I was having a conversation with my wife concerning a topic from her recent class about whether or not a church should give a baby shower to an unwed teen who becomes pregnant.

If I, as her pastor, were to elect not to give her a baby shower, then I have a dilemma, because the teenage girl is not the only one who needs some correction. And I’m not talking about her parents or the person who helped her to conceive.

“…you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them” (Ezekiel 34:7-10 NIV). This entire passage of Ezekiel 34 should be read by everyone who chooses to lead in the Church.

Proactive discipline is essential, and reactive forgiveness is mandatory.

You probably recall a guy named Lamech who thought a lot of himself. He was so egocentric that he said, “If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times” (Genesis 4:24). Seventy-seven times is a figurative number that means “immeasurable.”

Jesus uses the opposite of punishment to make a point about giving immeasurable forgiveness to those who sin. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Though the ungodly give immeasurable punishment, the godly give immeasurable forgiveness.

My conclusion would be: If the girl and her baby can’t celebrate the life of the child God has provided, and receive the needs of raising a child from her church body, then I, as her pastor, shouldn’t have the tools to preach and lead worship, because I have also failed, and she is no more a sinner than I.

She gave in to lust, and I gave in to lazy.

Fortunately, immeasurable forgiveness is also given to the undershepherd who has lost track of one of the Shepherd’s sheep. God watches as we both make our way back home, and He celebrates our return (Luke 15:20ff).

There will be those, like the older brother in the parable of the “Prodigal Son,” who think that the young girl should be punished and shamed. But the big brother in the story has forgotten that he is also a sinner, and has been no less lost than the one who went astray.

It is the first-century, Jewish expectation that the oldest brother serves as the undershepherd of his father’s family. When the younger children get out of hand, like the younger, selfish brother in the story, it is the older brother’s role to offer correction and guidance on the father’s behalf. In this story we notice that the older brother offers neither correction nor guidance, and therefore has neglected his role and given opportunity for the younger son to stray.

We must not make the mistake of assuming the role of the pastor as that of the father in the story. The father, of course, represents God who has provided all. It is the oldest son who represents the neglectful undershepherd of his father’s sheep.

“Lord, forgive me for the sin of allowing these little ones under my care to be attacked by the beasts of immorality.”

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

Every once in awhile, a book comes along that literally changes a person’s life. Recently that book for me was A Little Exercise for Young Theologians by Helmut Thielicke.

This very small, 41-page book should be read by everyone who goes about the task of theological study. The sins of young students of the Word are brought out so simply and powerfully that one cannot read this book without reflecting on his or her own arrogance as a pubecent adventurer of holy writ.

So much of what Theilicke had to say was powerfully accurate. His insights should be read by everyone who attempts the task of theological education, formally or otherwise. Jut about every page of the book has some amount of highlighting, because I could not resist the urge to be able to go back to his thoughts with ease.

The arrogance or “theological puberty” that Thielicke speaks about is dead on with most of us, and few can resist the urge to “wallow in our ownership” of new findings, which are shared with passionate urgency as if all the secrets of the universe have been discovered by the young theologian, and others have been left in the dark.

The temptation to speak down to the congregation rather than speak with them is also a temptation that is sometimes heightened by theological studies. Pouring out our defense for hymns of old as more theologically stirring and rich as apposed to the simple and shallow words of newer worship music becomes a constant agenda of the learned master of all things God.

As a Salvation Army officer and pastor, I have found myself with the same urges, especially in Sunday school settings, Bible studies and small groups, to correct all those who have not been privy to my level of discovery. I say that with sarcasm. I can go back and almost hear my words sending the message, “Oh ye of simple faith.”

Even the introduction of Thielicke’s book is full of informational wealth. As Martin E. Marty points out, those who study deeply do change their minds about what they believe quite often. This is a healthy sign of a growing Christian, but the one experiencing such a crisis must be patient with those who rarely question anything spiritual. I find myself in this predicament of philosophical transitioning so often that I have wondered if there are any definite truths to be discovered from the biblical text. And then, I realize that I am also guilty of the tendency to read the Scriptures only to discover what can become a sermon.

This book has truly opened my eyes to the dangers of theological adolescence, and I am determined to get this book into more hands, especially those who are called to the task of teaching.

As for my own ministry, I have been made more aware of my task to learn as much from my pastor, the church, as I teach. And although the need for life-long learning must never cease, there will be times when the learning that I am able to glean from the most humble of theologians may very well contain the richest, life-giving instructions of my life.

As Thielicke so wisely states, “Even an orthodox theologian can be spiritually dead, while perhaps a heretic crawls on forbidden bypaths to the sources of life” (Thielicke, 37).

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

O

ne of the best gifts God has given us is the ability to form and enjoy relationships. These take on many types including parents and children, personal friendships, romantic and professional relationships. Unfortunately, the joy and fulfillment of these relationships come to a crashing end when a loved one dies.

As Christians, we can find hope in verses such as John 16:22 which says, “So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice and no one will take away your joy.” Jesus was speaking to his disciples, preparing them for a time when they would “weep and morn while the world rejoices.” He prefaced His words with, “I meant what I said…” (John 16:19, NIV).

Jesus knows our life will include times of intense sorrow and pain as we suffer the losses of those we love. His words did not include quick and easy ways to pray this pain away, but, as I see it, an invitation to embrace our pain and grasp onto the hope that only He offers.

Later there will come a time when no one can take away our joy. In other words, now is not forever. Moreover, forever is coming and along with it comes permanent joy!

Jesus’ words are comforting and offer us an invitation to deepen our relationship with Him, a relationship that will never end. However, on this side of Heaven, coping with loss can feel at times unbearable, especially in the event that a death happens suddenly, such as the death of a child or in cases of a suicide, just to name a few.

Reactions to grief include physical, psychological, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that include weakness, loss of energy, loss of libido, angry outbursts, difficulty concentrating, fear, guilt, loss of ability to experience pleasure, and anxiety.

If you are traveling the road through grief (and towards joy), there are some things you can do to grieve healthy:

· Share your pain: As crude as it may sound, everyone experiences loss. Grieving with someone else can prove to lessen your feelings of loneliness and help you reclaim a fulfilling life for yourself.

· Know that the healing process is progressive and will include times of regression, in other words, healing from such a loss will not happen in a straight linear manner. There will be times (ok, days) of intense sadness, and even some days of happiness.

· Give yourself permission to feel: Those who study grief have come to one firm conclusion: Grief WILL be expressed one way or another. People who grieve healthy are able to admit these feelings, feel them, and grasp onto the hope that “now is not forever.”

In the meantime,
cry when you need to cry, scream when you need to scream, and laugh (yes, laugh) when you need to laugh. Do what you need to do when you need to do it.

· Keep decision making to a minimum: Expect your judgment to be clouded for a while. If you find that significant decisions need to be made now, find a trustworthy person to consult with such as a parent, pastor, friend, counselor, or teacher.

· Give yourself time to heal: In most cases, the closer you were to the person you lost, the more pain you will experience. Healing will come, but not tomorrow.

· Seek Comfort: For some this can be especially difficult. Accept help from those you trust. Healthy grieving always involves accepting love and support from others. Doing so is human and courageous.

Remember: NOW IS NOT FOREVER!

Jason Tompkins

As one person said, “If a cat jumps on a hot stove, it will never jump on a hot stove again. In fact, the cat won’t even jump on a cold stove.” That cat knows the power of pain.

You may or may not be aware of a serious condition called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain. This rare condition causes a person to not be able to feel pain. This may seem like a good thing, but the reality is, children with this disorder often end up blind from scraping their eyeballs, or breaking bones that are not detected until an infection is noticed. In older individuals, some end up with brain damage due to undetected, high fevers.

No pain, no gain is an understatement, even for diabetics who have lost feet when they were unable to feel a cut that became infected over time.

It is no secret to those of us who have a healthy respect for clothing irons, knives, and hornets, due to a painful experience, that pain is powerful.

We have all at least heard the question, “Why does God allow people to suffer?” Many of us have even asked that question. John Piper, in his book, Let the Nations Be Glad, page 84, says that is the wrong question. The correct question to ask is, “Why does God appoint suffering?”

Jesus was appointed to suffer and die as part of God’s plan of salvation. When Jesus sent the twelve to share his message, he warned them that they would be flogged, imprisoned, even hated when they obey the call to share the Gospel (Mattew 10). And he even tells them, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves” (16a). Why was Jesus sending them out to be persecuted? The answer is found in Matthew 10:18, “On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.”

For Jesus’ sake, the disciples will be arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and even killed so that they can be brought before the most powerful people in each community and have the opportunity to share the Good News with government leaders, officials, and even kings of nations.

Why does God allow suffering? Because our suffering brings others into the Kingdom of God. There is power in our pain.

We suffer because, in our suffering, we become most effective for God. There have been studies done that prove that the more comfortable we are, the less we do. One such study showed that the poorest fifth of the church gives 3.4% of its income to the needs of the church, while the richest fifth gives 1.6%, which is half the amount of the poorest members. It is true that prosperity can do more harm to the church than persecution and difficulty. As Piper says, “Loss and suffering, joyfully accepted for the kingdom of God, show the supremacy of god’s worth more clearly in the world than all worship and prayer.”

“All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Recently, there has been some frustration over the U.S. government’s supposed decision to offer funding for universities and colleges to repair classrooms and buildings. The money can be used for any repair, as long as any room or building that is repaired with the government funds is no longer allowed to be used for any form of religious fellowship or Bible study groups.

The initial response may be for believers to be offended and become intensely angry over this stipulation, but the truly Christian response should be to shout for joy! To be persecuted for being a follower of Jesus is an honor and privilege.

How do I know this? Because of the power of pain, and a really important guy said so.

“Blessed are you when others, (even the U.S. government), revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” –Jesus, the Messiah (Matthew 5:11-12)

In the dust of the Rabbi,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

As a child, I often believed that my parents existed to make me happy.

I remember one trip we took to Taco Bell when I was about 6-years-old. We were not able to go out to eat, even to a fast food restaurant very often, because my parents were divorced and my mother made so little money. But about once or twice a year, we had the opportunity to go to McDonald’s, Burger King, or Taco Bell, and we were would be very excited to have such a rare treat.

Taco Bell was having some kind of sale where a free taco came with some kind of meal, so my mom’s idea was for my uncle, aunt, and her to buy the meals, and give the kids the free taco. With a soda, that was more than enough food for us at the time. We were just skinny little kids, and didn’t eat a lot anyway.

So, my mom handed us the tacos and our drinks, and I proceeded to have a fit. I screamed and cried, not because it wasn’t enough food. I cried because it was the free food. “I don’t want the free one.” Somehow, I felt undervalued; as if getting the free taco meant that I wasn’t worth the food that was bought. I never did eat, and when we got home, I received a little something special for the show I put on in Taco Bell.

As a very young child, it was impossible for me to understand that it was really my mother who wanted to go out for a little treat, and I benefited from her desire, not the other way around. As an adult, you would think that we would be able to understand our roles as beneficiaries a lot clearer. In most cases, that’s not the case.
All of us want to feel valuable.

We don’t want the free one, because we want to know that we are the center of the universe for that person, and deserve great gifts just because we’re alive. Many Christians believe the same thing about our relationship with God.

Being the light of the world is not a new command from Jesus (see Matthew 5). Jews, like the one’s Jesus is speaking to in this passage of Scripture, have been told from the time God chose them that they are to be a light for the world.

God says through the prophet, Isaiah, “’I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles” (42:6).

The purpose of God’s salvation is often misunderstood. Many of us believe that our salvation is God’s goal; the ultimate climax of His plan. But is our salvation God’s ultimate goal?

Jesus’ purpose was to bring Glory to God, the Father. Therefore, in order for you and me to follow Christ, we must choose to live for the sole purpose of seeing God glorified.

God said to Israel, through the prophet, Isaiah, “For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off. See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.” –Isaiah 48:9-11 (NIV)

It is so tempting to believe that God’s purpose for man is to honor man; to believe somehow that we are so valuable that God will do anything to keep us close to Him…for our sake.

But, as John Piper discusses in his book, Let the Nations Be Glad, it is not for man’s sake that God is merciful, but for God’s sake that God is merciful.

We are not sent to make disciples so that people’s lives will be better. We are not sent to make disciples so that people will be happier, richer, or healthier. We are not commissioned to reach other for Christ so that their marriages will be better or the children will stay out of trouble. All of these things should be the result of following the instructions of the Son of God, but none of them are the reason for missions. The purpose of making disciples is to bring as many people as possible to raise holy hands, to fall to their knees, to sing for joy, and praise God in worship.

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory” (Piper, page 17).

God is not calling us to bring others into the Kingdom because God wants to make everyone feel important. His entire purpose is to be worshiped. When we share the gospel, the end point of our ministry to bring others into the fold is not to have them pray the sinner’s prayer. The end goal is to get them to worship God.

It may offend some of you to hear that you are not the most important thing to God. God is. God is the most important thing to God. Why? Because to place anything or anyone above what is most valuable and most worthy of praise is idolatry. God is not an idolater. Those whom God calls righteous are those who put God above everything else. There is nothing in creation that is more worthy of praise than God. Therefore, like righteous people, God seeks glory for God. As Piper says, “God’s righteous passion and delight is to display and uphold his infinitely valuable glory” (page 22).

All of creation has been given life for the one and only purpose of worshiping the God of the universe. Missions is our assignment from God to give the opportunity for worship in those places where worship is not being done.

“…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

In His dust,
Johny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

Complaining is an easy thing to do. We all have reasons to complain.

Sometimes it is a little more difficult to notice the great stuff in our lives.

Think about that feeling right after you vomit when the wish-you-were-dead nausea is finally relieved. It is as if the whole world is at your feet just waiting to be conquered.

That is the feeling that Israel was experiencing when Moses was giving them the low-down just before they were to enter the Promised Land. For forty years they were in the desert eating “what is it?” and drinking water that was either very sparse or given by a miracle from a hard rock.

And there is a danger in that moment of euphoria when we no longer feel like throwing up. Sometimes we want to go out and eat a big, juicy burger with a large fries and a milkshake. Big mistake!

God warned them to be careful that they did not forget Him or his commandments. Once they get into the Promised Land, it will be easy to forget the desert and their reliance on God.

The desert is the training ground where God teaches us to rely on Him. In the desert, we only get exactly what we need for the moment. The Promised land is a land of “milk” and “honey.” Milk is a reference to shepherding, while honey is a reference to farming.

They have lived for forty years in the milk world where nothing could be grown, and they could only eat exactly what God provided. Now they will be living in a land of shepherding and farming. It is in the farm land that we are tempted to forget God and that He provides everything that is available.

As soon as I put my money into an IRA, it’s easy to forget that God provides the increase. We can begin to believe that everything we have is provided by our own hands.

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God…Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God…You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me’” (Deuteronomy 8:10-11a, 12-13a, 17).

In those times and places of our lives when we finally find relief from the desert moments, we will be tempted to forget that God has provided that relief. And as children of God, let us never forget the words that Moses said to us, just before we entered the land of milk and honey.

We are called to honor God in the desert and on the farm.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2008 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

How often do we place ourselves in the role of worshiper without first being a forgiver? Why do we forgive? Why do we worship? Often the answer hovers dangerously close to being “to meet my needs.” Jesus said “first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). This teaching of Jesus gets its roots from the ancient Jews. There is a 10-day period between the Jewish New year and the Day of Atonement. This 10-day stretch of time was to be used by all Jews to seek reconciliation from one another, followed by a nation-wide fast.

The great fast on the Day of Atonement was not to be observed by any person who did not first seek forgiveness from his or her neighbor. Imagine for a moment how wonderful an observance this was, as a magnificent communal experience for all God’s people, when they spent 10 days reconciling all wrongs and bringing the entire nation to a place of peace with one another.

One survivor of the Holocaust is recorded to say, “If you could lick my heart, it would poison you.” This is the extreme, but a good example of the kind of dissention that was to be gotten rid of before the Day of Atonement and participation in the great fast.

First century Jews, including Jesus, placed such a high value on forgiving neighbors that the sages would teach:

“For transgressions that are between a person and God, the Day of Atonement effects atonement, but for the transgressions that are between a person and his or her neighbor, the Day of Atonement effects atonement only if one first has appeased ones neighbor” (Brad Young, The Parables, page 124).

This is also the backdrop for Jesus’ parable, “The Merciful Lord and His Unforgiving Servant” (see Matthew 18:23-35).

The main goal of the Day of Atonement was for all of God’s people to imitate Him as a forgiving and merciful being. God desires that we imitate Him by forgiving one another.

When God created human beings, He created them “in His image.” The word “image” in Hebrew is the same word translated “idol.” God tells us not to create idols, for we are not to go to anything or anyone other than God to have our needs met. Even though God told us not to create any idols, God created many idols; He created each and every person so that He could come to us and have us meet His needs.

One of God’s greatest needs, of which He comes to His images in order to have met, is the need for his children to be reconciled with one another so that they can worship Him with clean hearts.

Forgive first and then come and worship your God.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2008 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

One of my favorite movies is “City Slickers.” Billy Krystal’s character is so funny, and he really knows how to play up the whole mid-life-crisis behavior. In the movie, he is having his thirty-ninth birthday, and he is having a few regrets about how his life has turned out.

Life is really short. Can that be understated? I don’t think so. My oldest son just turned eighteen, and I am almost thirty-nine.

(A side note)Tell me if any of you have experienced this: It seems that the older I get the younger old people look. Yikes!

None of us want to waste our lives. We want to have meaning, and leave something behind that proved that we made some contribution to better the world before we left.

Among Aesop’s fables is the story of “The Miser.” I will quote the story form Brad H. Young’s writings in his book, The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation.

“A miser sold all his property and bought a mass of gold, which he buried in a secret place to which he made frequent visits of inspection. Someone who had noticed his coming and going found the treasure and carried it off, and when the miser returned and discovered his loss he wailed and tore his hair in a frenzy of grief. Someone who saw him agonizing, after learning the cause, said to him, ‘Don’t grieve, my friend, just take a stone and bury it in the same place and think of it as gold in a vault. Even when the gold was there you made no use of it.’”

We all waste so much of what God has given us. Too many of us hide our best talents, and present only our average gifts to the world, while the best of what we are and have is often shielded for fear that it will be wasted or taken. As many have stated, even shyness is a form of pride and self-preservation; it is the fear of not presenting one’s self, gifts, or talents as perfect. Hording our treasures is not a benefit to anyone including ourselves.

In a recent study at a University, of which I can’t remember the exact school, college students were asked if they think they would be happier spending money on themselves or buying something for someone else. The great majority said that they would be happier if they could buy something for themselves. The students were then given a sum of money, ranging from five to twenty dollars. Half of the students were instructed to spend the money on themselves, and the other half were told to buy something for someone else. At the next class, the students who spent the money on themselves were not any happier than they were before they received the money. Those who used the money to buy something for someone else were considerably happier than they were before they received the money.

If I had it all to do over, would I change some things? ABSOLUTELY! But, as Lucile Ball has been quoted to say, “I would rather regret the things I have done than the things I have not.”

I want to share more with the world, and spend less time and treasures on me.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2008 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

The New Year offers a time to reflect and plan. Guilt can overcome us as we remember all that we did not accomplish in 2007, or we can look at those failures as learning opportunities.

How many of us did not accomplish all that we wanted for God in 2007? Were we lazy, letharigic, or passive about our Christian responsibilities?

The good news about coming to the end of 2007 is that we find ourselves at the threshold of a brand new year. Zig Ziggler calls an alarm clock an opportunity clock. That positive spin can also work as a metaphor for 2008. This could be our greatest “opportunity year” of all. For some, it will be our last year. I don’t mean to sound morbid, but the facts are the facts.

How will we serve God this year? According to Stephen M. Wylen, the author of The Jews in the Time of Jesus, the service of God was called Avodah. Our Bibles translate Avodah into the English word ”worship,” and, according to Wylen, worship is an inadequate translation. The literal meaning of Avodah is the act of doing divine labor, to literally be a servant of God (Wylen, 84).

Jewish Avodah, in the time of Jesus, was the act of giving offerings and doing other religious rituals at the Temple in honor of God.

When Jesus was born, the Magi performed divine labor for Jesus. The author of the Gospel of Matthew tells us that when the Magi saw Jesus, they bowed down to worship him and gave him their gifts (see Matthew 2:11).

2008 could possibly be the greatest year of our lives. It could be a year of divine labor; serving the Savior in more ways than we ever have. To be sure, such a great opportunity will require a revolution (a dramatic change in ideas and practice) of our Christian lives.

What if we, in 2008, offered ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; and this was our spiritual act of “divine labor” (see Romans 12:1-2)?

Many blessings,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

‘Tis the season to be loving.

It is not difficult to find those who are cynical and doubtful about Christianity during this time of year. There will be those who are offended just to hear the words, “Merry Christmas.” However, it would be difficult to find those who do not appreciate the financially lucrative benefits of Christmas. Even Santa Claus is happy to see the exchange of funds that fill up business accounts this time of year, thanks to a 2000-year-old belief in the birth of Jesus, the Messiah. Still, there will be those who try to discourage our faith.

A few years ago, while my father-in-law was decorating the outside of his house with Christmas lights, his Jewish neighbors stopped by for a chat and said, “Welp, we can’t all be perfect.” The humorous, little dig at the ignorance of Christians was taken in jest by my father-in-law.

I tell you that story as a reminder that we are not to be put off by the naysayers of the birth of Christ. That argument is as old as the birth of Jesus itself.

In a book co-written by John Dominic Crossman and Jonathan L. Reed, titled, Excavating Jesus, is recorded on pages 39 and 40 the blatant “story-mongering” of a Greek philosopher named Celsus.

Celsus wrote in the late second century:

“Let us imagine what a Jew, let alone a philosopher, might put to Jesus: ‘Is it not true, good sir, that you fabricated the story of your birth from a virgin to quiet rumors about the true and unsavory circumstances of your origins? Is it not the case that, far from being born in royal David’s city of Bethlehem, you were born in a poor country town, and of a woman who earned her living by spinning? Is it not the case that when her deceit was discovered, to wit, that she was pregnant by a Roman soldier named Panthera she was driven away by her husband, the carpenter, and convicted of adultery? Indeed, is it not so that in her disgrace, wandering far from home, she gave birth to a male child in silence and humiliation? What more? Is it not so that you hired yourself out as a workman in Egypt, learned magical crafts, and gained something of a name for yourself which now you flaunt among your kinsmen.’”

The birth of the Savior will always be under scrutiny. That is without doubt. Yet it is the effectiveness of Jesus’ message to love others that even the most hardened skeptics would find hard to dismiss.

Be patient with those who doubt. Live out Jesus’ message by loving others, including those who do not believe.

Many blessings,

Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved