We live in strange days. We live during days when the government is about to own 60% of GM, we have an all Disney NBA finals (Orlando and LA), 10 million people watched Jon and Kate plus 8 to see the train wreck of their marriage, the president is about to name a Cyber Czar, and Iran and North Korea keep trying to one up each other in the race to be the most terrifying nuclear power on earth. Good thing we know the end of the story isn’t it!
Everything a Senior Never Learned
Yesterday I had the privilege of preaching at the Chesterton High School Baccalaureate. It was a fun opportunity to share in this special time with some graduates. The essence of my message was this: Being a high school graduate doesn’t mean you know anything about how to live well. I encourage the graduates, looking at Philippians 2, to seek their purpose and fullfilment in this world by identifying the needs of others and serving them. In the midst of that service that is where you learn about yourself and find what you need to live life well. Building of Bill Hybels excellent book and sermon Holy Discontent, I further talked about how we find our God given purpose where our gifts meet the needs of the world and the heart of God. This intersection is the most gratifying place to live. This is a message that I, along with the graduates, really needed to hear.
Another Church Shooting
You have probably heard already about the abortion doctor in Kansas who was shot at his church while ushering yesterday. Where do you begin in a horrific situation like this. Dr. George Tiller was one of the few doctors around who would do late term abortions, up to a point when many babies may have been able to survive outside of the womb. The thought of what he was willing to do makes me physically ill. But there is no justification for what happened yesterday. Shooting someone in church? Dr. Tiller’s practices are the worst case scenario in the world of legalized abortion that we exist in, but so too is this shooter the worst case scenario for those of us who are so concerned about the lives of the unborn.
In many ways the two people involved, Dr. Tiller and the murderer, who police believe to be Scott Roeder, are perfect foils for each other. You have a many who kills babies and yet serves as an usher in his church being murdered by a man who was willing to do anything to protect these same babies, including committing the very same crime he hated this man for committing. The hypocrisy is overwhelming in both cases. If this murderer really believed in what he was doing so much why did he then jump in a car and drive away from the scene. Why not stay and willingly give yourself up as a sacrifice if you believe in the justice of what you have done This whole thing is evil through and through. God is weeping that anyone associate with his beautiful church could partake in such an evil situation.
June 1, 2009
Ramblings, The Church