Lost 29th May 2010.
For those following, even sporadically, the TV series Lost over its 6 years of existence right up to its finale this week, when it almost dominated the airwaves as US channels released it early in an effort to win rival audiences, the end was surprisingly reconciliation not slaughter.
It started well with flight Oceanic 815 crash-landing on a tropical island but neither the passengers nor the island were what they seemed. The island was inhabited by scientists and brigands. It had a labyrinth of underground passages and caverns that housed equipment which operated the islands electromagnetic system.
The passengers on the flight were all interconnected. The relationships were not at first apparent but their earlier lives were unfolded in a series of flashbacks. To spice up the series flash-forwards were introduced and if that was not confusing enough, parallel episodes were shown where the characters were both on the island and back in their home country.
To complete the intrigue the theme of death stalked the series since 2004. However there were random resurrections and in the later scenes distinctions were blurred as to who were dead and who were alive as both behaved in a similar fashion!
Included in the mix was a satanic character who appeared as black smoke and was connected to a blazing inferno in the centre of the island. In order to overcome this evil, the hero Jack had to drink water from a stream which emanated from a bright shining light. The liquid made him “fireproof” and he was able to plug the opening, extinguish the fire, save the island and possibly all of humankind.
If you are still with me you will appreciate the person who said the series should be re-named “Totally Lost”!
The Authors of the tale claim to be Christians and the entire series can be thought of as a six-year meditation on how human beings approach death. There were plenty of burials on the beach but those who made it to the finale appeared to be reconciled at least to each other in a church type of building called “home”.
God only came into the picture in the symbolism on the stained glass window, which showed Christian as well as occultist imagery. This was where Jack Shepherd’s father (now resurrected) helped his son to find his way “home”. Jack’s number was 23 hinting at Psalm 23 – the Shepherd psalm - but that was as good as it got!
In the Bible death is the product of sin. It is not “natural” but an aberration resulting from the fall. To attempt to sanitise death is to ignore the work of Christ in dying for lost sinners. His salvation is God’s gift: - the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans Ch.6 verse 23. It’s the receiving of this gift that brings the sinner into God’s family: - to all who did receive him, (Jesus) who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. St John Ch.1 verse 12.
It is through faith in Jesus that the lost are reconciled to God and to one another and are brought “home” to heaven.
The State of Ireland. 6th June 2009.
Perhaps its time to stand back reflect on the material and religious tsunamis that have visited us. It is recorded in 1 Chronicles chapter 12 that the “men of Issachar, understood the times and knew what Israel should do”. The trouble with trying to emulate them today is not that we cannot answer the first point but that finding a solution to the second presents a far greater challenge.
Understanding the times are not too hard with the aid of economists we can see the unbridled greed of the business sector. The Ryan Report into child abuse has helped us to see how unaccountable power leads to corruption which has all but destroyed the religious community. Both these things refer to past sins but their exposure, coming together as they do in the present, demands our attention.
One commentator, referring to the Ryan Report quoted a disillusioned voice which said, “What Christ preached was a kingdom. What we got was a church”. Perhaps it might have been better said, “What Christ preached was Christianity. What we got was religion”! The kingdom of God is simply where God reigns. For the Christian, Jesus said it is “within you”. It is both now present in the believer and future when Christ returns. Jesus said “my kingdom is not of this world” and we have produced a religious empire. We have been attracted to temporal power, counting heads and counting cash.
So what would the men of Issachar say to the people of our day? They would tell us to repent which means to renounce these things and turn to Christ that we may be truly born again into his kingdom. They would tell us to form churches (which are assemblies of people, not buildings) where the watching world could see Jesus’ commandment, “by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" beginning to be fulfilled. And we, with the benefit of a fulfilled salvation, could add that we begin at the cross where Christ took all our sins and purchased our pardon with his blood.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in the world makes a fresh start possible in this, the day of grace. These things are as true today as when Jesus said it. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again.”
The Abolition of Religion. 4th April 2009.
While the great and the good of the G20 nations were gathering in London to save the world from bankruptcy here in Dublin we were holding a conference to extol the virtues of religion. The underlying contention was that religion (the variety we have in Ireland) is good for you. An impressive amount of research was marshalled to emphasise the fact.
The keynote speaker was Professor Casey who claimed: “What the scientific studies summarised in my report have done is to observe large numbers of people who practise religion and compare them with those who don’t practise religion.” She added that these repeatedly found that, with some exceptions “that religious believers live longer, have lower rates of mental illness, recover faster from physical illness, have lower rates of alcohol and drug abuse, lower rates of crime and lower levels of marriage breakdown”.
With such benefits on offer one would be tempted to look into the merits of religion.
What does the Bible have to say on the matter?
Surprisingly there are only 4 references to religion in the New Testament and 3 of these are referred to by St Paul as the forms and ceremonies of his former life before he was converted to Christ.
When St James uses the word he contrasts the vain with true religion – the latter having to do with changed conduct not forms and ceremonies.
As Dick Lucas the Anglican Preacher put it; the Romans were open to religions provided their participants acknowledged allegiance to Caesar. They said, “Let a 1,000 religions flourish”, but they persecuted Christians.
You could imagine a Roman speaking to his Christian neighbour; “I hear you have a new religion”. “Who is your god?” “Jesus is our God.”
Roman, “Who is your Priest?” “Jesus is our Priest”.
Roman “Where is your Temple?” “Jesus is our Temple.”
Roman, “Where do you do your sacrifices?” “Jesus is our sacrifice.”
Roman, what kind of religion is that? The answer is that it is not a religion. Christianity is a relationship with Jesus whereby a person is born again into the family of the living God.
When Jesus died on the cross the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. It had been there from the beginning to prevent access to the holy place where God had presenced himself. By his death Jesus has provided a new way whereby the repentant sinner can come into the presence of God. As the writer to the Hebrews put it, “we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain”.
Religion stitches the curtain up again permitting access only through forms and ceremonies which Jesus came to abolish. This is what we have been saved from!
Obama-ites. 24th January 2009.
This is the Saviour of the world said the shop assistant referring to Obama as the radio brought the Presidential inauguration in Washington into the local chemist’s shop. For a moment I found myself agreeing! Such has been the momentum generated by the rhetoric and the welcome distraction it afforded from the chill economic winds that are blowing that there was a strong temptation to buy into it – lock, stock and barrel.
Barack Hussein Obama carries with him into the Presidential office the hopes of a fairer society in the US and justice for the rest of the world. Perhaps never has one man had had so much expectation placed upon his shoulders. Perhaps never have such flimsy shoulders appeared to carry the burden so lightly. But then this is only the first week in office!
The traditional oath of allegiance, taken in God’s name and sworn on the Bible, demonstrates the dependence the founding fathers had on God, his word and the solemnity of the task being undertaken. Indeed the wording is so crucial that in order to ensure its accuracy following a slip-up the first time, the oath was taken again the next day. Conceivably, no President has faced a more daunting task and never has the wisdom of Solomon been more necessary.
The choice of Gene Robinson and Rick Warren to offer the inaugural prayers was no doubt symbolic, the first representing the gay community and the second evangelicals. Robinson was an unfortunate choice as he announced in advance that he was shocked by the Christian prayers offered at past inaugurations and that he would not offer a Christian prayer. Instead he prayed to a “god of many understandings” making it impossible to know which god he was talking to.
Fortunately Warren prayed along the lines St Paul commanded Timothy. "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 Saviour"1 Timothy Chapter 2 verses 1-3.
The shop assistant got mixed up on who is the real Saviour of the world. I trust that Obama and all who support him will not make the same mistake.
Euthanasia – Killing with Kindness. 15th December 2008.
Last week, Sky’s digital channel, Real Lives, showed the Oscar-winning documentary, “Right to Die” featuring Craig Ewert’s assisted suicide in a Swiss clinic. Craig had been suffering from motor neurone disease and died in the presence of his wife following a lethal doze of barbiturates.
As film directors take their craft into increasingly sensitive areas of human existence we are asked to confront matters previous generations were only vaguely aware of. The Hippocratic Oath bound the medical profession to heal not harm. The crucial clause states, “I will use treatment to help the sick according to my judgement and ability, but I will never use it to injure or wrong them”. With advances in medical science comes the ability to sustain the life of the dying until the problem becomes an ethical rather than a medical one.
The poet has written;
Thou shalt not kill
But need’st not strive,
Officiously, to keep alive (“The Latest Decalogue” in Selected Poems, Penguin)
There is a distinction between causing someone to die and allowing death to take its course. This is illustrated by Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones, the famous Christian preacher who, during his final illness refused further treatment, complaining to his doctor, “You are keeping me from the glory!”
Where did Lloyd-Jones assurance come from? It came from a living relationship with Jesus Christ and a confirmation from the Bible. In 1970 he concluded one of his books with the following: “I say it with reverence, go even into the presence of God with “holy boldness” and in “full assurance of faith”; not boldness in yourself, but in your Mediator, in your great High priest, in the One whom God raised from the dead in order to let you know that your sins were dealt with at the Cross once and for ever, and that He looks upon you as His dear child.”
I don’t know anything of Craig Ewert’s beliefs but for those who share Lloyd-Jones faith in saving love of Jesus Christ, the future is glorious. As St Paul put it;
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
1 Corinthians Chapter 2 verse 9.
Pork Chopped. 8th December 2008
News of food contamination in the developed world travels fast. Sophisticated food testing in a number of European countries detected dioxins in pork fat as far back as September. Towards the end of November the source was traced to an animal food recycling plant in Ireland.
When confirmation of high levels of contamination was obtained from the UK laboratory last Saturday the Government acted swiftly to recall all Irish pork products produced from pigs slaughtered in the State.
Consumers emptied their fridges, retailers emptied their shelves and the process was repeated in our export markets as far away as Japan.
There have been reassurances from “experts” that there is unlikely to be any health issues occurring to those whose diet contained pork since September but they sound hollow in the face of total product recall.
The fear factor where food is concerned becomes paramount.
By contrast we had a report yesterday from a missionary from N-W Cameroon. There food testing does not feature in the vocabulary. Water is the major concern. Its quality is so poor that you would hesitate to use it to water your garden. Yet this is the normal drinking supply used even for patients in the local clinic!
Are the people in N-W Cameroon disinterested in health issues? Are they less interested in remaining alive than those of us in the developed world? Hardly!
What does the Bible have to say about this “fear factor”?
There is one incident when the Prophet Elisha was feeding his students with some contaminated stew (and there he quickly corrected the problem 2 Kings Ch.4v’s38/41) but not before the cry went up “O man of God there is death in the pot”!
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead does, for those who trust him, put a different complexion on longevity. This difference is seen most plainly in the Apostle Paul’s declaration that “Death is swallowed up in victory”. Jesus removed its sting.
Jesus makes fearful lives new as in the case of the man who lived among the tombs in the region of Gadarenes. He was cured at the expense of the local pig stock; St. Mark Ch.5v’s 11/20. In that case the people preferred their pigs to Jesus and sent him away.
Reader, do not be like them!
The Cruelest Cut of All. 24th November 2008.
The case of asylum seeker Pamela Izevbekhai who lost her appeal against deportation to Nigeria in the High Court last week was given a reprieve when the European Court of Human Rights intervened, delaying the deportation for 3 weeks, while they review the case to see whither or not the grounds for deportation were warranted.
The reason Pamela came to Ireland in 2004 with her two daughters Naomi and Jemima now aged 7 and 6 was to avoid female genital mutilation. Apparently her husband’s family observes this rite and insisted that she have the procedure carried out on her two daughters.
Pamela had a daughter called Elizabeth who had this procedure carried out by a cousin when she was 18 months old in 1994. Unfortunately she died when the bleeding could not be stopped and Pamela, not wishing to risk the same fate for her two remaining daughters, with the aid of her husband, applied for asylum in Ireland.
Presumably the Minister for Justice is afraid to permit one case which would set a precedent for a potential influx of similar cases from
Nigeria and other countries where FGM is practiced.
In fact the practice is outlawed in most countries where it is a cultural tradition but law enforcement is difficult.
FGM is not mentioned in the Bible. Occasionally it is claimed that Jesus advocated mutilation when he recommended the removal of a man’s own eye if it caused him to lust after a woman. This has never been interpreted literally! Indeed the removal of both eyes would not solve that problem. What Jesus means is simply that we are to deal drastically with sin adopting measures that promote self control.
The only examples of mutilation in Scripture are provided by the Prophets of Baal who when taunted by Elijah “they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed” in the vain hope that their god would answer them.
The other example is Jesus’ body which was mutilated on the cross for us. As the writer to the Hebrews puts it, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.
He took our sins including the sins of cutting the flesh of children that we might follow him and not cultural tradition.
Dying For Drugs. 17th November 2008.
Drugs have been in the news for all the wrong reasons this last week. We had almost 2 tonnes of cocaine removed from the yacht “Dancing with Waves” when the customs seized her in the Atlantic. Then came the death of Shane Geoghegan, a tragic case of mistaken identity, at the hand of a hit-man hired by a Limerick gang involved in a drug related feud.The week ended with a similar incident in Finglas which left a man in hospital fighting for his life.
The street value of the yacht’s cargo of €500 million did not make the headlines but it does provide a clue to the size of the rewards accruing to the dealers. The craving of the addict provides an increasing market which has penetrated all strata of society. The admission by the Minister for Justice that we cannot police our coastline is stating the obvious whilst reliance on increased surveillance, phone tapping and information from disaffected gang members is like putting a band aid on a cut jugular vein.
But there is always an underlying reason why people behave in a certain way. Drug-taking is not a career choice! The majority of the dealers are recruited through fear or addiction. However change is possible.
This was portrayed last Thursday when RTE showed the film “16 Blocks” where Bruce Willis plays the part of a corrupt, alcoholic NY cop who has the task of taking a witness, played by Mos Def, 16 blocks across Manhattan to the court where he is to give evidence which will incriminate a number of NY police who, needless to say, are out to get him! The central thought of the film is Mos’s unshakable belief that people can change. Given the right circumstances, which in this case is Mos’s disregard for his own life to protect Willis, who has also become a target because he first protected Mos from the corrupt cops.
And Willis does change! It was a message of hope triumphing over impossible odds.
The Bible’s great theme is that we can be changed.
This happens, not through self effort but through faith in the work of Jesus. The only mention of drugs in Scripture occurs when Jesus is on the cross and is offered some vinegar to dull his senses. The gesture was to lessen his physical agony but that was nothing compared to the intense pain of bearing the sins of the world in order that repentant sinners like you and me could turn from our sin and trust Jesus.
Jesus makes permanent change possible for dealer and user and reader of this blog!
Budget 2009 27th October 2008.
It has been interesting to come back to Ireland at the end of last week to find that the Budget has been subject to revision by the people. Formerly it was the task of the opposition to critique the proposals and the Government to stand by the decisions they made. In fact it cut short Garrett Fitzgerald’s government’s term in office when they stood by their decision to tax children’s shoes back in the 80’s.
Whatever the rights or wrongs of this particular piece of legislation to yield to pressure groups is not the way to govern. In times of crisis the government needs to be seen to exercise its authority and bare the consequences of its decisions. In short, the budget is not a discussion document.
The Bible is not a discussion document either! What God has said is true. We are all descended from one source. We are here for a purpose. We are going to one of two possible places. We learn that God is our maker. It also explains that our Maker is our redeemer.
"This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.”
And in the final analysis our destiny depends on our relationship to Him. “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus invitation remains open to all who come to Jesus believing in his word. "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
Unlike the budget you cannot change what God has said but you can depend on it.
The John 3:7 Sign. 29th September 2008.
It was surprising how the sign which Frank Hogan carries to all the GAA matches became the subject of conversations at the Baptist Hospitality Marquee in the Ploughing Championships last week. It seemed that most people had seen it and were curious as to its meaning.
The story is told of how Frank was once stopped at the turnstiles and told he could come in to the match but not bring the sign (it’s about 5 feet long). His protests that he had been bringing it with him for years were of no avail. The matter was referred to “higher authority” and after due deliberation word came back to the effect that both Frank and John would be welcome!
So what is it all about and why does Frank think it is important?
It marks the place in St John’s Gospel where Jesus tells a religious man that he needs to be born again if he wants to see the kingdom of God (St John Chapter 3 verse 3. The man clearly wanted to become a citizen of that kingdom, a Christian, a follower of Jesus but thought it was like joining a club or becoming active in the affairs of the church of his day. Jesus’s reply cuts across these ideas and shows it’s not what we do but what God does that matters.
The Bible tells us that we are born spiritually dead (Ephesians Chapter 2 verse 5). Born again or, more literally, born from above, is something only God can do. When God does it a person sees their need of Jesus and turns away from trying to gain merit by his or her own efforts and trusts God to do the work of re-making us from the inside. This He does by the Holy Spirit.
St John goes on to contrast the two births by quoting the words of Jesus, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
Why does Frank think it is important? Because it is the entry point to the Christian life for the child of God. It is a new start of a life, lived to please God, starting exactly in whatever circumstances you are now in.
If Jesus words are speaking to you now receive his gift of salvation. Referring to Jesus the Bible says, to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (St John Chapter 1 Verses 12/13)
Events, Dear Boy, Events. 22nd Sept. 2008.
When the former British Prime Minister, Harold McMillan was asked by a journalist what troubled him most in his political life he famously replied, “Events, Dear Boy, Events”!
This last week has seen the most cataclysmic events of our time hit the citadel of capitalism that America has become. The sheer scale of the debts incurred far exceed our comprehension. Indeed the mind struggles in trying to understand how these debts could have arisen in the first place.
We act like the humorist, Garrison Keillor’s Lutheran farmers in the Minnesota outback of Lake Wobegon who, when crisis arise, go and do yardwork!
Anything to take the mind off what is simply too big to grapple with.
It must have been a similar state of mind that prompted Simon Peter to say to his fellow Disciples “I am going fishing” and they replied “We will go with you”.
The events of the previous couple of weeks had left them bewildered. The unthinkable had happened. Jesus had been captured. Peter had denied him. Jesus was crucified. They had gone into hiding. Jesus had risen from the dead. He had appeared to them. He had spoken to them. He had eaten food. It was all too much to take in.
They needed the therapy of the ordinary. The healing rhythm of routine tasks. But they also knew that things would never be the same. And so it was that Jesus met them on the shore where they were and got involved with their task.
They needed to be reminded that they had a greater task to do. Their lives had a greater purpose. Their job was to proclaim that Jesus had risen as he said he would. He had died for them. Now they were to live for him.
Events come and events go – capitalism is not Christianity – Jesus still meets people where they are. He reveals himself to them and reminds them that they have a task to do – to introduce others to a risen Saviour who alone can equip them for time and eternity.
Jesus calls his followers today to do likewise.
Five interlocking rings. 11th August 2008.
The celebration marking to opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing must rank as favorite for the title “the greatest show on earth”. It was breathtaking as our senses were overwhelmed by the sheer scale and technical complexity of the “Birds Nest” stadium. The gravity denying deeds appeared to be miraculous.
The bonus for China was that the flawless performance was witnessed by the global powerbrokers from their seats in the arena.
The Olympic slogan “One World, One Dream” and the 5 interlocking circles representing the 5 continents joined by sport bear testimony to the 204 competing countries.
Behind the statistics lie years of grueling training undergone by the competitors.
St Paul was familiar with the rigors required by athletes. He encouraged the Christians at Corinth to adopt a similar lifestyle and to go all out for the prize.
He wrote; “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified.
The Olympians looked for favours from their gods to help them win the prize. In China the number 8 carries the notion of good luck so the date 8.8.08 was deliberately chosen in the hope it would secure greater success.
Entry to the Christian race is through faith in Christ. This is faith in the facts of his death, as our substitute and in his resurrection to eternal life, to ensure that every repentant entrant will be included. Symbols of luck are jettisoned and Christ is seen to be an adequate saviour for this world and the next.
As St Paul said; “I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.
In the end of the day that’s the only prize that matters.Trust him and press on.