What's your name?

 

“Your identity is like your shadow: not always visible

and yet always present.” Fausto Cercignani

 
A name is one of the first gifts a parent gives to their child. It’s one of the first things that we lead with when we introduce ourselves to someone new. Yet, picking a name for a baby can be an overwhelming, stressful process. It will be a tag that a child will have for the rest of his or her life.
  There’s a new study out that people alter their appearance to suit their names. Researchers sought to determine whether parents choose a baby name based on what seems fitting for the baby's appearance, or if an individual’s facial appearance changes over the years to align with the social stereotypes associated with his or her name.
  In the study, 9- to 10-year-old children and adults were asked to match faces to names. The findings revealed that both the children and the adults correctly matched adult faces to their corresponding names, significantly above the chance level. However, when it came to children's faces and names, the participants were unable to make accurate connections.
  The researchers concluded that the similarity between a person's face and name results from a self-fulfilling prophecy. Adult facial appearances change over time to align with stereotypes associated with the name. Stereotypes can be formed in many ways, for example, because the name is linked to a famous figure or due to the connotations of say a biblical name.
  On this one, I’m a skeptic. In my junior year of high school there were four of us named Scott, all in the same homeroom. If you Google Scott, there are many famous people named Scott. Though I’d have loved to have had the musical ability of a Scott Joplin, I’ve never been interested in acting like Scott Bakula, Scott Baio or Scott Caan. Yet, I would have loved to have just a bit of the athletic ability of a Scott Hamilton.
  If you’re a Christ-follower, there’s a name we must live up to. Are you living up to yours? The name Christian has virtually become meaningless. That wasn’t the case when it was first used. It was almost written as a footnote with no explanation in Acts 11:26: “And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”
  Those early believers were distinctly different from the culture they lived in. Because they lived in an environment without a connection to Judaism like the church in Jerusalem had, believers in Antioch really stuck out. Antioch was a Roman city, influenced by the Roman and Greek way of life. It was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. As those around them observed the life differences in those believers, a new label began to form. They were called Christians because they followed Christ. What were some defining marks that set believers apart from their culture?  
  They continually spoke of Jesus and what He’d done for them. When Barnabas arrived in Antioch to check out the church, he saw the grace of God. Many of those believers had been radically saved. Their conversion stories were often sharp and distinct, so they loved to tell their community of the love of Christ. They shared the gospel with those around them.
  They lived out their devotion to Christ for everyone to see. Their lives were significantly different from the society around them. Their dissimilarity with their culture was a new experience for the church. Jerusalem believers lived a lifestyle like the culture they lived in, one steeped in Judaism. Judaism and Christianity overlap in moral matters, so the church stood out mostly for its belief in Jesus as the Messiah. But, in Antioch, the new behavior and morality of Christians was far different from the lifestyle of those around them. Yet, these believers were part of the city, rather than isolationists like the Jewish community there. Neither isolationistic nor idolaters, they became a fascination for many in Antioch.
  They were a multiethnic, diverse community. In those days, religion and race were entwined together in a tangled knot. Race often determined your religion. As Christianity spread, conversions occurred everywhere. Since they took the gospel wherever they went, new believers were of every race and culture, which resulted in a multiethnic, diverse church.
  They had a new sexual ethic. Believers in Antioch fled the Roman-sexual anything goes morality to live a biblical one. They respected women, recognizing they deserved honor and equality. They celebrated marriage and that the only Christ-honoring sexual experience was in a covenantal union. It was so starkly unique that it shocked non-Christ followers.
  They had a new work ethic. Rather than living to acquire wealth, believers worked with the goal of bringing honor to God. They wanted their work to reflect well on God and saw work as a means of worship.  
  They loved one another. Their love for other believers stood out most of all. They were known by their love. As they lovingly lived with one another day in, day out, the rest of the community took note of the way they treated each other and those outside their group. Even when mistreated, they loved the world around them. They were united despite race, position (slave or free), politics, or economics.
  Those early Christ-followers, like Jesus, were an enigma. They didn’t fit the existing categories. They didn’t disassociate from their world yet were distinctly different from their world.
  It reminds me of a story of Alexander the Great. One night Alexander couldn't sleep and walked around the campgrounds. He came across a soldier asleep on guard duty. The penalty for falling asleep on guard duty was death. The soldier began to wake up as Alexander the Great approached him. Recognizing Alexander, the young man feared for his life. "Do you know what the penalty is for falling asleep on duty?" Alexander asked the soldier. "Yes, sir," the soldier responded in a quivering voice.
  "Soldier, what's your name?" demanded Alexander the Great. "Alexander, sir." Alexander the Great repeated the question: "What’s your name?" "My name is Alexander, sir," the soldier repeated. A third time and more loudly Alexander the Great asked, "What’s your name?" For the third time the soldier meekly said, "My name is Alexander, sir." Then, Alexander the Great looked the young man straight in the eye. "Soldier," he said, "either change your name or change your conduct."
  We live in a unique cultural moment, filled with opportunity. If Christians today will live like the church in Antioch lived, our faith and walk with Christ will stand out in beautiful ways. The name “Christian” should be our identity. Others interacting with us should see Christ. Are you living in a way so that others would label you a Christian?

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

Don't Vote!

“Don’t Vote…”

  One of the first stories I remember from childhood was the story of a boy who cried, “Wolf!” Remember it? Originally, it was one of Aesop’s Fables.

  Essentially, there was a shepherd boy who was either bored or scared as he watched the village sheep. To keep from being alone, he cried out, “Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!” People came running to drive the wolf away, but there was no wolf. The boy did this several times. Finally, when there was a real wolf and he sounded the alarm, no one came. He’d falsely sounded the alarm too many times.  

  It seems like nearly every election cycle, someone proclaims, “This is the most important election in our lifetime.” The problem is that they said that last time and the time before that and the time before that. A thinking person will conclude, “something smells.” The alarm has been sounded so many times, it’s ultimately tuned out.

  Then, well-meaning Christian leaders will say something to the effect of,  “It’s a Christian’s duty to vote.” Some will go so far as to say that to not vote is a sin.

  The Bible never even says that. A free society such as we know was unknown in the days of the Bible. Personally, I believe that it’s a responsibility as a citizen of a free society to vote, yet it is not a moral right or wrong. It’s definitely not a sin to not vote. But it is…

  It is a sin to fail to pray for our government leaders, whether we agree with them or not. Paul urges us with: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).  

  Please note that it’s a prayer for our greatest need, “God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved.” It’s a gospel prayer, not a politically expedient one. While God is concerned with moral, social and fiscal issues, the greatest need is a gospel one. That’s why the gospel and the Church can’t and must not be identified with partisan political posturing.

  Yes, I believe that you should vote BUT long before you enter the voting booth, the believer must habitually enter the prayer closet. Read the pages of Scripture and you’ll find that God intervened over and over again when His people prayed.

  We’ve substituted programs and political rhetoric for true power, the power of prayer. We complain when we should petition our Heavenly Father. The reason our country is in such a mess is not because of the government or media. It’s because God’s people have neglected to pray.

  An evidence of that is the anger and even hatred among Christians for governmental leaders. It’s difficult to hate someone if you’ve been praying for them to the Savior who said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” It’s hard to hate when you follow the example of Stephen, who as they dashed him to death with rocks, prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). I don’t know how a Christian can be full of anger and venom and still be obedient to Romans 12:14-21.  

  Thank them! After you pray for them, thank them. Government leaders are “God’s servants for good” (Romans 13:4). Your first contact with an elected official shouldn’t be a complaint or something you’re upset about. It should be a “Thank You” note, whether you agree with them politically or not. Thank them for serving. Thank them for being willing to be criticized and maligned because they desired to make a difference.

  If you want to make a difference, start small. It isn’t likely that your vote will change the outcome of the next national election, but it could make a difference in the next School Board election. The most important people for you to know, encourage and pray for are part of your City Council, Village Board, Township or County Board. Your State Senator or State Assembly Representative are fairly accessible. If you call them, they’ll usually personally call you back.

  Personally, I try to visit Madison at least once a year to drop by my representative’s offices and let them know that I appreciate them and I’m praying for them. I don’t have an agenda. I’m truly grateful for them and for their staff (who often are unsung heroes and do a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes). You could make it a field trip for your family.

  When you actually know them, when you can ask questions and know what they believe and their worldview, then you can vote more wisely.

  Please, though, don’t get caught up with a few political red herrings. Personally, I believe that we’re foolish if we believe that we can count on our elected officials to stand with us on moral and social issues. Politics is the world of expediency. If it’s the difference between potentially being elected or not being elected, all the supportive rhetoric will usually be jettisoned for victory in the next election cycle.
  Since we’re citizens of heaven, our first concerns must be the real world. Before we vote, a believer must ask, “Who is going to be best for the advancement of God’s Kingdom?” You won’t know that if you don’t take the time to pray and do some research. If you’re basing your vote on the political party, the latest commercial or even some slick postcard you received in the mail – you’re vote may be little more than the boy who cried wolf. It has little to do with reality and nothing to do with God’s Kingdom. For us, it’s not America First, it must always be King Jesus First!  

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

The Blessing of the Pope vs. Trump

“The only thing of our very own which we contribute to our salvation is the sin which makes it necessary.” William Temple

  I can’t think of many things I am truly thankful for in the current adversarial political arena, but I was truly thankful for the Pope Francis’ recent suggestion that Donald Trump is not Christian. The Pope said, “a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian.” I was very thankful he said it. I probably should have sent him a “thank you” note. Yet, what I’m thankful for is probably not what you are thinking. As soon as I heard the story, I thought “what a great opportunity to clearly explain the Gospel!”

  In all honesty, I don’t have a solution for the immigration issue. While I believe a country must protect its borders and has a right to protect its sovereignty, at the same time, the United States has had an open door policy for immigrants since its conception. It’s why our Statue of Liberty has this poem inscribed on it:

“Give me your tired, your poor, 

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

 

  Our long term national care for the disenfranchised and suffering goes back to our Judeo-Christian history and heritage. It’s because of our “Christian” heritage that immigrants desire to come here. There’s not a long list of people trying to immigrate to China or Cuba.

  The Bible has much to say about immigrants in our midst. For example, “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). It does not though give us a clear policy or even suggestions of how to legislate about immigration. Personally, I feel, while many have come here illegally, unless they’re criminals and not desiring to become citizens and/or better themselves, it’s cruel to send them back. It’s also unacceptable to tear apart families. Yet, it seems to me both parties use suffering people groups as a political football to incite emotion to gain mileage with their constituency. If they were primarily concerned about what’s best for America and immigrants, a reasonable solution could be worked out…please don’t hold your breath.

  Yet, my real point is that the Pope suggested someone was NOT Christian because of something they DO. That’s not what the Bible teaches or the Gospel says. It does point up the polarization of two completely different religious or worldviews. Essentially, there are only two religions or belief systems…and they’re quite simple – DO and DONE.

  In his comments, the Pope is suggesting one must DO something to be a Christian. Yet, the Bible clearly says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). What does one do for a gift? Nothing. For once you must “DO” something to obtain that gift, it ceases to be a one. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” God’s grace is absolutely free. Once you DO something or work for it, it ceases to be grace. More than that, you can’t DO anything – nothing, zilch, nada “not a result of works.”

  Building a wall, not building a wall, being moral, going to church, giving lots of money, being nice – none of it has anything to do with being a Christian. Doing something, doing anything will no more make you a Christian, than climbing over a wall will make you a citizen.

  God gave His only Son, Jesus, to die on the Cross to pay our huge debt for our sins. It’s a free gift. It’s all DONE. The only thing that remains is to accept it. In fact, to think one can DO something to somehow pay God back for the gift of the life of His precious Son is an insult to the Father. As George Whitfield said, “What! Get to heaven on your own strength? Why, you might as well try to climb to the moon on a rope of sand!”  

  The Bible also teaches I don’t know who is a Christian, neither do you and neither does the Pope. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Only God knows who is truly a Christian. While if someone is a Christian, there should be indicators or what Scripture calls fruit (Matthew 7:16), only God knows who has truly accepted His free gift of salvation and is truly a Christian.

  One cannot DO anything to become a Christian, other than accept God’s free gift of salvation because Jesus has DONE it all. One can also not DO anything to keep their salvation. The Bible calls salvation “eternal life.”

  How long is eternal? How then can someone lose what is eternal? As Romans 8:35, 38-39 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Wow! You can’t DO anything to earn it and you can’t DO anything to lose it! It’s all DONE.

  That’s because when Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, the sin debt as huge and as unfathomable as that huge debt is, it’s still a finite amount. Yet, when the Son of God died, His sacrifice was an infinite death – every sin, past (all the way back to Adam,) present and future (all the way to infinity and beyond) was paid for. It’s all DONE.

  Is Donald Trump a Christian? I don’t know. I do know that according to the Bible, it has nothing to do with what he will DO or not DO. If he is a Christian, it’s only because of what Jesus has DONE and that Donald Trump has accepted God’s free gift of salvation. Jesus death has DONE it all. No sin is too great. Even the most heinous sin is paid for, even my sin…and I’m truly the worst sinner I know. It’s DONE. Have you accepted God’s free gift of salvation? Is it a DONE deal for you?

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