Showing Love

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:34-40  (NIV)

How have you shown love recently?  Okay, this isn't a condemnation to anyone, but merely a reminder.  Jesus himself said that everything in the Bible and the words of God's prophets boils down to only two things:  love God, love each other.  We are called to love God with everything that we have in us.  And because we love God so much, we are supposed to love each other at least as much as we love ourself.

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.  1 John 3:11 (NIV)

How far does this love go?  Pretty far!

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  1 John 3:16 (NIV)

How do we do this?  How do we actually love each other?  By acting in the right way.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESB)

I want everyone to take these words to heart.  Love God more than you love anyone or anything else!  And love each other by not being rude, not being arrogant or boastful, acting patient, not being irritable, and treating each other as we want to be treated.  Such is God-like love, and this is how God looks at us.

Obsession With The Christian

Recently on the Facebook group for Fans For Christ there was a discussion about preachers condemning the "evils" of Pokemon.  The thread was pretty long, and I'm not going to repeat it here (join the group if you want to see that and more). But one of my good friends posted a comment that really struck me and I thought it was worth repeating.  Here are his words...

Of course, one could turn it around, and say that what we are defining as "too much God" or "obsession with the Bible" is better expressed as "not enough God" and "obsession with the Christian".

For these sorts of things seeks to answer the question "What must I do, that will make God love me?". And a second question, like the first, "What must I do, that Satan shall not conquer me?". And so preachers and teachers, most times out of compassion and care for their flock**, will search the scriptures, seeking to find The Answer which will calm the conscience.

But we tend to seek that answer solely in terms of "what I must do", or "what must I avoid", and under such terms we miss the Cross, and what Christ Himself has won for us. In our religion, we miss God and His Christ, because we tend to seek only ourselves.

"What must I do, that will make God love me?"

Nothing; he already loves you to the point of death and beyond. "Believe in Him whom He has sent." He has called you and redeemed you out of death's shadow, for His sake, for love's sake (but now I speak redundantly). So act without fear, in the perfect love already given to you.

"What must I do, that Satan shall not conquer me?"

Remember that your Lord has already conquered him; he is in great wrath, for he is a defeated enemy. "I saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightning." "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!'" "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This is what we should find, when we seek after God and search the scriptures: the Christ who saves us and keeps us. Who loves us in spite of ourselves, and who gives that love freely.

Silence

I was given this poem today, and it made me think of Psalm 46:10.  He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; 

Silence is not a lack of words.
Silence is not a lack of music.
Silence is not a lack of curses.
Silence is not a lack of screams.
Silence is not a lack of colors
or voices or bodies or whistling wind.
Silence is not a lack of anything.

Silence is resting, nestling
in every leaf of every tree,
in every root and branch.
Silence is the flower sprouting
upon the branch.

Silence is the mother singing
to her newborn babe.
Silence is the mother crying
for her stillborn babe.
Silence is the life of all
these babes, whose breath
is a breath of God.

Silence is seeing and singing praises.
Silence is the roar of ocean waves.
Silence is the sandpiper dancing
on the shore.
Silence is the vastness of a whale.
Silence is a blade of grass.

Silence is sound
And silence is silence.
Silence is love, even
the love that hides in hate.

Silence is the pompous queen
and the harlot and the pimp
hugging his purse on a crowded street.

Silence is the healer dreaming
the plant, the drummer drumming
the dream. It is the lover's
exhausted fall into sleep.
It is the call of morning birds.

Silence is God's beat tapping all hearts.

Silence is the star kissing a flower.

Silence is a word, a hope, a candle
lighting the window of home.

Silence is everything --the renewing sleep
of Earth, the purifying dream of Water,
the purifying rage of Fire, the soaring
and spiraling flight of Air. It is all
things dissolved into no-thing--Silence
is with you always.....the Presence
of I AM

Elaine Maria Upton

Pastor Or Shepherd?

My favorite TV series of all time is the tragically short-lived Firefly.  It should be no surprise that one of my favorite characters in that show was Shepherd Darius Book.  In fact, I created a sermon around this character.



However, the reason for writing today has more to do with terminology than the theology of Book.  One of the things that was unique to the series was the use of "Shepherd" rather than "Pastor" as the title for religious leaders.  At first I thought it was a very odd change.  But the more I've thought about it the more it makes sense and I really like it.

There is actually a lot of Biblical basis for the title of Shepherd.

Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.  Jeremiah 3:15

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
   He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
   Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
John 21:16

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 
Acts 20:28

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 
1 Peter 5:2

Now the word pastor is actually used in the New Testament, in Ephesians 4:11:  So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers. The word itself actually does mean "shepherd", originating from the Latin pastorem.  So in essence and reality, Pastor and Shepherd mean the same thing.

The reason I prefer the title of Shepherd is because of the imagery.  When you use the word Pastor you conjure an idea of a religious leader and often a specific person.  The title is so ingrained in church history and even bureaucracy that it can seem more of an administrative term than anything else.  I have a lot of respect for many pastors I know, and many people with this designation do amazing work to help people.  But to me "pastor" has lost a little of its original meaning and impact.  It's so common that its essence has been diluted and it is often merely a word and not a source of inspiration.

Which brings me back to "shepherd".  When I hear the word I get a specific mental image of someone guiding and protecting their flock.  Combine that with the verses related to shepherds, sheep, and flocks, and I get a good idea of someone who should be leading a church or a group of believers.  I think I'd prefer to be led by a Shepherd rather than a Pastor because of what the first word seems to mean or imply.  And yes, I know that the effectiveness of the position lies in the person and not the title.  Even so, I think it might be good to change things up a bit and go back to the idea of a Shepherd.  I really doubt most church-goers know where "pastor" originates.

As a leader of Fans For Christ I have become a sort of pastor for the group.  I help organize the group, give sermons, and am looked to as a spiritual leader.  However, I don't want to be called pastor.  Instead, refer to me as "Shepherd Bern." 

Define "Christian"

Here's a question for the couple of people reading this blog...what is a "Christian"?  That's something that has been puzzling me lately.  I've seen the title of Christian be used to describe plenty of people that I think are only marginally Christian as well as those who may give lip-service to the Bible but don't actually live according to the teachings of Jesus.  So what does it really mean?

It's not as easy as many might think.  Some of my friends have defined Christian as someone who has accepted Jesus as their savior, and as the intercessor for their sins.  Technically, that is correct.  However, that rather simplistic definition includes many people that are outside of mainstream Christianity and who hold beliefs contrary to the Bible, such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.  So do we need a stricter definition?  Well, that makes sense, but who is going to write it?  The New Covenant that came with Jesus' death is supposed to free us from laws and regulations, not put us under more.  Christianity is supposed to be about freedom, not a checklist of do's and don'ts to "qualify" for heaven.

I'm still struggling with figuring it out, but I think that we should go back to the original meaning.  "Christian" was used in an almost derogatory manner and very simply means "little Christ".  To me this means that we should act like Christ.  We should be little examples of Jesus.  When someone looks at us they should be able to see Christ in us and through our actions. 

So how do we become miniatures of Jesus?  Reading and studying the Bible, especially the New Testament.  I've started a personal Bible study where I'm going through the Gospels and looking at how Jesus acted. Not what he said, but what he did.  How he treated people, when he prayed, who he hung around, and so on.  My goal is to be a little Christ, to figure out how to act like Him.  Once I learn that, then maybe I'll start to truly earn the title of Christian.

What Christmas Is All About

It's just a few days until Christmas, and of course this means many things to many people.  Presents, parties, family gatherings, shopping, Santa Claus, the birth of Jesus....  But what does it really mean?  What is Christmas really about?

The answer is rather simple, actually.  Simple enough for children to understand it and simple enough to be put in a short segment of a cartoon.  So in celebration of the season, and if you're wondering what it's all about, I give you the answer....

A Christian Defense Of Halloween

I am a born-again, conservative, evangelical Christian.  And I love Halloween.

Not exactly the common perspective and comment among such Christians, but frankly I get a little tired of hearing churches and Christians come down on the holiday.  I know there are plenty of sites and emails touting the horrible, pagan events surrounding Halloween and why Christians should run as far away as possible from these events.  But let me give some of my reasons why I hold a different opinion.

First, let's look at the origins of Halloween.  The name itself originates from "All-Hallow-E'en", or the evening before All Hallows Day.  Also called All Saints Day, this is a solemn holiday on November 1st celebrated by many Christian denominations.  The day commemorates all who have attained sainthood and hold a special place in Heaven.  The name Halloween was first used in the 16th century.

The events around Halloween are mostly attributed to the Celtic celebration of Samhain, though older origins have been suspected.  Samhain was seen as an end to the "light" part of the year and the beginning of the "dark" part of the year.  The day was not a celebration of the darkness, but a recognition of the transition from one part of the year to the other and usually involved bonfires to ward away the darkness and evil spirits.  Yes, modern Wiccans do still recognize the holiday, but as a way to honor and pay respect to people who have passed on, not to perform evil ceremonies.

Most of the traditions we now associate with Halloween were actually used to trick or ward off evil spirits, not encourage them!  Costumes and masks were used by the Gaels to trick ghosts and other evil beings into thinking that the people were actually some of their own kind, and therefore not anyone to try and harass or possess.  Pumpkin-carving originated with large turnips that were hollowed out and placed in windows with lit candles inside as a way to repel evil spirits (while turnips were common in Scotland and Ireland, where the practice began, immigrants to America used the larger and more common pumpkins as an alternative).  The practice of carving pumpkins was a harvest-time tradition in America and didn't become specifically associated with Halloween until the late 1800s.

So as you can see, the day of Halloween stems from a belief that evil and ghosts more easily walked the earth on this night of transition from light to darkness, and the desire of the people to protect themselves against such horrible things.  As Christians, we should very much support such ideas and traditions, as we also should seek to prevent and ward off evil influences.  Costumes, pumpkins, and other things associated with Halloween are supported by our fight against Satan and his minions.  There is NOTHING inherently evil about these things, and nothing against God.

What about all of the pagan symbols associated with Halloween?  Shouldn't we avoid it because of such things?  Yes, we should not support anything that is going to promote a view other than that the Bible is true, Jesus is the messiah, and God is the supreme power in the world.  We should worship only God, and nothing or no one else.  But is participating in Halloween supporting pagan rituals?  I hardly think so.  Anyone who can't discern between worshiping Gaia, casting a spell in a circle of candles, and dressing in a costume among friends needs to get a big dose of reality-check.

Okay, so what about the pagan origins of the holiday?  Yes, Samhain started among the pre-Christian Celts and Gaels.  So?  If we ignore or lambast Halloween because it has a few traditions that started among non-Christians and pagans, then we also need to get rid of our two big Christian celebrations:  Easter and Christmas.  Don't believe me?  Let's look at a few things very briefly. 

One of the biggest symbols of Easter in modern culture is the Easter egg.  Painted eggs date back to the ancient Zoroastrians many centuries before Christ was born.  Christians have looked at the egg as a symbol of new life, renewal, and resurrection.  However, similar beliefs of the symbolism of eggs were also held by ancient Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Gauls, and Chinese.  A rabbit associated with the date can have origins with the goddess Eostre. Notice her name?  The monk Bede wrote that Easter derives its name from this diety, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring.

Christmas has even more pagan influences!  First of all, the date is nowhere near when Jesus would have been born.  If you read and analyze the Biblical accounts, Christ was born in the Spring.  So why do we celebrate it in December?  Around that time of year the Winter solstice occurs, which was a major pagan holiday as the longest night of the year.  There are various debates as to why this time was chosen to celebrate Christ's birth, but many believe that it was a method of the church to entice pagans to celebrate Christ by associating their existing holidays with Christian ones.  The church couldn't get rid of the celebrations already established during this time, so they provided alternate ones.  The Roman holiday of Saturnalia is most commonly associated as the source of the date, and involved gift-giving and celebration.  The colors of red and green traditionally represent the fertility of males and incubation of females, a rather pagan viewpoint.  Red berries, mistletoe, holly, and wreaths all have pre-Christian origins among pagan beliefs.  Christmas trees were first used as such in the mid-15th century.  However, pagans commonly looked at evergreens as a symbol of everlasting life, and would use them in their celebrations.

Many traditional, conservative Christians are against Halloween because of the pagan origins and images.  Yet if we applied the same analysis and criticisms in the same way to other holidays we wouldn't be able to say "Easter", have Easter eggs, Christmas trees, Christmas presents, and a host of other things that we as Christians hold dear.  If we can adopt and use pagan traditions in other holidays, or even ignore where our "Christian" traditions come from, why can't we do this with Halloween?

What does Halloween mean to us in the 21st century?  Ask a child about the holiday and they'll say that it's all about dressing in costumes and getting free candy.  They have no idea at all about anything "evil".  Yes, some of the decorations and costumes have monsters, ghouls, ghosts, and other scary things.  But such images are not inherently evil, nor are spooky stories.  The Bible has numerous stories involving ghosts, witches, demons, and the dead coming back to life.  As long as we are not holding Frankenstein and vampires above God, it's merely harmless fun.

Let's be real, folks.  Halloween is harmless fun and even its origins are about repelling evil, not celebrating it or succumbing to it.  There is nothing wrong with a Christian participating.