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When our kids were young we introduced them to a children’s fantasy series called The Magic Treehouse, by Mary Pope Osborne. The premise of the stories was that a couple of kids, Jack and Annie, were transported by the treehouse (don’t ask) back into key moments of time to observe what took place first hand. It won’t surprise you to hear that I liked the series for its creative way of introducing key historical events and individuals. On their journeys, Jack and Annie meet dinosaurs, knights, mummies, Clara Barton, William Shakespeare, and so much more. Part of the opening pages of each story involve the kids trying to figure out where they are—in time and space. Hints from the people they meet, the surrounding lands, written signs, and other indications eventually clue the kids in on when and where they are. Of course, history dictates the overall flow of the story and the kids’ subsequent actions.
In one story, the kids find themselves on a massive ship in the middle of the ocean; looking over the side at the name of the ship, they realize they are in 1912 on the Titanic during its fateful journey. Knowing the end of the story, of course, effected how the kids acted while on the ship. Supposing, on the other hand, if the ship had been named, The Queen Elizabeth 2 (the QE2 struck an iceberg in 1998 and safely made it to shore with no loss of life), then the kids would have acted significantly differently. Knowing the end of the story dramatically alters the way one lives—either looking for a lifeboat if you are on the Titanic or bailing water if you are on the QE2.
One of the great blessings of the Christian life is that our LORD has revealed to us the end of our journey. While there are many, many unknowns in this life, our final end is secure—secured by Christ’s own death and resurrection. The timing of the end of days, the specifics of how it will occur, and the details of what will happen have not been revealed to us. Indeed, even Jesus while on earth was not privy to that information (Mark 13:32). But, not having a comprehensive view of things does not mean that the Bible has not revealed much that should be guiding our lives.
Without much controversy, we can say that the Scripture
tells us clearly of:
This picture of the future is offered by the Spirit through the Scriptures, not simply to provide us insight into what is coming at the end of days, but as a guide to our present living. Just as it matters if you are on the Titanic or the QE2, so it matters how we understand the end of time. What we do today, what we value, who we serve, is shaped by this vision of the future. Assurance of our future with our victorious King should impact all that we think, all we do, and all that we are. Jesus is coming again! Amen.
As we prepare for worship this week, I encourage you to look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
1. Paul here never explains why he doesn’t “want us to be uninformed” about the second coming of Jesus. Can you speculate on why it is important to be informed? What evidence might there be of this importance in the church today?
2. Paul speaks of the second coming specifically in light of “those who are asleep,” meaning, those who have died. Why use the term “asleep”? Is Paul afraid of death or of talking about death? Is this just a nice way of saying it?
3. The goal of Paul’s instruction is listed at the end of verse 13. What is it, and how do you see that goal working out (or not) in people’s lives?
4. Notice the tie between the second coming of Jesus and His prior birth, life, death and resurrection (vs. 14). How does Paul think the second coming is connected?
5. Can you create an order of how things will happen as Paul
describes them? What difference does this order make in the ways we live our
daily lives?
Faith and My Broken
Record
My father was a firm believer in the benefits of education.
Growing up in the post-WWII era, he reflected many of the opinions of that
generation, including the value of a college education in “getting ahead” in
this world. Because of his emphasis on learning, he tended to eschew colloquial
phrases and slang terms. If you used “ain’t” around the house, you could guarantee
a “corrective directive” (slang, for various forms of “discipline”) from my
dad. Of course, one man’s slang is another’s high dictation.
I wonder a bit about “a broken record.” If you are of a
certain age, you know exactly what I am referring to—a “skip” in a vinyl
recording which creates a repeated phrase or sound; if you repeat something
again and again, you are mimicking a “broken record.” However, given the
proliferation of digital recordings these days, I wonder if the meaning of “a
broken record” is lost on the younger generation—a slang term at best with a
vague meaning.
In any case, I fear I run the risk of appearing as “a broken
record” when I speak of saving faith. This week we will look at an essential
truth of the Christian faith—the fact that we are saved by God’s grace through
faith alone. There is little as amazing, as stupendous, as outrageous as this
teaching—that we benefit from Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, not by earning
God’s blessing, but simply and totally by faith trusting in Christ. Personally,
I get so moved by this, that I can’t help but talk about that marvelous gift of
God—faith itself.
But, after preaching here at Hebron for a number of years,
it is possible that I begin to hit the same high notes each time I talk about
faith—that I sound like “a broken record.” The high notes I would sound are
about the nature of faith and the object of faith. But, since I am committed
not to focus simply on these characteristics of faith during the sermon this
week, I thought I would write about them instead!
The nature of faith.
It is easy to fall into two errors here—either “faith” means simply having the
right concepts or ideas in our minds or “faith” is some mystical thing that you
vaguely possess. Instead, biblical faith is trust, reliance, dependence. Faith
is not a doctrine you are convinced is correct—it is embracing that doctrine
and depending upon it for life. Faith is not some esoteric feeling but a
confident reflection which leads to the confident action of trusting.
The object of faith.
We can talk about strong faith or weak faith, and mistakenly believe that we
are talking about the strength by which we hold to a teaching. You have strong
faith if you do not waver in your trust; weak faith means that doubt creeps in.
But, in describing faith this way, we make faith itself the key point. Instead,
biblical faith centers on what or who we have faith in; it is the object of our
faith that is the focus. The Christian faith speaks, not to the believer’s
ability to believe, but to the object, the focus of that faith—Jesus Himself.
OK. Having repeated my favorite themes about faith—that
faith is reliance on the Reliable One, Jesus—we can now move past the “skip on
the record” and look to other aspects of faith… which we will explore this
Sunday in worship together!
In preparation, please read Galatians 2:16.
1. This one verse is the conclusion or the focus of a longer
argument Paul is making. But his argument itself arises from a practical
dispute between himself and Peter. Read 2:11-14. What does “faith” have to do
with the dispute? Why would this event lead to Paul’s discussion of faith?
2. Verse 16 is part of an argument Paul makes from verses
15-21. Read the entire section. How is verse 16 central to the issue at hand?
3. “We know that…” How do we know this? Why does Paul expect
his readers to know this? Is this something we can or should take for granted?
4. Paul is rejecting the idea of being saved by works of the
law. What would it look like to be saved that way? Describe the kind of faith
and life that Paul is rejecting—one where salvation is by “works of the law.”
5. Where is the object of faith, Jesus Christ, central to Paul’s thought here? How do you know that Paul is not just talking about a really strong feeling of belief but of confidence in the God-Man, Jesus?
He’s a busy Spirit!
And, the best of all…
At-One-Ment
Essential, Yet Beyond Understanding
I’m not a cat-guy. Now, I realize that in admitting that publicly, I’m inviting all you cat- aficionados to flood my email box with silly cat-thingies. Please…don’t. I mention not being a cat-guy because I do tend to identify with one quality of the cat, it’s curiosity. Of course, we have heard that curiosity killed the cat, and that’s because the cat is naturally curious. Well, so am I. I have this strong desire to understand what is happening, to explore anything odd, to investigate that which intrigues me.
This is true in all areas of my life—including my faith. How does this work? What does that mean? When might this occur? Where is that happening? I want to understand what I believe, make sense of what I’m taught and satisfy my curiosity in all things spiritual.
And, then I run into the Trinity. “One God who eternally exists in three different and distinct Persons—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—all of whom are fully God, and all of whom are fully equal.”
Curiouser and curiouser. I want to explore, to learn, to understand. But, no matter how hard I look, no matter how much I study, I simply cannot grasp that which is beyond the finite brain. And the history of the Church is filled with failed attempts to explain the Trinity, botched efforts to grasp the ungraspable.
But our faith is not built on what we know, it is built on what God has revealed to us, what He has shown us of Himself, and He has shown us the Trinity (biblical support easily available on request!). So, by faith we grasp what we cannot know. We trust, not in our own ability to understand, but in His willingness to tell us. Often, that leaves us unsatisfied intellectually. That’s ok, for faith comes from hearing the Word of God.
I beg you, watch this four-minute video—hilarious! And, at the same time, a great teaching on the Trinity. {Note for joke at the end: Legend has it that St. Patrick chased all the snakes from Ireland}.
For worship this week, read Exodus 34, especially, verses 5-9.
Essential /e sen(t)Shel/ adj. absolutely necessary; extremely important
I spent a lot of time early in life in the water. I grew up near a lake and went swimming as often as possible, some fishing, sailing, and water skiing. My “training” began early. As a young boy I was in the water often, sometimes by myself, but most frequently with family and friends. And, when you are young, sometimes the decisions you make are not always the brightest…like, for instance, wrestling bigger kids than you while underwater. More than once, I gulped too much water when I couldn’t get up for air. Scary times.
I suspect if you had asked the 5-year-old me if air was an essential to life, I probably would have looked at you like you were a weirdo. But after some thought, I might have agreed that it was essential. But, did I really believe that it was? Was air essential to my life as a 5 year old swimming in the lake? Well, certainly I could not do without it, but I suspect the “essential character” of air for my body was only important to me when I was likely not to have any.
What makes something essential? According to our dictionary, something is essential if it is absolutely necessary or extremely important. We are going to embark on a journey this fall in exploring “The Essentials of Our Faith.” Our focus will be on illuminating those key aspects of our faith that are essential, necessary, important. We will look at key theological and biblical ideas that are crucial to the Christian faith—and, if essential, then necessary—without which you do not have Christian faith.
But, think of the different ways we use the word “essential.”
Gravity is essential to everyday life on this planet. Honestly, no one gets away with life without gravity. But, when was the last time you thought about gravity? If we want to use the term “essential” then shouldn’t it be more front-and-center in our lives? Surely, gravity is necessary for everyday life, but if you never think on it, how “essential” is it to you? In other words, some things can be essential, as in necessary, without much conscious thought, and therefore, not very essential.
For many Christians a lot of “essential” doctrines are simply not that important in everyday life. Sure, the Trinity might be something that the Church has always stressed as an essential teaching; but many in practice, if not in theory, deny its importance every day. The return of Christ in glory for the Judgment Day and for heavenly blessing might be acknowledged in theology class, but it is hardly “essential” to how we live, right? If I can ignore it every day, if I can practically disregard it, then it can’t be very essential.
We think it should be otherwise. If something is “essential” to our faith, it should impact us, change things, influence thought and actions. If essential, then important, and if important, then influential. The “essentials” we will explore are not only important in theory, they are essential to life—essential, important, necessary. If indeed these teachings are essential, then they will change the way you live every day.
For this coming Sunday, please study Proverbs 3:1-8.
1. Notice that these verses break into two parts—verses 1-4
and 5-8. How would you give a subtitle to these verses? What is the common
thread between them?
Our Summer in the Psalms
This week in worship we will wrap up our summer study of the Book of Psalms. As I have mentioned in the past, I don’t think of myself as “a Psalms-guy,” someone who naturally and easily turns to the Psalms in my devotions or prayers. After preaching through various psalms this summer, I can say… I’m still not a “Psalms-guy”! But, I have truly enjoyed our time here; I’ve caught the comfort and the encouragement and the passion. Gosh, maybe I am a Psalms-guy!
The Psalms portray various situations where we need to rely upon Jesus, where we need to experience His truth, His grace, His protection and to trust Him. We “lean into the Lord” when we give ourselves gratefully and fully into His Presence. To put off our own self-reliance and depend instead upon His.
The Psalms are full of these experiences; opportunities to “lean into the Lord.” Over this summer, we have looked at:
à It
is easy, sometimes, to minimize the Bible’s teachings by assuming that it is a
stoic, dry, lifeless manual for “doing the right thing.” It is good to see in
the psalms the passion, emotion, hurt, confusion, pain, joy and sorrow that we
experience all the time.
à It
is easy, sometimes, to ignore the Bible’s teachings by assuming that it has
nothing to say that is relevant to our contemporary world. But it is good to
see in the psalms a world we so easily recognize—a world filled with the
Presence, the love, the mercy, the truth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!
5. This psalm is often identified as "The Travelers' Psalm"...can you see how/why?
I realize I’m showing my age, but… remember “Fonzie”? A character in the popular TV sitcom “Happy Days” “the Fonz” was the ideal stud of a man—strong, capable and utterly confident in himself and all he is and can do. Much of the sitcom humor surrounding the Fonz was built around his “cool-ness” and everyone else’s embrace of that identity. One exaggerated expression of this overwhelming self-esteem was the character’s inability to admit that he made a mistake comically portrayed by Fonzie’s physical inability to say the word “wrong.” Forced into a corner, he stumbles, “I was w…, I was wro…, I was wroooo…” Hilarious. (See “Fonzie’s word trouble” on YouTube). Hilarious because we know that confessing a wrong shouldn’t be that hard—we all need to do it more and more often!
In a slight change of pace, today we are going to actually do a PLOG. That's right. Prayer blog. So, take a look at the Scripture for this week and follow some of the prayer prompts between now and Sunday.
When I was younger I spent some time playing bass for church. Now, I must confess, I knew nothing about what I was doing but putting my fingers in the right spots to make the sound come forth. I cannot read a lick of music, I have tried. It is like a foreign language to my eyes, but my ears...they seem to work. So, interestingly enough, most church songs 20 some years ago were not hard to play in terms of the bass. Now, I am sure they are far more complicated. Nevertheless, I can remember one song in particular which seemed simple, but proved to be pretty difficult for me. We were attempting to play one of U2's songs in youth group. It was 40. (Pronounced For - E with the best Irishness you can muster).
This song was built off of the bass line. I
couldn't get it down. It came time to actually play the song at youth group;
and as you might have guessed, I butchered it. I mean it was so bad that I
still get embarrassed about it now some 20 years later and am much better at
playing now. It is all of that to say, sometimes I think that we treat our
Christian lives in a manner such as I have viewed this bass line. We feel as if
we have to play it perfectly or else it isn't worth its tune. I was so focused
on getting all of the notes right, i was not paying attention to what I was
really doing. I was playing a new song. Now, it took some time, but eventually
I got it.
Some of the words from 40 actually ring true
when it comes to how I was frustrated. “How long to sing this song?” says Bono.
I said the same thing. Like “Lets just get it over with”, or “How long
must we endure this??”
The older I get the more I understand that it
isn't how perfectly I play the line, it is that I play for the King. When I try
to force my fingers to hit the right notes I can and sometimes mess up. But
what if I were to submit my fingers and be guided to the notes? Using the ears
that God gave me to hear the music He wanted me to play? Turning frustration
into persistence and even perhaps a nice tune.
It all stems from my understanding of
deliverance. I bet on some level you might identify with me in this. For many
years, I assumed that when I was delivered from my sin and shame that it was
gone like I had been told. It was years and wisdom that helped me understand
that while the immediate and long term consequence of sin (that which I have
been delivered from) is still an active force in this world. You see...It
wasn't just me who was affected by it; like I was the only person playing in
the band. It impacts all of the created order. So, while I stand reconciled and
redeemed, I stand next to that which is not. So....what do we do with this
reality?
We need to introduce a new song. That song is
the Good News of the Gospel. It is a new song that for those who are delivered
and need deliverance, need to sing every day. How long? How long? How long? How
long to sing this song?
Every. Single. Day.
This week read Psalm 40 in its entirety.
Reflect on the following.
1. How often do you sing the new song of the
Gospel to yourself?
2. Who in your life can attribute knowing the
new song because you have sung it to them?
3. Do you ever have a hard time believing that
you have actually been delivered from the sin and shame in your life?
4. Do you know anyone who says the same thing
about themselves?
5. Make a plan to sing a new song to yourself
this week and someone who you know needs to hear it.
“What a lovely house!” (my first thought) “What a lovely LAKE!” (when I got out of the car) “What lovely people!” (meeting the Knapps for the first time). I was on my first “leadership retreat” for a Pitt ministry, and the Knapps were hosting our college ministry leadership team for a spiritual retreat. That August weekend Henry Sr. and Lucy Knapp took off emptying their gorgeous lake home to us. A bunch of immature, rag tag, obnoxiously loud college students. Fifteen of us! If that’s not a picture of grace, I don’t know what is. “Here. It’s yours. Take care of it and have fun!”
1. What makes the psalmist talk about God’s
dwelling place as “lovely”? What do you think he has in mind?
Why is it that we often see the way most clearly when we are most lost? When things look the bleakest, when all hope is lost, that is frequently when God most plainly reveals Himself. It really is the darkest before the dawn. The Psalmist relates such a moment: “Out of the depths, I cry to you, O LORD!” (Psalm 130).
No two experiences are exactly the same. There are, I am sure, as many ways God has touched our lives as there are believers in the world. Everyone encounters the Lord in unique ways, and it is a joy to tell those stories. Blaise Pascal, the world’s premier thinker in the seventeenth century, was taken by the theological truths of the Gospel. Almost against his will, CS Lewis became “the most dejected, reluctant convert in all England.” Count Zinzendorf, the father of modern missions, was overcome with joy while looking at a painting of a thorn-crowned Christ. There was nothing sentimental or emotional about the conversion experience of John Calvin. His experience of God’s grace came slowly, in contemplation over time. In contrast, John Wesley’s heart was “strangely warmed” while reading the Scripture and reflecting on his life. An early missionary to Native Americans, David Brainerd had an experience of “unspeakable glory” that prompted a “hearty desire to exalt God.”
While no two experiences are the same, it does often seem as though God meets us most clearly in our deepest time of need. St. Augustine was in the depths of loneliness and despair when he heard the voice that took him to the Word of God, and ultimately, to faith in Christ. The author of “Amazing Grace,” John Newton, was brought to a saving knowledge of the Lord after surviving a violent storm in the Atlantic which threatened to destroy his ship. Also in a storm, Martin Luther gave his life to serve Christ while terrified at begin struck by lightning. Charles Colson was famously involved in the Watergate coverup and came to faith during his time in prison. An inward crisis, despondency, emotional turmoil, and the death of his brother led the Russian philosopher and author Leo Tolstoy to a personal faith in the Savior. Of course, the Apostle Paul was knocked off his horse, blinded and confronted by the Lord Himself.
“Out of the depths, I cry to you, O LORD!” Many of us can appreciate such a cry. In times of trouble and despair, when we truly believe we are in the depths, we cry out to God. Of course, there are many reasons why we find ourselves in the depths; sometimes by accident, sometimes by the abuse of others. But often it is our own willfulness, our determination to be self-sufficient that lands us in despair. Perhaps that is why we meet the Lord at such times; perhaps it is exactly because our own way has led us to the depths, that we can finally listen to His voice. When we give up our self-confidence and trust instead in Him, we see Him as He truly is—the Savior, our Lord, Jesus the Christ.
If you have found yourself in the depths, read Psalm 130 for this Sunday.
My neighbor, Jody, was GREAT! A year older than I, Jody’s ideas were always outrageous, his imagination vivid, his excitement contagious, and his energy limitless. Even his spooky, musty attic was the best place to hunker down for an evening and play. We envisioned all manner of make-believe situations in his attic—an attack by aliens, behind-the-lines in Nazi Germany, underwater exploration. Jody was always able to invent scenarios which would engage my young imagination.
I well remember one in particular—Cowboys and Indians. We were cut off from the rest of our group, stranded from any help, and pursued by vicious Indians looking to take our scalps! Panic and fear were the name of the game. And, amazingly, stuck in the hot, musty attic, I was completely taken in. I remember the fear, the dread of being caught and the efforts Jody and I went through to escape. Honestly, in my 7-year-old mind, I was truly terrified. Until, we safely arrived at the fort (the other end of the attic). There was safety! There was rest! There was my… fortress.
In our game the fortress was secure. It was a place of salvation. Enemies could assail it, but nothing inside was in danger, as long as the fortress held. It is hard to express how absolutely safe and secure I felt inside the attic-fortress.
The image of God as a fortress is a popular one—both in the Scripture and in popular Christian thought. One of the church’s most famous hymns, written by the Reformer Martin Luther, is built entirely around this imagery: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God/A bulwark never failing/our Helper He amid the flood/of mortal ills prevailing.”
It is not surprising that the Psalmist drew on this image in describing His God. As in our time, the enemies of the Gospel are all around us—and deep within us! The evil which has set itself against the glory of our Lord is powerful, vicious and determined to destroy. To underestimate the danger is to surely fall into destruction. Yet, all is not lost. Though the Enemy be all around, though the brokenness of sin appears in every thought, word, and deed, yet the Christian dwells secure, for… Our God is a Fortress!
The metaphor of a fortress envisions the strength of high, thick walls; the permeance of security; the power radiating outward. Being “inside” the fort is life. Stable, indestructible, ever-present. These, and so much more, applies ultimately not to any building, not to any man-made structure, but only to the heart of our Lord. It is there, in there, where we find peace, serenity and calm. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble…The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress!” (Psalm 46).
Join us this week as we experience the peace of our Fortress.
Read Psalm 46.
1. In Verse 1, what does “a very present help” mean? How
might one experience this? What blessings does it convey?
I have confessed it before, and I’m sure I’ll state it again in the future—I’m not a “Psalms-guy.” Many people just love the Psalms; they appreciated the emotional framework of the Psalms, the poetry, the imagery and the personal voice of the author. Even without music, the Psalms move some people in dramatic and spiritual ways.
Not so for me. My appreciation of poetry never really evolved past “roses are red, violets are blue…” I have a good sense of metaphors and imagery, but it always appears lost to me in poetic form. I like hearing people’s testimonies, their personal interactions with my Lord, but set in the “wrong” format, I tend to get lost and miss the interpersonal dynamics of the author’s engagement with God.
When I first became a follower of Christ I was deeply immersed in Paul’s epistles. There’s where I found a home! Paul’s didactic style, his clear articulation of theological points, his direct and thorough description of the Christian life all appealed to me. I could follow that, enjoy it, and be drawn deeper in my relationship with Jesus. The more time I spent with Paul’s letters the less I spent with the Psalms.
Yet, the Psalms are God’s Word to us. The Psalms are the Bible’s praise and worship of the Lord. They are the experience and expression of deep passion and love. I know this to be true, and realize that, if I’m personally moved by the Psalms or not, they are given to me by my Savior, and I must embrace them. The Psalms are important, not because we like their poetry, or intimacy, or imagery, or emotion. The Psalms are important to us because God has given them to us. That is reason alone to study the Psalms.
Yet, even more, the Psalms speak God’s Word to us in different ways than do the Gospels or Paul’s letters. As humans we share many characteristics, none more so than our deep need of redemption. That message of redemption, the Good News, comes to us in various ways, intending to touch us on different levels, and we would be remiss to ignore any of them.
And so, this summer, we will be spending time in the Psalms. We have been studying the Gospel of Mark, and we will pick that up again in the new year. The idea is to work through Mark’s Gospel in the springs of 2023, 2024, and 2025. Taking a break from Mark this summer, our worship together will include looking each week at one of the Psalms. The personal “flavor” of these texts are intended to enhance our faith, enabling us to lean into God, His care and provision, in various ways. Therefore, the series will center on “Leaning into the Lord’s _____,” where each week the “blank” will be filled in with a different character, gift, or promise of God for His people.
This week, we are “Leaning into the Lord’s Way.” God has a plan for the world and for His Church, and that plan is well summarized in Psalms 1 and 2, our text for this week.
Everyone likes a hero, right? Over the last decade and change, the biggest movies have been about superheroes. There have now been over 30 movies that are super high grossing regaling us with the tales of different characters with different powers. We know it’s not real but we connect with the characters. That is why we watch.
To say that they have captured our imagination and our ticket money is an
understatement. We are wired it seems to be interested in something or someone
bigger than ourselves. This is why it makes sense that we are taken the way we
are.
This week we are going to take a look at a fairly peculiar bold move in the
Bible. It’s certainly not what I would have expected to happen but it is
something that we should not be surprised would have occurred. Not all superheroes
wear capes. But, they do need armor and something to fight with. Something is
the operative word.
To get the fullest picture of the setting of this week's text you are going to
have to do some light reading. So, here is how you can prepare and some of the
questions that might help set the scene for you while you see what precedes our
Scripture.
Start by reading 1 Samuel 13:1-23
Part 1
1 Samuel 13:1-15
1. Even though it was Jonathan who attacked the outpost at Geba, why did Saul
get the credit?
2. Why do you think that the Israelites were afraid?
3. What took Samuel so long to get there?
4. How many of the people were left by the end of Chapter 13?
Part 2
1 Samuel 13:16-23
1. What or who was seriously lacking in verse 19?
2. What did Israel really have to work with as the battle approached?
3. Where did the 4th detachment of the Israelites go?
I like making things easy for my kids. Things are tough in this world, and part of my job as a dad is to make things a bit easier. And, what is easier than… “a tie for Christmas!”
I wear a tie three or four days a week. I am reliably informed that this places me outside the mainstream of culture at this point; but, let’s face it, I pretty much live there.
I’m not sure why I wear a tie. By any real measure, a tie has little function. I have, in the past, used it in emergencies as a napkin, but I have since learned the errors of my way. Ties just… are. They hang there and don’t do anything. Someone, somewhere thought that they “dressed up” an outfit, but I’m not sure how. And, worse yet, historically they date back to the French (my English-snobbery is showing!). Why the tie? Who knows? It is (or, increasingly, was) just part of our culture.
A lot of our cultural practices, I am sure, have meaningful historical significance; but in the present, just seem to be there “just because.” This is, of course, not simply endemic of our culture—Every society has its cultural practices which perhaps do not make much sense even to those who practice it. In Mark 5:38, we have one such cultural tradition that, at least on the surface, seems a bit odd.
Jesus is coming to the synagogue ruler Jairus’ house because his daughter is very sick. You can imagine Jairus hustling Jesus along, not wanting anything to slow Him down. Unfortunately, before they arrive, news comes of the daughter’s death. And, as they approach the house, they hear weeping and wailing. What you would expect given her death, except… those weepers and wailers are not the family members, not friends. They are professional mourners—folks paid to grieve, and to do so freely and publically. The cultural tradition of the day insisted that, upon death, the family would hire a band of people who would mourn for them in the streets. Like a tie, you gotta say, “huh?”
It is these mourners who Jesus first interacts with in verse 39—“Why are you making a commotion and weeping?” Jesus seems to either be ignoring an important cultural tradition or He is ignorant of what has happened, that the girl has died. Or… Or, Jesus knows something that the professional mourners do not. Perhaps He knows something about death, that His understanding of dying, His awareness of true need is more, much more, than those who are “skilled” at mourning.
There are, undoubtedly, many odd aspects of our culture that, upon reflection, seem a bit off. One of the great dangers of our culture is that it can mask the truths of the Gospel. This has always been the case, and it will always be the case: Satan will use anything to distract us from the truth of Jesus Christ. But we have such a Savior who will not be distracted. He will push through our misconceptions and bring the light of the Gospel into our lives.
If you are wearing a tie this week or not, we welcome you to worship, to come to our Savior together! In preparation for worship this week, read Mark 5:21-43.