Jesus, Friend of Sinners

It almost seems that every day I hear about one Christian group or another that is protesting or condemning someone. They carry placards, they chant slogans, they intrude on the funerals of fallen soldiers, they harass frightened and confused young women, and they condemn and shut out or shun anyone whose sexual lifestyle isn’t what they believe to be right. They practice intolerance and cast judgment, and… from news footage I have seen… they bring their children with them to wave placards and chant hateful accusations right alongside them; ensuring that their doctrine of intolerance is infused into a new generation.

I just don’t understand how it’s possible to love God, and love your neighbor when you are in your neighbor’s face, shouting: “You will surely burn in Hell!”

The group, Casting Crowns, has a new song out that speaks to all this. I encourage you to really listen to the lyrics.



There is a place in Yorba Linda, California…. a fellowship of sinners, who are learning to see the plank in our own eye, to drop our stones, and to love one another. It’s called Messiah Lutheran Church. Have you avoided church because of something that someone has condemned you for? Come experience and share in the forgiveness that is found in the love and mercy of Jesus. Come find redemption. Come find me… and meet a fellow sinner. Come experience God’s incredible love in YOUR life!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

From the Mouths of Babes

Saturday night, I had a heated theological argument with a 4-year old.

My daughter, Jennifer, and Henry, her husband, flew in for a 2-day visit this past weekend. Her 2 boys were crazy excited to be at Grammy and Pop-pop’s, so you might guess that bedtime was a bit of a challenge. After Grammy is done reading them stories, it is often left to Pop-Pop (me) to actually get them to sleep.

What worked for 4-year old Jeffrey also works for his brother, Bob, who is almost a year old… I sing to them. Now, I have been described as being a ‘prison singer’, which is defined as: “Being behind a few bars, and having no hope of finding the right key.” My grandsons haven’t developed a critical ear yet, so they don’t complain. That I make up my own words (because I can’t remember the actual lyrics) does not seem to faze them in the least. I’m pretty sure it’s not what I sing, just the fact that I rock them in the big recliner/rocker while I make melodic noises.

So there I was: Bob trying to fight off sleep on my chest, and Jeffrey squirming in his bed next to us. I had just finished singing The House of the Rising Sun (one of their favorite lullabies), when Jeffrey said: “Sing one more song, Pop-pop. Please!”

Hoping to get little Bob to finally drift off in slumber, I started singing: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

To which Jeffrey interjected “NO HE DOESN’T.”

“Sure He does, Jeffrey,” I replied, and then restarted the song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

Jeffrey again interrupted me with: “NO HE DOESN’T, POP-POP!”

“Yes, yes He does, Jeffrey,” I replied, perplexed at his insistence. One more time, I restarted the song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

Sitting up in bed, Jeffrey instructed his clearly confused grandfather: “Pop-pop, Jesus doesn’t just love YOU, He loves EVERYONE!”

I was stunned! This time, when I restarted the song, I sang: “Jesus loves us, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

And a miracle occurred: Bob had drifted off to sleep! After putting him in his crib, I turned to tuck Jeffrey in one final time. Having fulfilled his commission, he was now sound asleep, too.

I invite you to heed the theological teaching of my grandson… know that Jesus loves US… and experience the complete peace His love brings into our lives.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Grace

Today, at Sunday worship, Pastor Bob’s awesome message was on God’s grace. He punctuated what he was sharing with a powerful little video from The Skit Guys (Tommy Woodard and Eddie James).



So many of us are like Peter… thinking that we have to work off some sin or another in our life. Sometimes that burden has been placed on us by a church or religious organization. You can’t earn God’s grace. You can’t get God’s grace by belonging to the right club (or you might say: church). It’s not by our works that we are saved, but by the grace of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we are saved by His grace.

Years ago, I learned an acrostic that that describes grace:

          God’s
          Redemption
          At
          Christ’s
          Expense

No matter what your situation is, come join us at Messiah. Your freedom has already been bought and paid for! Come experience the peace and joy that come with God’s grace. Come worship with us… come fellowship with us… come throw off the burden of sin and guilt. Come experience the Living Water of Christ in the Spirit filled community of believers that is Messiah Lutheran Church here in Yorba Linda, California.

Look me up on Sunday. I look forward to the blessing of your presence!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Learning to be the Light

This song by, by newworldson, has the bouncy, excited beat I feel with Christ alive in me. See if you don’t agree.


Every day, I pray that there’s a little less of me and a bit more of God. If only I can keep the theme of this song in my heart, and not stress about what I can do or say, but just learn to be the light… of God’s redemption, of God’s peace, and of God’s love.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Stand Up

My sister-in-law, Kate Dodge Hoag, just posted this personal account on Facebook. It’s a great Easter story, so even though I just put up a post, this one is going up, too (with permission).


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Saturday, April 7th, 10:36 PM. continuing from 3:08 PM ...

The train left the station as scheduled. A recorded voice announced the next stops as the train coursed through city after city. It was a comfortable ride and I was just thinking that it would be a pleasant way to travel an extensive distance when a young man came crashing down the steps from the upper deck. His shirt was torn, his face cut and bloodied with one whole side grossly swollen. He shouted, "I gotta get off this train! Stop the train! I gotta get outa' here! Man, I gotta get outa' here NOW! "

The crowd sat in stiff silence and gawked at him. I sat frozen in fear and clutched my purse closer. Where in God's name was the person in charge here? Isn't somebody supposed to DO SOMETHING?! Why were we all just sitting there dumbfounded as the terrified man stumbled through the aisle to the back of the train?

Seconds later his aggressor tumbled down the stairway. He righted himself and stood weaving back and forth searching above our heads for his prey. He was older and stockier than his victim. He wore no shoes, just tattered grey socks with ratty shorts and a dirty t-shirt. The smooth voice of the canned conductor announced our approaching arrival to the end of the line. The last stop of this train: San Bernardino.

It didn't seem like the train was slowing down at all. When was the train going to stop so we could get the hell off? Meanwhile, the predator groaned and shook his head. It appeared that he wasn't certain of where he was. His eyes were squeezed shut, he groaned louder. Suddenly he bent forward and rammed his head and shoulders smack into the glass doorways of the frontal left exit. The doors banged loudly but did not give way. The man backed up again and repeatedly rammed his head into the doors. First on the left exit then on the right. The doors banged loudly but held firm.
His attack did not seem to hurt him at all. Finally, he stood at the center of the aisle and spoke. "Where is he?” Utter silence beckoned him to repeat louder: "WHERE IS HE!?" Still no one offered a response. Then he started slowly walking down the aisle.

Something finally happened with the passengers. People started standing up. Don't get me wrong, we/I stood up, but not TO this mad man. People stood up and started backing away against the walls to LET him pass by them. Still no one said a thing. The man was like an angry bull slowly gathering adrenaline as he moved towards the back of the train. He looked no one in the eye, but looked around them, searching for the injured young man.

San Bernardino's arrival was announced once again. The train slowed down and the metal against metal screech of the brakes drowned out the frantic mutterings of passengers now converging towards the exits. All of a sudden the predator could go nowhere! He was trapped by a swarm of people anxious to get off the train at their earliest opportunity. He was now inconvenienced by all of us. Our immediate need was to get off the train and remove ourselves from the situation. It was time to do something. Get up; take care of ourselves by getting away from there. He was stuck in the middle of the crowd. He was immobilized. He couldn't move.

In concern for our OWN safety, we had managed to inadvertently stop the predator in his tracks, preventing him from reaching the man he had beaten so badly. Christ must have been watching over the man who was scared and suffering. We surely didn't. It was by our own selfish needs to get off that train that the young man managed to get away.

I had my first real live train ride on Good Friday. I didn't want to look like a tourist, so I went along with the crowd and tried to blend in. I did such a good job that I am ashamed.

Note: When the exits opened, everyone poured out of the train. The young man who was beaten had returned to the top deck and was able to escape via the front doors. His attacker was pushed out the door by the throng of people exiting at the rear of the train. I saw the young man running freely away from the station. The attacker was still stuck outside in the crowd. He was rather short and could not see above those standing around him.

Amazing what we/I can do to thwart a bad situation by simply standing up instead of sitting on our/my butt(s) watching and worrying about who is in charge to do the right thing.

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Amen, Sister, amen!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

It’s Only a Quarter

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.” Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.”

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, “Here, you gave me too much change.”

The driver, with a smile, replied, “Aren't you the new preacher in town?”

“Yes” he replied.

“Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.”

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, “Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.”

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard… and remember… you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'

God bless you.

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It’s an old story that my friend Heather had posted on Facebook. It is very true that people will watch what you do, if you profess to be a Christian. They WANT to catch you slipping up, so they can justify their own behavior. Some people have used the popular WWJD bracelets (What Would Jesus Do) to remind them to be PERFECT. That doesn’t work for very long; probably why the bracelets have waned in popularity.

Here it is Easter again, and I’m reminded that Jesus died for ALL our sins… not just mine. As His followers, he gives us a simple command:

Love God, and love one another.

It’s unbelievably simple! Why do we persist in embellishing what Jesus said with what WE WANT to do?

He didn’t say: “Love power.”
He said: “Love God.”

He didn’t say: “Love wealth.”
He said: “Love God.”

He didn’t say: “Judge others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Be unforgiving.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Condemn others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Exclude others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Give up on others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Ignore the pain and suffering of others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Be like all the others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

In all the ways we are uncaring, judgmental, ignorant, and unseeing…
He said: “Love one another.”

I don’t mean to condemn you, but to have you love with the new heart that Jesus gives us, for… as the sun rises on Easter morning, we rejoice that Jesus took all our sin on Himself, died to OUR sin and death, and now stands before the empty tomb of OUR lives to offer us the Way and the Life. In our own weakness, our walk with Jesus will never be perfect. We will trip. We will stumble. But it is NOT in our strength that we walk with our Lord. It is only by the strength of God’s Holy Spirit… that we are able to offer the love, acceptance, understanding, and salvation of Christ to one another.

Happy Resurrection Day! Happy Easter!

Christ is risen! He has risen, indeed!

Your brother in Christ,


Dave