Love Won (A long time ago)

There has been a whole lot of talk since June 26th.  Since then, the internet has felt a bit like a minefield, and I've prayerfully stayed out of it.  However, I believe that verses 4-5 of Proverbs 26 come back-to-back for a reason, and there's far too much at stake in this issue to remain silent.

I've discussed biblical sexuality and biblical marriage extensively.  I won't rehash those discussions here.  In the midst of all the recent shouting, posturing, and criticizing from both sides of the argument, one statement has come back to settle with me, and that's what I want to share.

Peter Hubbard is the author of Love into Light (a highly recommended read) and pastor of North Hills Community Church in South Carolina.  He paraphrased another Christian's purpose statement regarding SSA, a statement that I think far too many Christians are afraid to make:

I accept you as a homosexual; I do not approve you as a homosexual.

Hear me out.

Accepting someone for who they are is not necessarily the same thing as condoning their choices.  It would be absolutely hypocritical for a Bible-believing Christian to redefine the nature of sin in order to accommodate the homosexual lifestyle.  After all, if we can redefine sin -- for any reason, be it cultural, emotional, evolutional, etc -- then we can eliminate the need for a Savior at all.  That's not at all what I'm suggesting.  To the contrary, if we as Christians choose to live in understanding ways with men and women who practice the sins of lying, gossiping, lusting, anger, or [insert any other "commonplace" sin here], then the reality is that we should also be willing to live in an understanding way with an individual who self-identifies as homosexual, bisexual, or transgender.

We should be willing to accept, but not approve.

So, on one hand, we need to treat homosexuality the way we treat all other sins.

On the other hand, we need to be extremely careful not to treat homosexuality the way we tend to treat all other sins -- that is, to ignore them altogether.  Nothing corrupts so completely like justified and ignored sin, no matter how "small" the offense might be.  The heart that is convinced its sin is "safe" is dangerously far from God.  That unaddressed sin has undermined the very standards of holiness and worship.

The victory chant of the homosexual community over the last few days has been "Love wins."  My heart is broken over the fact that such a powerful phrase can be so misapplied -- first by Rob Bell to eliminate God as judge, and now by the gay community to eliminate God as lawgiver.  "Love wins" is an undeniably true statement, not because a rainbow flag now flies over our country, but because Christ shed His blood for sinners and rose victorious from the grave.  Love won a long time ago.  However, biblical love is also unyieldingly stern, especially when the well-being of the beloved is at risk.

In that regard, we as Christians should feel deep sorrow over and compassion for individuals who have willingly denied the truth and chosen to celebrate instead of crucify their sins -- running "helter skelter to destruction with their fingers in their ears," as songwriter Don Francisco put it.  Like stopping a child from running into traffic, we should earnestly desire to communicate the truth about love, forgiveness, and repentance -- not so we can argue and disprove opinions, but so that needy sinners can be rescued.  We should still be willing to speak boldly against sin while still reaching out to welcome the sinner.  

After all, that's the way Christ welcomed us.

We shouldn't be surprised by the ruling of SCOTUS, or alarmed at the reactions of the gay community.  After all, it was a long time ago that God released man to wallow in his sinful desires (Rom 1.24).  We shouldn't be surprised or alarmed when people who don't know Jesus live like they don't know Jesus.  For the same reason, we shouldn't insist on criticizing their moral choices without first addressing the state of their hearts.

Furthermore, we shouldn't overstep our place and stand in judgment over the homosexual community.  There is only one Judge and Lawgiver (Jas 4.12), and we who identify with Christ have no room to point out specks in other people's eyes.  We once walked in the same kind of self-deception as do homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgenders (1 Cor 6.11).  Peter Hubbard writes, "Any Christian who can mock a homosexual or speak unkindly to a drag queen is suffering from amnesia. We have forgotten what it is like to be without Jesus...  We need to remember the goodness and lovingkindness that God poured out on us.  God should have looked at us and been disgusted.  Instead, without condoning our sin, He loved us and saved us."

The key here is that God loved us and saved us without condoning our sin.  God absolutely accepts everyone as they are: broken, battle-scarred corpses overwhelmed by the devastating power of sin.  However, because God loves us, He is not content to leave us in that condition.  He breathes new life into us!  Therefore, though we each have our personalized sins and weaknesses which often feel so natural, so right, and so familiar, we are both compelled and empowered by the healing salve of Divine grace to break free of those chains -- to go forth and sin no more (John 8.11).  Love won not to free us to our own personal preference, but to free us from the things to which we were enslaved.  The bitter truth about spiritual slavery is that we don't realize how bad it is -- we like the choices we make because we make them at the whim of what we feel.  We are slaves to our own desires without even realizing it.

Love won a long time ago, awakening us to the treacherous reality of our sin and the overwhelming compassion of the Father.  

Praise God for the victory!

Praise God that He is not finished working!

Praise God that mercy is still freely available to those who deny and crucify their sinful desires in their desperation to follow Jesus.

If we as Christians are humbly willing to accept people who self-identify as homosexuals instead of treating treating them like infectious carriers of a disease, we can communicate the stern yet compassionate truth of the gospel.

Moving forward, let's do a better job of building these bridges instead of burning them.

Guitars & Gratitude

During my 14th, 15th, and 16th summers, I worked with Janet McKinney (who is, in my opinion, the patron saint of children's ministries) doing backyard Bible clubs.  Anyone who has had the same pleasure knows it's a fun job.  "Mum-mum" McKinney and I trekked much of south Jersey, often in the blistering heat, and taught groups of kids at churches, YMCAs, public parks, and private homes alike.  My job was the missionary story.  That meant I had to memorize the stories of Hudson Taylor and other heroes of the faith to recite along with flip books full of colorful illustrations.

The money that I earned over the course of those three summers went into my first guitar, a Yamaha FGX.  A solidly  built, solidly mid-range guitar, she was the best-sounding instrument in my price range when my mom took me shopping in August of 2005.  It was an historic occasion: that was the first big purchase I made with my own money.  My mom and dad might have contributed to the overall cost since it was so close to my birthday, but I earned that guitar literally by the sweat of my brow.

It was an investment and it was an accomplishment.

Battle damage sustained early in her career.

Over the course of the next ten years, I played that FGX constantly.  It started its career with youth group praise & worship, then soon added songwriting to its job description, and ultimately passed through three bands in addition to regular praise and worship, performances at weddings, funerals, and graduations.  In all, I've probably played that guitar an average of 3-4 days a week for the last decade.  It's no wonder that her frets are worn down and pitted, that there's something that may or may not be a bloodstain on her front where my forearm rests, that her once-sturdy electronics every once in a while cut out, that she has intonation issues galore, or that she no longer can no longer stay in tune.

During worship services for the past months, I'd find myself tuning frantically between songs (sometimes during), and occasionally even have to stop a song during the introduction to correct the finicky b-string.  It was that or risk throwing the entire song into a cacophonous, atonal mess.

I knew the guitar's status was grim, but I wasn't really in a position to invest a lot of money into pricey repairs -- much less an entirely new instrument.  In my mind, I'd just have to push through the inconvenience.

As would the rest of the musicians behind me.

Though (I hope) I didn't publicize it, the ailing status of my guitar was no secret.  Without my knowledge, the teenagers I disciple, the other members of the worship band, and a significant number of friends & family from Fellowship Bible Church got together and began collecting money for me to purchase a new guitar and retire the old one.

It's funny to think in terms of "retiring" a guitar or otherwise personifying a piece of wood and strings.  If you ever thought guitar players are being melodramatic when they give their instruments floral girls' names and speak of them with fondness limning their eyelids... you're probably right.  I did try to name my guitar once when I was still a teenager, actually, but whatever name I picked never stuck.  Regardless, that Yamaha FGX that I first spotted hanging on the wall at the route 38 Guitar Center ten years ago became an integral component of what I do, and it is heavy on my heart that I've finally reached the point that she can no longer be my primary instrument.

Silly?  Melodramatic?

Maybe.

But still.

And so, on May 8th and 9th, equipped with money presented to me in front of Wednesday night youth group (transitioning back into my lesson that night was considerably difficult), Tara and I went out shopping.

For two days, I played a lot of guitars.  I'm really into the sound of Guild acoustic guitars, but their selection is typically used and always limited -- usually too old to be considered an upgrade but too new to be considered vintage.  The Taylors I sat down with were all far too bright.  I've never been a fan of Gibsons, so I didn't spend more than a few minutes with those selections.  I played a really nice Breedlove as well as one Takamine and a Washburn.  There were a couple of nice guitars in some local shops that I really liked, but the instrument I ultimately ended up buying was again hanging on the wall of the route 38 Guitar Center.

Maybe I'm "mainstream" for buying a Martin.  But this particular GPCPA4 was the only guitar I really came back to (and I played the same model across the parking lot at Sam Ash, but preferred this piece of wood).  It has a warm and organic sound, a thin but sturdy neck, and "scoop" style Fishman electronics, which are perfect for worship leading -- it can cut through the mix and it can stand alone as a solo instrument if necessary.  I was blown away by the warmth and depth of the sound when I plugged in the guitar.  It still has plenty of brightness to its tone without sounding "shiny," which contributes to the fullness of its presence and resonance.  The guitar has a solid spruce top, Sapele back and sides, and a Richlite fingerboard. Frankly, I'm not enough of a guitar nerd to really place a lot of stock in those spelling words, but I know enough about acoustic guitars to know that this is a fantastic instrument and a quality investment.  While it of course pains me to "retire" my faithful FGX, it is undeniably exciting to have a new, quality guitar of this caliber for the future.

  

All that to say this.

If you are reading this and you had any part in helping me purchase this instrument, thank you so much for supporting me as your worship leader and for enabling me to continue to serve the Lord with excellence.  This guitar is dedicated to the worship ministry at Fellowship Bible Church and to the glory of our great High Priest, Savior, and King.

I'd like to especially thank a few individuals.

Jack Klose -- one of my closest friends and mentors.  Jack has seen me through some of the hardest years of my life, he loves the Lord with an infectious earnestness, and he trained me to do the work I'm now doing.  Thank you for believing in me, for your pastoral care, and for your tireless co-laboring.  How about we actually sit down and have dinner together some night now that we've lived across town from each other for more than a year now?

Lori Mariano -- one of the most organized and purpose-driven folks I've had the pleasure of working with, and arguably the mastermind behind the modern FBC worship experience.  Thanks for keeping my head on straight, for making me consider the details I would otherwise overlook, and for serving the Lord with such a willing heart.

Mike Moore -- the drummer who wants to be a musician when he grows up, who keeps me in time, and who (centuries ago) hosted a Bible study for teenagers back when my hair still reached my shoulder blades.  It was Mike who once pulled me aside after a gig he played with my high school band and told me that while he loved what I was doing with the band, my real strength was in leading worship.  Without that encouragement, I might not be where I am today.

The FBC worship/tech teams -- all of you rallied behind me when I assumed leadership and continue to serve alongside one another with faithful diligence, humility, and excellence (not to mention flexibility -- our favorite word).  I will never stop telling you all how grateful I am for the opportunity we have to worship our God together.

Finally, all of my students -- college, high school, or junior high, you guys and girls are a joy to me.  It is my privilege to be your youth director.  Thank you so much for coming together to help me replace my old guitar, for tolerating my terrible jokes, and for faithfully attending Third Place and UM.  You guys are part of the future of the church, and I don't just mean the future of FBC.  Your generation can have a powerful influence on whichever faith community you eventually find yourselves part of.  Stay true to Him always.

~*~

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

-- Ephesians 3.20-21 

A Meditation on Love for Resurrection Day

Paul's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 takes on a new light when considered during the Passion Week.

Love is patient and kind.

There are perhaps no two words that better describe the Christ.  Even when He spoke hard truths about repentance, He was compassionate.  Even when He rebuked, his sternness came from the kindness that is intended to lead us to repentance (Rom 2.4).  Out of love for His enemies, He came to make Himself available to human souls floundering in the hopeless sea of sin.

That required patience when we were arrogant and unresponsive.

That kind of patience required a divine, purposeful kindness.

Love does not envy or boast. 

Jesus' earthly ministry was fraught with frustrations.  He was rejected in His hometown.  He had no place to lay His head.  The Jewish leaders heckled Him whenever they could find the occasion.  People cared more about the miracles He worked than the words of truth He spoke.  His own hand-picked followers would desert Him in the hour He was forsaken by His own Father.

Instead of wishing for better fortunes, Jesus shouldered the cross.

Jesus' earthly ministry was also marked by incredible success.  Demoniacs were cured.  Men whose hearts had been hard gradually softened to the truth.  Dead were raised and entire families believed.  Eleven men who often seemed so clueless would go on to personally carry Jesus' message and lead thousands of men and women to salvation.  Though He certainly had the right to boast in His accomplishments, Jesus chose instead to direct the glory to His Father in heaven.  Though He never told anyone who worshiped Him not to do so, Jesus was not like the false messiahs and prophets who wanted to make spectacles of themselves and attract large crowds of followers.

Instead of becoming prideful, Jesus deferred to His Father's will.

Love is not arrogant or rude.

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be silent before His accusers in the same way a "sheep before its shearers is silent," and He would not open His mouth in self-defense (Isa 53.7).  In the greatest display of humility the world has ever seen, Jesus endured the false accusations and the beatings and the shame and the rejection, never once putting His accusers in their places the way He justly could have done.  In the moment that He corrected Pilate, reminding the Roman Governor that he had no authority over Jesus except what had been given him from Heaven, Jesus revealed His meekness.  He had power and authority -- infinite power and authority.  But to accomplish the redemption of humanity, He had laid those things aside and would humble Himself to the point of death on a cross.

Were we in Jesus' place, most of us would have flexed a little muscle.  Jesus' demonstrations of His power weren't intended for that purpose.

Love does not insist on its own way.

In the garden, Jesus revealed His humanity in the struggle to submit to His Father's will.  And yet, despite the natural trepidation, He did not insist on His own way, choosing instead to repeatedly say, "Not my will, but yours."

No matter what adjectives we use to describe love, true love always involves sacrifice.  True love always means putting someone else first.  After all, there can be no greater sacrificial act than to lay down one's own life for someone else (John 15.13).  In Jesus' case, that meant putting all of human history before His own wants and needs -- before His own divine right to honor and glory and well-being.  That kind of love is rooted in the genuine desire to sacrifice for someone, a motivation to meet another's needs at any cost.

In modeling that kind of love, Jesus demonstrated that we shouldn't show love simply because it's the right thing to do.  We should be compassionate and empathetic and sacrificial because we desperately want to.  John captures it best: "By this we know [can understand, experience, and emulate] love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers" (1 John 3.16).

Love is not irritable or resentful.

With the betrayer's kiss still warm upon His cheek, Jesus called Judas "friend."  This came after three years of knowing the man's character, knowing that he stole from the poor (John 12.6), knowing that he would ultimately be a dagger in the back.  Any one of us who possessed such condemning knowledge would have stored up three years' worth of bitterness against that person and prepared a delicious, cutting response.  Actually, any one of us would probably have taken the appropriate actions to bring that person to justice long before he or she had the opportunity to do any harm.

Jesus, however, turned the other cheek -- in a sense, literally: he accepted the traitor's kiss on one cheek, and then bared the other for the insults and accusations that were soon to follow.

Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Matthew 9.36 records that Jesus was deeply moved with compassion for the Jewish people, because "they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."  He desperately wanted for the people to know grace and forgiveness.  He wanted to communicate truth and love to them.  This kind of compassion motivated Him at every turn of His three-year ministry.

On two occasions, Jesus overturned the tables and drove the moneychangers out of the temple courtyard in Jerusalem.  Instead of keeping the temple as "a house of prayer for all the nations" (Isa 56.7), the Jews had turned it into a "den of thieves" (Jer 7.11) -- restricting the Gentile worshipers to the outer court, charging exorbitant fees for sacrificial animals, and making interest hand over fist on the exchange of currency.  They knew no love for the expansion of truth -- only the love of profit.

Jesus cared only that His Father's house function as it was intended: a place where sins were confessed, glory was given to God, and people of all nations could worship.  He did not rejoice at the wrong that the Pharisees and religious leaders were doing in the temple, even though there was a constant flow of traffic through the temple mount.  In that regard, I'm reminded of the unfortunate reality that pastors and teachers can fall into the trap of caring only about attendance -- packing pews by any means necessary, caring more about the building's upkeep than the state of its congregants' hearts.  Successful ministry is not based on numbers.  The Pharisees certainly thought in those terms, and in so doing, they trained themselves to rejoice in the wrong they were doing.

By contrast, Jesus proclaimed only truth.  He was truth (John 14.6).  God was willing to forgive any who would come to Him.  For that purpose, He had sent His own Son -- the Lamb of God -- to take away the sins of the world.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Christ's unwavering perseverance, His commitment to the divine mercy mission, would lead Him to endure a shameful, agonizing death on the cross.  Though He feared His Father's wrath -- a wrath perfect in its holiness, a punishment Christ Himself did not deserve -- Jesus believed in the Will of His Father.  For that reason, He went willingly to the cross, "despising the shame" (Heb 12.2), and surrendering His life of His own volition (John 10.18).

In a very real sense, Jesus bore and endured all things on our behalf: the greatest pain and suffering imaginable -- not the cross, but the very weight of every human soul condemned to eternal judgment. He became sin for us and bore an eternity's worth of punishment on our behalf.

We should bear the burdens of others and forgive wrongs done against us because that's exactly what Jesus did on our behalf.

Love never ends.

And this -- this is victory.  His and ours.

Jesus Christ has overcome the grave.  For now and for eternity, the soul and the body are free indeed if they are found in Him.  Lacey Sturm wrote, "Death has died and love has won," and this is the truth believers celebrate year-round, though we especially remember it at Easter: that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient to satisfy the wrath of a holy God, that our debt of sin was credited to His account and paid in full, and that there is no longer any condemnation to be found in those who are called His children (Rom 8.1).

In Christ's resurrection, I too am free of death.  The grave will not be my final home.

In Christ's unending love, I am free of sin.  No longer am I separated from my Father.

Praise the Lord for His unmerited favor!  There is nothing more I owe.  And so I give Him everything.

There can be no greater way of celebrating.

~*~