Scars and Stripes Forever!

“It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars.” ~ Garrison Keillor

“Children show scars like medals. Lovers use them as secrets to reveal. A scar is what happens when the word is made flesh.” ~ Leonard Cohen

Inspired by some real-life events, author Peter Benchley decided to write a book about shark attacks. He pulled source material from a series of incidents along the Jersey Shore that lasted for twelve days and left four people dead. Benchley also spent time with a renowned shark fisherman named Frank Mundus who was his muse for creating one of his book’s main characters; Sam Quint. Doubleday Books commissioned Benchley to write the novel, and in 1974 it spent forty-four weeks on the best sellers list. By the time the movie rights were purchased and the film was released a year later, the book had sold over 5.5 million copies. Peter Benchley’s book on sharks became the memorable film “Jaws” which is listed as one of the top-100 movies of all time. I was twelve years old when the movie was released and it left quite an impression on me. I had nightmares about my bed becoming a boat and a Great White circling under me. Whenever I got into the water; lake, ocean or pool I would be seized with a sense of fear before laughing at myself for being such a goof.

The film spawned many memorable scenes, lines and characters that now some 37 years later are still culturally relevant. The film is set in the beach town of Amity which is ironic in its own right. Amity means “friendship; peaceful harmony” or “mutual understanding and a peaceful relationship”. It is a clever use of foreshadowing, since the peace will be shattered by the enmity of the Great White shark. The shark embodies hatred, ill will and animosity with its cold, black and lifeless eyes. This is a classic case of good versus evil, embodied in man versus shark.

One of my favorite scenes in the film is when the three main characters, Chief Martin Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper and shark hunter Sam Quint are in the galley finishing their dinner. Up to this point they have been at odds with one another and both Brody and Hooper have yet to gain the respect of the curmudgeonly Quint. Brody looks at a cut on his forehead he received as they tangled with the shark and Quint laughingly tells him not to worry because it’s not permanent. Quint proceeds to remove his front tooth and then asks Hooper to feel a knot on his head that he received during a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Not to be outdone Hooper tells him; “I got that beat” and shows him a scar on his arm where a moray eel bit through his wet suit. Duly impressed Quint tells him how he received a compound fracture in his elbow in an arm wrestling contest. Hooper attempts to one up him by pulling up his pant leg to show where a Bull shark has scraped his leg. Quint responds with his own leg scar he received from a thresher shark. Finally, Hooper pulls open his shirt and confidently proclaims he has the crème de la crème; Mary Ellen Moffat broke his heart. Brody looks at his appendectomy scar and wisely decides to stay out of the one-upmanship.

This comparing of scars broke the ice and built a mutual respect among the three protagonists. They had been through various battles and those battles had left their mark. Brody notices a scar on Quint’s arm and inquires about it and the mood instantly changes. Quint tells the harrowing story of his experience on the USS Indianapolis, and reveals the motivating factor for his vocation as well as an emotional scar that has not yet healed. The Indianapolis was torpedoed in 1945 after delivering one of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. The ship started with a crew of over 1,100 men; 300 went down with the ship, 896 went into the water and only 317 survived. Some died from exposure and dehydration, but many were systematically picked off by sharks. This tragedy is well documented in Doug Stanton’s book “In Harm’s Way”.

I am sure you have heard it said that “chicks dig scars”. We tell other guys that in a somewhat callous and comical way to make light of various cuts and injuries. Our scars can tell a story about us and some are evident for all to see while some are hidden out of view. Every day I can look at my body and see scars and they serve as a reminder of some event. On my left bicep I have a scar where my older sister burnt me with her curling iron. I still don’t know if it was accidental or intentional, but either way I probably deserved it. On my left wrist and right knee I have scars from when I fell off a rock ledge onto a creek bed at age twelve. This was after I ignored my father’s direction to stay at the top of the hill side due to the loose shale. On my left cheek bone I have a nice scar from skin cancer surgery which reminds me that I need to wear a hat and sunscreen. I have a real nasty scar on my left ankle from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon which reminds me of my stubbornness and failure to concede to the sands of time. I tore it and waited three weeks before going to the doctor all the while trying to convince myself it was just a bad sprain and I just need to give it time to heal. There is no fool like an old fool.

These scars are outward reminders to me of pain, discomfort and even foolhardiness. Some scars are visible while others are not visible to the naked eye. We all carry with us baggage or scars that are not simply physical, but emotional and spiritual. But these scars need to serve as a reminder to each of us that there is always more to a person than meets the eye. We cannot fully grasp the depth of their hurt or need simply by what we can visibly see. Just like the three characters from the film we tend to compare our scars to those of others and think our pain is greater or our hurt is deeper. We can never truly know the hurt or sorrow that someone else has endured, and as followers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we need to avoid our tendency to be unfeeling or callous. On the contrary, our scars are meant to develop a feeling of empathy and care for the pain of others. Our scars can create a kinship or a bond with others who have endured similar hardship. We need to allow our “scars” and the scars of others to be used as a platform for the Gospel. God sees all of our scars, and what we think is unbecoming or unredeemable, He deeply loves and wants to use to show forth His glory. He sees something so beautiful that He took on human form to break into our world and embrace our grief, our shame, our guilt and our pain. It is a very hard concept to understand or embrace, but we need to come to the startling realization that anything and everything we go through in life happened for a greater purpose. If God could make sense out of the suffering and pain of the Cross, surely He can make sense out of any suffering and pain we may endure.

We have a tendency to think no one is capable of understanding our pain or our situation. But have you every stopped to consider that Jesus Christ has the scars to prove that He does understand, and has endured more than we ever will? Are you feeling lonely and abandoned by friends, loved ones and your community? Jesus Christ endured that and more. On the Cross Jesus’ suffering was complete and total. He felt the full force of physical, emotional and spiritual pain. The men he had spent three years of His life pouring Himself into scattered at the first sign of trouble. He suffered and died alone, was abandoned by the adoring masses, his own family thought He was mad, and the entire community turned against Him. And in His darkest hour after enduring hours of physical torture He faced the ultimate in emotional and spiritual suffering when His own Father turned His face away, (Matt. 27:46). Name your pain, show your scars and tell your hurt to Jesus Christ and He will empathize and totally comprehend the entirety of you. Don’t believe me? Drink in Isaiah 53:3-5; “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”

We should not be ashamed of our physical, emotional or spiritual scars. They point us toward a longing that is buried deep in every heart for total and perfect healing that can only come through the work and person of Jesus Christ. Through the work of Jesus Christ those who once were at enmity with God can live in amity with Him. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”, (Romans 5:1). Where we once were in conflict and at odds with God, we now through faith in Jesus Christ, have friendship, peace and harmony. There are some scars that we should “dig” or pay attention to, and allow them to penetrate us to the very core of our being. Those are the scars on His nail pierced hands and feet. Jesus endured the suffering and humiliation of the Cross and He has the scars to prove it. Let those scars and stripes be a source of healing for you!

“I’m the one with big mistakes, big regrets, and bigger breaks than I’d ever care to confess. Oh but You’re the one who looks at me, and sees what I was meant to be, more than just a beautiful mess.” ~ Matthew West (“You Are Everything”)

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” ~ Hebrews 4:15

Se7en Deadly Sins Redux

All hope abandon, ye who enter here! ~ Dante Alighieri

“Some people get so caught up in their own holiness that they look at the Trinity for a possible vacancy.” ~ John MacArthur

Admittedly I am not a fan of the horror or “slasher” movie genre. I make it a point of avoiding these types of films and televisions programs for many reasons. I’ve addressed this in previous posts, but if the Gospel changes everything, (II Corinthians 5:17) it should also have a bearing on my entertainment choices. What that looks like for me may be different for you, and I am willing to let the Holy Spirit inform others rather than attempting to force my applications on them. Since I believe we are image bearers of God (Imago Dei), I struggle with watching anything that depicts gratuitous violence being inflicted on others. Each one of us needs to continually evaluate these choices in light of Philippians 4:8 and ponder if God would agree with us that it is true, pure, just, lovely and of a good report. Like you, I still struggle with keeping that in the forefront of my mind.

Hollywood has recognized our culture’s fascination with the bizarre and grotesque, and there seems to be no end to the movie going public’s insatiable appetite for the disturbing and macabre. Back in 1995 one movie that was a box office favorite was the film “Se7en” starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey. The storyline of the film followed two police detectives pursuing a serial killer who was murdering his victims in a manner which depicted the seven deadly sins. These so-called top seven are wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. Fortunately there are “only” seven in this list or this film might have spawned a myriad of sequels similar to the “Saw” franchise. Hollywood does like to beat the proverbial dead horse if they can make a buck.

The seven deadly sins are actually loosely based on a scriptural passage in the Old Testament. In Proverbs 6:16-19 Solomon lists things that God hates, but his list is considerably different than the traditional one. The only one that they really share in common is pride. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians has more of the list of seven, but the list he provides in verses 15 through 21 are considerably longer. The seven deadly sins on the “traditional” list are commonly attributed to a 4^th century Catholic Monk named Evagrius Ponticus. Two centuries later Pope Gregory I revised that list before they found their way into Dante Alighieri’s epic poem “The Divine Comedy”. All this serves to point up the importance of knowing what God’s Word specifically calls a sin and the need to separate man’s ideas from God’s biblical truth.

In the past two weeks I have heard multiple speakers caution their audience about blurring the Gospel by considering some sins as “unpardonable”. A few prime examples that seem to be on the lips of Christendom are alcohol consumption, divorce, abortion and sexual preference. If I didn’t know any better I would almost get the impression that my fellow evangelicals believe in mortal and venial sins. But I digress… Indeed the Bible is very clear about how God views our choices, however any student of the Bible knows that God can and will pardon the sinner no matter how grievous WE may think their sin is. The Gospel is powerful enough to deliver the self-righteous too. If you consider yourself a “whole Bible Christian” then you know that God forgave murderers (David and Paul) as well as prostitutes (Rahab ) and those with multiple partners (woman at the well in Jn. 4:1-26). The Bible also shows that God can and will forgive those who find their identity in their “holiness” instead of in Him alone. Thankfully it is not up to you or I to determine who is worthy of God’s mercy and grace.

But hypothetically speaking; what would Dante’s poem look like today if he attended church in North America or had his own social media profile? What would his list of seven look like based on what we commonly consider “sinful” behavior? Who is the smartest person in the room or he who is the most “separated” wins! So with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek here is Dante’s list for the 21^st Century. To any non-US readers I beg for your indulgence as this post will likely be perceived as “amerocentric” in nature. However it serves to underscore a growing concern for the shallowness of our faith and practice which seems to be spiraling into a form of godliness, (2 Tim. 3:5). It makes me wonder sometimes if God himself finds our worship as grotesque as a Hollywood horror film?

First on the list is Christian music style and preference. More ink has been spilled in books, blogs and social media comments on what is good or bad Christian music. An individual’s spiritual standing with God rises and falls like a barometer on whether or not their music tastes align with ours. The arrogance displayed and reliance on human wisdom divorced from the Gospel on both sides of the aisle is staggering. In the so-called “worship wars” the most notable casualty is the Gospel. God’s spirit must be grieved at the petty bickering devoted to this subject while souls are lost and going to a Christ-less eternity. Let the Holy Spirit inform and pray that He would inform you as well. But arguing about this in front of the watching world does not draw people to the Gospel. It is very apparent at times that Romans 14 is blithely ignored, and even though each is convinced in his own mind and do it unto the Lord we despise, judge and quarrel over opinions.

Second on Dante’s new list would probably be political affiliation. I have friends and family that refuse to give an audience to the Gospel message because of rabid and mean-spirited partisanship…on both sides of the aisle. We each need to ask ourselves if our discussion of politics is done in a manner that does not create a stumbling block to winning people to Christ. Belittling or demonizing someone simply for their political leanings is an anathema to the Gospel. The Gospel and your political party of choice are not mutually exclusive.

The third deadly sin would be dependent on which theological system you subscribe to. I am speaking specifically if you lean towards a Reformed (Calvinism) or Arminian interpretation of scripture, or if you subscribe to a Dispensationalist or a Covenant theology. Good men can disagree about theological systems (soteriology) and eschatology, but at times you wouldn’t think so. Ask yourself this key question; do you think that the average man on the street even knows or cares what system you adhere to when their biggest and most crucial need is the Good News? Do you think arguing where you fall on the five points or who leans one way or the other is being salt and light? There are people reading this blog right now who don’t have a clue what I am even talking about…and they are probably professing Christians. But just the slightest innuendo that a ministry leans one way or the other and they think the bogey man is in their midst. Echoing in my ears are the verses arguing that I am of Paul, I am of Apollos…ah, but we are of Christ! (I Corinthians 1:12). Maybe we should take a cue from Gamaliel in Acts 5:33-39; if it is of God you cannot stand against it.

The fourth deadly sin of our generation is Bible translations. Without a doubt some modern translations are stronger and more faithful to the ancient texts, but God’s Word is still sharper than a two edge sword in modern English or Elizabethan. Frankly speaking; God is grieved by this idolatry.

When Dante walked in our churches he immediately knew what the fifth deadly sin had to be; “casual” dress. Men without neckties and women in pants! Oh the humanity! We need to get back to those externals. Seriously folks, is there a single instance in the New Testament where Jesus specifically castigates someone for their attire? Oh yeah…the Pharisees, (Matt. 23:5). How about we just walk in and praise God that we have the opportunity to worship with a fellow believer without fear or restraint? If you are wearing a neck tie or tie-dye, I am just glad to see you in church. We say with our lips that we don’t expect people to look like us, but our attitude betrays us. Are we communicating to the believer and the unbeliever your not welcome here if you don't wear clothing we deem as acceptable for worship? Again, rely on the Holy Spirit informing rather than demanding conformance to the subculture.

Imagine Dante’s shock when he saw these shabbily clothed sinners reading God’s Word on an iPhone, iPad, Kindle or Nook. The sixth deadly sin is eReaders. For all we know they might be texting, updating their status or playing Angry Birds. For all we know those with the printed Bible could be daydreaming, thinking about what’s for lunch, or judging another man’s servant (Rom. 14:4). God’s Word is still powerful whether it is in the printed or digital form, and it will not return void, (Isaiah 55:11). Praise God that those in the younger generation have God’s Word so easily and readily accessible. It is a safe bet that those in the persecuted churches abroad would be glad to be able to afford or have access to a Bible in any form!

Weary at all this widespread rebellion, Dante’s final deadly sin of the modern era was small groups. What?!? Get together and read a book by a Christian author that helps apply scriptural truth for everyday life? Heresy! Discussing biblical truth and how to live out the Gospel in a close and personal setting sounds an awful lot like discipleship and sharpening iron. The 1^st Century church got together in homes and in public settings for hours, but don’t let those historical facts cloud your judgment. Have you ever once considered that people are starved for more spiritual companionship and are aching for more edification and fellowship? Lord forbid they should discuss a book that focuses on The Book. Maybe if we actually talked more actively and openly about what God was doing in our lives there would be no need for small groups. But it seems like when we get together to “fellowship” we talk about anything and everything other than spiritual matters.

We are often reminded that scripture warns us about calling evil, good, (Isaiah 5:20), but the other side of that same coin is to call something that is good, evil. We need to be silent where the Bible is silent and loud where the Bible is loud. We need to be very cautious about judging others and their motives simply based on our preferences, conscience or man’s logic and reasoning. In Acts 10 Peter is given a vision that shocked him and he argued with God about what was clean and unclean. This vision led him to seek out a non-Jewish occupier of Israel named Cornelius and bring the Gospel message to him. Peter and Cornelius were polar opposites in many ways, but the great equalizer was the Gospel. This act preceded Paul’s missionary journeys that ultimately brought the Good News to Gentile (non-Jewish) world. Lucky for us that we weren’t on that roof in Joppa or maybe we would still be arguing with God about this vision and doubting His call to fulfill the Great Commission…

So there you have it; Dante’s 21^st century edition of the Se7en Deadly Sins for the American church. Let’s major on the minors and marginalize the Gospel. If you feel this list is more important than the Gospel then do us all a favor and DON’T make disciples. Our nation does not need another generation of shallow believers. Seriously, we would do well to focus on rooting the original deadly sins out of our lives before we add more or create a new list. But for those bothered by this 21^st century edition my advice to you is to just relax. After all, the beauty of made-made lists is that they are subject to change at any time. Aren’t you glad we serve a God who by His very nature is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” ~ Galatians 5:16-26

Not mocked

“I use the rules to frustrate the law. But I didn't set up the ground rules.” ~ F. Lee Bailey

“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice.” ~ William Jennings Bryan

A couple of the extracurricular activities my children have taken advantage of during their high school years are the Forensics and Mock Trial teams. Some of the activities that are a part of Forensics include public policy debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate as well as storytelling and extemporaneous speaking. This is an excellent opportunity for teens to develop logic and reason skills as well as sharpening their ability to clearly and concisely articulate a thought or idea. Mock Trial is the act or imitation of a trial where students are assigned the roles of attorneys and witnesses, and they must prepare to compete in a court room as either the defense or the plaintiff. These trials are rehearsed and it allows them to learn the rules of the legal system and take that knowledge to compete against other schools in regional, state and national competitions. I have written about this in the past, and it has prompted some thoughts and themes that point to faith in Christ.

This past weekend my oldest son participated in our state Mock Trial competition, and I drove to the state capitol to observe the proceeding. It is truly amazing to see these fine young minds memorize the details of the case and also the legal language and various articles of the law. They must think on their feet very quickly to raise an objection and respond to an actual serving judge to convince him or her to overrule or sustain the objection. They need to know legal terms like hearsay. They need to know if an out of court statement is allowable, if an attorney is leading a witness, if a question is argumentative, if the facts are relevant to the case, or if testimony is prejudicial, speculative or out of scope. The challenge for these young adults is that unlike an actual courtroom they have a time limit. Their opening statements, their testimony, cross-examination and closing arguments must be completed in a predetermined and fixed amount of time. If you dwell too long on a certain aspect you put yourself and your entire team at risk.

My son’s team is very well prepared and has excellent coaching. They spend literally hundreds of hours preparing for these competitions. These cases are purposely ambiguous; that is the facts of the cases are open for interpretation and does not favor the defense or the plaintiff. The cases are civil in nature and not a criminal matter so the goal is not to determine innocence or guilt, but to test theories from the provided materials. Scoring and winning is not based on the merits of the case, but on the overall effectiveness of their given role.

During the recent competition it came time for the final round to determine which team would represent our state at the national competition. The team they faced was well prepared and quite a formidable challenger. As a parent of a competitor it is difficult to be impartial but I was struck by that the impression the other team was focused more on gamesmanship rather than litigation, and they were using tactics to win on a technicality rather than on the merits of their presentation. They seemed to be parsing words or looking for nuances in the case transcript to get points deducted through a rules violation. When their witnesses were on the stand they appeared to purposely waste time by giving a monologue rather than testifying. They monopolized the allotted time by long-winded testimony and constant objections when the opposing attorney attempted to move the case along. Like the quote from F. Lee Bailey, they used the rules to frustrate the law and the contest. In the end their tactics worked to their advantage and by a mere one point they advanced to the national competition.

Throughout the Bible God is pictured as a righteous judge. The word righteous means acting in accord with divine or moral law. God’s very attributes are wrapped up in righteousness and gives Him both the authority and the right to judge; He is free from guilt or sin and this sets the precedence that His decision is final. David acknowledges this in the Psalms and in chapter 9 he rightly states; “But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.” God the Father shares this authority with His Son, Jesus Christ and we see this in the gospel of John in chapter 8 when Jesus states; “Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.” We can rest assured that God’s judgment is right, true, pure and unbiased. There is no higher court.

The writer of the book of Hebrews warns all mankind in chapter 9 when he states; it is appointed for man to die once, after that comes judgment. We know God’s judgment is sure and that should truly be a sobering thought for us all. We will not be able to stand before God hoping that the case against us is purposely ambiguous. We will not be allowed to monologue or avoid giving a direct and concise answer. There will be no objections about the evidence being inadmissible, prejudicial, and circumstantial or hearsay. We cannot hope to win on rules violation and we cannot rely on a special circumstance to save us. We cannot attempt to “poke holes” in the prosecution’s case, rather than making a case on our own behalf. We cannot present or spin the facts to our advantage or tell the Righteous presiding Judge that the facts are open for interpretation. We will be held accountable and the Bible is very clear about this in Galatians 6:7; “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Eternity will not be won or lost on a technicality.

One of my favorite words in the entire English language is “propitiation” which means to gain or regain favor or goodwill; to appease. When we stand before God our one and only hope is placing our complete faith and trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. His death propitiates or appeases God’s judgment on us. This is no mere technicality but the sole means of a favorable decision in God’s final court. Jesus Christ is the only undefeated litigator in history. He covered the “billable hours” with His blood on the cross to represent you and I before the Father. He will be our advocate "pro bono" if we will only humbly seek Him and ask.

“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.” ~ I John 2:1-2

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” ~ Romans 5:10