So my daughter Hannah (16 yrs) and I have been practicing and we recorded two of them with my wife’s iPad.  I then set the music to a slide show because facebook doesn’t let you just upload a sound file (is that crazy or what?) But the results are so sweet and I hope they bless your Christmas!  To the glory of Jesus!

Down in Yon Forest

Sussex Carol

Herman Cain becoming president was something of an interesting proposition. We always say that we need someone in the office who is not an “insider”. He was a seemingly real, “down to earth,” kind of guy, “happy go lucky” and optimistic – just the way I like them. But unfortunately it is kind of scary to actually be faced with the reality of that kind of person in office. Much was made in the press about one interview where it became clear that he really didn’t know what he was talking about concerning the revolution in Libya. We might ask ourselves “So WHAT if he doesn’t know anything about Libya? He is just a regular kind of guy just like the rest of us.” Well, actually it DOES matter!

But unfortunately Cain was SO regular that, as well as being naive about Libya, he was also not very honest with his lovely wife. Whatever the real story is with his relationship with Ms. White, it isn’t what it should have been – and it proved his final political undoing.

My big question is: If Ms. White was a full and glad participant in an adulterous relationship, I just have to wonder what she was thinking to have taken advantage of him in such a way for over 13 years – and then trumpet his sin and ruin his career, and perhaps his marriage also. The harassment charges I can well agree should be pressed and made public if they happened. But sometimes I wonder if life would have been better all around if she just would have simply stopped answering his phone calls.

We all have our feelings and temptations that we deal with. We can all feel for Mr. Cain, the “regular” human being that he is. But no matter which way you slice it: when we act on those temptations – it has its way of ruining our lives. So sad indeed!

The Cain Train was fun while it lasted, but in the end we should be glad it is over.

Herman Cain struggling to get past accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior.
Outrage over Kim Kardashian’s 72 day, 10 million dollar wedding.
Joe Paterno getting tons of pressure to resign or be sacked because he didn’t do enough to protect young boys from his coaching staff.
And then today I read that the director of the upcoming Oscars had to step down and apologize publicly because of this (from CNN):

When asked during a question-and-answer session about his newly released action comedy, “Tower Heist,” whether he rehearses with his actors before shooting a scene, Ratner replied, “Rehearsing is for f*gs,”

On the one hand I feel like I should be happy that so many people are getting God’s “just reward” for their perversion.
On the other hand I feel like “Wow… WHY do people get so riled up about this stuff?” Or is it just the media? I just find it so fascinating that people hold others to such a high standard while they themselves do whatever they want!

Whole bunches of other questions and thoughts come to mind, including:

1. The prospect that Cain will most certainly loose his “moral right” to be a presidential candidate over inappropriate sexual advances (not that he actually ever did anything seemingly “worse” than be grossly offensive to those he most certainly shouldn’t have been: i.e. his subordinates) some 14 years ago is an amazing testament to the fact that there still is something of a national moral “conscience”. We still know that there are things that are right and things that are wrong.
2. The consequences of sinful behavior can be devastating. Those consequences are not only eternal, but temporal! And we never know when they will come back to bite us – even if we, for a short (or long) time, “get away with it”!
3. Sexual sin is just SUCH a problem for us as humans. How come the 6th commandment is so difficult for us?
4. That a film director would have to resign for a single stupid comment is just astounding to me. The ramifications of what we say are incredible! The ramifications of what I (I!) say are incredible. Both for good – and for bad.
5. Leaders ARE to be held to a higher standard than everyone else. This holds true in public offices – as well in the church. That is loaded with meaning for us as we PRAY for our leaders, both secular and spiritual… that they might be ABLE to stand up under the temptations of the devil and resist giving in to their sinful nature.
6. Is there ANYONE truly worthy of high office? It is truly amazing that government even half works!
7. Lord, please come quickly! Save us!

I would hardly argue with the idea that listening to Bible teachers is a bad thing (depending, of course, on the teacher), but is listening or watching the same as a group Bible Study (or good substitute)?

These are important elements of the group bible study that you can’t get with the radio or TV or internet:

1) Recognize the “Body of Christ” as you spend time with other Christians and share the fellowship of Christ. You cannot enter into that “Holy Communion” without actually being together and supporting each other.

2) Growing in love toward one another. You can’t grow in love for others unless you know them and their lives.

3) Growing in knowledge and wisdom. The problems with “lectures” is that it is one way communication… and although it is often quite good, your mind easily wanders and if a question comes up, you have no opportunity to address it. In group Bible Study one of the most important things that we get to do is address the questions that are really bothering us!

4) Learning to articulate your faith. One of the most obvious problems in our faith community today is that no one really ever TALKS about their faith. As we might know, we often learn information by hearing it, but we really don’t “know” it until we can speak it and live it! The actual looking up the Bible verses, reading it out loud, and conversing about it is so very important for us!

I have to say that personally, I have grown more spiritually in group Bible study than any other way. I have been in several absolutely fabulous groups and I really feel badly for those who have never known it before. Of course there ARE dangers with group Bible studies… It can get especially crummy when certain people dominate the conversation or when it becomes gossipy and “cliquey”. We have to guard against these things, but they should never discourage us from seeking out good group Bible Studies.

It is important to take the time for group Bible Study! I know it might be “hard” for some personalities, but the rewards are worth whatever “suffering” it might entail!

But please know that Christians can oppose same sex marriage without being bigoted, unfair, or unthinking.  Even non-Christians have argued from a secular standpoint that the state has interests in maintaining the heterosexual definition of marriage.  Although ultimately Christians continue to advocate for the historic definition of marriage because we are convinced that it is best for society as a whole – regardless of one’s religion – the arguments become much more convincing when one possesses a Biblical/Christian world view.

We recognize that the issue of same sex marriage is tangled with an immense amount of baggage.  The church has not treated the homosexual community in the past as Jesus would have. (But the tough question is ascertaining what he would have said and done.  Perhaps a clue can be found as Jesus ministered to the adulterous woman in John chapter 8.)  As a result there is a lot of resentment toward the church which is probably deserved.  And then there is the fact that we are dealing with the feelings of real – and often hurting – people.  Anytime feelings are being dealt with – calm reason and truth are so easily jettisoned.   

The following are some important points which perhaps will help folks understand why it is perfectly “reasonable” for devoted and loving Christians to oppose same sex marriage.  

1. Fundamentally marriage is an institution of God and not invented by Man.  It is an order of creation and cannot be subject to the changing definitions of man. God did create Adam and Eve as male and female to be married.  Male and female fit together and complement each other.  And the results of that union are children and the propagation of humankind as well as a safe and beautiful place for those children to be nurtured into adulthood.  There is glory, reason and order in the creation and we would be wise to honor it.  Obviously we are very prone to destroy what God has given us (i.e. divorce, etc.) and we suffer greatly because of it.  But the unintended failure to attain God’s design as husband and wife cannot be reason or excuse for the purposeful twisting, diluting or further corrupting of that same design.  On the contrary, we should be doing everything we can to encourage, bless, uphold and enable that beautiful intent of God.
2. The slippery slope of redefining marriage.  If we decide that marriage is not a fundamental order of creation and the foundation of our society, we, as a people, can decide to change it’s definition.  But as we do this, we must recognize where we are going.  IF we choose to be our own God and decide that marriage is malleable to whatever we would like, then we are most certainly opening a Pandora’s box to polygamy and/or WHATEVER our whims might fancy at any given moment.  Let us be forewarned!
3. Same sex marriage is not an issue of civil rights or unfairness.  The current laws are not depriving homosexuals of any privileges heterosexuals have.  A homosexual has every right under the law to marry.  But as with almost everything else in life – there are strictures and contexts.  Everyone has the right to be the president of the United States – as long as they are a citizen and are elected by the people.  Everyone has the right to drive – as long as he or she has a license and is able.  Everyone can marry – a person of the opposite sex.  Same sex marriage is fundamentally different than, for instance, the issue of interracial marriages. In that case, based on the color of skin, SOME were not allowed to marry the opposite sex.  To be more clear:  If the definition of marriage included same sex unions and then laws were made against such marriages, at that point it would constitute an injustice.  However, as we have already discussed, the definition of marriage is from God and not from man.  It cannot be changed at our whim.
4. The confusion surrounding the scriptural injunctions against homosexuality.  Although the New Testament is quite clear about the sin of the homosexual lifestyle, many people especially enjoy ridiculing the Old Testament and its seemingly insane (to our ears) injunctions and laws.  They discount any reference to God’s judgment against homosexuality on the claim that nothing in the Old Testament applies today.  However, this reveals a profound lack understanding of the scripture and how it needs to be interpreted.  Importantly, the distinction needs to be made between civil law in the Old Testament, and the moral principles that law was based on.  The Levitical Code of the Old Testament was set down by God for the Hebrew people as they wandered in the wilderness and even as they came into the Promised Land.  It was a “Theocracy” where the Lord God was the government.  For us today much of the Levitical code seems more than a little crude.  But we forget that it was a very crude time and people that God was governing.  What is important to remember is that although the specific formulas of laws and punishments themselves do not apply today (because God has given us our own governments that set these down) the moral principles that lie behind them still do apply.  These moral principles are based on the character of God and do not change with the times!
5. So what is the Christian understanding of homosexuality?  Although Christians today must compassionately love the homosexual even as the Lord loves him, that does not mean consenting to or affirming the homosexual way of life and same sex marriage.  We all know that the best and most loving friend is the one who is able to humbly tell the truth – even if it hurts.  This is the truth: All our lives are burdened with sin – and unfortunately some are burdened with unnatural sexual desires.  There is usually no pat answer as to why anyone is saddled with any particular problem in life.  But it isn’t the problems or sin that we have in life that ultimately define us as God’s people.  What defines us is how God forgives and renews and blesses us.  It is plain from God’s Word that the homosexual tendency is an aberration – and any capitulation to the temptations of that aberration is sin.  Although some claim that God has actually cured them of their homosexual desires through intense spiritual discipline, the one promise that can be made from scripture is the forgiveness of our sins through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.  God also promises that he will give us the power to resist the temptations of our sinful nature as we trust and rely on Him.
6. Forcing a particular morality on everyone.  It is argued that opponents of same sex marriage are forcing a particular morality on everyone.  And for once the accusation is true!  However the insinuation is that allowing same sex unions is freeing everyone from morality.  But of course it is not!  It is simply replacing one morality with another!  It is a battle of moralities.
7. Judging others.  It is somehow viewed as unseemly to judge others.  But of course it is preposterous to think that we should not.  And even if we think we should not judge – we always do anyway!  If nothing else we judge the ones who judge.  Jesus does speak to the self-righteous and warns them not to judge without seeing their own sin (the log in their own eye), but over and over again the scripture states that the Church and all Christians are to be courageous and wise in their judgments of right and wrong. We do this firstly that the world might be blessed with a healthy and well ordered society, but we do it also that repentance and forgiveness of sins in Christ might be proclaimed.  The key is that Christians are not to judge themselves, the nations, and others on the basis of their own understanding, but only according to God’s revealed righteousness (contained in the scripture).

In conclusion: Obviously none of this is easy.  But the issues are worthy of humble, intense and reasoned study.  The differences ultimately boil down to the first item above and the presupposition that we are created in a specific way and for a particular purpose.  Although not everyone agrees with this, perhaps this exposition might help the one who is not a Christian, or the uninformed Christian, to appreciate why the individual with a biblical/Christian world view cannot reasonably support same sex marriage.  

A few thoughts…

1. I was very impressed with the young counselors – especially the young men. Here were young MEN (for heaven’s sakes!) who were faith-filled, intelligent, articulate, well mannered, responsible, kind and generous. I was SO glad my daughter Erika was finally getting an education on who she should be looking for in a husband.
2. I continue to be sad about how the camp is home to fewer and fewer children as the summers go by. Lutheran camps in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota were so incredibly formational for my faith and life. Unforgettable in so many ways. I just feel such sorrow for the generations who are now missing out on the faith-growing experiences of camp. This past year the Atlantic District Camp Sonshine closed. So far Camp Pioneer has managed to keep afloat – but only because they do a lot of things besides youth camps now. We parents just have to CHOOSE these faith experiences for our children over the multitudes of other exciting things to do. I just can’t encourage you enough to SEND YOUR KID TO LUTHERAN CAMP!!!! And I must qualify this because you really have to pay attention to how Lutheran or Christian a particular camp is. Many so called “Lutheran/Christian” camps have absolutely NO Christian content in their programs. I am just so very proud that Camp Pioneer has SUCH a strong Christian program. The faith standards for their staff are very high.
3. Being “away from it all” is just a great refresher. Although I was trying to keep up with my emails and “direct” from afar several events here in Scranton, my only other “real” tasks were morning chapel and evening devotions. To be able to just enjoy myself and family without having to “care” about anything else made me stop and struggle sometimes. The questions entered my mind so many times: Why should I care about world affairs? What do half the things I care about at home really matter? Although I realize that I just can’t run away from reality completely, I have definitely made up my mind that my life is going to be better with less facebook time! I also just can’t WAIT for heaven when all these burdens are lifted.
4. My Great Learning. Our Bible Study leader was Pastor Hoffman. He came with several families from his church in Ohio. He was a great fellow and teacher! We were studying the creation account and its meaning for our lives. I came away pondering one thought related to the above point of the simple life: God gave us light so we could work and live. And he gave us darkness so we could rest. But how come I keep trying to extend the day with artificial light? How come I am just not obedient to God’s will to rest? How come I hate the idea of spending so much time sleeping? I have just got to learn to accept more and more God’s gift of rest. Rest is good! That is my learning for life I have to work on. Maybe this idea is at least palpable to me now because I AM getting older and I can feel my body is starting to slow down! Ha ha!

You just HAVE to wonder about us as humans (and especially men?) What foolish evil lurks, ready at the slightest titillation, to simply throw away everything that God intended for us to have in a marriage. It is just stunning what making a mistake like these two men made can do. Both their families and their personal lives have just crashed to unimaginable depths… All for what? And you would THINK that these high profile examples would teach people a lesson? But most assuredly this parade of jokers will go on. And what is worse is that families like yours and mine, regular folks, will also continue to be devastated by marital unfaithfulness.

But the facts remain that, no matter what lies the Devil tricks us with, and no matter what lengths we go to dismiss the idea that marital faithfulness is something to value and defend and uphold, the truth of God’s purpose remains: that man and woman should be joined in a life-long, exclusive relationship. This is for the benefit of us personally as well as the society at large.

If you have been gifted with a marriage – take the time to crow about it. Make it important if you have been neglecting it. I know for myself sometimes going on a date or otherwise paying attention to my spouse does seem a chore and I would rather be doing other things… But personally, during these days of seeing our beautiful children grow up, I can see more and more how absolutely lovely marriage is. I am thankful for my wife and her faithfulness to me, and I pray that, keeping my eyes on Jesus, I might be spared any temptation whatsoever to compromise my vows of faithfulness to my God and my wife.

Yes, marriage is is good. It is holy. It is worthy. It is Godly. And it, most assuredly, is possible!

But President Obama’s pronouncement, and the general consensus of the trumpeting media, that “justice was served” to this evil man – leaves me rather wanting. Could justice be served? Really? How could his simple death somehow tip the scales of justice so burdened by his evil deeds?

It brings up a whole spectrum of hard questions to tackle for the Christian.

Am I really any more or less evil than Bin Ladin? He had (several) wives and many children. Perhaps he loved them? Cared for them? Was it so much that he was evil (as in a pathological way), or was he simply so thoroughly deceived by the devil that he actually twisted the corrupted law on his heart that said killing was wrong – and made it into a virtue that was commanded by god?

Sometimes I wonder about why we worked so hard to bring an end to Bin Laden. How much of it was seeking to make the world a safer place? And how much of it was just a seeking of revenge – or, pardon me: “justice”? I am sure there were elements of both. But to what EXTENT was it for justice (revenge)? And is it a “good” or “right” thing to be seeking “justice” on such a grand and international way – so that in some way our hearts might be assuaged and comforted?

I remember so vividly in seminary when we discussed ministry to prisoners and the professor started a conversation on the philosophy and reasoning behind the justice system, incarceration and capitol punishment. I had never really given it a thought that there were actually two somewhat competing thoughts on this! It turns out that the historic and Biblical reason for prosecution and incarceration is to “punish” and “serve out justice.” The other more recent philosophy of incarceration is to simply “keep the streets safe” by keeping the bad guys out of circulation. All of a sudden the light went on in my brain and I understood the great ramifications on how society deals with its criminals.

So, if the biblical model is that it is the government’s job to keep order in the world and serve “justice” to the offender, it always is a hard call as to what is fair punishment and justice. We are always complaining to the judges that the punishment given a criminal is either too much or too little (mostly depending on whether we are the victim or the offender). Ultimately, I am very comforted that even the meager idea of “justice” in this world, and our attempts to fulfill its requirements, affirms and points to the PERFECT justice of God on Judgement Day.

So is it really conceivable that justice was served to Osama?

No. Not in the least.

But the punishment that WAS given, however paltry, points to the eternal punishment that is due people like Bin Laden…. and me…

And WHO will save us from our sin? Who has bourn our just punishment?

The Crucified and Risen One! Jesus the Christ! Alleluia!

I am so very glad for his undeserved favor (His Mercy) on me.