Author: Craig

Universities, inefficient by design…

/ Craig / Leave a comment

Universities are inefficient by design but also have big payoffs for society.

We assume that private enterprise generates what is so casually called “innovation” all by itself. It does not. The Web browser you are using to read this essay was invented at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The code that makes this page possible was invented at a publicly funded academic research center in Switzerland. That search engine you use many times a day, Google, was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation to support Stanford University. You didn’t get polio in your youth because of research done in the early 1950s at Case Western Reserve University. California wine is better because of the University of California at Davis. Hollywood movies are better because of UCLA. And your milk was not spoiled this morning because of work done at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Read more of this article at Slate.

Drinking Games and Black Friday

/ Craig / Leave a comment

Scripture:  1 Peter 4:1-6

1Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

Observations:

The Gospel creates a new motivation for us to pursue holiness:  Jesus suffered in this world in order to accomplish the will of God.  vs. 1-2

People are surprised and don’t like it when others don’t join them in “their flood of debauchery:” sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties and lawless idolatry.  They malign the abstainers.  vs. 3-4

But all people will give an account to God who judges our lives.  vs. 5-6

Application:

Peter’s language seems archaic and old:  a flood of debauchery.  Yet, the imagery is dramatic.  Watching videos of flash floods inspire awe as I watch the power of water unleashed on unsuspecting people and their belongings.  They are carried away!  The destructive power of a flood is awesome.

Debauchery by definition is excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.  It hits us like a flood.  Food, wine, sex, drinking parties, entertainment, shopping.  What?  Did I say shopping?  Black Friday is a day of debauchery!  Who got carried away by the hype, great deals and easy credit?

We always pay for it.  The problem with excessive indulgence is that it is short-sighted and loses sight of what actually brings meaning to our lives.  And that loss of meaning does hurt people.  Not just ourselves, but also the people who count on us.  Excessive indulgence creeps up on us and then self-control is an illusion we manufacture to convince ourselves that we are OK and that we are right.  We tell ourselves, “I can stop when I want.”  Recently the most dramatic cultural illustration of this was in the Hunger Games series.  The “capital look” became code in our family dinner conversations for excess and cooperative neglect for the real value of people.

I know I need a Saviour!  To live in the Spirit (vs. 6) is a gift.  Jesus lived responsive to his Heavenly Father and yet even he was called a “glutton and friend of sinners” in contrast to John the Baptist, his cousin who lived responsive to God in the tradition of the prophets.  Even he was criticized.  I need grace to enjoy what is to be enjoyed as a gift of God.  I need grace to live for the affirmation of the Spirit and not the crowds being carried away.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, have mercy on me and give me grace to enjoy life as Jesus did.  But also grant me the courage and foresight to suffer according to your will.  Shape my character by your holiness.  Fill me with your Spirit.  AMEN.

Dear Donald Miller, You set me up.

/ Craig / Leave a comment

This weekend I lied to our congregation.  It wasn’t on purpose.  I was telling the part of your story I knew.  And well, I only told them the part I knew and I was missing what Paul Harvey used to call, “…the rest of the story.”  I told them that in your reluctant search for your father you discovered that he was dead.  I shared with them that by starting the search you began to live a better story.  So this weekend you illustrated one of the contrarian impulses that may come to us when we start living the Gospel by the Spirit of God: to include the mess-ups in a new family story.

Its Advent, and we launched our series with Matthew 1:1-18.  Yes, its the list of names,   the genealogy of Jesus, and I read every name.  His family tree includes the stories of wonderfully messy characters.  Abraham, David, Bathsheba, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and a slew of wicked kings.  Jesus’ family list of the “bad” among the “good” shocks our desire to hide what we believe to be our shame.  From Matthew’s perspective the genealogy of Jesus is the genesis of a new family and a new kingdom shaped by grace (Matthew 1:1).

The Gospel compels us to do something different, something contrary to our impulse to hide.  Instead of hiding the past, we redeem the past by God’s grace.  God is faithful.  Now we know He is working through the messes of sinful people to accomplish His plan and purposes.  While life in its current and painful construction creates a deep longing for family and for noble leaders our disappointment with reality may compel us to hide from truth and ignore the reality of our fallen families. And that hiding only creates more pain.  But grace creates a new impulse:  the impulse to include the mess-ups of our lives in our story and in our family story.  Jesus did it, and He is the grace for it.  You know this and have profoundly illustrated it in your writing.

And so, I told your story as you have told it in A Million Miles in a Thousand Years… and as far as I had read in the previous week.  So I didn’t know that “rest of the story” until I finished reading your book last night.  Like a good story teller you set me up… and for that I’m really glad.

Now our contrarian Advent adventure continues… and I get to tell the rest of your story and the search for your father this Sunday as Origin gathers to explore the rest of the  Jesus-story in the Matthew 1:18-25.  Thank you!  I’m glad you set me up, because you  showed  me that sometimes God surprises us and the void in our heart gets filled up by grace.  There can be a surprising “rest of the story.”

Merry Christmas Donald, and by His grace may we all live a better story.

Blessings,

Craig

 

Baptism and life with Jesus

/ Craig / Leave a comment

Scripture:  1 Peter 3:18-22

18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Observations:

For — Peter is connecting how we may suffer in this world according to God’s will even as we “do good” (See vs 17).  In our sufferings we may consider our Lord Jesus who:
suffered…once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,

that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.

Jesus’ ministry continued in the spirit and with proclamation of God’s freedom in Christ. vs. 20

Baptism corresponds to the story of Jesus… and indicates our participation in His mission.  vs. 21-22

Application:

Peter is not making baptism the agent of God’s salvation.  Rather he is connecting the act of baptism with the immersion of our decision-making capacities (conscience) in the grace of God in the Gospel.  In verse 18 Peter captures the movement of Jesus born into this world: suffering for sins on the cross, put to death, raised again, and then vs. 22 ascended to the Father.

Baptism “corresponds” to the story of Jesus.  The appeal of baptism as we make the confession that “Jesus is Lord,” is for God to grant us the grace to live by the Spirit of Jesus in this world of relationships infected with brokenness and darkness.  By joining with Jesus’ ministry by the same Spirit that raised him from the dead we may see people delivered from captivity of sin and into God’s forgiveness and His Kingdom (just as God delivered Noah and his family of eight.)  Now we look forward to the end of suffering with Jesus in heaven where all things and powers are being brought under Him.

This Gospel approach to life is “salvation.”  Baptism is part of our redemptive process because of how the act aligns us with the work and community of Jesus in the world by the Spirit of God.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Today I am remembering the day of my baptism and our celebration of your grace toward me.  Thank you for the hope that pulls me forward and gives perspective to the troubles of this world.  Even this day fill me with your Spirit that I may live aware of the company of Jesus and join you in loving people.   AMEN.

You are what you do.

/ Craig / Leave a comment

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-17

13Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Observations:

Peter continues to address the challenge of being a Christian under pressure, in a hostile environment.  His theme is suffering even while doing good.

Peter tells the disciples who are under pressure to
–not fear their agitators.
–to honour Christ the Lord as holy in their hearts
–to be prepared to make a defence for their good behaviour by sharing the “reason for the hope that is in you.”
–to do so with gentleness and respect, keeping a good conscience.

It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Application:

We can see the difference.  You are what you do.  Not just what you think and feel.  Donald Miller observes that the only story people know about you is what you do, not what you think.  Peter envisions a community of disciples of Jesus who stand out because of their good behaviour.  Their goodness, what can be seen in their relationships with people, cuts against the grain of their society.  In fact the general crowd may call the disciples’ good “evil.”

When confronted for the behaviours that people can see, the disciple of Jesus is to be prepared to give reasons for the hope they have.  This is a profound observation.  Goodness, quantifiable “holiness” flows out of the heart and mind that has been captivated by Jesus.  It flows from the daily confession, “Jesus Christ is Lord.”  Hope has reasons.  Why else would we bother to go against the tide of public opinion and view of what is normal?  People don’t know what’s in your heart and mind until you tell them.  But they may not care about what you know until they care about what you have been doing… or not doing.

Do followers of Jesus really rush in where angels fear to tread?

Hope has its reasons?  Our hope is wrapped up in the Gospel of Jesus wherein we have seen the grace and truth of the Father’s love for us.  Jesus the Son of God, according to the Scriptures, born of Mary, ushers in the Kingdom of God, killed on the cross for the forgiveness of sin, buried in the tomb, raised on the third day to new life, ascended to the Father’s right hand, and now giving the Holy Spirit to empower His church, shall return someday in fullness of glory to judge the living and the dead and usher in a new heaven and new earth.

Hope has its reasons.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father can you see the difference?  Infuse our hearts with the hope of the Gospel so that we have reason for acting and living differently according to the holiness of your Son Jesus Christ.  AMEN.