Bumper Sticker Theology

“If Jonah came out of the great fish, if Daniel came out of the lion’s den, if Lazarus came out of the tomb, you will also come out of your problems. If you believe, amen.”

The nugget of “wisdom” shared above showed up on my Facebook feed the other day. The words were not attributed to anyone so I can’t give credit to the originator. I want to be charitable so I’m going to assume that the one who posted it had the best of intentions rather than merely seeking clicks and responses to boost his or her page. Perhaps they were sincerely trying to encourage someone who was facing problems in their lives. But this is an example of what some call “bumper sticker theology.” While it may sound good, even “biblical,” let me share some thoughts for your consideration.

First, this is not a quote from the Bible. And, in fairness, it wasn’t presented as such. But remember, just because something sounds “biblical,” it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is. Just because Bible characters and stories are referenced and Bible concepts (like belief) are included, that doesn’t make it a true statement.

Second, just because God rescued Jonah and Daniel and He raised Lazarus from the dead, that doesn’t automatically mean that “you WILL come out of your problems.” Does God have the power to deliver you out of your problems like He delivered Jonah, Daniel, and Lazarus? Certainly. Does that mean He will? Not necessarily. He may or may not. God may miraculously deliver you or He may not. He may walk through the problem with you. Either way, God is still taking care of you.

Third, what’s the big deal anyway, preacher? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? No, I’m concerned about the fallout from bad theology. You see, if I believe that God WILL miraculously deliver me from my problems and then He doesn’t, it can easily lead to doubts about God and\or my faith when the real problem is false expectations caused by bumper sticker theology.

God loves you!

Mike

The Good Old Days

“The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna”” (Numbers 11:4–6). Nothing like a bit of adversity in life to make slavery start to look good!

We need to be careful that the trials of life don’t cause us to long for the “good old days in Egypt.” In Psalm 73, Asaph was tempted to think that the wicked had it made. “For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind” (Psalm 73:3–5). Later, in the same psalm, he writes: “Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence; for I have been stricken all day long and chastened every morning” (Psalm 73:12–14). In essence, Asaph is thinking: “I should go back to Egypt!”

But then, he comes to his senses. “If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end” (Psalm 73:15–17). Upon reflection, he realized the folly of his bitter thinking. “When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You” (Psalm 73:21–22).

We are called to a new life in Christ. The old way of living should be gone and forgotten, even when life gets difficult.

God loves you!

Mike

Punching Holes In The Darkness

“When Robert Louis Stevenson was a child of six or seven, he was watching the lamplighter at work one evening. As the boy stood silently at his window, he saw the man move down the street lighting street lamps one by one. Thinking his silence was evidence of mischief, his nanny called out to ask what Robert was doing. Young Stevenson replied, “I’m watching a man punch holes in the darkness.”*

There is no doubt that we live in a world that contains much spiritual darkness. In his letter to believers in Ephesus, the apostle Paul references what we are up against: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the level of evil and wickedness that we see around us. What can be done?

As Christians, we are called to be light-bearers. Jesus said: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16).

The battle against spiritual darkness begins with us.  We must live like children of light (Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:6-7). We must personally refuse to participate in the darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:11). We must actively put off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12).

Punching holes in the darkness involves living in the light ourselves and shining the way for others to leave the darkness and come to the light -- one dark corner at a time. Point them to Jesus.  He is the Light of the world (John 8:12).

God loves you!

Mike

*preaching.com

The Real Enemy

“At the start of World War I, the British War Ministry dispatched a coded message to officials in a British colony in a remote area of Africa. The message said, “War declared. Arrest all enemy aliens in your district.” They got a prompt reply: “Have arrested ten Germans, six Dutch, four French, two Italians, three Austrians, and an American. Please advise immediately who we’re at war with.”*

It’s very difficult to win a war if you are not sure of the identity of the enemy. Christians are often deceived into thinking that fellow believers are their enemies. And such misguidance leads them to mistreat and abuse other disciples of Christ. But the Bible is clear. Our brothers and sisters in the family of God are not the enemy! There were some Christians in the church in Thessalonica who were causing problems (2 Thessalonians 3:6-11). The Apostle Paul goes on to share ways to deal with the troublemakers (2 Thessalonians 3:12-14). But note what he says in v. 15: “Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”

But if fellow Christians are not the enemy, then who is? The Scriptures are also clear about that. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11–12). Our real adversary is the devil, not one another. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”

(1 Peter 5:8). But if the devil can convince us to fuss and fight with each other instead of focusing on the real enemy, he gains an advantage (cf. Galatians 5:15).

Let’s devote our strength and resources to fighting our real enemy. Nothing good comes from fighting with each other.

God loves you!

Mike

*preaching.com

Don't Give Up!

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up" (Thomas Edison).

Edison was speaking from experience. “Thomas Edison was one of the most successful innovators in American history. He was the “Wizard of Menlo Park,” a larger-than-life hero who seemed almost magical for the way he snatched ideas from thin air…But the man also stumbled, sometimes tremendously. In response to a question about his missteps, Edison once said, “I have not failed 10,000 times—I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” Leonard DeGraaf, an archivist at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, explores the inventor’s prolific career in his book, Edison and the Rise of Innovation. The author offers new documents, photographs and insight into Edison’s evolution as an inventor, not to forget those creations that never saw wild success…DeGraaf says, “Edison’s not a guy that looks back. Even for his biggest failures he didn’t spend a lot of time wringing his hands and saying ‘Oh my God, we spent a fortune on that.’ He said, ‘we had fun spending it.’”*

There is a human tendency to quit when the going gets tough. It’s true spiritually as well. Perhaps that’s why the Bible so often encourages us not to give up. One of the main themes of the book of Hebrews is this very idea. We are part of the family of Christ “...if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end” Hebrews 3:6). We become partakers of Christ “...if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (Hebrews 3:14). We need endurance so that “...we may receive what was promised” (Hebrews 10:36). We are to consider the endurance of Christ so that we “...will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3).

Don’t give up! The race is not complete until you cross the finish line. Finish the course like Paul and receive the crown of life (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

God loves you!

Mike

*https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/7-epic-fails-brought-to-you-by-the-genius-mind-of-thomas-edison-180947786/

I Done It For Love

A mother asked her seven-year-old son to clean her shoes. He meticulously cleaned and shined the shoes and was rewarded with a quarter. When she went to put on her shoes, the mother felt something in the toe of one. She reached in and found the quarter wrapped in a little note, which contained her little boy’s scribbled words: “You can keep the quarter, I done it for love.” Larry Hatfield explains, ” ‘I done it for love’ may raise no spire and build no steeple, but it is always a cathedral where God dwells. A choir can be assembled by persuasion and trained by expertise, but music is a child of love. A sermon can be drafted with calculation and delivered with precision, but a message from heaven is heard only where there’s love.”*

God’s work in rescuing a lost and sinful world could be summed up in the words of the young lad above: “I done it for love.” Note how often the Bible emphasizes this crucial theme. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:4–5). “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9).

There are more verses, but these should make the point. Given the fact that God did it for love, is it any wonder that we, as disciples, should be known for the love we have for each other (John 13:35)?

God loves you!

Mike

*preaching.com

Competing Prayers

“A violent hurricane had struck. People were huddled together. A preacher was praying with great oratorical effects in the midst of this violent storm, crying out “Send us the spirit of the children of Israel, the children of Moses, the children of the Promised land.” At this, an old man with less oratory eloquence but speaking more directness prayed in a very simple and practical way, “Lord, don’t send nobody. Come yourself. This ain’t no time for us to go into a theological discussion with your children, but we need you right now” (source unknown).

This story reminds me of a parable of Jesus in which He contrasts the prayers of a Pharisee and a tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). In his prayer, the Pharisee waxes eloquent about how grateful he is that he is not like those he looks down on and about how much he has to offer to God. The tax collector’s prayer is noticeably different. Rather than being full of himself, the man is acutely aware of his own failings. All he can bring himself to utter is: “God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (v.13).

Of course, the problem Jesus is addressing here is not the relative length or eloquence of the prayers. The issue is not the amount of words used or how well they are spoken. What Jesus is concerned with is the heart or attitude of the one praying (v.9). The prayer of the Pharisee revealed that his heart was full of pride and condescension. The prayer of the tax collector showed that his heart was broken over his own sin. It was this attitude that made his prayer one of true eloquence.

There is nothing inherently wrong with longer prayers that use eloquent words. But the parable illustrates that God would rather hear a prayer of seven words from the heart of a repentant sinner than a prayer of thirty-three words from a heart so full of itself that it can only talk about itself.

God loves you!

Mike