Pastor's Column Nov. 27, 2011

The following is from a sermon given by Rev. Timothy Keller, of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York.

“Christmas is frankly doctrinal (a faith position). The Bible says the invisible has become visible, the incorporeal has become corporeal, i.e., God has become human. The ideal has become real. The divine has taken up human nature.

“This is not only a specific doctrine, but it’s also unique. Doctrine always distinguishes you. One of the reasons we’re afraid to talk about doctrine is because it distinguishes us from others. Here’s why the doctrine of Christmas is unique. On the one hand you’ve got religions that say God is so imminent in all things that incarnation is normal. If you’re a Buddhist or Hindu, God is imminent in everything. God is the divine spark in everything, and therefore incarnation is normal. God is incarnate in all sorts of people and things. Christians say Jesus is the God-man, and people from that family say sure.

“On the other hand, the family of religions like Islam and Judaism says God is so transcendent over all things that incarnation is impossible. Jesus as God-man is blasphemous.

“But Christianity is unique. It doesn’t say incarnation is normal, but it doesn’t say it’s impossible. It says God is so imminent that it is possible, but he is so transcendent that the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ is a universe-sundering, history-altering, life-transforming, paradigm-shattering event. Christianity has a unique view on this that sets us apart from everything else.” -DJ

PASTOR’S COLUMN (Nov. 20, 2011)

We are in the midst of a sermon series having to do with our being agents of Christ, persons through whom others can see what Jesus is like, persons who represent His interests. What do you think then of the job being done by the woman who wrote the following letter to Dear Abby?

“Dear Abby: Please answer this quickly. There is no one else I can talk to. I am a devout Christian woman, prominent in my church and have an impeccable reputation. My late husband’s family treats me with respect and generosity.

“I was unhappy when ‘Henry’ and I were married and I wanted to divorce him, but the man I was having an affair with at the time would not leave his wife for me. In spite of being devastated, I was so blessed because Henry died a short time later. I have now been free for ten years.

“I love my freedom and the relationship I have with Henry’s family. But recently I have begun to wonder if I should confide in my brother-in-law, “Rick” (who is getting a divorce), that I was unhappy enough with his brother to have had affairs much of the time we were married. It might make Rick feel better about his own ‘mess’ and possibly bring him closer to me.

“Should I open my heart to him? He thinks of me as a sister. – Unsure in Charleston, S.C.”

Abby said to not tell Rick. What amazes me is that Abby did not mention the inconsistency in this woman’s behavior, namely, that she claimed to be a devout Christian. Where is obedience to scripture in this lady’s life? We can’t be agents of Jesus and behave in any manner we please. - DJ

Pastor's Column Nov. 13, 2011

PASTOR’S COLUMN. Centuries ago, a scholar on his way to church was surprised to see a man in tattered clothes and barefoot. Nevertheless, as a good Christian, he greeted the poor man: “May God give you a good morning!”

The poor man replied cheerfully, “I have never yet had a bad morning.”

“Then may God give you good luck!”

“I have never yet had bad luck.”

“Well, may God give you happiness!”

“I have never yet been unhappy.”

The scholar then asked the man, “Could you please explain? I don’t understand.”

“Certainly,” said the man. “You wish me a good morning, yet I have never had a bad morning. For when I am hungry, I praise God; when I feel cold, or when it’s raining or snowing, I praise God; and that is why I’ve never had a bad morning.

“You wish that God may give me luck. However, I have never had bad luck. This is because I live with God and always feel what he does for me is the best. Whatever God sends me, be it pleasant or unpleasant, I accept with a grateful heart. That is why I have never had bad luck.

“Finally, you wish that God should make me happy. But I have never been unhappy. For all I desire is to follow God’s will; I have surrendered my will so totally to God’s will that, whatever God wants, that is what I also want. That is why I have never been unhappy.” - Attributed to Meister Eckhart – D.J.

Pastor's Column Nov. 6, 2011

Pastor’s Column. Jesus teaches that everything we have belongs to God. It’s not ours. We don’t own it. We are simply stewards or managers of what has been entrusted to us by God.

Spiritual growth, then, has to do with how this belief gives shape to our lives over time. As time passes are we growing in our ability to give to Jesus’ work of building up the kingdom of God? Are we becoming better managers of what God has given us? Are we willing to make sacrifices so we can better serve Jesus?

Spiritual growth as it pertains to financial giving is measurable. The Presbyterian Church calls this measure of growth percentage giving, and it is very simple. What percentage of your income did you give last year? Take this year’s income and attempt to increase your giving by a percent or more beyond last year’s. The percentage growth represents spiritual growth unless giving this amount upsets you or makes you mad. Remember 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Other factors obviously enter into the struggle to grow spiritually via financial giving. A person can make a special one-time gift to the church (which isn’t to be matched again), or one can lose significant income, or one can experience catastrophic bills, or whatever. Life is a not always the same one year to the next. Sometimes we have to go back to square one and do the best we can. Yet, if we say we are growing spiritually, but have nothing to demonstrate how, are we really? James states it so well, “By what I do, not by what I say, I’ll show you my faith.” - DJ