Tag: Jesus

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Peace – Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:7 (NRSV)

Long ago, when kings and queens were being introduced, they would collect many titles or nicknames for themselves to sound impressive. You might be familiar with names like Catherine the Great or Ivan the Terrible of Russia. But rulers had more exciting names too. Edward I of England was known by the name The Hammer of the Scots, which sounds kind of cool.

Today, these sorts of nicknames are typically reserved for professional athletes like football players or basketball players. The best nicknames are found among pro wrestlers. Think ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, or ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage.

These names are supposed to mesmerize fans and intimidate opponents. The nicknames given to our rulers in the past, did the same thing. Titles like “the Great” or “the Terrible” or “The Hammer of the Scots” were supposed to sound mighty and unapproachable. We are supposed to be captivated and frightened by them.

This verse from Isaiah lists a bunch of nicknames for Jesus, and they seem very different from the nicknames of our worldly rulers and wrestlers. The title “Wonderful Counselor” does not sound scary; it sounds inspiring and personal. What if we were to rewrite Jesus’s name with the phrase ‘Mighty God.’ It might sound something like Jesus Christ, the Mighty God. Now, that does sound awe-inspiring.

Perhaps the most confusing of these titles is ‘Prince of Peace.’ I cannot think of any worldly ruler or even modern athlete who wishes to be called ‘Prince of Peace.’ It tends to be against the human instinct to advocate for peace, even when it is the thing we need most.

Jesus comes into this world sporting the title ‘Prince of Peace.’ Jesus turns the earthly model of leadership on its head. He does not rule by force and terror but through faith and love. He preaches “blessed are the peacemakers,” and through his death and resurrection, he brings peace between humanity and God.

Take time today to reflect on the nicknames of Jesus. Which one means the most to you?

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Peace – The Comfort of God

Comfort, O Comfort my people, says your God. – Isaiah 40:1 (NRSV)

This passage is spoken over the people of Israel at the end of the Exile. Is read in God’s own voice, and he is calling out to Israel to give them comfort at the end of their trial. It’s an important verse in the book of Isaiah because it presents a huge shift in the message of the book. In fact, some people call the following few chapters the “Book of Comfort” because the tone is one of support and encouragement.

When you think of the word ‘comfort’ what images come into your mind. Maybe you think about a warm safe blanket on a cold rainy night. Maybe you imagine a good hug from a dear friend that you received just at the right moment.

There are lots of things we use to inspire comfort during this time of year. Hot cocoa in a good mug after a long day. Bright lights on our homes when the night lasts so long. Bells that spark music when we least expect it.

The Christmas season is definitely a time when we need comfort. Comfort food, comforting friends, and comfortable clothes on those cold winter nights. You, or those close to you, might need a little extra comfort during this season, especially when we remember all the people who cannot celebrate this season with us.

Today, take time to reflect on the images of comfort which surround you. Candles, hugs, and Christmas cards are full of warm wishes and messages of comfort. Resist the urge to get caught up in the stress and materialism of our world and embrace the Sabbath rest of God.

Find your favorite image of comfort and place it in a prominent place. Put a candle on your desk at home or a Christmas card on your bathroom mirror. God wants you to enjoy his comfort this season, and if you get the chance, offer someone else a little comfort too!

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Ten Kernals of Wisdom

It has been over a week since I walked across the stage at Campbell University Commencement. I throughly enjoyed my time in undergrad, and I am looking forward eagerly to seminary in Atlanta and starting work in ministry with Northside UMC.

As I move forward in life, I’d like to share some brief proverbs that I took from my undergrad expirence. I treasure these saysing, though for most of them I cannot recall their initial orgin. These short maxims have cemented in my thoughts, and I can only assume that they are truths which God thought I needed to learn. So, here we go: Continue reading “Ten Kernals of Wisdom”

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Exam Week: What’s the goal?

Thankfully, I am done with my final exams, but most college students still have a few days until they reach the finishline. My brother, a a student at NCSU, is one of those still in the trenches studying. He told me recently that he had heard more ambulances on campus during this time than any other. Most of those emergency calls were for panic attacks.

Research has shown that anxiety and depression among young people is at an all time high, and has been rising steadily since the early 19th century. As someone who has experience with mental illness, the steady rise in psychological disorders is shocking, but not suprising. Many college studnts have had to negotiate the this problem with counseling and medication. It is a real biological problem, but not without societal factors.

Research has identified two societal causes for this problem: Decline in Young People’s Sense of Personal Control over their Fate and the Shift Toward Extrinsic Goals, away from Intrinsic Goals. Young people do not feel like they have any control of their fate coupled with societal pressure to excel in culture which prizes money, power, and accomplishments.

In a post from Peter Gray from Psychology Today puts it this way:

The shift toward extrinsic goals could well be related causally to the shift toward an External locus of control. We have much less personal control over achievement of extrinsic goals than intrinsic goals. I can, through personal effort, quite definitely improve my competence, but that doesn’t guarantee that I’ll get rich. I can, through spiritual practices or philosophical delving, find my own sense of meaning in life, but that doesn’t guarantee that people will find me more attractive or lavish praise on me.

In short, we are laying up treasure here on earth. In Matthew 6, Jesus warns us against exactly that. Instead, he tells us to store our treasure with him in heaven “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21).” We must relinquish the external goals, and focus on the internal goals of our own spiritual formantion. It’s impossible to quantify our faith. We cannot, or should not, parade our spiritual maturity around like a trophy or work promotion. But that’s exactly what our society does not offer. Only through knowledge of Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit can we meet the intrinsic goals and find internal peace. So we must press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14 ESV).

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Freedom

This summer certainly has had theme. This has been one of those seasons of life where God has definitely been trying to teach me something. It began with a term paper I wrote back in the spring. I daringly chose to discuss the theology of the Declaration of Independence. Also, in my Ethics class we discussed the the topic of freedom as part of the Christian ethical system. Then the church I have been interning at this summer has had the over arching theme of freedom guiding its Bible studies, ministries and worship services.

All that is to say, I’ve thought, talked, and heard a lot about freedom. And it’s something that we need to examine. Long before the School House Rock taught us all about the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” people were talking about freedom. The American Founding Father’s didn’t actually invent it. But, consider what political freedom actually is. What do the talking heads mean when they say they want freedom for a country or for the American people?

At the heart of every definition of freedom is choice. The ability to be responsible for our own lives.

In our individualistic, materialistic culture that choice means the right to chose Pepsi or Coke, paper or plastic, Democrat or Republican. It’s a smorgasbord type freedom which takes us through life like a buffet; we take what we want because it satisfies in the moment. And hey, it’s a free country.  At the end of the day when you’re on the couch having eaten 2 plate fulls of what felt good an hour ago at “Big Pet’s All You Can Eat” chances are you’re not going to feel very free. It leads us to read “the Pursuit of Happiness” as “the pursuit of whatever I feel like” or “the pursuit of whatever idea or goal I have at whatever expense.” That’s not freedom.

“The Pursuit of Happiness” is not whatever I feel like or want. It’s not the Lexis or promotion. It’s the end at which all life aims. It’s why we’re all here on earth. It’s what we’re all striving for.

As Paul Wadell explains in his book Happiness and the Christian Moral Life, our political, social and economic systems give us the capacity for freedom. They are the structure that allow us to chose, but those choices can lead us right back to a spiritual slavery if we’re not careful.  They do not formulate the Virtue of Freedom.

In his book Wadell asks “who is the freest person you know?”  Jesus is the freest person I know. Free from death and shame and sin. And when we follow him we chose a life not of Pepsi, paper and Republican, but of self-sacrificing service and humble devotion to God.

For the Christian, freedom is not just the ability to chose, but is a virtue practiced and perfected in community as we love one another and love God. We need freedom. It is the key to our dignity and person-hood, and true freedom is only found in following Jesus. And in that freedom there is Joy.

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But to Serve

When I consider the term poverty in spirit I am reminded of my Grandmother.
My grandmother was the picture of humility. Always, meek and eager to help. She led a simple life of devotion in the isolation of a ranch in West Texas. She attended a church of less than twenty-five people situated between two massive properties. She was the only member of the tiny church who was not related to one of the two families which owned the sounding property. This was where her funeral was held.

I remember the moment when I realized she was going to die. She had been battling cancer for some time, and for a while things were looking good. It was Christmas Day and we had just finished a late dinner. We had opened presents with all the extended family, and the combination of shredded wrapping paper and dirty dishes created an environment that testified to the excitement of the day. I absentmindedly began to clean up along with my aunts, and I realized my grandmother was resting on the couch. She wasn’t helping us clean. For a moment I was confused. She was always the first to serve and looked for anyway to help even when she was tired. I remember her washing dishes, changing dipper, watching children cleaning floors all without ever being asked. Why wasn’t she helping us now? Then I realized she was too sick to help. She could no longer serve the ones she loved. Although we eagerly longed to serve her especially in her hour of greatest need, that is not what she lived for. She lived to not to be served but to serve, and her health had robed that from her. A few months later she died surrounded by her daughters. It was a tender, bitter-sweet moment when she left us to be with Jesus. She had no more work here with us, but I know she is serving her master in heaven.

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Reconciled

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.   2 Corinthians 5:18-19

The first time I heard a sermon on reconciliation I found the idea almost magical. That not only has God brought us near to Him through Chris, but also we are to be committed to the same action. We are to emulate His actions in dealing with one another. Loving one another like Jesus loved us and bringing relationship where sin has divided.

One of my Professors was trying to explain to us the Holy Spirit’s work of reconciliation. To emphasize his point the professor read us an account of a deacon who caught several men, all very young, in the act of vandalizing and robbing his church. The police came and arrested them men, but Sunday the pastor had an idea.  He asked that a love offering be taken up for the robbers and their families.”Don’t spread the word that we’re doing this,” he said, but he wanted to do something radical. All the things they stole and destroyed were material possessions that could be replaced. The church responded by donating money, visiting with their families and giving them the same electronics they men tried to steal.The pastor and his church wanted to show that they didn’t care about the stuff; they cared about their souls. For this they received attention and acclamation from several news agencies and the local and national communities. This action seemed so unique to the outside world. What motivated such an action? The gospel.

As my professor finished the story, he look around with a smile and asked what we all thought. I was startled when every person he called on thought the church naive. Even the kindest and gentlest members of our class believed they were rewarding theft and that those men don’t deserve it. Some asked if the men had changed their ways as if our soul motivation in showing graces was determined by the results. I became heartsick at the thought. Of course these men didn’t deserve it! That is exactly why this church acted the way they did. This church showed these men in a tangible way that their sin was forgiven, and they desired to be reconciled with them. They did the work of reconciliation. It was hard and it cost them. It was against their instincts and against culture. But it is the ministry of Christ.

We are all sinners. We should never look down on any expression of grace. None of us deserve the blessings we receive. Those thieves didn’t deserve the gifts of that church, and I don’t deserve the gift of Christ. The beauty of grace is that we don’t get what we deserve. God makes the sun to rise and the rain to fall on the good and bad, and we are to show love in the same way. For in Christ we are forgiven and reconciled with the living God. We are called to forgive others always if we are to be forgiven, and we are to reconcile whenever possible if we are ever to bring the Kingdom of God hear on earth.