsed and converged and collided and I, a mere mortal, watched a girl become a woman in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

And then the moment was gone, she turned the knob and went back in her class without looking over her shoulder.

Three days later - on Saturday - I took a long look in the mirror. Even though my beard has been graying for a while, I saw the first tufts of silver in my temple. It was only on one side but it was big. I would've sworn it wasn't there last week.

As I looked in that mirror I remembered my long look down the hallway at the Youngest Sister. In another time-collapsing moment I saw what I'd guess my own father surely saw while he watched me play baseball, or play piano, or read. I saw a boy in a grown up, aging, wrinkling body.

As I saw, I knew.

These days of raising children are stressful, tiring, and sometimes frustrating. But they are also precious times of struggle that will forever bring me joy. The greatest sermon I ever preach will pale in comparison to the importance of the legacy I leave with my children. So I need to be wise and judicious in how I spend my time and invest in them. You and I know this already, we've seen enough movies and Hallmark cards to know this.

So this Wednesday I was back for the violin lesson, but I fidgeted the whole time. Would the woman-child want to hold my hand and walk me down the hall? I got my answer when she asked to walk me to the end of the hall again. We didn't hold hands this time, but when we got to the door where we'd have to part, she took her ritual drink of water, then gave me a big hug and a watery kiss.

I put on my shades and stepped into the glaring sun of the last day of April. I was scared to look over my shoulder for fear of what I'd see, but you know what I did. I pressed my face to the glass and cupped my hands to block the glare. I saw it happen again, the little girl grew up into a full grown woman as she bounded down the hall.

This sequence was slightly different, though. Just as that little hand turned the knob on the door to her class room, she looked back at me, and with her free hand she blew me a kiss.

Just like a six year old little girl should.

Hope – More than a Wishing Star

Hope. It’s a loaded word with lots of meaning. That’s because there are all kinds of hope. I can hope for success, happiness, and a good dinner. I can hope that the weather will be nice, that the Astros will win, that I’ve really won the Nigerian lottery just like my email tells me.

But there is a distinctive kind of hope that Christians possess, a hope that goes beyond the proper alignment of stars or the fleeting desires of the moment. A short letter in the Bible named First Peter talks about the hope that is based on who Jesus is, what his life meant, and how his death and resurrection make a difference in our lives. It is the hope that we humans can be all that God intended us to be. It is the hope that we can be restored and at peace with ourselves, our neighbor, and our God. It is a hope that there is more to life than meets the eye, and there will be more life yet to live when our bodies cease to work.

That is a hope that transcends all other kinds of hope, and that’s what we’ll be considering in a sermon this Sunday entitled eHow Hope. If you’re interested in doing a little advance thinking take a look at the website www.ehow.com and research “how to have hope.” We’ll compare that to what the Bible says in 1 Pete 3.13-22. I hope to see you Sunday. If you’re in Houston we’d love for you to join us for Bible study at 9:30 and worship at 10:45. Come as you are.

Hopefully,
Pastor Gary

Not a Sermon – Just a Thought is a weekly email from me, Gary Long. I’m the pastor of Willow Meadows Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. You can subscribe or unsubscribe by emailing me directly at glong@wmbc.org.

I Peter 3.13-22

13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear[a]; do not be frightened."[b] 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19through whom[c] also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge[d] of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Good Laugh

I don't normally post things that aren't my original material. However, my friend Shirley sent me these and I thought that some of you might enjoy.

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word , taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

_________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
__________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!__________________________________________________________.

ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.

__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?

__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty.

__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Are you #!*% me? Your Honour, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?

__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?

__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.

__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.

__________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?

_________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.

_________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!

_________________________________________________________

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?

_________________________________________________________

And the best for last:
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

My Time is In Your Hands

Not a Sermon - Just a Thought - April 18, 2008

I struggle to manage my time efficiently, and I’m not the best at waiting. In my perfect world the stoplights are all green in my direction, the restaurant has already cooked what I want so it’s ready as I arrive, and things are always, always under my control. But control of time or anything or anyone beyond our personal behavior is an illusion.

The only way I’ve found to deal with my time management problems is to lean into the words of the Psalmist who sang to God, “My life is in your hands” and “My times are in your hands” (Ps 31.5, 15). A man named Stephen made a similar appeal to God at the time of his death. While the religious zealots were stoning him for blasphemy (and making him the first martyr of the New Testament church) he cried out for Jesus to receive his spirit and fell on his knees asking God to forgive his murderers, even as they stoned him. His trust in God to manage his crisis turned out for good for the church.

You can read all about the incident that led up to his death in Acts 7, but grant me the liberty to say quickly that Stephen truly allowed his life to be placed in God’s hands. So when you’re next frustrated with how long the line is, or how unmanageable your day seems just stop. Take a moment to whisper thanks to God that you’re alive and well, or pick up your cell phone and call an old friend, or simply ask God to speak to you in your frustration and busy-ness. Putting your life and your time in God’s hands is liberating and empowering, and it builds a faith that is built on trust in God and a willingness to sacrifice.

This Sunday I’ll be preaching a sermon about how Stephen’s example can teach us to put our lives in God’s hands and live more fully and freely than ever before. We gather for Bible study at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays and worship at 10:45 a.m. If you’re in Houston I hope you’ll join us!

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Gary

Not a Sermon – Just a Thought is a weekly email from me, Gary Long. I’m the pastor of Willow Meadows Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. You can subscribe or unsubscribe by emailing me directly at glong@wmbc.org. You can also read some more of my writing at my blog, To the Lees.

Acts 7.51-60
51"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."
The Stoning of Stephen
54When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Yet Another Bible Study

Here is the latest Bible Study I've written for use at http://www.baptiststandard.com/.

Exploring Humility
Bible Studies for Life Series for April 27
• Genesis 32:3,6-12; 33:1-5,9-11

Humility is an ever elusive trait, mainly because as soon as you think you’ve acquired, you just lost it. Humility is that trait of being modest, and we use it to describe a person who does not think of himself as greater or better than another person. It is the trait most idealized in the person and character of Jesus, but it also is evidenced in other figures in the Bible. One such person is Jacob, the subject of this week’s study.

This is the familiar story of the encounter between Jacob and Esau, many years after Jacob stole the blessing of Abraham from Esau. From our perspective, it is possible to miss the tension in Jacob that created the atmosphere for humility to flourish. Let’s take a look at the four phases of this story and how Jacob’s humility shaped the outcome of a situationthat could have been a family feud.

Assess the situation
Jacob had to do a hard look inside when he got the news that Esau was coming toward him. He had every reason to believe Esau would be angry with him—the last word he had on Esau was from his mother Rachel, who said, “Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you. Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. Stay with him for a while until your brother's fury subsides” (Genesis 27:43-44).

Jacob also knew from the “scouting reports” that Esau’s men outnumbered him. Clearly, Esau would be the winner of a direct battle. The reality was Jacob was in trouble. He deserved it for tricking his brother, and he knew it. A position of submission and humility was the right posture for Jacob to assume.

When we look honestly at our own lives and recognize we are in dire straits, it is good for us to do what Jacob did—assess the situation, admit where we are wrong and humble ourselves before God.

Humble yourself before God
Jacob was a trickster, this much is true. He had stolen his brother’s blessing, as well as conning him out of his birthright. But Jacob recognized his position and rightly humbled himself before God. There is deep urgency to his prayers to God, and some translations stress this more than others. The point is, Jacob is pleading earnestly with God for deliverance from his brother’s hand.

In our lives it is necessary for us to humble ourselves before God by prayerfully confessing the distance between God’s holiness and our sinfulness. Consider asking your learners to remember a time when they prayed desperately God for deliverance. Identifying with that utter dependence upon God in our everyday lives—not just in times of distress—will help us to keep humble before God, and in turn lead to lives humble before humans as well.

Humble yourself before others
Jacob took a route of humility toward his brother, and it is evident in several areas. First, he sent gifts before him to Esau. He sent them as a sign of his willingness to make peace over the past, as well as an admission of his own wrong doing in their shared history. Those gifts sent to Esau were more than just gifts—they were tokens that expressed apology, remorse and a desire for restoration.

Jacob took a route of humility toward his brother in the language he uses. He refers to himself as “your servant” and he refers to Esau as “my lord.” He is making it clear that not only does he desire to make things right with his brother, but that he sees himself as the subject of his older brother.

This modest view of oneself is rather uncommon in modern American culture. Most of your learners will be more acquainted with tactics used socially to communicate “I am most important” or “I have power and influence.” Rather than bluffing his way through on an image of power—like so many Americans who spend frivolously to impress others—Jacob simply presented himself as who he was.

Acknowledge God’s role
As they made peace, Esau essentially compliments Jacob for all the wealth he has acquired. Jacob, however, deflects the comment and points to God as the source of his wealth and blessings. This kind of godly humility is an essential element in the spiritual growth of a maturing Christian.

To recognize the graciousness of God in our lives also is essential to a sense of self-worth. Jacob knew he was a trickster, but he also had a strong sense of God’s provision and strength as God blessed him. While he was humble, he also recognized God cared for him and provided great material blessing to him.

Similarly, Christians recognize we are sinful and broken, but we also rejoice in the fact this is not the end of the story. God cared for Jacob even though he was sinful, and God cares for us in the same way.

In recognizing our position as blessed people, it is even more vital we learn from Jacob the notion of sharing our blessing with others. Even though Esau essentially said, “You don’t have to give me these gifts,” Jacob wanted to give them out of a desire to share God’s blessing with Esau.
The bottom line in this lesson is to help your learners see pride easily overcomes humility and that only a daily walk with God—that is patterned after Jesus—can help us bridge the distance between reality and the goal of humility.

Bonus teaching idea

Try to find a painting, photo or portable sculpture that expresses an artist’s view of humility. A quick Google search of images of humility will give you many options to share. Print out a half dozen and ask your learners to choose one they think best depicts humility as they understand it. Do this before your lesson, and then ask them after the lesson if they’d make the same choice.

Another Bible Study

So I've been writing lesson commentary for a Bible study called Bible Studies For Life. Here is the one for April 20, 2008. This one is about perseverance and I particularly like the "bonus" teaching aids at the end.

Study Theme: Pioneers in the Covenant

Date: Week of April 20, 2008

Title: Go The Distance

Bible Passage(s):
Background Passage(s): Genesis 26:1-22
Focal Passage(s): Genesis 26:1-3,6,12-22
Sidebar: Person study, “Who Was Abimelech?” (Gen. 26:1,16)

Biblical Truth:
God’s people must persevere in the face of society’s opposition to them.

Perseverance means going the distance.

Our culture is full of contests that require perseverance. There are athletes who strive to go the distance. Some high schoolers study long hours to gain knowledge and achieve high grades so they can get into college and win scholarships. At the time of this writing there is a great question about who can go the distance to win the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Looming larger still is the question of who can go the distance to win the whole presidency.

All of us are called to persevere and most everyone knows that a certain amount of drive and determination are required for even modest successes.

But perseverance in the life of a Christian may have different meanings and purposes. While Joseph may have had his coat of many colors, Isaac, his forbear, had his wells of many frustrations. Having grown successful in the land of Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar, Isaac was envied by the Philisitines. Seemingly for spite, the filled in the wells his father’s servants had dug, and asked Isaac to move away. “You’ve become too strong for us,” they said.

So Isaac moved, only to have this same type of problem. His servants dug and well and found water, but lost it to the herdsmen of the area who claimed it as theirs. He lost another well in a similar fashion, and it wasn’t until a third well was dug that Isaac’s people were able to live in peace. Isaac persevered and after this God appeared to him one night and extended the blessing of Abraham to Isaac. Isaac would prosper and flourish by God’s hand.

It is possible to conclude from this text that God extended the blessing from Abraham to Isaac because Isaac persevered. The writer orders the story to give us this theological read. It is possible, however, to read the blessing’s extension apart from Isaac’s perseverance in digging more wells in the face of opposition, and this is probably a more theologically sound reading.

What we can say for sure is that perseverance in the face of opposition is modeled by Isaac in a meaningful way for modern readers. Consider the ways that Isaac’s perseverance can strengthen your students in the midst of struggles:
Isaac focused on God’s clear directions to stay in Canaan rather than the logical plan of going down to Egypt to find food in the midst of famine. God tells Isaac to stay put and Isaac responds obediently. Likewise, believers today are able to persevere more completely when we know that we are following God’s path for our lives.

Further, God’s direction to stay in Canaan didn’t make good sense, yet Isaac stayed and prospered among Abimelech’s people. We can reasonably conclude then, that God doesn’t always offer up options that make sense to our human reason. There are times in which we are called upon to take a risk, to make an illogical move, to go contrary to conventional wisdom. Moreover, God sometimes calls for action that will be costly in the short term but in the long run will yield a substantial harvest.

Isaac understood his directions to remain in the land of Canaan in the light of God’s promise to bless him. God essentially said, “Look, I promised all this to your father Abraham, and I’m going to do the same for you. But you have to trust me.” It was probably tempting for Isaac to move to Egypt where food and wealth were plentiful. But he fought his instincts because he remembered the promise of God to Abraham.

He likely remembered that promise in the context of nearly being offered to God as a living sacrifice until the angel of God stepped in (see last week’s lesson, 4/13, you should revisit Genesis 22.15-18). Ask your students to consider how palpable and powerful that promise was for the young Isaac to have heard as he crawled off the pile of wood he was nearly offered upon. By the time we get to Genesis 26, this promise of prosperity means a great deal to Isaac, and he understands the concept of obedience to the point of death – so hanging out in a famished land because God told him to would have been easier because he fully understood that God’s promises were a good thing.

For you and I, we can find encouragement and endurance when we focus on all the goodness that is promised to us through the riches of God’s son, Jesus Christ. So it is that we are enriched in our perseverance by focusing on these same ideals:

1. Focus on God’s directions first. Persevere when we believe we are doing what God wants us to do.
2. Perseverance in the face of absurdity is a waste. But sometimes God calls us to unconventional obedience.
3. Perseverance is easier for us when we see it in light of all that God has promised us.


Bonus Teaching Aid

The Disney feature length cartoon Hercules contains a song about the perseverance of a teenage boy to become a real life hero. You can listen to the song Go the Distance for free and see the scene from the movie at this website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenkR5XzSJc. This clip provides you an example of someone who is determined to persevere, but you can use it to make the point that “going the distance” in the life of a Christian calls for God’s blessing and encouragement.

Or, consider the commercial by Nike There Are No Cinderella’s. You can view it also for free at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky7Whwl6DnE. This video shows athletes working long and hard to achieve goals while a clock is tolling midnight in the background. The final caption says. The clock strikes 12:01 a.m. and the athletes continue working out. The screen fades to black and the title says, “There are no cinderella’s.” The message is that success comes from hard work and perseverance.

He Started It!

Not a Sermon - Just a Thought for April 11, 2008

If two kids play together long enough they will eventually disagree about something. It will likely escalate, and if an adult intervenes there will be that moment where one kid justifies his actions by saying “But he started it!” It illustrates our innate thirst for revenge. Injustices, real or perceived, evoke a response from our core.

Like when I am forced to listen to an obnoxious cell phone conversation three tables away in a restaurant. Am I the only one who wants to take the phone, slam it shut, and drop it in the iced tea? Or how about the mind rattling music coming from the car next to you at the stop light. Have you ever dreamed of a device that could cause a subwoofer to implode from 20 feet away?

In First Peter 2.18-25 we find that Jesus’ pattern for his followers excludes this kind of revenge. The reading teaches us that we must bear up under suffering and refuse the path of retaliation. While cell phones and loud music are inconveniences to be endured, there are other substantial situations that we face where we must walk the path of quiet suffering without retaliation.

But the hard question is, “When is enough, enough?” This text has been abused by preachers who told slaves that suffering under the hand of a cruel master was just part of suffering for God. This text has been abused by preachers telling women to stay in their marriages even when there is abuse to preserve the holiness of marriage. How long do we tolerate abuse before we take action?

The answer lies here: “But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Pete 2.20). In other words, suffering just for suffering sake is silly. God would not have one of His children remain in a situation of pain when escape is possible. But suffering for good causes verifies our commitment to the causes of God. Suffering with “purpose” is really part of what it means to walk in the footsteps of Jesus – as Peter suggests in verse 21.

So if I suffer financially because I have made a decision to help the poor, that’s good. If I choose not to retaliate against a driver who cuts me off, that’s good too because I avoid a wreck and give a positive example of a Christian. If the church suffers persecution by the state or by the culture, that’s worthy suffering as well because it shows that we truly are committed to our beliefs.

This weekend I’ll be preaching a sermon at Willow Meadows Baptist Church based on this idea that following in Jesus’ footsteps necessarily includes some suffering. I’m not anticipating a sellout crowd for this unpopular message, but you’ll still want to be here by 10:45.

I see the footprints,
Pastor Gary

Not a Sermon – Just a Thought is a weekly email from me, Gary Long. I’m the pastor of Willow Meadows Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. You can subscribe or unsubscribe by emailing me directly at glong@wmbc.org. You can also read some more of my writing at my blog, To the Lees.

I Peter 2.18-25
18Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Final Four, Babeee!

I have tickest to the NCAA Men's Basketball championship game for this coming Monday night. If UNC pulls off their favored win over Kansas I'm going to get to see my beloved Heels play for a national title IN PERSON!

I'm so psyched. These tix are even lower level!

The bad news is that if UNC loses Saturday night then someone's gonna have to scrape me off the floor and stand me back up to preach on Sunday morning. So, to all my fellow Tar Heels fans out there, in the words of Woody, "All right you Carolina faithful, it's time to do whatever you do to pull those Tar Heels through!"

I'm sure it's bad theolog to pray against the Jayhawks, isn't it? Well, bad theology never stopped most of us for praying for inane stuff.

A Bible Study

So I've been writing lesson commentary for a Bible study called Bible Studies For Life. Here is one for April 13, 2008. I really like it because it raises some hard questions about the story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac.

Study Theme: Pioneers in the Covenant

Date: Week of April 13, 2008

Title: Exploring Devotion – the Hard Work of Covenant

Bible Passage(s):
Background Passage(s): Genesis 22:1-19
Focal Passage(s): Genesis 22:1-14,17-18

The problem with devotion to God is not that it wanes to nothingness, but that our devotion usually shifts to something else. We humans were built for worship, so it’s not a matter of whether or not we worship – but a question of whom we will worship. Is it going to be self and the charms of this world? Or is it going to be the god who creates, renews, forgives, and restores us?

This is the central question faced by Abraham when asked by God to sacrifice his precious son Isaac. Recall the details of this boy’s miraculous birth. First, Sarah and Abraham were childless for many years so Abraham had relations with and conceived a child by Sarah’s slave Hagar. Then, at the age when women are well past child-bearing, Sarah gave birth to Isaac. This boy Isaac was Abraham’s pride and joy. “Whom you love” is how Genesis described Abraham’s affections.

Abraham was being tested by God to display where his loyalties lay.

It is a messy, uncomfortable text because we modern day readers have a hard time connecting to the idea of child sacrifice. We’re left with unsettling questions: Why would a loving God demand such a thing? What would Isaac’s version of this story sound like? Did Isaac resist? How does Isaac relate to his father Abraham after this event? And if we are willing to live this story and give our very best to God, can we expect God to stop us from sacrificing something precious at the last moment?

The tempting and easy answer is “it’s just part of the mystery of God.” However, we shouldn’t resort to that answer too soon, because we may miss some truth that will aid us in the struggle of living the life of faith. Too many times our Bible studies and sermons sanitize the stories of the Bible to make them palatable (and to fit in an hour long worship service!) when instead we should ponder and puzzle over the oddities of the text.

A Demanding God

Why would God demand the offering of a first born? The sacrifice of a child was a cultic practice common in Abraham’s day, but it reads as offensive in our context. This story demonstrates in a radical way the very nature of loyalty which God demands of those who would follow faithfully. It is possible to be a believer and devoted follower, but this idea that God would demand of Abraham the very most important thing in his life indicates to us that there must be nothing – truly nothing or no one – who comes between us and our devotion to following God’s will.

This is a hard truth for Christian, both new and old. The oft held view in the pew is that church participation on Sunday morning and maybe Wednesday night is a full expression of loyalty to God. But this story demands that we examine the ways in which we compartmentalize faith and bring into the light of day the demand that we integrate our beliefs into all we do. Our lives must somehow verify the fact that there is nothing between us and God on our priority scale. If God would demand Abraham’s very best and most precious, there is no reason to think God would expect less of us.

Isaac’s Experience

If Isaac could speak to us, what would his version of the story look like? As a boy who is old enough to take a three day trip, climb a mountain while loaded with firewood, and have the presence of mind to ask “where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” we can guess that Isaac has a sense of what is going on when he gets bound and laid down on the altar. He’d seen a sacrifice before and had most likely figured out that he, although precious to his father, was about to play second fiddle to the God of the cosmos.

A hard question to ask your learners is this: Is there ever a time when too much religion is bad for a family? Bad for a child? What is it like to be the child Isaac in the household of the faithful Abraham?

I remember the story told to me by a woman in the first church I served as a pastor. She was a few years older than me, in her mid-30’s at the time, and she and her husband were raising two teenagers and working hard. Our families were out one Sunday afternoon water-skiing and discussing life. I mentioned how thankful I was that her father had been so devoted to our church and that he was really a pillar of the church. Her response was polite, but direct. “As a little girl it was pretty hard to see him spend so much time serving the church, though. I’d rather him been more of a daddy than a deacon.”

Reading this story as a young boy terrorized me. It left me worried that God would demand that of my father. While this story is really about the testing of Abraham, there must be at least a passing thought as to what the implications of faith are on our children and spouses, not to mention friendships and employment. There is a degree to which we modern followers must be balanced in our approach to church participation. Isaac’s experience at least begs the question of how parents must work to balance out family and faith.

What if God Doesn’t Stop Me?

Genesis 22.15 says, “…because you have done this an have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you…” The story is frequently used by preachers to encourage church folk to make sacrifices in a modern way by giving of their resources to support the ministry of the church. The logic is that if we are willing to sacrifice like Abraham was, then we will be blessed as well. While that may be a reasonable way to read this story in our world, it is important to note that God might not stop us at the last moment like God stopped Abraham. There are no guarantees that the result of testing by God will be prosperity like it was for Abraham.

We are guaranteed that God will test us, and we are guaranteed that God will use that testing to change us, shape us, and direct us. What matters, as a result, is that as we consider the reasons God might be testing us, we must also be determined to grow from testing and sacrifice.

The Code of the Road

Not a Sermon - Just a Thought - column for April 6, 2008

I’m crazy about road trips. Among my favorite road trips over the years are with my wife and her aunt and uncle. Debbie, the aunt, always starts a road trip with the same line, “Remember kids – what happens on the road, stays on the road,” meaning, of course, that any fun “mischief” remains a secret upon returning home. It’s funny because road trips with Aunt Debbie don’t usually involve mischief except for some of her shopping splurges. But still, the sentiment makes the trip more of an adventure.

This “Code of the Rode” was not in force for a Biblical character named Cleopas. He and an unnamed friend were taking a road trip to the village of Emmaus. These two encountered Jesus but they didn’t understand who he was at first. By the end of the conversation they’d figured out that the person they’d been talking to was the same person who’d been crucified and dead just a few days earlier.

No way, no how were these two able to promise “what happens on the road, stays on the road.” There was no way they could keep quiet about encountering the risen Lord and the story ends with the two aborting the road trip to return to Jerusalem. There they sought out the eleven disciples and the scripture says, “…they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made know to them in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24.35).

All on a road trip.

Lots of interesting things happen on road trips. What about yours? Lately I’m discovering that the road trip of faith includes discussion, disputes, and discoveries. Oh yeah, some good dining, too. Let’s think about that together this Sunday at Willow Meadows Baptist Church in a sermon entitled What Happened on the Road. We gather for Bible Study at 9:30 a.m., and worship is at 10:45 a.m. I hope you can join us!

Head out on the highway lookin’ for adventure,
Pastor Gary

Not a Sermon – Just a Thought is a weekly email from me, Gary Long. I’m the pastor of Willow Meadows Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. You can subscribe or unsubscribe by emailing me directly at glong@wmbc.org.

Luke 24.13-35
On the Road to Emmaus
13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.
17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19"What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ[b] have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.