Dealing with tragedy in its many forms

Source: Bartlesville (Okla.)
Examiner-Enterprise

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.'" - Luke 17:1-2 (NIV)

During the last week, we heard the news of the passing of Tom White, the executive director of Voice of the Martyrs, a Bartlesville, Okla.-based group that serves to help and raise awareness of the persecuted church. White was 64 years old.

What's particularly troubling about the death of the man who had led VOM for the last 20 years are the circumstances surrounding it. According to news reports, Bartlesville police had begun an investigation into allegations that White, who led VOM following his own release from a Cuban prison for distributing the Bible and other Christian literature there, had molested a young girl. White was reported missing Tuesday night and found Wednesday morning in a warehouse at VOM's headquarters.  A statement released by VOM on Friday stated that "rather than face those allegations, and all of the resulting fallout for his family and this ministry and himself, Tom appears to have chosen to take his own life."

This is tragic, to say the least. The biting comments and slander from people came fast and furious on the story on the website of KOTV-TV6 in Tulsa, which reported the story, slamming him for being a pedophile. They would be correct, assuming the charges are true. We'll never really know now because of White's death.

But how to respond to such a tragedy?

Christianity Today had a great editorial on this they released on their website late Friday night. Citing other cases where Christian leaders were accused of these horrible crimes (some later admitting to them), it said the Christian church should first and foremost take measures to protect the innocent among them. It cited background checks for youth workers, something many Catholic churches have done in light of molestation scandals involving priests. It also said there was a need for parents to take the steps necessary to protect their children, helping them identify what is inappropriate behavior.

Also, and this is a more unpopular move, Christianity Today's editorial suggested Christians need to extend the gospel of Christ to child sex abusers. While that does not mean allowing convicted child sex abusers to work in youth ministry or to be fully integrated in church life, it does mean working to restore them to a place where they can experience the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

Certainly, convicted child sex abusers need to be punished with jail time, and to receive the therapy and counseling they need to make a full recovery and to fully repent. But, much like the murderer, the thief, and the rest of us, God's grace needs to be made new and for their victims to be made new by God's power and divine grace, the editorial said.

"'Christ died for the murderer and the thief—did he not also die for the child molester?' asks William Struthers, a neuroscientist at Wheaton (Ill.) College in Christianity Today's editorial. 'Or am I going to create categories of people who are no longer able to be saved by the blood of Christ?'"

Remembering Chuck Colson (1931-2012)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Saturday was marked by the passing of another influential Christian leader and a true example of the life-changing grace of Jesus Christ, Chuck Colson.

Colson, who was 80 after he died three weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage, was notable as the "hatchet man" for former President Nixon during the Watergate scandal during the early 1970s. In fact, CNN.com's story on him led with his being notable for that role (with all of the hate from readers following in the comments).

However, what is truly remarkable about the life of Chuck Colson is what he did after he served seven months in prison for his role in Watergate, as he described in his testimony that he presented at Columbia University in 2008. He became an advocate for prison reform and a leader in the evangelical movement in the United States during the last 35 years of his life. Christianity Today quoted Jonathan Aitken, who wrote a noted biography of Colson in 2005, as saying Colson was "America's best-known Christian leader after Billy Graham."

Colson is a great example of the life-changing power of Jesus Christ in a person's life. He was a man who admitted to not caring about faith, only about power, during the first half of his life and wound up paying a dear price for it by going to prison. However, through Christ, he changed his ways, and for the rest of his life, worked hard to change things for the better, whether it was helping prisoners through his organization, Prison Fellowship, encouraging Christians to become better volunteers in their communities, working to bridge the gap between evangelicals and Catholics, and advising former President George W. Bush on issues ranging from the war in Sudan to AIDS in Africa to human rights.

In short, that is the power of Christ, and like it did for the noted persecutor Apostle Paul in the Bible (see Acts 9:1-19) and Colson, it can change your life as well.

Give thanks

Source: interruptingthesilence.com

"Jesus asked, 'Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?'" - Luke 17:17-18 (NIV)

Think back to all of the good things that have happened in your life. Maybe you just got married, or had a baby. Maybe you just landed a great job in an economy that is still having some issues. Maybe despite everything going on, you're stil healthy and thriving.

If that is the case, then like or not, you have been blessed mightily by God. The Bible teaches that God does bless us spiritually (see Ephesians 1:3) and on occasion, materially, particularly if you're generous yourself (see Deuteronomy 15:10). God is able to bless us because He is also in control of the world, whether we acknowledge it or not (see Proverbs 19:21, Ephesians 1:11-12, Psalm 22:28).

So what should we do in response to being blessed? We should give thanks where it is due. The Bible has at least 46 verses that say we should give thanks to God where it is due. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are told to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Psalm 107 begins with "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1), and later states,

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." - Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV)

In the story with the verse listed at the beginning of this article, Luke records Jesus having just healed 10 men of leprosy, having told them to go the priest to get cleansed (Luke 17:14). However, of the 10, only one of them, returns to Jesus to praise Him.  Jesus ended his healing with,

"Rise and go; your faith has made you well." - Luke 17:19 (NIV)

So the question is, do we give thanks to God where it is due?

What is Hell?

Source: OpusDeiAlert.com

"In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’" - Luke 16:23-24 (NIV)

The Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) record that Jesus talked about Hell 70 times in 58 verses. This is almost as many times as he talked about love, which is what He is truly known for. This means that despite the wishes of some people, Hell is a very real place, and a topic that should be taken seriously.

Rather than explain it more here, check out this talk recorded yesterday, Sunday, April 15, by Pastor Brooks Simpson at Grace Community Church in North Liberty, Iowa, as he explains what Hell is all about.

'Do as I say, not as I do...'

"You have not lied to men but to God.” – Acts 5:4b (NIV)

One of the major criticisms of the Christian church is that Christian are hypocrites, preaching that people should behave one way, but then the Christians themselves do the complete opposite of what they had been advocating. It is like they are saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.”.

The early church, shortly after Jesus had risen from the dead and had been taken back up to Heaven, had to deal with this in the case of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira. It was the practice of members of the early church to take their personal possessions, sell them, and then give the money to the church leaders who would then distribute it for the work of spreading the message of Jesus Christ and helping the poor.

Ananias had a piece of property that he pledged to sell and give all of the proceeds to the church. However, with the full knowledge of his wife, he sold the property, but kept part of the profits for himself (see Acts 5:2). Peter caught him at this, saying he had been lying to God when he pledged the full proceeds to the church but did not keep his bargain. Ananias dropped dead on the spot, stricken by God. Sapphira had a chance to tell the truth, but instead also lied, and she soon dropped dead as well (see Acts 5: 7-10).

Sadly, far too many times, Christians also have committed the same sin, pushing for one thing, but then doing the complete opposite of they have been advocating. In recent years, there have been high-profile cases of Christian leaders, ministers and priests who had taught on the need to be sexually pure, for instance, but then were caught committing the very sin they had spoken against. Needless to say, they had been caught, and had to not only reconcile themselves with God, but also work to repair the damage done by their acts, if possible.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus Christ never condemned regular people for their sins, such as the woman caught in adultery (see John 8:3-11), reserving his harshest words for the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees. The Pharisees regularly ordered the people to be humble and serve the synagogue in the name of God, but then pursued their own power while appearing to still be serving God. Jesus said “woe” on them, saying they were clean on the outside, but dirty on the inside (see Matthew 23:23-28).

Simply put, Christians should always examine their own hearts as to whether they are truly following Christ (see 2 Corinthians 13:5). Then we will be able to present ourselves as worthy representatives of Christ, and the rest of the world will know what Jesus is like.

Who is God?

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.” Isaiah 45:5 (NIV)
Who is God?

As we finished celebrating Easter, which marked the resurrection of Jesus Christ, one question comes to mind: who is God? What makes God stand out? What bother with Him in the first place?

The Bible explains a few reasons why God is who He says He is:

• He is Creator of all we see. (see Isaiah 64:8)
• He is everywhere (see Psalm 139:7-10) 
• He knows everything (see John 16:30, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
• He has a will for all of us, including His Son (see Luke 22:42)
• He speaks to us (see Matthew 3:17)

God also is three persons, in the form of the Father (see Philippians 1:2), His Son Jesus Christ (John 10:30), and the Holy Spirit (see Acts 5:3-4). In the form of the Father, He is God, creator of all there is and holy (see Habakkuk 1:13). In the form of the Son, He is the resurrection and life for us, redeemer of us from our sin. In the form of the Holy Spirit, He points to Jesus as the way to be saved (see John 15:26).

So what does it matter? Because God made us (see Psalm 139:13-14), and He loves us. He loves us enough that he sent His Son to die for our sins:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:16-17 (NIV)

If God is willing to go to that length to save us, creatures who have effectively spit in His face, doesn’t that say something to us? We were sentenced to death (see Romans 3:23), but saved through Jesus Christ (see Romans 6:23).

And if Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, shouldn’t He mean something? Shouldn’t He be worthy of our affection and our attention, our loyalty as King?

To end, please listen to this sermon by Dr. S.M. Lockridge, titled, “My King.”

The 14th Station of the Cross: Taking Care

Courtesy: Vatican Museum

"As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away." - Matthew 27:57-60 (NIV)

Jesus was dead. As He was taken down from the cross, a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea was allowed to take the body and place in a new tomb.

Whether Joseph believed or understood Jesus' words that He would be raised again in three days is never specified in the Gospels. Yet, Joseph knew he had to do something to honor the man who had done so much for people and had been wrongly convicted and executed by the Roman authorities and Jewish religious leaders.

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us your compassion that we may always provide for those in need."

In the same way, we need to have the compassion of Christ to help others. Repeatedly in the Gospels, Jesus came across different groups of people and had compassion on them (see Matthew 9:35-37, Matthew 14:13-15,and Mark 1:40-42, among others).

The great thing to come out of this is Jesus was true to His word: He did rise from the dead. After His resurrection, it is recorded that He appeared before several hundred people before He was taken into Heaven (see Acts 1:1-10). He also will come back again.

I've said it once and several times before, but we can be ready for Jesus' return. Romans 10:9-10 says this:

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

With the world celebrating Easter and the resurrection this weekend, this is as good a time as any to have your own rebirth through Jesus Christ.

Just ask Him. He is compassionate and willing.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 13th Station of the Cross: Who Do You Trust?

Courtesy: Liberia Editrice Vaticana

"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last." - Luke 23:44-46 (NIV)

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us trust in you that when our time on earth is ended our spirits may come to you without delay."

Settling where you will go when you die is the most important question you will ever have to answer. To ensure that we do get to heaven, the Bible tells us that we have to know God personally through His son, Jesus Christ. The truths outlined in the Bible are these:

-- God loves us.

-- We have sinned and are separated from God by that sin.

-- Christ died for us while we were still sinners and rose from the dead.

-- Christ is the only way to God.

-- To receive his gift of salvation and grace, we must repent and believe in Christ.

Jesus knew His ultimate fate as He hung on the cross, and we can know ours as well.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 12th Station of the Cross: A Solid Foundation

Courtesy: Liberia Editrice Vaticana

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." - John 19:25-27 (NIV)

Recently, I talked about being ready physically, practically and spiritually so that we may be able to help others in need. This station as celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1991 reiterates that thought.

A disciple (likely John) takes over Jesus' role as Mary's oldest son to care for His mother, who by this time is likely to be a widow with the death of Joseph (The Scriptures do not tell what had happened to Joseph by this point, but he had died by the time Jesus was crucified). Jesus, after being crucified, made arrangements that His loved ones would be taken of.

In the celebration of the 14 Stations of the Cross, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us constancy that we may be willing to stand by those in need."

1 Peter 3:15 tells us to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." It's a hurting world out there, with constant wars, growing crime in many parts of the country, and of course, the current economic downturn.

However, Scripture tells us that placing our hope in everything in Jesus is like building a foundation on rock (see Luke 6:46-49). Anything and everything else is like building the foundation on sand, which can easily shift and ultimately will break and fall.

That is why we need to be ready and place our faith in Christ and Christ alone. Putting that hope in anyone else simply won't do.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 11th Station of the Cross: Admitting Your Mistakes

Courtesy: Libreria Editrice Vaticana

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!' But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'" - Luke 23:39-43 (NIV)

The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus had different approaches to life.

One remained angry at the world, shouting insults at Jesus and daring Him to do something. He was defiant and was leaving this world in the same manner he likely had lived most of his life on it, mainly looking out for himself.

His partner, however, knew this was the end. He had determined that the way he had lived his life was no good, and that the punishment he was now receiving was what he had deserved. He was repentant, or truly sorry for what he had done.

The second thief also saw Jesus for at least part of what He was. He knew that Jesus had committed no wrong, and had not deserved to be crucified. In prison, he had probably heard about the trials before Herod and Pontius Pilate. He might have also been present and saw the notorious murderer Barabbas released instead of the innocent Jesus.

So, at the end of his rope, the second thief turned to Jesus and asked for forgiveness. He wanted to go to Heaven, where he knew he would at last have peace.

Jesus saw this, knowing what the thief had done and how he had lived his life. He saw a truly repentant man who wanted to change his ways and get right with God.

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us perseverance that we may never stop seeking you."

The Bible tells us repeatedly that we are to always seek God, since He is the source of life, peace and everything else. Life may be hard, and we may have done things that we know are not pleasing to God. But there is forgiveness found in Christ, and all we have to do is ask for it.

Now as a treat, here is Third Day's "Thief:"




(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)

The 10th Station of the Cross: Lean on Him

Courtesy: Libreria Editrice Vaticana

"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' And they divided up his clothes by casting lots." - Luke 23:33-34 (NIV)

The prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament wrote one of several prophecies about Jesus being crucified. Isaiah 52:13-15 says:

"See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness — so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand."

Jesus had suffered much up to this point, with his arrest, a mockery of a trial and conviction, and the severe cruelty of being flogged by the Romans. He then, in his weakened and beaten state, had been forced to walk and carry a 110-pound cross (until He could go no further and the cross was passed on to Simon of Cyrene, who had been standing in the crowd) to Golgotha.

At Golgotha, the pain was just beginning. Crucifixion, as practiced by the Romans, was a method of execution designed for maximum pain and suffering, and had been reserved for the lowest types of criminals, according to David Terasaka at BlueLetterBible.org. First, nails of at least seven inches long were driven into the small bones of the wrists, the better to support the weight. The feet also then were nailed to the cross, Terasaka said.

Then the crucified person was left to hang until he died. Terasaka said that as a person who had been crucified hung there, it became very hard to breathe because of his arms being outstretched. The muscles would also start undergoing severe cramping due to a loss of blood and oxygen.

So it was a painful way to die. Psalm 22:14-15 prophesied of the suffering Jesus would go through:

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death."

But the kicker in all this is Jesus' reaction. Yes, He is suffering immensely, first from the flogging and the march to Golgotha, and then dealing with being crucified itself. But He said this:

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 (NIV))

Jesus knew that the people doing this to Him did not believe who He was. He knew that they had believed that He was God, they would have never done that. At the same time, though, he remained compassionate and loving toward even those who were killing Him.

In the celebration of the Stations of the Cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991, the minister prayed this prayer:

"Lord, grant us merciful hearts that we may bring your reconciliation and forgiveness to all."

Through it all, God still had the gift of mercy for His people (see John 3:16-17). Jesus wanted people to believe and repent, and return to the God who had created them and still loved them.

God still loves people today, and He wants to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and repent of their sins. Romans 10:9-10 says all we have to do is this:

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

It is a matter of giving up the battle to do it all on our own. It's not a crutch, but it is the means of salvation and peace that only God can provide.

(Editor's note: This is part of a series of the Stations of the Cross.)