To Give an Offense

Posted on January 6, 2010 by Robert Franklin

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=eating&iid=7386012″ src=”9/b/0/a/Indonesian_Tree_Man_50bd.jpg?adImageId=8819663&imageId=7386012″ width=”234″ height=”156″ /]Grace that reflects the power and presence of the Holy Spirit is simultaneously strong and sensitive.  Long before “political correctness” became a catch phrase, there stood a Biblical command to exercise freedom in love.

The particular issue was what was religiously ok to eat.  Jesus had been clear in his teaching, “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth…”  Some in the early church, however, thought it best to keep the extreme letter of the Jewish dietary laws. Some thought it best to keep the spirit of the Jewish dietary law.  Some thought it best to eat whatever so long as it had not be slaughtered as an offering at the pagan temples.  Some thought that if a Christian were hungry and food was available, “Eat.”

Naturally conflict ensued as to who was “right.”  The solution offered, “The fellowship of grace.”  According to Paul, grace is sufficient for the brother who would eat whatever to abstain, even go hungry, so as to not cause a family member to stumble.  Grace is sufficient for an abstainer to refrain from judging the food libertarian even if the abstainer would rather go hungry than be satisfied by unclean foods. 

Grace allowed both extremes and the “moderates” in between to keep their focus on what is important: righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit toward the end of serving Jesus through fellowship with those he was crucified to save.

This kind of grace effort is lacking in the church today.  It would be wise for us to seek to do our best to obediently implement grace back into our everyday practice.

Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. (Romans 14.16-18, NASB95)

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Avatar: Thoughts on a Movie

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Robert Franklin

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Every so often a movie is released that has such a force behind it that it is readily apparent that the entire Western culture will be significantly impacted as a result. Avatar is one such movie. I witnessed the digitally projected 3D version and can honestly say it was the most visually stunning film I have ever seen. Avatar will, of course, set the new standard for the 3D experience and for computer generated image filmmaking. It was impossible to separate the computer generated image from the traditionally filmed image. During scenes generated completely from a desk in a studio, my mind still had difficulty discerning experienced landscapes from imagined ones. It was like travelling to another planet.

Avatar was also one of the most offensive movies I have seen in a while. I have long been a fan and consumer of science fiction and understand the genre well enough. Social commentary from science fiction writers is not only to be expected, but perhaps it should even be encouraged. A science fiction writer has unique freedoms to express a viewpoint or an agenda by placing current or historical social problems or situations in an imaginary culture or in an imaginary galaxy or in an imaginary time. That freedom is utilized in nearly all science fiction. James Cameron seems to have combined his quarter billion dollar (+) budget to a hyperactive desire to have his say about what is going on in the world. Much of what was proclaimed from his cinematic soapbox I found disturbing or (in the end) mundane even in the cases where I agreed or could concede his point.

The procurement and use of natural resources, justification for terrorism, the use of the military and military mercenaries, the status of the health care system, the use of cloning technology, the treatment of indigenous peoples, the arrogance of the “culture conquerors,” the spiritual value of nature, the efficacy of prayer, life after death, the limitations of scientific knowledge versus the experience of faith, the interests of the corporate giant profit hungry shareholders, Vietnam, ancestor worship, ecstatic-communal worship, goddess worship, and marriage plus whatever I couldn’t catch because I was on “agenda overload” were all addressed in Avatar in a little under three hours.

With so much social commentary flying by so quickly, I really expected to see some sort of novel conclusion to the storyline, but it was the same old end: violence. The hero of the story with the help of Pandora’s nature goddess (who finally steps in to protect the “balance of life”) is able to exert more violent force than the blue-eyed fair-skinned aggressor.

Bummer.

Since the hero is presented as a messianic type, I half-hoped that he would complete his quest by sacrificing himself for the salvation of those he learned to love and respect. It didn’t happen, but “hero” did experience resurrection (by transference) and he did get the girl in the end which is much more emotionally satisfying than what happened in the last Cameron epic.

People will be talking about this movie for years to come. I just pray that the conversation will be substantive because the issues Cameron tackles in the movie are issues deserving of careful consideration and wise action and definitely not the musings of a much too easily entertained populace.

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Taking a Bath with My Clothes On

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Robert Franklin

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Why we continue the silly practice of adult baptism is one of the most common questions I deal with as a pastor.
“Gather ’round we are going celebrate getting this individual wet, and I mean all wet.” It would be a semi-tragedy to immerse a fully clothed individual pool-side in the depths of summer. How about January 3rd, 23 degrees Fahrenheit?

I have been told by more than one person that being a follower of Jesus is just fine but there is no way that baptism is going to be part of that “followship.” After all, whose idea was this anyway?

It appears the practice of baptism originates sometime near the day when humans discovered that water washes dirt off. Practical cleansing soon became metaphorical and adherents of many different religious constructs incorporated some type of baptismal practice into their orthodoxy. Washing with water became a symbol for inner cleansing of all sort of ills.

Such was the case during Jesus’ life. His cousin, John (“the Baptist”), preached the need for repentance; a turning from self-will and submission to the rule of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When the hearts of the hearers were convinced of the need to make a change, they publicly “cleansed themselves” using whatever body of water John preached near. The action was an outward confession of an inward resolution.

Jesus was baptized. The Bible says that he had nothing to repent, but he did have righteousness to fulfill. Jesus publicly identified himself not only as a follower of the God his cousin preached but also identified himself with the sinners who came to confess. Powerful!

To his followers Jesus said to continue this baptism practice. As with everything else, Jesus infused a deeper meaning to the experience. Rather than be a confession of a desire to repent or to change, baptism now is a testimony of death to a person’s self-will, burial of all the world holds dear and the resurrection of a new person created anew by the resurrected Christ. It is an outward confession of an inward reality.

My friends at Main Street will be considering this idea this upcoming Sunday.

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Joy Above, Below and In-between

Posted on December 30, 2009 by Robert Franklin

“Pay attention, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you. I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done this wondrous thing. Shout for joy, O depths of the earth! Break into song, O mountains and forests and every tree! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and is glorified in Israel.” (Isaiah 44:21-23, NLT)

[picapp align=”right” wrap=”true” link=”term=joy&iid=5244646″ src=”a/5/4/d/two_young_children_b396.jpg?adImageId=8730976&imageId=5244646″ width=”234″ height=”234″ /]Jesus tells his followers that heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents.  This should not have been news to the Jew of Jesus’ day.  Hundreds of years before, the prophet Isaiah records the melody of joy over God’s redemptive work in Israel.

The whole forty-fourth chapter of Isaiah is worth reading again and again.  This portion is particularly mind-boggling.  God declares what he will do before Israel responds to him.  Creation is called upon to sing loudly “Joy” in the heavens, under the land and in all the geography in-between.

If the earth does indeed groan under the weight of our sin as the apostle Paul wrote, how much more does it rejoice at the grace and mercy of God applied to an undeserving people?

Joy for difficult days, thanks be to God! 

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Getting Rid of Frodo’s Ring

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Robert Franklin

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=rings&iid=5275780″ src=”1/d/9/c/Ring_of_light_f389.jpg?adImageId=8716256&imageId=5275780″ width=”234″ height=”183″ /]In the film version of JRR Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings, the main character, Frodo, tries to rid himself of the “ring of power” on a couple occasions.  While Frodo’s motives appear pure according to the narrative, it is the desire to remove the weight of possession that drives Frodo to freely offer the ring to those he esteems.

Tolkien was firmly against allegorizing his tale, but as far as I know Tolkien never forbade similes (forgive me professor).

It is nearing year’s end and I join the masses frantically trying to figure out how to manage the promise of 2010.  My life is no less complicated than most and far more labyrinthine than many.  I accept that and certainly bear no complaint about this reality.  What is troublesome to me at present is the church. 

How can I, as a “professional clergyman” facilitate Jesus’ followers being Jesus’ followers in 2010?  I know full well how many hurt, are overwhelmed at work, have broken families, are addicted to varied and sundry substances and sins, or just don’t wish to bothered by anything greater than general encouragements not to be “bad.” 

I know that the culturally accepted structure of a church building and set times for worship programming are not unrighteous in themselves, but I also know that what I spend keeping my house limits what I can give to support others who are in dire circumstances.  Where is the line between my comfort and the call to actually, practically, and consistently do what Jesus clearly commands?  How do I engage in the struggle against debt to this world and the desire to make investments in eternity?

It is like Frodo’s ring.  I am unqualified and unmistakably unworthy to carry it.  The longer I have it the heavier it gets.  Yes the path before me is indeed straight, but the accomplishment of the quest seems so far to be serpentine.   

I was at lunch with my friends yesterday and someone brought up the uproarious case of Rev. Tim Jones. Yes, friends, the parishioners were told that if they were genuinely poor that it was ok to steal the basics from large chain grocery stores.  My very first thought was “Why wouldn’t he church sell what it had to feed the poor in the parish if the local economy was so desperate?”  Didn’t Jesus tell the rich man to go sell all he had, give it to the poor and come follow him?  Does the church really need buildings and programs and assets to exist?  My next thought was “How am I really any different from that ignorant Englishman?”

Don’t get me wrong, the war for self-justification immediately ensued. O, how I tire of the battles.  It would be so much easier to “get rid of the ring” and let the whole idea be someone else’s problem.

Not an option.

“Now I [Jesus] am coming to you [The Father]. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!” (John 17:13-24, NLT)

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New Year? Really?

Posted on December 28, 2009 by Robert Franklin

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One of my favorite things about the human race is its capacity for optimism.  We weave all sort of things into the nest of our lives in order to provide us some comfort and encouragement for facing the unknown of life yet experienced.  The expectation of the new year is one example of the irrepressible urge to find a “bright side.”

Isn’t it fascinating we find ourselves talking about an imaginary division of time as if the movement of one moment to another made any tangible difference at all?  The new year is somehow imbued with magical powers.  We can leave the troubles of the year previous behind.  We may purpose to do something better in the year to come.  We may make a significant change in our vocation or education. 

All because of a drop of the crystal ball.

We know in our hearts, however, the debt of the past year will haunt us in the year to come.  We know the broken parts of our lives will still need repair in the year to come.  We know while the year to come may contain days of great joy, it also may bring great disappointments or even days of disaster.

Yet we resolve to press on.  Ever asked why?  This week my friends at Main Street will continue to work our way through the gospel accounts of the life, work and teaching of Jesus Christ.  We will carefully consider the practical ways Jesus kept focused on the important areas of life, keeping his priority obedience to God, God’s kingdom and service to others. Knowing full well his end would be in death on the cross, bearing the sin-weight we created, Jesus resolved to complete the course. Because Jesus did finish, we also may resolve to follow.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8, NASB95)

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