Ascension Sky

Thursday June 2nd is the 40th Day of Easter. So as not to confuse, noted here because I left the article below intact. My prayer for you all this Easter Sunday by Helen Steiner Rice: "God, give us eyes to see the beauty of the spring, and to behold Your majesty in every living thing - and may we see in lacy leaves and every budding flower the Hand that rules the universe with gentleness and power - and may this Easter grandeur that spring lavishly imparts awaken faded flowers of faith lying dormant in our hearts, and give us ears to hear, dear God, the springtime song of birds with messages more meaningful than man's often empty words telling harried human beings who are lost in dark despair - "Be like us and do not worry for God has you in His care".

A sermon by Siegfried S. Johnson on the Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 17, 2009 Volume 1 Number 43, First United Methodist Church, Mountain Home, Arkansas "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father." ~ John 14:12

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven,will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”~ Acts 1:11

This Thursday, Christians throughout the world will celebrate Jesus’ Ascension. The sky this Thursday will be Ascension Sky. If the four gospels declare Easter’s empty tomb, the book of Acts picks up the story with the resurrected Jesus ascending into heaven, an event, according to Luke, occurring forty days after Easter. Clearly, the Ascension is a vital component of the New Testament’s Easter narrative, highlighted in the early creeds of the church. This morning we affirmed our faith together in the words of the Apostle’s Creed, “the third day he rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” In our creeds, the Ascension occupies equal footing with the Resurrection and Christ’s Return. Yet, for most Protestants in North America, the day passes largely unnoticed. Certainly we Methodists don’t emphasize it. This is at odds with the Christian world of the east, where the Ascension is a major feast day within the Orthodox tradition. Even among Protestants the emphasis varies. In Germany, with its strong Lutheran tradition, Ascension Thursday is a school holiday. So central is the Ascension to Lutheran tradition that many churches use the Ascension in their church names. I Googled “Ascension Lutheran Church” and found churches with this name throughout the world, but Googling Ascension United Methodist Church, I found not a single church. What about another of the mainline churches, Presbyterianism? At a denominational site, “What Presbyterians Believe,” I found, “Most Presbyterians consider the Ascension to be an exotic notion, something reserved for Eastern Orthodox Christians or Roman Catholics. We do not typically see Presbyterian churches named Ascension Presbyterian Church. So it may take us by surprise to discover how important the Ascension was to John Calvin. So important to our ancient forbears that they made it a part of the earliest Christian creeds. Early Christians saw the Ascension as a promise of great things to come for all believers.”

Rev. Keenan Kelsey, a Presbyterian pastor from San Francisco, writes of visiting Chartres Cathedral in France, one of the greatest achievements in the history of architecture and a pilgrim destination since the 12th century. Some will recall I spoke recently about the famous labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral. Rev. Kelsey describes her awe in viewing the scenes sculpted in stone, forty-one friezes depicting biblical scenes which adorn this astounding Gothic structure. She writes of the wonder that gripped her as she toured the church when, suddenly, she found herself inexplicably laughing. “Into the hushed and echoing sacred space, into the meditations and whispers of meandering visitors, I guffawed. I surprised and embarrassed myself. I couldn’t help it. In the midst of all the seriousness, the carved scene of the Ascension showed earnest and distressed disciples gazing up, and Jesus’ feet dangling down from the top of the stone frame. It was really very funny.”

Rev. Kelsey was so shocked at her reaction to this frieze which was, after all, depicting an event that is a central part of her faith and creed, that she set out to explore why the Ascension story somehow hadn’t made it in to her theological framework in the same way as, say, the Resurrection. To what extent was her reaction to the frieze an expression of her incredulity at the idea of the Ascension? Perhaps, she wondered, born and raised in the West, had her theology accommodated scientific discovery in a way that disallowed her to conceive of heaven as a physical place in the sky, something that, to her, the Ascension seemed to suggest? Reading her story caused me to reflect on how the Ascension has faded from emphasis in our Holy Land visits. Most Protestant pastors from the United States who lead tours to the Holy Land, me included, don’t take their groups to the Ascension sites on the Mount of Olives. We are careful to point out the magnificent spire of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Ascension, and the smaller Chapel of the Ascension, an octagonal chapel from the Crusader period that covers a footprint which, tradition says, is the last spot Jesus stood prior to the Ascension. I thought of my first visit there when I read Rev. Kelsey’s comments. Looking at the footprint, I had a sense of “Are you kidding?” At least for Protestant pastors from the West, the site conveys more the sense of superstition than of wonder. So I’ve asked myself this week, what is the liturgical and theological significance of the Ascension? What can we learn from gazing into the Ascension Sky?

Well, let’s begin by recalling the Ascension as moment of profound change for the disciples. Change is often experienced as loss and, because it is so uncomfortable, it is often resisted. This is why we read from John 14 this morning, where Jesus prepares his disciples for his Ascension, telling them that when he goes to the Father, he will send the Holy Spirit, and that in the power of this Holy Spirit, “You will do the works that I do, and greater works than these, BECAUSE I am going to the Father.” Ascension Sky was to the disciples, not the feet of their teacher dangling from a cloud, but rather a sky beckoning them toward the blue of the horizon. Ascension Sky is what every graduate is staring at, a change in life filled with promise and potential.

My title Ascension Sky, is my nod to a great film from 1999, October Sky, a true story based on Homer Hickam Jr.’s book Rocket Boys. The story takes place in 1957 when Homer, the son of a tough coalmine superintendent from Coalwood, West Virginia, was a junior in high school. The story begins with Homer’s gaze not skyward, but downward, into the coalmines. He dared not look up. In 1957, few kids from Coalwood were able to go to college. Scholarship opportunities weren’t as abundant then as they are today. Most boys finished high school and were hired to work in the coalmines. Local girls married those boys. Those who did go to college usually did so by winning athletic scholarships. While Homer hated the thought of spending his life in the coalmines, he wasn’t talented in sports, so his future in the mines seemed fairly certain. Homer didn’t dare look up. His gaze was earthward, downward into the mines. Until Sputnik. In 1957 Homer gazed into the heavens, and that October Sky gave birth to a dream. Sputnik, the Russian satellite that was the first to achieve orbit, was visible as it blazed across the sky. It was a world-changing event, a dark and foreboding signal during the Cold War that the Russians were a step up on America’s space program. One of Homer’s friends responded to that fear, “Let the Russians have space. We’ve got rock and roll.” But for Homer, gazing into that October Sky fueled a dream. Homer and his friends, the Rocket Boys, began test-firing their own rockets, enduring much ridicule and opposition from family and community. The opening words of the book are, “Until I began to build and launch rockets, I didn’t know my home town was at war with itself over its children, and that my parents were locked in a kind of bloodless combat over how my brother and I would live our lives.” Some wanted tradition to be honored. Down into the coalmines. Others, particularly Homer’s science teacher, Ms. Riley, who was thrilled at his newfound interest, wanted kids exposed to opportunity to go to college, to have new opportunities.

I see this same struggle in Acts 1, when the disciples say to Jesus, “Lord, is this the time you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” Ah, it’s hard to shed the old notions. For the kids of Coalwood, the assumption was that graduates’ best opportunity was in the coalmines. For the disciples, the assumption was that their best opportunity would be when Israel ended Roman occupation and stood on her own. Jesus beckoned their eyes to look beyond the Land, beyond politics, beyond kings and emperors. Jesus asked them to look to the world, promising that his Ascension would open the door for the Spirit to come and empower them to spread the Good News of a different kingdom, one of hope and life. It took the disciples a while to adjust to the hope offered when they looked toward the Ascension Sky. And it took Homer and Coalwood time to adjust to the hope he found in October Sky. He began learning all they could about rockets. With an autographed picture of atomic physicist Werner von Braun at his side, Homer began test-firing his own rockets. Though misunderstood at first, his dream led him to develop a high school science project that won the state science fair and, with it, a scholarship to college, and led to a long career at NASA. At his retirement he was training astronauts for Space Shuttle missions.

In the “For What It’s Worth” department, Homer at first didn’t like that the studio rejected his title of Rocket Boys in favor of October Sky. But he was sold on the idea when he realized that October Sky was an anagram of Rocket Boys, i.e., October Sky used the exact same letters, re-arranged, as Rocket Boys.

Perhaps there’s an Ascension Sky lesson in that for the church. If we look skyward, toward an Ascension Sky, we find ourselves open to change, to a re-arranging of our perspective. We refuse to be locked in to one way of thinking. Ascension Sky fuels a dream even as it re-directs our gaze to those around us, to what the church can be, to what we can be as disciples of Jesus Christ within the church – to Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Homer is now retired from NASA. He wrote an article some years back for the Wall Street Journal in which he encouraged the Bush Administration to pursue space, and particularly his passion, SSTO technology — Single Stage to Orbit. That simply means developing spacecraft that can get into orbit without having to drop stages along the way. You can see why it would be the Holy Grail of the space business by simply imagining how expensive it would be if a truck had to throw off several engines every time it made a cross country haul. It’s easy to see the benefits of SSTO. Homer opens his article by quoting Robert Heinlein, “Reach low orbit and you’re halfway to anywhere in the solar system.” In other words, once you lift out of the gravity well of Planet Earth, the vast majority of the difficult lifting work has been accomplished.

Perhaps that’s what Jesus is saying in our passage from John. “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do . . . and greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” How could we, the disciples might have pondered, possibly do greater works than Jesus? Perhaps the answer if found in Heinlein’s words: “I’ve done the heavy lifting. Now, you’re halfway to anywhere you want to go. My lift, the lift of my resurrection and ascension, has propelled you away from the powerful gravity well of Death.”

Death and Dust pull at us with an infinitely stronger tug than ever the dusty coalmines of West Virginia could have tugged at Homer’s future. Death inevitably drags us into its shadows, but because Christ has overcome, we too can rise like the phoenix from the ashy dust of death and soar to the heavens. We began the Easter season by singing the words of Charles Wesley’s Christ the Lord is Risen Today,

“Soar we now where Christ has led, following our exalted head; Made like Him, like Him we rise; ours the cross, the grave, the skies.”

We are called to soar with Christ. I hope that this Thursday you will take a moment to gaze into an Ascension Sky, and there be reminded of your high calling. Sources: Homer Hickam, Jr., “The Path to Greatness,” in The Wall Street Journal, March 7, 2001.

Good Friday 2011

Raising The Standard: Punctuality Is Responding Immediately When God Directs Me To Give A Gift

Punctuality is showing high esteem for other people and their time, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

Gifts that are given at the wrong time can actually damage the ones who receive them. For this reason, a wise giver will discern and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit on when to give or to withhold a gift.

For today's key point, "And when they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments." ~ Exodus 35:21

From The Pages Of Scripture:

To be punctual in giving is to cooperate with the bigger schedule and purpose of God. The gifts which we give according to His timing are like precious jewels in the eyes of those who receive them and those who benefit from them. They reflect a multitude of spiritual truths. One day a man was asked by his friend to give a very precious gift --- the most precious that he possessed. The man recognized that this gift was in harmony with God's larger program and he quickly gave it. This gift took on greater significance than the giver ever imagined. It continues to communicate an important message for us today.

When God prompts us to give a gift, He does so out of His infinite wisdom and foreknowledge. Our response will have far greater significance than the fulfillment of just one need. Who gave a gift that took on historic importance because it fulfilled the guidelines of punctuality?

Two young men started out on a very important journey. Their objective was so important that it was later recorded in history. The similarities between these two men are remarkable. Both men were sons of promise. The times and circumstances of their births were miraculously predicted by God. They were brought into the world by godly mothers, who expected mighty accomplishments from them. Each mother was greatly praised in Scripture. These young men lived in the same country and were trained by their fathers in a family business. Both were strong and courageous and greatly loved by their fathers. Both sons began to prepare early in the morning for this special journey. As they walked, the way became more and more difficult. The two men were accompanied by their fathers on this momentous journey. Although others followed along, only the two fathers and one of the sons recognized the true significance of the historic trip. When these two young men neared their destination, they had to leave their companions behind. However, their companions were assured that they would return. Both returned after their journey. The most amazing similarity of all can be seen in the things that took place when they reached their destination. These events should reveal the identity of the two men. Both carried heavy wood up the mountainside. Both men allowed themselves to be bound and laid on the rough wood which they had carried. They were willing to give up their lives, for this was the purpose of their trup. At this agonizing moment both fathers turned their faces away from their sons. God was well pleased with the faithfulness of each young man and they both left the mountain for another three day journey. Time and place are the basic differences between these two memorable journeys. Isaac carried a heavy bundle of sticks up the side of Mount Moriah, and Christ carried His cross kkup the side of nearby Golgotha. Abraham's obedience to God's instructions and his willingness to give his only son provides a marvelous picture of God's gift of His Son. If Abraham had not obeyed God in the timing of the gift of his son, he owuld have destroyed the analogy of God's gift of His Son two thousand years later. [From Genesis 22 and Matthew 27]

Why Did God Ask Abraham To Sacrifice His Beloved Son, Isaac?

God had commanded against murder, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man" (Genesis 9:6). He later reiterated this command to the nation of Israel, "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13). In the Law, human sacrifice was regarded as the abomination of Molech worship (see Leviticus 18:21, 20:1-5). When the Israelites and their kings burned their children in misguided worship, they were severely punished. It was an abomination which provoked the Lord to anger. The practitioners were considered slaves of evil (see 2 Kings 16:3; 17:17; 21:6). Why then would God subject Abraham to such a perplexing test? The answer to this dilemma is that it was not Isaac whom God wanted, but Abraham; not the death of Isaac, but the death in Abraham of anything which would divide his affection toward God. There is strong New Testament evidence that God explained to Abraham ahead of time what He was about to do. When Jesus called His disciples friends, He did so because " ... all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:15). Scripture affirms that Abraham was the friend of God (see James 2:23). Furthermore, his faith was based on the belief that God would raise up his son from the dead (see Hebrews 11:19). Thus, in either case he planned to return with Isaac.

Why Is Abraham Called The Father Of Faith?

It was Abraham who first pictured the nature of saving faith (see Romans 4:16). The New Testament declares, "... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ..." (Acts 16:31). (See John 3:26.) But it is not mere intellectual assent that leads to salvation. The demons also believe true facts about God, but to no avail (see James 2:19). Belief which leads to salvation is the type of belief demonstrated by Abraham. "Even as Abraham believed God, it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (Galatians 3:6-7). What did Abraham believe? He believed that the Messiah was coming as the descendant of Isaac to conquer sin and death (see Genesis 12:3; 17-19). Today our faith is to be the same as Abraham's, except we believe that Jesus, who was the descendant of Isaac through Mary, is that promised Messiah. We not only believe that God could raise one from the dead, we believe that He did, in fact, raise Jesus from the dead (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Is There Any Significance To The Site Of Abraham's Sacrifice?

God chose the site. Abraham was living in Beersheba when God said, "... Get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering..." (Genesis 22:2). Jewish literature and Josephys specify that the Temple was built on Mount Moriah, the location of Abraham's sacrifice. It was near this same place that Jesus was later crucified. The place called "Golgotha" was located "without the gate" of Jerusalem (see Matthew 27:33; Hebrews 13:12). But at this sacrifice, heaven remained silent. No substitute ram replaced the Son of God, for He was the Lamb of God. He was raised again on the third day to demonstrate the victory that has been won for all who believe.

Illustrated In The World Of Nature:

The grunion is a member of a family of fish called "silversides." They inhabit the coastal waters of southern California. Other silversides include swordtails, commonly found in tropical aquariums; shiners, often used as fishing bait; skipjacks, and jacksmelt. All are characterized by a silver band running along each side. The grunion possess the unique ability to spawn on land. Grunion fry can feed on small bits of plankton as soon as they hatch, and they actually begin to grow as they are washed off the beach. Maturing in less than a year, they grow to be 5 to 7 inches long.

How Is The Need To Obey God's Timing For Giving Illustrated In The World Of Nature?

On a chilley evening in March, a crowd gathered on a southern California beach. They had come to see for themselves one of God's most spectacular demonstrations of precise timing. They sat down and waited patiently as the rising tide broke higher and higher against the beach. The brilliant orange sun disappeared beneath the horizon of the ocean. The last shades of daylight soon vanished. A new moon began to reflect against the shimmering surface of the water. The crowd waited quietly. They observed a definite change in the tide had taken place. Each wave seemed to drain more water from the beach than it left behind. Soon, the ocean surf near the beach sparkled like a sea full of silver coins. Suddenly, several shiny objects tumbled onto the shore. The moonlight lit up their bright bodies as they persistently fought the undertow of the receding waves. A hush came over the crowd as a group of male grunions investigated the conditions alone the beach. More waves hit the beach and when they receded, only wet sand and foam remained. Minutes passed and then it happened. The surf crashed against the shore covering the beach with a mass of squirming fish. Each wave added to their numbers. The female grunions, swollen with eggs, flicked their tails into the wet sand and arched upward. They used their tails like a drill to bury themselves up to their gills. At that moment they deposited their fully developed eggs. The mails then flopped and twisted across the beach. They coiled around the females and fertilized the eggs. With their precious gift of new life placed in the proper depth and level of the beach, the grunions began to wriggle free from the sand and flop toward the receding waters. A shout went up from the waiting crowd. They ran along the beach scooping up the remaining fish and depositing them into plastic buckets. For every grunion they captured, ten other grunions slipped back into the ocean. As those patient fishermen left for home with their catch, they marvled at what they had just witnessed. To insure the survival of their young, the grunions not only chose the right day, but also the right wave before they came to spawn their young. If the parent fish had come a day too soon, the freshly laid eggs would have been washed out to sea with the next night's higher tide. If they would have arrived a day too late, their young would have been stranded on the beach when they hatched. The punctuality of the grunion is a wonder of God's creation.

The Characteristics Of The Grunion In Scripture:

Both fishing and precise timing figure prominently in the ministry and message of Christ. At least one-third of the twelve apostles were fishermen by trade, and much of Christ's ministry occurred along the seashore. Christ used the precise timing and location of a school of fish to help Peter recognize His Lordship (see John 21:6-8). He used the exact timing of catching one particular fish to pay a tax (see Matthew 17:27). He multiplied two fish to feed 5,000 (see Matthew 14:19) and prepared a fish breakfast for His discouraged disciples (see John 21:9). In fact, the fish became the symbol of early Christians because its Greek letters formed an acrostic of the phrase, "Jesus Christ is God our Savior". The patient fishermen who discerned the time of the grunions' appearing were in sharp contrast to the nation of Israel, who should have discerned the time of Christ's coming:

"...Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" ~ Matthew 16:3

Just as the tide reached its peak on the shore, so Christ will come again when:

"... the times of the Gentiles be fufilled..." ~ Luke 21:24-28

Meanwhile God tells us that is is "... high time to awake ... for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Romans 13:11).

Raising The Standard: Gratefulness Is Accepting Difficulties As Part of God's Loving Provision

"... Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." ~ Hebrews 12:5-6

From The Pages Of Scripture:

God led Abraham to the land of Cannan and promised to give it to him and all his descendants. Following this, a famine broke out in the land. Instead of staying in the land and digging deeper wells, Abraham went down to Egypt and sowed the seeds of future destruction. Many years later, one of Abraham's descendants remained in the Promised Land during a time of severe famine. This adversity turned out to be God's means of giving him and his descendants a priceless heritage.

David testified that during all his years he had never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. Which one of David's forefathers demonstrated this truth by remaining in the Promised Land during a famine while many of his relatives fled to a neighboring country? Boaz.

It was time for God's judgment to fall upon the nation. Prosperity had caused people to become sensual and self-sufficient. Every man did what was right in his own eyes. God's hand of discipline affected the crops, resulting in a severe famine. Soon family after family abandoned the homeland, failing to grasp the real meaning of the scorched soil and withered crops. When the relatives of one godly man decided to leave the country, he determined to remain in Israel and trust God for his needs. During the next ten years, he diligently cared for his land. Each fall this hardworking farmer gathered in his precious crop and thanked God for it, whether it was sparse or abundant. He also allowed the poor to share in whatever yield his fields produced. God began to bless his spirit of generosity. With the increased income from the more successful harvests, he was able to purchase surrounding fields. Soon he had become greatly respected and admired as a prosperous, yet generous landowner. One day he greeted the workers in one of his fields. They cheerfully replied, "The Lord bless you." It was then that this godly man noticed a young woman gleaning barley. He was immediately attracted by special character qualities that he saw in her. When he asked his foreman about the young woman, the foreman confirmed his impressions. After briefly talking with her, the wealthy land owner marveled at how she further demonstrated the qualities that had first drawn him to her. He realized that both of them had experienced adversity and had learned how to praise God through it. She had been through deep sorrows. Her husband and several of her relatives had died. She was without financial resources, but had learned to trust God for her daily needs. She responded with deep gratefulness to every kindness that was shown to her. When this generous land owner gave her the freedom to glean among the sheaves and quench her thirst from his water, she humbly knelt and sincerely thanked him. Because they both thanked the Lord for the discipline of adversity, God brought Boaz and Ruth together in marriage, and a son was born named Obed. Obed later had a son name Jesse who grew up to have a son named David. [From Ruth 1-4]

What Was The Cause of Boaz's Prosperity?

Boaz was a beneficiary of the sure promise of God given to the nation of Israel. "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shall make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (Joshua 1:8) A careful examination of Boaz's dealings with Naomi and Ruth reveals that he was very familiar with God's Law. But Boaz did not obey only the letter of the Law. He went beyond the letter and obeyed from his heart the spirit of the Law. For example, the Law provided for the poor by commanding farmers not to harvest the corners of their fields clean and not to gather up grain dropped by the reapers (see Leviticus 19:9). Boaz went beyond his duty for Ruth and actually ordered his workers to leave whole handfuls of grain for her to find. (see Ruth 2:16) If a man died, the Law provided for the redemption of his property and posterity by urging his brothers to marry the widow. Their firstborn son would then bear the name of the deceased (see Deuteronomy 25:5-6). Boaz could have refused to marry Ruth according to the letter of the Law because he was not Elimelech's brother. But the intention of the Law --- to help a man's widow --- was clear, and he consented to marry her. Boaz knew the Law of God. He meditated on the meaning of the Law and sought to obey it according to its full intent. As a result he prospered according to the promise.

How Did Boaz View Naomi And Ruth's Adversity?

Boaz viewed these pathetically poor women returning from Moab through the eyes of mercy and love. Others viewed them with apathy, contempt, and superstition. For example, Naomi's family was indifferent to her need for food. (see Ruth 2:18) Superstition may have been a factor in the nearer relatives unwillingness to marry Ruth. He explained his refusal, "... Lest I may mar mine own inheritance..." (Ruth 4:6). Because the men in Elimelech's family had died, Ruth and Naomi were considered "bad luck". The nearer kinsman did not want his family to die as they had. Another example of this occurred when Judah did not want his son, Shelah, to marry Tamar (see Genesis 38). Boaz, on the other hand, helped his family members, and treated them with dignity. He saw the hand of God in the lives of these women and sought to cooperate in God's perfect will for them.

In What Ways Did God Reward Boaz For His Kindness?

The Lord rewarded him with a good name. He received the blessing of the city elders (see Ruth 4:11-12). He was blessed by finding, and marrying a virtuous woman "... For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil" (Proverbs 31:10-11). He was also blessed with a godly seed, "... And Boaz betag Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David". (Ruth 4:21-22 and see also Proverbs 17:6)

Illustrated In The World Of Nature:

The bald eagle is one of the largest and most handsome members of the raptor family. The term"bald" has nothing to do with any lack of feathers on its head. It is called "bald" because of the sharp pattern of its white head, dark body, and white tail. Its broad, strong wings enable the eagle to carry objects which approach its own weight of approximately twelve pounds. As a symbol of strength and freedom, the bald eagle appears on money, flags, stamps, and buildings; and it was even the ancient hieroglyphic symbol which lead to the modern letter "a".

How Is The Need To Thank God For The Disciplines Of Adversity Illustrated In The World Of Nature?

A magnificent eagle soared to the heights of a rocky crag and calmly turned to witness a spectacular sight in the wilderness below. A vast multitude of men, women, and children had entered his desolate domain. High atop the mountain, a little eaglet cried out for food, and seemingly out of nowhere a nutritious meal appeared. Far below a similar cry went up for food, and out of the heavens God provided delicious manna. When the thirsty people pleaded for water, God fulfilled their need in a miraculous way. A rock was struck and water gushed forth. As if to amplify this spiritual picture, the eagle provided a drink for its young one --- the blood of a slain lamb. After the people grew weary of manna, God provided an abundance of quail. Similarly, the eagle supplied the eaglet with fresh meat. Many times the eaglet's cries seemed to go unheeded. But high above, the alert eyes of the soaring parent carefully watched. Vital skills were being taught through the motivation of hunger. One day the powerful eagle fluttered over its nest. It was time for the eaglet to venture into the desert sky. God gave a comparable signal to His fledgling nation. The cloudy pillar that had hovered over their place of worship moved forward, indicating that it was time to advance. The prospective parent pushed the young bird out of the nest, forcing the eaglet to use its own wings. After a few desperate flaps, the eaglet faltered. Instantly the eagle swooped down alongside the young bird. The updraft, created by the eagle's wings, provided the necessary lift for the fledgling to maintain flight. In the distance, the echos of clashing swords and shouts of war could be heard as God led His nation through their first battle. Just as the eagle's wings aided its young, the uplifted hands of the nation's leader in a gesture of prayer turned the tide of the battle and provided victory. The harsh disciplines of wilderness training were as vital for the young nation of Israel as they were for the survival of the eaglet. Later God used the eagle to illustrate that important wilderness experience. "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead [His people through the wilderness]..." (Deuteronomy 32:11-12).

The Characteristics Of The Bald Eagle In Scripture:

Often God uses the majestic appearance and awesome skills of the eagle to symbolize important truths for His people. God warns that a rebellious youth attracts destructive companions like carrion draws hungry eagles:

"The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." ~ Proverbs 30:17

God explains that a man who puts his trust in riches will see them "... fly away as an eagle toward heaven" (Proverbs 23:5). The rich man's wealth will be dissipated when trouble comes just as the updrafts of a storm carry the eagle out of sight. God warned His people on numerous occasions that if they persisted in evil,, He would send armies against them that would be "... as swift as the eagle flieth..." (Deuteronomy 28:49). The eagle's ability to overcome the law of gravity by stretching out its wings in flight is an important analogy of the Christian's ability to rise above the law of sin by entering into Christ's victory and by engrafting God's Word into his own soul:

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings of eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." ~ Isaiah 40:31

30 Minutes on Islam With Robert Spencer

On the heels I woke up this morning and was considering the Koran burning and the media response. I doubt I would burn a Koran. But in a free society believe I could if I wanted to. This reminded me that not all things are prudent for a Christian in Scripture. However I reject that a pebble falls in the U.S. (someone burns a Koran) in Florida... and that riots in Afganistan resulting in death is an acceptable assessment. The truth is that Islam and the culture of the society in the Middle East is in far more dire condition. Acting in such a manner, over the destruction of a book, cartoons of Mohammed, or whatever the next percieved offense may be. In a free society, the matter of percieved offense should not affect our policies. I am offended by the practice of genital mutilation of women and girls. I am offended of the status of women in Islamic societies. I am offended by indentured servitude and the practice of slavery. I am offended by the entering into marriage of girls as young as 9. I am offended by the sexualization of children and child abuse and sexual abuse of both sexes. I am offended by zealots and proponents of a perversion of a religion that seeks trans-national subjigation and world domination. I am offended that the the glorification of death by a "faith" has lead to the suicide, murder, and slaughter of so many.

God Our Creator, who made the earth a peaceful garden, help us restore that peace wherever it has been broken by terrorism and injustice, especially in the Middle East. We repent for the times when religious language has fostered hatred and division. . . . Bring healing to those whose lives have been shattered by violence. Instill a renewed spirit of reconciliation in thosewho lead our people politically and religiously. . . . Amen ~ Reverend John T. Pawlikowski, OSM Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL

Lord God. . . Bless all your children in the Middle East with the gift of peace. Reach out and embrace Muslims, Jews and Christians. Dry their tears with your gentle hands. Surround their trembling bodies with your loving arms. Replace their fears with the hope and vision of peaceful times to come. . . . Amen ~The Reverend Said Ailabouni,Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Accept our prayer to sustain us and our brothers and sisters of different beliefs in our desire for peace. . . Help us to find this peace in our living together, and in mutual sustenance with our neighbors. . . . Amen ~ Mian Ashraf, New England Islamic Center, Sharon, MA

Raising The Standard: Gratefulness Is Multiplying The Ministry Of Those Who Have Given To Me

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." ~ 2 Corinthians 9:8

"... Freely ye have received, freely give." ~ Matthew 10:8

From The Pages Of Scripture:

God exhorts us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him (see Romans 12:1-2). Only as we die to personal ambitions can we properly use the gifts that we have received from God and others. A great Christian in the early Church illustrated these truths. He lived during the reign of Nero and was personally affected by the godlessness of that wicked emperor's life. As a courageous and tireless Christian, he demonstrates for us one of the most beautiful testimonies of true gratefulness by multiplying the ministry of the one who brought the Gospel to him.

A grateful Christian in Thessalonica provides a striking contrast to a selfish emperor in Rome. This Christian enjoys today what the emperor lost his kingdom trying to obtain. Who is he? Aristarchus.

When Nero was a young man, his mother and stepfather determined that they would prepare him to become the next emperor of Rome. They hired the best available Greek tutors to school their son in science and the humanities. During these formative years, Nero's humanistic teachers instilled in him their ungodly philosophy. In A.D. 54 Nero was officially crowned emperor. After taking power, he quickly poisoned his stepfather's son. Tiring of her continual interference, Nero murdered his own mother. He also killed his wife and married another woman. While Nero was establishing his evil reign and pursuing his study of music and Greek philosophy, a significant event took place in the eastern region of the empire. A prominent citizen of Thessalonica cried out to the Lord to send someone to teach him the truth. God answered his prayer by giving Paul the "Macedonian call." After the man of Thessalonica heard the truth, he was so grateful that he dedicated his life to carry the Gospel to others. He sailed with Paul to the seat of the proconsul from which the whole province of Asia could be influenced. Paul's preaching and the witness of this godly Christian were extremely effective in this stronghold of paganism. Condemning the idols that were fashioned to worship the sensual goddess Diana threatened the corrupt business of the local silversmiths. Led by the angry craftsmen, a mob seized the courageous witness from Thessalonica. For two hours his life hung in a delicate balance before he was finally freed. Undaunted by this dangerous experience, the dedicated ambassador of God returned home to collect a generous offering. Along with the Apostle Paul, he transported the gift to suffering Christians in Jerusalem. When Paul was captured in Jerusalem and appealed to Caesar, this courageous companion went with him to Rome. It was there that his life was directly affected by Nero. Fire broke out in Rome and a significant part of the city was burned. Nero, who was suspected of setting the fire, seized upon the incident to blame the Christians. He put many to death, including Paul and his dedicated servant from Thessalonica. But God always writes the last chapter. By multiplying the gift of salvation that he had received, Aristarchus along with Paul and others dealt a fatal blow to the ungodly philosophy of the day. Nero later left Rome to sing in a music festival in Greece. When he returned, he found his kingdom in the midst of civil war. Aristarchus left Rome as a triumphant martyr and still sings the praises of Him whose kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting. [From Acts 19:21-20:38]

How Did Aristarchus Recognize The Value Of The Gift Of Salvation?

Each time Luke mentions Aristarchus, he is curiously identified with his home locale, something Luke seldom did when writing about others. Aristarchus is referred to as a Macedonian (see Acts 19:29), a Thessalonian (see Acts 20:4), or as both (see Acts 27:2). This suggests that he was a well known figure in that part of the world and also indicates that he may have been a man of means. The city of Thessalonica enjoyed local autonomy and was the most prosperous of all the Macedonian cities. It was a major seaport located on the main Roman trade route. When Aristarchus heard the good news of the gift of salvation, he recognized its value as exceeding any of his possessions. He was like the man in the parable "who, when he had found one pearl of a great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matthew 13:46). Aristarchus exchanged prosperity for persecution (see Acts 17:5). He endured hardship with Paul as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He did these things not to earn his salvation, but in appreciation for it.

How Did Aristarchus Express His Gratitude To The Apostle Paul?

Aristarchus expressed his gratitude in friendship, unswerving loyalty, and dedicated service. Paul was the human instrument used by the Lord to bring the Gospel to the Macedonians. He was a man of strong affections, whose epistles reveal a heart overflowing with love for many individuals mentioned by name. Paul valued companionship and almost always traveled and labored with others. When Paul was left in Athens without co-workers, he sent for Silas and Timothy "to come to him with all speed." (see Acts 17:14-15). Aristarchus was privileged to become Paul's intimate and valued companion. He shared Paul's labors, travels, and hardships, enduring through both good and bad times. When Paul was under house arrest in Rome, he was allowed a companion to share his confinement. Aristarchus and Epapharas probably alternated serving in this assignment. The Apostle gratefully acknowledged the restrictions Aristarchus endured when he warmly referred to him as "my fellow prisoner" (see Colossians 4:10).

How Did The Macedonian Churches Express Their Gratitude To God?

Paul commended the Macedonians, "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things" (Romans 15:26-27). Paul cited the Macedonian churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea as examples of sacrificial giving when he wrote to the more prosperous and the less persecuted Corinthians. In spite of their "deep poverty" which resulted from "a great trial of affliction," they gave to the poor of Jerusalem "to their power" and even "beyond their power." And they gave with an attitude of abounding joy (see 2 Corinthians 8:1-5). The Macedonian churches had received spiritual treasure through the nation of Israel and were more than willing to share their earthly treasure by helping God's chosen people in their distress.

Illustrated In The World Of Nature:

There are at least thirteen species of maple trees in the United States. Of these, the sugar maple is the most important. Also called the rock or hard maple, it is an attractive tree that can grow to a height of 135 feet with a trunk five feet in diameter. The production of maple syrup from maple sugar water is a major business in the northern United States. Each day during the spring, the sugar water is collected and taken to a sugar house. By flowing through a series of evaporation tanks, the liquid is condensed to produce maple syrup.

How Is The Process Of Multiplying The Ministry Of Those Who Give To Us Illustrated In The World Of Nature?

The footsteps of a solitary Indian crunching through the snow broke the stillness of the early morning. With great skill, the brave took one powerful swing with his tomahawk and then quietly watched the results. The one he had injured was revered by all the members of that early American settlement. They held him in high esteem for his impressive age and stately appearance. He had seen God work many times during his long life. He had passed the test of time and had weathered countless storms. Because of his outstanding qualities, he was chosen to be the central figure of the struggling little colony. Often the Pilgrim families came to visit him. They included him in picnics and other outings and enjoyed the sense of security he provided. Councils with the Indians were always held in his presence. He supervised their deliberations and gently nodded as both sides reached agreements. He warned the settlers of approaching danger from violent storms. When they saw him waving, the settlers would hurry to the shelter of their cabins. As the seasons passed things began to change. The busy colonists had little time for him. During this period, he also experienced a barrenness in his own life. He became quiet and withdrawn, and now he was wounded. The wound produced no ordinary results. He did not become bitter. Instead he demonstrated a new sweetness from his inner being. His response caused the Pilgrims to once again gather around him. They received a new measure of strength and vitality from his life. He was able to draw upon all that God had given him over the years and share it with those around him in a remarkable way. As he refreshed them, the thankful Pilgrims praised God for His marvelous provision through the life of this stalwart member of their community. By inflicting the wound, the Indian had revealed something that the settlers had never seen or tasted before. Thereafter, they looked upon this dignified resident not only as the majestic maple tree in the center of their village, but as the giver of rich maple sugar water at the end of a long, cold winter. The Pilgrims eagerly gathered the precious liquid from the maple tree. By investing their time and energy, they turned the sugar water into delicious syrup. The syrup became a highly sought after product which they shared with others. By sharing what they had received, both the maple tree and the settlers multiplied the provision that God had freely given to them.

The Maple Tree In Scripture:

The conditions that allow the maple tree to produce rich, sweet syrup are highly symbolic of a similar process in the Christian life which produces spiritual fruit. The maple tree must be mature before it is able to produce the sought after maple syrup. The older the tree, the more syrup it is able to produce. Older and more mature Christians are instructed by God to give spiritual food to the younger ones.

"The elders which are among you I exhort... Feed the flock of God..." ~ 1 Peter 5:1-2

The bountiful product of the maple tree must be harvested during a season that follows the harsh testings of winter cold and snow. God reminds us that one who finds nourishment during barren seasons by putting his roots deep into the Word shall produce:

"... his fruit in his season..." ~ Psalm 1:3

Before the maple tree can benefit others, it must be wounded by cutting. The more cuts it receives, the greater the flow will be from its inner life. Paul explained that the troubles he experienced were directly related to the spiritual nourishment he was able to give other Christians (see 2 Corinthians 1:2-11). The maple syrup from the tree must be further purified just as our words and actions must be refined by the purifying fire of God's Word (see 1 Peter 4:12-13).