1/09/2003
1/08/2003
proverb #8
by what right to you choose your King's last command, to "Go," as the one thing to be crowded out of your life?
and another thing (big giant dork alert)
I succumbed to societal norms and didn't use the amn't (am+not=amn't) contraction in my previous blog.
please support me in my effort to garnish support for this underutilized language efficiency.
please support me in my effort to garnish support for this underutilized language efficiency.
K-9 concerns
random blog discovery
this guy's running for president. at least he says he is. But then he wrote this:
I get pretty upset when I hear that a person's dog got killed in a police raid. I don't care what the person did; dogs are innocent victims who have no way to compose a rational response to such a situation. Which is to say, there's no way they could know they should stand down when cops are around. Any dog with half its wits is going to growl and/or act erraticly when faced with big, forceful strange men and women speaking or shouting in stern voices and grabbing their owner(s).
I get even more upset when the dog gets killed in a raid that's a mistake -- a raid on an innocent person. I can only begin to imagine the outrage and pain a person who was subjected to that must feel. (Not to mention the suffering the dog, feels, and all the happiness it will never have.)
While I have established I'm not necessarily a cat lover, I am "a dog person." And I can even agree that it is unfortunate that some times dogs owned by innocent persons
are killed. That said, I just can't in good conscience vote for a person who is championing the cause of innocent dog rights to allay all the improper doggie suffering as the result of police raids. I just am not passionate enough about the issue to rally behind the cause.
so...
no daschle
no gore
in 2004
Bush
looks great
til 2008
this guy's running for president. at least he says he is. But then he wrote this:
I get pretty upset when I hear that a person's dog got killed in a police raid. I don't care what the person did; dogs are innocent victims who have no way to compose a rational response to such a situation. Which is to say, there's no way they could know they should stand down when cops are around. Any dog with half its wits is going to growl and/or act erraticly when faced with big, forceful strange men and women speaking or shouting in stern voices and grabbing their owner(s).
I get even more upset when the dog gets killed in a raid that's a mistake -- a raid on an innocent person. I can only begin to imagine the outrage and pain a person who was subjected to that must feel. (Not to mention the suffering the dog, feels, and all the happiness it will never have.)
While I have established I'm not necessarily a cat lover, I am "a dog person." And I can even agree that it is unfortunate that some times dogs owned by innocent persons
are killed. That said, I just can't in good conscience vote for a person who is championing the cause of innocent dog rights to allay all the improper doggie suffering as the result of police raids. I just am not passionate enough about the issue to rally behind the cause.
so...
no daschle
no gore
in 2004
Bush
looks great
til 2008
prognosticating
I'm wearing a white button-down shirt today (I preached chapel this morning..a riveting message on being a 'smiling Christian', but have since removed the necktie, for my office is approximately 918 degrees centigrade).
I'm having a thick chocolate shake for lunch (in anticipation of a sensible well-balanced meal for dinner).
yeah....
things are not looking good.
I did bring a sweater......................justincase
I'm having a thick chocolate shake for lunch (in anticipation of a sensible well-balanced meal for dinner).
yeah....
things are not looking good.
I did bring a sweater......................justincase
vulgarity vs. profanity
I broach the subject because I just read a Christian blog containing the "f-word" and I'm not talking about fundamentalism.
I admit to be shocked, and just a tad offended.
Now, I'm never -- ever -- offended if someone who I know to be a non-believer chooses to use vulgarities (which I differentiate from profanities, GD, JC, OMG, etc. -- which offend me regardless of who says them [but particularly when Christians say them]).
Being the big giant dork that I am when it comes to language, I understand that language is arbitrary and symbolic and value only exists when a community establishes a value in a given word. I think this is why vulgarities (words considered vulgar in our community) don't tend to offend me unless someone who I suppose to share that perception of vulgarity surprises me by casually using it. The profanity (root::profane) tends to be more offensive because of its increased likelihood of universal value.
My life B.C. was filled with both vulgarities and profanities. Kelli never once griped at me for the vulgarities, but made it clear she had no tolerance for the profanities (although she didn't use these terms since she, unlike myself, is not a big giant dork about language). When the Lord saved me, He radically took control of my tongue. Now, I believe the use of vulgarities (and to a much greater degree, profanities) is an indication of two issues:
1. an inability to creatively express onesself, using the full complement of the beautiful language God has given us. The "rhymes with kerplunk" word is banal, insipid, mundane, gutteral and unoriginal. And if you'd give me more time to consult my thesaurus, I'd provide additional descriptors.
2. a deeper spiritual problem. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matt. 12:34)
I'm nobody's Holy Spirit. Who am I to tell someone else what to say or how to say it? as for me....Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. (psalm 19:14)
I admit to be shocked, and just a tad offended.
Now, I'm never -- ever -- offended if someone who I know to be a non-believer chooses to use vulgarities (which I differentiate from profanities, GD, JC, OMG, etc. -- which offend me regardless of who says them [but particularly when Christians say them]).
Being the big giant dork that I am when it comes to language, I understand that language is arbitrary and symbolic and value only exists when a community establishes a value in a given word. I think this is why vulgarities (words considered vulgar in our community) don't tend to offend me unless someone who I suppose to share that perception of vulgarity surprises me by casually using it. The profanity (root::profane) tends to be more offensive because of its increased likelihood of universal value.
My life B.C. was filled with both vulgarities and profanities. Kelli never once griped at me for the vulgarities, but made it clear she had no tolerance for the profanities (although she didn't use these terms since she, unlike myself, is not a big giant dork about language). When the Lord saved me, He radically took control of my tongue. Now, I believe the use of vulgarities (and to a much greater degree, profanities) is an indication of two issues:
1. an inability to creatively express onesself, using the full complement of the beautiful language God has given us. The "rhymes with kerplunk" word is banal, insipid, mundane, gutteral and unoriginal. And if you'd give me more time to consult my thesaurus, I'd provide additional descriptors.
2. a deeper spiritual problem. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matt. 12:34)
I'm nobody's Holy Spirit. Who am I to tell someone else what to say or how to say it? as for me....Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. (psalm 19:14)
From the Apologetics Journal
"Some things appear to be random because we don't know all of the causes."
This was a fresh, affirming perspective for me. "Free will" presupposes a godlike understanding of all factors, implications, considerations, and potentialities.
only God knows every potential of every potential.
hmmm....
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (proverbs 14:12)
For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me. (psalm 31:3)
For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death. (psalm 48:14-- this is Kelli's & my marriage verse).
I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works. (psalm 73:22-28)
"Some things appear to be random because we don't know all of the causes."
This was a fresh, affirming perspective for me. "Free will" presupposes a godlike understanding of all factors, implications, considerations, and potentialities.
only God knows every potential of every potential.
hmmm....
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (proverbs 14:12)
For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me. (psalm 31:3)
For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death. (psalm 48:14-- this is Kelli's & my marriage verse).
I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works. (psalm 73:22-28)
a quick learner
About two months ago, I began scratching/rubbing my boy's scalp during prayers, kind of a soothing, sleep-inducing strategy on my part.
He must like it.
He asks me to do it while he prays each night. So I accomodate him.
I'm now convinced he's either using prayers manipulatively to prolong the experience, or I've located some sort of subdermal mental reset that is hidden upon his noggin.
Only when getting the headrub will he say the exact same statement over and over. It's like Rainman has swapped beds with Cotter.
Definitely time for Wapner.
He must like it.
He asks me to do it while he prays each night. So I accomodate him.
I'm now convinced he's either using prayers manipulatively to prolong the experience, or I've located some sort of subdermal mental reset that is hidden upon his noggin.
Only when getting the headrub will he say the exact same statement over and over. It's like Rainman has swapped beds with Cotter.
Definitely time for Wapner.
one shining moment
yesterday, my secretary brought me a hot cup of coffee...yum.
I added cream, as I am wont to do.
I began stirring the coffee with a common narrow guage straw/stirrer
We began talking about the bulletin, so I stopped stirring, to focus on the task at hand.
She left.
I took a drink.
And painfully jammed the stirrer into my left nostril.
disclaimer: this is neither me nor my nose. It merely represents the estimation of my own nasal endowment upon such an experience.
This action elicited a fairly non-pastoral reaction.
A sound something like "HHNNNUUUGHAH" eminated from my personage.
I heard her laugh quietly from her desk.
disclaimer: this image is not of me, nor of my nose. It merely represents symbolically the experience of thrusting a common straw/stirrer into one's nasal cavity.
etc.
a human nose pencil sharpener
and for this...all I can say is....don't pick your nose.
I added cream, as I am wont to do.
I began stirring the coffee with a common narrow guage straw/stirrer
We began talking about the bulletin, so I stopped stirring, to focus on the task at hand.
She left.
I took a drink.
And painfully jammed the stirrer into my left nostril.
disclaimer: this is neither me nor my nose. It merely represents the estimation of my own nasal endowment upon such an experience.
This action elicited a fairly non-pastoral reaction.
A sound something like "HHNNNUUUGHAH" eminated from my personage.
I heard her laugh quietly from her desk.
disclaimer: this image is not of me, nor of my nose. It merely represents symbolically the experience of thrusting a common straw/stirrer into one's nasal cavity.
etc.
a human nose pencil sharpener
and for this...all I can say is....don't pick your nose.
1/07/2003
signs of the impending apocalypse #20
for the first time, a trifecta:
homo, homo on the range
Btw, i got the 'homo on the range' link reference title from Jerry Falwell's Liberty Journal (just giving credit where its due).
I can remember when reading comics was about superheroes saving the day (insert poignant sigh of remembrance....here).
A couple of childhood memories related to superheroes:
-- my brother convinced me that HE had invented the incredible hulk. I still remember seeing the first episode on TV and yelling, "Jamie, they stole the Hulk from us!"
-- we'd often play Justice League of America outside in the afternoons, which is kinda funny (from my big giant dork perspective), since we'd often pretend to be Marvel Comic characters (and JLA is a DC Comics invention, for you who may be uninformed). I would only want to play if I could be "The Boy who could turn into Anything." This was, as you could probably tell, a superhero of my own invention. I've yet, 25 years later, to discover a better name for him, err, me, and perhaps this is why my notoriety never expanded beyond my front yard. My brother would only agree to let me play with him (and the older neighbors), if he got to dictate what I would in fact, turn into. I readily agreed, just to get to play. He then would dictate that I would HAVE to be a puddle, a brick wall, or other immobile object. Then he, as the Hulk, would run off with Christy Trujillo, aka Wonder Woman, behind the shed to "fight heroes." While I initially supported their heroic efforts, in time my cynicism grew and I now believe they weren't fighting so much for the cause of good and justice as they were just makin' out (another DC/Marvel crossover, actually).
I found this on my C Drive, and dutifully cut and paste it for your amusement.
RULES FOR CHOOSING A SUPERHERO NAME (from Mikey's funnies)
1. Don't call yourself by your real name: e.g., Ms. Jenny Pinchuck, The Amazing Stevie Foster.
2. Don't call yourself by someone else's real name: e.g., Mr. Teddy Kennedy, Captain Dean Martin.
3. Choose a name that suggests power, heroism and prowess: e.g., Captain Power, Thunderman, Mr. Invincible, Justiceman.
4. Don't be too modest: e.g., Mr. Pretty Good, Captain So-so, Fairly Incredibleman.
5. But don't labor the point: e.g., Mr. So-Powerful-Don't-Even-Think-About-It-Buddy.
6. Don't choose a name detrimental to your crime fighting image: e.g., Captain Spongecake, Mr. Silly, Yellow Streak, Purple Slippers, Captain Evil
7. Don't choose the name of an existing Superhero unless you have lots of money and enjoy fighting litigation instead of supervillains.
8. It's no use calling yourself Captain Invincible if your only power is control over Hostess Twinkies and you suffer from a congenial hole-in-the-heart condition. It's just asking for trouble.
9. Don't call yourself the Invisible Boy if you're not.
10. Don't call yourself the Invisible Boy if you're a girl.
11. Don't call yourself the Invisible Lady if you're a man -- even if you do feel like a woman trapped in a man's body.
12. Don't give away important information in your name, e.g. The Glass Jaw, Captain Vulnerable To Strontium 90.
13. Don't call yourself The Green Avenger if you wear an orange costume.You'll confuse people.
and I also found this
Two guys are drinking in the bar on the top floor of a New York skyscraper. They've both been drinking heavily for several hours and are really toasted.
The first guy slurs, "Didja know that 'cause of the way this building was built next to that skyscraper across the street and our proximity to the ocean, I could jump outa this window an' fall 'bout hunnerd floors, and the updraft between the two would sweep me up back into this bar?"
The second guy doesn't believe this at all and offers to bet one hundred dollars that it wouldn't work.
The first guy says, "You're on," and they each lay a crisp new hundred dollar bill on the table. He then staggers up to the window, opens it and jumps.
The second guy leans out the window to watch him fall...
10-20-30-50-80-100 stories he falls, when suddenly he gets swept back up into the bar.
The second guy is amazed and says, "Lemme try that," and proceeds to jump out the window.
The first guy leans out the window to watch him fall...
10-20-30-50-80-100-110 SPLAT! -- where he falls to his death.
The first guy smirks a little, grabs the two hundred dollars and walks out of the bar.
As he's walking out, the bartender says, "You know, when you're drunk, you can be a real jerk, Superman."
-- one of the worst superhero movies ever is Unbreakable, starring Bruce Willis
-- I really enjoyed that 70s hit "The Greatest American Hero." Right now, as you are reading this, you are likely humming along...
Look at what's happened to me-,
I can't believe it myself.
Suddenly I'm up on top of the world,
It should've been somebody else.
Believe it or not,
I'm walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free-.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it's just me.
(complete lyrics are at the site link above)
And to close, an introduction t the only True SuperHero, Jesus -- the Christ.
some people see Jesus as this:
others see Him as this:
But we should see Him as this:
or this
why?
Because that's how He is!
I think we dishonor Christ by imagining Him as the groovy robe-wearing beatnik-ish itinerant preacher. He ascended into heaven. He beat death, the ultimate super-villian. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. He protects, He defends, He vanquishes, He uplifts, and He saves! You can have your tights-wearing, cape-billowing, kryptonite-hating supermen.
I'll take Jesus.
homo, homo on the range
Btw, i got the 'homo on the range' link reference title from Jerry Falwell's Liberty Journal (just giving credit where its due).
I can remember when reading comics was about superheroes saving the day (insert poignant sigh of remembrance....here).
A couple of childhood memories related to superheroes:
-- my brother convinced me that HE had invented the incredible hulk. I still remember seeing the first episode on TV and yelling, "Jamie, they stole the Hulk from us!"
-- we'd often play Justice League of America outside in the afternoons, which is kinda funny (from my big giant dork perspective), since we'd often pretend to be Marvel Comic characters (and JLA is a DC Comics invention, for you who may be uninformed). I would only want to play if I could be "The Boy who could turn into Anything." This was, as you could probably tell, a superhero of my own invention. I've yet, 25 years later, to discover a better name for him, err, me, and perhaps this is why my notoriety never expanded beyond my front yard. My brother would only agree to let me play with him (and the older neighbors), if he got to dictate what I would in fact, turn into. I readily agreed, just to get to play. He then would dictate that I would HAVE to be a puddle, a brick wall, or other immobile object. Then he, as the Hulk, would run off with Christy Trujillo, aka Wonder Woman, behind the shed to "fight heroes." While I initially supported their heroic efforts, in time my cynicism grew and I now believe they weren't fighting so much for the cause of good and justice as they were just makin' out (another DC/Marvel crossover, actually).
I found this on my C Drive, and dutifully cut and paste it for your amusement.
RULES FOR CHOOSING A SUPERHERO NAME (from Mikey's funnies)
1. Don't call yourself by your real name: e.g., Ms. Jenny Pinchuck, The Amazing Stevie Foster.
2. Don't call yourself by someone else's real name: e.g., Mr. Teddy Kennedy, Captain Dean Martin.
3. Choose a name that suggests power, heroism and prowess: e.g., Captain Power, Thunderman, Mr. Invincible, Justiceman.
4. Don't be too modest: e.g., Mr. Pretty Good, Captain So-so, Fairly Incredibleman.
5. But don't labor the point: e.g., Mr. So-Powerful-Don't-Even-Think-About-It-Buddy.
6. Don't choose a name detrimental to your crime fighting image: e.g., Captain Spongecake, Mr. Silly, Yellow Streak, Purple Slippers, Captain Evil
7. Don't choose the name of an existing Superhero unless you have lots of money and enjoy fighting litigation instead of supervillains.
8. It's no use calling yourself Captain Invincible if your only power is control over Hostess Twinkies and you suffer from a congenial hole-in-the-heart condition. It's just asking for trouble.
9. Don't call yourself the Invisible Boy if you're not.
10. Don't call yourself the Invisible Boy if you're a girl.
11. Don't call yourself the Invisible Lady if you're a man -- even if you do feel like a woman trapped in a man's body.
12. Don't give away important information in your name, e.g. The Glass Jaw, Captain Vulnerable To Strontium 90.
13. Don't call yourself The Green Avenger if you wear an orange costume.You'll confuse people.
and I also found this
Two guys are drinking in the bar on the top floor of a New York skyscraper. They've both been drinking heavily for several hours and are really toasted.
The first guy slurs, "Didja know that 'cause of the way this building was built next to that skyscraper across the street and our proximity to the ocean, I could jump outa this window an' fall 'bout hunnerd floors, and the updraft between the two would sweep me up back into this bar?"
The second guy doesn't believe this at all and offers to bet one hundred dollars that it wouldn't work.
The first guy says, "You're on," and they each lay a crisp new hundred dollar bill on the table. He then staggers up to the window, opens it and jumps.
The second guy leans out the window to watch him fall...
10-20-30-50-80-100 stories he falls, when suddenly he gets swept back up into the bar.
The second guy is amazed and says, "Lemme try that," and proceeds to jump out the window.
The first guy leans out the window to watch him fall...
10-20-30-50-80-100-110 SPLAT! -- where he falls to his death.
The first guy smirks a little, grabs the two hundred dollars and walks out of the bar.
As he's walking out, the bartender says, "You know, when you're drunk, you can be a real jerk, Superman."
-- one of the worst superhero movies ever is Unbreakable, starring Bruce Willis
-- I really enjoyed that 70s hit "The Greatest American Hero." Right now, as you are reading this, you are likely humming along...
Look at what's happened to me-,
I can't believe it myself.
Suddenly I'm up on top of the world,
It should've been somebody else.
Believe it or not,
I'm walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free-.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it's just me.
(complete lyrics are at the site link above)
And to close, an introduction t the only True SuperHero, Jesus -- the Christ.
some people see Jesus as this:
others see Him as this:
But we should see Him as this:
or this
why?
Because that's how He is!
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and His hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. (Rev. 1:12-18)
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (rev. 19:11-16)
I think we dishonor Christ by imagining Him as the groovy robe-wearing beatnik-ish itinerant preacher. He ascended into heaven. He beat death, the ultimate super-villian. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. He protects, He defends, He vanquishes, He uplifts, and He saves! You can have your tights-wearing, cape-billowing, kryptonite-hating supermen.
I'll take Jesus.
signs of the impending apocalypse #18
actually heard while channel surfing last night:
(from Fear Factor, from the host Joe Rogan): You came in second with the helicopter, you stumbled with eating the horse rectum, but won the championship on the beams!
horse rectum.
The only thing more disturbing than hearing it and writing it is the concern I have about the number of folks who will stumble upon my blog because they've put those two words together in a web seach engine.
(from Fear Factor, from the host Joe Rogan): You came in second with the helicopter, you stumbled with eating the horse rectum, but won the championship on the beams!
horse rectum.
The only thing more disturbing than hearing it and writing it is the concern I have about the number of folks who will stumble upon my blog because they've put those two words together in a web seach engine.
proverb #6
power is the twin sister of purity. some people think they want more power, when it is purity they need.
1/06/2003
Celebrities claiming Christ
disclaimer: the following is offered simply to inform. Any suggestion of hypocrisy, feint praise, implied separation, or any other indictment of duality is unintended. really. no, really.
Britney Spears
Alice Cooper
Patricia Heaton
Elijah "Frodo" Wood
Denzel Washington
Martin Sheen
Jane Fonda
Renee Russo
Britney Spears
Alice Cooper
Patricia Heaton
Elijah "Frodo" Wood
Denzel Washington
Martin Sheen
Jane Fonda
Renee Russo
we've named the baby
the baby, of course, being the Monday night ex-offender worship
we've given it the name
(drumroll)
5 Porches -- the house of kindness
This name is taken from John 5:2-9:
We really liked this concept of ministry because porches are a place of gathering and fellowship, it's where the door to hospitality and acceptance (and home) are found. We are advertising that the five porches of 'the house of kindness (which is what bethesda means)' are:
truth (evangelism)
growing (discipleship)
friendship (fellowship)
help (ministry)
worship (uh...worship)
tonight is the first night of meeting, and we expect it to take a few weeks to really get going. Chaplain Pritt is working hard and the Lord has already brought many ex-offenders to him to get a time of praise organized. Also, God has inclined the hearts of the parole and probation officers, and they have agreed to accomodate this time for worship (almost unheard of), even with offenders under house arrest wearing ankle monitors.
We have some accomodations of our own where we need the Lord's provision. Since there will be sex offenders participating in the worship, we'll have to offer an alternative location for children to attend, because for these offenders to be in the presence of children would be a violation of the terms of their release and/or probation/parole. And, as always, we need much prayer for the officers in our congregation who are called upon to dispense law and justice 40-60 hours a weeks in the prisons, and then are called to dispense grace to these same offenders in the church. This is quite a challenge, and altogether impossible in the flesh. Pray for them, for chaplain Pritt, and for the many unchurched ex-offenders who desperately need the light of Christ in their dark world!
we've given it the name
(drumroll)
5 Porches -- the house of kindness
This name is taken from John 5:2-9:
Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?'' The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.'' Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk.'' And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
We really liked this concept of ministry because porches are a place of gathering and fellowship, it's where the door to hospitality and acceptance (and home) are found. We are advertising that the five porches of 'the house of kindness (which is what bethesda means)' are:
truth (evangelism)
growing (discipleship)
friendship (fellowship)
help (ministry)
worship (uh...worship)
tonight is the first night of meeting, and we expect it to take a few weeks to really get going. Chaplain Pritt is working hard and the Lord has already brought many ex-offenders to him to get a time of praise organized. Also, God has inclined the hearts of the parole and probation officers, and they have agreed to accomodate this time for worship (almost unheard of), even with offenders under house arrest wearing ankle monitors.
We have some accomodations of our own where we need the Lord's provision. Since there will be sex offenders participating in the worship, we'll have to offer an alternative location for children to attend, because for these offenders to be in the presence of children would be a violation of the terms of their release and/or probation/parole. And, as always, we need much prayer for the officers in our congregation who are called upon to dispense law and justice 40-60 hours a weeks in the prisons, and then are called to dispense grace to these same offenders in the church. This is quite a challenge, and altogether impossible in the flesh. Pray for them, for chaplain Pritt, and for the many unchurched ex-offenders who desperately need the light of Christ in their dark world!
1/05/2003
signs of the impending apocalypse #17
perhaps the dullest of all signs, to this point.
again, its not the blog itself that's a problem....its that each 'riveting' entry receives a multitude of comments.
maybe I'm just jealous.
and although I haven't commented, I am a (two-time) repeat visitor.
again, its not the blog itself that's a problem....its that each 'riveting' entry receives a multitude of comments.
maybe I'm just jealous.
and although I haven't commented, I am a (two-time) repeat visitor.
today's losing numbers are...
a great word on lotto and the church from John Piper, which I was made aware of through blogs4god.
we always used to joke while in seminary that we'd love to play the Texas lotto (since it elevates quite rapidly) except for the fear of actually winning it.
I hadn't really considered the issue until today, but my parents have always said they'd "help us out," if they won lotto. Hadn't really considered it since I'm more likely to be struck by lightning...twice. Now, I'd have little problem declining money from a lotto winner on behalf of the church. I completely agree with Piper's sentiments on the issue. And, if my folks actually did win, I'd be under the same Lord, under the same criteria. The conditions don't change simply because I'd be the personal beneficiary rather than a corporate recipient. My flesh says, "who am I turn turn away a gift of benevolence (although I feel silly even having this hypothetical argument with my flesh)?" But I don't think my conscience could bear it. Maybe I'm weak.
I can admit that.
That's why I need the Lord.
I'm hoping my folks never win, so I never have to face that temptation.
we always used to joke while in seminary that we'd love to play the Texas lotto (since it elevates quite rapidly) except for the fear of actually winning it.
I hadn't really considered the issue until today, but my parents have always said they'd "help us out," if they won lotto. Hadn't really considered it since I'm more likely to be struck by lightning...twice. Now, I'd have little problem declining money from a lotto winner on behalf of the church. I completely agree with Piper's sentiments on the issue. And, if my folks actually did win, I'd be under the same Lord, under the same criteria. The conditions don't change simply because I'd be the personal beneficiary rather than a corporate recipient. My flesh says, "who am I turn turn away a gift of benevolence (although I feel silly even having this hypothetical argument with my flesh)?" But I don't think my conscience could bear it. Maybe I'm weak.
I can admit that.
That's why I need the Lord.
I'm hoping my folks never win, so I never have to face that temptation.
far from heaven
The soon to be released movie Far From Heaven takes a revisionist look on life in the idyllic 1950s. The lead female character in the movie has the perfect life - a successful husband, healthy children, prominent social standing. Then, one day she discovers a horrible secret - her husband has secretly been having a homosexual adulterous relationship. Immediately, her world begins unraveling, and she seeks solace in the friendship of her African-American gardener, a social taboo of that day. As the movie progresses, her life painfully devolves as she goes through what many today would call "a living hell."
There are many, many people today who can identify what it is like to "go through a living hell." All joking aside, all you have to do is watch one of these talk shows like Maury Povich, Jenny Jones or Jerry Springer and see what I'm talking about. These shows that are called, "I've got a secret to tell," may as well be called, "come to the show so I can rip your heart out on National TV in front of a studio audience." These shows appeal to the lowest common human denominator, which is just to see somebody worse off than ourselves. We see people tell their spouses that they're having an affair, that they're gay, that they want a divorce, or any number of dysfunctional revelations. And for every sensational one that ends up on the afternoon TV screen, there is likely hundreds that aren't scandalous enough to make good TV, but are equally devastating to a person's life.
And I'll tell you this - things don't have to even be this dramatic to be this devastating. There are a whole assortment of "everyday miseries" that can send people spiraling into "a living hell." Sometimes it is the death of a spouse, or the abduction of a child. Perhaps it is being fired, demoted, transferred. Sometimes it is the disappointment of a child's fall into drug addiction. Any number of things can cause a person to go through life day by day, feeling like they are in absolute misery, suffering in "a living hell."
Did you know that there are many people who believe that we are actually living in hell right now? They believe that nothing can be worse than what is occurring on this earth right now. This is a popular tenet of eastern religions that teach evolutionary spiritual experiences. There is no hell, except the hell that you experience here and now.
I can remember the first time I spoke with a person who held this belief. I was taking part in our weekly evangelistic visitation, and nobody had been home on any of the planned visits, so we began knocking on doors, hoping to meet with someone who would take part in our opinion polls. Well, this gal opened the door and was very polite, and answered the first 4 questions. Then, the fifth question, which is designed to be a segue into a gospel presentation, was asked. "what do you believe it takes for a person to go to heaven?"
Well, this previously very friendly lady then very angrily commented for the next twenty minutes about how she believed we were living on hell on earth. With the horribly atrocities going on between ministers and children, with the forced starvations, the genocidal practices of warring nations, with the lack of mercy demonstrated across the globe, she didn't know anything about heaven, but she knew that she was living in hell right here, right now.
While the experience we currently share called life can often be accurately described as "hellish," we need to be clear on the truth that it is not in itself 'hell.' One reason why so many people are unclear on this reality is because people aren't being told about hell anymore. In fact, a recent report has declared that sermons on hell have all but disappeared from America's pulpits. Pastors and preachers have exchanged the gospel reality that Jesus came to deliver a lost, fallen people from hell for a deceptive, flesh-honoring gospel of lies that declares that God loves us unconditionally and will take us in to heaven just as we are. Today, we're going look at what Jesus has to tell us about the reality of hell, not just so we will know that hell is real, but also that hell is in the future of many, lest we faithfully communicate the good news that God has provided one way to keep man from hell.
Please turn in your Bible to the book of Luke, chapter 16, and read along with me, beginning with verse 19:
Before we really get into the meat of today's Scripture, I just want to point that there is some disagreement between scholars about whether or not this is an actual account or if this instead, a parable. There are decent arguments for both sides of the position. But whether or not this is a historical account, the information regarding the life that follows this one is not a parable in its description. The locations are real, as are the experiences realized therein.
Now, let's first of all look at the fact that all experiences before death are best described as illusions. We'll look at the two illusions detailed here.
The first illusion is the illusion of life itself. Jesus presents two people here for comparison. The illusion of life is illustrated in this first person we meet, this 'certain rich man.' A few older manuscripts of this text actually have a name for this man, "Dives," which is what the Latin Vulgate uses to translate as "rich." But look at what we know about him. He is very wealthy. He lives an extravagant life. He is dressed in fine linen, and the fact that he's dressed in purple is likely symbolic of a royal position. The Bible also says that he dined sumptuously every day. This is a double statement of this man's seeming full life because not only does he dine sumptuously, but he does so every single day. We also see that this man was so wealthy that his home was large enough to have a gate. In every way, this man appeared to be living on top of the world, not needing for anything, and indulging in life's every luxury.
Now, the counterpoint to the illusion of this man's life is the illustration of the illusion of Lazarus' strife. Lazarus is in every way the antithesis of the rich man. Look at how we are introduced to the man. The Bible says "laid at the gate." This literally translated means that he had been cast at the gate. This man was in such poor shape that not only did he not have a home, but he had been thrown outside the gate of the home of a prominent man, that he might survive on the mercy and grace of one who was living sumptuously every day.
Look what else we learn about him. He is covered with sores. We know he wasn't a leper because he wasn't in a leper colony. He was begging in public, and was outside this man's gate, so he likely was covered with ulcerous sores. Moreover, the man was so pitiful that even the dogs came and licked his wounds. Something that should be pointed out is that, back then, dogs were not the Lassie-like domesticated pets that they are today. They were considered by the Jews to be nasty, disgusting scavengers that were impure, unclean animals. So, for Jesus to be telling the Pharisees about this pathetic man who was so destitute that even dogs licked his sores, it likely elicited a major "eeeeww" response. One more thing. He was longing to eat. This meant he was starving. His hunger had gone unfulfilled. He was ravenous. He was so hungry that he just wanted to eat the scraps from the rich man's table. When the servants of the wealthy man would throw out the day's leftovers, this man would have to wrestle the dogs for a bite to eat. And from the sound of it, he came out on the short end more often than not, with the mangy mutts snacking on his open sores just to add insult to ignominy.
Oh yeah…one more thing. His name is Lazarus. His name - it means, 'helped by God.' Some help, right? Boy, if anyone ever felt a sickening irony to his own name, it had to be this guy. This guy had nothing. He was in the throes of agony, of misery, of illness, of poverty, of destitution, and he carries the name helped by God! Now, from our perspective, if anyone was experiencing hell on earth, it was Lazarus.
In our mixed audience today, there are probably folks here who can identify with both of these characters. Some of you here today may not have a want in the world. Your bills are paid. You don't know what it means to be hungry. If you want something, you buy it. If you need something, you get it. You may carry a title, or are just well-respected in the community. Or, you may be more like Lazarus. You might know what it means to go hungry, to have to eat Top-Ramen when you've been craving Filet Mignon. You might be weak, sick, and too poor to get medical attention. You may be in physical, mental, emotional, or relational distress, feeling like you are experiencing "a living hell," that you are far from heaven, and you are crying out, "God, I need your help!"
I want you to know, whichever circumstance better describes you, you need to understand, your circumstance is just an illusion. I'm not saying that the bad times and the horrible experiences are just in your head. What I am saying, though, is that these experiences, as bad as they are, an unending as they seem to be, will pass. I've said many times that some of my favorite words in the Bible are, "and it came to pass." If your life is unhappy, unhealthy, unsafe, or even unlivable right now, please understand that it will pass. But the same is true on the other side of the coin. Even if you are on top of the world, even if everything is coming up roses. Even if everything is going your way. Even if you are always walking on the sunny side of the street. Even if your future is so bright you have to wear shades. Even if they make up a brand new cliché just to describe just how good your life is, know this: its an illusion. It will pass. Good times come. And good times go. And you are no different.
We see this is exactly the case with both the rich man, and also poor Lazarus. The great equalizing event arrived to both of them. Verse 22 tells us, "Lazarus died," and then just a few words later, "the rich man died and was buried." Yes, death greeted them both. And from the world's perspective, the same inequity that they experienced in life followed them after death. We see that the rich man was buried. Lazarus, on the other hand, received no such luxury. As a poor man, an unclean man, had his body thrown out and burned on the trash heaps on the outskirts of town.
But here is where we see the illusion unmasked. The Scriptures say that Lazarus was carried up by angels to the "bosom of Abraham." Friends, this is heaven. Notice that he didn't have to "do any time" in purgatory. He immediately was carried by angels into heaven. And know this, too. He didn't earn his way there. He was a nobody, a scumbag. A loser. He was, as the Pharisees liked to say, unclean. And he was immediately in heaven. The rich man, on the other hand, was immediately in hell. Literally, the word here is "hades." And now, the real reality has begun. Now, this man who for his whole life lived in the illusion of living in heaven on earth, now truly understood what it means to be far from heaven.
Let's spend our time now discovering the isolation of hell. First, see that the rich man was alone. The Bible says he looked up and saw Lazarus afar off in Abraham's bosom. He was not surrounded by his cronies, by his pals, or by his fellow rulers. He was by himself, and from a distance, he saw the man he used to only be able to look down upon from his mansion windows, now nestled in the comforting arms of his father of faith, Abraham. He was not comforted that there might have been other people there. In fact, this is one aspect of hell that people need to understand. Heaven is described, as I said last week, as forever being where Jesus is. It is the total abandonment of self because one is in the presence of Jesus. Hell, on the other hand, is the total focus upon self, because a person in hell is forever separated from God. All that matters in hell is the understanding that a person is forever apart from God. There is no company in hell. There are no block parties. There are no quilting bees. There is no community. There is only the isolation of being alone. Apart from God. By yourself.
We also discover that the rich man was also aware of his location. He looked up and saw Abraham and Lazarus in His bosom afar off. One of the chief miseries of hell apparently is the eternal awareness of one's separation from God. That fixed gulf is forever in front of a person in hell. There is no forgetting it. There is no rationalizing it, like, "well, I'm not in heaven, but at least it's a dry heat." There is no comfort in hell because a person in hell is forever aware of the reality that they are not, nor ever will be, in heaven.
Reading on, we see that the rich man in hell is also in agony. Look at what the rich man begs of Abraham, "have pity on me!" "Send Lazarus that he may dip his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame." Well, that paints a pretty descriptive picture of the place, doesn't it? The world needs to understand this. Hell is not a country club. Hell is not going to be fun. Just like last week when I said heaven was so far beyond our comprehension and is so much more than a bunch of boring people strumming on harps while sitting on clouds, hell is not going to be a wild place of carousing and carrying on. I not long ago heard one man say that he wanted to go to hell because that's where all his friends would be, and they would turn hell upside down. I pray for that man to have a change of heart because he will be miserably disappointed. Hell is a place of torment. It is a place of agony. It is a place of misery.
Last, in regard to the isolation of hell, the rich man discovers that he will always be there. You've heard this truth woven throughout the previous three points. Hell is a place of eternal isolation. Hell is a place of eternal separation. Hell is a place of eternal desperation. You will be alone. Forever. You will be apart. Forever. You will be aware. Forever. You will be in agony. Forever. Just like heaven is an experience that is no longer bound by time, so is hell. All the wristwatches, pocket watches, and clocks burn up in hell. Hell is the continual "now." Alone. Aware. Agonizing. Always.
It is in this setting that the rich man cries out for mercy. And Abraham replies thusly, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "
To this, the rich man cries out, "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' And instead of a comforting word of agreement, the rich man hears these words of indictment.
Abraham first conveys an indictment that the brothers are unbelieving. Abraham says, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them." He's basically saying here that every person alive has had enough convincing testimony given to them about the realities of heaven and hell. Abraham is not being coy or even cruel. What he is saying is that the problem with people, and these five brothers are a perfect example, is not that they haven't been told, its that they have chosen not to believe. Literally, "Moses and the prophets" means that God has given them the entire law, and all the necessary prophecy to come to a faith relationship with God. If you look at Hebrews 11, you discover a common element of the Old Testament personalities who will be found in heaven, eternally. They are there, by faith. Not by the adherence to the laws, not by paying lip service to the prophets, but by recognizing that the law and the prophecies were given so that man could come to God by faith in the Messiah, who is Jesus.
This is the same problem today. People are saying all the time, "I'd believe if…" If God would give them a sign. If God would reveal Himself. If God would do this, or that, or the other. The fact has, as His Word declares, revealed enough of Himself that no man will have an excuse. No man. No person. And He reveals Himself continually. With every breath you take, He has revealed Himself. With every baby that is born. With every lightning strike. With every whisper of the wind. With every raindrop. With bird's song. With every hymn sung. With every Bible-based sermon preached, no matter how poorly. If you've ever received love of any kind, you were able to do so because God revealed Himself first through the love of Christ. If you've ever received any benevolence, any grace, any mercy, any hospitality, any peace, any acceptance of any kind, it is because God has first revealed Himself to you, to us, to this world. And He expects us to believe!
But not only were these brothers under the indictment of unbelief, but they were also under the indictment that they were unconvinceable. The rich man tried to argue, "No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent." But to this, Abraham says, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'' Understand just how powerful of a statement this is - he's saying that these men wouldn't have been convinced if even the spirit of a dead man came and visited them and begged them to repent! Their unbelief was so profound that nothing could convince them.
Jesus recognized this reality in people. Many, many people followed Jesus for a time. A majority of those people were looking for signs. They were looking for the miracles. They were looking for evidence, proof, something they could sink their teeth into, so to speak, that He was in fact, the Messiah. As long as He was healing the sick, or raising the lame to walk, or giving sight to the blind, they were right there behind Him. Its easy to follow someone when you can see their power, their might, their majesty. But John chapter 6 says that many followers left Him when He gave a difficult teaching on the bread of heaven. We also know that when Jesus went to the cross, He went there alone, because everybody abandoned Him. Everyone. They believed as long as they could see with their own eyes, but as soon as they were challenged to look with eyes of faith, they wouldn't believe, and they couldn't be convinced.
Things are no different today. Many people today wouldn't be convinced even if an angel appeared to them, or their dear, departed, godly aunt Ruthie to tell them that the assertions of the Bible are true. Why? Because nothing seen with eyes of flesh can convince a heart made cold from unbelief. Faith does not come by seeing, it comes by hearing. Faith is the substance of what we hope for (or expect), based upon what we cannot see. People consign themselves to hell due to their unbelief, and their inability to be convinced.
We close today by looking at the implications of what Jesus tells us about hell. This is what I mean by the implications - everything that Jesus details in this account of the rich man and Lazarus comes to fruition, or is proven true, using a variety of means.
The first means used is a miracle. Turn to John 11, and read this, about when Jesus came upon the tomb of His dear friend, also named Lazarus, who had been dead for four days:
Interesting, certainly, but see this in chapter 12, when Jesus was dining with Lazarus a few days later:
You see, the very word of Abraham, spoken first and even more authoritatively through Christ was that the unbelieving could not be convinced even though one rise from the dead. This is exactly what happened, and the Pharisees, the "God experts" conspired against Jesus even more so, rather than falling on their faces in worship.
Now, what implication does that have for us? Simply this. We are witnesses and partakers in miracles every day. If you belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ, you are the recipient of a miracle. The deliverance of your soul from heal into heaven is God's greatest miracle. You, as the Bible says, have been raised to walk in the newness of life. If you have received the miracle of a regenerated life, then you must walk in that eternal reality. Live as one who is going to heaven, rather than one who is destined for hell. Not only are you to live in the reality of the miracle of your own salvation, but live in the reality of bringing the good news of salvation to others. I think the only thing that surpasses the experience of leading someone to faith in Jesus Christ is the knowledge that some day, there will be a reunion in heaven with that very same person, and the two of you will join in the heavenly chorus singing praises to the eternal King, Jesus. Our life in Christ is to be defined by miracles.
The second implication is ministry. You see, the rich man, in agony in hell, desired ministry from Lazarus. Just to get a drop of water from the beggar's fingers. But upon death, the time for ministry ceases. But until death, our life is to be defined by ministry. Remember, Jesus offered the Bread of Life and Living Water to all who would receive it. We should do the same. This is the offering of the miracles of God. But He also fed the multitudes, shared fellowship with the undesirables, and broke bread with the unclean. He protected the woman caught in adultery, and took the time to teach the Pharisee Nicodemus the truth about being born again. Jesus offered ministry. And we are to do the same.
Did you know that we lead more people to Christ through our benevolence ministry than we do any other ministry in the church? It's true. I suppose its because when hurting people come to the church, looking for a hand up, they're a lot more willing to listen to what we have to say about God when we show them we really do care about them in the here and now. But this is exactly what we have been called to do. Whether we are supplying clothes, food, heat, or other necessities, "unto the least of these," we must always do it with the intent to tell people the truth about heaven and hell. Every gift of mercy given in this life must be done with the desire that they not have to experience unrequited cries of mercy in the next.
The final implication is this - we have received some mandates. And I'll be succinct about what they are.
Our first mandate is to understand what Jesus is telling us about heaven and hell. Hell is real. It is horrible. And apart from Jesus Christ, hell will be your destination. Place your faith in Jesus as the Christ of God, and you will never see the flames and torment of heaven. Put Jesus aside, and all guarantees are set aside as well.
Our second mandate is to tell the truth about heaven and hell. The most unloving thing we can do is to lie about hell. Its going to make people angry, its going to scare some people, but at least they'll know the truth. The only way a person can make an informed decision is if they have been told all the facts. Everybody is going to spend eternity in only one of two places - heaven or hell. Wise is the person who upon hearing the facts, chooses to live by faith to receive the promises of heaven.
Where are you today? Are you living in the temporary illusion, or are you living in the eternal reality? Today is the day to sign your forwarding address, so that when your day comes, you will not eternally be far from heaven.
There are many, many people today who can identify what it is like to "go through a living hell." All joking aside, all you have to do is watch one of these talk shows like Maury Povich, Jenny Jones or Jerry Springer and see what I'm talking about. These shows that are called, "I've got a secret to tell," may as well be called, "come to the show so I can rip your heart out on National TV in front of a studio audience." These shows appeal to the lowest common human denominator, which is just to see somebody worse off than ourselves. We see people tell their spouses that they're having an affair, that they're gay, that they want a divorce, or any number of dysfunctional revelations. And for every sensational one that ends up on the afternoon TV screen, there is likely hundreds that aren't scandalous enough to make good TV, but are equally devastating to a person's life.
And I'll tell you this - things don't have to even be this dramatic to be this devastating. There are a whole assortment of "everyday miseries" that can send people spiraling into "a living hell." Sometimes it is the death of a spouse, or the abduction of a child. Perhaps it is being fired, demoted, transferred. Sometimes it is the disappointment of a child's fall into drug addiction. Any number of things can cause a person to go through life day by day, feeling like they are in absolute misery, suffering in "a living hell."
Did you know that there are many people who believe that we are actually living in hell right now? They believe that nothing can be worse than what is occurring on this earth right now. This is a popular tenet of eastern religions that teach evolutionary spiritual experiences. There is no hell, except the hell that you experience here and now.
I can remember the first time I spoke with a person who held this belief. I was taking part in our weekly evangelistic visitation, and nobody had been home on any of the planned visits, so we began knocking on doors, hoping to meet with someone who would take part in our opinion polls. Well, this gal opened the door and was very polite, and answered the first 4 questions. Then, the fifth question, which is designed to be a segue into a gospel presentation, was asked. "what do you believe it takes for a person to go to heaven?"
Well, this previously very friendly lady then very angrily commented for the next twenty minutes about how she believed we were living on hell on earth. With the horribly atrocities going on between ministers and children, with the forced starvations, the genocidal practices of warring nations, with the lack of mercy demonstrated across the globe, she didn't know anything about heaven, but she knew that she was living in hell right here, right now.
While the experience we currently share called life can often be accurately described as "hellish," we need to be clear on the truth that it is not in itself 'hell.' One reason why so many people are unclear on this reality is because people aren't being told about hell anymore. In fact, a recent report has declared that sermons on hell have all but disappeared from America's pulpits. Pastors and preachers have exchanged the gospel reality that Jesus came to deliver a lost, fallen people from hell for a deceptive, flesh-honoring gospel of lies that declares that God loves us unconditionally and will take us in to heaven just as we are. Today, we're going look at what Jesus has to tell us about the reality of hell, not just so we will know that hell is real, but also that hell is in the future of many, lest we faithfully communicate the good news that God has provided one way to keep man from hell.
Please turn in your Bible to the book of Luke, chapter 16, and read along with me, beginning with verse 19:
There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, `Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, `Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'
Then he said, `I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, `for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' ''
Before we really get into the meat of today's Scripture, I just want to point that there is some disagreement between scholars about whether or not this is an actual account or if this instead, a parable. There are decent arguments for both sides of the position. But whether or not this is a historical account, the information regarding the life that follows this one is not a parable in its description. The locations are real, as are the experiences realized therein.
Now, let's first of all look at the fact that all experiences before death are best described as illusions. We'll look at the two illusions detailed here.
The first illusion is the illusion of life itself. Jesus presents two people here for comparison. The illusion of life is illustrated in this first person we meet, this 'certain rich man.' A few older manuscripts of this text actually have a name for this man, "Dives," which is what the Latin Vulgate uses to translate as "rich." But look at what we know about him. He is very wealthy. He lives an extravagant life. He is dressed in fine linen, and the fact that he's dressed in purple is likely symbolic of a royal position. The Bible also says that he dined sumptuously every day. This is a double statement of this man's seeming full life because not only does he dine sumptuously, but he does so every single day. We also see that this man was so wealthy that his home was large enough to have a gate. In every way, this man appeared to be living on top of the world, not needing for anything, and indulging in life's every luxury.
Now, the counterpoint to the illusion of this man's life is the illustration of the illusion of Lazarus' strife. Lazarus is in every way the antithesis of the rich man. Look at how we are introduced to the man. The Bible says "laid at the gate." This literally translated means that he had been cast at the gate. This man was in such poor shape that not only did he not have a home, but he had been thrown outside the gate of the home of a prominent man, that he might survive on the mercy and grace of one who was living sumptuously every day.
Look what else we learn about him. He is covered with sores. We know he wasn't a leper because he wasn't in a leper colony. He was begging in public, and was outside this man's gate, so he likely was covered with ulcerous sores. Moreover, the man was so pitiful that even the dogs came and licked his wounds. Something that should be pointed out is that, back then, dogs were not the Lassie-like domesticated pets that they are today. They were considered by the Jews to be nasty, disgusting scavengers that were impure, unclean animals. So, for Jesus to be telling the Pharisees about this pathetic man who was so destitute that even dogs licked his sores, it likely elicited a major "eeeeww" response. One more thing. He was longing to eat. This meant he was starving. His hunger had gone unfulfilled. He was ravenous. He was so hungry that he just wanted to eat the scraps from the rich man's table. When the servants of the wealthy man would throw out the day's leftovers, this man would have to wrestle the dogs for a bite to eat. And from the sound of it, he came out on the short end more often than not, with the mangy mutts snacking on his open sores just to add insult to ignominy.
Oh yeah…one more thing. His name is Lazarus. His name - it means, 'helped by God.' Some help, right? Boy, if anyone ever felt a sickening irony to his own name, it had to be this guy. This guy had nothing. He was in the throes of agony, of misery, of illness, of poverty, of destitution, and he carries the name helped by God! Now, from our perspective, if anyone was experiencing hell on earth, it was Lazarus.
In our mixed audience today, there are probably folks here who can identify with both of these characters. Some of you here today may not have a want in the world. Your bills are paid. You don't know what it means to be hungry. If you want something, you buy it. If you need something, you get it. You may carry a title, or are just well-respected in the community. Or, you may be more like Lazarus. You might know what it means to go hungry, to have to eat Top-Ramen when you've been craving Filet Mignon. You might be weak, sick, and too poor to get medical attention. You may be in physical, mental, emotional, or relational distress, feeling like you are experiencing "a living hell," that you are far from heaven, and you are crying out, "God, I need your help!"
I want you to know, whichever circumstance better describes you, you need to understand, your circumstance is just an illusion. I'm not saying that the bad times and the horrible experiences are just in your head. What I am saying, though, is that these experiences, as bad as they are, an unending as they seem to be, will pass. I've said many times that some of my favorite words in the Bible are, "and it came to pass." If your life is unhappy, unhealthy, unsafe, or even unlivable right now, please understand that it will pass. But the same is true on the other side of the coin. Even if you are on top of the world, even if everything is coming up roses. Even if everything is going your way. Even if you are always walking on the sunny side of the street. Even if your future is so bright you have to wear shades. Even if they make up a brand new cliché just to describe just how good your life is, know this: its an illusion. It will pass. Good times come. And good times go. And you are no different.
We see this is exactly the case with both the rich man, and also poor Lazarus. The great equalizing event arrived to both of them. Verse 22 tells us, "Lazarus died," and then just a few words later, "the rich man died and was buried." Yes, death greeted them both. And from the world's perspective, the same inequity that they experienced in life followed them after death. We see that the rich man was buried. Lazarus, on the other hand, received no such luxury. As a poor man, an unclean man, had his body thrown out and burned on the trash heaps on the outskirts of town.
But here is where we see the illusion unmasked. The Scriptures say that Lazarus was carried up by angels to the "bosom of Abraham." Friends, this is heaven. Notice that he didn't have to "do any time" in purgatory. He immediately was carried by angels into heaven. And know this, too. He didn't earn his way there. He was a nobody, a scumbag. A loser. He was, as the Pharisees liked to say, unclean. And he was immediately in heaven. The rich man, on the other hand, was immediately in hell. Literally, the word here is "hades." And now, the real reality has begun. Now, this man who for his whole life lived in the illusion of living in heaven on earth, now truly understood what it means to be far from heaven.
Let's spend our time now discovering the isolation of hell. First, see that the rich man was alone. The Bible says he looked up and saw Lazarus afar off in Abraham's bosom. He was not surrounded by his cronies, by his pals, or by his fellow rulers. He was by himself, and from a distance, he saw the man he used to only be able to look down upon from his mansion windows, now nestled in the comforting arms of his father of faith, Abraham. He was not comforted that there might have been other people there. In fact, this is one aspect of hell that people need to understand. Heaven is described, as I said last week, as forever being where Jesus is. It is the total abandonment of self because one is in the presence of Jesus. Hell, on the other hand, is the total focus upon self, because a person in hell is forever separated from God. All that matters in hell is the understanding that a person is forever apart from God. There is no company in hell. There are no block parties. There are no quilting bees. There is no community. There is only the isolation of being alone. Apart from God. By yourself.
We also discover that the rich man was also aware of his location. He looked up and saw Abraham and Lazarus in His bosom afar off. One of the chief miseries of hell apparently is the eternal awareness of one's separation from God. That fixed gulf is forever in front of a person in hell. There is no forgetting it. There is no rationalizing it, like, "well, I'm not in heaven, but at least it's a dry heat." There is no comfort in hell because a person in hell is forever aware of the reality that they are not, nor ever will be, in heaven.
Reading on, we see that the rich man in hell is also in agony. Look at what the rich man begs of Abraham, "have pity on me!" "Send Lazarus that he may dip his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame." Well, that paints a pretty descriptive picture of the place, doesn't it? The world needs to understand this. Hell is not a country club. Hell is not going to be fun. Just like last week when I said heaven was so far beyond our comprehension and is so much more than a bunch of boring people strumming on harps while sitting on clouds, hell is not going to be a wild place of carousing and carrying on. I not long ago heard one man say that he wanted to go to hell because that's where all his friends would be, and they would turn hell upside down. I pray for that man to have a change of heart because he will be miserably disappointed. Hell is a place of torment. It is a place of agony. It is a place of misery.
Last, in regard to the isolation of hell, the rich man discovers that he will always be there. You've heard this truth woven throughout the previous three points. Hell is a place of eternal isolation. Hell is a place of eternal separation. Hell is a place of eternal desperation. You will be alone. Forever. You will be apart. Forever. You will be aware. Forever. You will be in agony. Forever. Just like heaven is an experience that is no longer bound by time, so is hell. All the wristwatches, pocket watches, and clocks burn up in hell. Hell is the continual "now." Alone. Aware. Agonizing. Always.
It is in this setting that the rich man cries out for mercy. And Abraham replies thusly, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "
To this, the rich man cries out, "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' And instead of a comforting word of agreement, the rich man hears these words of indictment.
Abraham first conveys an indictment that the brothers are unbelieving. Abraham says, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them." He's basically saying here that every person alive has had enough convincing testimony given to them about the realities of heaven and hell. Abraham is not being coy or even cruel. What he is saying is that the problem with people, and these five brothers are a perfect example, is not that they haven't been told, its that they have chosen not to believe. Literally, "Moses and the prophets" means that God has given them the entire law, and all the necessary prophecy to come to a faith relationship with God. If you look at Hebrews 11, you discover a common element of the Old Testament personalities who will be found in heaven, eternally. They are there, by faith. Not by the adherence to the laws, not by paying lip service to the prophets, but by recognizing that the law and the prophecies were given so that man could come to God by faith in the Messiah, who is Jesus.
This is the same problem today. People are saying all the time, "I'd believe if…" If God would give them a sign. If God would reveal Himself. If God would do this, or that, or the other. The fact has, as His Word declares, revealed enough of Himself that no man will have an excuse. No man. No person. And He reveals Himself continually. With every breath you take, He has revealed Himself. With every baby that is born. With every lightning strike. With every whisper of the wind. With every raindrop. With bird's song. With every hymn sung. With every Bible-based sermon preached, no matter how poorly. If you've ever received love of any kind, you were able to do so because God revealed Himself first through the love of Christ. If you've ever received any benevolence, any grace, any mercy, any hospitality, any peace, any acceptance of any kind, it is because God has first revealed Himself to you, to us, to this world. And He expects us to believe!
But not only were these brothers under the indictment of unbelief, but they were also under the indictment that they were unconvinceable. The rich man tried to argue, "No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent." But to this, Abraham says, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'' Understand just how powerful of a statement this is - he's saying that these men wouldn't have been convinced if even the spirit of a dead man came and visited them and begged them to repent! Their unbelief was so profound that nothing could convince them.
Jesus recognized this reality in people. Many, many people followed Jesus for a time. A majority of those people were looking for signs. They were looking for the miracles. They were looking for evidence, proof, something they could sink their teeth into, so to speak, that He was in fact, the Messiah. As long as He was healing the sick, or raising the lame to walk, or giving sight to the blind, they were right there behind Him. Its easy to follow someone when you can see their power, their might, their majesty. But John chapter 6 says that many followers left Him when He gave a difficult teaching on the bread of heaven. We also know that when Jesus went to the cross, He went there alone, because everybody abandoned Him. Everyone. They believed as long as they could see with their own eyes, but as soon as they were challenged to look with eyes of faith, they wouldn't believe, and they couldn't be convinced.
Things are no different today. Many people today wouldn't be convinced even if an angel appeared to them, or their dear, departed, godly aunt Ruthie to tell them that the assertions of the Bible are true. Why? Because nothing seen with eyes of flesh can convince a heart made cold from unbelief. Faith does not come by seeing, it comes by hearing. Faith is the substance of what we hope for (or expect), based upon what we cannot see. People consign themselves to hell due to their unbelief, and their inability to be convinced.
We close today by looking at the implications of what Jesus tells us about hell. This is what I mean by the implications - everything that Jesus details in this account of the rich man and Lazarus comes to fruition, or is proven true, using a variety of means.
The first means used is a miracle. Turn to John 11, and read this, about when Jesus came upon the tomb of His dear friend, also named Lazarus, who had been dead for four days:
Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone.'' Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.'' Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?'' Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.'' Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!'' And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go.'' (John 11:38-44)
Interesting, certainly, but see this in chapter 12, when Jesus was dining with Lazarus a few days later:
Then a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests took counsel that they might also put Lazarus to death, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
You see, the very word of Abraham, spoken first and even more authoritatively through Christ was that the unbelieving could not be convinced even though one rise from the dead. This is exactly what happened, and the Pharisees, the "God experts" conspired against Jesus even more so, rather than falling on their faces in worship.
Now, what implication does that have for us? Simply this. We are witnesses and partakers in miracles every day. If you belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ, you are the recipient of a miracle. The deliverance of your soul from heal into heaven is God's greatest miracle. You, as the Bible says, have been raised to walk in the newness of life. If you have received the miracle of a regenerated life, then you must walk in that eternal reality. Live as one who is going to heaven, rather than one who is destined for hell. Not only are you to live in the reality of the miracle of your own salvation, but live in the reality of bringing the good news of salvation to others. I think the only thing that surpasses the experience of leading someone to faith in Jesus Christ is the knowledge that some day, there will be a reunion in heaven with that very same person, and the two of you will join in the heavenly chorus singing praises to the eternal King, Jesus. Our life in Christ is to be defined by miracles.
The second implication is ministry. You see, the rich man, in agony in hell, desired ministry from Lazarus. Just to get a drop of water from the beggar's fingers. But upon death, the time for ministry ceases. But until death, our life is to be defined by ministry. Remember, Jesus offered the Bread of Life and Living Water to all who would receive it. We should do the same. This is the offering of the miracles of God. But He also fed the multitudes, shared fellowship with the undesirables, and broke bread with the unclean. He protected the woman caught in adultery, and took the time to teach the Pharisee Nicodemus the truth about being born again. Jesus offered ministry. And we are to do the same.
Did you know that we lead more people to Christ through our benevolence ministry than we do any other ministry in the church? It's true. I suppose its because when hurting people come to the church, looking for a hand up, they're a lot more willing to listen to what we have to say about God when we show them we really do care about them in the here and now. But this is exactly what we have been called to do. Whether we are supplying clothes, food, heat, or other necessities, "unto the least of these," we must always do it with the intent to tell people the truth about heaven and hell. Every gift of mercy given in this life must be done with the desire that they not have to experience unrequited cries of mercy in the next.
The final implication is this - we have received some mandates. And I'll be succinct about what they are.
Our first mandate is to understand what Jesus is telling us about heaven and hell. Hell is real. It is horrible. And apart from Jesus Christ, hell will be your destination. Place your faith in Jesus as the Christ of God, and you will never see the flames and torment of heaven. Put Jesus aside, and all guarantees are set aside as well.
Our second mandate is to tell the truth about heaven and hell. The most unloving thing we can do is to lie about hell. Its going to make people angry, its going to scare some people, but at least they'll know the truth. The only way a person can make an informed decision is if they have been told all the facts. Everybody is going to spend eternity in only one of two places - heaven or hell. Wise is the person who upon hearing the facts, chooses to live by faith to receive the promises of heaven.
Where are you today? Are you living in the temporary illusion, or are you living in the eternal reality? Today is the day to sign your forwarding address, so that when your day comes, you will not eternally be far from heaven.
just pray
I had an awesome visit this past Friday with one of my closest friends. He ministers in Texas as a youth pastor, so we don't get to see each other often enough. Anyway, he shared this story (you may need to register with the Dallas Morning News to read it -- I did, but its free) with me while we were together. The church is nearby his, apparently. Anyway, the story was inordinately shocking to me.
a couple of thoughts.
1. The majority of fatal wounds in ministry are self-inflicted
2. Things appear to have been handled well.
3. This man, his wife, and this church need many prayers.
4. Somehow, in time, God will glorify Himself through this. By faith I believe this, although I can't imagine how.
a couple of thoughts.
1. The majority of fatal wounds in ministry are self-inflicted
2. Things appear to have been handled well.
3. This man, his wife, and this church need many prayers.
4. Somehow, in time, God will glorify Himself through this. By faith I believe this, although I can't imagine how.
signs of the impending apocalypse #16
a muslim rap group hip hops for allah
this didn't make the list simply because these three guys feel the call to drop a base line for the false prophet. This story makes the list because MSNBC works so hard to fawn over their efforts.
this didn't make the list simply because these three guys feel the call to drop a base line for the false prophet. This story makes the list because MSNBC works so hard to fawn over their efforts.
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