Beyond the Sacred Page

I just heard a person described as loving the Bible with all her heart, mind and soul. 

Commendable, I guess. 

However, the most important command of that Bible is to love the Lord, thy God with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

I love the Bible, too. But the Bible isn’t God. It isn’t a person at all.  It is a tool by which I can gain insight into the nature of God. 

Am I just splitting hairs? I don’t think so. If you worship an inanimate object, that’s called idolatry. In fact, there is a specialized term for people who worship the Bible: bibliolatry.  It leads to death, dissatisfaction, and loneliness, just like any other form of idolatry.

I hate to talk about this in an age when so few people really look at their Bibles. The Bible is important. It’s a collection of our most ancient and basic documents upon which Christianity is based. People need to know their scriptures because it’s a principle way of getting to know their God. 

But the Bible isn’t God.    

Like the song said originally: “BEYOND the sacred page, I seek thee, Lord.”

Up and Over

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. (Mark 2:3-4).

Jesus marveled at those four friends. They were the kind of people Jesus chose to work with him.  The standouts of the Bible (such as Peter and Paul) were like them. Those guys wouldn’t stop in the face of barriers and difficulties. If they couldn’t go through or around, they went up and over. 

The Lord’s work is not easy.  In fact, it’s getting harder in this society.

So do we give up? I don’t want to stand before Jesus one day with feeble excuses:

“Lord, I tried to do this, but people wouldn’t cooperate with me. It was hard. It was expensive. And besides, I had my own life to live.”

Does our community need Jesus more than ever? Is there more or less confusion? Is there more or less fear? Is there more or less turmoil?

There’s no doubt in my mind that the need for a Savior is greater than ever.

In the thirty years I’ve been a minister, I’ve listened to church moan and whine about how hard it is to have church like we used to. I’ve heard worries about how we could “lose our church.”

Congregations come and go, but the church will not fail because Jesus will not fail. The question is will I be a part of his success or lie down my own failure?

I say that we need to stop wringing our hands and put them to work for Jesus.

Is the way blocked? Then let’s go up and over.

Change the World

A new study was done concerning priests who molested children in the 1960s and 70s. One of its conclusions is that the morally lax attitudes of the social climate at time affected these priests, as well as the church.  See article here  

I’ve no doubt there’s some truth to this. We’re all affected by cultural influences more than we think.

However, the church is supposed to resist and change those influences, not give in to them.  Clergy are imperfect humans but they’re still expected to lead the church in setting high standards for behavior.  

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:16-17)

Our job is to go into the world and change it.  Not be changed.

Listen to Your Coach

In scriptures, the word used to describe the Holy Spirit can be translated many ways: Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Equipper, Encourager, and Exhorter, to name a few.  The idea is that the Holy Spirit is close and offering us the insight and strength to get the job done.

It reminds me of a coach in athletics. He analyzes and gives feedback. He tells what the player is doing wrong and how he can do it right. He teaches the players the disciplines of the fundamentals. He cheers them. Sometimes he yells, claps his hands, and blows his whistle to get his team’s attention.  

Most of the time, the player does not take offense, but rather pays close attention so he can correct any error and improve his performance. The coach urges him on reach inside himself to do better than ever before.  

I wish we could take that concept of coaching and apply it to the rest of our lives. 

How much more would we accomplish in school if instead of trying to get away with doing less, we focused on doing more, trying harder, and learning well? How much more valuable as employees would we be if we listened to our bosses and responded as if they were our coaches? How much better would our marriages be if we decided to listen and respond with the aim being a better partners?

How much better a person would I be if instead of getting defensive, I focused on getting better in the face of criticism. Instead of being bound in shame, I would examine myself. I could make my changes, grow in spirit, and move on toward my heavenly goals.  

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).

Certain In Our Convictions

Vindicate me, LORD,
for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the LORD
and have not faltered.
Test me, LORD, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love
and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.
(Psalm 26:1-3).

King David knew when he was right and he wouldn’t back down when he was.

Those of us who have been trained in academia have a difficult time actually having an opinion. We say things like, "On the one hand..., however, on the other hand...."

The great leaders are unshakable in their convictions. It’s what gives them the courage to face giants and win battles against bigger, stronger armies.

Additionally, David was a leader who shared his greatness with the people so they could stand tall with him. During his reign, David was not the only one considered formidable. There were also the soldiers known as the Mighty Men of David.

Ah, to be a leader like him....

Becoming Sane

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. (Daniel 4:38).

Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance made him crazy. In Howard Hughes like fashion, he shunned people and grew out his nails and his hair. He also wandered about outside, eating the grass and living like a wild animal.

They still lock you up if you think you are a god.

How ironic that pride made him lose it all. How wonderful that he found himself and got it all back when he reclaimed his humility.

Last Things

"The end of all things is near." (1 Peter 5:7).

The end of the world makes some people think about digging underground shelters and storing supplies and weapons. Our spirits go into bunker mode as we wait for destruction.

There’s no getting around the fact that there is urgency in the apocalyptic literature. But none of the ancient writers meant to paralyze us in anxiety. In fact, they were encouraging us to let go of fear and use these last times to act for the sake of God by the power of God for the glory of God.

Getting ready isn’t tying down our possessions to secure them for the storm. It’s turning loose of everything that doesn’t matter so we can focus on the needy people who do matter. 

The last thing Jesus told Peter was, “If you love me, tend my lambs.” (John 21:15-25).