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!

AGING!

That’s from a family gathering that took place last weekend. Looking at that photo I feel old. I am old! All those kids ….

You see, my father is one of eleven. Just on that side I have 25+ cousins (easy to lose count). And between those 25+ cousins and my only sibling, my generation has begotten close to 45 kids. Yup! This is a BIG family.

(Now you know why I’m single! Somebody’s got to be responsible!)

Anyways, the other five in this photo are a small sample of those 45 in the younger generation. Did I say “younger”? Well …. The two guys pictured (excepting yours faithfully) are married. One is about to be a father. The oldest of the lassies is engaged and will be married in a few months. And all of them, I have bounced on my lap in the decades past (one of them is still perched on my lap). Dear me, am I old, or what!

I am the ancient “uncle.” The old fuddy-duddy who likes bowties. Who treats their acne and warts and other dermatological inconveniences (I take full credit for their wonderful skins!). That’s me. The old guy. Gray hair and all. (Though you have to admit that I have more of the good stuff on my scalp than do some in the next generation.)

But, truth be told, I am old. The old brain with its weary synapses isn’t pushing those neurotransmitters fast enough. Cholesterol rises. Waistlines expand. Joints creak. Eyes squint. Etc.

I am old.

I feel like the Psalmist who declared …

Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
Psalm 71:9

But I was struck by the reason the Psalmist gives for this plea.

O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
And even when I am old and gray,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength
to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
Psalm 71:17–18

Did you catch that? “Until I declare Your strength/power to the succeeding generations. Until I announce You and declare You and display You to the new crop. Until then, O Lord, do not forsake me. Keep me going.” (After that, I suppose, the Psalmist would prefer to go “home.”)

So … we’re here—we old geezers, seniors, mature ones, (or whatever pleasant euphemism takes your fancy)—we’re here to proclaim God to the next generation. To point them to the Almighty. To bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. To teach them and to model for them what it means to walk with Christ, led by the Spirit.

The righteous man will flourish
like the palm tree,
He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Planted in the house of the LORD,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still yield fruit in old age;
They shall be full of sap and very green,
To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Psalm 92:12–15

There it is again. “To declare the LORD.” No wonder Solomon wrote …

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who is wise wins souls.
Proverbs 11:30

Winning souls—the next generation—with the Gospel; winning souls by moving them towards Christlikeness; winning souls by patterning for them what it means to be godly, and spiritual.

What a solemn responsibility. Let’s get to work!

JOINED!

While I am on the subject of marriage …

The Gospel of Mark is almost a “manual” of discipleship, describing what it means to walk with Jesus from Galilee (where the story begins) to Jerusalem (where the story ends).

Early in the account, Jesus had declared that disciples were forming a new family, that related to Jesus, followed Jesus, and represented him. This discipleship business was going to be a radical journey going God’s way, and radical journeys demanded radical measures.

“Behold My mother and My brothers!
For whoever does the will of God,
he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:34–35

Some time later, Jesus addressed the particular implications of the call to discipleship that dealt with sacrificing everything “for My sake.”

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you,
there is no one who has left house
or brothers or sisters
or mother or father
or children or farms,
for My sake and for the gospel's sake,
but that he will receive
a hundred times as much
now in the present age,
houses and brothers and sisters and
mothers and children and farms ….”
Mark 10:28–30

The interesting thing is that all throughout the Gospel, while much sacrifice is called for, even of close ones, and of livelihoods, there is nothing at all said about spouses sacrificing one another. Instead, in a strongly worded response to the Pharisees, Jesus asserts the permanence of marriage.

“But from the beginning of creation,
God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave
his father and mother
and the two shall become one flesh;
so they are no longer two,
but one flesh.
What therefore God has
joined together,
let no man separate.”
Mark 10:6–9

Nowhere in the Gospel is any hint of husbands giving up wives or vice versa for Jesus’ sake. That relationship is one ordained by God and is inviolable. The call to discipleship does not disrupt this special bond. How could it? For husband and wife have become “one flesh,” inseparable. In fact, for married folks, the Trip of Discipleship calls for a “one-fleshed” undertaking—a joint enterprise. There is never any indication in Scripture of it being any other way. Jesus had already declared:

“If anyone wishes
to come after Me,
he must deny himself,
and take up his cross
and follow Me.”
Mark 8:34

Indeed, one might need to rewrite this principle for married couples: “If any married couple wishes to come after Me, ‘he+she’ (as one flesh) must deny ‘himself+herself,’ and take up ‘his+her’ cross and follow Me.”

The “one flesh” concept is foundational to marriage and foundational it will remain for discipleship, Jesus declared. Thus Jesus establishes the singular importance of “one-fleshed” discipleship—the joint journey undertaken by spouses following Jesus together. It couldn’t be otherwise. As one scholar said, it is not just that this “one-fleshedness” should not be broken up; it cannot. God’s sees marriage as a one-flesh union that is essentially inseparable.

This is an important directive to disciples regarding the closest union humanly possible—that between spouses. Lest anyone imagine that discipleship and its call for self-denial and cross-bearing involve the abandonment of this union, Jesus quickly corrects such a misconception. The “trip of discipleship” for married ones is a joint endeavor, a one-fleshed undertaking, helping one another along the way. In fact this is an exemplary instance of the manner in which members of the body of Christ help one another along the way.

We walk together on the journey. Helping one another on this Trip of Discipleship!

SINGLENESS!

Since I began this marriage theme last week ….

One of the smart students at Dallas Seminary had a great idea a few weeks ago. Apparently one of her Chinese friends told her that in that part of the world they celebrate “Singles Day” on either 1/11 or 11/1 (all those poor, lonely single digits!). So she organized a Singles Day gathering at the single students’ apartments (aka “Washington Hall”) at DTS last Sunday. With potluck Chinese food, of course. And I was invited to go over and join these blessed ones (ahem!) to share any words of wisdom I might have accumulated while ambling along the path of singleness.

I told them I knew the exact moment I had decided to remain single. Yup, the exact moment. It was (many years ago) when my married friend Jeff told me: “Abe,” he said, “I didn’t know the secret of happiness until I got married. … And then it was too late.” That’s when I made my decision. Right then and there.

[Just kidding, folks! And, in case you were wondering, Jeff is still married. Happily!]

Anyhow, I define my singleness this way: single by choice, for life, unto Christ, in community.

According to Paul, both marriage and celibacy are gifts.

… each person has
his own gift from God
one in this manner
[to be single],
and another in that
[to be married].
1 Corinthians 7:7

I just happened to have discovered mine.

This is the season, I told those students, to exploit singleness to the max. With a special kind of freedom that, once married, they will probably never have, this is the season to focus undistractedly upon the body of Christ, pouring themselves out for the church. Singles have two free arms. Extra valencies to make more bonds.

But, yes, it is true, that in most churches there is an implicit bias against singles—those “abnormal” folks. In single men, Luther wrote, one can have neither hope nor confidence, only constant fear. Yeah, right! And single women? He didn’t think anyone of them should be celibate for—and I quote—“a woman has no control over herself.” Sheesh! Those remaining celibate by choice were not pleasing to God, stated that monk. “They cannot boast that what they do is pleasing in God’s sight, as can the woman in childbirth, even if her child is born out of wedlock.” Wow!

Lest we forget, marriage is not the summum bonum, the greatest good, of Christian life. If it were, there would have been marriage in heaven. There isn’t!

Discussing the resurrection with some religious leaders, Jesus said:

“For when they rise from the dead,
they neither marry
nor are given in marriage,
but are like angels in heaven.”
Mark 12:24–25

And as Clint Eastwood once observed, “"They say marriages are made in Heaven. But so is thunder and lightning.”

(That quote has no relevance to what I’m saying, but it was too good to pass by! That’s what we preachers do when we find a delectable quote or delightful story.)

Being married or not being married has nothing to do with being Christlike—God’s demand of His children. And if we live lives seeking God, fearing God, serving God, loving God—being Christlike—we’ll lack nothing, no matter if one is single or otherwise. God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness.

The young lions do lack
and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the LORD
shall not be in want
of any good thing.
Psalm 34:10

Life is short. Let’s live for Him.

NAMED!

Folks, don’t get your hopes too high. No, it ain’t what you think it is. Yours faithfully hasn’t decided to toss in the towel (kick the bucket?) and go for it. Nope. Not at all. Nay. De nada. Not by a long shot. Pas du tout. Nothing doing. Überhaupt nicht. (Etc.)

In fact, later today, I’ve gotta be a “resource person” at a meeting of single seminary students to talk about ministry opportunities for those who are such as I. I can’t go do this kind of stuff the day before, can I? So, rest easy.

I was attending an engagement—a big event in Indian circles—of a cousin’s daughter yesterday (her last name: Kuruvilla). And as I walk in the door of Hackberry Creek Country Club, I do a double take. There was this sign in the front hallway announcing the event and its room venue. Was this all a sinister plot to get me betrothed? Before I went into an apoplectic fit, seeing all my cousins collapse into laughter at the sign (and everyone and their brothers-in-law had to take a picture of the sign—I’ll never live this down), good sense—thankfully!–prevailed. The Kuruvilla lassie’s fiancé has the last name Abraham. Hence “Abraham-Kuruvilla engagement.”

Thank heavens for hyphens. I escaped, by the skin of my teeth! (Appropriate for a dermatologist!)

But seriously, I actually even know several Abraham Kuruvillas. Some of them are physicians as well. As far as I am able to discern, no one is a theologian-dermatologist. Or single. I have that niche all to my own self.

Not that we should care too much about our names.

Some boast in chariots
and some in horses,
But we will boast in the name
of the LORD, our God.
Psalm 20:7

That’s the Name worth caring about. That’s the Name we should be concerned about. No other name will bring success or fulfillment or salvation.

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

And for that name we live, and move, and have our being.

I will glorify Your name forever.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me,
bless His holy name.
Psalm 86:12; 103:1

That’s the Name that will be over every other name.

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

And amazingly, those who believe in Christ will get His name.

To the one who overcomes,
to him I will give … a new name.
Revelation 2:17

One day, at the end of time …

There will no longer be any curse;
and the throne of God
and of the Lamb will be in it,
and His bond-servants will serve Him;
they will see His face,
and His name
will be on their foreheads.
Revelation 22:3–4

Paradoxically, because we bear His name, ours will never be lost.

Rejoice that your names
are recorded in heaven.
Luke 10:20

These recorded names—Abrahams and Kuruvillas and all the rest—are permanently there, in heaven, for ever.

He who overcomes
will thus be clothed
in white garments;
and I will not erase his name
from the book of life,
and I will confess his name
before My Father
and before His angels.
Revelation 3:5

Named! For eternity!

ROYALTY!

I got this check the other day. Royalties! From the publisher of my first book that came out the middle of last year. (For those of you who want to help increase the size of this check next time around, feel free to do so here.)

Yup, I got a check. For a whopping …—well, let’s just say I can buy a few cheesecakes with it. Eight to be exact! That ought to give me enough calories till the next check. I tell you, it’s a hand to mouth existence here.

Royalties. That curious word has been in the English language since the 14th century, referring, of course, to kings and queens and such. It expanded its domain of meaning to encompass royal rights, then to rights granted by rulers to others (mineral rights, for e.g., for land was theirs), and then, after centuries, to rights of ordinary individuals to a proportion of the monetary value of their patent, copyright, book, music, etc.

roy•al•ty (noun) = a share of the pie

God demands a share of the pie, too. After all, all pies (and all cheesecakes, I suppose) are his. He deserves it all. Because He owns it all, and his authority extends over all.

There’s a curious parable that Jesus tells in Mark 12 that underscores God’s desire to get a share of His pie.

“A man planted a vineyard,
… and rented it out to vine-growers
and went on a journey.
At the harvest time he sent a slave
… in order to receive some of the
produce of the vineyard
from the vine-growers.
They received him, and beat him
and sent him away empty-handed.”
Mark 12:1–3

The parallels must not be lost: the owner sends a slave to receive fruit. The tenant farmers receive him and send him back empty-handed (fruitless!), with an extra bit of action thrown in for good measure—they beat him! That wasn’t all.

“Again he sent them another slave,
and they wounded him in the head,
and treated him shamefully.
And he sent another,
and that one they killed ….”
Mark 12:4–5

The abuse increases in intensity with each successive incident: from beating, to striking on the head, and finally killing. While this clearly alludes to the treatment the Old Testament prophets received in bygone days, the lesson of downright rebellion against God is vividly portrayed. This was a complete disregard for the owner’s wishes—pure, unadulterated rebellion. Not giving God, the owner, his “royalty” of fruit is equivalent to rebellion. Fruit is owed God, the owner of all things! The rebellion is consummated when the owner sends his son—“a beloved son.”

“They took him, and killed him ….
What will the owner of the vineyard do?
He will come
and destroy the vine-growers ….”
Mark 12:7–9

In Jesus’ establishment of the new community of believers, this actually came to pass. Yet the lesson of fruitlessness should be a serious warning for all us.

His is the pie. It’s God’s. He wants His share. In fact, He gets more than “royalty”—He gets it all, for it all belongs to Him. Of course, He lets us use His property—life, breath, creation, and everything else. But we must never forget they all belong to Him. And we must render to Him what is His due. Fruit. Living lives for Him. Using our energies for Him. Our resources, our time, our all. Fruitfulness is not just a matter of productivity; towards God, it is a responsibility.

May He get His “royalty” from us in 2010.

SLEEP!

Twenty-two years of married life was celebrated yesterday. That’s my brother and his wife. We stayed up late to celebrate. At least, some of us did. The rest succumbed to the weariness of married life! (Just kidding, folks!)

Maybe it was the company! Or the all the food we had been consuming the last few days, courtesy of my sister-in-law’s exceptional culinary skills. Whatever it was, they slept.

But there is a theological reason why they—and all believers—can sleep.

For He [God] gives to His beloved
even in his sleep.
Psalm 127:2

God gives even when we sleep. That’s the Psalmist’s way of saying, “Nope, don’t fool yourself into thinking you are in control, or that you need to be in control—wide awake, senses alert, sweating profusely, working hard, wearying oneself. Not at all. It is God who gives. And He gives even if you are sleeping. And, well, if He gives even when we sleep, we might as well do so peacefully, trusting Him.”

Interestingly this Psalm is labeled as one of Solomon’s. When this dude was born to David and Bathsheba, Nathan the prophet named Solomon “Jedidiah,” meaning “beloved of the LORD.” And Solomon, our author puts his own name in this Psalm:

For He [God] gives to His beloved
[= Jedidiah, a.k.a. Solomon]
even in his sleep.
Psalm 127:2

“For He gives to me even in my sleep,” Solomon seems to be declaring. God does. All our frantic efforts at manipulating life, forgetting that it is God who gives, even when we sleep. The first two verses of Psalm 127 are worth hearing, especially for us who dwell in a hectic world, living out frenetic days in a feverish pace, never stopping, always going. Worrying, even when we sleep.

Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved
even in his sleep.
Psalm 127:1–2

I don’t know how your 2009 has been. Sleepless? Fretful? Loaded with care? weighed down with woe? And we’re going to do our best to make 2010 nothing like 2009, aren’t we? Struggling, striving, straining, stressing, stretching, …. Sleepless.

If that’s what we plan to do, then we need to read Solomon’s words again … and relax. For it is God who gives, and, you know what? He gives even when we sleep. Even when we are not in control.

But God is. Completely and totally in control. And He, this God of ours—He doesn’t sleep.

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:2–4

That’s why you should be sleeping …

… casting all your anxiety on Him,
because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

May we sleep soundly in 2010!

The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The LORD will guard your going out
and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.
Psalm 121:5–8

Amen!

Happy New Year!

FATHERLY!

Unrecognized. Unseen. Undiscovered. Nobody knows. Nobody sees. Nobody cares. As long as there is plenty of food, lots of cheer, a plethora of tinsel, and cornucopia of gifts, everyone’s happy. Jesus? Who’s that?

I wonder sometimes if that’s not true of us who are believers as well. Too caught up in the hustle and bustle, and the baking and decorating, the bargain-hunting, gift-wrapping, and card-writing. Too busy to think of Jesus.

Me, too. There’s one facet of our Lord Jesus that I’ve personally not paid much attention to.

And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:5

There it is. An element that has puzzled me often. A facet of our Savior that I hadn’t fully recognized or seen or understood.

Eternal Father. That threw me off: Eternal Father? Jesus? Isaiah, to me, was getting a bit discombobulated here. He should’ve taken a few classes at DTS. We’d have set the old geezer straight on the Persons of the Trinity. Eternal Father? Don’t you know better than that, Isaiah?

The answer is actually rather simple. You see, these titles do not focus primarily on the child’s deity, but on His function.

Wonderful Counselor, standing for Jesus’ function as Awesome Planner, indicating His sovereign design and marvelous purposes. He’s the Planning One.

Mighty God, stands for God who fights as a warrior: Jesus fought for our redemption—He’s the Fighting One.

Prince of Peace, Jesus is the One whose reign alone will bring peace—He’s the Ruling One.

See, all are functional titles, primarily. And then there is … Eternal Father. Well, if the others are primarily functional titles, then so’s this one.

Eternal Father—the One who does fatherly things—the Fatherly One.

This Planning One, this Fighting One, this Ruling One, is also the Fatherly One. This Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, is also … fatherly to us. You know what that means?

Who will separate us
from the love of Christ?
Will tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
But in all these things
we overwhelmingly conquer
through Him who loved 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
[Christ’s love for us].
Romans 8:35, 37–39

That’s His fatherliness: His care, His concern, His love!

That’s His fatherliness; Our Lord Jesus, the Fatherly One who loves us, who died for us.

The Eternal Fatherly One, our Savior who loves us and gave Himself for us. Everyone else’s fatherhood is self-tainted, not His. His fatherhood is sacrificial, not selfish. Every other father is inadequate. Not this One. Everyone else’s fatherhood is temporary, not His. His fatherhood is eternal. Eternal Father. His love for us is eternal. His love for us will never ever end. Never. Ever! This Child is fatherly to us, and fatherly to us forever.

That was something I hadn’t thought about much. Jesus, Eternal Fatherly One.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
William Featherston, 1864

He came once. He is coming again. The Eternal Fatherly One who loves me!

UNDO!

Did you ever wish for an “undo” button for life? Did you?

But I get ahead of myself …

This is the story about a cake. A Swiss madrisa. A lush conglomeration of fruits, cream, and nuts, with a little flour and lots of sugar. Healthy. (NOT!)

I’ve already bought six of these for various and sundry parties this Christmas season.

Yesterday was a day that sped by so fast, I don’t know what happened. Engaged in a writing project, I suddenly noticed it was 5:45 pm. And I’ve gotta be at a party 25 miles away at 6:30. It’s the PhD Students’ Christmas Party and I’m on DTS’s PhD Studies Committee. Oh, dear.

Shower. Check. Shave. Check. Etc., etc.

Rushed down to the garage. OK, I need a white elephant for the gift exchange. What shall it be? Yup, moisturizers and soaps. (That will help clear my garage a bit, too). Check. Gift bag for the hostess, a colleague’s wife. More skin stuff. Check. Oh, no, forgot the cake. That Swiss madrisa. Rushed up a flight of stairs. Back down again. Then I forgot my Bible. (Yup, I’m giving a season-appropriate devotional to the assembled faculty/students and their spouses.) Up two flights and down. Check. Ready to go.

It’s a horrible evening. Cold. Wet. And the traffic on Hwy 75 is as horrible as the weather. Crawling traffic for miles leading up to the exit for a major mall and crawling traffic for miles beyond it. Both ways.

It’s 6:25.

Finally things clear and we speed up.

That’s when it happened. The guy in front suddenly braked hard. Screeech! And he swerved into the shoulder to avoid hitting the car in front. Slam went my brakes, too. I missed him by 2 inches. He stopped. I stopped. He had the presence of mind to stop. I had the presence of mind to stop.

But that Swiss madrisa. It did not have the presence of mind to stop.

The Swiss madrisa kept on going even after I had stopped and the guy in front had stopped and everybody else had stopped. It just kept on going. Off the front seat. And on to the floor. Where it finally came to an ominous halt and a sad demise.

Once upon a time, it used to be a cake! No longer. RIP!

Where’s the undo button when you need it? Gosh, MS Word has it, Photoshop has it, Excel has it, Powerpoint, and every other piece of software. Why not life?

There is. An undo button for life.

And it will be hit once. And everything will be back where it ought to be. In its right place. Unbroken. Pristine. Perfect.

Jesus Christ is the one with the undo button.

“Behold, the tabernacle of God
is among men,
and He will dwell among them,
and they shall be His people,
and God Himself will be among them,
and He will wipe away
every tear from their eyes;
and there will no longer be any death;
there will no longer be any mourning,
or crying, or pain;
the first things have passed away.”
And He [the Lord Jesus Christ]
who sits on the throne said,
“Behold, I am making all things new.”
Revelation 21:3–5

One day. Soon. That’s what He came to begin the first time. And that’s what He’ll come to finish the second time. Soon.

Hang in there.

Oh, and the cake? Well, guess what? I get to eat the whole mangled mess all by my sweet self. I can tell it's gonna be a great Christmas!

SAVIOR!

The Gap is one of the busiest tourist spots in Sydney Harbor and one of the prettiest. Between two ocean cliffs, it is literally a gap into the Harbor.

It is also a notorious spot. About 50 suicides (and an odd homicide or two) occur there every year, despite the warnings, and the phone help-lines prominently displayed.

But Don Ritchie, 82, has saved over 200 potential suicides in the 45 years he’s been at this task. Some at his urging followed him home for a beer or a meal. Others, tragically, escaped his grasp to leave jackets or hats in his hand as they plunged 150 feet on to the rocks below. Many of the ones he’s managed to save send him letters, champagne, and other such gifts. Their savior! He is the watchman of The Gap. Ritchie was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (2006) for his yeoman service to suicide prevention. Savior!

Saving lives is not only for the counselors and others like Ritchie. Christians are integrally to be involved in this enterprise as well, with one difference. It is eternal lives they are after. The good news of the salvation in Jesus Christ is the life-saving message we carry.

In Christ, God was reconciling
the world to himself, not counting
people’s trespasses against them,
he has given us
the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19

God reconciling the world to Himself. Sin would no longer be an issue of separation between God and man, for Jesus Christ, God incarnate, had paid for mankind’s sins.

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

No more the threat of eternal separation from God for sin for the believer in Jesus Christ.

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 now we are the representatives of the King, heralding this good news.

Therefore, we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though
God were making an appeal through us;
we beg you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20

Helping save lives. Graciously, prayerfully, lovingly.

… sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to make a defense
to everyone who asks you to give
an account for the hope that is in you,
yet with gentleness and reverence.
1 Peter 3:15

Paul’s earnestness in his ambassadorial task ought to be our model. Always seeking to preach Christ, always ready, always depending on God for the strength to do so!

… pray on my behalf,
that utterance may be given to me
in the opening of my mouth,
to make known with boldness
the mystery of the gospel.
Ephesians 6:19

Whether he lived, or died, he wanted to be carrying the message of reconciliation. Saving lives. That was his goal:

… that with all boldness,
Christ will even now, as always,
be exalted in my body,
whether by life or by death.
For to me,
to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:20–21

As Fanny Crosby wrote in 1869:

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,

Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;

Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,

Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;

Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;

Back to the narrow way patiently win them;

Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

Save lives!

SAVED!

Our venerable local mouthpiece of news dissemination, Dallas Morning News, reported on a little heroine the other day. For her quick thinking and life-saving tactics, she—proudly donning a Rangers jersey and her Brownie vest—got to throw the first pitch before a Rangers vs. Royals game at the Rangers Ballpark in the Metroplex. She also won the Girl Scout Lifesaving Award Medal of Honor for her alacrity and coolness in a time of crisis. She had saved a life!

A few months ago, Katherine, 8, was playing with her brother, Andrew, 5, when he began to choke on something he was chewing. The lassie yelled to her parents, but before they could get to the scene, this sharp witted one grabbed her brother and—believe it or not!—did the Heimlich maneuver on him. Apparently the enterprising young lady had seen it performed on TV. Anyhow, “I pulled as hard as I could,” she explained. Hard enough to make her “patient” cough it up. Ironically, the “it” was … Lifesavers. “Not a good name,” Katherine agreed. At least not for Andrew.

Of course, the 5-year-old’s response to all this was less than thankful. “She made me throw up,” were his complaining first words after the momentous event.

I wondered about Andrew’s reaction to his rescuer. While it is typical of a little brother, it also depicts the reaction of the world to the Savior given to us by God.

I am in need of help—I’m choking.
All mankind is lost in sin.

And you were dead
in your trespasses and sins.
Ephesians 2:1

My rescuer feels concern for me, at my dangerous plight.
God’s love for us moved Him to act.

For God so loved the world,
that He sent His only begotten Son ….
John 3:16

My deliverer is capable of meeting my need—i.e., knows how to perform the Heimlich.
God alone is capable of saving mankind from the plight of sin.

And there is salvation
in no one else;
for there is no other name under heaven
… by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

I couldn’t help myself; I couldn’t do the maneuver on myself; self-help was impossible.
God had to help us, if we were to be saved from the consequences of sin.

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

My rescuer saves me: the Heimlich maneuver is performed successfully.
God took action to save.

But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love
with which He loved us,
even when we were dead
in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved).
Ephesians 2:4–5

The work was performed gratis: my rescuer asked for nothing from me in payment, not that I could make a repayment for the life saved.
God gave us what we did not deserve, what we could not repay, for which we could not work.

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

Mercy and grace!

For the grace of God
has appeared,
bringing salvation to all men.
Titus 2:11

To all who believe in Christ and His payment for our sins on the cross.

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

We’re proud of Katherine. But, even more, we exult in our salvation in Christ—our LIFESAVER!

REALITY!

Last week at a national gathering of evangelical theologians, I attended a session where a group of panelists were discussing each other’s work. Theologians, I have learnt, can get picky easily. These panelists were no different. They demonstrated their ire with choice words and snide comments, befitting evangelicals, of course! “Not altogether clear,” one said of the other. “I cannot explain to anyone else, much less myself,” how his theory works. Another declared: “Betrays a lack of methodological humility.” And: “Seeks to discredit others with pejorative language that tends to prejudice the reader.” Others’ theories are “museum-pieces.” They are all “naïve.” Ouch!

Another one, recognizing the sniping said, “It’s a war zone out there; the jihadist [I suppose he meant his fellow evangelical colleagues?] you will always have with you.” Boy, I was sure glad I wasn’t one of those panelists! We theologians not only have sensitive skins, but also acid tongues!

One of the more telling, trenchant critiques went like this: He “seems to have spent modest [an evangelically-appropriate way of saying “zero”] time teaching, preaching, and leading in the church.” His work, the critic alleged, would have been different “if he … had been a pastor or even an interim preacher for an extended period.” And later, “A stint in the church might also remind him” of the value of rubbing shoulders with reality. Out of touch!

That’s a lesson for all of us. Ivory towers benefit nothing and nobody. Many believers—evangelical theologians and seminary profs included—live in functional isolation in hermitages, monasteries, asylums, cocoons of self-interest, foxholes of seclusion, sanctuaries of privacy. Refusing to get involved with the real lives of real people in the real world. Often it is the church, itself, that is completely out of touch with reality, living in a world of its own. No recognition of where culture is, no acknowledgement of the needs of the world, no realization that time has moved on all around it. Out of touch with reality!

It is not for aught that the church is planted right smack in the middle of the world, literally, like St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, one of the strongholds of evangelicalism in Australia, in the middle of downtown. I suppose God could have taken us all straight to heaven when we became believers, trusting Christ for salvation. He could have, but He didn’t. He kept us here. In the world.

In Jesus’ prayer for His followers, He says:

“I am no longer in the world;
and yet they themselves
are in the world ….”
John 17:11

But we are not of the world.

“… they are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world.
I do not ask You
to take them out of the world ….”
John 17:14–15

But the fact remains: we are in the world. The church is in the world. And as individuals we’re to be in contact with the realities of the world. For a reason:

… so that you will prove yourselves
to be blameless and innocent,
children of God above reproach
in the midst of a crooked
and perverse generation,
among whom you appear
as lights in the world.
Philippians 2:15

Indeed, like our Lord, we, too, are to be shining lights … in the world.

“You are the light of the world.”
Matthew 5:14

Unlike that panelist out of touch with reality (as alleged), let us never forget we are in the world, entrenched in reality, in touch with one another, and with the world around us, caring, sharing, shining, loving.

CURTAIN!

The twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the most prominent symbol of the “Iron Curtain,” was celebrated this month. Following that momentous event, the former Soviet bloc began to crumble, changing, dramatically, the alignments in world politics. It was Churchill who first used the phrase “Iron Curtain,” in a speech at Westminster College in Fulton, MO, in March 1946:

“… an ‘iron curtain’ has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from Moscow.”

Though the good man was criticized at that time for his seemingly warmongering comments, history proved him to be right. The Iron Curtain had split the world in two, as the ideological and physical boundary between the East and the West.

In 1999, the Bundestag (parliament) of the reunified Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, met in the 100+ year-old historic Reichstag building in Germany, towering pillars and all. It is now the official house of German government.

Of the many historically consequential events that have taken place in this century, the fall of the Iron Curtain ranks up there.

But the fall of a portentous curtain is not a unique event. An even more important—indeed, eternally important—curtain “fell” about 2,000 years ago.

And Jesus uttered a loud cry
and breathed His last.
And the veil of the Temple
was torn in two from top to bottom.
Mark 15:37–38

The tearing of the veil, humanly impossible (the outer curtain was about 75 feet in height), is described in the passive voice, hinting at a divine hand at work (the “divine passive”). The unusual nature of the rending—from top to bottom—is certainly corroborative of supernatural activity. The juxtaposition of this event with Jesus’ breathing his last presents the “fall” of that curtain as the consequence of the death of Jesus Christ. Something momentous had happened.

Not surprisingly, the Roman centurion in charge of the execution detail, acknowledges, immediately afterwards, …

“Truly He was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:39

The curtain had fallen. The curtain that separated sinners from a holy God.

But your iniquities have made
a separation between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden His face
from you so that He does not hear.
Isaiah 59:2

But now the price of sin had been paid.

He [Jesus Christ] Himself
bore our sins in His body on the cross,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24

Access to God was now open.

… for through Him we …
have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2:18

Indeed, there has, is, and will be, only one way to the Father.

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

The curtain has fallen! And all who believe in the saving work of Jesus Christ have gained access.

But now in Christ Jesus
you who formerly were far off
have been brought near
by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:13

A curtain-fall with eternal ramifications, making possible access to God … for all those who believe.

Willkommen!

PERFECT!

99.94! If there ever was an iconic ball-game statistic, that is it. 99.94! The batting average of the Australian cricketer, Sir Don Bradman (1908–2001), said to have been the best of his kind ever. His statistics show that no other athlete has so dominated a sport to the extent Bradman had cricket. A phenomenon. One statistician crunched the numbers of prominent sportsmen by comparing the number of standard deviations they stand above the mean for their respective sport. Bradman topped them all at 4.4 (Pelé had 3.7; Ty Cobb, 3.6; Jack Nicklaus, 3.5; and Michael Jordan, 3.4). Bradman pretty much broke every record there was to break in cricket, some of them still unbroken, after half a century, including the iconic number 99.94! Perfection! To attain to that golden number, a baseball batter would need a batting average of .392 and a basketball player would need to score an average of 43 points per game!

His early years were spent in Bowral in New South Wales and, a few months ago, I had the delight of visiting that fair metropolis and the “Oval,” where Bradman played his first games. Malcolm, an old Dallas Seminary friend and Aussie, led me to those hallowed grounds.

Songs have been sung about Bradman, movies have been made, children have been named and ships christened “Bradman” (HMS Bradman, alas, was sunk by a German aircraft in 1940). An Austrian Airlines Boeing 777 aircraft (yes, Austrian!) is called “Donald Bradman.” Stamps and coins have been struck for him. There’s even a hybrid tea rose named for Bradman.

He was the Englishman’s nemesis, singly serving to give the Aussies victory time and again. One English cricket writer wrote, upon Bradman’s retirement, “A miracle has been removed from among us. So must ancient Italy have felt when she heard of the death of Hannibal.” The British, however, were magnanimous enough to knight the man in 1949.

But not even Bradman comes close to true perfection. No one does.

… it is written,
“There is none righteous,
not even one.”
… for all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God.
Romans 3:10, 23

Except for One. The Perfect One.

… holy, innocent, undefiled,
separated from sinners and
exalted above the heavens ….
Hebrews 7:26

Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The One who had no sin, but came to die for ours. And for those who believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the only God, for salvation, to them ...

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 those who so believe become the children of God.

But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right
to become children of God.
John 1:12

Nowadays the Bradman Foundation governs and protects the name of the great sportsman. “Bradman Bitter Ale” was quashed in court. “Bradman Corporation,” a group of Sydney developers, was forced to become “Bradcorp” and had to surrender the domain name bradman.com.au. (They have so far left alone Melbourne-based wrestler, Bradman, who supposedly once said: “Life is fake, wrestling is real.”)

No such copyright on the name of Jesus Christ. On the contrary, God wants us to call on His name.

Whoever will call on
the Name of the Lord
will be saved.
Romans 10:13

For …

… there is salvation in no one else;
for there is no other Name
under heaven …
by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

For He is the One. The Perfect One.

BODY!

For the past year, I’ve had the delightful privilege of preaching about a couple of Sundays a month at a local church going through a pastoral transition. That “gig” has ended, with their identification of the next senior pastor in their 100-odd-year history. And so, with his arrival imminent, with the increasing demands on my time at Dallas Seminary, and, particularly, with a couple of writing projects that have fast-approaching deadlines, I made last Sunday my final one in their pulpit.

I had decided sometime ago that my final day there would be a “dress down” occasion for me—no bowtie, no jacket, no tucked-in shirt (which is my idiosyncratic norm)! So, imagine my surprise when I walked into church last Sunday looking pretty casual and suddenly spied a whole host of distinguished looking gentlemen clad in bowties of various species—bowties that tie, bowties that clip, cut-off regular ties masquerading as bowties, cardboard and Scotch-tape varieties, etc. How I laughed at the odd turn of events that had me looking pretty shabby in the glorious light of these impeccably attired churchmen! May their tribe increase!

But it was such a heartwarming gesture from the body of Christ!

Now you are Christ's body,
and individually members of it.
1 Corinthians 12:27

And the body of Christ is beautiful, indeed!

How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news

And the love of the King
How beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread

And the sons of the earth
How beautiful is the body of Christ
Twila Paris © 1990

The beautiful body of Christ that reflects Christ’s own beauty.

How beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sin and bore it instead;
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise;
How beautiful is the body of Christ!

I was grateful for this church having given me the delight of laughing and enjoying life in Christ with them, all this past year. It was a wonderful season for me: I was blessed much; I learnt much; I got to know and love my God more as a result! This body of Christ encouraged me, tolerated me, prayed for me, loved me (and fed me, too, I might add!).

May the incoming pastor have as much fun as I had, and even more!

I also got a literal basketful of cards last Sunday. They are all keepers and will be treasured. Those wonderful people in that church will continue to be loved and will surely be missed. I thank God for them and their leaders. They will all continue to be close to my heart. The bonds I have made there will never be broken; the people I have learnt to love will be dear brothers and sisters in Christ for all eternity.

Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is from God;
and everyone who loves
is born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7

I will count it a privilege to have been a small part of God’s great work in that precious community of His people here in that corner of Dallas and I praise God for His having allowed our lives to intersect.

How beautiful the radiant bride
Who waits for her Groom

With His light in her eyes;
How beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure lives so that others may live;
How beautiful is the body of Christ!

Let’s not forget to be involved. Deeply involved with the body of Christ. The beautiful body of Christ!

NAMED!

That’s a 1-month-old calf at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. And seeing the little one (over 200 lbs!) was the highlight of my visit to that animal assemblage this summer.

The Zoo set up a competition to name the baby. Out of over 30,000 entries, the keepers went with “Luk Chai.” You see, the entire herd of elephants in Taronga hails from Thailand, so it was appropriate to give the latest arrival a Thai name. Protective Mama, the other pachyderm in the picture, is Thong Dee (“Golden”); proud Papa is Gung (“Prawn”).

“Luk Chai” means “son,” and that’s right and proper, for he is the only other male in the entire herd besides father Gung.

The other day, I preached on a dude in the Bible who, too, was given an appropriate name—twice!

This guy’s story began even before he was born. For the first time in biblical history, a woman had conceived twins! Uh-oh! Who’s gonna be firstborn and thus get the patriarchal blessing? Apparently the kids in utero were aware of this dilemma.

But the children
struggled together within her ….
Genesis 25:22

This was no brotherly tussle. The word connotes a serious street fight, brass knuckles, knives, and all. They’d already begun fighting for the blessing. Anyhow, Esau is born first.

Afterward his brother came forth
with his hand holding on to Esau's heel.
Genesis 25:26

The younger guy came out fighting. Chasing his older brother, Esau. Fighting to be the firstborn. Chasing the blessing. So they find the perfect name for him.

His name was called Jacob.
Genesis 25:26

“Yakov” = “heel.” From the outset Jacob is a heel-grabber. Fighting. Running. Chasing. Chasing in the womb. Chasing coming from the womb. And for the next 10-odd chapters in Genesis, chasing outside the womb. Chasing for blessing. Chasing for recognition. Chasing for significance. Life was one loooong chase for the heel-grabber.

To cut a long story short, years later, the heel-grabber comes to his senses and returns home, risking life and limb at the hands of his older brother, Esau, whom he had cheated long time ago. Desperate and fearful, the night before he meets his brother, he encounters God Himself.

He [Jacob] said,
“I will not let you go
unless you bless me.”
Genesis 32:26

I won’t let you go unless you bless me. Finally, finally, the heel-grabber realizes who can really bless him. Finally, he realizes the folly of his deceiving, and defrauding, and duping. Now he realizes that only one person can bless him—God.

And he [God] blessed him there.
Genesis 32:29

From heel-grabbing to God-grabbing! And at last, Jacob had found blessing at its true source, its only source.

Have you come to that recognition? Have we reached the point of realizing that only God, only God, can bless us? Nothing else will satisfy. Nothing else will fulfill. Nothing else will delight. Only God. God alone! God alone can bless us. And to Him we must cling!

And, BTW, Yakov gets named … again.

He [God] said,
“Your name
shall no longer be Jacob,
but Israel.”
Genesis 32:28

No more the grabbing of heels, snatching of dreams, clutching at straws, chasing of wind. No more Yakov. No more chasing. Henceforth “Israel.” Yisra-El = God fights. No more will you grab heels. No more will you need to grab heels. Because God fights for you.

You don’t have to fight any more. You don’t have to chase anything anymore. You don’t have to run after anything anymore.

“Israel”—God fights. He does! For us too. Grab Him!

PROCLAIM!

The Evangelical Homiletics Society (EHS) had its annual meeting last week. This is an academic society promoting the cultivation, exchange, and development of ideas related to preaching and the teaching of preaching.

That’s the Executive Committee of the Society for 2009-2010 pictured at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, the location of this year’s gathering. From left to right: Communications Coordinator, Member-at-Large, Vice President (yours faithfully), Site Host (for the meeting in 2010, at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago), and President (our Secretary–Treasurer is not in the picture).

The first item in our Statement of Faith reads: “We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.”

It is on that foundation that our burden for preaching rests. As the Word of God, the Bible is meant to be applied. Divine revelation, God’s Word, is not intended to remain simply as black marks on white pages in a book. It is intended to be lived out.

All Scripture is inspired by God
and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness;
so that the man and woman of God
may be adequate,
equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16–17

Because the Bible is held to be authoritative and intended for practice, we preach.

Preach the word; be ready in season
and out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort,
with great patience and instruction.
2 Timothy 4:2

For we grow by the Word into conformity to the image of Christ, becoming more like Him daily.

Like newborn babies,
long for the pure milk of the word,
so that by it you may grow ….
1 Peter 2:2

Therefore we preach, therefore we proclaim.

… for whoever will call
on the name of the Lord
will be saved.
How then will they call on Him
in whom they have not believed?
How will they believe in Him
whom they have not heard?
And how will they hear
without a preacher?
How will they preach
unless they are sent?
Just as it is written,
“How beautiful are the feet of those
who bring good news of good things!”
Romans 10:13–15

But these proud owners of beautiful feet are not only the members of the EHS; they are not only seminary profs, or pastors, or Bible study teachers, or small-group leaders, ….

No, God intends for all who would follow Christ as disciples to be proclaimers.

And He appointed twelve,
so that they would be with Him and
that He could send them out to preach,
Mark 3:14

Throughout, in Mark, the Twelve are portrayed as models (often negative). Christ would have us be what He wanted them to be when He called them—to be with Him and to be sent. What a paradox! To be with Him and be sent from Him. Perhaps to be with Him means to be sent from Him to preach and proclaim. We have our commission—we have been sent.

I solemnly charge you
in the presence of God
and of Christ Jesus, …
preach the word ….
2 Timothy 4:1–2

Never forgetting, of course, that we don’t just preach and proclaim in word alone. The Word of God has to impact our own lives—we have to preach and proclaim in deed as well.

But prove yourselves
doers of the word,
and not merely hearers ….
But one who … abides by it,
not having become a forgetful hearer
but an effectual doer,
this one will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:22, 25

Proclaim … and be blessed!