THE BIG QUESTIONS OF LIFE

On Sunday, September 10th, I begin a five-part series of sermons that will seek to answer The Big Questions of Life. I had an epiphany, regarding this series, as I was/am in the process of reading a most disturbing, disruptive and sobering book about the digital age in which we live; the digital age that is in the DNA of our children, or so it seems. The epiphany was that, “Wow! These questions would make for a great sermon series!” The title of the book is FAITH FOR EXILES – 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon. The authors are from The George Barna research group.

As you may or may not know, The George Barna group is one of the foremost research groups measuring the “temperature” of Christianity in the United States. In the front pages of the book they share this quote from J. R. R.Tolkien: Certainly there was an Eden on this very unhappy earth. We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it: our whole nature at its best and least corrupted, its gentlest and most humane, is still soaked with the sense of ‘exile.’ This is a profoundly insightful jumping off point for the book. Let me give you just a brief flavor of the issue this book deals with.

In reference to our Lord’s parable of the sower – you recall that parable, right? It is about the different kinds of soil the seed is planted – the authors write: As in that ancient story, today the soil of many hearts is rocky, dry, and dusty, or filled with thistles and weeds, stifling what really matters. The age-old questions of being human remain unasked, shriveling like neglected seedlings. Deep spiritual longings, are choked to death by binge television, immersive gaming, and social media scrolling. As we will say many times in the coming pages, technology and the lighted rectangles we gaze at all the time aren’t bad in and of themselves. But if we are not vigilant and intentional, digital Babylon glitzes and blitzes our days so completely that we never get around to pursuing the deeper things of life.

What are the deeper things? The deeper things are The Big Questions of Life that need to be asked and answered. Thus, the series that I will launch. What are those questions?

Questions of identity? Who am I, really? Where do I find my truest self?
Questions about how to live: How should I live in today’s world? Do my choices matter?
Questions about intimacy and relationships: Am I loved? Who are my friends? Does anyone care about me?
Questions of meaning and purpose: Does my life matter? Am I made for something?
Questions about legacy and significance: Can I make a difference? What really matters? What counts for a life well lived?

These are the deeper things. We will hear God’s answers to these questions that, far too often, don’t get asked. I could not encourage you more to commit yourself to these five weeks. If you cannot be with us, every week, in worship, dial us up at our website. My prayer is that this series will provide a spiritual break-through and transformation for you! Invite a friend to listen with you. Bring someone else with you who is searching and seeking the answers to the big questions. Hope to see you on the 10th!

Until next time,
PTK

In Spanish the word is “BASTA.” It is short for the Spanish word, “bastante.” What does that word mean? It is an imperative. It is translated as, “enough.” How is it used? When is it used? Those of you who have young children, and those of us who can remember when our children were young, used/use it often. It was applied – is applied when our kids have gotten on our last nerve. You know the scenario. They are bickering, antagonizing each other. They are being unruly, disobedient, obstinate, pushing the envelope. What is it we say to them, when all other reasonable efforts have been exhausted? We loudly shout: BASTA! Enough! Is this resonating with you parents? Sure it is.

In Hebrew, the word that we translate as “still,” literally means, “basta.” “Enough.” The imperative, then, that God sets before us in this comforting Psalm, which is a favorite for many, is for us to “be quiet.” In relationship to what? In relationship to those things that cause us sleepless nights, great angst, concern, fear, worry, anxiety. To those things that so disturb and disrupt us God says: “Basta!” “Enough!” “Be quiet!” “Be still!” In the Psalm we read about some of things that cause such chaos in life. Let’s take a look.

The Psalmist writes: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes, though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas; though waters roar and are troubled, though the mountains tremble with their swelling.
Do you see and feel the chaos? But, oh, the Psalmist continues.

There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad, the holy place of the tents of the Most High. God is within her. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn. The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved. He lifted His voice and the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. And then: BASTA! ENOUGH! BE QUIET! BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

He is still God. He has always been God. He will always be God.

The waters roar in our midst, don’t they? Gender identity is up for grabs. We pray for our children as they are confronted with this ruse. Gender isn’t a choice. “Male and female He made them.” Genesis chapter two hasn’t changed. Our heart breaks and aches for those who struggle with something for which they need not struggle. The Church is not here to judge, but to help and heal, and teach the truth of Jesus. Mountains tremble. The war in Ukraine rages on with no end in sight. The Russian monster by the name of Putin is like a “dog on bone.” Our country seems to be on this horrific inertia toward “Sodom and Gomorrah!” Perhaps we have arrived. The “mean streets of Milwaukee” are a mess. Kids killing kids. Kids stealing cars and killing more. Are not the mountains among us crumbling into the heart of the seas?

Thus, what an amazing declaration, imperative God speaks over us, His children! He sees our concern, our worry, our hurt, and our fear and He says: BASTA! How can He say that to us? There are a couple if reasons. In the chaos He remains our refuge. He is in our midst, even when it doesn’t seem so. How did Luther put it? “A mighty fortress is our God.”

Secondly, most significantly, He remains God. He is sovereign. He sees it all. He is in charge of it all. He will let evil and sin go so for. This the devil’s day. His day will come to an end. Jesus will return to bring us into His eternal habitation; His glory and majesty; His peace and rest that never ends. Thus for you – for me – for us – for all who retreat to this refuge in our midst, we hear and heed the imperative: BASTA! ENOUGH! BE STILL – AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!

Until next month, 

PTK

I recently stumbled upon the following. I wrote this true story many years ago. It still touches
the heart and remains profoundly relevant. I thought I’d share anew. Perhaps it is exactly what
you need to read.

ROBIN AND HER “JEHOVAH JIREH” EXPERIENCE!
 

Robin’s washing machine could no longer wash. She had received her Washer and Dryer as
wedding gifts from her mother many years before. As washing machines are wont to do after many of years of
use, it stopped washing. Robin had four children (all adults now and out of the house) and lots of laundry.
When her washing machine spun its last cycle, she didn’t know what to do. Purchasing a new machine at the
time was a far reach because the very day her washing machine stopped, her husband’s car also went on the
“fritz.” Robin didn’t carry credit cards (very wise was she) and they didn’t have ready monies available to
have both washing machine and automobile repaired. The machine would have to wait. Robin was in tears.
Who wouldn’t be?
Robin thought about God’s provision over our lives as she was drawn to the story of Abraham and Isaac. As
the Biblical account goes, God calls Abraham, in a testing of his faith, to offer up his only son, Isaac, as a
sacrifice. This seems rather harsh and extreme, does it not? The point of the testing was to make sure that God
was still Abraham’s first love.
The dramatic story tells us that just before Abraham is going to put the knife to his beloved boy on the altar of
Mount Moriah (modern day mountain and site of Jerusalem), an angel intervenes and tells Abraham to put the
knife down and look away to the bushes just beyond. In those bushes, in that thicket there is a ram – a
sacrificial ram. The ram will be rendered on the altar, not the son.
Was this a coincidence? Not likely. Not hardly. Was this an answer to a wish, a “hail Mary,” a prayer? No
doubt! Because such provision was made on Mount Moriah, Abraham named that place JEHOVAH JIREH.
Translated: “The Lord will provide!”
 

Jehovah Jireh.
 

Robin got on bended knee, in the middle of her living room, the morning the washing machine would no
longer, and prayed for God’s provision; a miracle; a ram in the thicket; a washing machine. When she said,
“Amen,” she got up from bended knee to get her children to school on time.
Little did she know that, in taking her kids to class, there would be a ram.
In the hallway she ran into one of her close friends. Her friend could see that Robin had been crying and that
something was on her heart. “What’s wrong, Robin?” her friend asked.
Robin hesitated, and then went on to share her lament. After the story was shared and more tears shed, from
heaven came a ram in thicket. Without a blink Robin’s friend said, “You can have our washing machine.”
Robin could hardly believe what she heard. “I can’t take your washing machine. What are you going to use to
wash your clothes?” Robin replied.
Her friend’s husband just completed his medical residency, as a surgeon, and was just beginning his career.
Toward that end, they just purchased a new home along with appliances, not the least of which were a new
washer and dryer. They didn’t know what to do with the old ones. Old? All of two years old! Amazing stuff –
two prayers were answered in that hallway.
If Robin wanted either or both, all she had to do was get them. And so she did. There in that hallway God
revealed a ram for Robin. Get this! God’s grace extends all the way to our laundry!
 

May the Lord continue to provide whatever ram you need as you read these notes.
 

Until next time,
PTK