So my son and I have some good news to share, which is the entire point of good news…right?
Watch the video to find out what the news is!
🙂
Monthly Archives: February 2016
Punxsutawney Phil and Hope!
Punxsutawney Phil is the “official” groundhog of Groundhog Day, the holiday, not the movie (though he is in the movie)! And this year (2016) Phil did not see his shadow, which apparently means that spring will be coming sooner rather than later.
As I was considering Punxsutawney Phil and all of his antics, I realized something: this little mammal is all about hope. Think about it, those who have suffered a long winter with mounds of snow, ice, and bone-chilling temperatures need something to remind them that spring is coming. They need hope.
They need Punxsutawney Phil!
Unfortunately, the hope that this little groundhog brings isn’t all that great. He only gets it “right” 40% 0f the time.
While 40% would be a great batting average in baseball (.400 is almost mythical in its stature), for a weather predictor that’s worse than flipping a coin!
The hope that Punxsutawney Phil brings is flimsy at best.
Better Sources for Hope than Punxsutawney Phil
So are there better sources for hope? Absolutely!
Firstly, if we are searching for some hope we can be reminded of all the times and ways that we worked hard and got things done. More often than not we succeed, in small ways and large ones. But we end up failing ourselves since we aren’t perfect. Looking inward is not the best source of hope.
Secondly, we can search for hope in others, like our family and friends. Most of us have people that we can count on. When we’re in trouble, we contact them and they are there for us. But we know that they’re imperfect people too and, oh by the way, they’ve failed us as well. Looking to others is not the best source of hope either.
Thirdly, we can search for hope in societal structures and governments. More often than not, things like banks, infrastructure, and government agencies can be counted on to do what they are supposed to do. But we all know the ways that they fail us too, seeing that they were created by and are run by flawed human beings. Looking outward to societal structures and governments is not the best source of hope either.
Fourthly, we can search for hope with organized religion, specifically within the Church. In the vast majority of cases, the Church brings people hope and help. But we all know that the Church is run by people who can influence things to go in the wrong direction based on their own predilections and brokenness. Looking outward to the Church or organized religion is not the best source of hope either.
The Best Source of Hope
So is there one source that’s THE best?
Last night I was chatting with a new friend on Blab, a social broadcasting platform. He said that he grew up in a Christian family but that based on various experiences he came to understand that the people who introduced him to Christ couldn’t be counted on, since they were flawed people. He needed to turn to a better source of hope.
So he turned to a relationship directly with God. His words were that “God could be counted on since he was perfect.” However, my new friend admitted that his experience of God can’t always be trusted since he himself is also imperfect. But he was more willing to trust in his relationship with God directly than any kind of connection to the divine mediated by others.
And, in my opinion, my new friend is on to something. We fail ourselves. Others fail us. And the structures of the world fail us. And even the Church fails us.
So where do we turn?
We turn to the true source of hope, Christ Jesus, whom Paul calls “the hope of glory” (Colossians 1.27). And it is because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead that we “have been given birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1.3).
And because our hope is “in the living God” (1 Timothy 4.10) and not “wealth, which is uncertain” (1 Timothy 6.17), it is secure and unfailing. And this hope is not flimsily based on the meandering failures of humans. Instead it rests in the unswerving character of God himself, as expressed through Jesus, therefore it is “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrew 6.19).
So where we fail ourselves, others fail us, society fails us, and the Church fails us, Jesus won’t! We can rest assured that our hope in him is well-placed!
What do you think? Are Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil all about hope? Where can and should we place our hope? Let me know in the comments below!
Organized Religion
Organized religion, especially the “institutional” church in the West, has gotten a lot of flack in recent years. Is this popular negative assessment fair? What can we learn about organized religion from the life of Jesus?
By: fusion-of-horizons Doesn’t this church look like some kind of Eldar building fromWarhammer 40k? Bonus points if you have any idea what I’m talking about here!
Organized Religion and It’s Perception
It seems rather obvious that people are less and less into organized religion these days. Church attendance is down and continues to decrease, so much so that some church buildings are being converted into night clubs, small businesses, and residences.
And when surveyed, people are increasingly saying that they’re spiritual but not religious. Usually what people seem to mean by this is that they want to believe in a higher power or a generically loving Jesus, but not be connected to the big “C” Church with all of its baggage.
Perhaps THE voice for this movement is Jefferson Bethke, the star of a viral YouTube video entitled “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word.” Here it is:
His piece of poetry was so popular that he ended up getting a book deal out of it (here’s the link to the book: Jesus > Religion).
Why is this the case? Why do so many people want to be spiritual but also want to distance themselves from organized religion?
Here are a few ideas that come to my mind:
- Organized religion represents closed-mindedness and bigotry for many, especially younger people.
- Many people were hurt directly or indirectly by organized religion. Maybe there was abuse, neglect, or misuse of power. And perhaps people’s parents forced religion on them.
- Maybe some people don’t like the feeling that religion brings with it obligations to obey things while being spiritual is more nebulous.
- Being spiritual seems more open and inclusive than organized religion is typically represented.
- And being spiritual is much less political in nature than being associated with organized religion tends to be.
I’m sure that there are dozens of other reasons (let me know some in the comments below!), but the point is this: many people are not pleased with organized religion these days.
Jesus and Organized Religion
And another reason that many people give for their disdain for organized religion goes something like this: Jesus was more about the heart and spirituality than all that religious stuff!
But is this sentiment true? What do the authors of the Gospels reveal to us about Jesus’ connection to organized religion?
This morning I was doing my devotional time and I began reading John 5. I didn’t get very far before something stood out to me. Here it is (John 5.1):
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.
This verse is easily passed over when reading the exciting narratives of John 4 and 5. But it highlights something interesting: Jesus was involved in organized religion.
Jesus left his home-base and traveled by foot or caravan to Jerusalem. Why? Did he like the mall in Jerusalem? Nope! He went up to Israel’s capital in order to participate in a Jewish festival.
To repeat: Jesus was involved in organized religion.
So the mentality that Jesus hated organized religion and was only about spirituality is simply wrong, the text doesn’t support this idea.
However, we should note that when Jesus engaged in organized religion, he did so in ways that brought glory to God and furthered his mission, the Missio Dei.
Often, when we engage in organized religion we do so out of obligation or tradition. And even when we have good intentions, we often simply support the status quo of the religious group we’re part of instead of pursuing Jesus and his mission at all costs.
In the story in John 5, Jesus went up to celebrate the festivals. But as he was in Jerusalem he kept his eyes open — and in so doing he met someone in need and helped him out.
At another time Jesus preached at a synagogue, another example of Jesus engaging in organized religion (Luke 4). But, again, Jesus did so in ways that furthered God’s glory and mission, this time encouraging the people to share the good news with the downcast (which wasn’t a popular message).
And there are many, many other examples of how Jesus engaged in organized religion.
In fact, this was such a common part of Jesus’ ministry, that his earliest followers did the same. Check out this passage from the first part of Acts 2.46:
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
The earliest followers of Jesus were involved in organized religion too, meeting in the temple courts. Later, in Acts 3.1, we see Peter and John following Jesus again, going to the temple but keeping their eyes open to further God’s glory and mission by helping someone out.
And, lastly in this section, Paul almost always started ministry in a new area by preaching in the synagogue or whatever other organized gathering of Jews he could find. And when he did so, he always found ways to point to the love and grace of Jesus. In other words, Paul was involved in organized religion as well.
So What Does This Mean for Us Today?
So Jesus and his earliest followers didn’t shy away from organized religion. Why, then, should we? Wouldn’t it be better for us to follow their leads (especially that of Jesus) by engaging in organized religion but always with an eye toward bringing God glory and furthering his kingdom?
Here are a few initial thoughts about how we can move forward today:
- “Because” is not a good reason. We need a better reason to be engaged in organized religion than “because.” It’ not enough that we feel like we should or someone we love wants us to. And “that’s the way we’ve always done things” isnot enough either.
- Actually ENGAGE in organized religion. Just like Jesus, Peter, John, Paul, and so many others, we should participate in organized religion on purpose. As we do so, are there people for us to love? Are there unhelpful tradition for us to challenge? Are there opportunities to share and embody the good news?
- Make religion about connection. From the beginning of God’s calling us to gather to worship him together, he did so in order that we would connect with him and with one another. In fact, from eternity past and into eternity future, the Triune God has always been about connection, engaging in the divine and mysterious dance of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And as we gather to worship him together, we join in that dance, thus connecting with God and with one another.
What do you think? What value is there to be found in organized religion? And how do we avoid its potential pitfalls? Let me know in the comments below!