Happy (Good) Friday,
My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
Jesus, Matthew 27:46 and Psalm 22:1
Christ’s words on the cross came from Psalm 22. This was not the first time he quoted Scripture. When he was tempted in the wilderness, he countered every one of Satan’s assaults with passages from Deuteronomy. And while he was carrying the cross down the Via Dolorosa, he cited Hosea. The Word of God (incarnate) was so saturated in the Word of God (written) that it shaped his thoughts and words, even in times of great stress.
JAMA – 1986: In March of ’86, The Journal of the American Medical Association published this controversial report – titled, “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ.” Written by two pathologists – one from the Mayo Clinic – the report analyzed the Gospel accounts and concluded that Jesus likely died of hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia.
Question of the Week: Colin Powell stated that, “There are no secrets to success. It’s the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” I suspect he’s right. But his statement begs an earlier question: What is success? What are we supposed to be aiming for? What is your target? Have you thought this through? How do you define success?
Good News: The WSJ’s editorial board recently claimed that, “The world is entering its most dangerous period since the Soviet Union collapsed.” A cultural analyst I follow recently lamented that “Many who think they are following Christ are actually being shaped more by the secular digital network than by anything from their church or the Bible.” I am aware of other bad news – there is a growing number of voices expressing concern about next year’s food supply – Jamie Dimon has issued warnings about powerful forces threatening the US economy. And then there are the standbys: challenges presented by COVID, opioids, political sectarianism, escalating crime, etc. Some of these matters deserve our attention. However, they should not shape our mood or outlook! We are to be formed by the joyful hope of an empty tomb. FWIW, while the Anger-at-Putin Index is going up, my sense is that the Ambient Anger Index is coming down. What I see around me now feels less like anger and more like weariness. It also feels like some are wrestling with the dis-ease that sets in when you realize the path you are on will not work – i.e., that the secular project will fail. As Christ followers we should not expect everyone to come to this awareness, but I do expect a growing number to do so. Be ready to offer an explanation for the hope that is within you. There may have never been a better time for the church to minister than we will have in the days ahead. Lord prepare us.
The Most Significant: This chart helps visualize the total number of people who have ever lived. And in this excerpt – which is the first chapter of a book I wrote about Jesus years ago – I argue that he was the most influential of them all.
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Billy Graham and Warren Buffet: What do Billy and Warren have in common? According to their memoirs, they share a similar “biggest regret.” What was it? Guess.
Without Comment: 1) Single-parent poverty declined by 62% between 1995 and 2016; 2) There are 60,000 time management books listed on Amazon; 3) Inflation is climbing at the fastest rate in forty years; 4) After briefly dropping in the early days of COVID, the CDC reports that sexually transmitted infections have surged to record highs.
Quote Worth Requoting: “We create our buildings and then they create us. Likewise, we construct our circle of friends and then they construct us.” Frank Lloyd Wright.
April 15th: April 15th is quite a day. 1) In 1783 Congress ratified the treaty ending the Revolutionary War; 2) In 1865, Abraham Lincoln was pronounced dead; 3) In 1912, the Titanic sank; 4) In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball; 5) In 2013, the Boston Marathon was bombed by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan. It’s also normally the day your taxes are due. But last year we got a long extension and this year we get a couple of days. You can still put this off! Your taxes are not due until Monday, April 18th.
Billy and Warren – Take 2: I wouldn’t leave you hanging. Their common regret was, “not spending more time with their family.”
Two Articles Worth Your Time: In this Atlantic essay, social scientist Jonathan Haidt – whose work I have cited before – explores the three forces that bind successful democracies – social capital, strong institutions, and shared stories. He then notes how social media has weakened all three and explores the mayhem that has followed. In this WSJ editorial – Dying Gives Us a Chance to Confront Truth – Kavin Rowe speaks about the benefits of thinking about – and preparing for – our death. As a pastor writing to you on Good Friday, let me remind you, death is an enemy, but Jesus has defeated it. Beyond that, one day he will destroy it altogether. We need not fear death, but we need to face it.
Closing Prayer: My dear Lord, though I am so very weak that I have not strength to ask you for suffering as a gift, at least I will beg from you grace to meet suffering well when you in your love and wisdom bring it on me. Let me bear pain, reproach, disappointment, slander, anxiety, suspense, as you want me to, O my Jesus, and as you by your own suffering have taught me, when it comes. Amen. (John Henry Newman – 1801 – 1890)