What in the world...?

HAS EVERYONE GONE CRAZY?

It might seem like that. People seem more tense than ever. It seems like everything's a battle, and there's blood everywhere. The world seems pretty broken, and the future looks mighty dim, and we're all shaking our heads, wondering how we got to this crazy place. But here's the thing...

This is nothing new. The world's crazy. Always has been.

There is, however, a path that helps us make sense of it and navigate it and maybe even make a dent in it. And that path is called The Way of Jesus.

But The Way of Jesus is all about steps. 

So this is your formal invitation to Step One.

The Way of Jesus, like any path to a place where you've never been, is better walked with someone who knows the way, or at least someone who's a few steps ahead of you. So, Step One on The Way of Jesus is to find some running partners, some navigators, some guides.

We're inviting you to join us. We Questers are asking the very same questions you're asking, but we think we've found a path through the crazy. We're feeling our own way down this path, and we're inviting you to get on it with us.

It may be bumpy and dangerous, but what way isn't? And at least on this Way, you don't have to go it alone, and it's headed toward someplace we think you'll like.

Take the first step by joining us at our Sunday Gathering.

Who's safe?

Wow.

I changed my profile pic, and I pinned a safety pin on my shirt, and I made it clear that I was doing it so that people who feel marginalized by the current political climate know they have an ally in me. It says, "I'm safe."

This is about me and the people who feel marginalized. It's not about Trump or the people who voted for him (or the people who voted for Hillary, for that matter). I don't think this pin will magically help anybody or supernaturally defuse conflict. I'm just saying, "I get why you're worried, and I stand with you." 

It's about extending peace - shalom - to those who feel their nation has declared war on them - Hispanics, LGBT, Muslims, women, other racial minorities, immigrants in general - and saying it is my intent to be an agent of peace in this season of tension. I don't know what that looks like exactly, but I'm willing to try and figure it out.

And for some weird reason, that really ticks some people off. It's caused a number of people to say really ugly things about me, to dismiss me as an intellectual lightweight, and to accuse me of being a pawn of the media. 

I even had to unfriend a Facebook friend. I NEVER do that! But his reaction was so ugly it was making me lose my own peace. I don't understand why he cares that I care.

So, I'm trying to figure out what we can learn from this.

Apparently it's true that being a peacemaker is counter-cultural. 

When Jesus listed the eight qualities that would characterize the citizens of his upside-down kingdom, he included "peacemaker," because he knew it doesn't come naturally. Peace is a hallmark of the Way of Jesus, and it's the whole point of the gospel. Whatever you think it's about - staying holy, staying out of hell, staying on God's good side - whatever you think it's about, it's really about peace. It's about restoring shalom to God's good creation.

And until it's all restored - until Jesus returns - as long as we're here to represent him - it's all about hospitality - about extending grace and peace to the neighbor, the refugee, the immigrant, the outsider, the Samaritan.

And in Matthew 5:9, we learn that, in Jesus' kingdom, the peacemaker is already blessed because she is a "child of God." She reflects her maker.

So, when we look around today, we see shalom is fractured. Peace is overturned. People are heartsick and afraid. And, as Jesus followers, we shouldn't be worried about whether we have the best arguments, or whether we voted for the best set of policies. That season is OVER. 

As Jesus followers, we need to be the ones with the glue and the bandages, picking up the pieces and putting things back together and bandaging peoples' wounds and reassuring the broken - even if it makes us look like intellectual lightweights or pawns of the media.

We need to make peace. But making peace is counter-cultural. So we shouldn't be surprised when trying to make peace actually causes strife. Really, it just proves my point.

Not sure what I'm going to do about the arguably harmless safety pin on my lapel, but I know that, every day, I'll be praying for our broken, confused, angry, conflict-obsessed nation. And safety pin or not, I will do whatever I can to make peace in this uncertain season. 

And, yes, maybe I'll just start with a safety pin. At least it's a start.

Election Hangover

Wow. That was a bit of a shock.

The election is over and the nation is reeling. Some are tipping a glass; others are surfing the Canadian immigration website. In many cases, the former see God's hand of blessing, and the latter, his hand of judgment.

I'd like to offer a third option:

What if God didn't have a hand in this election at all?

I know Paul says that no government is in power except that which is "instituted by God," but the purpose of that passage (Romans 13:1-5) is to say that, once leadership is established, we should submit to it rather than be in constant conflict with it, because the purpose of government is to maintain order, and God is a god of order, not disorder.

It's not about God putting his favorite people in power. Besides, in Paul's day, leaders weren't elected by the governed, so this was Paul's way of calming the zealots and pointing them away from conflict and toward peace.

So what does God have to do with elections? Is God a god of the ballot box? 

Remember when Jesus said, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father"? (John 14:9) If we want to see how God works, we should look at Jesus.

The religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus' teaching, so they captured him and delivered him to the authorities, accusing him of trying to lead a rebellion and calling himself "The King of the Jews." 

The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, was a smart guy, and he knew something was fishy, so he gave Jesus an opportunity to defend himself. Jesus could have easily deflected blame and gotten back to work building his grass-roots movement. But he chose another route. 

He said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest...my kingdom is from another place."

Can God put people in office? Sure.

Does God put people in office? That's another thing, altogether.

Remember, our king is not housed in the Oval Office, the Capitol, the Pentagon, or any other building, but rather he resides in the hearts of us - his followers. And in order to take up residence there, he submitted. He didn't fight. He didn't rage. He didn't run. He offered himself up.

That's how we won. We thought it was about battles and nations and earthly kings, but actually, it was about surrender.

So, stand on Paul's advice, "Do not lose heart...our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:16 & 18)

Deep breaths. This guy is not our king and the battle is already won. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work bandaging wounds and cleaning up the mess.

Amen?

Memorial

I've never been a fan of patriotic church services. I'm a nine-year Army vet, so I don't have a problem with patriotic stuff in general, just patriotic church services.

Don't get me wrong. I love my country. I can't imagine wanting to live somewhere else, even during an election cycle. But it seems like church and the flag are strange bedfellows. There's something about turning the other cheek and loving your enemies and making disciples of all nations that seems to stand in the face of nationalism.

So you will never see videos of flying jets and rolling tanks and waving flags and marching ranks of soldiers at Quest Church. However, I have no problem with honoring soldiers. I'm fine with recognizing the vets around Veteran's Day, and I don't mind honoring my fallen comrades on Memorial Day. These days are not about glorifying war or conflict or even soldiering - they are about remembering.

And perhaps the most Christian response to war would be to memorialize it. How does the saying go? Forget your past and you're doomed to repeat it, right? Maybe the best thing we can do, as Christians, regarding war, is to remember it. Remember those who fought. Remember those who died. Remember why we went, what we did, and what it accomplished. And then vow to never go to that same place again.

So this year, as you're enjoying your long weekend, flipping burgers and maybe getting in eighteen holes, remember that, in order for you to have the freedom to enjoy this land and this day, someone - many someones - had to give their lives. Don't let it get you down. Don't let it spoil your fun. But don't forget.

Blessings!

Pastor Ed

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Series Title: BLESSED

Message Title: mourners

Date: 5/29/16

Main Passages: Matthew 5:4, Romans 12:15, Lamentations

Some questions for reflection or group study (or please comment on them, below):

• How do you think patriotism and Christianity interact? 
• Why might we struggle pledging allegiance to both Jesus & the flag? 
• Remembering is a big deal to the church. Can you think of examples?
• So is forgiveness. How can remembering get in the way of forgiving?

Did you read the directions?

Have you ever heard the world "Bible" used as an acronym? 

Have you ever heard it said, “B-I-B-L-E stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth?”

When my kids were enrolled in Christian school, I heard this quite a bit, and, back in the day, there was even a Burlap to Cashmere song with that title. That would be great, right? It would be great to have a basic instruction manual to get us out of this life alive, wouldn't it? 

I see little handbooks all over the Christian bookstores that seem to take this stance on the Bible. But is that what God's given us? Is that what the Bible is?

If it is, that certainly would make life a lot simpler.  If we could just have a little glossary where we could look up a problem, then follow the glossary listing to the appropriate page, and we'd find simple instructions on how to handle every situation.

     - Depressed? See page 1042.

     - Child misbehaving? Page 619.

     - Wife not being submissive enough? Follow the diagram on page 196.

     - Bit of leprosy? See figure 11b, page 746.

     - Being overrun by pagan hordes? See pages 593-615.

     - Evangelizing? Consult flowchart, page 1267, entitled “Soul Winning for Beginners.”

That would sure simplify things a mite. But if you've ever cracked open a Bible, you know that's not what’s there. Every time you read the thing, it seems to be saying something different to you. It’s so rich and lyrical that it speaks to you differently depending on the day of the week, the level of your research, state of your mind, and the condition of your soul. It describes itself as “living and active” for a reason.

It’s both simple and complicated, which implies that the one about whom it speaks is likewise both simple and complicated, both unfathomable and understandable. Which is why we can view him with both awe and love - both fear and longing - which seems, at least to me, like the perfect qualifications for worship.

Blessings!
Pastor Ed

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Series Title: 7 THINGS
Message Title: God isn't political
Date: 4/10/16
Main Passages: Matthew 17:24-27

Some questions for reflection or group study (or please comment on them, below):
- How much do you think God gets involved in the affairs of man?

- What does it look like for God to respond to our prayers?

- What do you believe about the Bible? Is it without error? Is it written by men? God? Both?

- Why do you think the Bible isn't more specific? Why does it seem contradictory?