A better man than I

A tribute to my cousin Matthew Stith (and to Christ's work).

• Matt is an intellectual genius, which my sinful heart envies. Or sinful brain. I can't figure out which ...
• He has his Ph.D. from Princeton. Oregon State also wears orange and black, but that’s as close as I get.
• I am four years older than he, but have repeatedly proven myself more foolish.
• Matt’s a dedicated Reds and Bengals fan, which proves a man’s sin has to come out somewhere. Scripture clearly implies Christians are to be Dodgers and Vikings fans, because God calls us to suffer.
• Though he could teach at many institutions of higher learning, Matt is a pastor in Podunk, North Dakota (ok, it’s West Fargo, but it’s still in the middle of frigid nowhere). His chosen service is especially noble to me, because many men in ministry are filled with the same ambition, pride, greed, and desire to control people as the Pharisees in Luke 11.

... I like to think of myself as a humble servant like Matt, but the cold, hard mirror of reality reflects that I more likely resemble today's typical "church CEOs" than I willingly admit.

• Matt's sermons last ~15-20 minutes; I've yet to preach one under 45 (which proves length doesn’t necessarily add depth).
• Matt is a teetotaler, marathon runner, and a Presbyterian. I enjoy Christian liberty, am overweight, and I haven't found my theological convictions defined by any one denomination (does that last one make you nervous?).

Matt and I were intense adversaries growing up (albeit those of junior high age). Yet now I respect him, love him, and pray for him. Because of Christ, I’m not afraid to admit that he is quite likely a more pious Christian and biblical scholar with a superior mind, and humbler heart. Well, such admissions do sting a bit, but the bruising of flesh is a good thing. We should welcome it.

Why share all this publicly?

1. To honor my cousin, which I have never done prior to now.
2. To exhort and encourage you toward forgiveness and love.

My friends, the Spirit can miraculously help you love your enemies (which will technically make them your former enemies). My cousin Matt doesn't crack the top 20 of my all-time worst enemies list, but in 1983 we detested each other in a junior high sort of way. That's how our relationship stood for many years. Today he serves as an example of the reconcilation possible in Christ.

You likely have enemies in your life at this very moment. True villains. People who you recall only painfully. They may still hate you, speak badly of you, or simply pretend that you don't exist. They might be professiong Christians. All of this is deeply disturbing, but incidental. In the power of God, you can love them in spite of their hate. Scripture says we must. But it can't be done with strength of will. It's a divine work of the Spirit. How? I can't define that process like a cooking recipe. It'll come about differently for everyone. Likely even in different ways at variuos times during one person's life.

Be warned, just because God empowers it doesn't make it easy to do. Goliath may fall, but he's still terrifying until he does. True forgiveness may be one of the most difficult things in existence. Just saying a prayer for them or voicing concern to a friend of yours doesn't fully comprise forgiveness as Jesus Christ defined it. It requires action. Trees must bear fruit. Talk is cheap. Voicing concern about someone or something without making it right is hypocrisy (James 2:15-17).

Before you click to new source of Web amusement, recall someone your mind has tried to forget. Picture the loathed face of one who hurt you. They may be spitters of venom, sly deceivers, betrayers, or escapers of justice. No matter how dark their hearts, pray to Christ for their welfare.

The Savior can heal hearts (yours and theirs both). So let go of your poisonous animosity. Your enemies are simply sinners like yourself, in need of divine grace. They’re driven by hurt, insecurity, and fear just as every other human with feet on this fallen earth.

As my friends know, my speech often lacks sensitivity and graciousness. I say hard things. But I don't lie. Thus, they know that my writing this challenge means God’s taken me to the woodshed first. Those who love Molly and me (in both word and life) also know the damage we have endured recently. If we (two frail sinners) can embrace this excruciatingly difficult call of forgiveness, you can too. Unclench your fists and join us at the cross. We’ll be the ones facedown in the dirt with tears of frustration and pain smudging our cheeks … yet filled with peace, and a slowly growing smile of relief.

C’mon. Be brave. Join us in the dirt of self abandonment.

Who hates you? Are you still hating them back?
Don't just say or pray something to make you feel better.
Do something to make things right. That’s the way of Christ.
Will it be difficult? Of course.

Anything of the cross is.

Make it right.

Got idols?

I'm writing on Isaiah this semester, so be forewarned that this seer's biblical theology will be informing my thoughts in coming months. Below is a quote I won't have room for in my book, but is worthy of discussion.

"Idolatry is Isaiah's primary concern about us. This is offensive, because we thought we left idolatry behind centuries ago. But Isaiah, who understands the power of God, also understands the power of non-gods.

It works on our minds. Every day we shift our deepest fears behind amusements, professional achievements, and even lesser fears. As we drive slowly around a car accident, we think, "It wasn't me" to distance ourselves mentally. We think, "They must have been driving recklessly," because blaming is reassuring. We sense how vulnerable we are.

But any evasion of plain dealing with God is idol-manufacture.

And we do not let go of our idols easily. In heaping our idolatries together, we assemble a culture—a brilliant, collaborative quest to prove ourselves. ... Ignoring and forgetting is why we hold this banquet called the American Dream.

... Our cheery but demanding idols, with their empty promises, are failing us. The fact is, death watches us, stalks us, takes aim, and shoots straight.

- Raymond C. Ortland, Isaiah.

Any thoughts? Or would you rather shift this discussion behind some amusements?

- Cory

What are we really worshiping?

Imagine that you go to a restaurant to meet a dear friend for lunch. Afterwards someone asks you, "How was your lunch?"

How might you answer?

"Well, I got there early, but a friendly hostess chatted with me while I waited. The food was fantastic and the waiter did a great job. The ambiance was OK 'cause the background music was a bit loud. But they had a great dessert menu. Overall, it was an excellent lunch."

One problem. There was no mention of the friend you went to meet in the first place.

To me, this can all too easily be church today. Many times when I ask people, "How was worship this morning?" they reply with answers like this:

"The people were friendly." - Hostess
"The sermon was fantastic." - Food
"The preacher did a great job." - Waiter
"Didn't like the worship music." - Ambiance
"There are so many neat ways to serve and plug in at that church." - Desserts

What happened to the dear Friend we went to meet in the first place? Remember Him? ... the Lord God Almighty?

Isaiah 1 sends a wakeup call about worship. The "good" nation (southern kingdom, Judah) worshipped God by the book, but God loathed their offerings. Why? Their sacrifices were plentiful, but sin-stained, resulting in God's judgment and spurning of their prayers.

God hates worship tainted by sin as much today as He did millennia ago. Like Isaiah, the Apostle Peter taught that our prayers could be hindered by sin. So it's possible that Christian worship, though it may be "by the book" of our worship tradition, be something God resents. The cause could be unrepentant sin, but perhaps the problem is that the objects of our worship aren't God. Perhaps we're too busy being caught up in other things at the "restaurant."

I'm not saying people aren't trying. Perhaps it's all we know. After all, God is mentioned over and over again during our services (in songs, Scripture prayers, etc.). All I'm asking is, "Wouldn't personally serving the Lord God Almighty leave enough of an impression to dent our conversation afterwards?" Do we leave church having truly encountered God in worship?

I'm not placing the blame on how various church traditions design a worship service (that's another conversation). I just think that, if we leave a service talking about everything but our Lord, there's a problem. We may have missed Him sitting across the table the entire time. Maybe something blocked our view ...

Followers of Christ shouldn't be going to church to be entertained, impressed by a spiritual hero, exalt an institution or movement, or even to glean more truth (which we already have in full in our own personal copy of Scripture). Since it is a worship service, we should be there to serve God in worship.

According to Isaiah (ch. 6 particularly), personally encountering God should have an effect on us. People who leave church without any mention of God on their tongues likely missed the whole point of going (and maybe the entire point of human life). It's not to know about God, but know God Himself (there is a big difference). A worship service isn't for appreciating accutriments pointed in God's direction, but for encountering the living Lord.*

(*FYI, I am intentionally not defining what a spiritual encounter with God looks like. Jesus encountered people in countelss ways based on their need at the time, so it's likely the Lord does the same today with each of us at different times in our lives).

May our worship leave us more than just musing,
"That sermon could have used more salt,"
or "I prefer music with less spice ..."

NFL Draft prophecy

After this morning's trade between the Lions & Broncos, I felt compelled to post my upper tier NFL draft predictions:

1. (Oakland Raiders) - JaMarcus Russell, QB (LSU)
Even on life-support, Al Davis can't resist this big-armed stud. Any disagreements?
2. (Detroit Lions) - Brady Quinn, QB (N.Dame)
They couldn't pick a WR #1 four years IN A ROW, could they? Actually ... they very well might.
3. (Cleveland Browns) - Adrian Peterson, RB (Oklahoma)
Poor kid goes from OU to wearing the dumbest uniforms in sports. Wait, was that much of a change? (ouch! I forsee a retort coming from Jay Mendenhall)
4. (Tampa Bay) - Calvin Johnson, WR (G.Tech)
Since Joey Galloway is about 48 years old, this one's a no-brainer. CJ is probably the best athlete in the draft. I'm praying the Vikings trade up to get him (a Red Sea-type miracle).
5. (Arizona) - Joe Thomas, OT (Wisconsin)
The big winners in the Detroit/Denver trade. They can't believe Thomas falls this far. Somewhere (from inside a nightclub in southern California), Matt Leinart thanks Jesus.
6. (Washington) - Jamaal Anderson, DE (Arkansas)
All logic suggests a DE here. So they'll probably pick a WR. Does anyone really care?
7. (Minnesota) - no pick.
They will turn in their card 15 seconds late ... after which I will leave the NFL Draft watching party in disgust. Oh well, at least they're no longer the NFL's bad boys (Thank you SIN-cinnati Bungles!)

Looking forward to your rebuttle.