Abandonment

 For you will not abandon me to the grave, 

 - From Psalm 16

Death is a very frightening thing. I don't think we fear pain, or any kind of torments, really. But we do fear darkness and isolation. And this is the character of "eternal punishment" envisioned by many modern theologians. 

I think that loneliness is perhaps the thing we fear the most. Or how about this word: "lonesome." that sounds even worse than being "lonely."

The Psalmist expresses this, when he says "You will not abandon me to the grave."

Just give me that much Lord - - - just don't leave me in the ground, lonely.

When at the bedside of a dying person, you become more and more aware of their state of going it alone. Even with the room full of loved ones, it is obvious that nobody can relate to the dying person. Only the person dying understands what's happening. He or she is about to go through a journey, alone . . . no one in that room can do anything about that.

It's the ultimate abandonment, the ultimate loneliness: being left in the ground, dead.

This is a something to cheer about. The most terribly feeling of utter despair and helpless isolation - - - God will not leave us there. That sounds way better than some vague reference to eternal life, about which none of us have a clue. 

Whoops - That's Gonna Be a Problem

"When the rulers and elders and scribes saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, ..."

 - From Acts 4

If you cite the scientific underpinnings of your opinion, you have already cost yourself some points with me.

If you claim that you have academia on your side . . . that you only go with what experts are saying . . . then you have made yourself less persuasive with me.

If you suggest that your study of Greek and Hebrew makes you a better Bible scholar than I, then you may have just locked in my already-firm position.

God is very clear. The entire witness of Scripture is unequivocal:

Your higher learning and "love" for science is meaningless.

Let science raise a dead person to life. Let science solve just one of the world's most pressing problems: hunger, disease, poverty.

Science can't do it, because science is not as great as it thinks it is.

I have disdain for the way you look down on "uneducated" people.

I began my Christian pilgrimage grounded in a system that regarded "common" people more highly than the gifted, the beautiful, the wealthy, and the well-connected. This happens to be a very high virtue, the lack of which has fostered so many of our current world problems.

The sooner we can put "experts," "scientists" and all other "important" people in the back of the line to solving the world's problems, the better.

Oh wait, I take that back. The sooner we get rid of the line completely, and treat all people with respect and dignity, the better.

You

Peter said to the multitude, "Let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified."

 - From the Second Chapter of Acts

I heard a curious thing once, coming from a pulpit on Easter Sunday.

A pastor that fancies himself "accessible" to seekers, and is always altering Scripture so that it is not uncomfortable to the average church visitor, was talking about Christ's crucifixion.

He obviously was wanting to affect humility and not be a "finger pointer." Nobody wants to be judgmental these days. He was referring to this statement by Peter, and others, in which they said something like "this Jesus whom you crucified."

Except, he put it this way: "We killed Jesus."

Because, you know, if you say "you," you're being judgmental. 

But the problem is, that's not what Scripture says. There is a big difference between "you" and "we." The word "You" has a way more convicting effect than "we." "You" means "You did this. You are a sinner. You need to think about this."

But "We" means "Hey it's okay. We all mess up. Let's just tag along together."

Look who pointed the finger at the masses: Peter. Yes, Peter. Simon Peter. The one that denied that He even knew Who Christ was. The chief offender at being offended at the name of Christ. The cowardly one. 

Peter became bold and said "You killed him!!" Kris Kristofferson even referred to it in a song about Christ: "My God they killed Him." Here, it's not 'You," but "they," because the point is more piercingly made when the speaker takes himself out of the act of villainy. 

People shudder when they hear "They killed Him!" Or better: "YOU killed Him!"

There is a time and place for humility. Yes, we all put Christ on the cross. We all pierced Him. We all nailed His hands and feet down into the wood. We hollered "Crucify Him!!"

But there also is a time for the speaker to point the finger, accusingly, and make the point loud and clear: "You did this!"

Now . . . what are you going to do about it?

Not Abandoned

For you will not abandon me to the grave,

 - From Psalm 16

Every year, every Easter . . . the world misses a great and profound truth from Scripture. 

When this word, "for" is used at the start of a sentence, it means that a conclusive, or critical  phrase is about to follow.

Why has God done all of this? Why has He let us endure trials? Why has He laid out His plan for us? Why did Christ live, teacher, die, and be resurrected?

"For you will not abandon me to the grave."

Don't worry. Death is not the end. We will not be abandoned there. "My God, why have you forsaken me?" Even Christ felt despair when faced with the horror of death. It is the loneliest place. For survivors . . . life becomes lonesome, because of death.

But we are not abandoned there. If there is a waiting period . . . if there is sadness and trouble - - - fear not!

For He has not truly abandoned us. 

Don't Try to Be So Smart

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.

 - From 1 Corinthians 1

If only the "intelligent" could be brought down low. If only life, and the world, delivered more crushing blows to the arrogance and self-love of those that are "educated." 

 If the Church really believed all of it, then poor people would no longer be maligned. People that did not go to college would be brought in, to share their advice. We would seek out the wisdom of the old and frail, ahead of the young and rich. 

And yet, in 2017 a President is elected, with the margin of victory going to people that are considered, by the two coasts "ignorant."

Yes: "ignorant." How we love to toss that word around!

Nobody wants to be known as "ignorant," or "uneducated." 

Yet the Bible says in many ways, that God does know the "ignorant" and "uneducated," and has entrusted them with his mission. Meanwhile, God has very little to go with the educated, the intelligent, the wealthy, and those with lots of worldly resources. 

And we all know this.

Then why do we continue to mock and malign others, by labeling them "ignorant"?

My Servant

Here is my servant, whom I uphold ...

 - From Isaiah 42

We keep stressing the idea of Christ the servant. God makes it very clear, that He expects us to act like servants, which Christ modeled.

Isaiah 42 is like a Hollywood introduction of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And the announcer is God the Father. It's like Michael Douglas about to be receive a life award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . . . but he is being introduced by Kirk Douglas.

It's like George H.W. Bush being asked to introduce his son, George W. Bush, to an admiring audience.

God, the father of Jesus, stands up and begins talking about His Son, in proud tones that make his voice quiver with emotion.

"Here is my servant . . . "

"He will bring forth justice . . . "

"He will not cry or lift up His voice . . . "

"A bruised reed He will not break . . . "

"He will not grow faint or be crushed . . . "

These are the virtues. This is what it means to be a servant. A servant that can't handle the demands of the master is a worthless servant. The strongest servant is the strongest man, or woman. We can live without bosses. But we all need a servant. We need selfless and unconditional love; that is, if we are to have full and happy lives.

"My servant."

I marvel at how little we put this obvious, most cherished desire of God for us, into practice.

The Gang v. The One

I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.

 - From Jeremiah 20

Jeremiah 20 talks about a man that attempted to preach the Word of God. He tried to proclaim what is right. He identified evil; he called it out. 

But the response from the community was to mock and ridicule him. They shouted him down. They did worse than charge him with a crime: they ganged up on him and shamed him.

They called him a "hater." They accused him of being "judgmental." They mocked his lack of education. They noticed that he had peculiar traits - maybe he had a speech impediment. Perhaps he had none of the trappings that indicated wealth and success. Being on the edge of society, he was an easy target.

They joked about him . . . he had obvious limitations that might be those of someone that had not "gotten any" in quite some time. So they pointed that out about him. As a man that guarded his tongue and deliberately avoided language others would find personally insulting, he was careful not to use vulgar terms. His language was devoid of F-bombs and other sexual innuendo, for he knew that you are what you say, and he would not let filth leave his mouth. 

So they took note of that and made sure to use such vulgar language to describe him. 

They found strength in numbers. If only two opponents to this man could be found, to join forces and ridicule him, it would be effective enough. But they amassed a great crowd to join in the celebration of exposing this pious fool. Most of the people in the crowd really didn't care one way or the other . . . they just enjoyed the carnal dehumanizing of another. 

The crowd learned ways to effect faux dignity to their cause: the great mission to silence those that call them to holy and dignified living. Perhaps they made "liberty," or "freedom," or "justice" their cause célèbre. They gave themselves a noble label: something like "United," or "Solidarity," or "Indivisible." 

They almost won. The man gave up, perhaps bitterly, this effort to proclaim God's word. But in the end the "fire" within himself, that had been "shut up in his bones" could not be contained. He rested on God's protection, and persisted. 

It's just like the way a crowd swirled up in violent opposition to Christ. It's easy to join a gang. But much more terrifying to try to go out as a single voice.

The people ganged up on the One Man seeking to do God's will. 

I remember as a kid, living in my very happy, very wonderful suburban neighborhood. Those were the Wonder Years and I will always cherish those memories. But occasionally the kids in the neighborhood would do this thing called "ganging up." The target of such an act was always someone not present. As they gossiped about the one not there, their shared stories soon turned into ire against the absent one. They would agree to "gang up," or shun the person so that he or she would not attempt to play or associate with the larger group. If you were the target, you would just have to stay inside for a couple days, until it subsided. And it always subsided. 

Because mobs are like that. They are more about the passions of the moment. And they are more about getting the cheap, temporary thrill of dehumanizing someone else. It's laughable, and pathetic, when people that fancy themselves as advocates for "Social Justice" engage in such behavior.

I became conditioned not to trust the Gang. Nor do I trust the Gang "Boss," the person that has title, position, wealth, or even "expertise" to sway large groups of people and give legitimacy to their cruel behavior. 

The King of Kings went to trial alone. And stood totally alone. Let me be more like Him.