Inevitable Events

Well, the days are ticking by. Our suitcases are officially out of the closet. Many odds and ends around the house are getting finished. We can almost pull the car into the garage for storage during our trip! I think this is going to actually happen. Okinawa, I hope you are ready for us.

Sometimes life's events take us by surprise. They just flash into our lives like a bolt of lightening and throw us into blindness and disorientation. Most of us have had those experiences. And if not, don't worry, you will before it is over.

For some people, they act as though the inevitable events just won't interrupt their lives. They will somehow escape if they just ignore it. Like some cultures won't make eye contact with you, because to make eye contact means you exist, and they don't want you to exist and mess up their chosen path through life. So some people just ignore the inevitable.

How many times I have seen people do a career in the military and act surprised when the certificate of retirement is handed to them. They haven't sufficiently thought about, let alone planned for what comes next. They wander aimlessly. Some die suddenly under the lack of purpose and direction. Some are forced in directions that are not of their choosing because they didn't plan.

One of those inevitable events is death. If Jesus doesn't return, we will all hit that brick wall. And yet some people don't say the things they need to say before they don't get a chance to say it. The "I appreciate" statements that are left unsaid. The "I love you" moments that just aren't expressed.

Hebrews 9:27 "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." We can try to run from this truth, or we can embrace it.

For us, Okinawa is one embracing moment. We don't know how many more we will have. We don't want regrets. We don't want to say, "I wonder if we should have?" We want to say, "Thank you, LORD, for what you did through us."

Our biggest need is your prayer support. Anything that gets accomplished will not be us. Any good will have to be Him. So please pray.

The Lord is amply supplying our needs. But if you want to join us, no obligation intended, here is a link. Opportunity to support

Dead

Joshua 1:2

          We have so many ways of saying that someone is dead without saying that they are dead. We speak about someone “passing” as though they were a carton of milk past its expiration date. We say they have “gone” as though they were down at the corner store picking up a couple of forgotten items. People go to be with the LORD, aren’t here anymore, pass away, go fishing, cash in their chips, go home, depart, get called home, leave this world, lose the battle, and slip away. Each of these and many more are intended to ease the pain and hide the reality. The person is dead. If you want to read more, look here.

          The problem with these kinds of phrases is that they aren’t helpful to the grieving family. They know they are dead. They know they aren’t expired. The truth hurts less than confusion. The straight forward truth helps with the grieving process. It removes questions. It settles the issue. Words can hide the reality, and when death happens, reality is what people need in order to make it through.

          As leadership changes in the fledgling nation of Israel, truth is of primary importance. Their beloved leader is dead. Moses has completed his work and won’t get the opportunity to walk into the Promised Land himself. This is due to his disobedience.

          But Joshua still feels inadequate. How do I know this? The has to repeatedly reassure him, telling him to be strong and courageous. But he also needs to know in no uncertain terms that the old leadership is gone. He doesn’t have Moses to turn to now. He must step up, be the leader the LORD has called him to be, and draw on the strength his relationship with the LORD will provide.

          The harsh reality of Moses’ death is put right on the table, right up front. And this confirmation of Moses’ death also serves to tie this book with the previous book in the Scriptures. Deuteronomy ended with Moses’ death. The book of Joshua begins right were Deuteronomy ended. Moses is dead.

          Many transitions in life happen abruptly, suddenly. Moses’ death was expected. The LORD had told them that he would die, that he would not enter the Promised Land. All the more reason to tell the truth of death in a straight forward manner. There can be no wiggle room for alternative meanings. And it is these alternative meanings that perhaps soften the blow, but they can leave the person wondering if the death is true.

          When the military show up at a family’s door with the bad news that a loved one is dead, they are very straight forward. They tell them that their soldier is dead. Often we say they died in combat. They always tell the truth even when they don’t yet know the details. Dead is dead. The family will wonder about the details, but they must not be left hanging about the reality of the death. There are too many decisions to be made that require that they know the reality.

          We all need people who will tell us the truth, even when it hurts. But the truth spoken that these moments, spoken without ambiguity, is the kindness thing that can be done.

This Ain’t No Joke

1 John 3:14

          What we believe determines what we do. And we can find out what people really believe by watching their life over time. We all have gaps between what we state we believe and the way we live our lives. Most of us can overlook small lapses in behavior if there is a repentant attitude. When people are willing to admit their failure, it makes it much easier to forgive. But when there is a self-righteous attitude, one that points fingers in every other direction, that is when it is hard to forgive. Taking responsibility for one’s own actions is key to repentance and forgiveness.

          But it seems as though there is a lack of responsibility taking happening in our culture. Private email servers have their incriminating contents wiped clean with no remorse, even though government business was conducted through that server. Efforts to force school children to eat healthier even while personally eating unhealthy food. Advocating for tax advantages for wealthy political allies even while talking about removing corruption from the system. Talking about how much Jesus means to us, but unwilling to help those who need the help.

          For our writer, the love demonstrated toward fellow believers was a key indicator of a person’s spiritual condition. And for him the equation was pretty simple. If love isn’t there, there isn’t a relationship with God. No love, no life. Love, life.

          The presence of love, a love that moves us to action, is a signal not just to the outside world that Jesus is present, but it signals us as well. We can look at our own lives, pay attention to the attitude of our heart, and know if there is life present. Do we really have love for other people, or is it something we paint on when others are looking? Do our internal feelings of genuine love actually exist, or do we have to stir it up in order to carry out some action? When Christ is truly present, love is truly present. He changes our hearts. We begin to actually love others.

          The alternative to love is death! Love is not optional. Notice the “because” in our text. We know we have the Gospel working in us because there is love demonstrated in our lives. But sometimes we can even fool ourselves into thinking that we have love, even while our lives demonstrate a contrary opinion.

          John’s challenge to us is that love needs to transform us into people who demonstrate love. This does not mean allowing an abuser back into our house, or into our checkbook. Love is able to set limits. Love always protects. It always rejoices with the truth. Love often says “No!”

Someone’s Got to Do It

Mark 15:42-43

      One of the lessons of movements like the Moral Majority of the 80’s, and the Tea Party currently, is that there are often many people who share a belief system who almost never speak up about it. We will call these people silent partners. In the political arena, the secret is to get them to show up at the polls and vote. When they do, they are no longer silent. But mobilizing an informed silent partner can be difficult.

      Sometimes people remain silent because they don’t want others to know what they believe. This is especially true when the belief is the object of public ridicule. If you know you will become the object of public humiliation, you will often keep silent. Nobody really likes it when people make fun of them. None of us likes to be put down, degraded, humiliated. We all want to keep our sense of dignity.

      This guarding of our dignity started back in the Garden. Before they ate the forbidden fruit, they were naked and unashamed. After they ate, they knew they were naked. Now that is some powerful fruit! If only we could get some and offer it to the people who need to feel some shame for the way they act and the things that they do. Maybe we could use a dose of this every morning with our coffee. If we aren’t cringing at the presence of sin in our lives, we could use a dose. If we have become too comfortable with sin’s presence, shame can be a good thing. It is meant to get us back on track.

      For some reason, Joseph of Arimathea felt the compulsion to act that afternoon. He had been a faithful seeker of God’s presence in His life. He wanted His interruption to take place. He desired more of God. He sought the rule and reign of the LORD on earth. That is some of what it meant to be someone who was waiting for the kingdom of God.

      If you remember, there were several of these types of seekers around Jesus’ birth. They were in the Temple area when Jesus was taken for His ceremonial cleansing. Simeon and Anna had received confirmation of the Messiah’s arrival in their lifetimes. They were waiting for Him to show up. They recognized Jesus as Messiah, even though He was just a baby. The Holy Spirit confirmed it to their spirits.

      Joseph felt he must do something for Jesus. He couldn’t allow His body to remain on the cross into the Sabbath. It had to be taken down and buried prior to sunset. Otherwise it would certainly be defiled. Only a relative could deal with a dead body on the Sabbath. Anyone else would be doubly defiled. So urgency meant acting. He couldn’t stay silent any longer.

      Now not just anyone could approach Pilate. He was, after all, the leader of the Roman Empire in that area. He was someone of importance. So it took someone of importance to get a request granted, and Joseph had the needed clout. He was a prominent member of the Council. But his actions could have gotten him killed. He broke protocol and went boldly to ask for the body. He put himself on the line. He was, in one sense, sympathetic to Jesus’ cause. Rome wanted humiliation for its condemned prisoners. Joseph wanted to restore dignity.

      Jesus’ influence in our lives should be this kind of dignity restoring influence. Our lives as extensions of Jesus are about restoration and dignity infusion. When people realize, I mean really realize, that they are made in God’s image, in His likeness, bought and paid for by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, their heads should be held a little higher. Nothing we have done, or could do in the future, detracts from the full acceptance that Jesus made possible.

      We need to come out of the shadows, speak up like Joseph, putting it all on the line. We each have influence in areas that other people don’t. We need to use the influence for the Kingdom. We can speak for those who don’t have a voice, or whose voice is being ignored.

Final Moments

Mark 15:33-41

      One of the mysteries that some people try to explore is the period of time right before and after death. They get fascinated with stories of people who die and then are revived somehow. They love to hear about the “white light” and any other information that for them takes the mystery out of death. Many want and need reassurance that life continues after death. And they hope to find proof to satisfy this need.

      I personally don’t need any further proof of life after life. I have experienced a different kind of life now that has convinced me, yea, proven to me that life continues after this body kicks the bucket. No story written on a page by a modern author, or produced in CGI could awaken my imagination more, or provide a greater peaceful assurance than I have now.

      But I know I am the exception. Even many fellow Jesus-followers struggle with dying and death. I certainly, like so many, don’t look forward to any suffering that may take place in the dying process. I’m not crazy. Well, maybe the jury is still out on that count.

      Jesus is on the cross. He has been there for six hours, a long time to be on a cross, but certainly well within the norms of crucifixion. He is still alive and breathing. In fact, He has enough presence of mind to quote Scripture. And if you look at Psalm 22 you can get a glimpse into the scene that day.

      And as Jesus quotes the Scripture loud enough for everyone around to hear, He is not just quoting a Scripture to direct us toward deeper understanding, but the quote is a cry of His actual experience in that moment. He feels forsaken, separated from the Father for the first time in His eternal existence. His heart feels alone.

      But some in the crowd don’t clue into the language being spoken. They think He is calling out to Elijah for help. They want to sustain Jesus longer, to stay in that moment in order to see if anything exciting will happen. They are bored with crucifixion. They need more excitement than that. So they try to offer Jesus a little refreshment to hold Him.

      And then it happens. Jesus voluntarily gives up His life. He surrendered to the cross, and now He surrenders to death itself. Remember, this is a death He never should have died. He was innocent, without sin. Death is the penalty for sin. No sin, no death.

      And something happens in Jerusalem that symbolizes what Jesus has done. The curtain in the Jewish Temple, the curtain that separated the most sacred place, the place where cloud and fire had appeared, both visible signs of the LORD’s presence, that curtain is torn. This thick curtain, 3-4 inches thick, and it is torn from top to bottom. This is an act that started with the LORD and continued to earth.

      Even the commander of the Roman troops recognizes that Jesus’ death is different. And the women who have remained, even when most men have fled, watch at a distance. I am sure the tissues were in heavy demand. They had been as close, if not closer to Jesus than the disciples. They had heard Jesus speaking. They had seen Him yawning and falling asleep. They had heard the laughter around the table, and seen His tears. And now He slumps in death.

Silly Soldiers

Mark 15:16-20

      Soldiers sometimes do silly things. They are, after all, people just like us, and we do silly things sometimes! We think of soldiers being disciplined and regimented, and they are. They train to win wars. The practice what they will do in hundreds of situations until their actions and reactions become almost automatic. Surviving and winning requires a commitment to training and the military is one of the best training organizations.

      But one thing the military does not do is train what to do when there is down time, time when they are not fighting, time when they are bored, time when they aren’t training. And these are the times that make the headlines. Those Friday nights near a military installation are known to be times when trouble happens. But so are Friday nights around college campuses! In fact, college campuses have trouble most nights. The military day starts too early in the morning during the week for too much late night activity.

       Unfortunately, the Roman soldiers on duty that morning in Jerusalem had too much time on their hands. It seems like they were bored. And their creative, mischievous juices got flowing. They didn’t write great poetry or compose a symphony. They instead engaged in mockery. They were on duty around political leaders and in a city filled with religious pageantry. They had seen how royalty gets treated. Their mischief pallet had been prepared.

      And here comes a prisoner who is charged with being a king, a king of the Jews to boot. The Jews were an oppressed people. They were under the thumb of Rome. They had pretensions of power, but lacked the ability to act on their pretensions. And the religious leaders in Jerusalem would have caught the power-to-the-head bug. They had positions that lifted them above their fellow Jews. But they stayed below the Romans!

      So the soldiers get into mischief. They pretend Jesus is a king. They clothe Him, and then mock and beat Him. I can almost imagine their laughter as they go through their morning. One idea leads to another. One suggests the mock clothing. Another suggests the crown. Another calls out, “Hail.”

      But then it gets out of hand. One of them hits Jesus, then another and another. I’m not sure if softening up Jesus was part of their job before crucifixion or not. Perhaps Rome wanted weak people on the crosses. They didn’t want someone with strength to be defiant hanging in public view making statements, inciting the crowd. So weakening a condemned prisoner might be part of standard operating procedure.

      In one way it was merciful. Being weaker would mean that you spent less time hanging on the cross in agony. And less time was what most people want when facing an agonizing dying process.