I Demand a Recount!

Chalk one more up for the Republicans: John McCain narrowly defeated Barack Obama in the state of Missouri by 3,632 votes, an astounding .12% of all votes cast!

Just goes to show that Republicans ARE winning at some things this post-election season...

By the way, this makes the margin
Obama: 365
McCain: 173

And even if we doubled McCain's score he STILL couldn't win. Dang it... =)

Colbert Report - War on XMas

Hey guys, tell me what you think:

Personally, I love the line about "If there's one thing Jesus cares about, it's semantics!"

Saltiness

In the ancient world, salt was one of the most valuable commodities. Much like gold or oil today, salt was desired by all of the nations of the world. Wars were fought over salt; black market deals were made; wealth was made and destroyed… all based on this little white crystal. In many nations salt was better than currency. Roman soldiers were often paid in salt; indeed, the root of our term “salary” is derived from salt!

Salt had many uses in ancient times. It acted as a preservative for meat and other foods, allowing food to be stored for longer periods of time. Salt was also used for flavoring, giving new dimensions to regular foods. And unbeknownst to people in the ancient world, salt is a necessary part of life. It is the basis of the electrolytes that each of us needs for our bodies to function properly. Salt in the right quantities is needed for the body. Interestingly, too much salt is bad for us. It adds to high blood pressure and heart disease. However, most people in the ancient world yearned for salt; it wasn’t readily available or accessible to most people. Indeed, most people couldn’t afford enough salt to meet their needs; they were simply too poor to be able to afford it. Thus, salt was strongly desired by all people.

During Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples that they are this precious commodity. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men” (Mt. 5:13). In Luke 14, Jesus makes a similar statement: “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.” Jesus reminds his disciples that they are the salt of the earth: they have come to bring goodness, taste, and life to people who need it. They are called to be salt so that people can come to know God. Jesus reminds them to always remain distinct and “salty.” The last thing the world needs is for the disciples of Jesus to lose their saltiness and start becoming bland, like the rest of the world. We are called to season, not to “bland” in. Intriguingly, Luke’s version of this story comes amidst the discussion of counting the cost of being a disciple. Jesus tells his followers to decide whether or not it is worth it to them to continue to follow him!

The question still stands for us today: Do we want to be salt or do we want to be bland like everyone else? Jesus calls us to remain salty, and to use this nature to show the world what real life is like. But we have to decide: Is it worth it to be different? Is it worth it to us to NOT be like everyone else? Simply put, are we willing to be salt or do we want to become lifeless (and worthless)? What the world needs is salt. The students of KU need salt in their lives. So do members of your family, your coworkers, your neighbors… The world needs to taste what salt is like through our lives. Ultimately, our example will bring goodness, flavor, and life into a dead, dull, bland world.

Way too talented...

This guy is amazing. He is really, really good. It's hard enough to TALK as a ventriloquist, let alone sing. And... to sing like anybody else is almost impossible. This guy is AH-MAZE-ING! Seriously...

Worship and Social Justice (part 1)

Too many of us think that worship is all about our time with God. It's about the songs we sing, the sermon we hear, the Lord's Supper... These are (some) of our acts of worship. We believe that worship is what we do on Sunday mornings when we assemble together. Or, if you were to ask another (more well-informed) Christian, he/she would tell you that worship is more about a lifestyle. Romans 12:1 tells us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." Thus, worship is about a lifestyle, the way that we act in the various aspects of our lives. It's about bringing God glory and honor in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. It's about the way we treat our co-workers, our friends, our family, the guy we see standing on the street corner... It's about our reaction to homeless people and the poor... And about our reactions to those where God is the furthest thing from their mind.

Let me see if I can illustrate it a little better... If you were to ask an Israelite during the period of the Divided Monarchy, he would tell you that worship involved (1) following the Law of Moses, and (2) offering the proper sacrifices to Yahweh. However, when God was talking to his people he told them that the sacrifices and the Law were a good starting point, but without a life of mercy it was all worthless:

Isaiah 1: ""The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me... wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."

Micah 6:6-8: "With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

A host of other verses make the same requests. God does not need the sacrifices; they are for men, not for God. What God wants is for us to make a difference in the lives of other people... But, let me make a confession: this is REALLY difficult for me to live by.

More to come tomorrow!

Christianity and Politics

Today we are going to tackle the two subjects you are never supposed to bring up: religion and politics.

At this point we all know that Barack Obama has won the Presidential election. The campaign has been going for over 18 months and has crisscrossed every state and territory of the United States, and we have finally decided who the next leader of our country will be. All I have to say is, “I’m glad that it’s over!”

Many of you are excited over the outcome of the election. Others of you are disappointed. More than one person has told me that it is the end of the world, or at least the end of the American way of life. But I want to let you in on a little secret: who the president is matters very little in the Kingdom of God.

In Romans 13, Paul tells the Christians in Rome to obey their earthly rulers because they were appointed by God. Paul writes this about Nero, the Roman emperor who will eventually put Paul himself and hundreds of other Christians to death for their faith. Paul reminds them that they are called to be good citizens but not to worry so much about who is in charge.

We must remember that ultimately our citizenship is in heaven. As Paul writes to the Philippians (another persecuted people), he tells them, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Our savior is not the newly elected President, Senator, or Congressman, it is Jesus Christ!

We must remember that we are American Christians, not Christian Americans. The emphasis is VERY important. We are Christians first, and as such we are primarily concerned with the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdoms of this world. We need to be more concerned with making the Kingdom known in our world.

So, fellow Christian citizens, remember to work for the Kingdom of God this week and always wear your citizenship there on your sleeve.

KU Needs to start an AA meeting...

There is an astounding statistic in the University Daily Kansan today. The average KU student spends $999.04 on alcohol in a given school year.

Now, take into account this aspect of the statistic: approximately half of the 30,128 students are not legally allowed to drink. That's not saying that they don't, they just cannot legally. Whether you agree with the law or not, it is the law as it stands today. Let's go with the lowest number, 13,000 students who are not legally able to drink, and let's say that 70% (10,000) of our students do not break the law (whether by religion, preference, or indifference. That's probably a generous number, but go with it.) Thus, doesn't that mean that the average student actually spends closer to $1700.00 in alcohol in a ten-month period?

What does this mean for my ministry? What implications does this hold for my work with students? This is what I am trying to figure out...

I don't have a problem with drinking IF you are (a) legal, and (b) not drinking to excess. Paul tells Timothy that Godly men are not partakers of much wine. But Paul isn't a teetotaler; he tells Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach.

So... I am struggling with where to begin. What do you think?

Always remember: Jesus is LORD!

Christianity and Politics

This post is simply a copy of a lesson I delivered on Sunday, November 2nd, at Southside. Many of you have asked for a copy of my notes, and others have been involved in discussions with me concerning the political future of America and the election of the new President. I hope these makes sense, and I hope they spur you on to think more critically about a Christian's role in government. Please dialogue with me and let me know what you think...

___________________

Stanley Hauerwas – “Our current social ills in America are forcing us to recognize that they cannot be cured by the techniques of pluralist politics… American political behavior has been very moralistic but (in the end) not very moral.”

THE BIG QUESTION:
To what degree should a Christian participate in government?
Should a Christian be involved in local/state/national government?
Should we vote?
What role does our faith play in our politics?
Should we participate in military service?

Early Christians DID NOT participate in their local government:

Christians persecuted not for their faith but for their unwillingness to acknowledge Caesar as Lord.

The problem was political; the Roman Empire cared very little about anyone’s religious beliefs as long as they would accept Caesar as Lord

Centurions/soldiers were called to give up their position in the military as soon as possible

Etc.

The Churches of Christ (and others in the Restoration Movement) originally held a separation ideal as well.

The Restoration Movement called for Christians to remain separate from their government

However, a number of members were actively a part of the government at all levels

James Garfield became the 20^th President of the United States

Lipscomb (et al) called for all members of the CofC to put their allegiance to God first and stay out of the Civil War

A number of CofC members fought for both sides, however

Big movement within the church to return to Pacifism

Christianity seems to fall on one of two extremes:

Radical political activism, OR

Jerry Falwell, Pat Roberson, James Dobson, Christian Coalition, Religious Right, etc.

Governmental Abstinence

Biblical View

Politics in the Bible

Patriotism comes from the Latin root patria, which means father. Thus, patriotism is the love of one’s fatherland…

Abraham as a Patriarch…

Verses to Examine:

Exodus 19:5-6

God chose a nation, Israel, and chose to work through them

Matt. 22:15-22

Paying taxes to Caesar

Jesus does not tell them to negate their political duties; they are to continue paying taxes, etc.

Matt. 17:24-27 – Temple tax

Part of being a Jewish male

Active vs. Passive participation:

At this point some of you might be saying, “Ok, we are citizens and called to support our government passively through taxes, but does that mean that we are to play an active role in politics?”

Which is an EXCELLENT question, by the way!

I believe the answer is “Yes!”

Early Christians were not above using their citizenship:

Paul is a Roman citizen and uses it to his advantage in different situations

Acts 16:37-40

Acts 22:25-29

Paul tried to reach people from all social spheres, but intriguingly we find him talking to governmental officials:

Acts 13:12 – The proconsul of Cyprus

Acts 16:29-33 – The Philippian Jailer (a governmental position)

Acts 24-26 – Paul’s trial before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa

Philippians 4:22 – Those in Caesar’s household

Part of being salt and light

Matt. 5:13-16

Romans 13:1-7

Paul tells the Christians in Rome to stop defying the government

Sounds like they are refusing to pay taxes or even acknowledge the governmental officials…

Intriguing, because the first instances of persecution happen in Rome

Instead, acknowledge that God is in control and has a purpose…

Our Role as American Christians

Which of these political positions would you consider Christian?

- Pro-life/anti-abortion
- Welfare and care for the poor
- Providing medical help to those who can’t afford it
- Protection of the environment
- Peace from war
- Against homosexuality
- Social security and care of the elderly
- Immigration issues
- Capital punishment
- Separation of church and state
- Public prayer

***Actually, all of them have some basis in Scripture***

Some are questionable:

Separation of church and state, AND

Capital punishment, since the Bible speaks both for and against it

But all are biblical positions. And intriguingly, they fall on both party lines! Despite what some Christians might tell you, you can be a Christian and be a part of EITHER political party!

So...VOTE!

Not just on one issue!

There are too many interrelated issues!

Do your homework!

Too many issues and positions that are held!

You might like one candidate’s stance on the war but hate their stance on the economy, etc.

How much does character weigh in?

REMEMBER: Ultimately our citizenship is in heaven…

Philippians 3:20 -- "Remember that your citizenship is in heaven..."

Stanley Hauerwas, “Politics, Vision, and the Common Good,” in Vision and Virtue: Essays in Christian Ethical Reflection (South Bend: Fides Publishers, 1974), 234, 236.

Happy Belated All Saints Day!

I’ve never been much of a fan of Halloween. Call me crazy, but I have never been fond of dressing up in a costume, walking around in the cold, and collecting strange candy from even stranger strangers! (Plus, I am not a big fan of chocolate, so I assume that has something to do with it.) But November 1^st, that’s a day I can get into!

Many of us don’t realize that November 1^st is considered a holiday around the world as well. It’s “All Saints Day,” the day when goodness and light reigns after the night of “darkness” before. Now, there are all sorts of rituals that accompany the All Saints tradition from the Catholic and Orthodox churches that I don’t adhere to. But I love the idea of a day that remembers the “saints” that have gone on before us.

In Hebrews 12 we are reminded that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, both those who have gone on before us (some mentioned in Hebrews 11) and others who live around us today (both Christian and non-Christian). We look to those who have gone on before us as our examples and our mentors. He discusses the faith of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, and others who served God before us. None of these individuals were perfect but each one was faithful, and because of that they reside in the spiritual Hall of Fame. They serve as our examples. We are called to run in the great race of life, keeping our eyes on Jesus, and surrounded by others who are in the midst of the race as well as those who have gone on before.

The most common term for Christians in the New Testament was “saints” (‘αγγοι). As Paul addresses his fellow Christians he refers to them as saints (2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1, 15; Phil. 1:1; etc.) As Christians we are all saints. The word literally refers to “holy ones,” people who have been called to be holy. As Christians we are the “holy ones,” even though we haven’t gotten it all together yet. None of us are perfect but hopefully each one of us is faithful. We are called, as saints, to continue the race of life in holiness as we keep our eyes on Jesus, surrounded by others in the midst of the race as well as those who have gone on before.

So, dear saints, Happy Belated Saints Day! I hope it was a blessed one for you! Remember to be faithful this week.

I do have one interesting insight into the campaign:

Neither candidate could be strong on the environment. Have you noticed how much gas they are consuming through their travels? Airplanes, buses, motorcades... They might as well name an ozone hole after them!