Happy Friday,
Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit….When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Luke 1:18ff)
Joseph as a Case Study: Most Americans think God’s job is to help in times of trouble. But Joseph didn’t have any trouble until God got involved – and then he did. This is just one of many situations that suggest that our comfort is not God’s highest priority for us. If we believe that faith should be comfortable, we will take the easy way out and will likely miss the blessing of walking with God.
J.I. Packer on Comfort: While I am here, let me share a related J.I. Packer quote: Maintaining a certain level of comfort is the agenda of an enormous amount of American evangelicalism but…. It needs to be said loud and clear that in the kingdom of God there ‘ain’t no comfort zone and never will be. Being in the kingdom of God has to do with self-denial and cross-bearing and living a life in which instability and problems of one sort or another is par for the course. You read the New Testament and that’s actually what you’ve got…. This isn’t comfort-zone stuff. It’s the negation of comfort-zone stuff.”
Caring for Caretakers: Last week I noted that Christmas is not just a time of high highs, it’s also a time of low lows. Indeed, for many, Christmas reminds them that another 12 months have gone by and still…I am in debt or unemployed or single or sick or estranged from ABC, etc. The belief that everyone else is enjoying a Normal Rockwell/Hallmark holiday makes their (your?) struggles that much more acute. Last week I asked you to be patient with those around you. This week let me ask you to be particularly kind to caretakers. Caring for those who are caring for others is something we often overlook.
From the Front Lines of Youth Culture: This week I sat in on a presentation by LEAD – an area group that works to help “parents and teens build healthy relationships and find alternatives to using drugs and alcohol.” Every year they extensively – and professionally – survey the local high school and issue a report. This year’s data is in. The Good News? 1) very few kids are misusing prescription drugs; 2) the increase in marijuana usage is less than expected; and 3) students listen to parents more than parents realize. The bad news? 1) 25% of 12th grade students used marijuana in the last thirty days; 2) nearly fifty percent of high school seniors engaged in binge drinking – i.e., five or more drinks in less than two hours – in the last thirty days; and 3) vaping is up 47% over the last year. (BTW, I learned that 98% of vaping products contain nicotine, even though many users believe they do not).
Word of Advice: The LEAD staff stated that: when it comes to talking to your kids about important topics, one sixty minute conversation is not as helpful as sixty, one minute conversations.
Throwing Shoes at the President: Getting mad and kicking the wall is not as bad as getting mad and kicking a dog, which is not as bad as getting mad and kicking the person next to you in the check-out line, which is not as bad as getting mad and kicking the Queen. Indeed, if you do the latter you’re in serious trouble. What’s my point? The wickedness of a deed is measured in part, by whom it is against. Thus, our sin against an infinitely righteous and glorious God is profoundly wicked. I learned this ten years ago today (Dec. 14, 2008) when this happened.
Quotes Worth Requoting:
- The only thing you can take with you when you get to heaven is what you have given away. C.S. Lewis
- If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. If Christ is not risen, nothing else matters. Jaroslav Pelikan
UUPG: At a recent gathering of mission agencies, the Big “C” church crossed a threshold: as of last week, the remaining UUPG – that is “unreached and unengaged people groups” – are now spoken for. (Unengaged means no known missionary has established contact with the group, and unreached means that the known church in that area is less than two percent of the population). Since the Lausanne Consultations began back in the 70s, there has been an effort to engage every people group with the Gospel. The number of UUPG has gone down over time. At the start of last week’s gathering, 343 groups remained. At the end of the gathering, all had been accounted for. This does NOT mean every people group has been engaged or reached, but it does mean a mission agency somewhere has identified plans to do so. Keep praying.
Of Possible Interest:
- In an Atlantic Monthly piece titled, “America’s Epidemic of Empty Churches,” Jonathan Merritt explores what to do with the buildings being vacated by the 6,000 – 10,000 American churches that die each year. He didn’t ask me, but I say, restart them! For starters, once a church property is turned into an apartment building or restaurant – and goes back on the tax roles – it’s unlikely to ever enjoy tax exemption again. But the real reason -as Keller argues here – is because there is nothing like a new church to reach more people.
- Since the Scopes Trial, fundamentalists have been derided for their rejection of evolution. In a Quiellette article, called “The New Evolution Deniers“, evolutionary behavioral ecologist Colin Wright notes that some liberals are now rejecting the theory. Why? As advocates of “Blank Slate psychology”, they do not like the suggestion that behavioral sex differences are biological.
Without Comment: Life expectancy in the US fell again last year. Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that it dipped by one tenth of a percent – to 78.6. Why? It’s down because: 1) of the dramatic spike in suicides; and 2) because of the rise in deaths related to opioid addiction.
Word of the Year: Some of you pointed out that I made a mistake in the last Update. I thought we were about to learn the 2018 Word of the Year. It turns out it was chosen at the end of 2017. 2018’s word of the year was toxic. And the odds on favorite for 2019 Word of the Year is… Fake News.
Closing Prayer: Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen. Third Sunday in Advent, Book of Common Prayer