We are Family (Sermon)

Why They Prayed

It was one of those moments when everything stopped. On the telecast, it seemed as if a hush descended on the entire stadium of 107,000 plus people. In one of the few unscripted moments that mark the liturgy of Penn State football, here was a sudden but welcome intrusion.

Both teams came to midfield, knelt down, and were led in prayer. Not a short prayer, certainly not a token prayer, but a heartfelt prayer. A prayer that acknowledged the victims of child abuse. That acknowledged the safety concerns of everyone present. That acknowledged the heartache of the previous week. That acknowledged the players who were about to play what they all knew was just a game.

But most of all, the prayer acknowledged God. It acknowledged that he is real, that he was present, and that he needed to be paid attention to. Because while there had been a lot of talk about Sandusky, Paterno, Spanier, and the football team the previous week, there hadn’t been much attention paid to God himself.

There’s something about sin in it’s most undeniable, awful, ugly, depraved forms that reminds us of our need for God, though. After the week we had here, the right response was to pray.  While people in other cities make light of “Tebowing,” there was no argument about two entire teams “Tebowing” here. The stillness that settled over the crowd was the realization–even if just for a moment–that God needs to be part of this conversation. God needs to be acknowledged. No amount of candlelight vigils or dollars raised can cover over our collective guilt. And so a humbled, shamed crowd , watching in person, or watching on TV, quieted themselves and acknowledged God.

I don’t know how long that moment will last. I know that after 9/11, many people were moved to go to church, but the following Sunday churches were back to normal. My suspicion is that it will be the same here. But at least for one moment, people acknowledged God. May that not be the end of it.

 

Repentance & the Penn State Cult

[The following is the text of the talk I gave to Calvary Elements on Monday, 11/14, a little over a week since the news broke about the sex abuse scandal at Penn State]. 

 

Repentance & the Penn State Cult

²³ Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills 
   and mountains is a deception; 
surely in the LORD our God 
   is the salvation of Israel. 
²⁴ From our youth shameful gods have consumed 
   the fruits of our fathers’ labor— 
their flocks and herds, 
   their sons and daughters. 
²⁵ Let us lie down in our shame, 
   and let our disgrace cover us. 
We have sinned against the LORD our God, 
   both we and our fathers; 
from our youth till this day 
   we have not obeyed the LORD our God.” Jeremiah 3:23-25

The cries of “We Are…Penn State” have taken on new meaning this past week, a week that we will never forget and don’t want to remember.

I’ve struggled to put into words what this has felt like. I’ve heard more than a few people here compare it to a death in the family, or even our own 9/11, and neither of those is far off. The events of this past week have had a shocking, seismic, things-will-never-be-the-same quality, combined with our entire community processing grief and horror together.

Now, at the beginning of week 2 “after Sandusky,” the response has already begun, with prayer, the candlelight vigil, the blue ribbons for child abuse, and the charitable giving.

While I’m heartened by positive responses, my fear is that we will try to move on too quickly from this. It is crucial that we respond in thoughtful, heartfelt, and as Christians, godly ways, to the events of this past week.

The comparisons to 9/11 or a death in the family are worth exploring, because it should cause us to ask “What exactly has died?”  Michael Weinreb, a writer at ESPN and State College native, wrote an article called “Growing Up Penn State” with the subtitle: “the end of everything at State College.”  “Everything.”  Interesting word choice. It’s not the end of Penn State. It was the end for Curley and Schultz, Spanier and JoePa. It was the end of Sandusky’s unspeakable acts. It is hopefully the beginning of the end for those who were victimized.

But I hope it was the end of something else here: our Penn State idolatry. Here in Jeremiah, he says the in the lands of the hills and mountains, people have believed an idolatrous lie. It’s the same way in the shadow of Mt. Nittany. Because let’s face it, we have given ourselves over to the rampant, idolatrous love of all things football, JoePa, and Penn State. We’re even enamored with our ability to pull ourselves together and show the rest of the world how fantastically great we are at doing good, whether it’s raising money for kids with pediatric cancer, or money for kids who are victims of child abuse.

I use the word idolatry intentionally here. And I mean it in all its awful, gory, biblical sense. It’s not uncommon for Christians to talk about idolatry, and say “I make an idol out of school, or relationships, or comfort.” I wonder if we (including myself) really know what we’re saying.

If we did, we’d probably soften our language, because idolatry is something that is radically destructive. It is disgusting. It leads to unspeakable horrors.

What’s so idolatrous about Penn State, you might ask?  Well, think with me for a minute what we love, celebrate, treasure, and boast about around here:

• Our football program that’s never had a major violation
• The man who built that football, and in many ways the University, St. Joe.
• A world-class University, that could simultaneously be #1 party school and #1 recruiting destination according to the Wall Street Journal. We’ll have our cake and eat it to, thank you very much.
• The myth of safe, secure, comfortable, “Pleasantville” Happy Valley

 

No wonder people have been talking about the cult of Penn State, and the cult of Joe Paterno.  As one student told me on Friday, “everybody who comes here has to buy in. If they don’t, they transfer out after a year or two.” How do you buy in?

 

Here in the Valley, we’ve allowed idolatry to flourish.  We’ve been using religious and worship language about our devotion to Penn State for years.

• We have shrines & houses of worship.  The Nittany Lion shrine is the 2^nd most photographed place in Pennsylvania. The JoePa statue. And Beaver Stadium is a house of worship with seating capacity that is second only to one.
• We riot when our idols are taken away (just like the people of Ephesus in Acts 19).
• We worship sexuality, celebrating “do what feels good, it’s just a normal appetite,” words that Sandusky could have used to justify his actions.
• Finally, and most awfully, as Jeremiah says, idols “consume” our sons & daughters. The wicked Israelite kings worshiped the Canaanite god Moloch. This god was worshiped through child sacrifice, through the offering up of the first born in the flames.  When this sacrifice occurred, the musicians were commanded to make so much noise so that the parents would not hear the cries of their child and change their minds. Idol worship drowns out the cries of the children.

 

Is Penn State idolatry all that different from the biblical versions? No, it’s not. And we are complicit in this. Haven’t you found part of your identity in Penn State? Haven’t you boasted about Penn State in some way?  A little over a week ago, I would have told you I didn’t. I thought I had dealt with that.

 

But this crisis has uncovered Penn State idolatry in me that I didn’t see.  In my shock, I see how I’ve idolized the myth of Happy Valley, that “those things don’t happen here.” In my sorrow over JoePa being fired, I see how I’ve elevated that man to too high a place. In my defensiveness towards the media and people on the outside “who just don’t get it,” I’ve seen a desire to justify myself and keep the Penn State part of my image intact.  Like many of you, I’ve shed a lot of tears. Much of that was genuine grieving. But some of it was for the departure of idols close to my heart.

 

How about you? The words of our alma mater have gotten a lot of attention recently, particularly the line “May no act of ours bring shame.” But it’s the first words that have been sticking in my throat: “For the glory of old State.”

How do we sing of the glory of Old State, and reconcile that with the first of the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before me”? (Exodus 20:3).

 

No one here is completely innocent. That’s not to say we’re all equally guilty.  But we’ve realized that we do, in fact, bear some of the blame in this, in elevating people too high, in winking at the seriousness of sin and saying “it’s just college kids being college kids,” in helping to perpetuate a system that allows these evils to occur, and in worshiping a University, bragging about it, and finding our identity in it, instead of in Jesus Christ.

 

So, if we realize we’re guilty of idolatry, what do we do about it? People typically do one of two things with guilt: the first tactic is that we minimize, deny, and ignore. We say “it’s not that bad, not that big a deal.” But the charges here are so awful, so horrific, and already so infamous, that minimizing and denial just won’t work. So that brings in the other tactic: make up for it. Atone for it.

 

That’s what I believe has already taken root. I’m seeing constant updates online about how much Penn Staters have donated to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network. A worthy cause, and I’m glad Penn Staters want to see some good come out of this. But in the constant tweets and messages, I ask “Why are we doing this? Why do we need to let everyone know?” I fear the same old Penn State jingoism is already returning, the attitude that together, we can “overcome” this.

 

Do we really think that we can ever atone for these sins? What could we ever do that would somehow atone for the crimes committed against these boys? How do you measure it? How long should we feel bad for? How many blue ribbons should we wear? How many dollars should we raise? What kind of penance can we do? What on earth can atone for our sins?

 

Nothing can. We can never atone for these crimes. We can’t do enough penance.  To think that we can only dishonors and minimizes the suffering of those poor boys. This is one of those rare instances when, if we’re honest, we see that we can’t right these wrongs. The sins against those boys have damaged them forever.

 

We need something else, something outside of us. We need someone: a Savior.  As our heroes fall, we’re reminded there’s only one man who was perfect, one man who is worthy of our worship. Like Jeremiah says, “Surely in the Lord our God is our salvation.” Not in us.  We need someone else to take the guilt. We need someone else to deal with these sins, so that justice is served.  That’s the point of the Cross—that Justice is served, sin is punished—but that grace is simultaneously extended to us, the guilty ones.

 

We can’t approach a Savior by thinking we can work our way out.  That’s penance. We can only approach God through repentance. The difference between penance and repentance is that penance tries to earn our way out, while repentance confesses that we can’t. We are guilty, and can’t save ourselves.  Repentance is owning our sin. It’s humbling ourselves. It’s throwing ourselves at the mercy of God. There’s no other way. Repentance is also turning from our sin. It’s taking action.

How do we know the difference between penance and repentance?

• Well for one, we’ll make it about God, then others, then us. That’s what was so powerful about that midfield prayer on Saturday, when EVERYONE stopped.  It’s about God first, others second. Psalm 51.
• It’s not about us. We won’t brag about what we’re doing. We won’t keep score of how much money we’ve raised.
• We won’t be defensive when the media or others attack Penn Staters, rightly or wrongly.
• We’ll get rid of our idols. Turn from them.

 

And that’s what we must do now. It’s not time for “back to normal.” It’s time to repent. In the Bible, God commanded his people to destroy their idols, so that they would not be tempted to worship them. I have a JoePa cutout in my basement, which has some other Penn State décor in it. I took down JoePa today, probably some other stuff soon. Spending some time fasting and praying is appropriate. I can’t go back to “normal,” because normal was idolatrous. What about you?

 

Finally, what about those on our campus who haven’t been driven to their knees? It struck me that the Ninevites declared a fast and put on sackcloth and ashes. We…tailgated and had a football game. Not everyone is repentant. And this is where we, as Christians, come in.

 

The Bible is full of examples of godly men and women who stood in the gap. People who took action on the behalf of others. Like Jeremiah, who I quoted at the beginning. Many others, like Isaiah, Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, repented for the sins of others, even sins that they did not personally commit. Abraham and Moses bargained with God, pleading for him to spare wicked people. Esther acted courageously, believing God had put her there “for such a time as this.”

 

Friends, it’s the same way for us. This is why God has brought us here—to intercede for our community. If you love Penn State and this community, let’s repent of our own sins, and then identify ourselves with our community, confessing their sins as well. That’s the Christian sense of “We Are…Penn State” this week.  Let’s not get back to normal, let’s call sin for what it is, so that everyone would truly know the power and grace and forgiveness and healing of Jesus Christ. Psalm 79 shows us how to pray:

 

⁸ Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; 
   may your mercy come quickly to meet us, 
   for we are in desperate need.

 ⁹ Help us, O God our Savior, 
   for the glory of your name; 
deliver us and forgive our sins 
   for your name’s sake.  Psalm 79:8-9

 

We have spent enough time exalting football, and people, and Penn State. It’s time to exalt Jesus Christ! For a long time, some of us have prayed that Penn State would be more famous for what God has done, than for football or partying or THON. We now have that opportunity.  The THON mantra of “FTK, for the kids” was a modification of gamer lingo, “for the kill.” Let’s see that redeemed further to be “For the KING!”  Instead of singing about the glory of Old State, let’s sing about the glory of our King!

Part of My Book Has Been Haunting Me

Since the news broke about the horrific events that have occurred here at Penn State, I have been haunted by one passage I included in my book. In it, I discuss the role of a college minister as shepherd. I quote, with approval, the words of Joe Paterno in Sports Illustrated. Here’s that passage:

“Joe Paterno has recorded the most wins of any college football coach of all time; he’s also a man of deeply held convictions. From the beginning of his tenure at Penn State, he has sought to cultivate not just football players, but men. He’s made it clear that Penn State Football will do things the right way, will strive for “success with honor.” In a profile in Sports Illustrated, Paterno offered some advice to his son Jay, who is an assistant coach. It’s also a good piece of advice for campus ministers:

Every player we have, someone—maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone—poured their life and soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it’s our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world. (Joe Paosnanski, “Joe Paterno Top of the World, Pa!” Sports Illustrated, October 26, 2009)

In campus ministry…reminders like this one that I’m being entrusted with someone’s treasure are helpful. It’s an important perspective to maintain.”

Obviously, I wish that the same concern had been shown for the victims. They were someone’s treasure too. Beyond heartbreaking.

Crisis on Campus: How Should We Respond?

The following is the substance of a brief message I gave to Calvary Elements students on Monday night. There’s obviously much more that needs to be said, but this is a start.

 

1.    We Should Care—for the Right Things

For most of you, it’s a given that you’ll care deeply about what’s happening. It seems that everyone is talking about it, and has strong feelings about it.

But for those of you who are feeling detached from the whole thing, who tend to think it’s just a media circus that’s been blown way out of proportion…think again. We should care about everything that’s happening right now. We should not distance ourselves from this, even though it’s painful and disgusting. Nor should we just be detached in a voyeuristic, morbidly curious way.

We should care because this is our university. We should care because thousands of lives are being changed right now. Yes, we should care because it seems the entire media universe has descended on our little town. But most of all we should care because of the fate of those 8 (and counting) boys whose lives have been unspeakably damaged. We should grieve for them. We should mourn for them.

I’ll confess that when this story first broke over the weekend, the enormity of evil was slow to dawn on me.   I was in denial. Some of my initial thoughts were about Urban Meyer and if he would be Penn State’s next coach.  But then the horrific nature of what transpired snowballed through my mind.  And now that care has descended on many of us like a dark, heavy cloud.

So let me address those of us who care deeply: let’s care for the right things. More than football, more than the University’s reputation, more than JoePa’s legacy, we must care for those kids! Let’s pray for them, as Joe and others have continually reminded us to. Let’s pray that something redemptive can come out of this. Perhaps a new initiative to curb child abuse that puts THON to shame in terms of money, energy, and success?!

 

2.    Pray for Justice to be Done and for Mercy to Triumph

God desires justice. He hates injustice. He hates those who oppress the weak, the orphaned, the powerless. He hates those who are dishonest, who play favorites, who lead in self-serving pragmatism rather than doing what is right. Because God cares about justice, we should care to. And we should leave justice to him, and to the authorities appointed to carry out justice.

And since all of us stand before a holy God as guilty, and in need of God’s mercy, let us pray that mercy wins out. Yes, even a Jerry Sandusky is not too evil to receive God’s mercy. I see an understandable tendency for people to distance themselves from such a monster. But the truth will not be so neat. Even as new details emerge, and as people condemn and vilify those that should have done more to stop this, we will need mercy. We will need forgiveness. We will need grace. And grace only comes through Jesus.

 

3.    Be a Light

It’s for times like these that God has put Christians at Penn State. Amidst the sadness, grief, brokenness, confusion, and anger, Christians must be light. We can offer hope. As people sort themselves into camps for and against JoePa, Spanier, the Board of Trustees, the media, and more, we can offer people a different choice: neither blind rage nor naïve hope in the people and institutions that have failed us.  The smug, self-righteous condemnation of people on the outside is offensive. But so is the reflexive defense of anything and everything Penn State. We can offer people the light of Christ—light that exposes the deeds of darkness. Light that exposes what is truly evil and wrong, and calls it that; but also light that purifies and gives life.  We are here for a reason, to be the light of Christ.

And so let me challenge you here, with something that is proving to be hard for me: Don’t be a mere partisan in this. Don’t be content to simply take sides like everybody else, and ride the waves of outrage and media news cycles. Let your opinions reflect those of Christ. Talk about Christ. Reflect on what all this means from God’s perspective, and how this points us to our need for a Redeemer.   Times like these uncover a lot of raw things in people’s lives—minister to that with the Gospel. Offer them the hope and light of the Gospel.

 

One Final Word: And let me be sure to say this—if you are one of those who have been abused and unspeakably wounded in the ways mentioned in this case, please talk to someone. Please receive help. I know that coming forward and talking about it can be incredibly hard, but come into the light. Receive the healing and hope of Jesus to free you from fear, shame, and guilt. Please, don’t miss this moment.

Ira Glass on the Creative Process

Great advice for anyone who wants to create something.

[HT: Scott Lee]

College Students & Their Cell Phones

Very interesting information here, confirming the observations of any seasoned campus minister.

One of the implications? Teach students about the need for technological sabbath.

[Via  Todd Rhoades]. 

Should I Go? The Both/And of Body Life

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:42

As a campus minister and pastor, I have a lot of conversations with people about their involvement in church, fellowship groups, and small groups. I’m noticing an increasing trend towards people opting in or out of these based on convenience, preference, and sometimes even belief.

Some people love a large group experience, whether it be a Sunday gathering, or a large fellowship group meeting during the week. They love the crush of people, the loud & talented worship band, the skilled speaker. They love the high production value. But a small or medium-sized group? Meh. Not so much. It’s too slow, too boring, too rough. “I’ll skip it.”

Others love the small to medium-sized group experience. The love the ability to actually meet and get to know a group of people without being lost and overwhelmed in the crowd. They embrace the intimacy of the setting. They value the deep relationships that can form. They know the importance of not just sitting back and listening as we tend to do in large group settings, but of contributing themselves. But a large group? Meh. Not so much. It’s too big, too loud, too impersonal. “I’ll skip it.”

Others don’t care for either of these. If they had their druthers, they would simply go with “Jesus and me.” Why do they need a building or an institution to meet God? the thinking goes. So they opt out of gatherings of any size, to go it alone.

What do we make of this? Is it ok for people to opt in or out of Sunday church gatherings, or Life Groups, or anything else as they see fit? Why or why not?

I call these “Body Life” questions. Anyone who would call themselves a Christian needs to know that they are part of the Body of Christ. That is, they are not only connected to Jesus, but to other people. Therefore, their decisions impact other people. Their presence is felt, and so is their absence. We’re not only connected to Jesus and other people, but in a very real sense, we belong to each other.

So in light of that mutual belonging, one thing we have to challenge: the deeply held conviction that “I know what’s best for me. I’m the last word, and the only word on that.” I find people are increasingly surprised that I would even ask questions and challenge some of their assumptions. Well, it’s part of my job. But it’s yours, too. No one is as wise as they think they are. We all (myself included) need other people to speak into our lives. That’s part of Body Life.

So don’t assume that “I just feel like…” or “This is what works best for me” is the end of the conversation, or even a legitimate answer to the question of why you do what you do. You’ve got to bring more than that.

As I talk with people who would choose one form of church or Body Life over another, I’m reminded of the biblical examples we have been given. Large group and small group. The early church met “in the Temple courts and from house to house.”  Jesus preached to the large crowds, but also formed his small group of 12 men. David led the armies, but also had his band of mighty men. Church history shows that when one form of Body Life is emphasized at the expense of another, it inevitably springs up and makes a powerful comeback. Why is that? Because God designed all forms of Body Life, big and small, and the gates of Hell won’t prevail against any of them. We shouldn’t act as if it’s our prerogative to choose one and not the other. All are biblical. All are important.

Meeting regularly with other Christians is necessary. The author of Hebrews makes this clear: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing…” Why not? “…but let us encourage one another.” (Heb. 10:25).

The problem with the typical mindset out there is that they start with their personal preferences, and work from there. Biblically speaking, this is upside down. We must start with what loves and honors God. This is how we fulfill the Greatest Commandment, to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. God wants his people to gather to worship together, pray together, study his Word together, serve together, and grow together.

In doing so, we also fulfill the second greatest commandment, to love our neighbors as ourselves. We do all these together. Occasionally people will say, “But I can get so much out of listening to podcasts, studying on my own, doing things at my own pace and timing.”

Have you ever considered that doing things based on OTHER people’s schedule, pace, and preference is part of the design? Community is the messy practice of being drawn out of ourselves, and dying to ourselves, for the sake of others.

That includes simply showing up. If you’re not there at Life Group, we miss your perspective. We miss what you have to share. You may be exegeting diamonds of brilliance in your personal quiet time, but you didn’t share that with us. If you’re not there at large group/church, we also miss you. I know you don’t believe that, but we do. We miss you cramming into the seats. We miss your singing with us. We miss the sense that God is doing something here today, and we’re ALL here to hear it.  You can’t capture that via a podcast. There are still some things where “you had to be there.”

Remember, you’re part of a Body. Your decisions don’t just impact you—they impact the rest of the Body, for good or ill. Let’s choose what gives life to others and honors God.

Some Recent Writing

I’ve been doing some writing recently that hasn’t appeared here.

In case you didn’t catch this, I wrote a well-received (and much posted and tweeted) article at The Gospel Coalition, entitled “Five Necessary Shifts for Missional College Ministry,” which was a distillation of chapter 3 in my book. I’m working on another article for TGC that I hope will run in the next week or two.

My friend Brad Baker, college pastor at Saddleback (Rick Warren’s church) in Orange County, CA, asked me to write up this article for his website, collegeministry.com. I called it “Why I Love Ministry to College Students (and you should too).” Some nice resources at Brad’s website for college ministry, worth checking out.

I also wrote a piece that will appear on the Immerse Journal website next month, on “Open Source Ministry,” a very interesting topic. Some very good articles there recently. Immerse does a good job of combining the print and online components of their journal.

I’ve also been writing some talks on Proverbs for Elements, our ministry here at PSU, not to mention this week’s sermon on Jonah 3, entitled “Am I Fish Vomit?” Yep, that’s the title. For reals.

One more thing–I’ve been working with some friends on a new website. Hoping to unveil that soon. Will let you know when I do.

Cardboard Testimonies of God at Work

Last week, our church held an all-together gathering on campus. It was a powerful time to worship God together and give him credit for what he’s done. Several people, including quite a few students I work with, gave their testimonies via the medium of cardboard. I’ll let you watch.

 

Follow Me

 

Five Ways to Get Guidance

In a world with multitudinous choices that assault our senses constantly, how do we navigate these choices wisely? I wrote about the need for wisdom and God’s guidance as we make decisions earlier. Here let’s look at 5 Ways to Get Guidance, according to Proverbs.

1. TRUST!

To get guidance, we must trust God and his Sovereign plan. Trust is hard. But given what Jesus has done for us, how do we NOT trust him?

 PR 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

    PR 3:6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

 

2. COMMIT!

PR 16:1 To man belong the plans of the heart,

    but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

      PR 16:2 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him,

    but motives are weighed by the LORD.

      PR 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,

    and your plans will succeed.

This proverb does not give carte blanche to do whatever we want and expect God to bless it. (I’ve heard people try to use it that way). Rather, it teaches that when we commit ourselves to God, and align our wills with him, we can expect God’s blessing on that which lines up with his will. God loves to bless what pleases him.

3. PRAY! ASK!

From the Proverbs of the New Testament, we get this wonderful assurance of the power of prayer:

James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

 

4. Think/Take Responsibility

Thinking is a no-brainer, right? Unfortunately not. Plenty of people make decisions without adequate forethought.

PR 13:16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge,

    but a fool exposes his folly.

PR 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,

    but the folly of fools is deception.

PR 14:15 A simple man believes anything,

    but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.

PR 14:22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?

    But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

Think it out! Plan! Be strategic! Be thoughtful. Don’t just sit there waiting to get zapped, or waiting for a billboard to tell you.

 

5. Ask for Advice 

We need counsel! We need advice! 

I’m routinely surprised by how people make decisions. 

They’ll have a big decision to make, but won’t ask others for advice.  Instead, they’ll merely inform people, after the fact.

Ask them why, and they can’t explain it. “Just because.”

 

PR 11:14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,

    but many advisers make victory sure.

PR 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,

    but with many advisers they succeed.

PR 24:5 A wise man has great power,

    and a man of knowledge increases strength;

    PR 24:6 for waging war you need guidance,

    and for victory many advisers.

According to Proverbs, people who make decisions on their own are losers.

Do you just inform people? Or do you ask them? When they speak, do you listen? Do you receive their counsel?

Making decisions without soliciting the input, advice, & counsel of others says “I know everything there is to know. I don’t need other people to tell me. I can see things from every possible angle.” That’s arrogant. It’s immature. It’s the way of the Fool.

Who are your advisers? An adviser is someone who can tell you you’re wrong, and you usually listen to them.

Not just anyone, but good people. Wise people. People who have demonstrated by their choices that they are wise. 

Getting Guidance, Part 1

From the NY Times//Jack Atley, Bloomberg News

PR 19:21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart,

    but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Wisdom is navigating life skillfully. It’s living life well. It’s aligning ourselves with God’s design, not going against the grain, but with it.

In no area do we feel the need for wisdom more acutely than when it comes to making plans. Getting guidance. Making choices. Think about your day:

 

1. We are always making choices

• What to wear
• What to eat
• What to do: right now, tonight, tomorrow, this weekend, this summer, next year, the rest of your life
• who to hang out with

 

2. We are defined by our choices.  They make or break us.

• right major, right internship, right advisor, right job
• who should I date, who should I marry

 

3. Increasingly, like no other time in history we are paralyzed by our choices

So many choices confront us, more than ever. We’re told it will bring freedom, that more choice can’t be bad; but increasingly research is showing that actually people are paralyzed and depressed by choice. Overwhelmed and stressed.

One famous study depicted the problem of choice quite well:

In a California gourmet market, Professor Iyengar and her research assistants set up a booth of samples of Wilkin & Sons jams. Every few hours, they switched from offering a selection of 24 jams to a group of six jams. On average, customers tasted two jams, regardless of the size of the assortment, and each one received a coupon good for $1 off one Wilkin & Sons jam.

Here’s the interesting part. Sixty percent of customers were drawn to the large assortment, while only 40 percent stopped by the small one. But 30 percent of the people who had sampled from the small assortment decided to buy jam, while only 3 percent of those confronted with the two dozen jams purchased a jar.

That study “raised the hypothesis that the presence of choice might be appealing as a theory,” Professor Iyengar said last year, “but in reality, people might find more and more choice to actually be debilitating.”

Even if we have the capacity to endlessly research choices (a hotel, a camera, an internship, a potential bf or gf), that doesn’t mean we should.

Other researchers went on to say,

“It is not clear that more choice gives you more freedom. It could decrease our freedom if we spend so much time trying to make choices…Even in contexts where choice can foster freedom, empowerment, and independence, it is not an unalloyed good. Choice can also produce a numbing uncertainty, depression, and selfishness.”

“Society has become more self-absorbed through having too much choice, because individuals focus on their own preferences at the expense of what is good for greater society…”

 

Most of our decisions are moral. They’re legally permissible, but not necessarily beneficial. They are not wise. Fortunately Proverbs gives us WISDOM on how to make decisions, make plans. We need GUIDANCE.

 

Hebrew word for guidance connected with “ropes,” as in sailing. Ropes are ways of navigating: raise the sails, lower the sails.

How do we navigate life, getting God’s guidance? Proverbs tells us.  Here we’ll look briefly at what to KNOW about Guidance, and tomorrow we’ll look how to GET it.

 

What to KNOW about Guidance:

1. We need to get real about ourselves:

PR 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him,

    but a wise man listens to advice.

 

PR 14:12, and 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.

 

PR 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

    PR 3:6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

We need a sober self-assessment that realizes the limits of our own knowledge, experience, and wisdom.

 

2. Acknowledge God is in charge!

 

PR 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course,

    but the LORD determines his steps.

 

PR 20:24 A man’s steps are directed by the LORD.

    How then can anyone understand his own way?

 

PR 16:4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends–

even the wicked for a day of disaster.

 

PR 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan

    that can succeed against the LORD.

      PR 21:31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

    but victory rests with the LORD.

 

PR 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow,

    for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

But God does.

 

3. Trust in the one who has given us Jesus Christ! 

In the Garden, we see Jesus at what I believe is the peak of his incarnation.

Never was Jesus more human than that moment when he questions if it has to be that way.  In deep anguish and physical shock that causes him to sweat blood, he asks, “Father, if there is any other way, let this cup pass from me, but not my will, but yours be done.”

Here, for the first time, Jesus questions what he should do. He had walked in perfect faith all his life, never questioning what he should do. But as the shroud of sin and death falls on him, and the Father begins to turn his face away, Jesus experiences the separation and uncertainty from God that characterizes most of our existence. He, just for a moment, has questions. But he continues in tremendous faith and strength, trusting his Father.

In that moment, Jesus enters into uncertainty so that we would know the certainty of the Father. He goes into unknown, uncharted waters, so that we could be known and have our future made secure. He is cut off that so that we could be connected to the Father. He willingly enters pain so that we could know the Father’s security and comfort.

Waiting on God’s Guidance is a matter of trust. So when he has given us Jesus Christ, how can we NOT trust him?

 

What the Kids Are In To

Pretty much nails it, as far as how young people relate.

The idea of them dating is about as retro as Stevie Wonder, though.

[HT: trevinwax.com]

 

Facebook Animal Farm?

From http://www.bspcn.com/2011/09/22/facebook-and-you/

I’m tempted to turn this into a longer lesson on something, but I think you get the point. Have me moved from a consumer-driven society to a people-as-product society?

Are we living Animal Farm?

Does anyone care? And what are the roles and responsibilities of ministry in such a context?

Radio Interview about my book

This morning I had the privilege of going on WTLR’s morning show (89.9 in State College) with Dean Christian. We talked about the book, the state of campus ministry today, and how people can pray and serve in this field.

Head on over to WTLR’s website to listen to the three audio clips, each about 6 minutes in length.

This was my first time doing radio. Dean (the host) and I had a good rapport, and he made it easy for me. Also, Dean is from New Zealand, so he has a really cool accent.

Faith Changes What We Feel

Throughout the Gospels, it is evident that Jesus not only thought deeply, but felt deeply as well. He was no stoic, but someone frequently moved with love and compassion.

Part of Jesus’ perfection was that his head and his heart were perfectly in sync. He felt the proper response to what he saw. Compassion is a complex emotion. It connotes deep sympathy and sorrow for someone, combined with desire to alleviate their suffering.  Compassion is one of the most Christ-like emotions we can feel.  He was always feeling it—crying out, weeping for people. Read “The Emotional Life of Our Lord” by B.B. Warfield to appreciate more of Jesus’ inner life.

What do you feel?

I’d submit that when we do take an honest look at people, we do feel emotions, but often not what Christ felt. Rather, overwhelmed, paralyzed, contemptuous, disgusted. We can be hardened to peoples problems instead of melted by them. I know I can.

But when faith gets ahold of us, we will be moved again. Yes, we’re talking about emotions. Men, this is especially for you. What’s your “emotional bandwidth?” I have a friend who jokes his bandwidth is this big (thumb and index finger held an inch apart). And that his only emotion is anger. He was only half-joking, but he was at least aware of it.

Pastor Tim Keller says that he knows many men are getting the Gospel when they start crying again. Many of us are not aware of our (lack of) feeling. But I’m guessing for many of us that a wider bandwidth would be good.

For many men, we feel emotions the same way we see colors—we think there’s about 4.

We look at the paint chip above and call it all “Yellow.” No it’s Goldenrod, Canary, etc etc etc (Yes, I had to look those up).

To be like Jesus means we can feel a whole host of appropriate emotions, particularly as it relates to others. Compassion, fueled by faith, will bring a wide emotional bandwidth. A broader spectrum. Other emotions.

To feel is part of our redeemed humanity.  Do you notice how much of our society actually numbs people? But to feel more is to be more like Christ.

Our emotions are a crucial part of motivation! We are not purely rational creatures. Our actions follow our desires. We do what we want to do, we do what we love.

So it becomes all the more important that our will, our desires, our emotions—what Jonathan Edwards called the “Religious Affections”—are set on the right things.

Paul says in 2 Cor. 5 that “Christ’s love compels us.”  The experience of Christ’s love should have a propulsive, compelling effect. Moving us out, towards others!

What moved Christ? “Jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the Cross, scorning its shame…”   It was the JOY in sight, the joy of seeing all the people redeemed, that allowed Jesus Christ to endure the cross for you and me.

It’s the same for us—Faith gives us compassion like Jesus. By faith we experience Christ’s love, and by faith we anticipate the JOY of seeing people experience salvation—and that compels us!

For Jesus, it wasn’t his duty—it was his delight.  Is it a duty or a delight for you?

To reach people, we must love them.

Speaking of Yellow…

Want to win a free copy of my book?

This week marks the release of my book, College Ministry in a Post-Christian Culture, and I’m excited about it. To celebrate and share the joy, I’m giving away 5 free copies. It’s pretty simple to win. The first 5 people to do the following will get 1 free copy:

1. Tell me why you are excited about the book, in your own words. If you need some inspiration, check out what other people have said. You must tell me in the comments section here on the blog–not Facebook. 

2. Tell 10 other people in an email why you’re glad my book has been published, and what you like about it. At least one of those should be connected in some way to campus ministry. You must cc me on the email, stevelutzcco [at] gmail dot com. 

3. Post on Facebook and/or Twitter your comments about the book. You must tag me in your comment. 

4. When you have completed the first three steps, send me an email that includes your mailing address.

In all the communications, include where people can buy the book. I’ve collected some handy links for that here.

The first five people to do ALL FOUR of these steps will win a free book!

God Speed!

Four Sermons on Being SENTinels

You may have noticed that this blog is called “The SENTinel,” playing off the idea that Christians are both people with a trust to guard and keep (the Gospel), and simultaneously sent out into the world, on mission with Jesus. I seek to have everything that appears on this blog tie into those themes.

I recently got to elaborate on those themes as I preached a four week series at Calvary on “SENTinels: Embracing Our Identities as Sent Ones.” It was well received. Since I regularly get asked by friends and supporters for links, I thought I’d pass them on here. Click on the titles to stream the audio, or right click to “Save as” if you want to download them.

I’d welcome any response or feedback here!

8/14 SENTinels #1: Embracing Our Identities As Sent Ones
“Being sent” is not just something we merely do as Christians, it’s who we are. To be like Jesus is to be sent like him, with his peace.

8/21 SENTinels #2: The Power Of ‘And ‘
There is both a “Come” and a “Go” in the Gospel.  The Gospel invites us to come to Jesus, but it also sends us outward in his name.

8/28 SENTinels #3: The One & The Many
A seed is a small thing, yet the Kingdom of God expands through many small things that add up to giant change.  Jesus shows us how to do that by loving him more than anything the world has to offer.

9/4 SENTinels #4: Faith For The Mission
It is easy to be paralyzed by the needs of the world, or to ignore them.  Yet Jesus looked directly at a needy world and acted.  In this message, we look at how faith equips us for anything God might ask of us.

What Do You See?

When Jesus saw the crowds, he saw “sheep without a shepherd.” “Harassed and helpless.” (Matthew 9:35-38). He saw people. Hurt, lost, confused people.

What do you see?  

It’s amazing what technology can do these days with what we see. We can go “to the cloud” and “Photoshop” undesirable objects, expressions, or even people out of pictures.

We can go to the movies and experience alternate worlds in 3D.

There’s even the emerging field of “augmented reality,” where technology creates filters for what we see in the real world.

Already, through the lens of your Smartphone, you can pull up Yelp!, the restaurant-finding app.  Turn it on to Monocle, and through the camera it tells me what restaurants are available in what direction, how many miles, along with how many stars it gets. It becomes a filter for how we look at the world.

That’s all fine and good to have a filter that helps me find a restaurant.

But what if we have a filter for people?

We have all kinds of filters. Are they nice, interesting, or cool? Are they “worth knowing” or “worth my time” or “worth being seen with?” Are they troublesome, awkward, or annoying? Are they too young , too old, too fat, too skinny?  You’ve probably already used these filters today.

We have the ability, far more sophisticated than Photoshop or any James Cameron technology, to filter out people or things that we find unappealing and inconvenient.  But Jesus didn’t do this. He saw people. I like how it says in Mark 10:21, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” You get the sense that when Jesus looked at somebody, they felt more revealed and exposed than a TSA screening, but they also felt loved.

Paul says in 2 Cor. 5 that if we are in Christ, “we regard no one from a worldly point of view.” We don’t look at them through the worldly, human filters we so easily put on. People aren’t primarily smart, dumb, interesting or boring, worth it or not worth it.  Instead, we see people through the filter of faith. We view them as they really are, relative to Jesus. That’s our augmented reality.

If anyone could have written off the crowds as needy, annoying, obnoxious, fickle, stubborn, not worth his time, it was Jesus. They never let him alone. Always coming to him with their little diseases. Their ignorance. Their blindness. But when he saw them, he saw them as harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

So for us, we ask, “Where does that person NEED Jesus—where are they hurting?” We don’t see them as a problem but as someone who needs Jesus.  Through the filter of faith, we see who they could be, in Christ! Faith changes the way we see people.

To reach people, we must SEE them. By faith.