Rockin the House

DateLine (9/28/05 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

The date was September 17 of this year. The location was one of the most exciting sports venues in the country, Death Valley in Clemson, South Carolina. About 80000 people had gathered to watch two nationally ranked teams, the visiting #13 Miami Hurricanes and the #20 Clemson Tigers, square off in an Atlantic Coast Conference football game. Miami had dropped their season opener in a close game with their in-state rival, Florida State, coming into this game at 0-1. Clemson had won two come-from-behind cliff hangers prior to this game making them 2-0 with a chance to go 3-0 for the first time in about 5 years.

The Tigers had begun the afternoon with what one nationally known sportscaster has called the most exciting 25 seconds in college football; the run down “the hill.” Various sports publications have ranked Clemson’s Death Valley as one of the top 10 stadiums in the country to experience college football. The Hurricanes were not intimidated as they rolled into town with their own invincible personas bolstered by 5 national championships since 1983.

Clemson led 10-6 at the half. Miami reeled off 14 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter. The home crowd roared their approval as the momentum tipped back toward the Tigers in the 4th quarter. Down 10 at the beginning of the quarter, a quick touchdown fueled the hopes of the Tiger faithful. Down 3 with about three minutes to go, Clemson executes a crucial drive that culminates with a tying field goal. The tension builds. A dropped ball in the end zone with less than one minute left is a missed opportunity for the Tigers to win outright in regulation but sends the crowd into a frenzy at the prospect of overtime. The home crowd explodes with energy as Clemson enters overtime for the 6th time in its history; sporting a 5-0 record on previous occasions, having never lost an overtime game. Every soul was on their feet with the vast majority screaming at a fever pitch in anticipation of a positive outcome.

This was absolutely the most electric moment in sports that I have personally experienced. Now here’s the fun part. With a voice that was heard with crystal clarity over the thundering crowd right at the zenith of the excitement, God spoke to me and said; “If you think this is something, just wait until you get to my place.” God cracked the door open briefly and gave me a miniscule glimpse what it will be like to hang out with Him.

Revelation 5 gives us a glimpse of another great gathering which I can only imagine is typical of what we will experience in eternity with our Lord.

11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

I had fun at the football game. Unfortunately here on earth such events are fleeting. The Tigers ended up falling in triple overtime by a score of 36-30. Oh but I can’t wait to shout at the top of my voice, “Worthy is the Lamb” with the heavenly crowd! You think the house was rocking on September 17? You haven’t seen anything yet. Don’t you dare miss it!

Salt and Light

DateLine (9/21/05 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

The “Convention Center” and the “Superdome;” both conjure up visions of a total meltdown of society. The city of New Orleans had just been hit by what some have termed one of the greatest natural disasters to ever strike the United States. Many unfortunate and unlucky found themselves trapped in a city with no essential services; no electricity, no water, no sewage, no police. Desperate people caught in a dangerous situation. The very sanctuaries that were devised for their salvation became tombs of civility.

Women drug screaming into dark corners to be taken advantage of while bystanders looked on without offering assistance because they were afraid, mutilated corpses lay exposed to the stares of innocent children, sporadic gunfire that kept the outnumbered law enforcers sequestered in their own safe havens. This was no Hollywood invention, this happened in our country just weeks ago. How could this be?

People are routinely challenged by natural disasters. As unsettling and uprooting as they are it infrequently leads to the abandonment of the constraints of an orderly civilization. What happened in New Orleans?

The Bible says in Matthew chapter 5, 13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Ever wondered what society would look like without Godly influence. Ever wondered what hell will be like. Rerun your TiVo of CNN coverage in the aftermath of Katrina. Sometimes the way to determine the impact of something is to remove its influence. Un-Godly people acting in an un-Godly manner; the fabric of society unraveling around the edges. You are salt and light. Our very manner of life depends on you. You are the seasoning of society. Unfortunately we now have some vivid pictures of what our own country would be like if God’s influence were instantly removed. Go forth and be “salty.”

Famous Last Words

DateLine (9/14/05 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

Consider the following last words of some well know persons.

How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?~~ P. T. Barnum, entrepreneur, d. 1891

Oh, I am not going to die, am I? He will not separate us, we have been so happy.Spoken to her husband of 9 months, Rev. Arthur Nicholls.~~ Charlotte Bronte, writer, d. March 31, 1855

Don't let poor Nelly (his mistress, Nell Gwynne) starve.~~ Charles II, King of England and Scotland, d. 1685

Ay Jesus.~~ Charles V, King of France, d. 1380

The earth is suffocating . . . Swear to make them cut me open, so that I won't be buried alive.Dying of tuberculosis.~~ Frederic Chopin, composer, d. October 16, 1849

Damn it . . . Don't you dare ask God to help me.To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud.~~ Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977

I am not the least afraid to die.~~ Charles Darwin, d. April 19, 1882

It is very beautiful over there.~~ Thomas Alva Edison, inventor, d. October 18, 1931

All my possessions for a moment of time.~~ Elizabeth I, Queen of England, d. 1603

God will pardon me, that's his line of work.~~ Heinrich Heine, poet, d. February 15, 1856

Go on, get out - last words are for fools who haven't said enough.To his housekeeper, who urged him to tell her his last words so she could write them down for posterity.~~ Karl Marx, revolutionary, d. 1883

Get my swan costume ready.~~ Anna Pavlova, ballerina, d. 1931

Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something.~~ Pancho Villa, Mexican revolutionary, d. 1923

Revealing, macabre, bizarre, rebellious, inspiring, misinformed, trivial, and naive; all words that can be used to describe the last words quoted above. Whether delivered from crystal clear minds or from the delirium of the final throes of a ravaging disease, final words often yield a poignant glimpse into the priorities of people.

One source identified the phrase, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” as the last words of Jesus. Actually this is not true. The last words of Jesus were, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).

The last words of Jesus were not delivered from the precipice of death; he had already defeated that foe. His words were exacting, forceful, and matter of fact. The Holy Spirit will come. You will be my witnesses. The entire world will feel the impact of your teaming with Me. Jesus revealed His priorities with His last words on earth. His people line up with His priorities. The wonderful truth is that when we line up with God’s priorities in this life, it will allow us to pass to the next life in infinite peace.

The Most Important Task

DateLine (9/7/05 – Ponce, Puerto Rico)

I’ve just finished reading a book entitled “The Great Influenza, The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History.” It’s a complete history of the deadly Spanish flu pandemic that struck the earth in the late 1900s. I know, this does not speak well of my choice of entertainment. You already knew I was a little weird, now it’s certifiable. In addition to an account of the flu pandemic the book gives a fascinating view of the medical developments of the late 1800s and early 1900s, a period that some consider to be the golden age of medicine because the field was developing at such a rapid pace.

Modern medicine was rapidly evolving based on the research being done on a surprising small number of US college campuses by a group of relatively unknown researchers. One of the great researchers was observed washing glassware while his technician was close by performing an important experiment. When questioned about this obvious contradiction his response was, “I always perform the most important task, and for this experiment the most important task is to clean the glassware.”

In Christian life, to the untrained eye, it’s not always apparent what the most important task is. Jesus said, “The first will be last and the last first (Matt. 19 & 20.)” Every task in the church is important. Every one who contributes to the church’s mission is valuable. There is no such thing as big jobs and little jobs. What we might actually deem as an inconsequential task is actually the equivalent of “washing the glassware.” All God asks of us is to find out from Him what He wants us to do and then to commit ourselves to getting it done. Our Lord Jesus demonstrated His willingness to do the lowly tasks when He lowered Himself to the level of a mere servant and washed the stinking dirty feet of His disciples in a striking example of humility. Are you willing to “wash the glassware?” It might be the most important task that God has for you.