Truth vs. Fiction

There is a tale told of that great English actor Macready. An eminent preacher once said to him: "I wish you would explain to me something." "Well, what is it? I don't know that I can explain anything to a preacher." "What is the reason for the difference between you and me? You are appearing before crowds night after night with fiction, and the crowds come wherever you go. I am preaching the essential and unchangeable truth, and I am not getting any crowd at all." Macready's answer was this: "This is quite simple. I can tell you the difference between us. I present my fiction as though it were truth; you present your truth as though it were fiction." - G. Campbell Morgan

23 Minutes in Hell

Students, please listen and give me your thoughts.

Anger Without a Cause

Matthew 5:21-22 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' (22)  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

After Jesus said that he had not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it, he began to interpret a couple of the commandments. Bear in mind that he is still dealing with the issues of outward righteousness verses inward. His point is that there is a difference between the letter of the Law and the spirit of the Law. He starts with the sixth commandment (killing) and the issue of anger and then proceeds to the seventh commandment (adultery) and the issue of lust.

Of course, there is a difference between murder and self-defense or accidental death (Num. 35:16-25) and the Law recognizes that.

On this basis, the Lord gave the interpretation of the commandment not to kill. Again, he is taking the Law from the physical to the spiritual. He said, basically, you're guilty of murder if you are simply angry with your brother without a cause.

Unfortunately, the NIV has done a rather poor job in proper translating this verse for it just says, "But I tell that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." In the Majority Text it says, "But I tell that anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be subject to the judgment." If God condemned for being angry we would all be in Hell.

Obviously, the fact that the words are there indicate that there is a cause to be angry. Jesus looked on the hypocritical Pharisees with anger (Mark 3:5). Jesus did get angry, but he had a cause. The Bible says that God is angry with the wicked every day (Ps. 7:11). Even Paul agrees that there is a way to be angry and yet not sin (Eph. 4:26-27). So, the bottom line is that to justify anger, there must be a cause.

You see, anger is that feeling which we have when we are injured. It is sometimes totally appropriate to respond in anger. Quite frankly, there needs to be more of it in the church today.

However, the anger that Jesus is condemning here is the anger without a cause. That is anger that is unjustly, rashly, hastily, where no offense has been given or intended. In that case it is evil; and it is a violation of the sixth commandment.

The Fault Box

I came across this illustration from one of my messages in Ephesians 5 while answering a marriage question for someone and thought that I would share it.

"A couple married for 15 years began having more than usual disagreements. They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife had. For one month they planned to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same, the message on each slip was, 'I love you!'"

The Crystal Cathedral

This is discouraging, but not surprising. So much for "positive thinking".

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/18/142518963/future-of-ministry-uncertain-after-cathedrals-sale

Forgiveness

Paul reminds us in Colossians 2:13, When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.

It reminds me of a story that so perfectly illustrates forgiveness.  "A missionary was walking along a trail in East Africa with some friends, when became aware of a delightful odor that filled the air.  He looked up in the trees and around at the bushes in an effort to discover where it was coming from.  Then his friends told him to look down at the small blue flower growing along the path.  Each time they crushed the tiny blossoms under their feet, more of its sweet perfume was released into the air.  Then his friends said, "We call it the forgiveness flower."

In the end, what can be learned from this story is that the forgiveness flower does not wait until we ask forgiveness for crushing it. It does not release its fragrance in measured doses.  It does not ask for an apology; it merely lives up to its name and forgives-freely, fully, richly.

Blessed Are the Persecuted

Matthew 5:10-12 says Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11)  "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. (12)  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  

Jesus was persecuted from the time of his birth to the time of his death. His disciples were also told that they would be persecuted and even rejected by their families (Matthew 10:34-39). Even the blind man who Jesus healed in John 9:33-34 ended up being eventually thrown out of the synagogue. We too are promised blessings as we face persecution (Luke 6:27-36).

"Hast thou no scar?  No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?  I hear thee sung as mighty in the land, I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star, Hast thou no scar?  Hast thou no wound?  Yet I was wounded by the archers, spend, leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent, by ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned: Hast thou no wound?  No wound, no scar?  Yet, as the Master shall the servant be, and, pierced are the feet that follow Me; but thine are whole: can he have followed far who has no wounds nor scar?" - Amy Carmichael

Prayer

One day, Martin Luther's little puppy happened to be at the table, he looked for a morsel from his master, and watched with open mouth and motionless eyes; to which Martin Luther replied, 'Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish or hope." Tomorrow, I'm going to teach on prayer!

Thank You, Lord

With Thanksgiving coming up pretty quick, I thought of an old song that I used to sing as a child and it still holds true today!

Thank you, Lord for Your Blessings on Me

As the world look upon me as I struggle along;

They say I have nothing, but they are so wrong.

In my heart I'm rejoicing. How, I wish they could see!

Thank you, Lord for your blessings on me.

There's a roof up above me. I've a good place to sleep.

There's food on my table and shoes on my feet.

You gave me your love Lord and a fine family.

Thank you, Lord for your blessings on me.

Blessed are the Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 says, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. A peacemaker by definition is one who tries to make peace, especially by reconciling parties who disagree, quarrel, or fight. Jesus clearly taught that his disciples to do this (Matthew 5:39-42; 18:15-17).

As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers. Paul said in Romans 12:18  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. The writer of Hebrews said  Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

To illustrate what God can do with a peacemaker, I'm reminded of a story of Saint Telemachus who was a monk that lived in the 4th century. He felt God saying to him, "Go to Rome." He was in a cloistered monastery. He put his possessions in a sack and set out for Rome. When he arrived in the city, people were thronging in the streets. He asked why all the excitement and was told that this was the day that the gladiators would be fighting and killing each other in the coliseum, the day of the games, the circus.  He thought to himself, "Four centuries after Christ and they are still killing each other, for enjoyment?" He ran to the coliseum and heard the gladiators saying, "Hail to Ceasar, we die for Ceasar" and he thought, "this isn't right." He jumped over the railing and went out into the middle of the field, got between two gladiators, held up his hands and said "In the name of Christ, forbear." The crowd protested and began to shout, "Run him through, Run him through." A gladiator came over and hit him in the stomach with the back of his sword. It sent him sprawling in the sand. He got up and ran back and again said, "In the name of Christ, forbear." The crowd continued to chant, "Run him through." One gladiator came over and plunged his sword through the little monk's stomach and he fell into the sand, which began to turn crimson with his blood. One last time he gasped out, "In the name of Christ forbear." A hush came over the 80,000 people in the coliseum. Soon a man stood and left, then another and more, and within minutes all 80,000 had emptied out of the arena. It was the last known gladiatorial contest in the history of Rome (January 1, 404 AD).