Opus 2026-212: Monday Pulpit: Defining Hope

On Sunday the word “hope” stood out in one of the scriptures referenced. A quick look this morning could not identify the text but the point made is worth repeating.

When Christians talk about hope we run into the wall of common English. To most people hope is what you express when you buy a lottery ticket. It is the feeling you get when the “low fuel” light comes on. It is a wish, a fervent desire. We all know what it is to have dreams.

Christian hope is better expressed with the word “expectation” or “assurance”. That is an important distinction. I think of a recent conflict in our church. We did not know how it would work out. We know what we wished to see but our focus was on the assurance we had of God’s will being done. In the past year we have had two ladies struggling with cancer. One died. One has recovered. Both were sources of joy to those around them because they had the hope within them.

Look at our political world. We are so focused on Iran that we forget the aggressive nature of their Muslim beliefs. We forget the spread of Islam into the west and the simultaneous pressure of Marxism. We often wonder if there are any political voices that are in tune with what God wants to see. In the midst of that we have hope.

Historically there have been many times of disaster and chaos. We may be headed into another one of those. It is already there for much of the world. In the midst of that we need to never let go of the hope that is in us. God has worked through rebellious leaders and decadent societies before and He will do so again. Our job is to be salt and light and to be faithful.

One verse that keeps resonating in my mind is,

1 Peter 3:15 (NASB95) but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Let us live in hope, not of political progress or military victory, but in the assurance that we know the God of the universe.

homo unius libri

Opus 2025-419: AM and PM

I am not talking about time but Times:  Ante Muerte and Post Muerte.  Although I would not put the murder of Charlie Kirk on the level of the battles of Hastings or Tours, it is going to make a difference.

I am still surprised that I don’t feel rage over the phlegm in the face this represents.  I may feel a bit of anger but my predominate emotion is sadness.  I have a great sadness for his family and what they have lost.  That is enough to demand blood.  I also have a great sadness for the fools who think that the destruction of America will bring in days of dancing in the sprinklers and riding unicorns.  It won’t.  It will bring back the Dark Ages with a vengeance.  What these twinkies don’t understand is that when they are no longer useful idiots the Marxist overlords will send them to the Gulag.  If they are lucky they will just be shot.  They will not be living in the villas on the hill separated from the smelly rabble.  They will become the midden of Marxism.

In a sense I am not sorry for Charlie.  As a believer I know that he has moved on into eternity and God is probably explaining the plan to him.  We have questions, and rightfully so, but we also have faith and confidence in the big picture.  I think that if Charlie could sit down with us now he would be the least surprised at his death.  I think he knew it was inevitable.  I remember listening to one of his meetings at a college as he explained to one of his antagonists that he received death threats all the time.  I think he said there had been two attempts on his life.  He may have hoped God would spare him but he knew there was a target painted on his chest at every rally.  He still continued to serve God and America by going out in joy.

Keep in mind that the goal of terrorism is to get people to stop living their lives and huddle in fear.  They would love it if we were afraid to go out in public.  They would rejoice if we wanted the government to do something.  Pardon the conspiracy theorist in me but I am not sure that the deep state wasn’t involved in this some way.  Those are wins for evil.

What would cause celestial fist bumps from Charlie is if we go out more boldly, stand taller and speak up more powerfully.  If you need a tutorial on how to do that, go watch some of his interactions on college campuses.  I would always express to people how amazed I was at his courtesy and ability to be polite to people who were obviously deficient in truth and ability.  If we need a motto for the morning I would suggest,

(1Pe 3:14-7 NAS77) But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Go in grace and peace.  Keep in mind that our hope is not in Charlie but in the Jesus that Charlie served.

homo unius libri

Opus 2024-419: You Think You Have a Rough Life

You think you got problems with your wardrobe.  Consider what God did to the wandering Israelites,

(Deu 8:4 KJV)  Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

Or to put it in more modern language,

(Deu 8:4 NAS77) "Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.

Picture wearing the same clothes for forty years.  When I was pastoring I wore my one suit every Sunday for ten years.  It didn’t bother me.  It still fit.  What was the problem?  My wife would not have felt the same way, I guarantee it.

Think of this as one of the great trials that beset Israel.  They gripped about not having meat and food.  They complained because there was no water.  I don’t remember them complaining about their wardrobes.  Maybe I missed it.  Maybe it was edited out.  Maybe as ex-slaves they didn’t know any better.

What if the ambitious rabbis that came up with the 613 laws decided this was number 614?

Contrary to popular opinion, God does care about how we dress.  It usually isn’t so much about style as about attitude.  The best known is telling women not to have fancy hair.

(1Pe 3:3-4 KJV)  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Even more frightening is the parable of the wedding feast where one of the invited guests did not dress right.

(Mat 22:11-3 KJV)  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Does God care how you dress when you come to church?  I won’t reject you but I am not your problem.  It doesn’t tell us why the guest was not dressed appropriately.  It may have been something as simple as a green ribbon tied around the arm.  I would guess that the point has to do with attitude, just like Peter was talking about.

It is amazing how often the attitude of the heart comes up in the Bible.

homo unius libri

Opus 2022-262: Hope and Roses

It is time to wake up and tend the roses.

Trimming,

Watering.

Fertilizing.

Pulling the weeds.

It isn’t enough to smell them any more.

The roses are getting desperate even if they don’t know it.

Don’t forget I Peter 3:15.

(1Pe 3:15 NAS77) but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Make them ask.  If you have the hope Peter is talking about you are a giant step ahead of the people around you.  In spite of that they probably won’t want to hear what you say.  Listen for potential open doors that are accompanied by minds and hearts.
 

Answer with kindness.  Accept the fact that when it comes down to it, they may not be interested in the answers.

Love them enough to be willing to try.

homo unius libri

Opus 2022-143: Says Who

On a recent Zoom meeting we were discussing what we can do about the things going wrong all around us.  The consensus seemed to be, very little.  Who is going to listen to a bunch of old men?

But there was a note of hope and it was based in our hope.  We talk to many people as we go through out day.  If nothing else, us old people talk to a lot of medical professionals from the receptionist to the specialist.  We tend to waste that time talking about nonsense or carping about politics.  Maybe we should target using that time to share why we are not depressed:  We have a hope.  One verse I like that relates to this is,

(1Pe 3:15 NAS77) but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

This assumes that we have an outlook on life that is rooted in the hope of Jesus as Lord.  It demands that we cultivate attitudes that radiate that hope.  It means that we can share why we are not panicked over what is coming like gangbusters.  We may be preppers, in fact we should be but we are preppers with a hope.  We buy extra food in case we need it, not because our hope is in a can.  It is so we can be in a position to extend the love of Jesus in an emergency not to guarantee that we will be untouchable.

The man who shared this had just spent months in the hospital with extensive work being done on his heart and kidneys.  He is still looking at kidneys that don’t want to function correctly.  The doctor said he would be that way until he dies.  He is rejoicing and expecting and sharing about the hope he has no matter how long his kidneys last.  His obvious security and positive outlook caused a dissonance that caused people to ask him to give an account of the hope that is in him.

We can do the same.

homo unius libri

Opus 2020-247: Hope and Fear

I find the level of fear discouraging when I am out and around.  There are obviously people who see through the whole attempt to control by panic but there are also a lot of people who really believe they are going to die if they take a free breath.

This is a good time for believers to explain to people why they do not fear.  You might want to review the following,

(1Pe 3:15 NAS77) but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

If you are a believer you have a hope.  That is not an empty wish but an assurance.  Because of that you should not be walking around in a tizzy.  The opportunity comes when you get a chance to explain to people why you are not frozen with fear.  Your confidence is not in a rational analysis of the numbers, although that would certainly reduce your concern.  It isn’t a belief in science or medicine, although we have the best in the world.  No, you hope is in the Creator.

If you are a believer you are not paralyzed by fear are you?  Maybe it is time to review what you should be telling other people.  As my son said when he was a college student with his head being opened up to remove a growth, “What is the worst that can happen?  If I die I get to be with Jesus and I don’t have to take the final.”

homo unius libri

Opus 2017-393: A Thanksgiving Warning: Call Before You Dig

You have seen the signs.  They warn you about power cables and possibly buried plumbing.  If you start digging without knowing where the danger is you can find anything from death to calling a plumber.

Apply that to your family and friends as you gather for fellowship this year.  Today is Thanksgiving and Christmas is coming.  They say there are two topics that are risky at best:  Religion and politics.  They are also some of the most vital.  You may need to go there but it always pays to know where the 220 cables are before you start the backhoe.  Tread gently.  Know where reverse is.  Start with the knowledge that you may be wrong and you definitely don’t know everything.

Perhaps a review of a Biblical principle is in line.

(1 Peter 3:15 NAS77)  but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

This is about religion but the principle applies to politics or anything else that is touchy.  Start with the right attitude.  Let other people bring things up.  Explain clearly.  Always be courteous and kind.

And keep in mind that you don’t know how well they are wired.  We had a light that would not work.  We thought that it was because it was getting no power.  The electrician found out that it was somehow connected so it was getting power from both wires and touching either could at least give us a nasty shock.

When in doubt, dig somewhere else.

homo unius libri

Opus 2016-289: Bumpers and Plates: Esse Quam Videri

I noticed a license plate recently.  The bottom said, “To be rather than to seem”.  It was in big enough print for me to read but I couldn’t get the top line without running into the car in front of me.  It looked like some strange name.  I later Googled the phrase I had seen and found out it was from the Latin, “Esse quam videri”.   That looked like what I had seen at the top.  It turns out it is a well used phrase.

According to Wikipedia it is the motto of North Carolina as well as a long list of other organizations.  Evidently Machiavelli reversed it to videri quam esse (to seem rather than to be).

I am afraid that our culture is into Machiavelli.  At school I talk about it being smoke and mirrors.  We see the same thing in politics, the church, business and in our families.

The big question is the one dealing with what we can change.  Do we see smoke and mirrors in our own lives?  Are we being or seeming?  I think we can tell.  What is necessary is a commitment to be honest with ourselves.  We know what we really think.  We know when our words and public commitments are done out of fear or for show.  Hypocrisy begins in our hearts long before it is expressed by our actions.

I think we can change our world if we change ourselves.  James Dobson used to tell a story about a meeting he attended.  At the time he was the elder in the room.  Most of the rest were young women just getting started in life.  On a table was spread of coffee and whatever went with coffee in that venue.  They were invited to partake and one by one they said they really didn’t want any coffee until the question was asked of Dobson.  I got the impression he was the last one.  He said, “Yes, I think I would like a cup.”  As he walked toward the table everyone else suddenly got honest and declared they would have some also.

We may not have anyone follow, at least at first, but if we don’t start standing up to the count there will be noone to follow.  If you are a Christian then this is not really an option.  We are called to be witnesses for our God.  If you are not a believer then you might also have an inner moral fiber that is not happy with silence.

Lets begin to speak out.  But whether you are a believer or not the guidelines of the Bible are a good reminder of how to do it.

(1 Peter 3:15 NAS77)  but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Make a difference in your corner.  Esse quam videri

homo unius libri

Opus 2016-7: Middle Class Morality: Real Tolerance

Americans are an incredibly tolerant people.  I refer to the real meaning of tolerance.  Tolerance is the willingness to put up with people you do not like or agree with.  It is extending them the courtesy that is due because they are also human beings.  It does not mean approving or supporting in any way.  It does not mean condoning criminal behavior because it is politically correct.  Well mannered endurance is a better way of describing it.

This is a Christian value that actually comes from the Old Testament law of the Jews.

(Leviticus 19:18 KJV)  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

It is the bedrock of how a Christian relates to people of different beliefs,

(1 Peter 3:15 NAS77)  but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

This is why the original thirteen colonies were able to unite into a single republic.  Each one thought of themselves as an independent, sovereign nation and yet they were able to give that up and work together in spite of their differences.  Tolerance is the heart of the federal system which is being suborned by the elitists of today.

We are a tolerant people because we are founded on the teachings of the Bible.  Tolerance became a middle class value because of that.  It still remains dominant but the attempt to remove the Christian influence is slowly eroding it.

If we reject this middle class morality we will soon be like Iraq, Syria, Spain, Rwanda and any other of the countries split by tribal hatred and racially centric thinking. 

Viva la middle class morality.

To be continued...

homo unius libri