Wake Up O Sleeper

I understand those who want to protest the death of George Floyd, but I find it suspicious that their protests are scheduled to take place in darkness. Unlike Dr. Martin Luther King, who protested unmasked and in broad daylight, today’s purported protesters are cloaked in darkness. Paul said, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph 5:8-14 NIV).

Locked Out of the Church

I’ve been through the uncomfortable experience of seeing church leaders take away the membership of a family when the man exposed leadership flaws. Similarly, the Jews of Jesus' day lived in fear of being put out of the synagogue. On the Sabbath Jesus healed a man who was blind and the Pharisees were divided in thought, “Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him” (John 9:17-23 NIV). During this pandemic, I suspect modern-day Pharisees are feeling the sting of what it’s like to be locked out of the church.  

Scattered

Many people are angry with the government for shutting down places of worship. However, they fail to understand that it is not the government who is in control, but it is God who has allowed religious gatherings to be disrupted and scattered. Saul, before he became Paul, did everything he could to destroy the early church. “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:1b-4 NIV).

Strengthening the Church

Most churches are desperate to get back to normal worship, but I’m not convinced the Lord wants us to return to what we consider normal. Today’s church has been turned over to paid staff, who then molds the worship service into the image they want. When COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, believers might be spiritually refreshed if we returned to the structure of the early church. Paul described orderly worship, “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (I Cor 14:26-33a NIV).

House Cleaning

There is no doubt Jesus frowns on the way some churches market themselves today. Prayer, worship and teaching often take a back seat to programs, expansion projects and productions. It occurs to me that COVID-19 restrictions placed on today’s church may have a similar effect to that of Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers in the temple. “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer, ‘but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’” (Matt 21:12 NIV).

Memorial Day

What I miss most about not being able to attend church on Sunday is the Lord’s Supper. During this lock-down I remember Jesus throughout the day as being alive, but the memorial of Communion brings my mind back to not only his death, but that He died for me. Paul said, “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (I Cor 11:23-25 NIV).

Planted

Last fall the landscaper put sod and rock around our new house, but we had to wait for summer to do plants and shrubs. The bid from the landscaper allowed me to pick out 20 plants, which I did yesterday. I have to tell you it was traumatic. I’m certain that selecting so many plants at one time is worse than planning a wedding and picking out the cake, flowers and wedding dress. Really, it’s a big deal when you realize these shrubs and where they are planted will probably outlive me and the next generation of homeowners. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV).

Filled With Jealousy

It’s not unusual for churches to compare their church to other churches they deem successful. Leadership would never admit to being jealous of another church; however, they often purchase how-to books to see if they can model the success of others. In the early church crowds gathered around the Apostles as they healed many and performed miraculous signs and wonders. The religious leaders of the day compared their success with that of the Apostles. “Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy” (Acts 5:17 NIV).

We Too Must Repent

It’s easy for those of us who live in rural America to feel corrupt politicians who live in Washington DC are worse sinners than we are. Jesus recounted an incident where Pilate killed Galileans. He said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:2-5 NIV).

Team Effort

A few weeks ago, we fertilized the sod that was put in late last fall. In the midst of the lock-down when people call to see how and what we are doing I say, “Watching the grass grow.” Which, when there is nothing else to do and you have to stay home, is exactly what we’re doing. However, I’m starting to have a twinge of pride about my watering and fertilizing when I compare my new lawn with the neighbors old, long established grass. Mine looks really good. Paul said, “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Cor 3:5-9 NIV).

The Chains of Social Distancing

The men’s coffee group at church, which consists of about 15 guys, decided to resume their Wednesday get-togethers. They will practice social distancing and face-masks will be optional. When I put this image in my mind and can’t help but laugh. These guys are retired seniors, most of whom wear hearing aids. They have a hard time hearing and understanding each other when sitting shoulder to shoulder. Place them six feet apart wearing masks and there’s no telling what they will hear. I predict the meditation and good-natured joking won’t be nearly as impactful as it was two months ago. Paul said, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Col 4:2-6 NIV).

Never Leaving the Temple

For many of us, the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders seems to interfere with our service to the Lord. We feel we are being held captive when we can’t teach, lead, minister, or fellowship with one another. I believe we can learn from the prophetess Anna. On the occasion of Jesus’ circumcision, he was presented in the temple, “There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty–four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38 NIV). Anna did not leave the temple for 60-plus years…certainly we can be in home lock-down for a few months.

Deja Vu

Every day when I exercise for an hour, I listen to an audio version of the New Testament. I can get through the entire New Testament in about a month and then start over again. Because the Gospels tell a similar story, with some regularity I find myself at the foot of the cross, watching Jesus being crucified over and over again. The writer of Hebrews speaks about the importance of believers maturing and not falling away, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace” (Heb 6:4-6 NIV).

False Testimony

President Trump continues to rail against the media and has used the term fake news so often I’m beginning to wonder if it isn’t becoming benign. A more fitting term might be false testimony, which carries dire consequences. The rich young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus said, You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” Jesus went on to point out that it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. However, it should not be lost on anyone that the Ten Commandments, including giving false testimony, remain in effect today. (Mark 10:19 NIV).

Those in Need

A couple weeks ago while visiting on the phone with my friend Cheryl, we lamented about empty store shelves and tried to make sense of what consumers were buying and stocking up on. Last week Cheryl called and said, “I’m going to leave you something at your door. I’ll just ring the doorbell and run.” Even though I knew we were both virus free, she insisted on social distancing. By the time I got to the door Cheryl was indeed gone, but there on the doormat sat two cans of Spam. Paul said, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality” (Ro 12:10-13 NIV).

Mother’s Day

Although Mother’s Day was designed for us to reflect on our mothers, the day also causes mothers to reflect on their children. Jesus was talking to a crowd when someone told him his mother and brothers were outside waiting to speak to him. Jesus replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matt 12:48-50 NIV). The Lord brings us into the spiritual family when he calls us his brothers and sisters. However, I have to wonder if Mary might have felt an emotional sting at his words.

Wisdom is Proved Right by Her Actions

Church praise teams work hard with their song selections. As worshipers, we probably don’t always react, nor are we moved in the way the praise team would like us to be moved. Jesus said, “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn’ (Matt 11:16-17 NIV).  In reality it is not the praise team’s selections that move us, but rather we are moved by the Spirit of Wisdom that is within us.

That We May Not Offend

Despite the orders of many State governors, some churches are considering ignoring social distancing of no more than 10 people and reopening their church. While I understand wanting to get back to worship, this rebellious attitude does not come from the Lord, but from man’s desires. In Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples were confronted by tax collectors who asked them about paying the temple tax. The NIV Study Bible notes that Jesus and his disciples, because they belonged to God’s royal household, could have avoided paying the tax. However, Jesus chose not to cause offense. Jesus said to Peter, “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours” (Matthew 17:27 NIV). It’s unfortunate that churches would choose to offend the secular world, rather than comply.

Keeping God in View

 We may never know the full economic impact COVID-19 has had on America — businesses that were lost, financial ruin, loss of job security and for some, homelessness. I can’t help but wonder if what America is experiencing might feel similar to what the nation of Israel experienced in the Exodus. When the Lord brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt, they too felt a financial sting. Jobs were lost, homes abandoned and savings vanished. I feel confident we will not wonder in an economic dessert for 40 years. However, in uncertain times we too can have God in our sight. “In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels” (Exodus 40:36:38 NIV).

Exploiting

Although they are not conspiracy theorists, some of my friends and relatives are beginning to speak up and say COVID-19 is not as bad as the regular flu and the government has overreacted. It seems to me that they are mixing apples and oranges. The facts are that in some locations 900-1,000 people are dying each day, so this virus is worse than the normal flu. However, it is also becoming evident that liberals, the media and some government leaders are exploiting the virus for political, personal and financial gain. Something similar can also happen in the church. The Corinthians were putting up with false apostles. Speaking ironically Paul said, “Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that” (2Cor 11:18-21 NIV)!

Power from Above

Some protesters against stay-at-home orders, which includes believers, are at the point of rebellion against the governors of their State. Certainly, we all have the right to protest; however, it’s also important to remember where the governors get their power to govern. Pilate was contemplating the fate of Jesus when he heard the accusation that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. He confronted Jesus, but the Lord did not speak. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin” (John 19:10-11 NIV). 

OMG

I find it interesting that people in distress often say, “Oh God, or Oh my God.” I wonder if this is an utterance proclaimed from those who are stricken with COVID-19, or from their loved ones. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they were terrified, but Jesus told them to take courage and not be afraid. Rather than saying “Oh my God!” Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you,” tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus” (Matt 14:28-29 NIV). It occurs to me that in our distress we might be better served if we were to say, “Oh Jesus, or Oh my Jesus.”