#&@$#*!!

What should Christians make of the Psalms that ask God to curse other people? Rob Plummer gives a short explanation of how to interpret these Psalms as well as how these Psalms display the gospel.

Five Lessons I Learned at Church Last Sunday

The guy coming in halfway through my sermon wasn’t interested in looking for a place to sit.

I notice lots of things while I’m preaching: the sleepers, the doodlers, and the people that leave early. These things can be discouraging but rarely are they distracting. Maybe almost a decade of speaking in front of continuously texting teenagers has prepared me to look boldly in the face of distraction and snicker. I should have been in The Men Who Stare at Goats.

But what happened last Sunday really distracted me. When this particular guest came in, I assumed he would quietly pull up a pew on the back row. By the time he was halfway down our center aisle I ruled that one out. Maybe he’s related to one of the ladies on the front row and is coming down to surprise grandma and enjoy the last few minutes of church. I ruled that one out when he found his way up the steps and onto our platform where he gently took hold of my left arm to whisper in my ear.

Maybe it’s because I was preaching at the time but I was in full theological mode when he came up on the stage. No thoughts of the UFC. That came about a day later. I was expecting this to be somebody that stayed up all night with Jesus watching Benny Hinn and just had to show up to tell us all what he learned. I immediately thought of the order of our worship service and was prepared to rebuke him back to Paul and Jan land. Instead, another rebuke was in order.

“I want to talk to one of the women in your church.”

Sometimes people say things to you that require much prayer, soul-searching and wisdom-seeking. This wasn’t one of those times. I told this obviously distraught stranger that there was no way he could do that and to sit down somewhere so I could talk to him at the end of the service. Thankfully, he cooperated. I then continued to finish out a sermon to a bunch of people who had no idea what I was saying because they were too busy worrying about what the guy on the front row had up his sleeve, or in his pocket, taped to is chest or strapped around his ankle. Who can blame them?

Churches need the leadership of many godly men.

Providentially, I was preaching on Peter’s command to the elders in 1 Peter 5 when our friend paid us a visit. My point was that the biblical way for churches to be run is not by committees or power hungry, wanna-be CEO pastors. Instead, the pastor should work with other men to lead and direct the church. When I finished preaching, closed things out and went down to meet this man, I got to see several men who, as usual, stepped up in that leadership role. I think there were men around the entire room, ready to step in when needed. It reminded me of those wrestling matches on TV when I was a kid where a bunch of wrestlers stood around the outside of the ring with leather straps to keep one or both of the actual wrestlers from running away. The only differences this time were that the men in my church were wearing the leather straps instead of holding them and they were not wearing tights. At least not that I could tell.

So all of these men were on guard in case something went down. But they were also there for something else. When I finished talking and praying with the stranger, several of these men embraced him, cried with him or counseled him. There were men who were just there to serve, men who were there to instruct and counsel and men who did both. More than ever, I saw my sermon text played out immediately after I was done preaching it.

The after is much worse than the during.

It’s a lot like when you’re first learning how to drive and one day you're acting like an idiot behind the wheel and almost drive under a gas tanker. You don’t think much of it right at the moment but about 45 seconds after the fact your heart is somewhere up in your esophagus and beating six times faster than it should be.

It was the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that pulled me through this weird incident and allowed me to finish the task at hand without developing a chain-smoking habit. Sure, we could point to adrenalin and I think that’s a very real help in those types of situations and even in mine but even adrenalin falls under the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

It was also the grace of God that allowed me to have the kind of fear that I felt two hours after all of this. That’s when people started calling and visiting to check on me and publicly thanking God for His protection. That’s when I really realized, “Hey, this has happened a lot of times in churches and not ended so well.” It was God’s grace that not only protected all of us but opened our eyes to things we need to do better. And that brings us to number four.

Churches must take security seriously.

I feel like such a wimp for saying that. I imagine Jim Elliot, Nate Saint and every other Christian martyr looking down on me with a frown. I’m pretty sure that’s not the case but it still doesn’t stop me from thinking about it.

The reality is that the world is getting more and more crazy and churches are some of the most vulnerable places in our society. That’s why Towaliga Baptist Church will be relocating to a beautiful, used, slightly damaged compound in Waco, Texas.

Okay, maybe not.

Instead, I do feel that all churches must be strategic and equipped when it comes to security. Most churches in the south are equipped. You’d be hard pressed to find a man in church that’s not carrying a gun, knife, throwing star, bow staff or tack hammer. But all of that is worthless if there’s no strategy. All the weapons in the world will only be reactionary if there is not a strategic plan for security. I never thought I’d be thinking about this kind of thing but I am and if you are in a leadership position at your church I hope you are too.

Never underestimate the power of a hurting heart.

I live and minister in a part of the United States that puts way too much emphasis on walking the aisle. I truly think that many here believe in salvation by grace through aisle walking. This trend makes evangelism very difficult because so many people think they are okay with God because they walked down an aisle. Others feel they can’t get anywhere in a relationship with God because they are too scared to walk down an aisle at the end of a service to say a prayer. In the south, aisle walking is both highly reverenced and highly feared.

I share that bit of context to highlight what kind of grief this man was enduring. Not only was he not ashamed to walk down an aisle, he was willing to do it in a room full of strangers during the middle of a sermon. Again, this aisle walking did nothing for him but I think that it does show just how broken this man’s heart was. When I was in seminary, a professor told me that there is a broken heart on every pew. He forgot to tell me that some of those broken hearts bypass the pews all together and come straight up on stage with you.

That’s what I learned at church last week and I’m really looking forward to this week.

John Mark McMillan | Death In His Grave

Here's the chorus.

"On Friday a Thief

On Sunday a King

Laid down in grief

But awoke with keys

Of Hell on that day

The first born of the slain

The man Jesus Christ

Laid death in His grave."

The Lie of Free Love and Safe Sex

"Seeking to 'free' sexual love from its old communal restraints, we have 'freed' it also from its meaning, its responsibility, and its exaltation. And we have made it more dangerous. 'Sexual liberation' is as much a fraud and as great a failure as the 'peaceful atom.' We are now living in a sexual atmosphere so polluted and embittered that women must look on virtually any man as a potential assailant, and a man must look on virtually any woman as a potential accuser. The idea that this situation can be corrected by the courts and the police only compounds the disorder and the danger. And in the midst of this acid rainfall of predation and recrimination, we presume to teach our young people that sex can be made 'safe' - by the use, inevitably, of purchased drugs and devices. What a lie! Sex was never safe, and it is less safe now than it has ever been."

Wendell Berry

Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community

Why I'll Miss Lost

I enjoy a good television show. I always have. For many in my circles, this is an abomination.

"What kind of a knuckle-dragging cave man watches TV when there are so many books to be read and people to talk to and work to be done!"

I love reading and being around people and preparing for sermons but I also enjoy watching television shows and movies that are well done and thought provoking. So count me in the cave man category. If you happen to be in the Kill Your Television crowd that sees something as tame as The Andy Griffith Show as work of Satan himself you should stop reading this now. Besides, what are you doing looking at my blog?

Television, like most everything else in our world, has its place in moderation. Moving in excess either way can lead to legalism or license. Too much of any electronic media will turn your brain to mush, remove you from the real world and lead to idolatry. There are many Christians who do not own TVs and that is good. However, these people must be on the lookout against isolation. There are many more Christians who enjoy TV and we have to be on the lookout against over-consumption. The pitfalls lie on both sides of the fence.

In our house, we are very selective about what we watch on TV. The TV is never just on for background noise. One of the shows that made it through our invisible filter is, in my opinion, the most well written character driven show on television - Saved by the Bell. No wait, I mean Lost.

The final episode of Lost aired on Sunday and I liked it. It did not end with all of our questions answered and it was a bit of a messy ending that created even more questions. But I think that this is where so-called Christian films need to learn a lesson. After sitting through Facing the Giants, I didn’t care what happened to the coach and his family and his team. There are two reasons for my apathy. First, the script was not compelling and the characters played more like points to a sermon than they did people. It was as if I had no investment in the characters so why should I care what happened to them.

Also, the end of the movie answered every single one of those questions. The multiple trophies on the mantle and the kids in the background and the new truck pretty much left us with no remaining questions. Ooops. I forgot to add the term spoiler alert at the beginning of this paragraph. My bad.

The great thing about the gospel is that when things end up messy and situations leave us with more questions than answers we know that all of our questions and searching and doubts find their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Of course, Lost did not come to that conclusion but it is interesting when a show with polar bears in the jungle hits closer to reality than one about football players or firefighters.

So as you can tell I enjoyed watching Lost. What follows are a few other reasons why.

My Wife

For the past six years I would spend an hour a week watching Lost with my wife. In that time, we’ve lived in three different cities, worked several different jobs and had two kids. A lot changed during that six year run but I am so thankful for the constant friendship I have with my wife. I’ll miss our conversations the next morning over breakfast where we try to figure out who Desmond represents or who the good guys are. I love my wife and I am thankful for all that we share together. We have only been married for not quite seven years but almost all of my favorite memories involve her. Lost is just one of those memories.

The Script

Lost was a weird show and there was a lot that did not make sense. I’ll never deny that. The show certainly isn’t for everyone. However, it is nice to see a show that was actually written and done so with some thought. Almost everything on television is a contest or a sneak peak into someone else’s so called reality. Lost was a story that didn’t pretend to be real. Yet somehow it seems more real than the song and dance competitions and high school romance documentaries that have taken over prime time television. On a side note, I still believe that most reality shows do have scripts. You just aren’t supposed to know about it. You didn’t hear it from me.

The Vertical

I watch and react to Lost sort of like I listen and react to U2. I don’t know Bono’s thoughts on the Trinity or atonement of Christ. I don’t even know if he’s a believer. I hope he is. But when I listen to U2 I can’t help but think vertically. There is something about their music that makes me wonder what it has to do with the gospel.

Lost is the same way for me. As you can tell from the final sequence of the final episode, the writers are not Christ-followers but the themes they included during the show caused me to think about and discuss with friends the parallel themes of redemption and grace and sin. Watching Lost made me think and talk about my thoughts.

The Worldview

Watching Lost reminded me that the world is full of people who are not like me and don’t think or believe like me. The final episode was sort of an all roads lead to home, new age view of the afterlife. I was sad when I saw that, not because it didn’t end the way I wanted it too but because billions of people actually believe that living a good life gets you a good life when your current one is over.

The gospel reminds us that none of us can live a good enough life to inherit eternal life. It is only through the perfect life of Christ, His death in our place as the subject of God’s wrath and his resurrection from the grave that we can enjoy eternal life. Our faith must be in Him through repentance, not in our friends and our efforts during the journey. Lost reminds me of the lostness of the world I live in.

The Conviction

Lost was a character driven show. It was impossible to consistently watch the show without becoming emotionally invested. You wanted to see Jack stop striving for perfection and Charlie get off of the heroin. But at the end of the day, Jack and Charlie are just characters.

I’m reminded that there are real people in my church and community that are seeking salvation through good works. I’m reminded that every week I preach to people who are being eaten alive by addiction’s empty promises. Shame on me for being more heart broken over a character on television than a real person in my city or church. Lost reminds me that the sin and brokenness represented by the island are only glimpses of the real pain and depravity in the world.

So if you missed out on Lost you may be glad that you did. But if you’re okay with TV shows that are different from the norm and make you think you should try Lost. I’m sure a box set of the entire series will be out in a few months. Start selling blood platelets now and by August you should be able to afford a copy.

"See you in another life."

Love: Easier Said Than Done

Here's a quote from Russell Moore.

Some Christians rattle on and on about “The Family” while neglecting their kids. Some Christians “fight” for “social justice” by “raising consciousness” about “The Poor” while judging their friends on how trendy their clothes are. Some Christians pontificate about “The Church” while rolling their eyes at the people in their actual congregations. Some Christians are dogmatic about “The Truth” while they’re self-deceived about their own slavery to sin.

Click here to read the whole thing.

The Beastie Boys vs Martin Luther

A while back, Beastie Boy Adam Yauch (aka MCA) found out that he had mouth cancer. Things weren't looking good for a while but Yauch appears to be making a good recovery. Here's how he says he's dealing with his cancer.

"a few friends and i are meditating at the same time twice a day. 9:30am and 6:30pm eastern standard time, for about an hour and half.

we are picturing smashing apart all of the cancer cells in the world.

we are visualizing taking the energy away from the cancer, and then sending it back at the cancer as lightening bolts that will break apart the DNA and RNA of the cells. if you have the time, please join us in whipping up this lightening storm. mind over matter......

if you prefer to sit then sit, but if you are not used to meditating, or sitting quietly doesn't sound like fun, put on some music and dance while you do the visualization, and if you want to do it at some other time, or picture curing some other illness that's fine too. yoko will be joining the meditation by visualizing all of us dancing with joy to celebrate the world without cancer. all variations are welcome. this is really just being done with a wish for all beings to be cured of all illnesses and to find true lasting happiness. i'll also be saying prayers for the earthquake victims in tibet, so join in on that if you can too. please feel free to pass this onto anyone who you think may find it interesting.

with all my love,

adam yauch

An even longer while back, Martin Luther found out that his daughter Magdalena had the plague. He prayed ferverently for her healing. At her funeral, as men were driving nails into her coffin, this is what Luther said.

"Hammer away! On dooms day she'll rise again."

Although both of these quotes show faith, only one shows faith of any substance. Yauch is searching for "all beings to be cured of all illnesses" on this earth through human effort. It is as if he is saying, "If we could just get more people to meditate then we could all enjoy our nice utopia." Throw in Check Your Head as a soundtrack and you're set.

Luther knew that none of us can escape the painful effects of death on this earth no matter how hard we try. He finds his hope, not in greater works of meditation power or even in greater faith but in the work that has already been done by Christ. The Bible never promised that Jesus' followers would live lives free of disease and suffering on this earth but it does promise that they would live without those pains when Jesus returns to rule the earth that He will make new (Romans 8:18-25; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It is at this point that those who have repented and put their faith in Christ will be able to "dance with joy" over not just a world without cancer but the eternal and glorious and pure rule of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray for Adam Yauch's mouth to be healed of cancer. More importantly, pray that Adam Yauch and the countless other people you know and don't know who are wasting their faith on hopeless sources that cannot save would repent and believe in the gospel so that their hearts can be healed of the damning effects of sin.