RECORD!

If you are into sporting events, you’ve probably been concentrating on the ice and snow antics in Vancouver. For those of you who are not attuned to the niceties of differentiating between a silly point, fine leg, and long on, you probably missed it, not being among the 2 billion who follow cricket. India’s Sachin Tendulkar scored 200 runs in a one-day international last week. This momentous event, against a formidable foe—South Africa, ranked #2 in the world (India is #1)—has been equated to Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute-mile barrier in 1954.

Tendulkar got his double-century in 147 balls (or “pitches”), a hitting rate of 136.5. Astounding! His millions of fans call him “The Little Master”: he is only 5’5”, but a giant in every form of the game. There is hardly a record he hasn’t broken, having scored over 30,000 runs in international cricket. Tendulkar has also attained India’s second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan award.

The day after Tendulkar’s incredible knock last week, one of India’s dailies had this picture on its front page, with the attribution, “God.”

He has certainly made my cricket-watching exhilarating, and I am thankful to Tendulkar for those pleasures and for going where no man has yet gone. But “God”? I don’t think so.

Someone else went further paving the way to God.

Jesus said …, “I am the way,
and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father
but through Me.”
John 14:6

Like Bannister’s, Tendulkar’s record, too, will probably be broken. At a post-game press conference, the latter acknowledged: “Records are made to be broken and I would like to see an Indian breaking this record.” But there is one Record no one can break.

And there is salvation in no one else;
for there is no other name under heaven
that has been given among men
by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

The Times of India proclaimed in the same vein: “Immortal at 200!” Perhaps—as far as idioms go and cricket is concerned. But there is someone else who is not only immortal, but eternal.

… our Savior Christ Jesus,
who abolished death
and brought life ….
2 Timothy 1:10

Another writer mentioned putting Tendulkar in Tiger Woods’ league. I beg to differ. Tendulkar’s character has been irreproachable both on and off the field. But there was yet Another who was absolutely perfect!

Christ … offered Himself
without blemish to God ….
Hebrews 9:14

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar, himself quite a legend, exclaimed, “I would really like to bend down and touch [Tendulkar’s] feet”—a gesture of reverent homage. One day, though, another One will receive reverent homage, homage worthy of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

… at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow,
those who are in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and … every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord ….
Philippians 2:10–11

The cricket correspondent for The Hindustan Times wrote: “It’s never a good idea to try and speak for a whole nation. But on Wednesday it was a risk worth taking. ‘To Sachin Tendulkar … two words will suffice: Thank you.’”

We, though, will be eternally grateful to the other Record-Breaker par excellence, eternal, spotless, and worthy of adoration.

Thanks be to God
for His indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15

The gift of Jesus Christ and the eternal life He offers to all those who trust Him, by faith, for the forgiveness of their sins.

He, and He alone, is God!

LIGHTHOUSE!

That’s a lighthouse on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland, warning sailors of a treacherous coastline and a hazardous reef.

These structures have become icons in narrative and lore, symbolic of safety, beacons shining for the welfare of the public, revealing things honest, just, pure, and good. They appear on license plates, logos of organizations, in songs, poems, and movies. And, despite the advent of electronic navigational aids that have rendered lighthouses a thing of the past, they remain popular tourist attractions. There’s something fascinating about a lighthouse.

Dwight L. Moody, the famous evangelist and preacher of yesteryear (1837–1899), once said: “A holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine.”

Lighthouses just shine! That’s what Christians are called to do: shine. Shine … to manifest what?

A long time ago (1648), the Westminster Shorter Catechism declared: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” That’s the chief end of mankind—to shine forth God’s glory. That’s what believers are called to do: “shine God’s glory”!

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
Sing the glory of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
Psalm 66:1–2

“Shining God’s glory” is appropriate, because there is something splendorous, brilliant, fiery, and effulgent about God’s glory.

The glory of the LORD
rested on Mount Sinai ….
And to the eyes of the sons of Israel
the appearance of the glory of the LORD
was like a consuming fire
on the mountain top.
Exodus 24:16–17

Fiery glory. Brilliant glory. Radiant glory. Dazzling glory.

So how does one “shine God’s glory”?

Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD
the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in holy array.
Psalm 29:1–2

So here’s an axiom: Our lighthouse-function is to “shine God’s glory” by conforming to His holiness. The apostle Peter agrees.

But you are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, …
so that you may
proclaim the excellencies of Him
who has called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9

That’s what we have been called to do: to proclaim His excellencies, i.e., to “shine God’s glory” by being like Him in his holiness.

… He chose us …
that we would be holy
and blameless before Him.
Ephesians 1:4

And that’s how God intends for Himself to be glorified—by His holiness being displayed, “shined” forth. Holiness is the consistent way in which God’s glory is manifest.

I will show myself holy
among those who are near me,
and before all the people
I will be glorified.
Leviticus 10:3

We are to be shining for His glory, by being holy. Always. Everywhere.

So whether you eat or drink
or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

We lighthouses have our work cut out for us, don’t we?

… like the Holy One who called you,
be holy yourselves also
in all your behavior.
1 Peter 1:15

And thus we shall be lighthouses to a dark world—symbolic of safety, beacons of truth, glorifying God.

“You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
nor does anyone light a lamp
and put it under a basket,
but on the lampstand ….
Let your light shine
before men in such a way
that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14–16

Let’s keep those lights burning, for God’s glory!

SNOW!

Yup! It snowed here last week, creating a 24-hour snowfall record, over 12.5 inches, breaking the 1964 record of 12.1 inches. About 200,000 homes left in the dark. About 1,500 flights canceled in DFW and other airports in the south.

Snow everywhere. Icy roads. Dallas Seminary canceled classes Thursday evening and all day Friday. (It was, however, fun to see the children in the Seminary community frolicking outdoors all bundled up, making snowmen around the campus!).

Snow. Frozen water crystals. Each flake with roughly 10¹⁸ molecules of water, give or take a few billion, depending on temperature and humidity. And growing in clouds by the impressively named Wegener-Bergeron-Findeison process which, I am happy to confess I know nothing about, and which, I am even more happy to leave to atmospheric scientists to comprehend. All I know is that snow causes some eerie lighting effects. That photo was taken from the balcony of my townhome around midnight three days ago. Everything was white and bright, with the crystalline structure of snow diffusely reflecting the whole spectrum of lamplight, causing it all to look a brilliant, if eerie, bluish white—snow white!

It all looked so … so clean!

No wonder the writers of Scripture used snow as a metaphor for cleansing from sin.

David pleaded, after his egregious activities in 2 Samuel 11–12—adultery and murder.

Purify me with hyssop,
and I shall be clean;
Wash me,
and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7

He was right. Only God can purify. Only God can wash. And only God can wash as white as snow.

“Come now …,”
says the LORD,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.”
Isaiah 1:18

Yes, they will. And, yes, God can cleanse.

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

And taking our place, Jesus paid for our sins, fully and finally and forever. And for those who place their trust in Jesus Christ as their only God and Savior, eternal life is guaranteed.

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

Sins gone. Hearts cleansed. No longer scarlet. But white as snow.

Have you been to Jesus
for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless?
Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin, And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing
for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb!
Elisha Hoffman, 1878

Indeed, the Bible describes God Himself wearing garments as white as snow.

I kept looking until thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His vesture was like white snow.
Daniel 7:9

Wow! In some way, we get to be like Him. His clothing ours! We are granted God’s purity and righteousness.

He made Him 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

We did. We became … white as snow. Praise God!

LANDMARK!

Last year, it was nice to spend a Dallas summer in a part of the world that was in winter. Not much of a winter, though, just comfortably mild, a tad brisk. Down Under. Mostly in Sydney.

One of the highlights was a boat ride around the Sydney harbor. A delightful experience. Especially to see the landmark that distinguishes the harbor: Sydney Opera House. Jørn Utzon’s masterpiece is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an iconic building, indeed, that marks not only harbor, but also city, country, nation, and continent. A landmark!

What marks us as Christians? What stands out as our “landmark”? What is the defining characteristic of the disciple?

In Mark 8, Jesus gives the first of his three Passion Predictions.

And He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer
many things and be rejected …
and be killed,
and after three days rise again.
Mark 8:31

That was Jesus mission—His suffering mission, underscoring the theme of Mark that discipleship is a call to glory … by way of suffering. But Peter, the disciple, doesn’t care for that modus operandi.

And Peter took Him aside
and began to rebuke Him.
Mark 8:32

Hey, come here a minute, Jesus! What’s all this stuff about dying? Rubbish! That’s not what kings do. They come to conquer their capitals, capture their palaces, and occupy their thrones. Not die! Here, Jesus, let me tell you exactly what to do. Rocky [aka Peter] here’s got it all under control. I’ll get you to Jerusalem and put you on a throne. And we’ll reign happily every after. Got it?

And Jesus’ response?

But turning around
and seeing His disciples,
He rebuked Peter and said,
“Get behind Me, Satan;
for you are not setting your mind
on God's interests, but man’s.”
Mark 8:33

And then comes the “landmark,” the high point, the milestone that defines discipleship and what it is all about.

And He [Jesus] summoned the crowd
with His disciples, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to come after Me,
he must deny himself,
and take up his cross
and follow Me.
Mark 8:34

Jesus’ suffering mission was to become the disciples’ mission as well. They were being called to suffer, following His example.

The landmark! Self-denial. What Jesus calls for is not a denial to self of things, but a denial of oneself, the opposite of self-affirmation, self-promotion, self-adulation, …. Self-denial. Even to death.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

On the other hand, narcissism, the love of self, appears to be on the rise all around us. More than half of those aged 18 through 25 said “becoming famous” was an important goal—five times as many as named “becoming more spiritual” as a goal. That vanity is a symptom of narcissism goes without saying. 12 million people in the U.S. submitted themselves to cosmetic procedures in 2007. As a practicing dermatologist, I can heartily attest to the fact that a veritable industry thrives on the narcissistic culture’s agonizing over the paleness of teeth, darkness of skin, shortness of eyelashes, wrinkling of brows, rippling of fat, and the urgency to wax, spray, laser, peel, lift, tuck, and color.

… in the last days
difficult times will come.
For people will be lovers of self ….
2 Timothy 3:1

Self-denial? Hardly!

But we disciples know what we ought to do. Self-denial is our landmark! May it mark our lives indelibly as we follow our Master in His suffering mission. Even to the end!