Another Sabbath to Keep

As we encounter another Sabbath day, I encourage you once again to keep the Sabbath as a day to set aside the things of this side of the Jordan so that you can more fully interact with family, community, and God. When we do this, we can truly begin to see the other side and more fully partake of the blessings of eternity.

The Perspective of Eternity

It is on the Sabbath day that we are to look at the world from the perspective not of one who is daily battling with the foes and constraints of today, but one whose vision includes an eternal frame that will change us as we pick up the mantle of working upon the first day of the week.

The Sabbath is truly the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God into human existence. All too often the cares of today push out this vision of eternity. The test we have to take, the paper we have to finish, the sermon we have to preach, the sick we have to visit, the meeting we have to attend, and simply the work we have to do, all push out the vision of the Sabbath. We allow all of these pressing concerns to rob us of Sabbath. It is as if we think we are going to miss something. If we are not keeping up, if we are not attending to our Instant Messager, cell phone, television, radio, and/or beeper, we will miss something that we need.

Setting aside Busyness

However, God has given us a 24 hour piece of eternity where we are taught to place our hope and trust in the eternal God. What a blessing God has given to us, and the only requirement to experience that blessing is for us to lay aside our symbols of "busyness" on the 6th day. I praise God for the day, and I pray that this week I will truly keep it.

Walking through the Open Door

I probably spend too much time wondering about what's behind many closed doors. I wonder if the closed door hides something that would be a blessing to me. You know what I'm talking bout. What is the closed door? It may be the school that hasn't accepted you for admission but you still want to apply for the fifth time. What is the closed door? It may be that special someone who has made it clear that there is no future between the two of you. What is the closed door? It may be on the job where the promotion that you desperately wanted eludes you.

But more than this, we see the same doors open to others who seemingly have have less talent then we have. We wonder if they are smarter than they look, but it seems like they have less brains than we have. Finally, we note that they have less ability and experience than we have. It can hurt to see the closed doors to us being opened to someone else. It can be draining and sometimes it feels like we are mostly banging our heads against closed doors.

Closed Doors are Blessings

But as we think on this subject we must recognize that closed doors are blessings. Humanity can't do all that we want to do. We are limited and finite. We can't do everything. Closed doors can help us determine what is really important to us and what is not important. If every door was opened we might simply go into the first open door without doing the real work of determining who we are and where we should be.

Closed Doors help us Determine God's Will

Closed doors also push us to determine what is God's will. Many of us would almost blindly walk through all the doors if they all stood open. It is a blessing that God sometimes closes doors that we shouldn't enter. It is a blessing when God shuts a door. That door may not have taken you to the place that God wants you to be at. Yes, God closes doors and it helps us to really agonize with God over what is God's will for us.

In addition, closed doors can help us appreciate the open door when it comes. If all the doors were opened we wouldn't fully appreciate the great blessing of an open door.

God told the church of Philadelphia that God has set before them an open door. Yes closed doors are a blessing, but a God given open door is the greatest blessing. My call to you today is to stop fretting over the closed doors and walk on through the open door that God has placed in front of us.

Following Jesus into the Holiest

The early Adventists saw in this a reference to the Second Apartment Ministry of Jesus Christ. Here we are called to go on further into the most intimate relationship with Jesus. Stop settling for any door, go into God's open door, the door that leads into the throne-room where we can now boldly enter. (Hebrews 4:16). Praise God for the open door that God has given to us and praise God for this open door that leads into the throne room of God where we can obtain mercy. Let us follow Jesus into the special work that we are called to live into today.

We Have an Anchor

Many websites and ministers are predicting or implying that this economic crisis will culminate in the final crisis that will usher in our Lord's return. I wish to repeat, it may do just that, but then again it may not, but in any case this crisis is a real one for many.

A Real Crisis

This crisis has caused many to lose their homes and wonder where they will live. The crisis has caused some to lose their jobs and economists are certain that there will be more job loss in the near future. We see signs of crisis all around us.

It was with this backdrop that I read the first part of a sermon by Pastor Kirkpatrick of Great Controversy.Org. He wanted to remind people of 10 things that were still true even in the midst of the economic storm we find ourselves. You can find that article at this link.

What is Still True in the Crisis

As I read these 10 things an old hymn hit me, "Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?" Sometimes Christians like to believe that they will get through their whole lives without any storms, but we all will have storms in our lives. The songwriter takes for granted that "clouds unfold their wings of strife" and that "strong tides lift and the cables strain." You will have storms in your life. The false prophets of "prosperity" may tell you that will always have money if you are on God's side and the false prophets of universal and certain cure for all diseases may tell you that if you have faith you will be cured of any ailment, but they are simply telling you a falshood, you will have storms in your life. But the songwriter reminds us that we all have storms in our lives, but:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

Sing the Song

Certainly the dark clouds will stare at us menacingly from the air. Certainly the winds will blow us like it blows everyone else. And yes the rains will pelt us. It is true we will feel the effects of the storm, but our boat will only rock...so much, because we are fastened to the rock that won't move at all. So wind do what you will, rain do what you gotta do, I ain't going nowhere, because I am fastened to the rock. So go on ahead and cry, its a storm, but as you cry sing the song so that you can remember that the Rock of Ages holds us up even in the midst of that storm and one day we will see the other side of it.

Traditional Or Contemporary..So What?

How do you Praise God? Today we have battles over the music that is sung in church. We have the traditionalists calling us back to the solid songs of their youth. They argue that the best music supports the church theologically and musically. It is largely a call to the rich heritage of the church.

In contrast there are those who argue for contemporary music. They argue that the church must reach the youth with their music by speaking to the "felt needs" of this generation or we will lose them.

Is Worship Just Entertainment for Us?

However, what is often missing in this argument is that often whether contemporary or traditional, we go to church, be entertained by the music and preaching we like, and then we go home unchanged. We want our music so that we can enjoy the service. We want to either should and jump up and clap or sit there in contemplative silence, but the music too often doesn't call us to live a better life.

Something is wrong with that kind of worship that doesn't lead to changed people. It was this kind of worship that God said God hated. God was tired of the music. We can be so proud of our orchestra's playing "Holy, Holy, Holy" or our praise teams singing the latest praise song that we don't recognize whether it makes any difference in our lives or the lives of those who are touched by us. God would rather we shut the church doors than continue our useless worship (Malachi 1:10).

God is tired

God is tired of worship that ends at the door. God is tired of worship that is just so folks can "get their praise on" but doesn't help you live a better life. God is tired of worship that makes you proud of the great brass and string players in your orchestra. God is tired of worship that doesn't affect the people you come into contact with during the week. (Isaiah 1:11-13)

There is a cliche' int he Black church that says that "Hallelujah is the highest praise." It is a faulty one. God says, shut up and repent. God says, I'm tired of it. God says, obedience is better than sacrifice (worship).

Worship Battles Miss the Point

To often worship is an end to itself. We battle to make the pulpit acrylic versus wooden. We argue over whether to have drums versus whether to have strings. We argue over whether we sing hymns or gospel songs. But today, let us stop the singing and start ministering to each other and the larger community. Then let us come back to worship with the added perspective that doing God's will brings.

I love orchestras playing hymns and the great songs from the history of the Christian church. In addition, I love some of the great gospel songs of today. I pray that God will help me to love God's will as much as I love to sing and worship the Almighty and Just God.

The Actions of the Lamb-Horned Beast

Preachers are called to tell the truth. In this respect they are in the line of the Biblical prophets who had to tell truth to power. They had to say, like Nathan, thou art the man.

Bailout of the Super-Rich

This past week, the Senate and the House of the United States rushed together to push through a 700 billion dollar bill to support wall street and avert a collapse of the United States economy. The bill would help to bailout Wall Street executives who had engaged in unregulated speculations and had lost. To keep them from going down, the democratic congress and the republican executive branches rushed to essentially place a tab on the middle class to pay for a bailout of the super rich.

This past week the United States has demonstrated once again the wisdom of the early Adventists in calling it a lamb-horned beast. The democratic congress and the republican executive branches of the United States government rushed to place a tab of 700 billion dollars on the backs of the middle classes of America to bailout the super-rich who engaged in speculative practices that has placed the economy in peril.

Leaders Passed the Bill

As noted, the Republican president, the democratic house, the vast majority of the senate, as well as both major political party nominees for president all supported this bill. A bill that made no mandates for helping those who could lose their homes. Some say that those who lose their homes should lose their homes, but the super rich who created "investments" out of worthless mortgages, we assume, should be shielded from the results of their actions.

Speaking like a Dragon

The lamb horned beast has horns like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11) Certainly it is a dragon that would support the rich on the backs of the middle classes fend for themselves. But the Bible is true. In the book of James we have a prophecy of the end where the gold and the silver is rusted out. Those who take advantage of the poor and the middle class workers will not escape the punishment of God. The democratic congress or republican executive branches may not do anything, but the "cries of the poor are entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts." (James 5:4).

Socialism for the Super-Rich

It is interesting that the government will pass this socialist plan for the super rich while extolling the virtues of the "capitalist market" for the poor and middle class. It is Babylon. But we can be certain that God won't be silent forever. Revelation 18 reminds us that the merchants of the world will morn at the downfall of Babylon. They will morn because there is no one to buy their goods. They also morn because they were made rich by the Babylon. (Revelation 18:15).

We have some challenging days ahead including a time of trouble such as there has never been (Daniel 12:1), but let us always remember that word that God has given to us as a people "Babylon is fallen" and let us look forward to that house not made with hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

The Signs of the End

The economic problems of the United States as well as the "Bible Prophecy Teachers" who have predicted the demise of the United States economy in September 2008, all have given SabbathPulpit a boost in traffic. As I noted in a previous post, people are wanting to see what the Bible says about the perilous times we live in.

Forgetting the Clear Signs

This is a good thing to go to our spiritual resources to seek to understand the time in which we live. What is interesting however, is that some of the plainest "signs of the times" are seldom referred to by these "Bible Prophecy Teachers."

Matthew 24:7 says that there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places. While there are some who question whether the increase we see has to do with more sensitive instruments, there does seem to be an increase in the number of all three. The number of earthquakes seem to be on the rise. Luke 21:25 speaks of sea and waves roaring. Here we seem to have an increase in hurricanes and who can forget the Tsunamis. And let us not forget Matthew 24:6 which points to wars and rumors of wars. All of these things point to the blessed return of our Lord.

Yes Economic Distress

There is data in the scriptures that point to economic distress. James 5:1-4 tells us that the rich who hoard the wealth and take advantage of the laborer will be punished. Revelation 18:11, 17 tells us that the merchants will not be able to sell their goods.

While that is true, trying to pinpoint when this will happen is just as problematic as trying to date when the next war will be. God has given us certain benchmarks, let us read and understand those, and let us stop trying to invest our speculations with Biblical authority.

God will Destroy those who have destroyed the Earth

The Second Advent of Jesus Christ shows us the futility of environmental concerns. I am not saying that we should litter, but I am saying that environmentalism is a waste of time. God will clean up all of this pollution at the second Advent.

So said one of the pastors preaching a sermon that pointed to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The preacher perfectly articulated a common theme from the theology of many Christians who accept the Second Advent. However, it is my opinion that such a mindset is not only problematic and promotes poor stewardship of the earth, but it is also anti-Adventist.

The Health Agenda

One wonders if the same logic would be used with our bodies. Would they say that we should not worry about our bodies because at the second advent this mortal will put on immortality? The health agenda of Adventism is important in its personal implications, but also in its social as well. Certainly the health agenda (message) of Adventism has a social dimension. The health agenda includes drinking water. But what if our companies are polluting the environment? Does our Adventist idea of health push us to do all that is in our sphere to counteract this? Does it change our voting patterns to promote health in an ecological sense as certainly as we promote it in its individual sense?

I am happy that there are some who are recognizing that the Second Advent does not negate our responsibility to be good stewards of this land. In fact there is another website that seeks to promote environmentalism from an Adventist perspective. They seek to remind us that our Adventism must affect how we live especially during the ecological crisis.

Sabbath, Revelation, and Creation

Adventists have found their identity in the Sabbath and have found their message in the book of Revelation. The Sabbath is a day that we celebrate God's creative power through contemplation of God's creation. Certainly one must question our ability to celebrate creation if we are involved in actively destroying it.

And secondly, God has given us a message that is centered in reminding the world of the importance of the Book of Revelation. Our Revelation seminars are an example of this commitment. But perhaps we must read anew and look at such texts as Revelation 11:18 which states: "God will destroy those who destroy the earth." A part of Babylon is the destruction of the planet. If this is true, then we cannot cavalierly throw away our ecological senses by saying that God will take care of it.

While I am no environmental expert. Certainly there are scientists and even theologians who have put more thought and effort into this, I am just a preacher who recognizes that my Adventism pushes me to do better. I pray that when the Master comes, Jesus will not find that we have ignored a part of his message because we thought he didn't really care about it.