FORGOTTEN

Don't tell anyone, but back in the 80's Mike and I were teaching Sunday School and had taken our second graders off campus for a McDonald's treat.

When we loaded everyone back into the Suburban, somehow we didn't count right.  That's right, even back then it was a real life nightmare.

The missing boy had gone into the bathroom and when he came out, he  realized his class had left him.  He was forgotten.

To a much greater degree, that's how Joseph in the Bible must have felt.  We have been going through the life of Joseph at church this month and last Sunday, we talked about how Joseph was forgotten.

You may think your family is dysfunctional, but imagine being at the bottom of a well and hearing your brothers come to a consensus about how to finish you off.  Imagine the humiliation of getting sold into slavery to a caravan of Esau's pagan descendants.  Or what about Joseph's ascension to the top of Egyptian hierarchy, only to be falsely accused and thrown in the slammer.

Think Joseph didn't feel forgotten by God?

I try to imagine myself in those circumstances.  Could I have Joseph's attitude that displayed an amazing lack of bitterness?  Could I have squelched my inner "Poor Pitiful Pearl" and her whine "That's not fair!"?

As you read Joseph's story, all you see is his confidence that God is on the throne.  I want to be like Joseph, a "type" of Christ.

Last Sunday we also talked about the white spaces in our lives.  Ever felt like you were stuck in the white space?

Joseph was SEVENTEEN when his brothers sold him into slavery and THIRTY when he was raised to power in Egypt.  That leaves a pretty long white space of thirteen years.  Thirteen long, incarcerated years.

Joseph hoped for TWO YEARS after he interpreted the baker and cupbearer's dreams, thinking that would earn his release.

Had God forgotten Joseph?

God the Father was making Joseph more like His Son so that when Joseph's moment came and Joseph faced his brothers and saved his nation, he could say with certainty and forgiveness... "you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good".

WHEN WE RUN OUT OF STEAM IN THE WHITE SPACES AND QUIT, WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE END OF OUR STORY.  Joseph kept on.  David kept on.  Paul and Peter kept on.  We shouldn't quit in the middle of our story.

Know the rest of the story about our forgotten boy at McDonalds?  He was resourceful and started walking...alongside busy Rodney Parham Road!  The good news was someone from our church was driving by and stopped to pick him up.  The bad news was it was Robert Lewis (our pastor), so our sins found us out.  I can't believe his parents still speak to us.

Your story, my story, and the second-grader's story are all important to God.  He made you for Himself and His plans are for your good.  If you are in a white space, He is the Lifter of your head.  Lean into Him because He PROMISES to never leave you or abandon you...and God keeps all of His promises.

P.S.  If you are feeling forgotten and think Sunday's sermon would be encouraging, this will take you to an AUDIO FILE.  

POTTY MOUTH

Last week I was getting gas at WalMart at a busy time when all the pumps were full.

Suddenly a woman roared up, slammed on her brakes, and hung out her window, screeching like a fishmonger at a man who must have cut her off in traffic.  She let out the most awful blue stream I had ever heard and it seemed to go on for five minutes as she repeated some words over and over.

I cringed once for myself and then again for the little kiddos in the car behind me who heard her.

Foul mouths are everywhere.  Once a man's sport, cursing became a woman's sport...and now sadly, even a child's sport.

Whether we are in the marketplace, watching television, or seeing foul words posted on Facebook...everyone's doing it.

Lately I'm "clutching my pearls" as I think of the unlikeliness of a political candidate who asks people to follow him while his mouth is as nasty as an infected sore.

Times they are a'changin.

Let's think about what's so bad about foul language...

RESPONSIBLE
People should know that there will be an accounting for those who misuse God's name.  God is holy and tossing His name around (in an oath/cursing/using it for evil purpose) is disrespectful.  Don't we pray "hallowed be Thy name"?

REDUCTION
Using coarse words reduces us to a lower level.  "Don't use foul or abusive language.  Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."  If words don't bless God or lift others, aim higher.

REVEALING
Our words are like a report card for our hearts.  When life squeezes, what's inside comes out.  Jesus said "The mouth speaks from what fills the heart.  The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.  I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." 

The above THREE "R's" are addressed to Christians, but the principles apply to everyone.  Non-Christians should know irreverence will be held to account, they shouldn't reduce themselves to a base nature, and they should care about their heart condition.

FAIR WARNING:  habits are hard to break and this one will require the help of the Holy Spirit.

How about these quick principles?  SHOW GOD SOME RESPECT.  If you want others to listen or follow you, SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.  And because we were given our mouths to praise God and lift others up, STICK WITH THE PLAN.

PERSECUTION

At one time, Satan was the angel with greatest rank and access to God.  His responsibility was to take worship from the other angels and present it to God.

That must have proven intoxicating because there came a time when Satan began to desire God's worship for himself.  He wanted to be LIKE God and then he wanted to BE God.  Speaking doubt to other angels, he engaged a third of them to join his rebellion.

So here we are today and Satan has access to us and to God.  He takes the truth about us and speaks it to God...but he comes to us with lies.

Ever had Satan whisper lies in your ear, massaging truth so you'll doubt God?  Has he appealed to your base nature...brought up your past to put you down...declared to you there is no hope?  Satan persecutes God's people while God preserves them.

Satan is a spiritual terrorist.

There is a trail of tears that illustrates Satan's malevolence toward God's people as he tries to thwart what God has planned.  Here's just a "flyover":

BEFORE CHRIST
*Satan whispered into Eve's ear and led the first couple to disobey God; as part of the resulting curse, the Lord cast them out of the garden.

*The Lord was pleased with Abel because Abel believed God's promise that He would send a Messiah (shown by the offering God required and Abel brought); Cain listened to Satan, became jealous, and killed his brother.

*Satan led the people of Noah's day to rebel against God; God's judgment was a flood that would destroy the world.

*At the Tower of Babel, Satan's influence worked disobedience in the people; God scattered them all over the face of the world into people groups with differing languages.

*God picked Abraham to build a family which would carry His word to the nations; Satan turned his fury onto the Jews because their bloodline would bring the Messiah into the world.

*Satan foments fear and distrust with the Egyptians and they enslave Israel; God sends a deliverer and then preserves Moses' life to lead God's people in the exodus.

Joash, the last surviving royal, is crowned King of Israel.

*When King David was on the throne, all but one of the Messianic line was killed by Satan's followers (see 2 Chronicles 22); but God preserved a remnant by having Jehosheba hide the baby Joash in the temple for six years.

*Haman was influenced by Satan in Esther's day to lead a genocide against the Jews; but God moved a pagan king's heart and instead, the wicked Haman was killed on Mordecai's gallows.


AT THE TIME OF CHRIST
*King Herod was fueled by Satan's lies about Herod's power...and all the baby boys are killed in Israel; but God has no rival and an angel warns Joseph to take the baby and flee to Egypt.

*Satan thought his battle was won when Jesus died on the cross; Jesus arose because God is sovereign.  There is nothing Satan can do that will prosper if God has willed otherwise.  Still, it doesn't stop Satan from trying.

SINCE THEN
Jesus said Satan is not only the father of all lies, he is also a murderer.  Here is a brief list of how Satan has inflamed anti-Semitism to avoid the birth of the Messiah who would insure his demise:

*over a million Jews are slaughtered in 70AD destruction of Jerusalem

 and the temple

*the first Crusade ended with thousands of Jews in Jerusalem killed

*Jews are killed or expelled from Europe 

(from England in 1290, from France in 1007, 

from Spain in 1492 during the inquisition

*in the Middle Ages, Jews were blamed for the black death

*in Russia, Jews were blamed for the death of Czar Alexander II 

and pogroms were instituted

*three million Jews were killed during Stalin

*six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust

But wait a minute.  Why has Satan targeted the Jews AFTER Jesus was born?  In Hosea 5:15, the Lord says "I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and look to me for help.  For as soon as trouble comes, they will search for me."  If Satan can destroy the Jews, they will have no way to officially acknowledge their rejection of Jesus and ask Him to return.

IN THE FUTURE

Revelation 12 describes Satan as a powerful dragon who God throws down to the earth.  Knowing his time is short, Satan will be filled with terrible anger as he begins the predicted tribulation ("Jacob's trouble").

People down the timeline have called out to God to return and remove our "ancient foe who works us woe".  He has said He will return.  Knowing God keeps all His promises brings great comfort.  

God the Son, the mighty Lord of hosts, will return to fight the battle.  Spoiler alert: God wins. 

REVELATION

Last week, Beth and the boys were pizza-hungry and we headed to Mellow Mushroom.  As we waited for our order, an ear-splitting fire alarm lifted us off the seat.

The good news was there wasn't a fire; the bad news was they couldn't turn off the fire alarm.  When the noise drove us outside, a big red fire truck arrived shortly to provide great entertainment for the boys.

Warnings are good unless they are false alarms...or worse, if they are either unrecognized or ignored.

That's why the LORD told the apostle John to write down a vision that God gave him for what is ahead.  Since then,  the book of Revelation has proven to be both a warning and an encouragement for God's church for two millennia.

Often Revelation's imagery makes our imaginations explode and we want to look away.  But the words were given by God in love to prepare us for the testing that will come upon the whole earth.  Setting out His protection and His wrath, the Revelation words deserve careful study that we might unlock all that He has for us to learn.

Having just completed Revelation 11, our BSF study is halfway through the twenty-two chapters.  Here are some thoughts from our lecture notes and Scripture study:

DEJA VU, ALL OVER AGAIN.
In response to the wickedness of men, once the Lord cleansed the earth with a flood and began anew  with Noah.  When iniquity is ripe, He will repeat the process.

The apostle Paul told the men on Mars Hill that God has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He designated, having provided proof to everyone by raising Him from he dead.

God's love is rich and full, but another of His character qualities is justice, which demands a response. The full gospel includes God's love AND His wrath.  We must repent.

WHO'S NUMBER ONE? 
God begins the Ten Commandments by requiring that He be first in our hearts.  Egyptian history has taught us that Pharaoh thought he was God, before he found out the hard way he wasn't.  Pharaoh also thought all the other Egyptian gods were God.  Again he was proven wrong as each was proven helpless against the One True God.

From Egypt's first plague (when the water turned to blood) to the end times in Revelation (when the water again will be turned to blood)...God sends judgment and mercy.

He shows MERCY by serving warning through the plagues.  The result?  The Bible records there were Egyptians who left with Israel in the exodus.  God was JUST in that He did not ignore wicked men's choice to spurn their Creator to serve the created.

WHO IS WORTHY?
In Revelation 4/5, we get to peer into heaven and see the joyous celebration and worship around the throne.

A booming angel's voice asks "Who is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals?".  John cried because no one was able, but then the Lamb of God steps up.  In a fashion emblematic of His priesthood, the Lamb ALONE is worthy to stand between God and man.

These seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, and the bowl judgments begin  the process which ushers in the return of Jesus and the remaking of the earth.

EARTH'S DEVASTATION.
As God pours out His wrath on what He has made, we can stagger under the magnitude of the famine, murder, disease, earthquakes, volcanoes, stars falling out of the sky, and the moon and sun going dark.  The demon locusts from Chapter 9 are particularly freaky.

Those who want to save the earth may have not taken into consideration that the Lord Himself will destroy it.

GOD'S PROTECTION. 
The church age ends and God faithfully calls others to explain Himself to the world.

One hundred forty-four thousand Jews are saved and given spiritual sight in multiple miraculous instances that attest to God's promise-keeping power and mercy.  They go out to serve as evangelists during the tribulation.

How else does God protect?  His sweet mercy protects us by warning us in the book of Revelation.  He sends His angels to hold back the winds in order to protect His chosen Jews.  Then God places a seal on their foreheads, showing ownership and His power to ensure their security.

Chapter 11 shows the same protection for the two witnesses who many think are Moses and Elijah.  They faithfully proclaim repentance until it is their day to die and God releases the beast from the abyss.  Then for a period of time as wicked men celebrate over their dead bodies in the street, the Lord God puts breath back into their bodies, stunning the watching world.

The All-Powerful One who gives salvation keeps us safe until our purpose for Him has been made complete.

REGIME CHANGE.  Revelation 11:15 is a shiny verse which describes the moment when God takes back what is rightfully His.  It's the moment for which WE HAVE PRAYED when we say "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven".  Handel contemplated this Revelation 11:15 verse before he wrote THE MESSIAH.  The martyrs under the altar have continually asked God for this moment so that God would come, avenge their deaths, and make things right.

IT'S THE MOMENT WHEN GOD'S KINGDOM COMES.

Of course, when you chose sides for dodgeball in third grade, you didn't choose after the game began.  So the time for salvation is now.

Believers hope when the trumpet sounds we have been removed because the destruction will be beyond anything before in human history.  In His mercy, those left may still call on God's name.  They will remain in the fray, but their eternal destiny will be intact.

SALVATION AND WRATH.
Revelation 10 speaks of an angel giving John a little book and telling him to eat it.  We know that God's words are to be taken in, so we believe this book to be the Bible.

John takes them into his mouth and they taste sweet (just as God's words are sweeter than honey).  But then as John digests them, they make his stomach sour.  That is because John is understanding that God does not save everyone.  Not everyone repents, but it troubles John that those with a stiff neck will be tormented for eternity.

The gospel is more than "God loves you".

Are you ready for judgment?  The ferocity and frequency of natural disasters are sounding alarms.  Yesterday Alaska recorded a 7.28 quake.  Last week we saw a CBS report about a coastal school in Westport, Washington which has built a "vertical evacuation shelter" to protect children against a tsunami that they expect when earth plates move and cause a big earthquake.  Scientists say a "supervolcano" @Yellowstone is overdue.

The Bible makes reference to "earth dwellers" in the Revelation.  That is not just a geographic term, but a description of people with their eyes on earth rather than heaven.  It is inconceivable to read that as the sixth trumpet blows and God's judgment falls on a third of mankind, the remaining earth dwellers will not repent.  They will not join the One Who Reigns Forever because their hardened hearts are beyond the day of grace.

Don't be an earth dweller!  Lift your eyes to heaven by reading the Revelation.  And then pay attention to the warnings God gives us because it is not in His character to give false alarms.

A warning does no good if it is ignored or unrecognized.

CHRISTMAS/NEW YEARS GREETINGS, 2015

Little girl dreaming at Macy's window in 1949.

The Cruses would like to stick our heads in with our best wishes at these last 2015 hours.

We hope your Christmas celebration was rich with family and brought all that your heart desired.

As Mike and I look back over our shoulders at the last year, we think of the many graces that the Lord has shown us.  We KNOW we don't deserve them, so it swells our  gratitude and brings tears to our eyes to think of it.

THANKFUL.  We think of God's great gifts of marriage and family, for allowing us to birth kids and then for them to marry and have grandkids that make our lives sing.  The grandgirls in Little Rock and the grandboys up here in Fayetteville give us such unbridled and enthusiastic love.

May I offer just one short Will story from last week?  He and I were in the back seat one day with Papa and Beth up front.  Not being able to contain myself, I cut my eyes over and said "Will, if you're not careful I'm gonna come over there and smother you in kisses!".  His eyes lit up and with a big grin he said "I not careful, Mimi!"

Life is good with grands.

The littles have an affinity for one another.

There were no names on tags, just character qualities for the
year.  Nate shows great perseverance in his hard work.

Hanna shows creativity, leadership, and
consideration for others.

Caroline loves and gives generously.

Lily is patient and a great Kindergarten student.

Will loves his family and is kind to others.

After the unwrap, Papa asked each grandchild "Why do we give gifts?".  Then the rest of us got a big gift as we heard their hearts.

What is it, Mimi?

Tall and short people ran through the house like banshees in a Nerf war.

NEWSWORTHY.  I guess our biggest 2015 news is that our house sold and next fall we will be residents of a retirement community in Fayetteville called Butterfield Trail Village.  Perhaps you read the story, but if not, here's the LINK.  The bulldozer showed up on 12/30 to begin construction.  

Thirty-four years ago, a group of five churches considered how to live the James verse which charges Christians to care for widows.  That's how  Butterfield was born.  Today it has grown beyond expectation to include a staff of 200 who make life easier for 400 residents on 44 acres.  

The average move-in age @BTV is 75 and neither of us can believe Mike will be 74 next March.  He may be the only resident over there who routinely climbs trees and has slain 21 piggies this year.

As we sense this season of our lives changing, we appreciate our home which has made life very pleasant.  At the same time, we look forward to saying goodbye to maintenance outside and inside.  And we hope to give our kids a gift as we go through our "stuff" and downsize so they don't have to.  If it doesn't kill me, I'm gonna be so minimized by next Christmas. 

CONCERNS.  Scripture says a lot about not fearing, but instead to trust God.  Haven't we needed that reminder this year?  Our world is colored by the fear of terrorism, making this post less happy clappy than some.  Just an objective glance at the AP's "Top Ten" stories of 2015 shows half to be about ISIS or their evil deeds.  World history shows that this is not the first time radical Islam has risen as a bloodthirsty predator.  Still, who DREAMED we would see such raw evil unleashed on civilization?  And what is our role in all of it?

God is allowing the nations to prove the glories of His righteousness.  That means...by their deeds all people earn what is coming as the next kingdom is about to be ushered in.  Never before has that Joshua verse "choose ye this day who you will serve" been more appropriate.  

WHO SHALL WE SERVE?  
Will it be law or grace?  Grace is the message of the movie "Les Miserables".  Didn't you love to see the transformation when the Bishop put the silver candlesticks into Jean Valjean's hands and caused him to feel his worth?  The law may have targeted  Valjean, but it was grace which melted his hard heart.   

That's why Islam has no power except by the sword.  Islam offers no generosity through forgiveness, and none of grace's sweet relief.  It only offers duty with no guarantees.  Then when the supply of duty-energy to "religion" exhausts, you are back at square one to getting closer to God.  Not all roads lead to heaven.  

WHAT'S AHEAD.  The Lord's timetable is His alone; He certainly hasn't shared it with Mike and I...or with anyone else.  But He does give signs and signs are everywhere. No one can deny the hole we have dug for ourselves.  If we ever needed rescuing, it's NOW as civilization's outward attack competes with the attack from within.  

The Christ Child offers a way for people to come and go with Him, but He will not force anyone to be with Him.  Meanwhile, the world is also calling.  

CORRUPTION.  The world's fragrance is decadence, and crooked choices are everywhere.  In his new movie, Leonardo DiCaprio asks us to consider the power and draw of beastiality...Glamor magazine asks us to suspend common sense to honor a man as "Woman of the Year"...Americans put on hold rational thought and clear evidence in order to support Planned Parenthood's carnage and profit...and youth are drawn to a swashbuckling murder/rape kind of life with ISIS. 

THE TASK.  In the past, we may have curbed hostility from countries with foreign aid dollars.  But we can't buy off terrorists who come from countries all around the world.  We can't reason with their evil intent that is beaten into them from early years and permeates their culture.  So how do we preserve Western civilization?

We may shudder at the closeness of evil and especially for the world our grandchildren will inherit.  But the apostle Paul said we shouldn't be overcome by the darkness.  Instead, we are to overcome evil with good, one choice at a time.  First we respond to Jesus' call, and then with purposeful intent, live the gospel/share the gospel as the Holy Spirit leads.   

As we share the gospel, the Book says it should go to the Jew first.  After all, the Christ Child is the only baby who could pick His ancestors and He chose the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  (On that subject, we found this Christmas eve article very interesting.)  Would you consider how you could flesh out that calling in the New Year?

Jean Valjean found his worth and future in God and was a changed man.  May our world include MANY of his tribe in 2016.

  





  

SAINTS

Did you celebrate All Saints Day yesterday?  It felt good to be done with Halloween's darkness.

Who are the saints and why do we celebrate them?  Men say certain people are saints by canonization, but who does God say the saints are?  Let's start at the beginning:

QUESTION:  What does the word "saint" mean?
The Greek word "hagios" (saint, holy one) means someone consecrated to God or "called out".  Saints are people set apart for the Lord and His work.

QUESTION:  How do you get to be a saint?
There are SIXTY-SEVEN times the Bible uses the word "saints" to refer to believers; only once is the word used as the singular noun "saint".  And in that one usage, saint is used in the larger sense ("Greet every saint in Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you." Philippians 4:21).

Saints are people who have asked Jesus to cover their sins and then live for Him.  

QUESTION: Where are the saints...in heaven or on earth?
Both.  But the majority of Bible verses that speak of saints, the verses are instructions to Christ's body, the church.

....."To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours" 1Corinthians 1:2

.....(Paul speaking of his persecution of Christians) "And I did so in Jerusalem.  I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them."  Acts 26:10

.....(Paul praying for the Ephesians) "...that since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened - so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what is the wealth of His glorious inheritance in the saints..."  Ephesians 1:18

.....(Ephesians 6:18) "With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints."

.....(Paul writing to the church at Rome)  "To those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" Romans 1:7

.....(Paul preparing the Romans for Phoebe's arrival) "Welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many, including me." Romans 16:2

.....(Paul to Christians who were suing Christians in Corinth) "or do you not know that the saints will judge the world?  And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits?"  1 Corinthians 16:15

QUESTION:  What do the saints do?
In Ephesians 4, it says when Jesus ascended He gave gifts to men of preachers, teachers, prophets, and evangelists...to "equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ."

Why do we need full stature?  Sometimes I need it because I feel like I'm flopping around as I follow Him.  The passage goes on to say "Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth."

We learn from teachers/preachers/evangelists/prophets so that we can be equipped for the work of ministry (building up/adding to the body of Christ ).  We mature in Christ so that we can love others to Him.  That is our work on earth.

And at the same time we are also working out our sanctification, earning crowns, and clothing ourselves in righteous deeds.  My works do not save me; my shame has already been dealt with at the cross.  But as I follow the urging of the Holy Spirit, I am adding to my reward which will be distributed at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  There He will evaluate how well I have used the gifts He has given me for His kingdom... from the day of my salvation forward.

QUESTION:  What about the saints in heaven.  What do they do?  
The souls of saints above wait for the day of the Lord when they will regain their physical body and be like Him, once and for all, in a place without sin.  And they pray for justice on earth.

Should we pray to them?  WHY WOULD WE WANT A SIDEBAR WHEN WE CAN GO DIRECTLY INTO THE JUDGE'S CHAMBERS?  Christians have a great privilege to approach the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).  We all have people we ask to pray for us, but our best Advocate before the Father is the LORD Jesus.  "Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him because He always lives to intercede for them."  Hebrews 7:25

QUESTION:  Why do the saints need to set their hearts on things above?
We are not yet done with earthly things, but the souls in Revelation who are under the altar are praying from a whole different perspective.  There is a time coming when our affections shift away from the earthly.  There is no marriage in heaven and there is nothing we can UHaul into heaven.  Heaven is a place of undiminished and unfettered affection for a holy God.  How do I know?

In Revelation it speaks of the souls under the altar (martyred for Jesus' sake as were the Coptic Christians on the seashore) crying out  "how long, Lord?"

They are not praying for earthly things.  They are wanting to know how much longer until the Lord brings His glory and sets up His kingdom and avenges corruption. These saints LONG to see His Kingdom come so that things can be set straight.

QUESTION:  Where's the focus?  Canonization puts the focus on the individual's work...but seeing a believer as "saint" puts the focus on Jesus' work in the individual.  Canonization suggests that a candidate for sainthood has special deeds and status given after they die, but the Bible views Christians as a saint involved in service to the church while he lives.

In fact, Jesus is seen AS the altar in Hebrews 13:10. "We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat."  Amazingly, our Great High Priest IS both our Altar and our Sacrifice.  He does it all.  He is the Beginning and the End, the Provider and Provision, and the place of permission to meet with God.

QUESTION:  Have you made friends with the whole concept of being a saint? 
It's more than we can take in.  We know we're not worthy.

Why would He shower us with pardon and salvation and purpose and crowns and a future that reigns with Him forever?  Why?

We have disobeyed and disregarded Him and we deserve the place with flames.  Nonetheless, He makes us a saint if we have humbled ourselves before Him.

We give thanks to the Father for His qualification that allows us to share in the saints' inheritance in the light.

AN AMERICAN WELCOME

We had company last week.  Pope Francis came to see us and Americans poured out to hear him.

The reactions to his visit were all over the board; some were surprised at what he said and others were surprised at what he didn't say (such as not comforting the Christians who have lost everything in the Middle East).

The Argentine Pope also did not say "Jesus"...or refer to Scripture except in his address to Congress, when he spoke of "the Golden Rule".  That lead someone to call it the "Sermon on the Hill" (rather than "Sermon on the Mount").  Instead, Pope Francis seemed to live out in actions the famous quote from his namesake to "preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words".

Either way, it was gratifying to see people "reach out" for the love of Christ as seen in this compassionate man with cute expressions.

There are always the enterprising souls who figure out how to make money.  On NYC streets, these bobbleheads were said to sell for $50.









Others went over the edge into a weird kind of worship.

After the Pope left the podium in Congress, Rep. Bob Brady (Democrat, Pennsylvania) went up and swiped the glass of water that the Pope had used.

Rep. Brady drank from it and gave some to his wife, then saved the rest to sprinkle on his grandchildren.

The news put the Pope squarely in the spotlight all week, giving him access to millions.  It was a rare opportunity when so many had spiritually attentive ears.  Such receptivity was tailor-made for the reason Christ left His church on earth...so that we could be net-casters, throwing out the message that explains how to go home.

Washington, D.C.

Madison Square Garden, NYC

Philadelphia

The theme of religious liberty came up first at the White House and then often, with the Pope following up on that by visiting the Little Sisters of the Poor.  He stated "Religious freedom is not just a matter of thought or private devotion.  It is the freedom to live - both privately and publicly - according to the ethical principles that are a consequence of the truth found."

The Pope is a soldier for the sanctity of life and he defended traditional values and spoke often of protecting the institution of marriage in a day when it is in danger (a veiled reference to gay marriage).  He showed humility and compassion as he met with victims of the priest sex scandals.

There were also political statements about things besides the gospel. Pope Francis spoke of global warming and the environment, two subjects on which people of good will may disagree.

We remember it was Pope John II who apologized 350 years after the church condemned Galileo (link) for what the scientist believed about the Sun and the Earth.

After reading Scripture about the sun moving and the earth standing still, Galileo's mind was challenged about the beliefs of his time.  Years later we know Galileo was right, but he had to recant to save his life from the Inquisitors.  And in the end it was the church who changed, not Scripture.

A lot was said about the dignity of man and the Pope demonstrated that  concern by serving the homeless and visiting the prisoners.

Can man's dignity be enhanced any more than to see his hope in Christ?  People need to know God dignifies man as He makes man in His image, demonstrates man's worth in the Son's volunteer mission to exchange His life, and then assures man a place in His family by adopting him and making him joint heirs with Christ.

Poverty was also discussed.  No one advocates doing nothing about poverty, but the gospel goes over poverty's head.  Jesus and his disciples were dirt poor but spiritually rich for eternity.  Any man is rich if he knows the certainty of his future.  One day this blip of time will be over and tables will be turned forever.  Meanwhile, we work to make things better while we are here.  And what is the best partner in that?  A free economy has done more to help people out of poverty than any nation's socialistic redistribution.

It was good to hear the Pope's encouragement to immigrants to be good citizens.  Our country benefits from people who want to assimilate and join us in this great experiment of liberty.  Indeed, a borderless country throws away the guarantee of liberty which makes us unique.   And just an aside?  The Vatican is considered a city-state and they have a very high wall and very strict borders to preserve their uniqueness.

Pope Francis appears to be a wonderful shepherd who loves people and serves effortlessly.  He gets applause for his humble efforts to contrast the Vatican's opulence with his Fiat ride and living quarters.

Even though the little girl who ran up to him was planned and rehearsed, the Pope's enjoyment of children seems nonetheless genuine.  At seventy-eight, the Lord has blessed him with an incredible strength and perseverance as he  carries out his assignment.

Bottom line?  Now that Pope Francis is gone, if people are still thinking about the papal man rather than the Son of Man...then the spotlight is misplaced.  And while calling people up to good deeds is noble, if his audience assume salvation comes as a result of those acts of mercy, then such an impression can be personally costly.  Why?

The Pope demonstrated kindness, but onlookers might say "I'm just not like that; I don't love people like he does so there's no hope for me."  That's why the kindest thing would be to throw a lifeline by explaining how one comes to God and receives life-change through Christ.