Christ in You


Ever been to Murfreesboro, Tennessee?
Murfreesboro is a delightful town, not too far from Nashville. I visited there a couple of times in the late 1960’s while a college student. I remember it as rustic and yet bustling with energy. I have been told that it has changed a lot since the 60’s, acquiring businesses and many new residents. The population is now 100,000 or so. It is home to many effective churches and a few years ago acquired the presence of the newspaper The Sword of the Lord, dedicated to consecrated Christian living.

Now Murfreesboro is about to acquire something else: an Islamic Community Center.

The proposed center, funded I suspect by the Saudi government, is impressive – 52,000 square feet. It will feature a mosque, educational classrooms, a soccer field, tennis court, gymnasium and swimming pool. For good measure, a cemetery also – no good Muslim wants to be buried alongside Christians. The director, an Imam, is Egyptian educated.

Let’s be frank about the selection of Murfreesboro for the placement of this Islamic Community Center. Murfreesboro represents the heart of Christian local church evangelistic efforts in America. Much of the local church evangelism that is done in the United States is a result of the Christian publishing done in Murfreesboro. Some have referred to Murfreesboro as “the buckle on the Bible belt.” I can say, “That is an apt description”. The Islamic presence will attempt to make the Christian community of Murfreesboro look intolerant. If it succeeds, the media will have a story that will appear internationally. As we all know, the major transgression any American can make in this day and age is to appear intolerant. In Saudia Arabia and other Islamic countries, intolerance of other faiths is a cultural norm. I wonder what will happen if this religion gains the upper hand in America? You and I both know the answer to that question. Jihad will spare very few. This is not as if the Baptists or Presbyterians want to construct a new church here.

In light of Islam’s intolerance against other religions, it is no surprise that some of the more enlightened residents of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County have issued warnings. Lou Ann Zelenik, the Republican candidate for Congress, calls the proposed center “an Islamic training center.” If you don’t understand this phrase, read “a place where terrorism will be advocated.” She is probably correct. A weekly paper called The Reader has joined the controversy by publishing articles about the harshness of Sharia law (“cut off his hand if he steals” – this will effectively stop his stealing with the hand, but how about giving him a chance to repent and reform first?). Many residents of Rutherford County, Tennessee recently spoke against the project at a public hearing. As I write, I am unaware that the county commissioners have made a decision on permitting or denying the project to advance.

This information leads me to wonder, what if an Islamic Community Center moved in next door to me, in my neighborhood. How would I react? After the initial surprise, I would hope that I could approach these new neighbors as a Christian witness.

I would want to love these persons with the love of Christ. I would want to befriend them. I would try to keep in mind that these are people, too. Their hearts yearn for truth – the truth that only Jesus and the Bible give. Then, having befriended them, I would hope to inform them that Jesus died for their sins. I would want them to see the change He brings in a life by seeing it in me.

I would want to remember that the nation Israel faced persons who did not share their faith. But those non-Hebrew people witnessed the presence of God in Israel’s national midst. Consequently, they wanted to learn about Israel’s God. At Jericho, Rahab hid the Hebrew spies because she had “heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt” (Joshua 2:10).

I would want them to see the reality of Christ in me and…

Christ in you.

He is Lord

Liar, Lunatic, Lord – or Legend. Which was Jesus?

I was reading a lecture recently. It was written by an agnostic, and was a reply to the late C.S. Lewis’ statement about Jesus: He was a lunatic, a liar, or Lord. These were the three choices Lewis set forth In Mere Christianity. “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God…”

The essayist proposed that there is a fourth alternative. Jesus is a legend. That is, the followers of Jesus have made him more than he really is and the Gospel stories are a mixture of truth and falsehood. The essayist said this was not a religious decision, but one based on history.

Apparently first hand sources, like Matthew, Mark and John are insufficient historians. Or does his proposition mean that because there was no editorial board piecing together, say, the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Gospels are not reliable history?

What about these Gospel accounts? Luke states that his document on Christ is based on historical research, including interviews of persons “who were eyewitnesses” (1:1-4). Should Luke’s testimony be rejected?

No, not at all. On the contrary, every test to which Luke’s Gospel is put demonstrates an amazing historical accuracy. This Gospel has especially been scrutinized for two reasons. First, Luke was not present to observe the life of Jesus, but became a follower after Jesus’ departure from earth. Secondly, his claim to have done significant research is either a boast or a statement of fact. Skeptics would love to prove that this is a boast; all they have done is proved that Luke is a credible historian.

But this is true of the entire Bible, really. It stands the test of scrutiny, far beyond any other book of religious writings. There are clear reasons to accept the accuracy and authority of the Bible. Anyone who has studied the fulfilled prophecies knows there are many, and their fulfillment has been precise. Especially interesting are the prophecies that regard the first coming of Christ (He will come again, and this is prophesied also). Only God could have brought about the fulfillment of so many prophecies.

Jesus acknowledged the authority of scripture. He frequently quoted scriptures, and used the Old Testament as a way of calling attention to Himself as the promised Messiah. This was habitual in the life and teachings of Jesus.

Of all the world’s great books, the Bible alone provides a completely rational explanation of the universal existence of severe problems (sin and evil), feelings of guilt, longing for hope, reality of shame, presence of religion and longing for God.

Is Jesus Christ just a legend? Not if the Bible is true. And, the Bible is true! The Bible passes every test that can be applied in order to evaluate its divine origin and authority.

Jesus is not a legend. The countless lives His power has changed realize He is neither a liar nor a lunatic.

He is Lord.

Let Jesus Give You Joy

What is it that people want most? What is the basic human need; something that strikes each of us?

Almost everyone will acknowledge that, in his or her deepest recesses – the soul – there is a yearning for more. “The yearning” is deeply felt and understood. The answers to life that are offered by others can confuse and make one desperate. To compound matters, common observation would lead one to conclude that others are just as unfulfilled. This craving for meaning, significance, purpose, security and serenity consumes us.

Centuries ago it consumed a Roman citizen by the name of Aurelius Augustine. Born in present day Algeria, Aurelius Augustine was a brilliant lad. His father was a wealthy man who provided a very comfortable home with all the amenities of life. He was sent away for superior schooling and at a young age, fifteen as I recall, read Cicero’s philosophy. From this time he acquired a love for the subject of philosophy. Despite being gifted intellectually and offered the finest schooling, “the yearning” began to consume Augustine. During his teen years, he turned to lewd behavior. This continued for several years. He fathered a son out of wedlock, whom he raised. Never quitting on his education, he traveled from Africa to Italy in order to learn from the world’s best teachers.

But “the yearning” never went away. Something was wrong. He was continually restless. The comfortable lifestyle, the sexual conquests and the educational attainments could not satisfy his soul. Later however, in Milan, Italy he was to find the answer to “the yearning.” He wrote about it later, in a book called The Confessions. “The heart of man knows no rest until it finds its rest in Thee, O God.”

What Augustine sought is the same for us all. It is not a feeling. C.S. Lewis described his quest as a seeking for “joy.” He maintained that this joy is not just a general sort of happiness, nor pleasant thoughts, nor a feeling. In the book wherein he describes his spiritual journey, Surprised by Joy, Lewis calls this joy “an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” He refers again, in his work The Pilgrim’s Regress, to the soul’s “Desire.” He came to conclude, “And if nature makes nothing in vain, the One who can sit in this chair (Desire) must exist.” The “Desire” is what Lewis called it. It is what Augustine called “no rest.” It is what I call “the yearning.”

And it is the experience of us all.

They found the answer. Joy replaces Desire; peace replaces restlessness when the One who exists is admitted into life. Jesus said, “My joy may be yours, and it enables you to enjoy life to the fullest” (John 15:11, loosely paraphrased).

Let Jesus give you Joy.

Consider a Christian School for Your Child


I was observing school children. It was the last day of school and a very happy, wholesome group of children were bounding through the hallways of the church, anticipating their summer vacation.

You may ask, “Why were they at the church?” The answer is, “Because we have decided that Christian schooling is an important alternative to public schooling for many families.”

American education worked superbly when a Christian consensus maintained a strong morality and sense of God’s presence in the schools. That consensus no longer is maintained in society or in the schools. Does that mean things have changed?

I have read that in the late 1940s, many if not most public school teachers began the day by reading a Bible verse, either saying a prayer or reciting the Lord’s Prayer, and giving the Pledge of Allegiance. The Christian consensus was the common fabric holding society together. The public school teachers of that time listed the worst problems they faced as gum chewing, running in the hall, talking, making noise, getting out of line, violating the dress code and littering.

Now that the Christian consensus has been abandoned by many in society and is lacking in the public schools, there is a whole set of new problems. Today’s problems are: drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, suicide, rape and robbery. Perhaps the best book on social decline is written by Bill Bennett, Index of Leading Cultural Indicators (Simon and Schuster, New York, copyright 1994).

I understand that the current problems listed are actually taken from a “Safe School” questionnaire and the comparison of then to now may not be completely fair. But really, who would have thought to take a “Safe School” questionnaire sixty years ago?

Decent and honorable public school teachers whom I know report that many students are in no mood to learn and make it very difficult for them to teach the students who want to learn. Consequently, many dedicated school teachers leave the public schools in frustration, seeking a more satisfying career elsewhere.

Failure to maintain excellent educational standards and mounting moral problems have led to private Christian schooling and home schooling. That is why Good Shepherd School is housed at our church.

I became shockingly aware of the need for private Christian schools when my son, now thirty-four years old, was ushered into an assembly before the senior prom at his local public high school. There he and the other senior boys from the school were provided a prophylactic in preparation for prom night. This was sixteen years ago, mind you. This was done without parental notification of any kind. I considered it then, as I do now, an endorsement of adultery.

Good Shepherd School is now enrolling for the fall, as are other Christian schools.

Consider a Christian school for your child.

Pray for Christopher Hitchens

I read this morning (July 2, 2010) that Christopher Hitchens is ill. He is to undergo chemotherapy for cancer of the esophagus.

Who is Christopher Hitchens? This resident of Washington D.C. is an author and a leading polemicist of what is called “The New Atheism.” Just what is new about atheism I do not know. But I do know that Hitchens’ 2007 book God is Not Great is a best-seller. He has also authored other books that attempt to convince the reader that there is no God.

When coming across such writings, I tend to remember the comment of a Soviet teenager during the days of Communism: “If there is no God, why do they try so hard to convince us?” You would think the burden of proof would have been upon those who believe in God rather than the atheists, would you not?

Besides his writing, Hitchens also engages in debate, frequently debating the existence of God.

He now has begun what will be a battle, much greater than a mere debate. The battle is not against an army, but a disease. It is a malevolent disease and the man needs prayer. “There is no atheist in a foxhole” goes an old saying. I have already prayed for Hitchens this morning, and invite you to do the same. Let’s pray that God uses this disease, this battle, to bring Hitchens to faith.

Twenty-one years ago the Berlin Wall fell and Communism went into retreat. Explanations for this electrifying moment in history vary. But one common thread exists in all the explanations. Communism offers no inspiring faith in which to believe and absolutely no hope for a world to come. Communism is fundamentally a faith, but one based upon belief in no God. Everything else springs from the basic tenet of atheism. It is no wonder then that Communism fails. Atheism has proved to be a miserable failure. Atheism fails politically. It fails philosophically. It fails religiously. It fails because it does not strengthen a person, a society or the world. Atheism makes it impossible to understand why life is important - why life has value or what meaning life possesses.

I do concede that the many different religions in the world can be confusing. I know it and so does Hitchens, since he makes the argument. But think for a moment. Why is there religion of any kind? People are compelled to acknowledge a Higher Power, God. This is a bona fide testament to His existence. People universally are inherently religious. The confusion of different religions creates a demand that God speak, that He reveal Himself to us, precisely so we may not remain confused. This is where Christianity’s thrust is found – “God, who at many times and in many ways has spoken to our ancestors through the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us through His Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The opening verses of the Biblical book of Hebrews establish what is to follow: how it is that God has spoken and revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. Christianity proclaims that God has spoken. There is a reason the Bible is called “the Word” – it reveals the truth about the one living God. It is how He has spoken. The Bible tells of His existence, His nature and His acts. It reveals His will for every person and instructs as to how we may know God. By knowing God we can satisfy the craving of our spirit in this life and know with certainty that there is a better life to come.

This all takes me back to where I began. Christopher Hitchens, one of the prominent spokesmen for atheism today, has cancer. He is in a battle for his life. There is also a battle going on for his soul. Pray that God speaks to Hitchens through this battle.

Pray for Christopher Hitchens.

Fathers are Important

How important are fathers anyway?

Perhaps this question crossed your mind as you noticed “Father’s Day” on the calendar. Since 1987 there have been two dozen scholarly studies published, covering over 22,000 separate sets of data concerning the role of fathers. All the research has the same conclusion - active fathers in the family are essential in preventing behavioral problems with boys and psychological problems in girls. An active, nurturing father is crucial to the stability of the family. His presence in the home strengthens society and positively influences the next generation.

It seems to me that a reasonable result of such research would be public policies and media pieces strengthening the traditional family. Dr. Anna Sardaki, from Uppsala University Department of Women’s and Children’s Health (Sweden) has said, “We hope that this review will add to the body of evidence that shows that enlightened father-friendly policies can make a major contribution to society in the long run by producing well-adjusted children and reducing major problems like crime and antisocial behavior” (quoted from www.LifeSiteNews.com).

But where the media is on this research? Why is it that I keep reading and hearing about “non-traditional” families (read: homosexual partners)? Yes, the media loves reporting on the novel and faddish. Perhaps the traditional family is not news anymore, but with the stress placed on families today (economic, drugs, peer pressure), I would think this research would be news.

Reporting in the February issue of Acta Paediatrica, Swedish researchers showed that regular positive contact with a father reduces criminal behavior among children and enhances skills like learning, reasoning and language development. Need a translation of all this academic talk? What this means is that when a father is around, children learn right behavior, learn to obey laws and do better at school and in life. There is simply no skirting the findings: having both a father and mother in the home and active in the children’s upbringing results in positive benefits. The child is more intelligent, behaves better and performs better at tasks. Further, from what I have both observed and from what I read in the Bible, a child brought to church by both parents will have a better self-image and a much stronger spirituality.

In the United States, more than one million children are separated from a parent through divorce. This is an enormous tragedy. In 2006, over one and one-half million children were born to an unmarried woman in the United States. Some of these women will marry the father of the child. But many of these children will be raised in a one-parent home – most without a father. The United States leads the world in the percentage of mother-only families.

Want to do missionary work this summer? Don’t bother going overseas – go through your neighborhood visiting in the homes of single parents. Love the kids to Christ. Bring them to a church Vacation Bible School. Do a backyard club with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Direct them to a strong Bible teaching church. Better yet, if their parent will not take them to church, invite them to attend with you. The children of The United States are a mission field.

Call the Bible only an ancient book if you like, but it certainly possesses wisdom for our time. Marriage viewed as a sacred institution and intended “till death do us part” is not quaint. It is wise and practical. Marriage defined as between a man and a woman is not “homophobic”, but serves as a foundation for family. And family is a unit where a man is married to a woman. Along with their children they represent the definition of “family” - a group of related persons bound together by the marriage bond, birth, blood or adoption.

What makes a father important is not biological function for perpetuating the race. A father is important for the commitment he displays to marriage, for the security that results in the lives of the family members; for the instruction he provides the young and the love he gives. Best of all is when he serves his Maker, and models Christ.

Fathers are important.

Trust God and the Truth He Has Revealed

I recently finished the new biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, titled Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and authored by Eric Metaxas (Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN, copyright 2010).

Biographies are interesting to me. If written honestly, a biography will present a person’s positive traits and his or her flaws. In reading this exhaustive and authoritative biography, one learns that Bonhoeffer possessed outstanding traits in abundance and very few flaws of character. He is best remembered for his heroic public outcry and stand against the Third Reich in Germany.

Part of the Nazi strategy for Germany was to silence the churches. It was thought this could best be accomplished by infiltrating and then compromising the church – which was done successfully. The church was even given a new name: the Reich Church. Some voices spoke out against this infiltration – and many of these church leaders were punished. No voice spoke louder than that of Bonhoeffer, a professor at that time with the University of Berlin. With overseas friends, he was able to communicate clearly the Nazi threat to Europe and the world. Along with other pastors, Bonhoeffer and other pastors became known as “the young reformers.” Bonhoeffer was their leader.

Bonhoeffer and those of like mind formed a group called The Confessing Church. The Confessing Church stood in opposition to the Reich Church and made public outcries against the persecution of Jewish persons. Bonhoeffer and The Confessing Church used the metaphor of a bicycle wheel: “defend the victims who have fallen under the wheel” of persecution. “Cast yourself into the spokes of the wheel itself” to halt the government’s murderous progress. Many of those “young reformers” were put into concentration camps. The others were harassed.

What really enlightens the student is the connection Bonhoeffer rightly made between the health of the church and the national interest. He understood that a healthy church, discerning clearly what is right from what is wrong, and basing this understanding on the Bible’s teaching, is vital to having a healthy country.

For his outspokenness against Nazi policies, the war and the Fuehrer; for aiding Jewish people in hope of seeing them survive; in discovery of his complicity in a plot to remove Hitler, Bonhoeffer was arrested in 1943. Eventually he was executed for his role in the conspiracy against Hitler in 1945, about three weeks before the end of the war.

There will always be opposition to God’s truth. Occasionally the opposition will be strong. People who faithfully serve the risen Christ may be ridiculed. Some will be persecuted. A few will die the death of a martyr, like Bonhoeffer.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life is a not-too-distant example of steadfastness in the face of danger, of pursuing faithfulness at all costs. While he may have lost his life in this temporary realm, he gained life abundantly in the next world and in another place, the Heaven of God. He joined an exclusive group, the martyrs – of whom God has said they are especially “blessed.”

Bonhoeffer’s life teaches many lessons. Perhaps two that should be especially remembered are, first, faithfulness is remembered; secondly, righteousness does prevail.

Be faithful. Practice the right. Trust God and the truth He has revealed.