ALTRUISM!

The other day the venerable news-disseminating print instrument in our fair city, the Dallas Morning News, reported on two women who met on a website that posts personal ads for those in need of organ transplants. From this, potential donors look for a connection to the recipient that begins with blood type, personal story, photo, etc. To cut a long story short, these two women in the DFW Metroplex were total strangers to each other, but Annette donated a kidney to Sapna. “I just think that if more people would try to help each other—even with small things—the world would be a better place,” said Annette.

However, late last year, two major transplant centers in Dallas, Baylor and UT Southwestern Medical Center, turned the two away. So in January, Annette and Sapna, who live only 30 miles from each other, traveled over a thousand miles to accomplish their goal at the University of Toledo Medical Center. You see, hospitals in Dallas will not accept organ donations from those who are strangers to each other. Rightly, they fear that this might be a sale with undisclosed monies changing hands; it is, after all, a federal offense to trade in body parts.

One of the surgeons here in Dallas commented: “The preservation of body from injury is probably the strongest basic instinct we have as man. To violate that, you really have to ask yourself, ‘Is this something people do because they want to do a good deed?’ And I think you have to ask the question, ‘How reasonable is that?’”

How reasonable is altruism?

I have to agree with my medical colleague: it is unreasonable, indeed. The world does not recognize altruism—entirely unselfish concern for another. The world views it with suspicion. Altruism? How strange! Unnatural. Inconceivable. Out-of-this-world.

Literally!

Greater love has no one than this,
that one lay down his life
for his friends.
John 15:13

The most powerful expression of selflessness was modeled for the world by an out-of-this-world Person. He laid down his life for the ones He loved.

But God demonstrates
His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

Paying the price for our sins, that we might have eternal life with Him.

For God so loved the world,
that He gave
His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish,
but have eternal life.
John 3:16

And now we are forever cocooned His love, from which nothing—nothing!—can separate us.

For I am convinced that
neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us
from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38

But we who abide in His love now have a responsibility:

This is My commandment,
that you love one another,
just as I have loved you.
John 15:12

And what are we to do to demonstrate that kind of love?

We know love by this,
that He laid down His life for us;
and we ought to lay down
our lives for the brethren.
1 John 3:16

Altruism indeed. That’s more than a kidney. Our lives!

By this all men will know
that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.
John 13:35

May God help us to show the world that “altruism” is not unreasonable. May we believers be the demonstrable proof that there are those who truly love one another.

ENDURE!

About half an hour’s drive from Ipoh, in Malaysia, stands Kellie’s Castle.

William Kellie Smith was born near Dallas—not our fair city in Texas, but its namesake in Morayshire, Scotland. This enterprising young man made his way to what was then called Malaya in the late 1800s. He found his fortune in rubber and tin-mining and purchased 900 acres south of Ipoh, making his home there with his Scottish bride, Agnes. It was when they were blessed with a son, Anthony, in 1915, that Kellie engaged in a most outlandish undertaking. He decided to build a castle.

Fascinated by Indian culture, Kellie had all its bricks and tiles, and even its laborers, imported from South India. Tragedy was not long in coming. Spanish flu struck, killing many of these workers. Kellie even had a Hindu temple built close by, to appease the gods who were wreaking havoc on his plans. (Among the pantheon of idols on the roof of that temple is a rather incongruous one of a mustachioed, obviously European man in brown jodhpurs, a green jacket, and a topi!)

Among the fascinating ideas for the castle were tunnels running from the building under the nearby river, one of which, to the aforementioned temple, was discovered only recently. Plans for an indoor tennis court were drawn, as well as a rooftop courtyard for parties. Most curious of all was the shaft for an elevator—the first in all of Malaya. That led to another tragedy—this one sadly final. On a trip to Lisbon, Portugal, in 1926, ostensibly to buy an elevator for this mansion, Kellie contracted pneumonia and died. His bereaved wife quit the whole project, sold the estate, and moved back to bonnie Scotland.

The “castle”—half done—meanwhile, was taken over by the jungle, until Malaysia’s Department of Tourism refurbished that symbol of colonialist dreams and unfinished glories.

Kellie’s Castle is called by some “Kellie’s Folly.” It is not entirely fair to blame the non-completion of this edifice upon any fault of Mr. Smith. Nevertheless, that half-executed vision and unachieved fantasy does remind one of the result of a lack of endurance. A goal unaccomplished. A finish line unreached. A grand task undone. Could happen to anyone.

The Bible frequently warns believers of that same ruinous finish, that fall by the wayside, tripped up, entangled, and enmeshed in the things of the world.

… let us also lay aside
every encumbrance and the sin
which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us …
Hebrews 12:1

Eyes clearly set on the goal, minds focused upon our Model, feet running with Him.

… fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of faith,
who for the joy set before Him
endured the cross, …
and has sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

No question, these days on earth are hard.

But you, be sober in all things,
endure hardship,
2 Timothy 4:5

We are to endure, persevering for eternal rewards.

If we endure,
we will also reign with Him
2 Timothy 2:12

And let us also never forget that this endurance is not some cooked-up fortitude, some self-manufactured tenacity. It is a reliance on the Lord who provides us with what we need.

… God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation
will provide the way of escape also,
so that you will be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

He enables. We endure.

SAVIOR!

In Penang, Malaysia, is a strange place of worship called the Snake Temple. In it are a collection of pit vipers, freely lounging around in the shrubs outside and potted plants inside. Built in 1850, this sanctuary, for some strange reason, attracted those reptiles, which apparently took shelter in the shrine on their own accord. These serpents have been continuous inhabitants of the building since that time. Tropidolaemus wagleri (Wagler’s pit vipers) aka temple vipers—so called simply because of their tenancy at this particular temple.

But what I found even more curious was one of the tourist-trap stalls on the temple grounds. A young girl manning this booth of interest offered to write whatever I wanted on … a grain of rice. Yup, a grain of rice (and there’s a dime for comparison)!

OK, I said, taking her on. Standing in the temple precincts, I figured these were the best words to get the young lady to inscribe: “Jesus Saves!”

(Since there was a lot more space on that grain of rice, the good woman also added “Jesus is Lord” on the other side of that infinitesimal canvas!).

This amazing piece of work took her all of two minutes. She offered to make it into a key chain for me. I chose the closest thing that looked like a cross in which to place the rice grain. What color liquid did I want the grain floating in? Red, of course. Jesus Saves!

He does. Indeed!

We have heard the joyful sound:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land,
Climb the mountains, cross the waves;
Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command;
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Priscilla Owens, 1882

And save He did, by paying the price for our sins by His life, death, and resurrection.

Sing above the battle strife:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
By His death and endless life
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout it brightly through the gloom,
When the heart for mercy craves;
Sing in triumph o’er the tomb:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

The resurrection of Jesus demonstrated the sufficiency of the price He paid for sin. Death couldn’t hold Him. The grave had no claim on Him. The penalty had been paid. For me. And for all who believe.

Christians are …

… those who believe in Him who
raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
He who was delivered over
because of our transgressions,
and was raised because of our justification.
Romans 4:24–25

“Justified”—we are declared righteous by God because of that Great Exchange.

He [God] made Him [Jesus Christ]
who knew no sin
to be sin on our behalf,
so that we might become
the righteousness of God
in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

His righteousness becomes mine, as He bore my sins. No longer would sin be an issue for eternal life between God and mankind. The price had been paid, fully, finally, forever.

The gospel, the power of salvation to all who believe.

… the gospel … which also you received,
… by which also you are saved,
… that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures,
and that He was buried,
and that He was raised
on the third day ….
1 Corinthians 15:1–4

Give the winds a mighty voice:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free;
Highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Praise God!

HONOR!

Palm Sunday. That’s a frieze from Nikolaikirche in Leipzig—where Bach served as organist and Kapellmeister for 27 fruituful years.

Palm Sunday. The day Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the King into His capital city. One would expect the elite of the city to receive this honored One. Nope! Just the hoi polloi waving palm branches as He rides in on a donkey.

And many spread their coats in the road,
and others spread leafy branches
which they had cut from the fields.
Those who went in front and
those who followed were shouting:
“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Blessed is the coming kingdom
of our father David.
Hosanna in the highest!”
Mark 11:8–10

And then that curious anticlimax in Mark’s account.

Jesus entered Jerusalem
and came into the temple;
and after looking around at everything,
He left ….
Mark 11:11

He enters the city, comes to its focal point, the Temple, and … nothing. Nothing happens. This was nothing short of an insult. An “a-triumph,” as some have called it, an antithesis of a triumphal entry. The King dishonored; the regent “dissed.”

The next thing you spy in Mark is a sequence of events, in this order: a fig tree is cursed by Jesus, He cleanses the Temple of its disreputable activities, and then Peter and the rest note that the fig tree withered from the root up. A fig tree sandwiching the Temple incident. (Sandwiches, BTW, were among Mark’s favorite “foods”—there are several such textual culinary delights in that Gospel.)

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit
on the fig tree in its first season.
But they came to Baal-peor
and devoted themselves to shame,
and they became as detestable
as that which they loved.
Hosea 9:10

Rejected God and served their own ends and even demonic elements.

The King Himself was unnoticed. In obscurity He came. Neglected He left.

He came to His own,
and those who were His own
did not receive Him.
John 1:11

They did not believe.

But as many as received Him …
John 1:12

Some did. They recognized His status as He entered the city ceremonially. They acclaimed His presence with invocations to God. They believed!

Once again …

And many spread their coats in the road,
and others spread leafy branches
which they had cut from the fields.
Those who went in front and
those who followed were shouting:
“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Blessed is the coming kingdom
of our father David.
Hosanna in the highest!”
Mark 11:8–10

They believed, indeed!

But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right
to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name.
John 1:12

God deserves honor. God alone deserves honor.

Worthy are You, our Lord and our God,
to receive glory and honor and power;
for You created all things,
and because of Your will they existed,
and were created.
Revelation 4:11

All glory, laud and honor,
To Thee, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.

To Thee, before Thy passion,
They sang their hymns of praise;
To Thee, now high exalted,
Our melody we raise.

Theodulph of Orleans, ca. 820 AD
(trans. John M. Neale, 1851)

May God be honored in our lives and in the church forever!

Now to the King eternal,
immortal, invisible,
the only God, be honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17

And “Amen!”