David Bahn – Reflections – Page 95 – Light from the Word and through the lens

When Bad Things Happen the Good News is Still Good

September 29, 2023

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Acts 8:1-13

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ²(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) ³But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

⁴But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. ⁵Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. ⁶Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. ⁷Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸So there was great joy in that city.

⁹A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” ¹¹They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

¹²But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. ¹³Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Looking East at the Rio Grande | Big Bend State Park | May 2023

Our granddaughter is soon to celebrate a birthday, but we’ll not be able to be there on her special day. So we took over her birthday gift tonight, a necklace and ceramic heart-shaped box to put it and other jewelry into. We were both pleased to see she opened the birthday card first and read it all. That included the Bible passage Diane wrote from Isaiah 43, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” And, “You are precious and honored in my sight and I love you.” Then Diane said, “On a good day that’s a good thing. On a bad day, that’s a really good thing.”

Oh so true! When bad things happen, the Good News of God’s love is very precious indeed. On good days we need to remember this as well. For on the good days we can be tempted to despise God’s love, imagining that we can get by without God. I fear that is happening more and more in the United States these days.

On bad days we may be tempted to despair of God’s grace and love. We may wonder whether God really cares about us. Or we may think that God is punishing us for some misdeed and try to figure out not only what we did wrong, but also how we can make up for it. Truth be told, we’ve done many things wrong. And we can never make up for it. We have only God’s goodness and grace to rely upon.

That’s why when things are bad we must remember that the Good News is still good. When bad things happen to us we have a choice. We may turn away from God in anger, despair, shame, and doubt. Or we may move closer to God, seeking the succor of his love, goodness, grace, and salvation.

This is what the early Christians did when the terrible persecution broke out against Jesus’ followers. They not only held to the Good News of Jesus, they preached that Good News wherever they went. They knew that external circumstances don’t change the goodness of God or the truth of his word. External circumstances do not nullify God’s Good News. For the sake of Jesus God forgives our sins, promises us life abundant and eternal, and remains a faithful and good God. He is the rock that is higher than any storm.

Perhaps your life is going well. Praise God and rejoice in the Good News of Jesus. Things in your life may not be going well now. Praise God and rejoice in the Good News of Jesus. Even when the news is bad the Good News of Jesus is still good!
Death is no friend

September 28, 2023

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 8:1-13

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ²(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) ³But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

⁴But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. ⁵Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. ⁶Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. ⁷Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸So there was great joy in that city.

⁹A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” ¹¹They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

¹²But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. ¹³Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Red Rocks, Green Plants, & Blue Sky | Big Bend National Park | May 2023

My dad died when he was 64 years old, after a 7 month battle with lung cancer. Two sisters died – both younger – died before their time. My mom died having reached the age of 93. We’ve also lost a daughter-in-law well before her time, and a brother-in-law before his time. In every case, even though the times surrounding their deaths were difficult. Death was no friend. In fact, as we saw their time ebb away, we were seeing death at work.

Some people think that death is their friend – especially in the face of terrible suffering. But that’s not what the Bible teaches us. Death saps the life from us. It eats away flesh and spirit. It steals strength from our bodies. Death is an enemy. Here’s how Paul puts it in his letter to the church in Corinth:

For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²²For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶The last enemy to be destroyed is death. – 1 Corinthians 15:21-26

When my dad died, I had the distinct conviction that the dying had ended. Death had done its worst. A man gone too soon. I could say that because he had experienced only temporal death. And as bad as that was, eternal death is even worse. Imagine a dying that never ends. Think of a passing that is never complete. It’s too terrible fully to imagine!

When Stephen died, Luke tells us, “Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.” They mourned because death is bad. It is no friend. But they did not mourn without hope. Stephen was not given over to eternal death. Stephen’s died confessing Jesus as Lord, and standing at the right hand of God. Jesus had conquered death. Still an enemy, it does not have the final say.

For those who are in Christ, death is no friend. But death ends. We may rightly mourn when a loved one dies. But we look beyond death to an eternity of joy, peace, and glorious life.
The weaker you feel, the dirtier you will fight

September 27, 2023

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 8:1-13

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ²(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) ³But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

⁴But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. ⁵Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. ⁶Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. ⁷Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸So there was great joy in that city.

⁹A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” ¹¹They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

¹²But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. ¹³Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Rio Grande | Big Bend State Park | May 2023

Have you seen the movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? One of many favorite scenes in the movie has Butch facing off in a knife fight against a bigger, meaner, and more menacing man. It doesn’t look good for Butch. He didn’t want to fight in the first place. But it seems he has no choice. So he does what any smart guy would do, and cheats by saying he won’t fight until they get the rules straight. When his hulking opponent says, “Rules! What rules?” Butch fights dirty and wins with fight with a kick and a single punch.

Saul doesn’t play by the rules either – except the rule of power and resources. Whoever has the most power and resources will prevail – all things being equal. And Saul is on a tear of power and resources. He has the authority to put people in prison. He has the power to drag men and women out of their homes. He’s on a roll. We who know the fuller story, however, are aware that his reign of terror won’t last forever. It may last too long for those who are hauled off to prison. It may last too long for those intimidated by his bravado and bluster. But it will come to an end.

At first this does not appear to be the action of a weak man. He has all the cards. He’s in charge. He’s in control. But this is actually the long tail of Satan’s last gasps. (Think Gandalf being caught at the last minute as yells, “Fly you fools” and Frodo and friends flee the Balrog.) Satan is defeated. He seems strong and in control. And he is the prince of this world. But his domain is closing in. He is not the King of the Universe. That title belongs to God alone.

In his weakness Satan will do anything to quash the works of God. He will fight dirty. And he’s using Saul at this moment to do just that. This is not a truth-based fight. This is not a high moral ground battle. That battle has already been won on a hill outside Jerusalem. And the Truth that was put to death there, has been raised from the dead.

Evil will always ultimately collapse under its own weight. Truth prevails. Even when evil fights dirty, it will not win the war. Saul will find that out soon enough. So the next time you are tempted to fight dirty, think again. If you have truth and the high moral ground you will prevail. I firmly believe that. I wish more of God’s people did. Do you?
Conformity or Conviction?

September 26, 2023

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 8:1-13

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ²(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) ³But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

⁴But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. ⁵Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. ⁶Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. ⁷Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸So there was great joy in that city.

⁹A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” ¹¹They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

¹²But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. ¹³Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Rio Grande Canyon | Big Bend National Park | May 2023

Perhaps we didn’t push hard enough. But we chose to try to win the hearts of our sons as they grew up. We didn’t want conformity. We wanted conviction in their hearts about right and wrong, good and evil, God and Satan. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “A person convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

Saul seems not to care about people’s hearts and convictions – except insofar as he is able to quash the hearts and convictions of those who were following Jesus. He was bent on shutting down this movement that was turning the world upside down (cf. Acts 17:6). He would stop it whatever the cost.

We’ll see.

The growth of the Christian Church during the time of Constantine was aided by the favor he showed to the Christian Church. There were some forced conversions. When lands were conquered, the people of that conquered territory were made to be Christians. Some of it was surely coerced. But it seems much more was happening. Because during this time many people became Christians out of convenience as well. But God used all of that to advance the cause of the Gospel.

It is my conviction that God will use both persecution and peace to advance the cause of his gracious and good reign. Sadly, Satan does the same to advance the cause of his demonic kingdom. But try as he will, Satan will not have the last word. The persecution may be fierce, but God will use it to scatter his people and through them scatter the seed of the Gospel.

Now it seems God is using the times of affluence and peace to allow us to support those who are facing persecution and hardship for their faith. There may not be anyone today like Saul of Tarsus, or Emperor Diocletian. And the golden age of the church in America seems to have passed. But God will not coerce. he wants conviction not compliance. He desires that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. That happens as God’s people share the message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.

PS: For an interesting article on Constantine’s influence on the Christian Church, check out this website, or paste the link below into your browser.

Constantine’s Influence on the Church
We’re all converts

September 25, 2023

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Acts 8:1-13

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ²(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) ³But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

⁴But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. ⁵Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. ⁶Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. ⁷Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸So there was great joy in that city.

⁹A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” ¹¹They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

¹²But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. ¹³Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Big Bend Rio Grande Canyon Entrance | Big Bend National Park | May 2023

I’ve shared many times that my earliest memories have me standing on my parents’ bed getting ready for Sunday School while singing “Jesus Loves Me.” I was raised in a Christian family. I don’t have a dramatic conversion story. Somehow the Holy Spirit moved in my heart at a very young age. I was baptized at the age of eight, and it was a big deal in my family. Even my grandmothers came to witness it. There was much joy. But I didn’t feel any different. It was as though I was sealing the deal on becoming a member of the church, a Christian.

I have friends who can mark the time when they became a Christian. There was a before-Jesus life and an after-Jesus life. They speak of great peace and joy. They remember the days, the times, the people, the words that spoke to their hearts.

Dr. Dale Meyer is former president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and speaker on The Lutheran Hour radio program. Dr. Meyer was speaking at a convention of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, and asked the question, “How many of you are life-long Lutherans?” More than 80% of the hands were raised. Then he said, bluntly, “No you’re not. We’re all converts.”

You may have been raised in a Christian home. You may – like me – not remember a time when you didn’t believe in Jesus. You may have been baptized the moment of your birth. But we’re all born sinful. We weren’t born Christian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, or Catholic. We were all born sinners. We who follow Jesus are all converts. By God’s power. Because of his love. The Holy Spirit works this through the word of the Gospel.

I mention all this because there may be someone you know for whom you are praying. You pray that they would repent and believe in Jesus. You pray that they would come to faith. To that I say, keep praying! Look at Saul. He agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. He is no lover of Jesus. He is determined to bring Jesus’ followers to jail. He will squash this nascent band of brothers and sisters in Christ.

Or so he thinks. It won’t be long that his life will dramatically change. He will be converted. So keep praying for that wayward child, that troublesome coworker, that critical neighbor. And watch. It may take a while, and things might look very bad. But God hears our prayers. And the bigger they are… Well, you know how that saying ends!
Today’s Psalms for September 24, 2023

September 24, 2023

Please pray these psalms with me on this Lord’s Day. As a kid I really misunderstood Psalm 23. I thought, I DO want the Lord! I didn’t realize “I shall not want,” meant that I will lack nothing. Note, also how in verse 4 David no longer talks about God, but talks to God.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²    He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³    He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

⁴Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 53:1-3

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

²God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

³They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

Psalm 83:1-3

O God, do not keep silence;
    do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
²For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
    those who hate you have raised their heads.
³They lay crafty plans against your people;
    they consult together against your treasured ones.

Psalm 113

Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
    praise the name of the Lord!

²Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!
³From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!

⁴The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
⁵Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
⁶who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
⁷He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
⁸to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
⁹He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 143:1-6

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    give ear to my pleas for mercy!
    In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
²Enter not into judgment with your servant,
    for no one living is righteous before you.

³For the enemy has pursued my soul;
    he has crushed my life to the ground;
    he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
⁴Therefore my spirit faints within me;
    my heart within me is appalled.

⁵I remember the days of old;
    I meditate on all that you have done;
    I ponder the work of your hands.
⁶I stretch out my hands to you;
    my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016.
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Eyes of Faith

September 22, 2023

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Acts 7:1, 44-60

And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” ²And Stephen said:

“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. ⁴⁵Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, ⁴⁶who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built a house for him. ⁴⁸Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

⁴⁹“‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
⁵⁰Did not my hand make all these things?’

⁵¹“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵²Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, ⁵³you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. ⁵⁸Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Sister Peaks | Big Bend National Park | May 2023

My great Aunt Lydia was a missionary to India. I never met her, but the story of her death has stayed with me some 60+ years after hearing it. She apparently saw heaven in her dying moments and said, “It’s so beautiful I cannot describe it!” Then she died. If you’ve ever been with someone who is dying you might be surprised to hear that anyone is lucid enough to speak so cogently at the time near death’s door. The people I’ve seen die have been nearly completely unconscious.

My Aunt Lydia and Stephen (among others, I’m sure) were conscious. Not only so, both Stephen and Aunt Lydia saw a vision of heaven and reported it to those around them. It was their witness to God’s promises and our Christian hope.

I’ve lost two sisters to an untimely death. I’ve lost my mother and father to death as well. I look forward to seeing them with all the throng of the heaven in the life of the world to come. I anticipate a grand reunion with them on the Great Last Day. But I believe that reunion will be secondary to the glorious beauty of the new heaven and new earth, and the exuberant celebration of God’s glorious grace in Jesus Christ. I anticipate seeing Jesus then. Learning what he looks like for real. Seeing him reigning at the right hand of God will bring profound joy to my heart.

We don’t really know much about the life of the world to come. We get glimpses in Revelation 21, Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of God as a wedding banquet, Paul’s mention of being taken up to the seventh heaven (whatever that means), and this account of Stephen’s vision. We do know that Jesus has conquered death for us, and promises life in the world to come. We see all this with the eyes of faith.
Life After Death

September 21, 2023

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Acts 7:1, 44-60

And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” ²And Stephen said:

“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. ⁴⁵Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, ⁴⁶who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built a house for him. ⁴⁸Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

⁴⁹“‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
⁵⁰Did not my hand make all these things?’

⁵¹“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵²Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, ⁵³you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. ⁵⁸Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Distant Peaks | BIg Bend National Park | May 2023

She was sitting across from me at the Bible study lunch I attended yesterday. When we were all finished somehow the conversation turned to life after death (it wasn’t the specific subject of the study). She shared with the few of us that she had spoken with a pastor at her church about her final arrangements. “I want them to bury me with my… so everyone can…” We all chuckled. It was a course statement, if not humorous.

We had actually gotten into the conversation because of her more serious question: “Are we spirit?” Pastor Chad answered wisely, “That depends on what you mean by ‘spirit.’ We’re all one, body, soul, and spirit.” That went to conversations that ranged from cremation to soul sleep.

“Soul sleep” is a belief that after a person dies, his/her soul “sleeps” until the resurrection and final judgment. The concept of “soul sleep” is not biblical. When the Bible describes a person “sleeping” in relation to death (Luke 8:52; 1 Corinthians 15:6), it does not mean literal sleep. Sleeping is just a way to describe death because a dead body appears to be asleep. – from the Got questions website

Luke describes Stephen’s death here with the words, “…he fell asleep.” And while we do not believe in soul sleep, there is a mystery in the state of being between the moment of death and the Great Last Day. That mystery is that we are not just embodied spirits. We do not come from spirits created by a Mr. & Mrs. God from another celestial dimension as the LDS would lead us to believe. We are whole beings. And as such when we die we are not yet fully restored to the ultimate experience of heaven. Our bodies wait here on earth even as our souls are with the Lord.

This is a mystery. There may be a manner in which the dead in Christ fall asleep in this world and wake up at the resurrection. But it seems that doesn’t really account for the yearning of the martyrs under the altar as described in Revelation 6:10. They yearn for the final day of judgement. I suspect that Stephen is among that number.

But as Stephen dies, he prays as Jesus did, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” So there’s another mystery. The martyrs cry out for God’s vengeance, yet Stephen prays for God’s mercy on his murderers. I’ll let God sort all that out – as I will in regard to the workings out of the judgement and final Day of Judgement.

I do know this: God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness grows ever more precious to me as I age. It’s not so much that I feel like I’m staring death in the face. But it is a deepening awareness of how desperately I need God’s forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ Jesus.

That became very real and personal to me at that Bible study when I shared Walter Wangerin’s Ragman parable. (See Wangerin share this on Youtube below, and stay tuned for Ken Medema’s impromptu piano/vocal response.) As I was reading it to the few people who were there, I could barely keep from weeping. It was so emotional. And this is the wonder of it all for me: to think that someone so good, so powerful, so strong, so gracious should seek me out an offer me his better clothing touches a place deep in my heart.

When I fall asleep at the end of my life, I look forward to waking up and seeing the my ugly rags shining for cleanness because he died for my sins, and yours, and the world’s. And his resurrection fully vindicates all who put their faith in him.
Buildings or Hearts?

September 20, 2023

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Acts 7:1, 44-60

And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” ²And Stephen said:

“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. ⁴⁵Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, ⁴⁶who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built a house for him. ⁴⁸Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

⁴⁹“‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
⁵⁰Did not my hand make all these things?’

⁵¹“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵²Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, ⁵³you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. ⁵⁸Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

At Least Four Kinds of Cacti | Big Bend National Park | May 2023

St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas marks 1853 a the date of the church’s beginning. But I’m not so sure that’s correct. I suspect it was much earlier, since the date is attached to the first church building being completed. I strongly believe St. John’s beginning should be tied to the time the people first began meeting around the Word of God, reading sermons from a book that is still in St. John’s archives, and praying together. That could have been 5 years previous.

A church is not a building. A church is a gathering of people in fellowship and prayer, around God’s word, the sacraments. This is a minor point of Stephen’s speech here. He is confronting the people in their refusal to listen to the prophets – just like their fathers before them had done. There had been moments of glory such as the exodus from Egypt, the conquest of the Promised Land, and the dedication of Solomon’s temple. But Stephen wanted to show them that in spite of those moments, their fathers had not been faithful.

This is why God had to act. We never get things right, try as we may. Sometimes we over-correct on the build bigger and more beautiful buildings side. Other times we neglect God’s house and treat it as little more than a repository for used-up furniture for the youth room, or neglected corner we often ignore. Jesus got it right. He overturned the tables of the money-changers when they got in the way of those who would otherwise worship, having turned God’s house of prayer into a den of thieves. But he also taught the people on the side of a mountain when they followed him there.

God does not dwell in buildings made by human hands. Yet God does promise to show up in such buildings when his people gather in Jesus’ name. Solomon’s dedication prayer says it well:

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! ²⁸Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, ²⁹that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. ³⁰And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. – 1 Kings 8:27-30

When God gathers people into a worshiping assembly eventually they will want to gather in a building. Whether a house or an awe-inspiring cathedral, the issue is not the building, but the hearts in which God dwells. There is the kingdom of God: the gracious reign and rule of Jesus in the hearts of believers – no matter what building they may be in.
The Good Old Days

September 19, 2023

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 7:1, 44-60

And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” ²And Stephen said:

“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. ⁴⁵Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, ⁴⁶who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built a house for him. ⁴⁸Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

⁴⁹“‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
⁵⁰Did not my hand make all these things?’

⁵¹“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. ⁵²Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, ⁵³you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. ⁵⁸Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Mexico in the Distance | BIg Bend National Park | May 2023

Genevieve Sophia Prigge Dolan, Diane’s mother, fell asleep (cf. v. 60) more than 13 years ago. But if you were to ask her about the good old days, she would allow that they were old. But she did not think of them as good. We have an old butter churn from parents. She wanted nothing to do with having in her home – even when such old artifacts were a decorating go-to. That represented work. She loved modern conveniences. She was a wonderful homemaker, a great mom, faithful wife, and my favorite mother-in-law. I had only one MIL, but she was my favorite. I didn’t have a most-hated one! Jenny was a wonderful woman who had no good-old-days memories.

Life was tough back then. And I’m not talking about walking-uphill-both-ways-to-school-and-back-in-the-snow tough. I’m talking churn your own butter. Milk your own cows. Grow your own potatoes, and harvest them. Sweep the floor (no vacuums back then, not to mention no Roombas!).

As Stephen outlines the history of God’s people, he recounts how Moses was directed to build a tabernacle which the children of Israel carried through the wilderness for 40 years. Breaking camp must have been quite an ordeal for those charged with its care. Then, when Joshua took the Israelites into the Promised Land, they had to carry the tent of the meeting with them from place to place. This went on for 400 years or so until God laid out the plans for a permanent place of meeting.

David had the dream of building the temple. But Solomon, his son, brought it about. I’m sure it was glorious, but I wonder how many of God’s people realized how splendid and convenient it was to have a permanent building rather than carrying a tent from place to place. Although the stories of the wandering were certainly passed down from generation to generation, the realities of that old hard life were only stories. It’s one thing to hear about it. It’s quite another to have lived it.

Thank God for those who have gone before us and done the hard work of organizing service projects, coordinating evangelistic efforts, building church buildings, and anything else that has sustained the mission of God and furthered the growth of God’s kingdom. Their hard work in the good old days is testimony to the work of God’s Holy Spirit and a blessing for which we may rightly give glory to God.