Do You Suffer from SAD This Holiday Season?

Houston -- 10:14

Baltimore -- 9:24

Detroit -- 9:05

The Netherlands -- 7:41

Those are the hours of daylight for each of those locations on December 21, 2017, the Winter Solstice.

I have family members in each of those places. As Houstonians, my wife and I will enjoy the most sunshine. Our son in Baltimore and my parents in Detroit will have roughly the same amount of daylight. Our daughter and son-in-law in the Netherlands, however, will spend more than two-thirds of the day in darkness.

For many people, the shorter days and lack of sunlight that characterize the winter months bring on what might be termed the Winter Blues. We might feel more tired than usual, maybe put on a little weight, or perhaps undergo minor bouts of depression.

Some folks, however, experience more exaggerated forms of these symptoms, a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

For them, the winter months of decreased sunlight or working in buildings without windows cause depression that saps energy and causes work and relationships to suffer.

Aside from Seasonal Affective Disorder, millions of people this month will suffer from another type of SAD, what could be termed Savior-Absent Disorder.

Subtitles

• subtitles off

Captions

• captions off

Chapters

• Chapters

Symptoms of Savior-Absent Disorder include an over-emphasis on presents and parties, the noticeable lack of peace and joy, and a Christmas celebration devoid of Christ.

Savior-Absent Disorder can afflict the young or old, and men and women are equally susceptible.

Those most likely to contract SAD are those whose December schedules run them too ragged to attend a Christmas Eve service at a local church. Others at risk are those who don’t take the time to ponder the words of carols such as "O Come, All Ye Faithful" ("Come, see in the manger our Savior and King!") and "Silent Night" ("Christ, the Savior, is born!").

Long-term effects of SAD include holiday seasons lacking in meaning and even a Scrooge-like resentment toward those who offer a joyous "Merry Christmas!" greeting.

However, there is relief from Savior-Absent Disorder. Not just a short-term pain killer, but a lifetime cure. The treatment is found in the words spoken to shepherds by an angel: "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

Possible side-effects of this treatment include the following:

• a renewed sense of hope (Luke 2:25-35)
• freedom from guilt and shame (Luke 1:50)
• an increase of love and compassion for others (Luke 2:16-18)
• a desire to praise God (Luke 1:46-47; 2:13-14, 20)

If these side-effects persist, keep calm and be grateful. For further information about this cure, contact your local Christian church.

Now with the angel's words to the shepherds in mind, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a SAD-free new year.

Prepare the Way of the Lord

John the Baptizer from Godspell

I've been reading the opening chapters of Luke to get into an Advent and Christmas frame of mind.

This morning I gave thought to Luke 3, which focuses on John the Baptizer.

(I will confess that the Isaiah quote from Luke 3:4 has the Godspell song "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" running through my head [and maybe yours now, as well].)

John the Baptizer was a very bold and direct prophet, but also very humble.

He knew he wasn't the Christ and would not pretend otherwise (John 1:20).

He admitted that he wasn't worthy to untie the straps of Jesus' sandals (Luke 3:16).

He understood that he must decrease and that Jesus must increase (John 3:30).

Nevertheless, John was not bashful in his preaching.

He calls the crowds the offspring of serpents, charges tax collectors to stop cheating people, and exhorts soldiers to quit extorting people and making false charges against them (Luke 3:7, 12-14).

Imagine how they felt when John called them out that way! Today John would be called a "hater" and be eviscerated on social media.

John certainly had a different approach than Jesus. No wonder John had his questions and doubts about Jesus while he was prisoner in Herod's dungeon (Luke 7:18-23).

It's tempting to say that we need to be more like John -- bold, in your face. And that may work for some.

However, John's portrayal is descriptive, not prescriptive. In other words, it's not meant to prescribe how we are to act. John's conviction and courage are to be emulated, but his manner of ministry was all his own.

Scripture isn't telling me to set up shop on Buffalo Bayou and cry out to the joggers running past. That's not my calling. I'm a pastor, not a prophet. These are two different callings with two different job descriptions.

On the other hand, Scripture is telling me (and you) to display the courage of John (and Paul and Jeremiah and Isaiah and Jesus) in speaking the truth despite its unpopularity.

We are called to afflict the comfortable with God's law and to comfort the afflicted with God's promises.

In short, like John, we are called to prepare the way of the Lord.

Martin the Monk

500 years ago today,

A German monk named Martin

Posted his Theses on a door.

Who knew what he’d be startin’?

We call it Reformation Day.

(Some folks call it Halloween.)

Martin challenged the Roman Church

And he really made a scene.

There was a friar, John Tetzel.

His Indulgences he sold.

Forgiveness of sins they offered

At the cost of just some gold.

Martin the Monk said, “No!” to this.

“Forgiveness is offered free!

It can’t be bought, it can’t be sold.

Jesus earned it on the tree!”

So we give thanks on this, the Day

Of joyful Reformation,

Martin the Monk helped all to see

The free gift of salvation.

SMH

Shaking My Head.

Another mass shooting.

An overwhelming sadness fills the soul ...
of the individual ...
of a community ...
of our nation.

I sit at this keyboard and shake my head.

I tear up when I ponder the victims and the heroes.

I don't ask, "Why?"
That answer is as old as humanity itself.
"Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you" (Jesus' words to Cain, urging him to reject anger and hate, Genesis 4:7).
Some people open the door and welcome in Sin.

With disbelief I exclaim, "Not again!"
Columbine. Newtown. Boston. Orlando. (To name only a few...)
Not again!

In weariness I ask, "How long?"
I add my voice to the souls of the martyrs.
"How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge the inhabitants of the earth?"

I am told, "Wait a little longer" (Revelation 6:10-11).

I am promised, "My grace is sufficient for you" (Jesus to St. Paul when he pleaded to be delivered from a personal affliction, 2 Corinthians 12:9).

I am assured, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (Jesus to His disciples on the night of His betrayal, John 16:33).

My head may shake.

But faith need not be shaken.

Faith, in fact, is proven in times like this.

Faith is proven in its love for the grieving and its care for the hurting.
People of faith "shine like stars in the universe as [they] hold out the word of life" in defiance of violence and death (Philippians 2:15-16).

Faith is proven in its conviction that our God is bigger than the trials and tragedies we face.
"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28).

Faith is proven in its confidence that love is stronger than hate, and God's love is stronger than anything.
"I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

Your head may shake.

Your faith need not be shaken.

It's Not About "Deserve"

Since its release on June 2, I have had the opportunity to see "Wonder Woman" three times.

The first was at the Portage 16 in Portage, Indiana. (They should name one of the sixteen screens after our family for all the movies we saw and popcorn I ate there over the years.)

The second was in Houston at the Studio Movie Grill near our home. (I'm working on earning my dedication plaque at this theater, also.)

The third viewing was in Panama City Beach, Florida, on a visit to our newly married daughter and son-in-law. (Yeah, it's been a well-traveled and eventful summer.)

Aside from finally viewing a DC superhero movie that didn't disappoint, I also appreciated a message in "Wonder Woman" that communicates the clear message of the Gospel.

This message revolves around the theme of "deserving."

In one scene, WWI soldier Steve Trevor and his two friends offer this toast: May we always get what we need. May we always get what we want. May we never get what we deserve.

One might think that this is just a throwaway dialogue to lighten the mood, but there may be more to it than that.

Later in the movie, a conversation between Steve and Diana (aka Wonder Woman) revisits the theme of "deserving". When Diana questions why Steve is so determined to help people who don't deserve it, he responds, "Maybe it's not about deserving. Maybe it's about what you believe."

Diana, who is still trying to make sense of a world that she has only recently entered, ponders that thought.

Then, in the lead-up to the climactic battle scene against Ares, the god of war explains that he doesn't cause mankind to be warlike. He merely whispers ideas and then allows people to respond as they will. His argument is that people tend to choose the evil over the good.

And in the final battle, he punctuates that point when he shouts at Diana, "They don't deserve to be saved!"

In response, Diana echoes Steve's words, "It's not about deserve. It's about what you believe. And I believe in love."

I can hear the voice of Satan, the Accuser, in Ares' words. Satan levels the same accusations against humanity as Ares did. The devil doesn't make us do anything, although he certainly whispers his lies into our willing ears. We, however, choose how to respond. Because of our inclination to choose the evil over the good, we don't deserve to be saved.

Nevertheless, Jesus responds that it's not about deserve. It's about love, His divine love for us undeserving ones.

In the church, we call that grace, when we get what we don't deserve.

We didn't deserve a Savior who would suffer and die for us on the cross. We don't deserve Jesus' forgiveness when one of His followers assures us that we are absolved of our sins. We don't deserve a place at the altar to receive the body and blood of Jesus for the remission of our sins.

But it's not about deserve. It's about love. Only through Jesus' undeserved love can we have a new life with Him.

In a sense, Steve's toast with his friends echoes the prayer Jesus taught us: Give us this day our daily bread. (May we get what we need. May we get what we want.) And  forgive us our trespasses. (May we never get what we deserve.) Amen.

Water in the Name of Jesus

“I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”

According to Matthew 25:35, that’s what Jesus will say to the righteous gathered before Him on the Last Day.

Well, if Jesus commends giving water to the thirsty, that’s good enough for me.

That’s why our congregation, Messiah Lutheran, Houston, TX, has cases of bottled water with our church’s name and website address on the label, to give out to folks who are thirsty.

Our Congregation President, John, and I did just that at the May 4th Golf Tournament hosted by my local Kiwanis Club.

He and I spent time with about 90 golfers from across the Houston area and gave out free water at the Messiah tent at the first hole.

After the event, John and I decided to give out the remaining water bottles the next day at Memorial Park.

We found ourselves a shady spot alongside the running path and in a matter of 45 minutes we gave out 80+ bottles of water.

One fellow that we met had finished his run and sat down to enjoy the water and the shade. He took note of the Messiah name on the label and asked us about our church and its location.

One woman, when offered a bottle, replied, “What’s the catch?” John assured her that, much to her surprise, there was no catch at all.

That simple gift of water put smiles on lots of faces on a warm Friday afternoon.

An Easy Thing to Do

Approaching a stranger with the words “Let me tell you about Jesus” is very intimidating, let me assure you. It’s so intimidating that I don’t do it. Ever.

But to ask a stranger who’s walking or running past you, “Would you like some water?” is an easy thing to do.

When Jesus commends the righteous in Matthew 25, He doesn’t say, “You preached the Gospel,” or, “You knocked on strangers' doors.”

He says, “You fed, you gave water, you clothed, you cared, you visited.”

Those are all easy things to do. Every one of us, no matter our age, is capable of offering such Christ-like care.

And when you offer the food, the water, the clothing, or the care, and are asked, “What’s the catch?” you can respond that there is no catch, that you are simply doing what Jesus taught you to do.

The Dreaded Four Horsemen

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These imposing and dreaded figures have been woven into the fabric of our popular culture.

Cover of Teen Titans #37

World Championship Wrestling had its Four Horsemen, including wrestlers Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. Marvel Comics has a character named Apocalypse who always has four proteges, his Four Horsemen.

I first encountered the Four Horsemen at the tender age of eight in Teen Titans #37 back in 1971. (You can find out about the story at this link.)

Regardless of their pop culture presence, the Four Horsemen of the Apocaplypse come to us courtesy of Revelation 6.

In this chapter, the Lamb Who Was Slain has been given the Scroll with Seven Seals. As he breaks each of the first four seals, a horseman comes forth. They can best be described as personifications of tyranny, bloodshed, famine, and death.

As they wreak their havoc on the earth they illustrate sinful mankind's desire to dominate the weak, shed the blood of the innocent, and exploit the poor, all of which lead to death and the grave.

The ravages of these Horsemen are all too familiar to us. All we need do is watch the evening news. Stories of oppression overseas, violence in our neighborhoods, and corruption in our cities weigh us down with despair. "Will it ever end?" we cry in desperation.

Even the saints in heaven express their impatience. As the fifth seal is broken, the souls of the martyrs ask, "How long until our blood is avenged?" How long, O Lord, will Your Church on earth suffer at the hands of its enemies? How many more must die for the faith?

And then comes the end. The sixth seal is broken and creation as we know it is torn to shreds.

Close the curtain. Dim the lights. The show is over.

Revelation 6 is a chapter that causes people to not want to read Revelation. It's bizarre in its imagery and frightening in its content.

But what appears on the surface to be a picture of hopelessness transforms into a picture of hope when we remember one important detail. Jesus, The Lamb Who Was Slain, is the one breaking the seals. None of the events that follow the breaking of the seals are outside of the authority that the Father has given to His beloved Son (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Four Horsemen released by Jesus operate under His sovereign lordship. They are not "running out of control." They are under the control of Jesus.

The souls of the martyrs are urged to be patient. Although more martyrs will be added to their number, each of those deaths is precious and even costly to their Lord, who shares in the persecution of those who make up the Church, the Body of Christ on earth (Psalm 116:15 and Acts 9:4-5).

Even the earth's destruction, which was foreshadowed in the darkness and earthquake of Good Friday (Matthew 27:45-54), will result in the New Creation where the followers of Jesus will enjoy an eternity free from suffering and death.

So do not despair.

Far from a vision of hopelessness, Revelation 6, and the entire book for that matter, speaks God's final Word of comfort, hope, and victory.

Jesus Himself promises the crown of life to those who are not shaken by the events which must take place but instead remain faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10).

To the Angel of the Church in Sardis...

In my devotional reading since Easter I have been taking a slow journey through the Book of Revelation, one of my favorite books of the Bible.

Chapters 2 & 3 consist of letters that Jesus dictates to John to be sent to seven churches in Asia Minor, or modern day Turkey.

In these letters Jesus has positive things to say about most of the churches He addresses, things for which He can commend them. But most of them also have glaring problems. Jesus diagnoses the problems and prescribes the solutions for each individual congregation. He calls them to repentance and promises an eternal blessing to "the one who overcomes."

As I read the letter to the church in Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6), I recognized characteristics of a church in need of revitalization. The church needed to rediscover its mission to its community.

The characteristics that marked the church in Sardis included:

• Being near the end of its Life Cycle (“You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”)
• Not doing all that it could be doing in mission (“I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.”)
• Needing to recall its mission and repent of its complacency (“Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.”)

The church in Sardis is typical of many churches today that are in need of revitalization. I have been privileged to serve two such congregations.

I say that I have been privileged because revitalization ministry is exciting and, dare I say, even fun! That doesn't mean that it's easy, but anything worth doing well is rarely easy.

My best memories of ministry have come as a result of watching a church change from an inward to an outward focus and from being survival-minded to being mission-minded.

I have witnessed God's Spirit at work to move people beyond their comfort zones into ministry and mission that they never thought they could do.

I have watched men and women light up with a passion for discipleship when they see Jesus' work being done through them.

I you feel like you are in a Sardis situation, in need of personal or congregational revitalization, don't despair. Jesus first calls you to repentance for your complacency and urges you to remember the depths of His grace that you have received. Recalling that grace will lead you to grateful service and mission for others.

He also promises to His faithful disciple, "I will never blot out  [your] name from the book of life but will acknowledge [your] name before my Father and his angels" (Revelation 3:5). You can be assured that you belong to Jesus, and that confidence can liberate you to try new things and dare to step outside of your comfort zones.

Not a Perfect Prophet

Jonah on the beach after being in the great fish

Jonah: The reluctant prophet. Check!

Jonah: The bad luck charm in the movie "Master and Commander." Check!

Jonah: The portrait of Jesus. Whoa!

When Jesus was pressed to give a sign to validate His teachings, He offered only "the sign of Jonah." "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40).

Jesus was referring to His time in the tomb between Good Friday and Easter. Jesus interpreted Jonah's time in the fish's belly as a foreshadow of His own resurrection.

This reluctant prophet, however, reveals Jesus in other ways.

A Willing Sacrifice

When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah hopped on a ship headed in the opposite direction. As a consequence of Jonah's disobedience, "The Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up" (Jonah 1:4).

The sailors rightly believed that someone on the ship had angered his deity. When they all prayed to their respective gods and the storm didn't abate, the captain roused a sleeping Jonah and urged him to pray to his god for deliverance.

Eventually, the sailor's cast lots to determine who was responsible for their peril, and the lot fell to Jonah, who had previously explained why he came aboard their ship in the first place.

As the storm grew, the sailors asked Jonah what they should do to him to appease his god. He told them to throw him overboard. Horrified at the notion of consigning Jonah to the deep, the sailors tried to row to shore.

When that failed, they reluctantly cast Jonah overboard. Jonah became the willing sacrifice that delivered the ship and crew from certain death.

That's Jesus on Good Friday. Jesus was the willing sacrifice to atone for the sins of the whole world. He offered Himself in our place so that we would be spared the righteous wrath of God.

The Gift of Faith

Before Jonah was cast overboard, he told the sailors about the God he worshipped, "the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land" (Jonah 1:9). After they threw Jonah overboard, the sailors "feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to Him" (Jonah 1:16).

When Jonah finally arrived at Nineveh (after his time in the fish's belly), he proclaimed that Nineveh (which was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire, the oppressors of Jonah and his fellow Israelites) would be overturned in forty days. To his shock, the king of Nineveh declared a time of repentance and Nineveh was spared God's wrath.

Jonah's less than charismatic preaching resulted in repentance and faith for both the sailors on the ship and the citizens of Nineveh.

Such is the power of God's Word to change hearts and lives. Jonah was no Billy Graham, but God worked through his feeble efforts to deliver thousands of people from God's judgment.

That's the soldier at the cross who, when he saw how Jesus died, declared, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Jesus didn't preach from the cross, but His prayer to His Father at the end of His life as He was commending Himself into His Father's hands inspired faith in the heart of the Roman centurion.

Jonah may have been a reluctant prophet. He may have headed one way when God had directed him another. But God loved Jonah enough to put him in the belly of the fish where Jonah could repent of his disobedience. And God loved the sailors and the citizens of Nineveh enough to work through Jonah's reluctance to call them to faith and spare them from destruction.

Jonah, not a perfect prophet, but still a portrait of the true prophet of God, Jesus.

The Story That Changed History

DC's Legends of Tomorrow is a comic book-based television show featuring superheroes who travel through time to correct aberrations to the timeline caused by supervillains.

The current season's story arc involves the Spear of Destiny, which is the spear that pierced the side of Jesus during His crucifixion. This spear allows its bearer to alter reality, so our heroes are trying to keep it out of the hands of the villains.

In the latest episode, "Fellowship of the Spear," after our heroes have taken possession of the spear, it's revealed that the spear was empowered by the blood of Jesus and can be undone by the blood of Jesus.

The legendary Spear of Destiny

So the answer is clear -- get some of Jesus' blood! But before they can time-jump to the crucifixion, the historian in their group warns them that there are some events in history that are so crucial to the timeline that any change whatsoever can have catastrophic results. He forbids them to travel to the crucifixion of Christ because tampering with the life and death of Jesus is simply too dangerous. They will have to find another source of Jesus' blood.

I was struck by the following thoughts as I watched that scene:

1) Disappointment (slight) that we wouldn't see the portrayal of the crucifixion. That, if done well, could have made for some engaging television.

2) Concern (some) that the source of Jesus' blood would be a descendant of Jesus from His marriage to Mary Magdalene. (Let me be clear on this point: there is no biblical or historical evidence that Jesus was ever married or had children. Nevertheless, the fantasy that Jesus had descendants is the basis for Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code," a novel that caused many of its readers to question the reliability of the Gospels. Thank you, Dan Brown, for nothing!) To my relief, the writers of this episode didn't go that route.

3) Wish (unfulfilled) that they would have included Jesus' resurrection, not only His life and death, in the pivotal nature of His impact on human history.

4) Surprise (pleasant and great) that the writers did, in fact, single out Jesus as the linchpin of the history of the world.

In the course of this series, the time travelers (both heroes and villains) have tinkered with events such as the Civil War, World Wars I & II, the Apollo 13 mission, and the Cold War. They have met historical figures such as George Washington, J.R.R. Tolkien, and George Lucas. However, no significant damage was done to the timeline on those occasions, even though the presence of time travelers caused some alterations.

But Jesus is off limits. I like that!

I'm not going to say that the writers were trying to make a theological point or offering any particular confession of faith. It might just be the opposite, that their plotline is about an ancient relic associated with Jesus, but they wanted to avoid Jesus Himself. So they manufactured a timeline-based excuse to cover their tracks.

Whatever the thought behind the scene, there was a recognition that Jesus is the turning point of history. Followers of Jesus know that to be true. It is so true, in fact, that even those who don't necessarily follow Jesus have to admit that His story, more than any other historic figure, has transformed history.

However, we who follow Jesus believe more than that. We believe that Jesus has transformed not only history, but eternity.

Right Person, Right Place, Right Time

Esther, Queen of Persia

This weekend marks the Jewish festival of Purim. This festival has its origin in the Old Testament story of Esther, a young Jewish woman who lived during the reign of Xerxes, the King of the Persian Empire. (Xerxes is also the big bad in the movie 300.)

On one occasion Xerxes was hosting a week-long banquet with lots of drinking. Being pretty soused, he ordered his beautiful queen, Vashti, to come to the banquet hall to be ogled by his guests. She flat out refused and as a result was deposed as queen. Following her dismissal, the search for a new queen began.

Esther was chosen as a contestant in the "Miss Persia Beauty Pageant," from which the new queen would be chosen. Esther's older cousin, Mordechai, the man who had raised her after the death of her parents, told Esther not to reveal her Jewish heritage, presumably to prevent any discrimination against her. After a year of preparation, Esther was presented to Xerxes, won his favor, and became his queen.

Now, enter the villain, Haman. Haman was an Amalekite, the historic enemy of Israel since the time of the Exodus. Haman also won the favor of Xerxes, who gave him a place of honor higher than any of his other officials. When Haman walked by, everyone knelt before him in respect (or fear). Everyone but Mordechai.

Infuriated by this Jew's disrespect, Haman schemed to have Mordechai hung on the gallows and to have all the Jews throughout Xerxes' Empire exterminated. Xerxes issued a decree to that effect and published it throughout the provinces.

When Mordechai learned of this decree, he urged Esther, at the risk of her own life, to intervene on behalf of her people. He persuaded her that she might have "come to royal position for such a time as this." Esther pled her case before her king and, in an unexpected turn of events, Mordechai was honored by Xerxes and Haman was hanged on the very gallows from which he wanted to see Mordechai swing. At Esther's request, Xerxes reversed his decree and allowed the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies.

To celebrate this great deliverance, the Festival of Purim was established and is observed by the Jews to this very day.

Esther was the right person in the right place at the right time. Even though God isn't mentioned once in the Book of Esther, His fingerprints are all over it. He orchestrated these events not only to deliver His people in Esther's day, but to deliver all people throughout all history. God had a bigger plan at work and would not allow a weasel like Haman to get in the way. God still had a Savior to send, His Son, Jesus, who was born a Jew. Esther's obedience furthered God's saving work for all humanity.

God places each of us where we are to serve His plan and further His purposes. It might include political drama and palace intrigue as it did for Esther. But it probably won't. We may serve our God in ordinary and even mundane ways, but we can serve Him nonetheless. We most likely won't make the headlines. But we can still make a difference.

Jesus Wants Me To

The "Blue Bloods" Reagan Family

“Why do you go to disasters?” “Why do you visit the sick and homebound?” “Why does your church give donations to Camp Hope?” “Why do you go to the neighborhood Happy Hour?”

A month ago my answer to those questions would have been, “I’m a Christian. That’s what we do.”

It’s not a terrible answer, I suppose.

But then I found, completely by accident, what seems to be a better answer: Because Jesus wants me to.

“I’m a Christian. That’s what we do.” Those words can have an air of smugness about them. They could be taken as judgmental or overly pious or holier-than-thou. “I’m a Christian” makes it sound like I’m better than non-Christians. It gives the impression that I have it together and others don’t. I’m a kind and loving and generous person and others aren’t.

“I’m a Christian. That’s what we do” also puts the focus on ME, which all too often is the wrong place to look. It also runs the risk of people noticing that I and other Christians aren’t always kind and loving and generous. Sometimes we can be petty and hateful and stingy.

“Jesus wants me to” doesn’t make it all about me and it doesn’t say that I’m better than anyone else. It puts the focus where it belongs, on Jesus. In fact, it’s the honest to goodness reason for why Christians do good things. It’s not because they are Christians. It’s because Jesus wants them to do good, even when they don't want to.

Jesus told us what the two greatest commandments are. The first is to love God wholeheartedly. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

We love God wholeheartedly when we believe His promises, receive His forgiveness, and respond with worship and praise. This commandment is most fulfilled when the people of God are gathered at His invitation around the gracious words of Scripture and the sacred acts of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Just like the fictional Reagan family in the TV show “Blue Bloods,” the gathered children of God demonstrate their devotion to their heavenly Father when they come together in His home to listen to His wisdom and enjoy the fellowship of His table.

The second greatest commandment, to love the neighbor as the self, is most fulfilled when the people of God are scattered into their various callings and vocations in the home, the workplace, and the community. It's the Reagan family doing their jobs as Police Commissioner, police detective, beat cop, and Assistant District Attorney.

Wherever we carry out our vocations is where Jesus brings across our paths the people who need our compassion and our service, whether they be family members, friends and acquaintances, coworkers, or even a complete stranger. We give those gifts freely for one reason and one reason only: Jesus wants us to.

So now my answer to the question “Why do you go to disasters, visit the sick and homebound, donate to Camp Hope, and even go to the neighborhood Happy Hour?” is this: Jesus wants me to, plain and simple.

It’s not about who I am or what I do. It’s all about who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He wants His followers to do.

Would I Be That Brave?

St. Eusebius leads Christians in prayer as they faced their martyrdoms

As I read Hebrews 11, I'm moved to ask the question, "Would I be that brave?"

Hebrews 11 is known as the Heroes of the Faith chapter. The writer lists a host of Old Testament believers and the courage they demonstrated in the face of opposition and outright persecution.

He writes, "Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawn in two; they were put to death by the sword. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground" (Hebrews 11:36-38).

Would I be that brave?

As I reflect on this chapter, I realize that the emphasis is not on the heroes, but on the faith and what it was able to achieve in them, and presumably in us as well.

Each of these heroic examples is prefaced with the words "by faith." "By faith, Abel..." "By faith, Noah..." "By faith, Abraham..." "By faith, Moses..." By faith... By faith... By faith...

In others words, the individuals themselves were ordinary. In fact, in many cases, they pleaded with God to choose someone else because they did not feel up to the task. That which made them "heroes of the faith" is what faith emboldened them to do.

Faith still works the same way. It emboldens the people of God to attempt the unachievable and to dare the unimaginable.

Do you think that Daniel would have voluntarily strolled into a lions  den, or that his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would have, on a whim, wandered into a fiery furnace? By no means! Their faith in God would have taught them, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

But when Daniel was left in a lions den overnight or his three friends were thrown into a blazing furnace, their faith in Yahweh, their God, gave them courage.

That same faith filled the hearts of first and second century believers who were thrown to the beasts under Roman persecution.

Although the outcomes were different in that Daniel and his friends were delivered from death and those early Christians were not, the faith was the same and the courage it inspired was the same.

Would I be that brave?

I think that many of those heroes of the faith that we admire would have answered that question the way many believers do: I hope so.

Nevertheless, when faith is tested, it can demonstrate great resolve and generate great courage.

It's done so for generations.

Oh, for a faith that will not shrink

Though pressed by many a foe;

That will not tremble on the brink

Of poverty or woe.

Lord, give us such a faith as this;

And then, whate'er may come,

We'll taste e'en now the hallowed bliss

Of an eternal home.

Hymn 396, The Lutheran Hymnal

The Resolve to Forgive

Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in Invictus

"Forgiveness starts here. Forgiveness starts now."

In the 2009 movie Invictus South African President Nelson Mandela speaks these words to the head of his personal protection detail who had expressed misgivings regarding the additional men assigned to the detail. These additional men had been assigned to the previous presidential protection detail and had in fact tried to kill Mandela and his men. In order to emphasize the need for change if South Africa were to be united after Apartheid, Mandela affirms, "Forgiveness starts here. Forgiveness starts now."

What does it mean to forgive? Literally it means to release or let go of someone or something.

For example, we talk about forgiving a debt. That means we no longer hold a person accountable for the money owed to us. We release that person from his or her financial obligation.

Likewise, when we forgive people for their words or actions, we are releasing them from their guilt. We are promising no longer to hold them accountable for the hurt they have caused. We are assuring them that we will not dwell on what they have done or allow their words or actions to taint our relationship in the future.

As such, forgiveness is liberating for those who are forgiven. It removes the roadblock of guilt and paves the way for a renewed relationship.

Forgiveness, however, not only liberates the forgiven. It also frees the forgiver. To forgive is to promise myself that I will not allow my hurt and my anger to eat me up from the inside. To forgive is to promise myself that my thoughts will not be clouded by resentment and my desire to "get even." To forgive is to let go of the offense so it cannot dominate my life.

Forgiveness sounds like a "win-win" for all involved. It's a gift for the receiver as well as the giver. If that's the case why does forgiveness seem so rare?

It's because forgiveness comes with a price tag. If you owe me $20 and I forgive your debt, it costs me $20 to do so. If you cut me off in traffic and I let it go, it costs me the seeming satisfaction of road rage. If you cut me with your words and I don't retaliate, it costs me the opportunity to put you in your place.

Forgiveness always comes with a price tag, even for God. God wanted to forgive us, His children, for our selfish words and actions that hurt Him as well as others. He didn't want to treat us the way we deserved. He wanted to forgive us. But there was a price tag. Someone had to pay the cost of our forgiveness, and that one was Jesus, God's eternal Son.

Jesus' suffering and death on the cross was the price for your forgiveness, a very steep price. But the heavenly Father and Son determined that you were worth the cost. They had the resolve to pay the price so you could be set free from your guilt and God could be set free from His anger.

As we enter a new year with all sorts of resolutions, maybe we need to add to the list the resolve to forgive. It might be the best gift we ever gave ourselves.