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Advent Calendar for December 9
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, December 9, 2009
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Should You Enjoy a Sermon?
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Recently I had the privilege of preaching at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. It’s always an encouragement for me to experience a vibrant, Christ-centered, mission-oriented church. Thus I felt invogorated to be part of this church for a day.
I preached twice on Sunday morning in the traditional services at HPPC. During the second service, two other worship services were happening on campus: a contemporary service with a band and younger (!) preacher, and the “all nations” service that meets the cultural needs of folk from non-anglo cultures.
After each worship service, I stood at the door to greet the people. Those who came to shake my hand were kind in their greetings. I probably heard from at least thirty people something like: “I enjoyed your sermon.” Presumably, the folks who did not enjoy my sermon did me the favor of not coming by to tell me. But this got me wondering: Should you enjoy a sermon? Is this an appropriate response to the preaching of God’s Word?
Of course I realize that the folk from Highland Park were using a common expression to be affirming. I doubt they chose the verb “to enjoy” with much forethought or intentionality. So I don’t want to over-interpret their meaning, or even to suggest that I’m criticizing those who were so kind to me. On the contrary, I appreciate their gracious words.
But, now that I’m an occasional preacher and regular hearer of sermons, I wonder if enjoyment is, strictly speaking, what one should feel in response to preaching.
I can imagine some preachers and theologians being most unhappy with the “I enjoyed your sermon” comments. In fact, some might even question the effectiveness of my preaching. If people were actually enjoying my sermon, perhaps I was entertaining rather than edifying, titillating rather than teaching. It’s hard to imagine people coming up to Jeremiah after one of his prophetic messages and saying, “I really enjoyed your prophecy this morning.” If people enjoyed my sermon, perhaps that suggests I was failing to do my job as a preacher!
But, perhaps not. To be sure, there are times when preaching needs to hurt, when the Word of God, which is sharper than a two-edged sword, ought to be preached in way that cuts. Preaching, after all, should lead to conviction of sin and repentance, among other things. I don’t know about you, but I don’t generally enjoy sermons that force me to deal with my moral failings. Yet there is a sense in which a Christian sermon ought to lead to enjoyment. I’m not using the word “enjoyment” in its superficial sense. Sermons ought not to be enjoyed in the same way one enjoys a situation comedy on TV or an ice cream sundae. But the word “enjoy,” along with its derivatives, comes from an Old French verb meaning “to give joy to.” I would argue that this is, indeed, one key feature of authentic Christian preaching.
I’m not thinking here of the superficial joy that comes from hearing a preacher’s jokes or a compelling story. Rather, I’m thinking, in part, of the joy that comes when learning something of value. When I hear a sermon that teaches me something about God and his Word, I do feel glad. I truly enjoy learning God’s truth, and am thankful when preachers help me do this.
Yet enjoyment of preaching can flow from something even deeper than learning something valuable. It can come from hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Though I have been a Christian for almost five decades, I still need to hear the fact that God loves me and that Christ died for me so that I might experience the fullness of life, both now and forever. I need to hear that God has called me to participate with him in the grand work of renewing creation. If a preacher helps me to hear, really to hear the Gospel, then I am apt to feel joy, the joy of knowing God’s grace, the joy of finding once again my life’s true purpose.
Though preaching ought to create discomfort at times, even bringing a listener to weep with contrition, it ought ultimately to lead to joy. When someone truly and fully communicates the Good News of God, the listeners ought to feel joy, deep joy, genuine joy, transformational joy.
So, when people say to me, “I enjoyed your sermon,” I will receive this compliment as a kind gift. But I will also hope that what people mean is that they have learned something of eternal value from my sermon, most of all that God loves them in Jesus Christ and has a place for them in his great plan for the universe.
Topics: Christian Life, Worship | 2 Comments »
Advent Calendar for December 8
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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Topics: Advent Calendar | 1 Comment »
A New, New Atheism?
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, December 8, 2009
By now, we’re quite familiar with the so-called “new atheism” and its primary preachers: Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and company. These men have in common a deep digust for religion and a barbed tongue. Their approach to converting people majors in anger and attack, though, strangely enough, it claims to be exemplary in its love of reason. I’ve often thought that the communication styles of the new atheists might turn more people away from their cause than to it. But perhaps these atheists don’t feel obliged to treat people with kindness and charity.
Now, however, a new, new atheism has emerged, a kinder, gentler atheism, if you will. I had been vaguely aware of this new movement when an article in USA Today heightened my awareness. Stephen Prothero, a professor of religion at Boston University and an astute commentator on things religious, recently penned “Atheists need a different voice.” He highlights the emergence of the United Coalition of Reason, who are preaching the gospel of “Good Without God.” This also happens to be the title of a new book by Greg Epstein, the Humanist Chaplain at my dear alma mater. The stated mission of United CoR is:
The mission of the United Coalition of Reason is to raise the visibility and sense of unity among local groups in the community of reason, to create a national dialogue on the role of nontheists in American society, and to improve the way that nontheists are perceived by average Americans.
Notice, these folks are not, at least on the surface, trying to turning irrantional religionists into reasonable atheists. Stephen Prothero, who attended a recent meeting of the Boston Area Coalition of Reason, found that some of the rhetoric at the event reminded him of Hitchens and his gang. But he heard another kind of argument as well: “From this perspective, atheism is just another point of view, deserving of constitutional protection and a fair hearing. Its goal is not a world without religion but a world in which believers and nonbelievers coexist peaceably, and atheists are respected, or at least tolerated.”
Now that is a different from the old new atheist creed, hence my title “A New, New Atheism.” Another difference, according to Prothero, is the involvement and up-front leadership of women in the new, new atheism. He describes what happened at the Boston event:
There was one female speaker, however, and she spoke in a different voice. Amanda Gulledge is a self-described “Alabama mom” who got on her first plane and took her first subway ride in order to attend this event. Although Gulledge stood up on behalf of logic and reason, she spoke from the heart. Instead of arguing, she told stories of the “natural goodness” of her two sons who somehow manage to be moral without believing in God or everlasting punishment. But the key turn in her talk, and in the event itself, came when Gulledge mentioned, in passing, how some neighborhood children refuse to play with her sons because they have not accepted Jesus as their personal savior.
I find two things fascinating in Gulledge’s essay. First, though she was speaking at an event of the Coalition of Reason, her essay (PDF download here) is basically a powerful emotional defense of a life without religion. It ends, no lie, with a big “Group Hug!” as Amanda and her three sons embrace. Not exactly cold, hard reason here. As a rhetorical strategy, Amanda’s effort might very well win more converts than Dawkins’ acerbic “reason.”
The second thing that struck me in Gulledge’s essay was this line, referred to by Prothero in his article: “Three cousins and two neighborhood friends were not allowed to play with my children because we do not attend church or accept Jesus Christ as our savior.” Now that’s a great strategy to reach out to unbelievers, don’t you think? Not! Unbelievers will not listen to the good news of God’s love in Christ unless they experience that love through us.
As a Christian, I believe that we were created in the image of a good God, and that image remains, however tarnished by our sin. Thus people can be good without acknowledging God, even though their goodness actually derives from God. Saying that we can be “good without God” is rather like my daughter claiming that she can be a good actress without my help. Indeed, she is a fine actress, and I have not been her acting coach or director. But, then, there is the tiny little matter of her genetic inheritance . . . .
As a Christian, I also believe that our sin limits our expressions of goodness. Thus, we will only flourish in goodness when our lives are being transformed by God. This comes in the context of a relationship with him based on trust in Jesus Christ and lived in the presence and power of his Spirit. Those who do not know Christ will not be inclined to believe anything I just said unless they see in me a different quality of living.
I will close this post by quoting from Jesus:
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:13-16)
Topics: New Atheism | 7 Comments »
Advent Calendar for December 7
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, December 7, 2009
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Chilly Weather in Boerne, Texas
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, December 7, 2009
A couple of days ago we had some unusally chilly weather in Central Texas. Where I live, in Boerne, the temperature dipped below freezing for fifteen hours. The low hit 23 degrees. That’s two degrees lower than last winter’s low.
Now folks in colder climes, like my friend Dave in Minnesota, won’t be impressed by 23 degrees. That would be a warm winter day in his neck of the woods. But, for us, this was big news.
It was also good news from an aesthetic point of view. I awoke early last Saturday morning when the thermometer hit 23. Frost covered the grass, making it look almost as if snow had fallen. The ice-glazed leaves of the Red Oak trees were stunning.
That was the good news. The bad news was that one of the pipe fittings in my workshop burst from the cold. When things started to thaw, I had an unexpected river, then a lake. It was in an out-building, so there was no damage in the house. But Nathan and I spent a couple of frigid hours mopping up water and repairing the pipe. Next time I’m turning off the water in my workshop.
I thought I’d share a few photos with you. The first shows the frost covered grass of my front yard.
The next two photos are close-up shots of the frost-bitten leaves of a Red Oak tree. God’s artistry is amazing, is it not?
Topics: Texas | 1 Comment »
Advent Calendar for December 6
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, December 6, 2009
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Advent Devotion: The Lighting of the Second Candle
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, December 6, 2009
This is an excerpt from my Advent Devotional Guide that uses the Advent wreath. If you have a real wreath, you can use it, either alone, or with others. If you don’t have a wreath, follow this guide, and you can “light” the Advent candle for today online. (I originally wrote this guide for families at Irvine Presbyterian Church.)
We Remember the Meaning of Advent
Advent is a word that means “coming” or “visit”. In the Christian season of Advent we prepare for the “advent” of Christ at Christmas. Our preparation includes many things:
• We remember Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore them.
• We remember our hope for the second coming of Jesus.
• We remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.
• We prepare to welcome Christ at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.
By lighting one candle each week of Advent, we help ourselves to get ready for the birth of Jesus. Last week we lit a candle that signified our waiting for God our Shepherd.
Today we focus on the coming of Christ who brings forgiveness from our sins.
Prayer for God’s Help
Dear God, thank you for this season of Advent that helps us to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas. As we read the Bible and light a candle, may excitement for Christ’s coming burn in our hearts. Amen.
Topics: Advent | No Comments »
Advent Calendar for December 5
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, December 5, 2009
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Advent Calendar for December 4
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, December 4, 2009
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A Strange, Sad Christmas Irony
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, December 4, 2009
Check out this story from Reuters: “Competitive Britons send nativity costs soaring.” Here’s a cheery excerpt:
Gone are the days of shepherds in tea towels and tinsel-clad angels. Britain’s competitive parents are forking out on luxury pashmina shawls and velour dressing gowns to make their child the star of the annual nativity play.
The rise in so-called “manger chic” has seen parents spend up to 150 pounds ($250) on arctic fur throws for children cast as sheep and ivory bridesmaid dresses for angels, according to department stores group Debenhams.
“Manger chic” . . . now that’s a new one. Quite in keeping with the humble birth of Jesus in a stable, don’t you think?
As you can see from the photo above, my wife, daughter, and I didn’t exactly fall into the “manger chic” category when we served as the holy family in our church Christmas program fifteen years ago.
Topics: Christmas | No Comments »
Advent Calendar for December 3
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, December 3, 2009
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Topics: Advent Calendar | 1 Comment »
Is Advent Biblical?
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, December 3, 2009
Part 6 of series: Introduction to Advent
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Earlier in this series I mentioned the fact that many Protestant Christians reject Advent because they consider it to be a Roman Catholic practice. For most of these, it isn’t so much the Roman Catholic aspect of Advent that is truly problematic, but the fact that Advent is not taught in Scripture. You can’t turn to a place in the Bible and find teaching on Advent or a command to set aside four weeks prior to Christmas as a season of waiting, hoping, and yearning.
Does this mean we that biblically-oriented Christians shouldn’t observe Advent? For some, the answer is “Yes.” If it’s not explicitly taught in Scripture, then Christians shouldn’t do it. You’ll find that kind of argument among non-instrumental Church of Christ believes, for example. Since instruments are not explicitly mentioned in the New Testament teachings about worship, then we shouldn’t use instruments today.
So what about Advent? Does its absence from Scripture mean we shouldn’t observe it?
If you buy that argument, then you must also abstain from Christian celebrations of Christmas and Easter, which also aren’t found in Scripture. You might as well throw out Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, and Thankgiving too, since none of these are mentioned in Scripture. (I suppose you could find a way to derive Thanksgiving from the Jewish festival of Sukkoth (Tabernacles), though it wouldn’t fall on the fourth Thursday in November and it wouldn’t involve eating Turkey or watching football.) Moreover, if you really believe that Christians can only do that which is explicitly taught in Scripture, then you shouldn’t go a to a church building for worship, or sit in pews or chairs, or use microphones, or wear pants, or use hymnals, or use digital projectors, or . . . . Honestly, I don’t know any Christian who actually lives consistently by the “I don’t do it if it’s not in Scripture rule,” though I admire the intent of those who try.
I believe that we are free in Christ to do many things that are not specifically taught in Scripture. To a certain extent, I agree with those who argue that if something is not prohibited in the Bible, then it’s okay for Christians. (Of course this argument has limits. I had a Christian friend in high school who used this argument to defend her use of marijuana, since it wasn’t mentioned in the Bible. The rest of my Christian friends and I were persuaded that the analogy of drunkenness applied to getting high on pot. Thus we believed marijuana use to be sinful.) Surely there is nothing in Scripture that prohibits one from observing Advent. No matter what you think of it, Advent surely doesn’t fall into the “illegal drugs” category of no-nos.
But I’m not concerned merely with whether Advent is not disallowed in Scripture. I want to know if observing Advent is consistent with biblical themes and priorities. Is Advent biblical in this grander sense? Could the observance of Advent help one to grow in faith in a way that aligns with biblical faith?
Yes, I think so. For a moment, forget about Advent itself, and answer the following questions:
• Is it a good thing for us Christians to set aside a special time in the year to focus more on God and grow in our relationship with him?
• Is it good for us to get in touch with just how much we need a Savior?
• Is it helpful for us to wait on the Lord and to learn to wait upon him more faithfully?
• Is it helpful to remember our hope in God and to be refreshed in that hope?
• Would it be a valuable thing in your life to be prepared to celebrate the true meaning of the Incarnation?
• Would you like to experience more of God’s peace and presence during the often hectic weeks prior to Christmas?
• Would your faith be enriched if you were to read, study, and meditate on biblical texts that speak of the first and second “advents” of Christ?
I think most biblically-oriented Christians would answer these questions in the affirmative. Does that mean we all should observe Advent? Of course not. We are free to do so or not to do so, according to our consciences and sense of God’s leading. But it’s not hard to see how Adven (or something like it) t could be beneficial for most Christians. (Photo above: I’m not actually expecting many people to imitate my Advent tree, with its purple lights and purple and pink ornaments. This tree was in my office at Irvine Presbyterian Church, and could be seen by thousands of people driving by each day. I don’t put an Advent tree in my office any more, partly because I don’t have the space, and partly because the only beings who would appreciate it are of the four-legged variety. Photo to the right: The view out of my office window.)
If you’re looking for biblical passages that express Advent themes, you might think of such texts as:
Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14)For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. (Psalm 62:5-7)I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning. (Psalm 130:5-6)O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities. (Psalm 130:7-8)[T]hose who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31)I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Rom 8:18-25)
Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13)
The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)
Of course then there are lots of biblical passages that focus even more specifically on Advent themes and hopes associated with the coming of the Messiah. You can find these in my Advent Devotional Guide.
So, though it’s correct to say that Advent itself is not taught in Scripture, and therefore Christians are free to observe it or not, it is equally correct to say that the emphases of Advent are thoroughly biblical. If the traditions of Advent help us to focus more on the Lord, to get in touch with our need for him, to replenish our hope, and to celebrate Christmas with greater meaning and depth, then I’m all fer it, as we say in Texas.
Topics: Advent | 8 Comments »
Advent Calendar for December 2
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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Sharing My Greatest Advent Discovery
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Part 5 of series: Introduction to Advent
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Earlier in this series I spoke of discovering Advent. Of course I didn’t discover it in the way an explorer discovers a place no one has been before. Millions upon millions of Christians have observed Advent for centuries upon centuries. (Check this short history of Advent.) I’ve been a Johnny-come-lately. My discovery of Advent was more like when I find some fantastic natural oasis that’s been around for a long time, but, for some reason, I hadn’t ever visited.
What I want to write about today isn’t my discovery of Advent as an opportunity for growing in my relationship with God, but rather my accidental (providential?) discovery of one way to observe Advent that has made a huge different in my life.
It came in a most unlikely place . . . standing in line at Costco. Now you need to understand that I am terrible at waiting, especially in long checkout lines. Some time ago, I was rushing to get a couple of items at the market. I picked a short “Ten items or less” line, hoping to buy my stuff and get going. Of course, the person in front of me wanted to use a gift card, but the gift card couldn’t be read electronically. The checker knew there was a way to enter the gift card number manually, but he wasn’t sure how to do it. So he had to call his manager. Five minutes later, I was still standing in that “short” line, watching other lines moving swiftly. My teeth were grinding and my stomach was churning. Mostly, I was mad at myself to picking the wrong line.
My impatience with slow checkout lines makes me an especially lousy Christmas shopper, because, almost by definition, Christmas shopping requires waiting in line. Whether you’re at a fine department store or just grabbing some chips from the local mini-mart, chances are you’ll be waiting in line during the month of December. And, if you’re like me, inevitably you’ll end up in the slowest line in the store. This sort of thing can just about ruin the Christmas season for me, because waiting makes me grumpy.
Okay, enough with the confession, now to the discovery.
A few years ago I was waiting in a long line at the Costco in Irvine, California. In spite of my best efforts to find the shortest line, of course I ended up in the slowest moving line of all. As I stood there, I could feel my blood pressure rising. The more I waited, the more frustrated I became. Words I never say (well, almost never) filled my mind, and I’m not referring to “Happy Holidays.” “Why do I always get in the slowest *^%#($ line?” I asked myself. “And why is this taking so *#^($& long?” I grumbled under my breath. (Photo: Waiting in line at Costco)
Then, all of a sudden, it dawned on me. I had one of those moments of grace, in which God managed to slip a word into my consciousness. As I stood in that slow-moving line at Costco, I was waiting. Waiting! In a way, I was experiencing exactly what Advent is all about. Of course I wasn’t waiting for God to save me or anything momentous like that. I was simply waiting to get out of that store so I could go home. But, nevertheless, I was waiting. I was forced to experience something that’s at the very heart of Advent.
So I decided, right then and there in the line at Costco, that I was going to use the experience of waiting in line while Christmas shopping as an Advent reminder. In that moment, and in similar moments yet to come, I was going to remember what Advent is all about. I was going to put myself back into the shoes of the Jews who were waiting for the Messiah. And I was going to remember that I too am waiting for Christ to return.
As I decided to let the experience of forced waiting be a moment of Advent reflection rather than a cause for getting an ulcer, I found my anger quickly drain away. Waiting in line at Costco became, not a trial to be endured, but a moment of grace. And get this: I even found myself thanking God for the chance to slow down a bit and wait. This was, indeed, a miracle.
By the time I got to check out, my heart was peaceful, even joyous. I felt as if I had discovered hiddent treasure. But I didn’t want to keep it hidden. The next Sunday I shared my discovery with my congregation at Irvine Presbyterian Church. In the days that followed, many of my flock told me how much their Advent had been improved by thinking of waiting in line, not as a curse, but as a potential blessing.
Honestly, I can still forget my commitment to use waiting in line as a time for Advent reflection. My gut instinct can take over. I can easily start clenching my fists as I think of how much time I’m losing. But then a gentle breeze from the Spirit will remind me of how waiting can enrich my life, rather than rob me of joy.
Come to think of it, the grace of waiting in line during Advent might also be relevant to one of my other giant pet peeves: heavy traffic! Traffic is often worse during the season of Advent as people are rushing to the malls to shop for gifts. But I wonder if it’s possible to allow the hassle of traffic to serve as a reminder of Advent waiting.
In the last few years, what I hate most about the days prior to Christmas – waiting in line – has become a quasi-sacrament, a time to experience God’s grace. If you’ve never tried this, it may sound to you as if I’ve lost my mind. This sounds even sillier than wearing purple in the weeks before Christmas rather than red and green. But let me encourage you to try it. By experiencing waiting in line not as a punishment, but as a opportunity to wait peacefully, you’ll find a bit of grace, hidden and ready to be discovered, much like a little picture behind one of those doors of an Advent calendar.
Topics: Advent | 5 Comments »