Who can move the stone?

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Empty-tomb “And they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?'” (Mark 16:3 NIV).

“…I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:17-18 NIV).

A great amount of energy is expended when changing the velocity of an object at rest to an object in motion. The greater the mass, the greater the inertia. The stone that covered the tomb of Jesus was of great mass and rested in a carved out stone groove, sealing the grave. It would take incredible strength to move it.

When the women went to the Lord’s tomb early on that first Easter morning, they worried along the way about how they would move the stone. They knew that they didn’t have the strength to move it. They went hoping that someone would move it for them.

Someone did.

With resurrection power God raised Jesus from the dead and moved the stone of separation between God and man. God put into motion a movement that continues to gain momentum until this very day.

God didn’t move the stone so Jesus could get out. He moved the stone so that the women could get in.

We still need God to move in order for people to come in to faith in Christ. As we desire our lost neighbors, acquaintances, relatives and friends to hear the gospel and believe, we must recognize that there is still that which keeps them out. There is a kind of stone in their lives that only God can move. Our best evangelistic efforts will fall short without God moving in their stony hearts.

“What does this mean for evangelism? It means quite simply that evangelism cannot possibly succeed. However clear and cogent we may be in presenting the gospel, we have no hope of convincing or converting anyone. Can you or I by our earnest talking break the power of Satan over a man’s life? No. Can you or I give life to the spiritually dead? No. Our approach to evangelism is not realistic until we have faced this shattering fact and let it make its impact on us. Regarded as a human enterprise, evangelism is a hopeless task” (J. I. Packer).

I agree with Packer. But like the women who walked to the tomb, we can pray, “Who will roll away the stone?”

We can pray that God would move in people’s hearts as Jesus instructed the apostle Paul when He commissioned him. We can pray, Lord, move to …

  • Open their spiritual eyes (because they are dead in their sin)
  • Lead them into light (because they walk in cultural darkness)
  • Free them from Satan’s power (because they are enslaved and deceived)

Evangelism begins with prayer. Prayer plows the hard soil of human hearts to receive the seed of God’s Word. Prayer rolls away the stone that separates the living from the dead. Prayer is not an evangelistic afterthought, it’s a necessity!

After praying for God to move, we can run to tell the good news that God has moved the stone and that Jesus is risen!

Spiritual momentum

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Balls “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31 NIV).

p = m(v)

Do you remember this mathmatical equation describing momentum? It states that momentum (p) is equal to mass (m) multiplied times velocity (v). Mass is the amount of matter in a body. We sometimes describe it as weight. Velocity is the rate of change of position in both speed and direction.

In the first century, a small (little mass), relatively insignificant group of people (low velocity), began meeting together and going out into their community to preach the good news that Jesus had conquered death and people’s sins would no longer be counted against those who trusted in Him. When Peter and John healed a crippled man in the name of Jesus and began to teach in the Jewish Temple, the Sanhedrin put them in prison. Upon release, they warned them not to preach anymore in that “name.”

They said, “We need to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name” (Acts 4:17 NIV).

Their warning should have worked. It should have stopped this fledgling movement in its tracks. They were the larger authority. They had not only the “weight” of local law on their side, they had the “weight” and “velocity” of Rome.

But when Peter and John returned to their little community of faith, they began to pray. As they prayed together with the other believers, they became unified in the Spirit (a unified direction) and velocity within that house began to grow. Rather than shrinking from the size of the threats from Rome and the Sanhedrin, they asked God to “consider their threats” and to “stretch forth” his hand to move in the name of Jesus.

God answered their prayer. He moved. The greater weight of the living God moved into that small community of believers and the house where they were meeting was “shaken.” Like a tremor that moves through a train when the locomotive first begins to engage its mighty engine, so the Spirit of God shook the people of that house of faith and put into motion a spiritual movement that turned Rome and the world upside down.

The Spirit of God is still moving today. Regardless of the size of the problem that we may face as individuals or in our communities, our God is greater. The spiritual momentum that Jesus started 2,000 years ago is still growing and moving in our world today. He can overcome the spiritual inertia of our generation.

I’m asking God to shake us up afresh today. “Lord, stretch forth Your hand.”

What in the world?

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Earth_from_space “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:15-18 NIV).

When the Bible talks about the “world,” it is almost always referring to human culture. And as we’ve been discussing these past weeks, the culture has been bent by human sin. The culture is crooked.

So, what in the world do we do in response to living in a crooked culture?

Almost half a century ago, H. Richard Niebuhr’s book, Christ and Culture, laid down a framework of five typical answers to the question. In the book, Niebuhr gave a history of how Christianity has responded to culture. He outlined five prevalent viewpoints:

 

  • Christ against culture. Following Christ alone, we reject the culture. We become separatists from culture.
  • Christ of culture. Affirming both Christ and culture, we become accomodationists of culture.
  • Christ above culture. Believing that neither a blank rejection or acceptance of culture is in order, we attempt a synthesis of both.
  • Christ and culture in paradox. Believing that we live in dual kingdoms, we attempt to live in both, while at the same time recognizing their differences. We become dualists.
  • Christ transforming culture. While similar to the dualist’s view of two kingdoms, this view believes that culture can be improved and that a holy Christian community on earth is possible.

As I studied Niebuhr’s book in seminary, I saw things I could affirm in all five responses to culture. I know Christians throughout history have struggled with this question.

The church of my youth came closest to Niebuhr’s first category, Christ against culture. We heard sermons on the evils of TV and Rock and Roll. We were challenged to watch our hair styles (“The Bible says it’s a shame for a man to have long hair.”) and our dress code (“Women shouldn’t wear pants.”). Our church represented a cultural island within the larger American culture. I tried to live in both, but often felt schizophrenic in the attempt. There had to be a better way to live.

I want to live in the world the way Jesus did. I can think of at least three metaphors that Jesus taught that can shape our response to today’s culture.

  • Be like salt. Jesus tells us that we are the “salt of the earth.” Salt does many things. It adds flavor. It has healing properties. It can be used as a preservative.  Like salt, we are to be influencers of the culture’s flavor. We are to be healers of the culture’s wounds and preservers of that which is good.
  • Be like light. Jesus tell us that we are the “light of the world.” Light gives sight and exposes the darkness. We are to share the truth about the gospel and expose falsehood in the culture.
  • Be fruitful.  Jesus tells us that we are to bear “much fruit.” We are to do good in the world just as He did. We are to bear the fruit of being God’s children, showing the world God’s goodness.

If we’re going to be salt, then we’ll have to mix it up with the world to affect its flavor. If we’re going to be light, then we’ll have to shine bright, so the world can see. If we’re going to be fruitful, then we’re going to have to devote ourselves to doing good in this world of need.

We’ll have to live in this world where Jesus sent us just like God sent Him.

 

Cross culture that sticks

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Ash-wednesday “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13 NIV).

We had a special Ash Wednesday service last night. We had an extended time of “unplugged” worship, with public prayers and Scripture reading. We concluded with a challenge from the Word and a time of response that included receiving the sign of the Cross in ashes upon our foreheads.

We’re not a traditional church, so we don’t usually follow such practices. In fact, it’s the first Ash Wednesday service we’ve ever held. I actually had to look up the recipe for ashes on the internet (“Make sure to mix in a little olive oil with the ashes to make them stick.” – One minister suggested).

We’re serious about being a new culture of those called out from the world’s culture, a people marked by the Cross of Christ. We believe that this salvation in Christ that we have received is shaping us and making us a new people, a people that can say “No” to that in the world’s culture that is ungodly. But this salvation doesn’t just call us out of the world’s culture, it also sends us back in, showing us how to live godly lives in “this present age.” So, we become bearers of the Cross of Christ, pointing people to the blessed hope of His return.

The traditional words spoken by the minister while making the mark of ashes are, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This is taken from Genesis 3:9 and reminds the congregant of their own mortality and need for repentance and salvation. We certainly affirm this.

But we wanted to say something different. We wanted to say something about being the people of the Cross and carrying the message of the Cross. So, as I looked into the tear-filled eyes of person after person, coming forward to receive the sign of the Cross last night, I said,

“Remember the Cross.”

After the service, as we walked back out into the night, I prayed that the world wouldn’t quickly wipe it off. I prayed that the Oil would make it stick.

Crooked culture

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CrookedTree “So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:15 NIV).

What is culture and how did it get crooked?

While there are many ways to define the word “culture,” the definition that we will be using is as follows:

“Culture is the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another” (Dictionary.com).

With this meaning in mind, we may say, “I love Greek culture.” Or, “I am a Southerner.”

Both of the statements above refer to a certain way of life developed by people living in that particular time and/or geographic area. When we speak of culture in this sense, we must include the following aspects (List borrowed from the Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute):

  • Language: the most sophisticated medium of expression.
  • Arts and Sciences: the most advanced and refined forms of human expression.
  • Thought: the ways in which people perceive, interpret, and understand the world around them.
  • Spirituality: the value system transmitted through generations for the inner well-being of human beings, expressed through language and actions.
  • Social activity: the shared pursuits within a cultural community, demonstrated in a variety of festivities, feasts and life celebrating events.
  • Interaction: the social aspects of human contact, including the give-and-take of socialization, negotiation, protocol and conventions.

So, culture is a man-made reality. It’s how we accent our language and how we spice our food. It’s the music we play and the entertainment we enjoy. It’s the lens through which we view reality– it’s our worldview.

But the Bible warns that the culture of this world is “crooked.” There’s something not quite right in the world and our inner compass can sense it. There’s a thorn on the rose, a worm in the apple. The family portrait over the mantle is hanging a little… crooked. Sure there’s beauty and good  in the world, but it’s mixed in with a morass of ugliness and evil. Human culture is crooked.

How did it get that way?

Sin.

That’s the human twist that bent the culture crooked. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the world that God had declared “good” was affected/infected too. God’s grace and goodness still glistens through, but humanity and this world have been crooked ever since. There are weeds in the garden.

How do we respond?

We shine. But more on that later…

Sorry Mr. President, I guess we’re hurting the economy

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Econo “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7 NIV).

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1 NIV).

These past several weeks we’ve been teaching on how to follow godly principles for financial fitness. The response has been amazing. People have decided to live more simply, cut back on spending, save more, get out of debt, and even give more.

One family decided not to buy a new car, but instead put new tires on their old clunker. Another family decided against a new dining table. Another postponed a kitchen remodel. One family has even decided to sell their house and downsize in order to live more simply and also so that they can be free to give more.

As a result, our WCC families are getting free from financial bondage and learning the joy of simple living and generous giving. But at the same time, I suppose we owe the President an apology. After all, he and the congress have been spending lots of our tax money trying to stimulate consumer spending.

I guess we’re hurting the economy because we’re not stimulated to consume more. We’re repenting of being consumers, we want to become debt free, so we can be generous givers and radical “livers.”

According to a recent article, we’re not the only ones that are cutting back on our consumer spending. Author Kevin G. Hall reports that the age of the American consumer economy is dead. He describes how our spending based on easy credit created a world-wide economy that has now fallen into crisis.

“China became a manufacturing hub by selling attractively priced exports to U.S. consumers who were living beyond their means. China’s Asian neighbors sent it components for final assembly; Africa and Latin America sold China their raw materials. All fed off U.S. consumers’ bottomless appetite for more, bought on credit.” (By Kevin G. Hall, “A Year After Financial Crisis, Consumer Economy Dead,” McClatchy Newspapers).

It seems to me that the so-called consumer economy was always unsustainable. Not only do I think it would be a mistake to attempt to return to that mode, but I don’t believe we can. The days of easy credit  are over for a while.

I believe that Christians should live simply and stay free from debt, so that they can be free to follow God’s call and to give generously when they see a need. I believe that we can model a more faithful way of life to our fellow Americans during these challenging times.

Perhaps God has allowed this economic crisis to “stimulate” us to stop looking for meaning in our possessions and to turn to Him.

Fit for what?

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Spa_fitness_masthead “Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God'” (Luke 9:62 NIV).

My wife and I try to work out at the YMCA three days a week. It’s a discipline we started a few years ago after noticing a decline in our health.

We’re not preparing for a marathon. I have no plans to try out for the NFL (Although, Brett Favre has given us all hope). We’re just trying to stay fit in order to slow down the descent.  We both want to stay physically fit enough to be of service.

Physical fitness and financial fitness are similar, which ever one you’re talking about, the question is the same,”Fit for what?” What is the reason for fitness? Why work at being fit?

Some may think that working hard at getting fit is so that they can be rich. Perhaps they want their picture on the cover of Forbes, crowding out Bill Gates and the Sam Walton family. They see fitness as the preparation for winning at life, whether it be in business, sports, or fame.

But I believe that the Bible wants us to be fit for service. God wants us to follow His Word on taking care of our bodies and our possessions, so that we can be useful in His Kingdom.

God teaches us how to be financially fit, so that we can be free to follow His call of service.

What kind of inheritance will we leave?

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PapaCadence “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” (Proverbs 13:22 NIV).

On Sunday, January 10, 2010, our tribe increased again. Our son, Stephen, and his wife, Caroline, had a baby girl. They named her Cadence Story Combs.

“Cadence” is named for their love of music and “Story” is a family name on Caroline’s side. Both names suggest an inheritance. One, that she would be attuned to follow God’s rhythm in her life and the other, that she would be a willing character in God’s story.

Cadence came into this world letting us know that she already follows the beat of a different drummer. Arriving a month early, she didn’t even wait for the conductor’s (doctor’s) cue. While weighing only a tiny 4 lbs. 14 oz. at birth, she already has a great grip on her grandfather’s finger (photo taken above at one day old) and his heart.

I think having a good name is an important part of her inheritance. I do a lot of thinking about such things these days now that I’m twice a grandfather (with her and Nathaniel). I’m praying and living more and more intentionally, with the kind of legacy I want to leave behind in mind.

The Bible approves of such intentional, thoughtful living. It encourages parents and grandparents to pass on the faith stories and blessings of God to their children and their children’s children.

I want to be a “good” grandfather who leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren. The legacy I want to leave includes the desire to bless them financially. This is clearly a biblical desire. Godly men always want to take care of their families. I will follow sound biblical principles to provide for this. While I’m certainly no millionaire, I do pray that God will let me be a financial blessing to my family some day.

But more than a financial inheritance, I plan to leave them a spiritual legacy. This will require a lot of prayer and intentional living too. We have given our children and our grandchildren good, strong names, but I won’t be satisfied until every one of them calls on the name of Jesus.

When my new granddaughter holds my finger in her little hand, squeezing it as she looks into my eyes, I will be saying, “Cadence, I am your Papa and you are loved. Loved by your Daddy and Mommy. Loved by your Ming and Papa. But most of all, you are loved by Jesus. Who’s Jesus you wonder? Well, let me tell you about Him…”

Even Barbie has a credit card

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Barbie%20shopping%20boutique “Let no debt remain outstanding” (Romans 13:8 NIV).

This past week in our community group meeting we were discussing the importance of getting out of debt. I asked our group to answer the following question:

“What does our culture teach us about debt?”

Everyone agreed that the culture teaches us to charge now and pay later. We are brainwashed into buying things now on credit without having a clue of how we’re going to repay.

One person exclaimed, “Now they’re even teaching our little girls how to use credit cards! Fashion Fever Barbie comes with a cash register and a credit card!”

“No way!” I said.

“It’s true.” Another mom chimed in. “Our girls have one.”

A plastic doll teaching our little girls to buy things with plastic. Unbelievable!

But the Bible calls us to be a Kingdom culture, to offer a counter-culture to this world. We’re called to be salt and light. In this season of economic uncertainty, what better time to model biblical wisdom in money management?

So what does the Bible say about credit cards and Barbie dolls? Nothing. But it does have a lot to say about debt. The Bible tells us to avoid debt because it enslaves us to the lender. The Bible teaches us to get out of debt quickly and to live beneath our means, so that we can be free.

Free to do what? Free to live and give. Free to be a blessing and to answer God’s call.

Not in slavery because of a piece of plastic.

Know your financial vitals

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Steth “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations” (Proverbs 27:23-24 NIV).

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).

For the last several years I’ve taken a study break the last week of the year. During these breaks I’ve developed certain habits to get myself focused and ready to hear from God. One of the habits that I’ve practiced is the discipline of reflection.

I’ve rooted this habit with a practice that begins with certain concrete questions. These questions involve taking stock of what’s happened in the last year and where things stand in the present. I compare outcomes with goals that were set for the previous year. I am brutally honest with myself. I’m convinced that we must know where we’ve been and where we are now, before we can get to where we want to go. Just like a physician checks our vital signs before he offers any medical advice, we must know our vitals.

The writer of the gospel of Luke was a physician. He took note that Jesus grew in four ways: wisdom, stature, in favor with God, and in favor with men. In other words, Jesus grew 1) mentally, 2) physically, 3) spiritually, and 4) socially.

My habit of reflection involves checking my vitals in those four areas. I call them my Luke 2:52 goals.

As I look at these goals from year to year, I often sense God leading me to lean into one of the areas a bit more. Last year, after turning 50, I really sensed that God wanted me to get serious about my health, so I could have the strength to continue doing what He has called me to do. So, I had a complete physical, an endoscopy, colonoscopy (not fun), had my gall bladder removed, and started working out 3 days a week at the YMCA. I feel a lot better about myself and I feel more energy to do God’s work.

This year, I sensed a need to lean into financial fitness more. I usually list this under the “mental” category because money management has a lot to do with mental attitude, planning (budgeting), knowledge about money, and habits.

So, as part of this step I answer four questions to check my financial fitness vitals. They are: What do I …

  1. Earn
  2. Spend
  3. Own
  4. Owe

Just like stepping on the scales, it’s not that much fun checking your financial vitals, but wisdom demands it. We really can’t begin to improve our situation until we recognize our current condition.

Knowing our vitals, we can admit our need for change (biblical word: repentance). Then, we can begin to pray, plan (budget), and act on what is needed to improve.

I’m convinced that we as Christians can depend on God for help in this. Jesus had a lot to say about how we handle money. I believe that He wants us to live with such fitness in this area that it models hope to our economically challenged world today.