The Pilgrim Pastor

They say pictures are worth a thousand words.  A week ago I illustrated the difficulty in growing spiritually the older we get with the fact of concrete. When it is new (young) it is soft and pliable.  You can pour it where you want it.  However, it quickly begins to harden the older it gets until finally the only way to reshape it is to destroy it and start over again. 

The wisdom of God compels us to retain pliability, that is, God’s wisdom is only able to take root in us to the extent that we remain teachable.  When we are not teachable, when we are like concrete, damage can occur within the Body of Christ as each of us asserts our own stubborn way.  When we are not pliable and teachable, we become like a hard surface.  When you fall on it or run into it… it hurts. What kind of Christian are you?  Are you teachable, moldable?  Does it hurt to run into you or fall on you?

My wonderful wife Christina came across this picture while out with our children at a park, the day after I delivered that sermon.  She took this picture which is, my friends, worth a thousand words…

Pilgrim Pastor… realizing that it is easier to remain pliable like clay than to labor in vain to mold concrete… 

Every political season, I wrestle with how my faith in Christ ought to influence my political views and engagement. Should Christians get involved in politics, political issues or even vote? Will doing so entangle them in the ugliness of the world’s broken systems?

Whether it was anti-slavery, prohibition or other social movements in this country, most major social upheavals in American history were preceded or accompanied by spiritual movements and Christian revivals. In fact, it has been noted by many religious and secular historians that the Second Great Awakening probably had the single greatest impact on the anti-slavery movement.

It was Christian leaders like Harriet Beecher Stowe, Charles Finney, and Theodore Weld who influenced the founding of anti-slavery societies and preached against the sinful wickedness of that vile institution.

Probably the biggest problem with drawing too sharp a dichotomy between Christianity and politics is that in an attempt to keep the spiritual nature of the faith intact and unencumbered with “worldly” things, relegating the role of Christ and His Church only to Sunday morning or other worship times spiritualizes the faith to a level of becoming so heavenly minded as to be of no earthly good!

The realities of the Lordship of Jesus and the sovereign reign of God in the entire universe are lost when we divorce ourselves from the world’s problems.

Jesus is Lord of all things spiritual, philosophical and political. There is no part of this world where His influence is “off limits.” He is Lord of all.

What about Bible passages like James 1:27? “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”(NIV84)

I would submit to you that it is the task of Christians everywhere to do everything they can to bring passages like this to fulfillment. My burden is to see Christians caring for the widow around the corner directly by visiting, loving and helping her, as well as supporting community, religious and, yes, even governmental programs that also attend to her needs.

My wife and I have personally helped orphans, but we can’t help them all directly. If and when I am able to influence governmental programs in the area of helping those precious souls, I will do it.

Are politics potentially ugly? You bet. However, if the Devil himself brought me a care package for an orphan, I would take it from him, kick him out, and give that care package to the orphan. If political involvement is a means to helping that orphan, I will get involved.

Christian, there is nowhere that the reign of Christ does not extend, and while our primary mission is to share the love of Christ, there is no limit to the ways, spheres and extent that God calls us to do so.

Let’s get busy with both hands spreading the Gospel and the influence of the Kingdom.

(This column appeared in the Suffolk News Herald, March, 2012) 

Is it right for Christians to participate in the Santa Clause tradition?  This is a question I have been asked from time to time in my work as a Pastor.  Recently I read a Facebook post, of all things, from a woman whose rage against poor old St. Nick came through so plainly that it almost scorched the screen of my computer.  Her argument is basically that if Christians tell their kids about Santa Clause then one day when they realize that he is not real they are likely to question other things that are not real; breeding a sort of distrust in all things unseen.  She contends that they will then say “Well forget your Jesus too.  Since I can’t see Him He must not be real either!”

If we are to follow this logic though, we who believe in Jesus are going to have to ditch a whole lot of things aren’t we?  What about Humpty Dumpty?  Did humpy Dumpty really fall off of a wall?  Did all of his horses and all of his men really try to put him back together again?  I don’t think so, but maybe they did.  There are several theories as to the historical background and possible influences on that and other nursery rhymes.  One such theory about the origin of that nursery suggests that Humpty Dumpty is King Richard III of England.   Shakespeare once depicted him as humpbacked.  He was in fact defeated even though he had a great army at Bosworth Field in 1485. 

But that’s not really the point is it.  Whether this is where the nursery rhyme came from or not, we use it to encourage children with language skills, rhyming, entertainment, and to stimulate their imagination.  The historical reliability and reality of Jesus is no more at stake when we hang a stocking on our mantle than is what happened to King Richard in 1485.  They are two separate issues.  Interestingly enough, there is an actual figure in antiquity named Saint Nicholas, from whence the Santa Clause story originates, though with many twists and turns, additions of myth and folklore, and commercial indulgences over the last several centuries. 

Saint Nicholas was the fourth century Bishop of Myra in Lycia (modern day Turkey).  He was known for secret gift giving.  One story recounts him placing coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, very likely a source of the modern day tradition of placing a stocking on the mantle for Santa Clause to fill with gifts. Perhaps families who are skeptical of the possible damage that the jolly old elf may inflict upon the next generation can learn about the historical Saint Nicholas and incorporate some of that into their holiday tradition.

Humpty Dumpty, as with other such childhood rhymes, stories, and devices above all else teaches imaginative thinking.  I am convinced that the opposite is true of what this woman wrote online on Facebook.  Teaching children to use their imagination opens their minds up to the possibility that there may in fact be magic in this universe.  In fact, it teaches them to wonder, to dream, to imagine the possibilities, and that is a part of the message of Jesus.  He imagined a world where humans could show unconditional love to one another, where hope and faith, which are unseen, are central to the lives of men, women, and children.

There are real things that cannot be seen.  I cannot see hope but without it I wouldn’t make it one day in this difficult world. I cannot see love but I see the fruit it produces every day in my life and in the world.  I cannot see faith but by its application I am guided by the God who gave the gift of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate – in my house with stockings hung, Santa on his way, a trip to Church for a candlelight service to celebrate the greatest gift that God has ever given, then back home to open the presents that Santa left.  All the while, Jesus is central and our imaginations are stirred! 

The story is told of two old friends bumped into one another on the street one day. One of them looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, "What has the world done to you, my old friend?" The sad fellow said, "Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars." "That’s a lot of money." "But, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me eighty-five thousand free and clear." "Sounds like you’ve been blessed...." "You don’t understand!" he interrupted. "Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million." Now he was really confused. "Then, why do you look so glum?"  “This week... nothing!”

Sometimes we are too materially full to be spiritually hungry aren’t we!  Look at this picture of my little girl.  She surely was not going hungry at this meal time! Does it ever seem like God has given us so much and that He has been so good to us that in our great satisfaction we forget to thank Him?  When starved physically it is not difficult to be grateful for even a crust of bread, but our need is equally great, more so even, when we are starved spiritually – when our cup so runneth over that we are unable to be grateful, thankful, having taken for granted all of the good things in our life.

I met with a man only yesterday who can hardly walk and is oppressed with many ailments.  His words? “People never realize what a blessing good health is until it’s gone.”  Amazingly, almost the instant that  I got into the car to drive away from his home, the man on the Christian radio station said in sarcasm, “Ya, ya, ya, I get it, we are thankful for good health, our family, our freedom, I get it, but what about Jesus?”  Now, I get it too.  I get that we can easily neglect thanksgiving to God for so great a salvation as that which believers have received in Jesus Christ.  I get it.  However, we ought to be all the more thankful to God for the salvation and the many things He blesses us with in this life.

If you are afflicted, thank God that you are growing closer to Him through it.  If you are healthy, thank God and ask Him to find you faithful in using your health to further His kingdom!  In whatever state you are in this week, be thankful, because the God of the universe sent His Son and even now sends His power to make you His ambassador in this world!  “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13 NET) 

It may be tough to be thankful when we are lulled to spiritual slumber by the soft sounds of abundance.  However, it is right to do it.  Friend, this Thanksgiving, praise God for the glory of His provision; for the glory of His grace, may our hearts cry out, thirst for the living God of our salvation!

Pilgrim Pastor... pushing the plate of this world aside... hungering for lasting nourishment...  

The following is a contribution I recently made to the local newspaper of the community where I live and serve: 

It has been well said that not to have had pain is not to have been human. If there is anything that is common to all of human experience, it is pain, tragedy and loss. Recently our community has seen one of its lights extinguished as 39-year-old Deborah Wigg was apparently murdered and then, according to all of the evidence currently available, her killer ended his own life — leaving two small children without a mother or a father in this world.

While my heart aches for these children and our community, perhaps you, like me, are not as shocked by this as I wish that I were. Violence on this scale has sadly become a regular occurrence in our society. We are no longer shocked by matters such as this, and I am equally concerned that as a result of our callousness we no longer seek or find hope in such painful times.

I grieve for these children who have been orphaned, by all indications by the one who was supposed to protect and provide for them. Though my heart is broken, I remain hopeful that through this tragedy the same God who allowed His Son Jesus to suffer and die on that revoltingly beautiful cross has desperate compassion upon these children. My hope grows out of a conviction that one day He will bring beauty from the ashes of their broken lives.

I don’t blame God, because this is a consequence of the choice of his creatures. It is not His perfect will for them. I’m not disappointed with God, because in allowing His Son to suffer He identified with us and showed us in no uncertain terms that He is at war with the sources of suffering in this world. God hates injustice. He despises brokenness. Jesus conquered death and one day will consume it entirely! Even while the fog of tragedy clouds our eyes, there is hope.

There is hope when our community is grieved to the point of intolerance with all forms of such violence. There is hope when as a community we open our eyes to the needs around us and do our very best to prevent such and similar violence.

We grieve. And we should. Friends, I invite you to allow your grief to bring our community closer together across all that divides us. I believe that we are a people who will bring hope from tragedy as we turn our hearts toward God in sorrow for our own complacency with regard to violence in the home and in our community.

I trust that we are a community of people who will shower these orphaned children with more than a week’s worth of sympathy until the next tragic occurrence in the news takes our attention. I am hopeful that as we grieve together, we will learn that the only way to conquer evil is to smother it with love and drown it with hope.

Pilgrim Pastor... broken hearted but not despaired...

Here is a link to the article as it appears in the Suffolk News Herald.  

If God is sovereign, all powerful, and if God loves, why does he allow suffering to continue in this world?  Is it because against the backdrop of suffering and pain, the beauty of Christ’s redemptive love shines all the more brilliantly? 

Perhaps it is because only in this school house of tragedy can we learn what it means to depend upon God and enter into an authentic love relationship with Him and with one another.  It is common knowledge that those who live a life devoid of hardship often are incapable of experiencing the richer intangibles of humility; compassion, empathy, and self-sacrifice. 

William Wordsworth, the English Romantic poet who departed this world more than a century and a half ago, wrote that “A deep distress has humanized my soul.”  Sorrow magnifies our humanity.  Pain has the ability to open our eyes to our frailty and need for God and one another.  Suffering is the canvas upon which God paints the portrait of the glorious value of the redemptive blood of His Son Jesus.

All of these thoughts point to the reason(s) that pain is allowed to continue but does not answer it equivocally.  Indeed at the end of the great biblical treatise on suffering – the book of Job – we find God not answering the why of human suffering, rather reminded Job and us of the inadequacy of our questions and pointing us to dependence upon His ultimately perfect knowledge.  God never tells us why these things happen in a definitive way, He only tells us who to depend upon: Him.

I’m presently entering into the final research phase of a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Temple Baptist Seminary in Chattanooga, TN.  For my doctoral project I will be collecting stories and insights from people of faith in Christ who have traveled roads of suffering, pain, hardship, loss, in this life and have found Christ near in the times of trials.  I am interested in learning how suffering brought people closer to God as well as how they struggled in their faith.

I want to know what the schoolhouse of tragedy that we call life has taught them about knowing God, resting in His provision, and more.  These stories and insights will provide a complement to biblical research on the topic which will go into the production of a series of sermons, a small group study, and ultimately a book based on this research to aid the church. 

Please take this as an invitation to contact me with your story, to send this to a friend who may wish to share their story, or to share the contact information of a friend or someone you know who may wish to share their story of God’s faithfulness in suffering as a part of this project.  (All collected stories will be shared anonymously in the produced sermons, study, and book)

Pastor Chris Surber Contact:

www.chrissurber.com

chris@chrissurber.com

Pilgrim Pastor… wading in the murky depth of human suffering… looking for hope in the abyss… 

Here is a great question that came to me recently: How do we treat a brother or sister in Christ who has sinned egregiously, been hurtful to the local fellowship of believers (local church), wounded us personally, greatly sinned against God publicly, or otherwise fallen after they have repented of their ways and sought to return to the fellowship of believers? This answer is broad and applies to any Christians in the local church facing this (or a similar) situation.  We all want unity, but are willing to work for it?

Choosing not to sit in the place of judgment of this man frees the Holy Spirit to work in the situation, it is the biblical command, and it allows the love of Christ to prevail.  The Bible instructs us to act in love. When we are dealing with a situation where others have accepted our brother’s or sisters’ repentance or at the very least; have acknowledged his confession of repentance and are moving forward under the assumption that his confession is genuine, we must work toward reconciliation with our brother or sister in Christ.  Unless and until their actions show that they are in fact unrepentant, the Body of Christ is obligated to work toward reconciliation. 

Even if it remains fresh in our heart – which would be understandable – the words of Christ found in Matthew 5:23-24 apply.  “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” (NIV)  Our role is not to take the place of judgment. (Luke 6:37)  That is God’s role alone with our brother or sister in Christ.  (Psalm 75:7)  To say that you are to pretend as though nothing has happened is not the right spirit.  The question naturally arises, “am I supposed to pretend as though nothing has happened?”   To say that you are to pretend as though nothing has happened is to suggest that you are continuing to judge this man but hiding your feelings of judgment for the sake of going through the motions of forgiveness. 

If we are going to have peace in these situations we are going to actually have to forgive.  That may sound very easy to say and much more difficult to do!  Even if the offense is serious, but all sin is serious and if he is truly repentant then God has forgiven Him.  If God, who is the supreme judge and holy and righteous and always just, has forgiven him, who are you or I to withhold forgiveness?  Did not Jesus command us to forgive our brother who sins against us not seven but seventy times seven times?  Jesus is saying that our lives must be characterized by radical forgiveness.   (Matthew 18:21-35)  That is not easy, but it is freeing for us and makes room for the Holy Spirit to work in the situation.  When we remain unforgiving we stand in the place of God and most often our negative spirit, our actions, and our deeds cause further distance between us and God and the person whom we are holding in judgment.   A lack of forgiveness harms us and it harms those we do not forgive. 

If we are not at a place yet where we are able to offer genuine forgiveness to our brother or sister in Christ then perhaps do not fellowship with them until you can; that is, if we are not able to at least offer the love and forgiveness for them that we are praying for God to grant to our heart.  Consider a genuine and honest handshake coupled with a sincere statement that you are praying for him and hope earnestly that this situation may soon be healed.  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35 NIV)

Remember that at all times within the body of Christ, though we are prone to stumble and will at times fail in this, we should always be seeking the Lord and striving to allow love to prevail in our hearts, our homes, our local church fellowships, and in our relationships with the world.

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:16-21 NIV)

Pilgrim Pastor... seeking to share the radical forgiveness that this sinner has received...