Word and Prayer

September 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Joe,

Good to see that you have not abandoned blog nation; I guess it’s been a long couple of days for you. In State College again? Sad that I don’t even know!

Anyway, thanks for preaching my message for Sunday night on the subject of light and heat. The recently finalized Koinonia purpose statement is that we exist to equip the Church with Christlike servants, whose heads are informed and whose hearts are inflamed with a passion for the greatness of Jesus Christ. So I preached last Sunday on humble servanthood, and this week I will preach on the mingling of head and heart in the pursuit of conformity to the image of Jesus. I can think of no better passage than the one in John 4. Where else would you go biblically to show how essential these two elements are in worship?

I had a thought about what you said regarding how we all tend toward one side: either strong in affection or strong in intellect. By no means is this infallible, but as I have considered the people who I have associated with over the past several years, it seems like I have observed a pattern. Those who are stronger in the emotions are more given towards the discipline of prayer, while the more intellectually minded are given more toward the reading of the Word.

Like I said, I’m not setting that down as a rule, but it seems to me that I have observed that. What do you think? If it is so, then those who know they are more wired toward the mental pursuit of God need to fight for a richer prayer life, while those strong in the emotional life need to discipline themselves to spend more time in the Word.

Just some of my musings. Like I said, if you have some more Scripture on this mingling of head and heart, let me know. And if you know where exactly I can find Edwards’s stuff on light and heat, let me know that as well (and you’ll need to be a little more specific than ‘Religious Affections’; it’s a big book!)

Catch you later,

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Random Musings 

Light and Heat

September 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Lar,

That is great stuff. You really do a wonderful job quoting some great men! If the Lord gives me breath, I would like to read through the whole of Charnock’s work one day. Little by little, it can be done.

What you just said though, is very close to my heart. In fact, it has been on my heart quite a bit recently, and in some sense, always is. For as you know, I consider myself something of an emotional handicap. I am inclined to the life of the mind (even though I can be rather weak there as well), but I am not content to settle for mere intellectual Christianity. I won’t the whole thing. I need the whole thing. I need a mind that is full of great thoughts and a heart that is overflowing with genuine affection. I need a whole lot of light and a whole lot of heat. Enlightenment in and of itself is not enough. I need to burn.
I always find it interesting, however, that each of us as individuals are usually inclined to one of two extremes–either the life of the mind or the life of the heart. There are few who embody both (and none perfectly of course on this side of heaven). From my perspective, life is easier if you simply stay with your strength, so to speak. And in my estimation, this is what most Christians do. Not only that, but sadly, they end of criticizing those who tend to the other extreme.

Life is war, and one of the things that must be fought against, is the tendency to think that our mental and emotional state are somehow normal–or how they are supposed to be. The fact is, nobody is normal. Everyone is out of intellectual or emotional wack. We all have issues–and always will have issues until we are perfected in glory. So I think wisdom tells us to embrace this reality, to face it head on. If we are more or less unemotional, let us face that fact for what it is. We have problems. We are not right. And we need to fight for higher affections by God’s great grace. We need the Spirit to shine the light with such intensity that our hearts begin to be so full that they cannot help but overflow. And if we are more or less unattracted by a life of intense thought, let us also face the fact that we have problems. We are not right. For in heaven we will treasure both great thoughts and great feelings. We will not belittle the life of intense thought in order to magnify out of proportion a life of intense feeling. For we will have both in fullness of intensity and glory! I can’t wait!

It is my prayer that the Lord might grant me the grace to see a day in which many in the church of God embrace their weaknesses and face them as such in order to fight for a more complete wedding of spirit and truth. When revival comes–and by God’s grace it will come–we will be humbled. We will begin to see how out of wack we really are. So let us prepare for that day by facing the facts now and working on our weaknesses until we begin to walk as complete human beings–spirit and truth human beings who fully magnify the greatness and glory of our Lord and Savior.

And on one final note, I would offer this: if your emotions are rather weak, meditate on the Word of God and pray that the Lord might send His Spirit until those emotions come. Also, read and think with a view towards having your affections stirred. Realize that holy affections are not simply icing on the cake of real Christianity. They are apart of the cake. They are a necessary ingredient in the life that honors God. And if your emotions are strong and your thoughts are weak, pray for the grace to read more and think more, so that your emotions might be properly rooted in great thoughts of God. Believe it or not, your emotions are tied to your thoughts. So if you really begin to wrestle with more glorious truth from the Word of God, your emotions should grow in intensity and depth, rather than weaken. And “depth” really is a key word there. For depth of feeling is important. Skin deep affection (or the overflow of affection–lifted hands, etc.) mean little to nothing if they are not connected to rich thoughts of God.

Alright, enough for now Lar. Until that day of glory, let us think and pray until our minds and hearts are overflowing with genuine love for and delight in Almighty God! For only then will others see His fullness of worth and beauty!

Seeking Him with you,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Random Musings 

Charnock on Worship

September 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment

So I am preaching this Sunday night on Christ’s words to the woman at the well, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).

As I’ve been researching, I flipped through Stephen Charnock’s The Existence and Attributes of God and found that he had written 100 pages on this passage more than 350 years ago. What a wealth of treasures I am finding in his meditations. Here’s a passage:

[In worship], the whole spirit is to be employed; the name of God is not sanctified but by the engagement of our souls. Worship is an act of the understanding, applying itself to the knowledge of the excellency of God and actual thoughts of his majesty’recognizing him as the supreme Lord and Governor of the world…It is also an act of the will, whereby the soul adores and reverences his majesty, is ravished with his amiableness, embraceth his goodness, enters itself into an intimate communion with this most lovely object, and pitcheth all his affections upon him.”

This is how I long to worship: in spirit and truth; with head and with heart; or as Edwards puts it, with light and heat. Let us think rightly about God, and let us feel “ravished by His amiableness”. Let us never settle for deep knowledge with paltry affections, nor mighty affections with limited knowledge. Let us strive for both the engagement of the mind and the heart, that God might be honored mightily in us.

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Quotes 

Good Book

September 12, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Saturday came and went without any book recommendations, so I thought I would encourage our faithful readers (maybe up to double digits by now?) to pick up an outstanding book by a guy named Alexander Strauch called Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership. I know that probably doesn’t sound like the most intriguing title for the average reader, especially one who is not involved with church leadership, but I strongly recommend it anyway.

A couple of weeks ago I preached at a church that was really suffering through some hard times because they had not appropriated the truths laid out in this book. In essence, Strauch is calling upon churches to re-examine the common perception that the shepherding of the local church is the responsibility of the pastor alone. So many churches have just one man who is responsible for almost all of the spiritual leadership in the Church. But when examined biblically, the New Testament writers never write of just one pastor, but always speak of elders. Elders are not simply people who take care of some administrative duties while the pastor does all the spiritual work. All elders, whether they are paid staff or lay leaders, are responsible to shepherd the flock of God.

Too many churches collapse because one man is called upon to do everything, and that man either burns out or leaves, and the church has no one to pick up any of the slack. It really is astounding how unbiblical is the leadership structure of the vast majority of evangelical, Bible-believing churches. This book (I am only a third of the way through it) has been really eye-opening to me, and I believe that the Church is in great need of applying these truths.

If nothing else, I recommend that you get a copy of this book and give it to the pastor/one of the elders at your church, and ask him to evaluate their current leadership structure through the biblical lens of this book. It should be required reading for anyone called to the position of elder.

As I said, I know that may not seem necessary to every reader of this blog, but having read the first 100+ pages, I believe it is necessary for the health and preservation of your churches. So I encourage you to pick up a copy and give it to someone in your church.

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Recommendations 

Another Lesson

September 11, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Joe,

Thanks for keeping things rolling the last couple of days. It was a busy one on Saturday heading to Lancaster with my in-laws, then Sundays are always busy with preparing for the proclamation of the Word on Sunday night. The Lord was gracious indeed. I felt totally unprepared to deliver the message, but as is so often the case, God shows Himself powerful in my weakness. The Word made an impact on souls last night, and it was a blessing to be a part of it. I preached from Mark 10:35-45 on Christlike servanthood.

I titled this post “Another Lesson” in response to what you had written the other day about embracing Romans 8:28 in small things and not only the big things. I’ve got another way for you to embrace that precious promise: your sermon on Brainerd was not recorded, because a plug in the back of the eqiupment was not properly plugged in. We noticed it only after someone who tried to listen to the message was unable to play any of its content on his compouter. Then Mark checked the recording devise and found that a cable was plugged in, but was loose, and so the recording did not come through onto the CD. I know you were looking forward to getting a copy of that, but I trust with you that God has merciful designs in working it out this way.

Also, I wanted to pass along that one of the members of Koinonia has set up a website through Xanga where the audio of my sermons will be posted if anyone wants to download them free of charge. The site is: http://www.xanga.com/Koinos_Message Chris Harris will be updating it weekly with the sermons that I preach on Sunday night. He just posted last night’s message, and I am going to get him the two sermons on the fear of man that I preached at church to put them up as well. Pray that the posting of these messages would give me no occasion for pride, as I have absolutely nothing to say but by the grace of God. But by His grace, people often come to me and speak of how the Lord had a word for them through my messages. So if blog nation can be helped in any way by these, I would be grateful to God for the power of His infallible Word.

Enjoy your Monday, brother; you know I will try hard to enjoy my Sabbath!

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Random Musings 

Intro to Osteen

September 10, 2006 | 1 Comment

Lar,

I am thinking you saw this, but I thought I would point everyone else in Blog Nation to it–this post concerning Joel Osteen. Justin Taylor linked to it on his Between Two Worlds blog. There is nothing new or surprising here, but I think it is worth posting, b/c sadly, few people really understand the fact that Osteen is what the Bible would call a false teacher (whether he really knows it or not). Simply put: he doesn’t preach the gospel. His message is devoid of Jesus Christ.

I know that we need to be very careful here, but something as plain as this is worth sharing rather forthrightly. Why? Because heaven and hell are on the line! Life and death are at stake. We cannot sit back in situations like these and fall into the trap of ‘nice’ American Christianity. Gracious? Yes. Respectable? Yes. But we can be gracious and respectable, while still speaking the truth–both for him and all who listen to him. For the good of the church (and the world) men like this must be not be allowed to bear the name of preacher or pastor. It is very confusing to all.

In 2 Timothy 4:1-4, Paul says, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Well, the time has come. It is all around us: millions accumulating for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, teachers to tickle their itching ears. And it’s not just Joel. That is for sure. But right now, he’s at the top of the list, and we must not be shy about saying that plainly–for the good of both the church and the world. Jesus Christ is needed. O Lord, raise up men who would faithfully proclaim Him!

Preach that Word Lar, in season and out, to the glory of our great King.

Seeking Him with you,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Links 

All for Good; Longing for Glory

September 9, 2006 | 1 Comment

Lar,

I hope and pray that you had a good day today. I trust it was fruitful, as all days are when our great God is in control! We had an interesting one, but as always ultimately, a good one, as He is good and working all things out for our good and His glory. What a rock to stand on! I love the reality of Romans 8:28 and love to contemplate it as just that–reality. Too often I think we tend to think of such promises as God working ALL things out for our good as something ‘out there’ or in some way not immediate or only for the ‘big’ things. But this is not the case! Nothing is excluded from ALL THINGS! All things means all things–and in that I find sweet satisfaction.

And you know, it isn’t usually the big things that trip me up in regards to this promise, but the small things. It’s the guy cutting you off in traffic or the untimely remark from whoever. It is in those moments that I struggle to remember the promise. It is in these ’surprise’ moments that I see what I am really made of. The bad call by the referee or goofy move by the coach is probably at the top of my list. Nothing exposes the heart like the unexpected. How we respond to that which we do not expect shows who we really are. Our responses to the unexpected in life are a great test of our spiritual growth.

And by unexpected, it should be noted specifically that I am talking about the little things. I said it before, but what I would like to point out is that the focus of our response–what we are really made of–is revealed by the deepest meditations of our heart. Some of us see our inner thoughts and feelings better (or clearer) than others, but either way, the best way I know how to see whether or not I am walking with God is to take note of my immediate feelings when something unexpected occurs (particularly something I would rather NOT have happen!). This takes discernment, but it also takes a healthy dose of realism. It takes a resolve to confront the sinful meditations of our soul–and a recognition that there are plenty to confront.

I of course don’t want to point us too far inward, but we really do need to take note of our inner meditations. When someone says something out of turn, what is my initial thought or emotion? Do I easily grant grace? Does it come natural? And that last question really is important, b/c it is far too easy to ‘fake it.’ I mean, who can’t outwardly say the right thing or give the right expression (although some of us hide it better than others–and I stink at hiding it!)? The outer doesn’t matter. What matters is what God only can see–and what we only can imperfectly know. Psalm 90:8 points to the reality that our iniquities are laid before Him, that our secret sins are laid bare by the light of His presence. Hebrews 4:13 says, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.” What God only can see is what ultimately matters, so we should strive to see it–no matter how uncomfortable that might be!

But we should strive to see it with a view not to despondency, but to seeing our great need for greater grace. We should reflect on the inner meditations of our soul in order to drive ourselves to Christ–in order to show ourselves our great need for more of the Holy Spirit, for greater sanctification. There should be a very real sense in which we are uncomfortable in our own skin. I think that a certain level of discomfort with our own hearts is healthy for us as Christians. For if we are perfectly comfortable, I have to think that we might be quite ignorant of our own inner meditations.

Anyhow, I wasn’t going to write about all that, but that is what came out, so that is what stands. What I have written, I have written, and I pray that by God’s great grace, it might minister to one (or two!).

Pray for me brother. I long to be so at rest in sweet fellowship with the Almighty that I naturally become a man of grace. I long to see the supernatural become natural in me (and others) to the glory of our great King! And O how much grace I need. Only when Jesus returns will I be delivered entirely and ushered into that perfect communion of spirit with the Father through the Son–and that forever! Amen. Come Lord Jesus! Until that day, I will seek Him.

And I will make one final note. Did you notice that my discomfort in my own skin made me long for the coming of the King–and the perfection that He brings? I am thinking that you did, but I would like to point that out for everyone. You just can’t long for the King without a healthy dose of discomfort in your own skin. You won’t long to be perfect unless you face up to your imperfections. I think it can be said that how much you long for Jesus’ return and your own perfection is a great measure for how well you really know yourself.

That is convicting. I am O so ignorant! What else can I do, but seek the light of His face, so that I might be exposed and see myself for who I really am. We are wise to embrace discomfort on this earth, so that we might yearn for the comfort of heaven; imperfection on this earth so that we might yearn for the perfection of heaven. Let us face up to the sinfulness of our own souls so that we might live with a greater yearning for the Savior!

Seeking Him with you,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Scripture Meditation 

Running the Race

September 9, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Joe,

I’m about to head out to Lancaster for the day, but your post about exercising discipline and your illustration of basketball made me think of the well-known words of the apostle Paul. They are well-known, but not put into practice nearly enough!

“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.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

In pursuit of the reward that is imperishable,

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Scripture Meditation 

Looking Up

September 8, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Lar,

It’s been a long day for me, but I am thankful for your few posts. Particularly striking was your link to Justin Taylor’s blog. I was actually reflecting on that topic today while out at the golf course. I don’t golf often (3 times this year), but today was beautiful. The sky specifically spoke to the glory of our God. The fresh air and nice breeze. The clouds come along for a time holding back some of the heart from the sun. It was great. The Lord is good.

What struck me, however, was that looking up is not something that comes natural to me (and I assume I am not alone here). I actually had to think about looking up at the sky. Not only that, but after looking, I had to think about how glorious the sight actually was and how it revealed the glory of my God. Honestly, it was harder to look up and set my eyes on the glory revealed there, than it was just to think about the next shot. What’s the lesson? In my mind it’s simple: if we want to be people who naturally appreciate the glory of God as revealed in nature, we have to start by resolving to look up and out!

What I mean by that is that we just can’t pray for it and do it once in a while and expect to be transformed. I didn’t get my jump-shot to be as natural and smooth as it is overnight. It took hours and years to get to where I am now. I can pick up a basketball and shoot it in no problem. But why? Because I resolved to work on the little things. I consciously made a decision day after day to do what I needed to do in order for things to become natural. So it is spiritually I believe. We don’t wake up one morning and just love spending hours with God. It begins with resolve–”I will do this!”–and after a while, it becomes a necessity of life. But without the beginning resolve, without that discipline at the forefront, it will never become natural.

Resolutions are not a bad thing (unless we make them such). It is good to make yourself do what you need to do or should want to do. For after a while it will become a way of life. And that is when things really get sweet. Let’s resolve one small thing now (or at least consider it). Let’s take the time to look up everyday and to think of God when we do so. And let’s hold each other accountable on this (and that also we need to resolve to do!). I long to behold the glory revealed there. I long to see more than I see! May the Lord grant grace as we discipline ourselves to look!

Seeking His glory with you,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Random Musings 

Good Times and Bad

September 8, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Can’t say that I read Ecclesiastes too much, but I like this verse. It seems like too few in the Church today embrace this truth:

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other…” (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

Or as Job says, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

I’m constantly praying for grace that would prepare me for my day of affliction. For surely, that day is coming: “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

May we all have the strength and the hope to respond to our coming calamities like Job.

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Scripture Meditation 

Good Stuff from JT

September 8, 2006 | Leave a Comment

I hate to just take material from other bloggers, but I guess they have blogs because they want people to read what they’re posting, right?! So Justin Taylor posted a quote on his blog that I found interesting. Here’s what he posted:

Kairos Journal on the life and death of the larger-than-life crocodile hunter, Stever Irwin:

“One aspect of Irwin’s life stands out. He was unashamedly enthusiastic about the wonders of the natural world. Children adored him because he showed them what it might mean to love animals whether great or small. The sight of Irwin wrestling a mammoth crocodile or running in the desert to catch a scorpion was almost guaranteed to implant in children a playful delight in living beings. Tragically there is no indication that Irwin was a Christian, indeed, he and his wife welcomed their children into the world with Buddhist ceremonies. Yet his life is one long rebuke to Christians who take little delight in their Father’s world. If a man could love the creation this much and not know the Creator—how much more should those who love God take delight in the work of His hands?”

The bold is my emphasis. The heavens are telling the glory of God at this moment, yet I spend so much time looking at this boring computer! What’s wrong with me?

I think I’m gonna take a walk!

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Links, Quotes 

Long Thursday

September 7, 2006 | 1 Comment

With Joe not able to get online much the last couple of days and me being pretty busy the blog hasn’t been getting much love lately. Thursdays are going to be pretty crazy over the next few weeks so I will not have much time to post. But here is something I read this morning which stirred me and challenged me to make the most of today and every day:

“The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away…So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:10, 12)

Our lives on this earth are a vapor. None of us is guaranteed even one year, let alone seventy or eighty. But even if we get that, it is a mist, and then we fly away into eternity. Oh how I pray that I would not be able to look back with regret on a life wasted on triviality when the most glorious eternal realities have been so graciously revealed to me by the living God!

Let us number our days aright, and make the most of every opportunity we have today to point people to the Fountain of Living Waters, in whom we live and move and have our being.

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Scripture Meditation 

Glimpses of Glory

September 6, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Lar,

So I finally on-line after a few days hiatus. I’m staying at another location this time with no Internet, but am sneaking in a few moments at the Smith’s. Anyhow, I am loving your post from yesterday concerning the revelation of God in baseball. That is sweet stuff that is close to my heart.

First, the depravity of mankind. No doubt you received the clearest revelation of it in your section. There was definitely some unabashed craziness going on–from my vantage point at least (considering some of your dudes made it to the big screen numerous times). Of course, I guess that might be expected in the upper deck. I figure many of those folks save on tickets so that they can spend more on beer. Dangerous stuff for the common observer like yourself.

That being said, it was still evident throughout the whole stadium, as it is any sporting event. I heard conversations (maybe it would be better to call it banter) between people who clearly didn’t know one another (and were obviously under the influence). Nothing was edifying and honestly, I was wondering why they wanted to talk at all. I mean, I honestly felt bad for all those parties involved, because no one was benefiting from it. In fact, as I passed by, I wondered to myself (and Erin) what they might think of the exchange when they become sober.

Besides that though, the thing that makes sporting events sad is that many (or most?) people are hoping in them for their happiness. Rather than a means, it is treated as an end–and consequently, cannot help but fail them. They go to the game to get the thrill and as we know, it just cannot last. As it fades, they move onto the next thing and the next. I see this all the time playing professionally–how much mental and emotional energy is wrapped up in the success of the team. And when the team fails, all goes downhill (particularly in Europe!). It is really sad–seeing those made in the image of God–created to find infinite joy in God!–looking to an athletic event for the joy they desire. It just cannot satisfy (even when they win). The taste of joy just cannot last. It is meant to point us to the Source. But O how sad it is that most fail to move beyond the taste to the One whom the taste points to! May the Lord grant mercy!

Second, concerning the taste. I think you are right on (which is why the post is still up there of course!). It really is an awesome picture, the intensity of thought and emotion times 45,000. Just imagine when we get to heaven and join the myriads of myriads and thousand of thousands to worship before the Lamb. Every tongue, tribe, language and nation joined together to worship the Lord with fullness and perfection of thought and affection! I can’t wait.

I would also add the tastes I have had when I am the one to make that shot or on the court when we get that big win. It really is amazing. Pouring all your energies into that short span (mental, emotion, and physical) and seeing the fruit of it with a great upset. Of course, when you lose, you are reminded that you are on earth and awaiting heaven, but still, the opportunity to put it all on the line–there is something sweet about that that is hard to duplicate anywhere else. No doubt we should strive for that fullness of investment in worship weekly. Imagine what would take place if we worshiped the Lord in the same way we play and cheer for our sports! Sports are from God. This we know. I just long to see Him in it and taste more joy of Him because of it! May the Lord grant us mercy.

Again, I am reminded that we as Christians are not supposed to be removed from the world, but instead, to live with new eyes. To see the world differently–because we see God in all things–His glory revealed. Glimpses of glory are all about us. May the Lord grant us eyes to see as we seek His face!

Enough for now brother. Lord willing, I’ll catch you tomorrow.

Searching for glory with you,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Random Musings 

Scripture Memory

September 6, 2006 | Leave a Comment

John Piper gives six reasons to make Bible memorization a key part of your life. Check out what he says here.

I can certainly bear witness, that after 6 and a half years walking with Jesus, memorizing Scripture has been the most important discipline to me. I have had seasons of much memorization and seasons without any, but it is clear to me that if there is anything that has sustained me since March of 2000 to keep making Christ central in my life, it is the Word that God has graciously enabled me to hide in my heart.

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Links 

God and Baseball

September 5, 2006 | Leave a Comment

Joe,

You are right, I didn’t know you guys were planning to go to the Phillies’ game yesterday, but it was nice to see little Elijah on the big screen! What struck me yesterday when we were there was how much one can be reminded of heavenly things in the most common things of this world, like a baseball game.

There were two main observations that struck me, the first one being the depravity of mankind. We were in section 305 and I can’t imagine there was a more vulgar section in the stadium (and they seemed pretty proud of it too). People hurling vicious insults at players for striking out, arguing and screaming at one another, I’m pretty sure a couple of people got kicked out too. I know Elijah is still too young to understand anything, but I really would have had a hard time sitting there with a little child.

The second thing that hit me, which was much more pleasant, was how incredibly great heaven is going to be. A walk-off home-run to win the game in the bottom of the 10th inning may be as close to heaven as we will get in this life. Now let me explain what I mean, so that I don’t get accused of blasphemy! I mean the thunderous roar of the crowd and the jubilation of the home team winning in dramatic fashion, elicits the kind of emotional experience that our glorified bodies will experience for what is truly awesome, the celebration of the King of kings seated on His throne for our eternal enjoyment!

I think that is why I enjoy sporting events so much. Where else do 45,000 people go screaming nuts together in a spontaneous burst of joy and celebration over the thrill of victory? That is why I say it’s a glimpse of heaven. Because sadly, that kind of excitement is not happening in the Church. Certainly, there ought to be more of it in the Church, but it will find it’s ultimate fulfillment in the New Jerusalem, when we forever celebrate Christ’s triumph over Satan and all the forces of hell.

For now, while I long and pray that deep, fervent, celebration will happen more and more in corporate times of worship within the Church, I can also head down to Citizens Bank Park and get an ever-so small glimpse of what we were created for when I see a Ryan Howard or Chase Utley home run.

I’d be curious what your thoughts are about these ramblings. Perhaps I’ve not expressed myself clearly (that’s what happens when I am blog-free for two straight days), but I can’t think of any other reason why a home run or a touchdown is so exciting, but that it is the faintest echo of the eternal thrill of beholding Jesus Christ face to face.

What do you think? Have I blasphemed? If I have, I am sure you will delete my post!

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Random Musings 

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