Debatable...

Today I am at DACC for the WYSE Academic Challenge. I don't normally get into these sort of events, but there was no one else to "coach" this group of kids, so I was the one selected. (Honestly, I don't mind. They are a great group of kids.)

I mention this only because when I arrived for the orientation and all of the schools were in the gymnasium, I overheard another teacher talking about the upcoming Bill Nye vs. Ken Ham debate that is going to be streaming live tonight. For some reason I assumed that this teacher was speaking on behalf of Ken Ham. I heard him saying something about looking forward to seeing the other guy get "trashed" in this debate.  As I approached and mentioned that I was going to watch the debate as well, I quickly realized that he wasn't on the Creation side of the debate, but instead, he was in support of Bill Nye, and was assuming that the other guy (Ken Ham) didn't have a chance.

Now, I would've challenged this fella, seeing that I was in support of Ken Ham, but also because even other evolutionists and atheists have distanced themselves from Bill Nye, not feeling that he is adequately prepared for this encounter. I would've challenged him, as I said, except he was a "I can't get a word in edgewise" sort of guy.  I finally smiled and nodded and strolled away. He may have still been talking when I got out of earshot, but I couldn't take much more of this guy's attitude that said, "Who would actually be in support of a Creationist?!?"

I find this attitude annoying. Especially when guys like Bill Nye the Science Guy makes statements like this,

"Many people have been critical of me for taking this debate because I'm not an expert on evolution," Nye said. "But this is not advanced evolutionary theory. This is not high-school science. It might be elementary-school science. That Mr. Ham and his followers don't embrace it is troubling." (full article here)

Many Creationists (and others who are latching onto Intelligent Design) are not idiots. We are not unintelligent, backwoods hillbillies. For the most part, we are people who are questioning the consensus. I haven't held onto creation science because of Scripture alone... I am too much of a mathematician to not ask questions... I have held onto creation because it makes sense scientifically as well. For me, Creationism is easily more believable than the established Darwinian Evolutionary Theory.

For the record, I am not afraid of exploring and considering both options, and even exposing my children to both options, I mean, I really want my boys to think... I am in agreement with Ken Ham's thoughts as he stated in a response video where he originally challenged Bill Nye to the debate,

“Creationists, of course, are very happy to teach their children about evolution and teach the problems with it and teach their children how to think critically. Isn’t it interesting how Christians are not frightened to teach their children about evolution!”

Anyway, I could rant for awhile, so I will stop here. If you want to watch this live debate, here it is: (I know it will be playing in my home tonight.)

 

For more information about when this begins visit debatelive.org.

Jesus takes strangers and makes them a family.

This is how the Philippian church begins - with a Jewish fashionista businesswoman, a demon-possessed slave girl, and a blue-collar ex-GI duty bound to the Roman Empire. Probably not exactly your dream church-planting team, but the Spirit works in strange ways to utterly redeem the unlikeliest and most diverse people. We see in the backstory of Acts 16 the beautiful reconciliation that the gospel achieves, not just of unholy individuals to a holy God but superficially incompatible people to each other! Jesus takes strangers and makes them family.~ Matt Chandler in To Live Is Christ to Die Is Gain 

Even though we don't have any fashionistas, demon-possessed slave girls, or Roman Empire jail guards, this quote reminded me of my church.

Eloquence is from the Lord

I was sitting at the dining room table this morning, attempting to work on some words to say at a funeral service later today. I was having trouble collecting my thoughts, so I turned to my Bible reading for the day, and I was ready for Exodus chapter 4. Here is what I read:

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” (Exodus 4:10-12, ESV)

I don't know about you, but this happens more often than not. I have opened my Bible numerous times in my life, only to find myself reading the exact thing that I need to hear. Today it was a reminder that eloquence is from the Lord.

The Soul of the City

I just finished listening to a book called Why Cities Matter.  Near the end of the book there is a quote for an ancient letter to someone named Diognetus that is defending / explaining Christianity. In this letter, Christians are referred to as the "Soul of the City". As I listened to the way this letter describes Christians, I can't help but ask if this description would work for Christians today.

But then I had to dig a bit deeper. I googled this letter so I could read this description again, and I found myself asking if this could apply to the Christians in my city...

Asking this question in this way could leave me a bit pompous though. Especially if I satisfied myself by thinking that I fit this description better than other Christians in this city. So, I had to ignore everyone else for a moment and simply ask, "Do I fit into this description? ... Am I in some way a part of the Soul of the City?"

I would like to encourage you to ask this question of yourselves. I don't want to be alone in my miserable answers.

For Christians cannot be distinguished from the rest of the human race by country or language or customs. They do not live in cities of their own; they do not use a peculiar form of speech; they do not follow an eccentric manner of life. 

This doctrine of theirs has not been discovered by the ingenuity or deep thought of inquisitive men, nor do they put forward a merely human teaching, as some people do. Yet, although they live in Greek and barbarian cities alike, as each man's lot has been cast, and follow the customs of the country in clothing and food and other matters of daily living, at the same time they give proof of the remarkable and admittedly extraordinary constitution of their own commonwealth. 

They live in their own countries, but only as aliens. They have a share in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and yet for them every fatherland is a foreign land. They marry, like everyone else, and they beget children, but they do not cast out their offspring. They share their board with each other, but not their marriage bed. It is true that they are "in the flesh," but they do not live "according to the flesh." 

They busy themselves on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws, but in their own lives they go far beyond what the laws require. They love all men, and by all men are persecuted. They are unknown, and still they are condemned; they are put to death, and yet they are brought to life. They are poor, and yet they make many rich; they are completely destitute, and yet they enjoy complete abundance. They are dishonored, and in their very dishonor are glorified; they are defamed, and are vindicated. They are reviled, and yet they bless; when they are affronted, they still pay due respect. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; undergoing punishment, they rejoice because they are brought to life. They are treated by the Jews as foreigners and enemies, and are hunted down by the Greeks; and all the time those who hate them find it impossible to justify their enmity. 

To put it simply: What the soul is in the body, that Christians are in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, but does not belong to the body, and Christians dwell in the world, but do not belong to the world. 

The soul, which is invisible, is kept under guard in the visible body; in the same way, Christians are recognised when they are in the world, but their religion remains unseen. The flesh hates the soul and treats it as an enemy, even though it has suffered no wrong, because it is prevented from enjoying its pleasures; so too the world hates Christians, even though it suffers no wrong at their hands, because they range themselves against its pleasures. 

The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and its members; in the same way, Christians love those who hate them. The soul is shut up in the body, and yet itself holds the body together; while Christians are restrained in the world as in a prison, and yet themselves hold the world together. 

The soul, which is immortal, is housed in a mortal dwelling; while Christians are settled among corruptible things, to wait for the incorruptibility that will be theirs in heaven. The soul, when faring badly as to food and drink, grows better; so too Christians, when punished, day by day increase more and more. It is to no less a post than this that God has ordered them, and they must not try to evade it.

(quoted from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library)

Oh... if only we were the soul of our cities!

Hear the Word Audio Bible

The ESV Hear the Word Audio Bible is currently free at ChristianAudio.com.

I know that many of us have different apps and other options where we can listen to the Bible for free, but this is a nice opportunity to download the entire thing to have for keeps.

Here is a link to go directly to the Christian Audio page for the free download.

http://christianaudio.com/free/

This will only be free until the end of January.

Encounters with Jesus - Book Review

I just devoured a book.

The book is called Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life's Biggest Questions by Timothy Keller and it was just great!  It is a series of encounters with different people taken from the life of Jesus. It includes such interactions as with the Woman at the Well and the nighttime meeting with Nicodemus. Many of these interactions come from the Gospel According to John, which is also helpful for the current series that we are going through at Edgewood Baptist Church.

My absolute favorite chapter in this book was called The Two Advocates. It is about a discussion that Jesus has with his disciples near the end of his earthly life. In that discussion, which occurred during the Last Supper, Jesus gives some incredible insight into His own relationship with the Father and with His people. He also introduces us to the Spirit of God as "another comforter" as the King James Version states it. Keller's explanation of the Spirit as a second advocate (or comforter) and the role of Christ as the first advocate was extremely enlightening.

This chapter, along with the rest of the book, was originally part of an ebook series and can be purchased individually under the title The Two Advocates (Encounters with Jesus Series). If you can't afford to get the entire book, this chapter is well worth its purchase price.

There were several other portions of this book that I found to be extremely helpful. Specifically the encounters after the resurrection that deal with the purposes of the Ascension. Also the encounters with Jesus and Nicodemus as contrasted with the Woman at the Well. Altogether, this book was not only educational, it was enjoyable to read.

Please consider clicking on through with the links that I have provided to pick this book up.

Our Advocate has a Great Case!

I am about two thirds of the way through the book Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life's Biggest Questions by Timothy Keller. I normally try to wait until I finish a book and then just give a nice little review, but this section I just read in the chapter "The Two Advocates" is well worth mentioning on its own.

This portion that I have included parallels some thoughts that I have also had, but as is the case with an exceptionally talented author, Timothy Keller has phrased it much better than I ever could have. I know this is a long quote, but it is worth it.

In the early days after becoming a Christian, I first heard of this idea that Jesus Christ somehow "intercedes" for me before the Father. I got this out of the book of Hebrews, where Jesus is depicted as our great high priest who stands before the Father for us, as priests in the Old Testament did for the people. When I first heard the idea of Jesus Christ representing me before the Father, it made me think of him going before the throne like this: "Good morning, Father, I represent Tim Keller. And my client, I admit, is having a very bad week. He's broken three or four promises he made to you. He has broken several of your laws that he knows and acknowledges. He has sinned a lot this week. He deserves to be punished -- but cut him a break, please, Father? For my sake? I really ask that you give him another chance." That's how I imagined him speaking. And I also imagined the Father saying in reply, "Well, all right. Okay. For you, one more chance." 

Now the trouble with that imaginary scenario is that Jesus does not have a case; he is simply pleading for another chance. And I remember thinking, "I wonder how long even Jesus can keep that sort of thing up?" I wondered when the Father would finally say, "That does it! I've had it!" But my imagination was ill-informed. It is not sufficient for a lawyer to just resort to tugging on the heartstrings of the jury or the judge, or to try to delay the verdict, or to appeal to technicalities. The lawyer doesn't need spin or emotional manipulation -- but a real case. And that is just what Jesus has. 

What is his case? John goes on to tell us in I John 2:2. First he says, "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins." When Jesus goes before the Father, he is not actually asking for mercy for us. Of course it was infinitely merciful of God to send Christ to die for us, but that mercy has now been granted, so Jesus does not need to beg for it. I John 1:9 says that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." Notice that it does not say that if Christians confess their sins God forgives because he mercifully gives them another chance. No, it says he forgives because he is faithful and just. To not forgive us would be unjust. How could that be? 

The best way for you to get an acquittal for your legal client is not to hope you can get some sympathy from the court. The best way is to show that your client must be acquitted under the law. You want to be able to say with integrity and conviction, "This is the law, and the law demands my client's acquittal." You want to make a case that is not based on how the court feels at the time but is open ans shut according to the law. And Jesus has one! Jesus Christ can say, in effect, "Father, my people have sinned, and the law demands that the wages of sin be death. But I have paid for those sins. See, here is my blood, the token of my death! On the cross I have paid the penalty for these sins completely. Now if anyone were to exact two payments for the same sin, it would be unjust. And so -- I am not asking for mercy for them; I'm asking for justice." 

That, if Jesus' claims are true, is an infallible case. This is why John could say that when Christians confess their sins they are forgiven because the justice of God now demands it!

If you are interested in reading the rest of this book, you can click on through to the Amazon site and have it on your Kindle or Kindle Reading App in under a minute.

Keep following this blog for the review of this book as soon as I am finished reading it.