In our teen class we have a discussion question box. This fall we are taking the topics and questions submitted by the students and using them as our class discussion on Sunday mornings.

One of the cards (and the one we began the series with) simply said, “Keeping faith in God.”

As a parent and a youth minister, it scares me a little that teenagers don’t know how to stay faithful. I read article after article and look at research upon research concerning teenagers and faith. Most of it is negative. Depending on what statistics you listen to, between 40% and 70% of teenagers will leave their faith after graduating.

Dropping out of church while in college it the new normal. The fact that one of my students submitted this discussion topic tells me two things: 1) We have not done a good job of equipping our students to be lifelong disciples of Jesus, and 2) our teenagers want to know how!

So what does it take to keep faith in God?

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE…
I think the first place to start is by wrestling with the question, What would it take for me to lose my faith? I don’t think we consider that one enough. Would it take definitive proof that God does not exist? Would you lose your faith over the death of a close family member? Peer pressure? Addiction? Tragedy? Bad experiences with other Christians? Discovery of alien life?

Know your weak areas, those stumbling blocks with which you find yourself wrestling in the wee hours of the morning. Know your weaknesses and then shore them up. Because even though you may not know your weak spots, Satan certainly does.

What would it take for me to lose my faith? Until the answer to that question is Nothing, we’ve got work to do.

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

IN, NOT OF
From Jesus’ prayer recorded in John 17 we have coined the phrase, “In the world but not of the world.” The idea is that this world is a corrupt, evil, dangerous place, but we’ve still got to live here. Jesus’ prayer is that his disciples (including us) may be in the world but not become conformed to the world’s mold. That means we don’t put our stock into the world’s systems and securities. We don’t buy into the world’s goals and morals and values. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we are strangers and foreigners in this place.

Easy peasy, right?

Unfortunately when I look around the church, especially our younger members (myself included), we look a whole lot more like the world than we should. We look, talk, act, and think like people of the world. And why is it so hard to be in the world but not of the world? Maybe it’s because we are in the church but not of the church. (Not my own idea. I heard it from a preacher not to long ago, but I can’t remember his name.)

KEEP ON RUNNING
An article came out not too long ago on churchleaders.com entitled “3 Common Traits of Youth Who Don’t Leave the Church.” It’s a fantastic little article that has gotten me rethinking some things. Here’s the gist of the article:

1. They are converted.
2. They have been equipped, not just entertained.
3. Their parents preached the gospel to them.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Who is the wisest person you know?

We’re not used to that question, are we. We could probably have an easier time answering questions like, Who’s the smartest person you know? Or Who’s the most spiritual person you know? I think true wisdom, especially as defined by God, is lacking in today’s world (to say the least).

Think about it. Where do you go to learn wisdom? There aren’t many wise people on reality shows. Textbooks can’t teach wisdom. Schools focus so much on standardized testing that character development (a springboard for wisdom) gets shoved out of the way. Besides, there is no standardized test (and thus no extra funding) for the gaining of wisdom in schools.

Since true wisdom is so difficult to find these days (and all throughout human history if we’re honest), a wise person can slip right past us without our ever knowing. We don’t know what to look for when seeking wisdom. And if we can’t see it in others, then how would we ever recognize it within ourselves?

Proverbs 3 gives us a good starting point when it comes to developing wisdom within ourselves and spotting it within others. These six markers can help us out when we seem to be playing Where’s Waldo with Lady Wisdom.

A wise person is someone who is…
1. Wise by God’s Standards

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8)

Who gets to define wisdom – God or society? Our world offers us cheap, easy, fortune cookie wisdom. The world tells us things like “If it feels good, do it,” and “You’ve got your truth, I’ve got mine.” Truth is truth and wisdom is wisdom no matter where you find them. All Truth is God’s truth and all Wisdom is God’s wisdom. But it’s so easy to counterfeit truth and wisdom. And our world is full of counterfeiters.

So how do we know if “wisdom” is God’s or the world’s? James 3:17 tells us that wisdom from above “is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere.” When someone offers you what sounds like wisdom, always hold it up against this framework.

To a wise person…
2. Intimate Relationships Are Important

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)

Is “love and faithfulness” talking about our relationship with God or with each other? Yes.

It’s a tragedy that relationships today are so disposable. We can “hide,” “unfriend,” and “block” people with the click of a button. It seems like most of our relationships last only as long as we get something our of them. If there is no longer any benefit to us then we end the relationship and move on. And that goes with God and the church, too.

It’s not that we necessarily hate these people. In fact I believe that the opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is apathy. We just stop caring. When you stop caring you stop loving. But Christians are called to a higher standard when it comes to relationships both with God and each other. We are called to love – unconditionally and without expecting anything in return. We love God because He first loved us. We love each other because God is love (1 John 4). People are not commodities. They are not disposable. A wise person understands that.

A wise person is someone who…
3. Shares Wealth

Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)

To honor the Lord with your wealth is, again, something directed both toward God and others. We honor God when we give to the Lord’s work in the church. And we honor God when we use our blessings to bless others directly. A wise person does not get sucked into the trap of materialism, i.e. “Buying things you don’t need with money you don’t have to impress people you don’t like.”

A wise person does not care about keeping up with the Jones; he cares about blessing the Jones. He’s not concerned with impressing people with his possessions; He’s concerned with impressing upon people the love of God. Everything we have is from God. It’s not ours in the first place. Who are we to hoard our wealth and possessions to the neglect of God and others?

A wise person is someone who is…
4. Disciplined

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:11-12)

 Oh boy. How much does the “wisdom” of the world attempt to speak to parenting, especially in the area of discipline. It seems that people don’t realize the difference between discipline and punishment. Punishment may be a part of discipline, but it’s not the whole story. But now we’ve got a whole generation of parents who are too afraid to discipline their children because they think it will cause some sort of emotional trauma down the road.

A wise person understands that discipline is a part of love. To discipline simply means to teach or train. And when a child is learning something new they often need a good strong rebuke. [For example, “DO NOT through your hat on the stove while daddy is cooking!] Discipline, when done right and consistently, is exactly what children and teenagers need in order to reach their full potential. No one is ever going to be a world-changer without self-discipline.

A wise person is someone who is…
5. Obedient

My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity. (Proverbs 3:1-2)

Obedience is far more complex than just following a set of rules. Dogs and monkeys can do that. The kind of obedience modeled by a wise person involves obedience to God even when the situation is unclear. They are obedient even when it doesn’t make sense to them. They don’t get caught up in the particular details of God’s commands, as the legalistic Pharisees would do. They don’t turn life into one big checklist of do’s and don’ts.

A wise person is able to keep God’s teachings and commands in his heart so that no matter what kind of situation arises he has a foundation established upon which to make his decisions. A wise person is also able to take the advice and instruction of others and weigh it against what he knows of God’s will.

A wise person is…
6. Motivated by Faith

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The wisdom of this world tells us to follow our hearts, chase our dreams, and trust our instincts. We try to navigate life relying on our own senses and feelings. The only problem with that is our senses can be easily tricked and our emotions can be manipulated. Before we know it the world begins to look like a fun house maze lined with mirrors doing nothing but distorting our view and keeping us from our true goal.

That’s why we’re told to walk by faith and not by sight. That’s why we are to trust in God and not our own understanding. That’s why with every fork in the road we submit to God and his will. Faith is the only motivation for the wise person. He is not swayed by emotional appeals or his own self-promotion. He has his eyes fixed on Jesus, not the winds and the waves. He knows that God knows more than he does, so he defers to the one holding the map.
_____________

When searching for wisdom, it’s easy to get bogged down in everything the world shoves in front of us offering up as “wisdom.” So it’s extremely important to remember the Marks of True Wisdom.

W-ise by God’s standards
I-ntimate relationships are important
S-hares wealth
D-isciplined
O-bedient
M-otivated by faith

This is not a post about you-know-who. She has gotten so much press and publicity that I don’t think I need to promote her by even saying her name.

This is a post about culture. Not youth culture. Not pop culture. But human culture. Other blogs I have read have pointed to the phrase in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “There is nothing new under the sun.” We’re still the same old humans living in the same old world promoting the same old sins.

Don’t believe me? Just compare the MTV Video Music Awards (and many other awards shows) to some of the parties thrown in the Bible.

Take the party of King Herod for instance. Mark 6:14-29 tells us a sad story that began with perverted, lustful entertainment and ended in the death of an innocent man. Herod had married his brother’s ex-wife, which would be taboo even today. John the Baptist called him out on his sin and was promptly thrown in prison. Fast forward to Herod’s birthday when he decided to host a huge banquet in honor of himself (not unlike many celebrities and pop stars today…). All the “celebrities” of the day were there – high officials, military commanders. and the leading men of Galilee.

And then there’s this: “When [his step-daughter] came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests” (Mark 6:22). [Next time on Dr. Phil…] She “pleased” him so much that he made an extravagant offer – “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

She didn’t want half the kingdom. She wanted the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter.

Unfortunately, I think we live in a world with far too many “step-daughters of Herod,” women who are more than willing to use their bodies as sexual objects to manipulate men into doing what they want. We have men who want to treat women like a piece of meat, and we have women who are more than happy to oblige. And it almost always ends in a downward spiral of sex and violence.

We don’t need any more of Herod’s step-daughters. We need more Queen Vashtis.

The book of Esther begins with a party lasting half a year. (And we have songs talking about parties that just won’t stop. Sheesh…) And of course once the party is over, the only way to end a six month festival is with a week long drinking party, right? Check out what happens.

On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him…to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger. (Esther 1:10-12)

According to some, when it says she was summoned to come before them “wearing her royal crown,” the implication is “and not much else.” Vashti could very well have taken the road of self-promotion and paraded herself in front of a room full of drunken frat boys. But she would have had to toss out all her dignity and self-worth in the process.

Her dignity, confidence, and self-worth were more important that that royal crown. And she didn’t get her self-image was not based on what a room full of drunken idiots thought of her. Her husband knew the full extent of her beauty, and that was good enough for her. She didn’t take the attitude of, “If you got it, flaunt it.” She valued herself more than that.

I appreciate this video that my sister shared the other day. I was hesitant to watch it at first, but I figured my sister (a married mother of three) wouldn’t share anything inappropriate. It’s really worth watching, and it speaks to the great need for more Vashtis and fewer step-daughters of Herod.

[And men, I haven’t even gotten started on OUR issues. That would take many, many blog posts. If we were to treat women as human beings full of value and honor, we wouldn’t have these kinds of stories in the first place!]

I’m weird.

There, I said it.

One of the things that makes me weird, even among Christians is what I listen to. When I’m running in the mornings, mowing the lawn or doing the dishes you will most often find me with my ear buds in my ears connected to the iPhone in my pocket. But I’m not listening to “secular” music. I’m not even listening to “Christian” music.

I’m listening to sermons.

Some people have their audio books. I have my sermon podcasts.

I have six churches, specifically Churches of Christ, to whose podcasts I subsccibe, and I listen to their sermons on a weekly basis. Some people can hardly suffer through one sermon a week – I enjoy listening to about 8 sermons throughout the week (including two from my own congregation of course).

These sermon podcasts have been incredibly helpful to me in my own spiritual development, especially as a young minister just starting out. I would like to pass these along to you if you are interested.

• Eastside Church of Christ // Colorado Spring, CO // Patrick Mead
• The Hills Church of Christ // North Richland Hills, TX // Rick Atchley
• Otter Creek Church of Christ // Brentwood, TN // Josh Graves
• The Grater Atlanta Church of Christ // Atlanta, GA // Don McLaughlin
• Highland Church of Christ // Abilene, TX // Jonathan Storment
• Preston Road Church of Christ // Dallas, TX // Wade Hodges

I said on Facebook last night, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I am a slow reader. I read at about or a little faster than conversational pace. I think it’s due to the fact that we didn’t find out I needed glasses until the summer after my first grade year. At the time I was leaning to read and write I couldn’t see. Somehow I managed to baffle my teachers and parents with the fact that I couldn’t see the board yet I was still doing well in school.

I envy you speed readers out there. I tried a speed reading course in high school – that was a bust.

Anyway, more for my personal satisfaction than for your pleasure I keep a running log of the books I read each year. I am currently working on numbers 21 and 22 on the year. I hope to keep up this pace and lifestyle of reading. It makes life so much more interesting.

1. Jesus: A Theography, by Len Sweet and Frank Viola
2. Whispers, by Dean Koontz
3. Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge
4. Pirate Latitudes, by Michael Crichton
5. Watchers, by Dean Koontz
6. Pilgrim Heart, by Darryl Tippens
7. Pathfinder, by Orson Scott Card
8. Ruins, by Orson Scott Card
9. Magic Kingdom for Sale – Sold!, by Terry Brooks
10. The Black Unicorn, by Terry Brooks
11. After You Believe, by N.T. Wright
12. A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin
13. Prey, by Michael Crichton
14. A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin
15. Where Is God When It Hurts?, by Philip Yancey
16. Scarred Faith, by Josh Ross
17. The Hole in Our Gospel, by Richard Stearns
18. A Storm of Swords, by George R.R. Martin
19. Just Like Jesus, by Max Lucado
20. The Door to December, by Dean Koontz
21. Ender in Exile, by Orson Scott Card
22. From Eternity to Here, by Frank Viola

If you haven’t read the first post on this issue, please do so now.

If you haven’t read the original Huffington Post article that inspired this and the previous blog, do that, too!

ARE CHRISTIANS LESS INTELLIGENT THAN NON-BELIEVERS?
The answer is yes.

Hold your horses. Hear me out. The answer is Yes, Christians are less intelligent than non-believers IF…


Think about what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

That’s seven “ifs” in 8 verses. What it basically boils down to is this: Christians are less intelligent than atheists IF there is no resurrection. It’s plain and simple. If Christ was not resurrected than our entire faith crumbles and we are “of all people most to be pitied.”

There is SO MUCH riding on whether or not Jesus of Nazareth really was not found in the tomb on that third day. My entire worldview, my whole support system, my entire career and faith system stands or crashes with the resurrection.

If there is no resurrection, then nothing matters. If there is a resurrection, then everything matters. So it’s up to each and every person to choose – am I going to live like the resurrection happened? As for me and my house, we choose the path of faith, hope, and love based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

DOES IT MATTER?
One thing I appreciate about the HuffPost article is right there in the headline: Does It Matter…

While I disagree that belief in a Higher Intelligence is the cause of lower intelligence, there does seem to be an underlying issue within the article as a whole. How much of a priority should “intelligence” (as defined by the “intelligence community”) be in the life of the average world citizen? Does a child in sub-Saharan Africa orphaned because of AIDS and on the brink of starvation need a lesson in quantum physics or microbiology? Does it take an astrophysicist or a brain surgeon to provide food, water, shelter, and education for this child?

How many orphanages have been opened by theoretical physicists? When people are on their death beds, do they call on all their atheist friends to remind them that the end of existence is coming and that there is nothing worth hoping for in that moment? Is work done in a chemistry lab more important than work done in a soup kitchen?

Is intelligence the highest goal for humanity?

See, intelligence is probably easier to measure and quantify than other aspects of human life. But how would we measure wisdom? What formula can be applied to predict love? How do we calculate compassion or analyze altruism?

THE HIGHER GOAL
I realize that if someone doesn’t believe in God, the Scriptures, or the resurrection, then increased education and intelligence may be the highest goal they may hope to achieve. To that person they have become their own god. Self-advancement is the only logical course of life.

However, the resurrection shows us that there is a better way. There is a higher goal. I’m not just talking about “getting to heaven when you die.” I’m talking about life in the here and now on planet earth. So what exactly might be a higher goal than mere intelligence?

Whoever pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:54-58)

I’ll say it again as I close. If there is no resurrection, then nothing matters. But if there IS a resurrection, the EVERYTHING matters. (Including intelligence.)

I encourage you to read the article, too. But read it with an open mind and an open heart. Really try to pay attention to what seems to be going on behind the scenes: Does It Matter That Atheists Are Smarter Than Believers?

Have you read it yet? And have you calmed down a bit? Good. Then let’s proceed. Here are some of my initial thoughts, and I’ll try to keep them succinct.

WHY WOULD THIS SURPRISE US?
Probably not the first reaction you were expecting. Hear me out. Think about the men that Jesus called to be his closest disciples. They were fishermen, blue-collar workers, a zealot or two, an accountant. They were by no means the religious or intellectual elite. Their IQs (with the exception of maybe Paul and Apollos in Acts) were probably average at best.

In fact, look at what we’re told about the apostles in Acts: When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).


And just look at what Paul writes to the church in Corinth. It’s pretty much a rebuttal the the above article, yet it was written nearly 2000 years ago!

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

Intelligence and wisdom by the world’s standards has never meant a whole lot to God. It’s not how his movement spread. It was not through logic and reasoning that Christ’s followers “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Why should we be surprised if researchers have “discovered” what the Bible already claims to be true?

CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION
With all that in mind, it is important to note that just because there may be a correlation that does not mean that religious faith causes a person to be less intelligent. I have my wife to thank for the phrase “correlation does not equal causation.”

Christianity has always appealed more to those of lower social standing, the outcasts, the rejects, the nobodies. In fact, while the Christian faith seems to be declining through much of the West, it is thriving throughout Africa, South America, and Asia. The hub of Christianity tends to move away from wealth and power. Once a person becomes rich and powerful they tend to become their own god. They think there is no longer a need for the “crutch” of faith – a reality pointed out in both the above article AND in Scripture!

So does that mean that wealth, power, and intelligence cause people to lose their faith? Again, no. It has been my (and others’) experience that very few people actually “think” their way out of faith. It almost always has to do with cultural/societal factors. Many were burned by the church. Some feel their faith choked out by the pressure to “fit in” with their colleagues. But all that is the work of Satan, not academic advancement.

THE CHURCH COULD & SHOULD DO BETTER
The studies cited in the above article have all taken place mainly in the Western world over the last 100 years or so. In that context, yes, the church has lost substantial ground in the realm of academia. But it was not always so. In fact Theology used to be hailed as the “Queen of the Sciences.” The idea was that to know about creation one must know about the Creator. Sounds reminiscent of  Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”


And yet I look around the world, especially the Christian world, and wonder, Where are the Galileos and the Michelangelos? Where are the Newtons and the Bachs? What happened to the Pasteurs and the Leonardos?


Somewhere along the line (probably after Darwin’s theory hit it big) I think the church decided that higher learning was unimportant, at best, or evil, at worst. So we wiped our hands clean of physics, biology, chemistry, art, and music. We built our own Christian schools and universities. We focused on big-T Truths and abandoned the search for little-t truths about the universe.

I think that’s got to change. If we truly believe that God created to universe and everything in it, then there is NOTHING that we can discover that would shake our belief in him. There are still things about the universe we don’t understand. That’s to be expected. There are current theories we hold that may one day be proven false. It’s happened before and we’re still here. The face of science and academia is constantly changing, but the One who created it all never does.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). I think it’s time the church started acting like it.

[I have more points I could make, so this blog might get a part two sometime.]

When did we get off thinking that Christianity was supposed to be easy? Let me rephrase that. When did I get off thinking that Christianity was supposed to be easy?

I can’t think of a single time I’ve had to face any kind of suffering for my faith. I can’t think of any close friendships I’ve lost because I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I have not been ostracized by my family because of my baptism – in fact, my dad was the one who baptized me.

I have a secure job in a (semi)comfortable office (the A/C is out, but that’s my only complaint). I get paid for teaching about Jesus. Never once have I had to fear for the safety of my wife and son because of the fact that I am a minister of the gospel.

You would think that in a nation where Christians are free to worship and practice their faith at will that they would be exuberant, on fire, passionate, and active. But really what we are seeing is a post-Christian society in most of Europe and a (pre)post-Christian society forming in the US. It would seem that where the gospel can be spread risk-free is the very place where it begins to flounder.

At my college Alma Mater we had social clubs for men and women. They were sort of a “baptized” version of fraternities and sororities. And each fall the clubs add new members. Hundreds of students spend much of their time through September and October working hard to get into these clubs. Over the years, however, the administration has set some very strict guidelines on what can and cannot be done to prospective members of these clubs. Almost any club-sanctioned activity that could possibly submit new members to physical “abuse” or public embarrassment has been banned. New members can’t even be called “pledges” anymore. They are walking on eggshells to avoid even a hint of so-called “hazing.”

My college is not alone in this respect. Universities across the nation have really cracked down on these type of activities. And the outcome has been positive…and negative.

You see, there was not much that we as a pledge class had to endure together. There was very little hardship. The blood, sweat, and tears had been wiped away. The whole process sterilized and individualized. There was never really that moment of “am I going to make it?” And because we were “saved” from these trials, many club brothers, including myself, failed to make a tight, long-lasting commitment to the group. Many went inactive over the following semesters.

There was no risk, so there was not much reward.

I think that is what happens many times in our churches. We don’t actually risk anything when we take the plunge of baptism. Sure, we may be stepping out on the tight wire above the gorge, but we’ve got a harness and a safety net beneath.

That’s what brings me to this old hymn from the 1800s, “Father, Hear the Prayer We Offer.” So often in our prayers I hear people pray for safety and comfort. I think we’ve got that down. We are all ABOUT safety and comfort, and many times we don’t need God for that. But look at the lyrics to this hymn and how different this prayer is:

Father, hear the prayer we offer:
Nor for ease that prayer shall be,
But for strength, that we may ever
Live our lives courageously.

Let our path be bright or dreary,
Storm or sunshine be our share;
May our souls in hope unweary
Make Thy work our ceaseless prayer.

There is some pretty scary stuff in the Bible. Have you ever really thought about what it’s going to be like when Christ comes back? People bursting out of their graves. Fire. Lightening. War horns. The skies being ripped open. Reading the imagery used by John in Revelation, by Daniel in his prophecies, and even by Jesus toward the end of his life can be frightening.

But in my opinion, the most frightening chapter in all of Scripture is Matthew 25. When I read through the stories Jesus tells in this chapter I realize that I am a foolish virgin, a wicked and lazy servant, and a goat.

TEN VIRGINS
The five foolish maidens ran out of oil while waiting on the bridegroom to come. They left the group in search of more oil. While they were away, the party started without them. They came running back, banging on the door, but their names weren’t on the guest list.

They left the group. They went searching for fulfillment somewhere else. Sound familiar?

THREE SERVANTS
A millionaire businessman goes away on a trip and entrusts his funds to his three most loyal servants. To one he gives the equivalent of about $4 million. To another he gives roughly $1.6 million. To the third he gives about $800,000. The third servant is afraid of his master so he buries $800,000 in the ground. Upon his return the master gets exactly $800,000 back from that third servant. The master calls him wicked and lazy. He takes away everything he has and kicks him out on the street.

He was afraid of his master. Why take risks? Better safe than sorry, right?

SHEEP VS. GOATS
Lastly, Jesus paints a picture of the judgment scene. Those entering life had clothed, fed, and cared for Jesus inasmuch as they clothed, fed, and cared for their needy brothers and sisters. Those entering eternal punishment turned a blind eye to the needs of their brothers and sisters, thus ignoring the needs of Jesus himself. Nothing is said about worship practices, faith, baptism, doctrines, or patterns.

The goats may have said the right things and believed the right things. The sheep DID the right things.

I desire to be a wise, good, faithful sheep. But when it really comes down to it, I’m more like a foolish, wicked, lazy goat.

I feel like Paul at the end of Romans 7: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

THANKS BE TO GOD
In Matthew 25 Jesus gives us a warning. It’s a wake up call. “Be alert!” he says. “Keep watch!” he urges. It doesn’t have to be that way. We still have time. Each and every one of us still has today. This moment. He tells us these stories to warn us about the jagged rocks along the coast line, about the sharp bend in the road ahead. He doesn’t want any of us to become the foolish virgins or the wicked, lazy servant, or a goat.

And so I, like Paul, can say, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

We are working our way through the gospels in our Wednesday night teen class. We are in the end of Matthew during the last days of Jesus’ life. In chapter 24 his disciples ask him about the end of time, the destruction of the Temple, the return of the Messiah, you know…simple matters.