Halloween - Pt 5

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV). It’s Halloween. I really don’t have a lot planned for tonight. I’ll probably end up at our grandchildren’s helping them pass out candy and go trick or treating in the neighborhood. Usually our church does something near Halloween for the children. That will actually take place this Sunday. I know that’s after Halloween, but the date works best for us. We’ll have activities, hot dogs, and copious amounts of candy to distribute! However, now is the time to conclude our little series. I hope you have come to see that the overarching message of Scripture is the great gift of grace we have received that eliminates fear from our lives. While I have not really tried to answer the question of whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween, let me deal briefly with that question. John Piper said, “It's kind of one of those questions of, ‘Do you see Christ against culture, Christ in culture, or Christ over culture?’" There are many people from one end of that perspective to the other. Piper goes on to say further: That is, some would say, "We don't want anything to do with that demonic holiday! Why would you even be involved with that at all?" And others who would have their children dress up as a butterfly and go knocking on doors and say, "Trick or treat!" And then in the middle would be people who do counter events, like a thing at the church where you dress up like biblical characters and have a great time. I'm totally OK with the middle one and the first one. And sort of OK with the second one. I grew up trick-or-treating. We were pretty serious trick-or-treaters, right into teenage years. There isn't much in my neighborhood. We're kind of an inner-city neighborhood, and it's not the most lucrative place to go knocking on doors. You're not going to fill your bag up with the best. You better go to the suburbs if you want to get a good pile. So I would hope that all Christians would think biblically and carefully about any holiday, any event, and how they might be salt and light in it. And if they feel like this can be of value to the kids in some way, to teach them—if it can be an innocent way of enjoying God's grace and teaching lessons—so be it. I'm willing to run the risk of attachment to worldliness in order to be biblically faithful in witness. The same thing with Christmas and birthdays and Easter and worshipping on Sunday. All of these things have pagan connections. I want to be loose and broad and give freedom to believers to find their way to be most effective. So I respect those who are renouncing it as too connected with evil, and I respect those who say, "No, let's redeem it and penetrate it and use it." The key in all of our lives is to make the best use of our time. The Holy Spirit is powerful enough to lead you in that way. My only encouragement is to remember that we have been redeemed to lives of freedom from fear and death. Do not let anyone rob you of that joy!

Halloween - Pt 4

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:13-18 ESV). Today and tomorrow will be the final two in our mini-series about Halloween. We often hear that Halloween celebrates the devil and glorifies his strength, but I don’t think that’s true. I think Halloween demeans the devil. C.S. Lewis once wrote that “Above all else, the Devil cannot stand to be mocked.”, and what is Halloween but our chance to laugh in his face? Our God is stronger, the war is won! John could not have been clearer than in our text today. The resulting fact of our redemption is that God dwells in us and because of this we need have no fear. There are several principles I’d like to point us toward today. First, the Bible states that Jesus’ death has brought freedom from the penalty of sin. The Apostle Paul said in his sermon to the Jews in Antioch, Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39 ESV). Second, we are new creations built with the power of God’s Spirit in love shown through Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Timothy 1:7). There is no need for us to cower in fear before our enemy any longer. Before the resurrection we had only to look forward to the work of God; however, now we can look back to the accomplished fact of God’s great redemptive work on our behalf. It is a finished work in the process of merely unfolding. Third, God is greater than anything Satan can devise to recapture our lives (cf. Psalm 27). There aren’t any enemies that have not been defeated by the death of Christ. We have the perfect love of God dwelling within us. That overcomes fear! So why do we keep tip-toeing around Halloween as if it were some insurmountable issue for us? Halloween, like all holidays, has its dark side, but we cannot allow these aspects to control our hearts. If we do, we only legitimize their authority, and show the world we have more faith in the power of our enemy than we do in the grace of God. The way I see it, we as Christians have two choices. We can cower in fear each Halloween and give the devil exactly what he wants, or we can celebrate, and reveal his impotence over the sons of God in the process. I know this opinion won’t be shared by everyone. Some Christians will still prefer to cut Halloween out of their lives entirely, and that’s ok. For me, I plan to have some fun and spend the time with my family and church. Because when you can laugh in the face of fear, even the darkest of nights doesn’t frighten us.

Halloween - Pt 3

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (Genesis 15:1 ESV). Whether you "celebrate" Halloween or not, this time of year everyone's attention tends towards the spooky, creepy, and scary. It is that time of the year when there are all kinds of things designed to give us a good scare. I’m not sure that’s particularly something I want in the context of being terrorized by ghosts, ghouls, or goblins. However, it does bring me to a wonderful chapter of Scripture. The entire chapter from which our reading comes is powerful story telling a key part of the life of Abraham. The chapter begins with the Lord telling Abraham with the same message God uses every time he reveals himself to man. He simply says, "Do not fear.” We see the Lord's encouragement to not fear. In his heartbreak, Abraham pours out his soul reminding the Lord of the promise to give him an heir. A promise as yet unfulfilled as he and his wife continue to grow old. God renews His promise to him, telling him that his descendants will be a numerous as the stars in the sky. Then this incredible declaration is made that Abraham "…believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." Abraham's simple faith and belief in the Lord is the kind of thing that drives out fear. The Lord goes on to instruct Abraham to prepare a sacrifice. The offering on Abraham's part and acceptance of the offering on God's part would be the moment that God finally affirms this covenant. The Lord would forever be the God of Abraham and his descendants, and Abraham and his descendants would forever be God's people. In this powerful moment, this ratifying and recognizing of this great covenant of friendship, grace, and love, an interesting thing happens. God Himself showed up to validate the covenant, and with Him came fear. So what can we make of all this? Certainly, God does not want us to be "afraid" of Him. He does not want us to cower as if any moment He could eliminate our very existence. However, we should never take for granted His Godhood. He is powerful. He is mighty. Stars fall from His fingertips. He creates worlds with the words from His mouth. He alone holds all of life in His hands. It makes me reflect on the phrase "a good scare." Maybe a “good scare” wouldn’t be so bad after all! As you are answering the door this Halloween, distributing your candy to all the children dressed in the costumes that inevitably range from the cute and precious to the crass and terrifying, remember that we need fear no one and nothing. He holds us in his hand and NOTHING can separate us from his love which is centered in Jesus! Like Abraham, we have the eternal God and Father of us all as our shield!

Halloween - Pt 2

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV). October 31st is known for more in history than Halloween. It was this day with a hammer in one hand and a large scroll under his arm, that Martin Luther approached the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. He paused to take a couple of nails from a pouch hidden in the folds of his dark woolen habit then began pounding his 95 theses to the church’s heavy wooden doors. Luther’s protest was not against ghosts and goblins or children dressing up to trick-or-treat. As Luther studied Scripture, his eyes were opened to a new concept, the concept of God’s grace. The established Church in Luther’s day misled people into thinking they could be saved by their own works through pilgrimages, confessions and by purchasing indulgences, which were basically “get out of hell free” cards. It became clear to Luther that men could not purchase God’s grace; it was freely given. This conviction led him to write out 95 main points of contention with the Catholic Church, his “theses,” which he ended up nailing to the door of the church in Wittenberg. This act started one of the most far-reaching reforms the Church has ever known. We call it the Reformation. Perhaps we ought to revisit such a time in our lives and the lives of our children. Instead of giving them a list of things they should and should not do (though such instruction is not bad), perhaps we should give them a list of the things that are ultimate truth through a serious understanding of who this God of the Bible really is to us. Let me suggest a few things from our text today. First, He is the source of saving grace. There really can be no other more important truth. If what I said yesterday is true, that death is our real enemy, then the one who conquers death is of ultimate importance. That One is God through the work of Jesus Christ. Second, there are no works we can accomplish that will earn us this saving grace. I am continually amazed how subtly we teach the opposite of this principle. Somehow we have come to believe that there must surely be something we can and should do to merit this contraconditional gift of God. There simply isn’t. Eternal life is a gift solely from God, who is the creator and sustainer of all. Third, with this grace comes an opportunity to be a part of the good work God is doing in our world. We are saved and then empowered through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to do these “good works.” As you celebrate Halloween this year, through whatever means you deem best, teach this Gospel of grace!

Halloween - Pt 1

I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:4-7 ESV). Before you decide to respond to this series with any “correctional” suggestions, please read them through Halloween. It is not my intent in any way to anyone to the macabre; however, I do want us to spend some honest time understanding the genuine principle of celebration in the midst of death. So, let’s begin with a little history. Christian perspectives on the observance of Halloween are strongly divided. Some believers feel complete freedom to observe the holiday, others run and hide from it, many boycott or ignore it, a number celebrate it through more positive and imaginative observances or Christian alternatives to Halloween, and still others choose to take advantage of Halloween's evangelistic opportunities. Some of today's popular celebrations associated with Halloween have pagan roots stemming from the ancient Celtic festival, Samhain. This harvest festival of the Druids ushered in the New Year, beginning on the evening of October 31st, with the lighting of bonfires and the offering of sacrifices. As the Druids danced around the fires, they celebrated the ending of the summer season and the beginning of the season of darkness. It was also believed that at this time of year the invisible "gates" between the natural world and the spirit world would open, allowing free movement between the two worlds. During the 8th century in the diocese of Rome, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints Day to November 1st, officially making October 31st "All Hallows Eve," some say, as a way of claiming the celebration for Christians. However, this feast commemorating the martyrdom of the saints had already been celebrated by Christians for many centuries prior to this time. Pope Gregory IV broadened the feast to include the entire Church. Inevitably, some of the pagan practices associated with the season persisted and have been mixed into modern celebrations of Halloween. What is a believer to do? Perhaps we could throw all of these discussions under the heading of Romans 14 and “the doubtful things.” If we do that we miss an incredible opportunity to examine the very real terror of humanity. Most people are not really concerned with the “boogeyman” in any form. Even those who would acknowledge the existence of such evil spirits do not fear the demons; yet, most do fear what the demons represent. Death is the real source of fear in humanity at large. No wonder that Jesus would begin his teaching in our text today with a declaration that we have nothing to fear from those who may be able to “kill the body.” He points us to the ultimate authority to be feared. This one can eternally “cast us into hell.” Whether we like that kind of God or not, the truth remains that God has such authority. Some will find that truth too late. However, even this is not Jesus’ real message. He wants to reveal to us the incredible working of this power on our behalf. Understanding that God cares for us and calls us to his grace in Christ sets us free from such fear forever. After all, aren’t we better than the sparrows, who God watches and cares for? That’s worth celebrating!

Honest Abe

Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:11-14 ESV). The history of the presidency in our country has become an interest to me in the last decade. We hear many newscasters comparing modern presidents to some of the early leaders of our nation. Of course, it is not much more than just talk to fill time in the broadcast, though it is interesting to me. We can all agree that there were some great leaders in those early years. Abraham Lincoln is one of those great men. In managing the country store, as in everything that he undertook for others, Lincoln did his very best. He was honest, civil, ready to do anything that should encourage customers to come to the place, full of pleasantries, patient, and alert. On one occasion, finding late at night, when he counted over his cash, that he had taken a few cents from a customer more than was due, he closed the store, and walked a long distance to make good the deficiency. At another time, discovering on the scales in the morning a weight with which he had weighed out a package of tea for a woman the night before, he saw that he had given her too little for her money. He weighed out what was due, and carried it to her, much to the surprise of the woman, who had not known that she was short in the amount of her purchase. Innumerable incidents of this sort are related of Lincoln. In fact, these incidents are the source of his nickname, “Honest Abe.” Tragically there aren’t as many people who could claim that nickname as there once were. A Money magazine survey found that Americans are becoming less honest. Twenty-four percent of respondents said they wouldn’t correct a waiter who undercharged them. In a similar poll conducted in 1987, only 15 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t correct the waiter. What would you do if you found a wallet containing $1,000? Twenty-four percent of this year’s respondents said they’d keep the cash, compared with 4 percent a decade ago. People ages 18-34 were 10 times more likely to keep the money than people 65 and older. Nearly one-third of the respondents said they’d cheat on their income taxes. The rich seemed especially fond of tax fraud. Forty-five percent of Americans with annual incomes exceeding $50,000 said they wouldn’t report $2,000 in cash income on their tax returns, compared with 24 percent of those earning less than $15,000. A quarter of the respondents said they’d commit a crime for $10 million if they knew they wouldn’t get caught. Men (31 percent) were twice as likely to do so than women (16 percent). How’s your honesty? Perhaps like David in our reading this morning, our prayer should be, Lord, lead me along the path of honesty.

Litigation

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2 ESV). We live in a litigious society. You have read many accounts of people and the many suits that have been filed against companies and individuals. Do you remember the suit brought against McDonalds by an individual because of burns received after spilling hot coffee in their lap while driving away from the drive-through? They won the case and a settlement of immense proportions. I suppose their lawyer was better than McDonald’s lawyer! If you have ever been sued, then you know the value of a good lawyer. But even if you don't have legal problems now, the time is coming when you will need the best possible lawyer! How so? God has a case against you! One day you will stand in the Supreme Court of heaven before the Highest Judge of All. Then, you will need the ultimate lawyer. This is what John expresses in our reading this morning. The court scene being described is the final judgment. The Judge is God the Father. Jesus Christ is the Advocate or Lawyer. He represents before the Judge of all, those who believe in Him. You see the problem is that God has a case against each one of us. And the penalty we are all due is the death penalty. When God brings us into court, He is perfectly just in sentencing us to eternal death in hell! Believe me, we need a very good lawyer! He is Jesus Christ. And this Jesus Christ paid the penalty due for the sins of others. This is what the cross is all about. Christ takes upon Himself the death penalty in the place of others. And you need to trust in the sacrifice of Christ as the only adequate payment for your sins. When you trust in Christ as your Advocate, He represents you before the Father. And He tells the Father that He died for you! Case closed! You are acquitted! Praise God that He has not withdrawn His offer of forgiveness for sin! This good news, however, is for sinners only. Many people, though, don’t see themselves as sinners in need of salvation. They make excuses like my good deeds outweigh my bad, or I’m not as bad as some people, or usually I’m a good person. Their shortcomings, they feel, don’t jeopardize their standing before Almighty God. Imagine a citizen being brought to trial for several charges of shoplifting. It would be useless for that person to appeal to the judge by saying: “Don’t forget, my good deeds outweigh my bad.” “I’m not as bad as many others.” “Most of the time I’m a law-abiding citizen.” The offender must be judged according to the offense, not according to previous good deeds. If justice is to be done, someone must pay, and that someone should be the offender, unless another is allowed to bear the penalty instead. That’s exactly what Christ in love did for sinners. We can be acquitted through the grace of Jesus Christ. Do you have Him as your lawyer? You should!