POMO?

“You did what! Preach without socks? Really?”

Yup, I did. Really! Without socks. Three weeks ago. At my church.

“Gosh, you must be becoming postmodern,” I was accused.

I tell you, the world is coming to a pretty pass and will soon arrive at a sad end because yours faithfully didn’t wear socks while preaching.

Skeptical about these significant advances in preaching that I had made, he asked:

“Did you wear jeans, and was your shirt untucked?”

Do cargo pants count? And an untucked T-shirt with the inane logo of “Life is Good”? (I personally think eternal life is better, but what do I know?)

“Did you wear glasses with square, black rims, and put gel in your hair?

Listen, one can go only so far, OK? No, no cool glasses or spiky hair for this preacher. I have a reputation to uphold, which, in my adventurous foray into sockless homiletics, has now probably been completely shot to bits.

I do have a confession, though: For the first service on that earth-shattering Sunday (first service = traditional), I did wear a sports jacket and shirt, and put on a different pair of pants, and wore another pair of shoes—yes, with socks, I’m ashamed to say.

But the skeptic challenges me again:

“What next? You gonna throw out the Bible?”

One week if it’s socks that are jettisoned, does that mean next week it’s the Bible? Ne feceris ut rideam, as Cicero would say (“Don't make me laugh”).
Anyhow, there I was. Seemingly postmodern.

“I bet you don’t believe in objective truth, now that you have abandoned socks in the pulpit.”

Fac ut vivas (“Get a life”), I replied, in majestic Ciceronian fashion.

Whether or not postmodernism has rejected objective truth is a matter of debate. But the Bible is clear that there is objective truth.

Your law is truth.
And all Your commandments are truth.
The sum of Your word is truth.
Psalm 119:142, 151, 160

(How clearly we can apprehend that truth is another question. IMHO, we can—not perfectly, but sufficiently, and adequately.)

To God, Himself, frequently the quality of truth is attributed, and it appears to be a constant characteristic of deity.

But You, O Lord, are
a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant
in lovingkindness and truth.
Psalm 86:15

His purposes are true.

All the paths of the LORD
are lovingkindness and truth.
Psalm 25:10

His works are true.

The works of His hands
are truth and justice.
Psalm 111:7

Truth virtually surrounds Him.

Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
Psalm 89:14

God’s truth is forever and ever!

The sum of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your
righteous ordinances is everlasting.
Psalm 119:160

And His truth is truly awesome!

For Your lovingkindness is
great to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.
Psalm 57:10

May we remain in God’s truth.

Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:5

Bless Thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me,
As Thou didst bless the bread by Galilee;
Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
And I shall find my peace, my all in all

Thou art the Bread of Life, O Lord, to me,
Thy holy Word the truth, that saveth me;
Give me to eat and live with thee above;
Teach me to love thy truth, for thou art love.
Mary Lathbury, 1877, and Alexander Groves, 1913

I’ve gotta go get ready to preach today. Where are my socks?

LAW!

We climbed every dome we visited in Italy—my nephew, Jacob, and I. The St. Peters dome in Rome, the Cathedral dome in Florence, the St. Marks dome in Venice, and other sundry domes we spotted. Quite a healthy exercise, this dome-climbing business. Dingy stairwells, narrow stairs, damp and dark. But the end gain result was well worth the pain—a magnificent and unobstructed view of the particular city.

This picture was taken in the stairwell on our way up the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral (Duomo) of Florence, the dome of which was engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi (1377–1446).

Clearly the curators of the place want the stairwells clean, especially its walls. “Vietato scrivere sui muri” the sign warns. Good intentions.

So also, nothing wrong with God’s law, His divine demand.

… the Law is spiritual ….
Romans 7:14

Good stuff, law!

… the Law is holy,
and the commandment is holy
and righteous and good.
Romans 7:12

But the effort to regulate is wasted, alas! No sooner had the command been issued, the laws began to be broken. All kinds of remarks—relevant, random, mundane—were stimulated by “vietato scrivere” in the stairwell.

Likewise, …

The Law came in so that
the transgression would increase ….
Romans 5:20

Law has a way of doing that, doesn’t it. Someone commands and the command gets broken.

(One way to get something done, a wag recommended, is to prohibit your children from doing it!)

But sin, taking opportunity
through the commandment,
produced in me coveting of every kind;
for apart from the Law sin is dead.
Romans 7:8

In fact, some wisecrack even issued a diktat of his/her own in his/her own Sharpie hand on the Duomo stairwell: “Do not write on the walls.” An echo? Another rule? A reinforcement of the printed message? All kinds of hermeneutical options!

But one thing is clear: the law has been broken. And, indeed, all of us have broken God’s divine demands.

… for all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23

And the result? The Law kills—i.e., the breaking of the law ultimately results in death.

… when the commandment came,
sin became alive and I died.
Romans 7:9

Sad. What promised to be a happy ending for “Hugo y Laura” (as declared on the wall of the stairwell) apparently turned out badly. Hugo, later, seems to have returned to Florence to withdraw his name from the duet. They, it appears, didn’t live happily ever after.

And we won’t either.

The breakage of God’s demands is sin and the consequence is eternal separation from holy God.

For the wages of sin is death ….
Romans 6:23a

Maybe that’s why another scribble-happy dome-visitor inscribed: “La vida duele”—the painful, hurting life!

There really is no hope! Not through law-keeping, for sure.

But there is another way—through God’s grace, His free gift,

… but the free gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23b

Perfection may be impossible. But forgiveness is not. Somebody, praise God, paid the penalty for our sins. And through Him, Jesus Christ, we have forgiveness.

If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and righteous
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

And so we forgiven sinners continue in obedience.

But thanks be to God that …
you became obedient from the heart
to that form of teaching
to which you were committed ….
Romans 6:17

And don’t write on walls, please!

CLOTHED!

The “clothes police” all over Italy, particularly in Rome, are pretty strict when it comes to entering churches, including the Vatican.

No shorts. No bare knees. No bare shoulders. That’s the rule. Or the clothes cops will arrest, jail, and deport you summarily!

(Just kidding! In fact, in many of the souvenir shops outside the Vatican and other churches, you can buy a one-off pair of paper pants! And a temporary shawl will cover the exposed shoulders.)

But the clothing constabulary stringently maintains decorum. Non-church buildings are exempt from this clothing rule. There’s something about churches and clothing ….

Maybe it stems from the metaphorical use of clothing in the Bible. Appropriate clothing before God, that is.

A fundamental biblical understanding of mankind is that it is sinful by nature—“clothed” with sin.

For all of us have become
like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds
are like a filthy garment; …
And our iniquities, like the wind,
take us away.
Isaiah 64:6

This is an uncleanness that we can do nothing about. No way to get rid of this on our own. God has to take the initiative. Only God can cleanse.

In fact, right after the first human sin, perpetrated by Adam and Eve, one of God’s gracious acts was the literal clothing of this sinful pair. They were given garments of skin, it says, implying death of some animal or another.

The LORD God made
garments of skin
for Adam and his wife,
and clothed them.
Genesis 3:21

In other words, God has to give us appropriate clothing by which we may renew a relationship with Him. The marvelous thing about this is that these “clothes” are free!

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me
with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me
with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself
with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself
with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10

Garments of salvation and robes of righteousness, indeed! Appropriate for the bride of Christ.

Let us rejoice and be glad
and give the glory to Him,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come
and His bride has made herself ready.
It was given to her to clothe herself
in fine linen, bright and clean;
for the fine linen is
the righteousness of the saints.
Revelation 19:7–8

This righteousness is, of course, not ours, but that of Christ, who “gave” us his righteousness, exchanging it for our sin.

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

And so for the one who believes in Jesus Christ, God incarnate, that He paid for our sins, there is eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

And our clothing?

For all of you who were
baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Galatians 3:27

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Charles Wesley, 1738

And now, appropriately clothed, we render to God the worship that is due to Him, and to Him alone.

Ascribe to the LORD
the glory due His name; …
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
1 Chronicles 16:29

Don’t let the clothes police nab you!

STRONG!

There he is, one of the Cohors Pedestris Helvetiorum a Sacra Custodia Pontificis a.k.a. the Swiss Guard, effectively the military of the Vatican City. This cohort came into being in 1506 under the aegis of Pope Julius II (who also was the patron of Michelangelo’s work on the Sistine Chapel). Huldrych Zwingli, then a Swiss Catholic (later one of the foremost of the Reformers) lauded this recruitment of the Swiss to guard the Mother Church’s freedom. Arguably, these dudes were the best mercenaries in the business, provided they were fed well and paid well. Their task was—and is—to guard the Pope and the Apostolic See.

Yes, you gotta be Swiss, Catholic, male, between 19 and 30 years old, and at least 5’ 9’’. And, if selected, you are sworn in on a May 6 in the Cortile di San Damaso (San Damaso Courtyard) in the Vatican. That day is significant. It was on May 6, 1527, that Rome was plundered by the Habsburgs, and it was only the heavy toll in life paid by the Swiss Guard—147 of 189 killed—that enabled Pope Clement VII to escape, escorted by the remainder of this valiant band.

So, if you are picked, you swear, on a May 6: “I vow to faithfully, honestly and honorably serve the reigning Pope [name] and his legitimate successors, and to dedicate myself to them with all my strength, ready to sacrifice, should it become necessary, even my own life for them.”

The motto of the Swiss Guard is inscribed proudly on their banner: Fortiter et fideliter—“Strongly and Faithfully.” As you are sworn in, your left hand touches the banner, and your right hand is raised with its first three fingers extended in three axes to represent the Trinity.

“Strongly and Faithfully.”

These guys rarely bow the knee. If you watch the telecast of a Vatican Mass, you’ll seek them kneel only once, when, during the recitation of the Nicene Creed, these words are uttered: Et incarnatus est (“And He [Jesus Christ] became Man”).

“Strongly and Faithfully.”

That’s a mandate for all of us who are believers in Jesus Christ, as well.

Be on the alert,
stand firm in the faith,
be courageous, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13

“Strongly and Faithfully.”

Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and
let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:14

This strength is no self-concoction, no product of auto-suggestion or positive thinking. Not at all. This strength comes from God Himself.

For this reason
I bow my knees before the Father …
that He would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power
through His Spirit
in the inner man.
Ephesians 3:14, 16

“Strongly and Faithfully.”

And as a result of our strengthening by God, we have a responsibility to be faithful to Him.

It is required of stewards
that one be found faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2

Faithful in everything—all that we say, do, and think.

Women must likewise be …
faithful in all things.
1 Timothy 3:11

(Needless to say, that goes for men, too!)

“Strongly and Faithfully.”

A tough assignment. We know that we are inadequate of ourselves to conduct ourselves strongly and faithfully.

Not that we are adequate in ourselves
to consider anything
as coming from ourselves,
but our adequacy is from God,
2 Corinthians 3:5

And by His strengthening, by the adequacy He provides, we can be strong and faithful so that, one day, we will hear from Him:

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Matthew 25:21, 23

Fortiter et fideliter!

CLEANSE!

That’s part of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), on Piazza Navona, in Rome. The fountain is a magnificent piece of sculpture by Gainlorenzo Bernini (1598–1680), a dude who has left his mark all over Rome. This work of art has an obelisk surrounded by four gods of the four major rivers of the world (that were known at that time): the Nile, Danube, Rio de la Plata, and Ganges. This particular god in the picture is the Ganges. But ol’ Bernini got it all wrong: Ganges is female!

Over 1,500 miles long, India’s “national river” spans almost all of the northern width of the country. It is the holiest river for Hindus; in fact, it is a goddess, Ganga; mentions of it (“her”?) are found in the oldest Hindu scriptures. Some devout Hindus consider life incomplete if they have not had a dip in the river at least once in their lifetimes. I remember my Hindu neighbors (this in South India, far, far away from the River) keeping a bottle of Ganga jal (Ganga water) in their home. It is thought that the water from this goddess can cleanse one’s soul.

It’s true, only a divine being can cleanse sin.

Who can forgive sins but God alone?
Mark 2:7

Jesus, claiming divinity, took on that authority, calling himself as the “Son of Man”—his favorite self-referring title.

The Son of Man has authority on earth
to forgive sins.
Mark 2:10

And so the Psalmist appealed to God …

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:2

To be cremated and have one’s ashes dispersed in the Ganga is of great symbolic significance—George Harrison, erstwhile Beatle, did it, too. Not surprisingly, all of this popularity causes pollution to run high in the river: TIME once ranked the Ganges among the ten most polluted rivers of the world.

For Christians, the answer to the problem of sin is the divine being, Jesus Christ.

The blood of Jesus [God’s] Son
cleanses us from all sin.
If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and righteous
to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:7, 9

We all seek that kind of cleansing and forgiveness, that gives us release, redemption, relief.

Wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Psalm 51:7–8

The most important Hindu festivals occur on the banks of the Ganga, particularly the Kumbh Mela every 4–12 years, and the Maha Kumbh Mela every 144 years. The last of the latter was held in 2001, with 60 million people congregating at the Ganges—the largest gathering anywhere in the world in recorded history—all seeking absolution!

God recognizes that need for forgiveness. His love invites us:

“Come now, and let us reason together,”
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

For those who place their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, that cleansing is accomplished—sin is no longer an issue separating man from God.

For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

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?
Elisha Hoffman (1878)

Take a bath!

FREEDOM!

That’s the Pont Sant’Angelo (Holy Angel Bridge) spanning the river Tiber and connecting to the city center of Rome. This, in olden days, used to be the main bridge for pilgrims to get to St. Peter’s Basilica; so, way back when, it was also called Pons Sancti Petri (Bridge of St. Peter). In the seventh century, Pope Gregory the Great renamed it Sant’Angelo, because of Archangel Michael who apparently landed on the roof of a nearby castle and sheathed his bloody sword, announcing the end of the plague that had decimated the city in 509 A.D.

For many centuries, this portal for pilgrims was a place to display the dead bodies of those executed—criminals and other unsavory elements. Pole Clement VII didn’t care for these gruesome spectacles and so, in 1535, erected statues of Peter, Paul, the Evangelists, Adam, Noah, etc., to line the bridge. A century later, the crumbling figures were replaced with a project that has stood the barrage of time and elements ever since. Pope Clement IX, in 1669, commissioned a new balustrade and ten figures of angels bearing the instruments of the suffering of Christ. (A magnificent brainwave of a project, if you ask me!)

So you have an angel with a column (representing Jesus’ being tied to it to be whipped), an angel with a whip, one with Veronica’s veil, an angel with a garment and a dice, an angel with a nail, one with the cross, another with the superscription (“Jesus Nazarene, King of the Jews” or I.N.R.I), an angel with a sponge (of vinegar), and one with a lance. Absolutely fascinating—we had fun trying to figure out what each one stood for. All have their backs to the river and so face the throngs of pilgrims making their way to St. Peter’s. (Of the earlier statuary, Peter and Paul still remain, at the south end of the bridge.)

So you basically have angels lining a symbolic Way of the Cross, reminding pilgrims of the Passion of Jesus Christ, as they head towards their destination.

That Passion, folks, is worth remembering!

Even today, believers continue to remember the death of Jesus Christ with concrete and tangible elements—the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper.

… the Lord Jesus in the night
in which He was betrayed took bread;
and when He had given thanks,
He broke it and said,
“This is My body, which is for you;
do this in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way He took the cup also
after supper, saying, “This cup is
the new covenant in My blood;
do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of Me.”
1 Corinthians 11:23–25

Jesus’ Passion (indeed, His life, death, and resurrection) set us free. He freed us from the slavery of sin and the power of death, paying for our sins once and for all.

Therefore, since the children
share in flesh and blood,
He Himself likewise
also partook of the same,
that through death
He might render powerless him
who had the power of death,
that is, the devil, and might free those
who through fear of death
were subject to slavery all their lives.
Hebrews 2:14–15

Freed with a price, a terrible price!

… you were not redeemed with
perishable things like silver or gold …,
but with precious blood, as of
a lamb unblemished and spotless,
the blood of Christ.
1 Peter 1:18–19

For believers, this sacrifice, that won us eternal life, is worthy of remembrance, now and always.

We’ve been freed, never to forget!

WEARY!

The other day it ended. Finally. The longest tennis match in world history concluded in Wimbledon last Friday. American John Isner beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut after three days of agony and strife! Final score of the fifth set: 70–68!

Neither man could break the other’s serve, and Wimbledon does not permit a tiebreak in the fifth set. So on it went, for 8 hours and eleven minutes of playing time (46 hours and 39 minutes after the first point was played two days prior). At the end of it all, they had bounced the ball 2,976 times before serves, played 2,198 strokes, scored 980 points, and smashed 215 aces. Records tumbled galore.

When it finally concluded, Isner dropped down to the court, rolled on his back and kicked his legs in the air. I would, too. The other guy covered his head with a towel. My sentiments exactly.

183 games total—138 in the fifth set alone.

“I’m tired watching this,” acknowledged three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe. Isner’s coach, Craig Boynton, kept yelling throughout, “That's the right stuff, kid!” They say he lost his voice. Isner, at the end of it, was incoherent. McEnroe suggested calling medics.

Tired? They were dying. “These guys are going to be tired the next day, next week, next month,” Roger Federer said. It was an epic!

“I was worried,” confessed Isner's mother, Karen. “My friends had to sort of hold me back, because I was kind of inclined to go on the court and go, ‘OK. That’s it. We’re done here.’” (Trust Moms to do the right thing!)

After the marathon, Isner and Mahut tried to recover as best they could, with ice baths and massages, by drinking and eating plenty. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, went out and got an assortment of takeout food for Isner and his coach, including pizzas, chicken and mashed potatoes.

Well, Isner returned the next day. He had to. He had another game scheduled against Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker.

He lost. In—get this—the shortest match in Wimbledon this year: 6–0, 6–3, 6–2, in 1 hour 14 minutes flat. Our man Isner, hit no aces Friday. He was … tired.

“I’ve never been this exhausted before,” Isner admitted. “Mentally and physically, I was obviously a bit drained. I was just low on fuel out there. Didn't really have a chance.”

Weary! Just living is wearying!

I am weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I dissolve my couch with my tears.
Psalm 6:6

But there’s good news.

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD,
the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
Isaiah 40:28

And this un-wearyable God relieves our weariness.

He gives strength to the weary ….
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up
with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:29–31

This God specializes in tending to His weary children. Jesus explicitly declared that He was the respite for the weary.

“Come to Me, all who are
weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you
and learn from Me,
for I am gentle
and humble in heart,
and you will find rest
for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28–29

Not ice-packs, massages, fast food, calorific drinks, or Mom’s TLC.

Only God!

PARENTS!

That’s my brother and sister-in-law “polishing up” my Dad as we arrived for a wedding-rehearsal dinner last weekend.

Happy Father’s Day, y’all!

Someone once asked why we are scornful of deadbeat parents who neglect their young children, but excuse adult children who neglect their aging parents. That writer mused that perhaps it was because the former task was joyful, but the latter filled with sadness.

Life expectancy in America has gone up from about 50 years in 1901 to about 80 years in 2001. People are living longer … and older. But the mandate hasn’t changed. Reiterating one of the Ten Commandments, the Letter to the Ephesians tells us:

Honor your father and mother …,
so that it may be well with you,
and that you may live long on the earth.
Ephesians 6:2–3

Paul had strong words for those who neglected their own.

But if anyone
does not provide for his own,
and especially for those
of his household,
he has denied the faith
and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Timothy 5:8

And so in their golden years, as bodies grow fragile and minds frail, we take care of our parents, who may be suffering pain, grief, fear, depression, or anxiety. It is our responsibility.

(Thankfully, our father, a widower, has been free of these agonies thus far.)

I realize that for some this may be impractical: the degree of debility of parents may render professional care necessary; the physical distance from parents that children live, in this mobile society, may create imposing demands; the responsibilities of the workplace and the cost of home-healthcare may make it impossible to watch over them at home.

But the mandate doesn’t change. We are responsible.

And we should never forget the sacrifices they made for us, their children.

[Children and grandchildren]
must first learn to practice piety
in regard to their own family and
to make some return to their parents;
for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
1 Timothy 5:4

Some things are more important … and “acceptable in the sight of God.”

And don’t forget the implicit warning in the Ten Commandments—a lessening of life span, if we don’t honor our parents. And …

Cursed is he who
dishonors his father or mother.
And all the people shall say, “Amen.”
Deuteronomy 27:16

If sacrificial service is the mark of a Christian, then surely such sacrificial service begins at home.

In a series of verses all ending with the refrain “I am the LORD”—dealing with loving our neighbor, avoiding sorcery, revering the Sabbath, being hospitable to strangers, etc.—is this one …

You shall rise up
before the grayheaded
and honor the aged,
and you shall revere your God;
I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:32

Surely that includes our parents?

God takes this very seriously.

Listen to your father
who begot you,
And do not despise
your mother when she is old.
Proverbs 23:22

In their latter years, they are not burdens. They are blessings, for they offer us the opportunity to render humble, sacrificial service. In other words, they give us a chance to be more Christlike.

Have this attitude in yourselves
which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, although He existed
in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself,
taking the form of a bond-servant …
He humbled Himself.
Philippians 2:5–8

And we must, too, as we serve our parents and be the heart and hands and feet of Christ to them.

And enjoy a long life!

DAWN!

La Morte non e' la fine,
Ma l'alba della vita.
Death is not the end
But the dawn of life.

So goes the verse in the Capuchin Crypt at the Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini in Via Veneto area of Rome, commissioned in 1626.

Lovers of the macabre will be thrilled! The crypt (actually a collection of several crypts) bears the skeletal and mummified remains of over 4,000 Capuchin monks (and others), all arranged in intricate patterns and on display. Vertebrae, clavicles, scapulas, foot bones, hand bones, jaw bones (I know this reads like an old spiritual), pelvises, skulls, sternums—they’re all there. A fascinating tableau of elaborate, ornamental design. All with bones. There is a “Crypt of the Skulls,” a “Crypt of the Pelvises,” a “Crypt of the Leg Bones and Thigh Bones,” etc.

Apparently the monks would come to this odd place to pray and reflect on their mortality before retiring for the night.

Who did all this and why, is lost in the murky depths of history. One theory asserts this was the work of an escaped convict who joined the order. Apparently he wanted to atone for his sins, so he spent a lifetime making “art.”

Lovers of cappuccinos, though, will not be thrilled at all. (The name “cappuccino” actually comes from these Capuchin friars, probably from the coffee-color of their habits and their tonsured white scalps rigned by brown hair). Coffee afficionados will forever associate their morning beverage with this grotesque pageant of death.

But it does remind one of one’s mortality. In the final crypt underground, one reads these words:

Quello che voi siete noi eravamo,
quello che noi siamo voi sarete.

What you are we once were,

What we are you will be.

Creepy. But true.

It’s not entirely a bad thing to be reminded of one’s death periodically. However, it is not THE END.

The apostle Paul taunts death …

O Death, where is your victory?
O Death, where is your sting?
1 Corinthians 15:55

Taunt death? How could he, knowing he himself would succumb to it one day?

The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law;
1 Corinthians 15:56

Death, the Bible says, is the result of sin, a violation of the divine standard (“law”). That is what resulted in death, both physical, as well as eternal death, away forever from the presence of God.

But this was not to be the end.

… but thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

Jesus Christ, God incarnate, paid the price of the sins of mankind, in your place and mine.

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

A magnificent exchange was effected: our sins accounted to Christ and his righteousness accounted to us.

And for all who believe this grand transaction, accomplished by work of Jesus Christ, eternal life guaranteed, and death now becomes only a dawn, a doorway, a portal to a better world.

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 one day, there will be a resurrection—bones and all!

Behold, I tell you a mystery:
… the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52

The monks were right. Enjoy your cappuccino and reflect on the dawn.

CHANCE?

Venice. On vaporetto #1 (the “bus-boat”). Somewhere between the Salute church stop and San Marco (St. Mark’s Square). But I’ve gotten ahead of myself ….

Friday, two weeks ago, my nephew, Jacob, and I went out eat in Florence. At Sostanza. To eat bistecca alla Fiorentina (steak like the Florentines eat—i.e., raw—almost!). Now Sostanza is an unusual enterprise that has only two seatings: 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm. Everyone gets in at either one of those seatings. And sits communally, in the six or so tables that are housed in it. Sharing our 7:30-table was this obviously American couple. Of course, Jacob and I were so engrossed in the steak (and the pasta and the artichoke omelette and the tiramisú) that we kept to ourselves (and the recently deceased bovine). We entered, we engorged, we exited.

Imagine our surprise four days later (yes, FOUR!), 170-odd miles northeast of Sostanza: there we were joy-riding our way through Venice in one of the vaporetti, when suddenly Jacob nudges me. There, just a few feet from us in the crowded boat, was the same couple. (I surreptitiously snapped a picture.)

Chance?

Jesus, himself, utilized that concept in the famous parable of the Good Samaritan, though, of course, that was a storyteller’s prerogative.

And by chance a priest
was going down on that road ….
Luke 10:31

And then there is the story of King Ahab’s death.

A certain man
drew his bow at random
and struck the king of Israel ….
2 Chronicles 18:33

“At random”? Not exactly. One of the prophets in the king’s court, Micaiah, knew this was going to happen.

Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear
the word of the LORD.
I saw the LORD
sitting on His throne,
and all the host of heaven standing
on His right and on His left.
The LORD said, ‘Who will entice
Ahab king of Israel
to go up and fall …?’”
Micaiah said,
“If you indeed return safely,
the LORD has not spoken by me.”
2 Chronicles 18:18–19, 27

Ahad didn’t. Micaiah was right. The Lord had spoken. It wasn’t “random.”

In other words, while from our human perspective things might appear “at random,” or “by chance,” one must add God into this equation of serendipity.

The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision
is from the LORD.
Proverbs 16:33

Even the casting of lots. God’s work, there too. Random from our vantage point, but not at all. (Hmmm … maybe I should go to Vegas?)

God is in control!

[God] does according to His will
in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And no one can ward off His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
Daniel 4:35

God is absolutely in control. Of things big …

The king's heart is like
channels of water
in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
Proverbs 21:1

… and small.

Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?
And yet not one of them
will fall to the ground
apart from your Father.
But the very hairs of your head
are all numbered.
So do not fear;
you are more valuable
than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29–31

Absolutely in control!

But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.
Psalm 115:3

Thank God, he is in control.

And we know that God causes
all things to work together for good
to those who love God,
to those who are called
according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Relax. Ours isn’t a random God.

COLD!

Remarkable stuff, gelato! To our everlasting credit (!), we had gelato every day—yes, every day—the last couple of weeks in Italy. That’s my brother and I outside a reputed purveyor of the good stuff in the Eternal City, Rome. We look like we need gelato. We did! Badly!

(My nephew, who was with us, reminds me that we did not have gelato every day; he tells me we skipped one day, but made up for it by having the concoction twice the next day. That’s la dolce vita for you!)

May I remind the wet blankets and naysayers and mood-spoilers that gelato is actually good for you?

Ice-cream, legally, has to have a minimum of 10% fat; but gelato, made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream, has only 3–8% fat. Bring it on, I say. This less fat, according to connoisseurs and gourmands, also enables gelato to coat the mouth differently than ice-cream, intensifying its flavors. I can vouch for that!

The churning during its manufacture is also slower and thus it has less “overrun”—the air that is whipped into the mixture—than ice-cream (25–30% vs. ice-cream’s 50%).

When all is said and done, you have an extremely dense, rich, creamy, and flavorful treat. Bacio, stracciatella, mandorla, nocciola, fior de latte, zabaione, fragola, lampone, crema, and other such exotic varieties of gelato tempt the unwary traveler. Pure seduction! One scoop just won’t do it. In fact, every time we partook of this concoction, we had at least two or three flavors in a single cup. YUM!

Especially after a day of walking all over the city to see sights, gelato was a very welcome break.

Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is good news from a distant land.
Proverbs 25:25

Good news, or even a good word or an act of kindness, is truly a refreshment, and worthy of eternal reward.

And whoever …
gives to one of these little ones
even a cup of cold water to drink,
truly I say to you,
he shall not lose his reward.
Matthew 10:42

Then there were the Laodiceans, to whom Jesus wrote:

I know your deeds,
that you are neither cold nor hot ….
So because you are lukewarm,
and neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of My mouth.
Revelation 3:15–16

You see, in Colossae, a few miles away from Laodicea on one side, were cold springs of water. In Hierapolis, a few miles in the other direction were hot springs of medicinal water. The first served as a refreshment to the weary, the other as a healing balm for the sick.

And in between the cold water fountain and the hot water source was Laodicea, which had no water of its own. Laodicea’s water came from the hot springs of Hierapolis via an aqueduct, thro a waterfall and a meandering path, so that when the water finally reached Laodicea, it was neither cold nor hot—just lukewarm. Neither providing the refreshment of the cold springs of Colossae, nor the healing of the hot waters of Hierapolis. Useless. Neither good for this, nor good for that—good for nothing. u

Unlike Philemon, whom Paul commends:

… I hear of your love and of the faith
which you have toward the Lord Jesus
and toward all the saints ….
For I have come to have much joy
and comfort in your love,
because the hearts of the saints
have been refreshed
through you, brother.
Philemon 5, 7

May we, too, be refreshments to others, in these hot days.

BOLD!

I’ve been hanging round in parts of Italy with my nephew the last week (and will be for most of this one). An unmistakable highlight was seeing Michelangelo’s David (sculpted: 1501–1504). This 17-foot mammoth is really an extraordinary sight as it stands in a special corner, under a custom-built dome in the Galleria Accademia in Florence. David is sizing up his 7 plus-foot enemy here, sling in one hand, stone in the other (scholars debate endlessly what hand is holding what and how the sling would actually work).

David’s is a relaxed posture, alert, in a classical contrapposto pose on one leg. He watches his gigantic foe with intense concentration, but there is a quiet confidence in this gaze and disposition. Not the terror of his fellow-Israelites when they sighted Goliath.

When all the men of Israel
saw the man [Goliath],
they fled from him
and were greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:24

David, on the other hand, is clearly thinking, “God (and I) can handle this guy!”

And David said,
“The LORD who delivered me
from the paw of the lion and
from the paw of the bear,
He will deliver me
from the hand of this Philistine.”
1 Samuel 17:37

Goliath didn’t think so. This kid? With a sling and a stone against shield, spear, and sword?

And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
The Philistine also said to David,
“Come to me, and I will give your flesh
to the birds of the sky
and the beasts of the field.”
1 Samuel 17:43–44

That was a sore miscalculation on Goliath’s part. He’d forgotten the role of God in this cameo and who he really was up against.

For who is this uncircumcised Philistine,
that he should taunt
the armies of the living God?
1 Samuel 17:26

There is in David’s face and stance, art historians claim, a “Renaissance optimism”—not a brute with brawn, but a brawler with brain, who can handle anything and everything with his own resources. Or so they say. Maybe that is what Michelangelo intended.

But that’s not true of the real David. His was not a misplaced confidence in self, but a complete faith in the resources of his God who was jealous for His own name.

Then David said to the Philistine,
“… I come to you in the name of
the LORD of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel,
whom you have taunted.
This day the LORD will deliver you
up into my hands,
and I will strike you down
and remove your head from you.
… that all the earth may know
that there is a God in Israel,
and that all this assembly may know
that the LORD does not deliver
by sword or by spear;
for the battle is the LORD’s and
He will give you into our hands.”
1 Samuel 17:45–47

The battle is, indeed, the LORD’s, for it is His glory that is at stake.

No sword, no armor, no fancy footwork. Just a sling, a stone, and … the LORD.

Thus David prevailed
over the Philistine
with a sling and a stone,
and he struck the Philistine
and killed him;
but there was no sword in David's hand. …
When the Philistines saw that
their champion was dead, they fled.
1 Samuel 17:50–51

That was the end of that!

I like that story! And seeing David, one has to admire his confidence, so palpably portrayed by Signor Buonarroti. Wonderful! And inspiring!

May our confidence in our God be as strong, as unshakeable, as bold.

FAITHFULNESS!

We call him Prof.” That’s Professor Howard G. Hendricks. Prof is retiring. After 60 years (yes, SIXTY!) of teaching at Dallas Seminary, and in the process directly touching the lives of thousands of students, and indirectly, perhaps millions of Christians all over the world. One of his protégés said, “Prof is like a pebble thrown in a lake—the ripples just keep going outward.” This is a man whose fifth-grade teacher predicted he’d end up in prison! He didn’t.

The LORD preserves the faithful.
Psalm 31:23

For six decades, he has modeled integrity and probity to several generations of students. Faithfully.

“Only eternity will reveal all he’s done for the cause of Christ worldwide,” says Dr. Tony Evans. “I'm just honored to be one of the protégés.”

… it is required of stewards
that one be found faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2

A good steward, indeed! Dallas Seminary Chancellor, Chuck Swindoll says of Prof, “He is the one man who has had the greatest impact on my entire life. And there is no doubt in my mind that since the late 1950s to the present day, no other teacher at DTS has been more influential to more of our graduates, or more magnetic to more potential students than Dr. Hendricks.”

Faithful. About 25 years ago, Dallas Seminary’s Center for Christian Leadership was founded—it was appropriately named after Howard G. Hendricks, the man with a passion for mentoring future Christian leaders.
Faithfully passing on the baton.

The things which you have
heard from me
in the presence of many witnesses,
entrust these to faithful men
who will be able
to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2

Fourteen years ago, an invasive cancer destroyed his eye and threatened more damage. Yet, Prof. continued to be a paragon of faithfulness. He declared: “Either God is sovereign or He is not. And, if He’s not, we’re in deep trouble. But I’m coming down on the side that He is.”

Faithful to his God.

Let us hold fast
the confession of our hope
without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23

His fan mail during those dire days piled up over six feet in height—cards from all over the world, from people whose lives he had shaped.

Faithful. Like his Lord.

Therefore, He [Jesus]
had to be made like His brethren
… so that He might become
a merciful and faithful high priest
… to make atonement
for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 2:17

Last Saturday, at the Seminary’s Commencement Exercises, a special tribute was paid to this faithful man: he was awarded the Seminary’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Faithful and blessed.

A faithful man
will abound with blessings.
Proverbs 28:20

A greater award awaits all those who are faithful—one from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

“His master said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful slave.
… I will put you
in charge of many things;
enter into the joy of your master.’”
Matthew 25:21

In his note of thanks, last week, to the Seminary Faculty who had voted unanimously for Prof’s Award, he said, “One thing cheers me—that each of you will be doing the job which in our generation is critically significant. My prayers will be with you.”

May we be faithful, by His grace.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,
who has strengthened me,
because He considered me faithful,
putting me into service,
1 Timothy 1:12

May we be faithful—till the end.

Be faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
Revelation 2:10

Prof, thank you!

THANKS!

Yesterday another 400 of Dallas Seminary’s best graduated with Certificates of Graduate Studies, Master of Arts degrees, Master of Theology, Master of Sacred Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy. Commencement exercises were conducted at Prestonwood Baptist Church north of town. And I had the privilege of reading Scripture for the occasion. (Yup, that’s Prof. Howard Hendricks on the right, eye-patch and all—more about him next week.)

A friend of mine took this photo just after I had finished reading Psalm 100 during the ceremonies. At the end of the Psalm, I made the declaration that is customary when Scripture is read in public: “This is the Word of God.” And I went ahead and uttered the usual congregational response to that declaration as well: “Thanks be to God!”

Ted caught me just as I was speaking that last phrase: “Thanks be to God!”—the people of God thanking their God for the Word of God. (Thanks, Ted!)

Why thank God for His Word?

Sir Henry W. Baker (1861), in crisp poetic fashion, announced the many reasons for our gratitude to the Giver of the Word.

Lord, Thy Word abideth,
And our footsteps guideth;
Who its truth believeth
Light and joy receiveth.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path
Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
Psalm 119:105, 11

When our foes are near us,
Then Thy Word doth cheer us,
Word of consolation,
Message of salvation.

Many are my persecutors
and my adversaries,
Yet I do not turn aside
from Your testimonies.
My soul languishes
for Your salvation;
I wait for Your word.
Psalm 119:157, 81

When the storms are o’er us,
And dark clouds before us,
Then its light directeth,
And our way protecteth.

My soul weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me
according to Your word.
If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished
in my affliction.
Psalm 119:28, 92

Who can tell the pleasure,
Who recount the treasure,
By Thy Word imparted
To the simple hearted?

How sweet are Your words
to my taste!
Yes, sweeter than honey
to my mouth!
I have rejoiced in the way
of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
Psalm 119:103, 14

Word of mercy, giving
Succor to the living;
Word of life, supplying
Comfort to the dying!

This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your word has revived me.
Trouble and anguish
have come upon me,
Yet Your commandments
are my delight.
Psalm 119:50, 143

O that we, discerning,
Its most holy learning,
Lord, may love and fear Thee,
Evermore be near Thee!

Give me understanding,
that I may observe Your law
And keep it with all my heart.
How blessed are those
who observe His testimonies,
Who seek Him with all their heart.
Psalm 119:34, 2

And so it is good and proper for all of God’s people to be thankful to Him for Scripture—the beautiful and wonderful words of life.

I shall give thanks to You
with uprightness of heart,
When I learn
Your righteous judgments.
At midnight I shall rise
to give thanks to You
Because of Your righteous ordinances.
Psalm 119:7, 62

While the people of God are to be thankful for everything, this is a good reminder: For his Word, too, we must give thanks. Let’s not forget to do that, shall we?

I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.
Psalm 119:16

“This is the Word of God.”
“Thanks be to God!”

Indeed!

SOURCE!

Eleven days ago, BP’s Transocean Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, 130 miles off the Louisiana coast, sank after a fiery explosion. Of the 126 workers on board, eleven people were killed, and about 20 injured. And the catastrophe continues. Crude oil has been leaking into the Gulf of Mexico, threatening an environmental disaster of massive proportions, risking beaches, fragile marshes, oyster beds, marine mammals, fishing grounds …. Earlier estimates put the leak at at least 1.6 million gallons of oil—promising to eclipse the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster. The slick has continued to grow, tripling in size, fed from the sea depths; at least 5,000 barrels (about 200,000 gallons) are leaking out daily. The messy stuff is slowly moving towards the coasts of Lousiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Not surprisingly, last week BP’s stock dropped 12%, a gigantic wipe-out of over $20 billion of the energy titan’s value. President Obama is visiting the region today.

Over 2,000 personnel and volunteers are involved in the response effort. About 300,000 feet of booms have been laid to contain the spill. To date, 25,000 barrels of the oil-water sludge has been recovered. Sixty-odd response vessels, including skimmers, tugs, barges, etc., have been deployed. Over 150,000 gallons of dispersant have been thrown at the oil.

Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, appointed by the federal government to lead the oil spill response, agreed yesterday that it was impossible to give an accurate estimate of the volume of oil leaking from the ruptured well—located about a mile underwater. As bad as the oil spill looks on the surface, it may be only half the problem, said University of California Berkeley engineering professor Robert Bea, who serves on a National Academy of Engineering panel on oil pipeline safety. “There’s an equal amount that could be subsurface too,” said Bea. And that oil below the surface “is *&$# near impossible to track.”

To stop that surge at its source, Adm. Allen maintained, was their top priority. Underwater robots are now trying to shoot dispersants right into the site of the leak, even as other remote devices attempt to cap the origin. No progress has been made so far, he admitted.

Getting the leak at its source. No amount of buring off the oil on the surface or scattering dispersants on the sea water will control the gush. It’s source must be cut off deep down.

That’s true of the evil in our lives as well, isn’t it? Jesus would agree:

“For from within,
out of the heart of men,
proceed the evil thoughts,
immoralities, thefts,
murders, adulteries,
deeds of coveting, wickedness,
deceit, sensuality, envy, slander,
pride and foolishness.
All these evil things
proceed from within
and defile the person.”
Mark 7:21–23

The prophet Jeremiah moaned that …

“The heart is more deceitful
than all else
and is desperately sick.”
Jeremiah 17:9

And so the Psalmist prayed …

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

Get it at its source! And may all the rubbish that is in the depths of our deceitful hearts be replaced by the Word of God. For then, …

I delight to do Your will,
O my God;
Your Law is within my heart."
Psalm 40:8

And we become, and remain …

… slaves of Christ,
doing the will of God from the heart.
Ephesians 6:6

Get it at its source!

Now flee from youthful lusts
and pursue righteousness,
faith, love and peace, with those
who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22

Let’s cap that leaky well!

WHAT?

Did you know that 20% of the folks in Britain think that “haggis” is an animal that roams the Scottish Highlands? That’s what a survey done last week declared, as reported by Reuters. The study was commissioned by the online carry-out food service, Just-Eat.co.uk.

For those Americans who don’t know what a “haggis” is, (and who also suspect, with the aforementioned 20% of Brits, that this is a rare beast that dwells on a hilltop) here goes: “Haggis is a dish containing sheep’s ‘pluck’ (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.” That’s what Wikipedia tells us. The photo shows an intact specimen. (For my personal experience with this Scottish delicacy, see here.)

Just-Eat requisitioned the opinions of 1,623 of the good people from all across the U.K. to discover their acquaintance with traditional Scottish culinary fare. Obviously, they weren’t acquainted at all. (Of course, not! Not in a land where the national dish is an Indian concoction—chicken tikka masala! BTW, the adventurous can procure a “haggis bhaji” or “haggis samosa”—a deep fried variant of the Scottish dish—in Indian restaurants in dodgy parts of Scotland!)

15% of those 1,623 claimed “haggis” was a Scottish musical instrument. Maybe they thought it was Gaelic for “bagpipes.” Some (4%) even asserted that “haggis” was a character from the Harry Potter series. Close. That was “Hagrid.”

What was even more suprising was that 14% of 781 Scottish folks surveyd did not know what “haggis” was. Yup, 14% of Scots had no clue. And “haggis” is the national dish of Scotland.

I wonder how many of us who call ourselves “Christian” can say what exactly that species of humankind is.

Nope, it’s not inherited in one’s genes. Nope, it’s not by virtue of citizenship in so-called “Christian nations.” Nope, it’s not because I go to church on Sundays and even given them my money. Nope, it’s not adherence to a system. Nor is it to help the poor and needy. In fact, there is nothing—nothing!—one can do to be a Christian.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds
which we have done in righteousness,
but according to His mercy ….
Titus 3:5

Well, then, what is it to be a “Christian”?

To be a “Christian” is to be one who, because he or she has believed in Jesus Christ as their only God and Savior, has had his or her sins forgiven as a result of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and has thus become a child of God, and part of the people of God.

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

Nope, nothing you can do to be Christian. One must simply believe, in faith, placing their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation from sin.

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

That is what it means to be a Christian. One becomes a Christian not by doing something, but by believing Someone—one who died on the cross to pay the price of our sins, fully and finally.

For by grace you have been
saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works ….
Ephesians 2:8–9

It’s a free gift! Will you take it?

SMOKE!

Last week, one of Iceland’s volcanoes, Eyjafjallajökull (what a terrific name!), blew its top, sending smoke and ash 6 miles high. As far as volcanoes go, this one is not a biggie, but it happened over some of the world’s busiest airspaces. The stuff, consisting of minute particles of rock akin to glass, once sucked into an airplane’s engines can congeal, causing disastrous failure. And what’s more, this ash cannot be spotted by weather radar. Which spelled inordinate vexation for all of Europe. A smoky disaster!

A normal Saturday would have had 22,000 flights in Europe, but yesterday there were only 5,000. Canceled flights are costing carriers $200 million a day. A spokesman for the International Air Transport Association said it could easily hit a billion dollars’ loss in revenue this week. Not to mention the economic repercussions related to air cargo shipments—everything from fresh fruits and flowers to microchips and mail is affected. Add to that, the hundreds of thousands of people stranded in some airport missing work. Even routine diplomacy got scuttled, evidenced in the dwindling guest list of dignitaries attending Polish President Kaczynski’s state funeral today. Then there is the potential of all of this ash coming down to terra firma and into the lungs of humans and animals …. A smoky disaster, indeed!

Hopefully the smoke-spewing creature will go back to sleep soon, leaving us all alone. But one can’t be too sure. The last eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in December 1821 didn’t subside until January 1823. May that not happen again!

Smoke. In the Bible, more often than not, smoke is frequently pictured in relation to some activity of God.

Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke
because the LORD
descended upon it in fire;
and its smoke ascended
like the smoke of a furnace.
Exodus 19:18

Smoke seems to indicate His presence.

I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,
lofty and exalted, with
the train of His robe filling the temple.
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory.”
And the foundations of the thresholds
trembled … while the temple
was filling with smoke.
Isaiah 6:1, 3–4

It is likely that it symbolizes God’s holiness. It also indicates God’s wrath against sin.

And the foundations of the
mountains were trembling and
were shaken, because He was angry.
Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
And fire from His mouth devoured.
Psalm 18:7–8

And so smoke shows up in God’s judgment of evil as well.

And the smoke of their torment
goes up forever and ever;
they have no rest day and night,
those who worship the beast ….
Revelation 14:11

I suspect its connection to God’s holiness is why the smoke of sacrifices pleases a holy God, an oft-repeated theme in Leviticus.

And the priest shall offer up in smoke
all of it [the sacrificial animal]
on the altar for a burnt offering,
… a soothing aroma to the LORD.
Leviticus 1:9

Smoke, a soothing aroma.

But, no more. A greater sacrifice, the Perfect Sacrifice has been made, this one never to be repeated.

For if the blood of goats and bulls
and the ashes of a heifer … sanctify …,
how much more will the blood of Christ,
who … offered Himself
without blemish to God?
Hebrews 9:13–14

The price for sin has been paid fully, finally, and forever. And for those placing their trust in Jesus Christ as their only God and Savior, sin is no longer an issue between them and God.

Praise God—no more smoke!

LEADERS!

Yesterday, a national tragedy struck Poland. A plane crash took the lives of Polish President Lech Kaczynski (and his wife, Maria) and a number of Poland’s elite: 96 of them were killed when an aging Russian Tupolev aircraft plunged into a forest in Smolensk, in Western Russia. Perhaps the worst disaster for Poland since World War II.

The Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, wept when he heard the news. Thousands of Poles were laying flowers and candles, and praying around the presidential palace in central Warsaw. Flags were lowered to half-mast. The nation proclaimed a week of national grief. Twenty monks rang the Zygmunt bell at Krakow’s Wawel cathedral, the traditional burial site of Polish kings of the past—a tolling reserved for times of profound grief and loss.

Among the dead yesterday were, besides the President, Poland’s army Chief of Staff, the commander of the navy, and heads of the air and land forces, the Central Banker, deputy Foreign Minister, deputy Parliament Speaker, several members of parliament, Olympic Committee head, Civil Rights Commisioner, bishops, …. A ravaging of the upper echelons of Poland’s leadership.

Loss of leaders.

I’ve often wondered what it must have felt like for the early church to lose its leaders, not to old age and decrepitude, but to murder.

James the Greater (one of the sons of Zebedee), beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in 44 AD. James the Just (the brother of Jesus) and leader of the church in Jerusalem, stoned to death in 62 AD. The apostle Peter crucified (upside down, tradition says) in Rome in the late 60s AD. Paul beheaded, around the same time, and in the same place. And whenever and wherever the church has been persecuted, such tragedies have continued to (and continue to) occur. A ravaging of leadership.

But the church is never left rudderless.

… the gates of Hades
will not overpower [the church].
Matthew 16:18

Another generation of leaders there always will be. Indeed, a key goal of growth into maturity is so that there will always be leaders. Or perhaps, it should be stated the other way round: leaders are those who have grown into maturity. And thus one might well say that the criteria for leaders are the benchmarks of maturity.

Certainly, the mark of growth is Christlikeness.

… the building up of the body of Christ;
until we all attain to … a mature man,
to the measure of the stature
which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13

And, of course, this Christlikeness will be manifest in the “fruit” the Holy Spirit produces.

… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control ….
Galatians 5:22–23

But I submit that the leadership qualifications in the New Testament are also yardsticks of maturity, norms to which all—yes, all believers—are expected to attain.

Loyal to spouse, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to intoxicants, gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money, a good manager of the household, not a new convert, one with a good reputation outside the church, not self-willed or quick-tempered, loving what is good, just, devout, holding fast the faithful word, and above reproach.
1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9

Let’s all press on … to leadership. Let’s excel!

… we request and exhort you
in the Lord Jesus,
that as you received from us
instruction as to how you ought
to walk and please God …
that you excel still more.
1 Thessalonians 4:1

The church ravaged of leaders? Never!

BLUES?

That picture was in front of the House of Blues in New Orleans, one of 12 similar live concert halls and restaurants all across the United States. This one delivers not only blues but also southern cuisine—“where music and food feed the soul.”

“In Blues we trust!”

The blues, of course, is a musical genre with unclear origins, linked to folk music, spirituals, shouts, and chants, that came about primarily from within African-American communities in the South toward the latter part of the 19th century.

The term likely refers to “blue devils,” that cause melancholy and sadness and the musical form often has lyrics that connote depression and loss. As one musicologist wrote, the loose narrative of the blues enabled the singer to voice personal woes in a world of harsh reality—“a lost love, the cruelty of police officers, oppression at the hands of white folk, hard times.” “Blue” has made its way into dictionaries to indicate gloom and dejection.

So why trust in blues?

Doesn’t sound to me like something to trust in! Who cares to be sad, melancholic, dark, and saturnine? Prozac, no wonder, is the best-selling drug in the history of pharmaceutical industry. In 2006, over 200 million antidepressant prescriptions were handed over to Americans. Zoloft’s American sales ($3 billion in 2005) exceeds that of Tide detergent. And in the UK, the total cost of depression and its treatment amounted, a few years ago, to more than £5 billion.

Trust in blues?

With all the bad news around the world and in our own lives, a blue mood seems to be justified. In fact, ever since the Fall of man, there has only been one bit of Good News. Only one.

He has risen!
Mark 16:6

He conquered death …

… Christ, having been
raised from the dead,
is never to die again;
death no longer is master over Him.
Romans 6:9

He conquered sin …

O Death, where is your victory? ...
The sting of death is sin, …
but thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:55–57

He conquered Satan …

… the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who is at the right hand of God,
having gone into heaven,
after angels and authorities
and powers had been subjected to Him.
1 Peter 3:21–22

That’s the Good News—the only Good News.

Now I make known to you, brethren,
the Good News ….
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, 3–4

Why be blue?

God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal, and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict’ry,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!

William and Gloria Gaither, 1971

No more blues!

Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His great mercy
has caused us to be born again
to a living hope
through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Peter 1:3

Happy Easter! No more blues. We don’t trust in them!