Mt 23:23-26 From the Outside In

Mt 23:23-26  From the Outside In

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Jesus said:  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.  You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.” 

A few days ago, I wrote that “Atheists believe the world goes round and round; that is, it is what it is.  Christians as well believe the world goes round and round, but upside down; that is, it isn’t what it is.” 

Upside down and outside in.  Let us pray for all our moms and dads who continue to kill themselves for the insignificant and deny themselves of the significant.  Let our thoughts go out to all our dads who continue to bust their behind for a fancier car, a bigger boat, a larger paycheck and a better yard but do not lift a finger for their spouse and family.  Let us pray for all our moms who continue to kill themselves for greater glory, greater praise and greater independence but have neglected to care for their spouse and family. 

This is life lived upside down.  This is an exercise in Futility. 

Let us pray for our boys who continue to build their bodies, but not their souls.  For our girls who wish to perfect their bodies, but not their souls.  This is life lived outside in. 

The Sensationalist.  Those who deceive (who love to be bad) love to play God.  They love to turn the truth upside down, as if we were standing on our heads, until it hurts our heads.  In our upside down world we want to be able to tell God what He should do; to tell Him what marriage is, what family is, what love is, what life is all about.  We even want to tell Him what sex is! 

What does it take to be remembered forever?  What does it take to get noticed; to get your name in print?  Be a sensationalist.  Mix some good with a lot more bad.  For example:  If you want to be a big time singer, then it’s important to have a good voice.  But it’s even more important to lose your faith.  If you want to be a political activist, then you should know a little bit of history and take a lot of lessons in singing.  But it’s even more important that you know what to name your band.  It should be something more shocking and perverted than the bands before you. 

Want some to notice you?  Don’t step in Church, step on the Church! 

By the way...If you are starting up your own Church and need a large congregation, then you should know a little bit about the bible and a lot about lighting and music.  Make sure you know that Jesus said he would return, and make sure your people think it's NOW, and you will have a very large congregation! 

Now “flashists” and sensationalists have no place in Christianity.  St Paul asks the community of believers in Thessalonica not to be shaken out of their minds by a “spirit”, or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from one of them to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.  “Let no one deceive you in any way” (cf. 2Thes 2:3a). 

The sensationalist is full of it; that is, full of sin.  He tends to crave more of that which is sensationally sinful than that which is sensationally true.  He tends to be drawn towards sensationalism, like temptation and to crave it like a drug. 

In reality, what is truly sensational is what we call “common”.  An apple falling from a tree is just as sensational as a rover landing on Mars.  Both were designed.  Both serve multiple purposes.  Both carry out functions that are truly remarkable.  But the apple falling from the tree far out functions, out performs and far exceeds (or far out-seeds) all rovers combined. 

Predicting the end times and preaching about it have always been a great source of revenue for many denominations.  We love what is sensational.  And we are always scanning the horizon for the next sensation to happen.  We live for it, and when we are through with it, we look again to satiate our appetite; looking for the next sensation, which is typically more daring, thrilling, appealing and appalling. 

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.  (cf. 2Thes 2:17)

Christian prayer is not sensational; it is very straightforward. 

Mt 20:20-28 Ignoring The Past

Mt 20:20-28  Ignoring The Past

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The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and asked Him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit at your right and the other at your left.”

Though it may not be uncommon for a mom to seek the best for her children, it is uncommon for her to seek or accept what needs to take place for it to happen.

We can all agree on what’s wrong with society.  It’s another matter to agree on what it will take to fix it. 

“Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”    If we are looking forward to the “future”, it would be wise to take a look at the past.  If we are planning for the future, we should bring along with us some lessons learned from the past.  We all have a tendency to say that the future is the brightest. And the reason why we say it is not necessarily because we believe.  I think it is because we want to believe it!  And the best way to believe it is to turn our backs on our past mistakes.

There’s nothing wrong with moving forward, but to do so, without ever correcting past mistakes, is a big mistake.  Maybe that’s why we find ourselves repeating history every seventy years, or in a lifetime.

I am amazed at how intelligent Marcel and DC comics are.  I mean, you would never think that Marvel or DC comics would have something more to offer mankind than just plan entertainment.  I am stunned at what I am about to say.  I think these two organizations would win an award for advancing the slowing down of science!  If you have seen any of their movies (Avengers, Captain America, Batman, Spider Man, etc…), you will find a common thread that runs through all of them:  The threat of unmitigated scientific research. 

Science can be a very dangerous thing to mankind. 

In DC comics latest hit, “The Dark Knight Rises”, Bruce Wayne unilaterally decides not to commercialize one of his greatest inventions:  a fusion machine; a machine that simulates how the sun shines and that would guarantee clean and reliable energy on earth forever.  Talk about current event issues!  Talk about not being politically correct!  Imagine for a moment a machine like that!  Think of its potentials!  How all wars over fossil fuels would come to an end; how natural resources could be preserved and conserved.  Think about what it would do to the Green Movement (and its political wing).  It would turn red with envy and with all sincerity!  It would finally show its true radical and communist colors! 

Now why in the world would Bruce Wayne hide this machine to the world?  In the movie, he makes his decision very clear.  He says, “If this machine ever got into the hands of the wrong people, it could destroy the world.  I won’t release it until society is ready for it.”   I won’t release it until society is ready for it?  Wow!  Amazing!  DC and Marvel understand history and human nature better than anyone else.  They understand that powerful toys in the hands of irreligious and unethical men could be a very dangerous thing.  It seems as though they understand how bright the future could be:  either as bright as the Son or as bright as an atomic explosion!

While I was a student at RIT, I remember a group of pacifists (nuns included) marching on campus and calling for an end to NATO and the CIA.  They were convinced that the end of Communism, the cold war, and Berlin Wall should mean the end of national security.  I would have loved to have seen their faces on September 11^th, 2001. 

“A bright future” will always make for great propaganda, especially for those who tend to ignore past lessons and mistakes, like December 7^th, 1941.  Never letting our guard down is one concrete lesson learned from our past that would help secure a bright future.

If you wish to bask in the sun, then be prepared to be baked in the sun.  That’s a hard taught lesson from our past.  Sacrifice, dedication and perseverance will always be necessary ingredients for greater glory.  The mother of the sons of Zebedee learned that lesson well, if she lived long enough to see it happen to her two boys. 

There is no Christ without a Cross.  There is no resurrection without a crucifixion.    

Why do we read Scripture?  To learn from the past and hope for a brighter future. 

If we keep ignoring God in our families, in our schools, in our entertainment and in our conversations, then how in this world will we have a brighter future?  Talk about creating high expectations for our kids with the idea of heaven on earth and leading them to a hell on earth!

One reason why we keep failing in our quest for a brighter future is because we keep ignoring the brighter moments of our past. 

There are two ways for an archer to hit his intended target:  either by shooting an arrow through it or by changing his mind.  The only reason why we keep thinking we are doing better is because we keep redefining what “success”, “life”, “marriage” and “family” mean.    But beware!  If we can play this game, than others can too, and with words like "freedom" and "liberty". 

Let's put an end to wishful thinking not by putting an end to happy endings but by putting to rest the mistakes of our past.