Being a Jesus Follower

Hey, friends.  I just wanted to share this quote I read.  It comes from a little book entitled Jesus With Dirty Feet by Don Everts (IVP, 1999).  Look at this:

“Jesus was not a Christian.  He never asked anyone to become a Christian, never built a steepled building, never drew up a theological treatise, never took an offering, never wore religious garments, never incorporated for tax purposes…  He simply called people to follow him.” (p.14)

As I read this portion I had to admit to myself, some times I seem to more in tune with the religiousness of Christianity than I am in tune with Jesus.  But his call was not to fit the mold we no of as a good church member.  His call was simply “Follow me.”  That requires knowing Him in an intimate personal relationship.  That requires obedience and imitation of His life and character.  That requires radically following Jesus.

He challenges our love and compassion, our mercy and our sacrifice.  He leads to us make a difference in our society for the good of others and for the cause of Christ.  He draws us out of our apathy and into ministry for the sake of others.  He gives us hope and asks us to share that hope with the rest of the world.  Oh, that we might be Jesus in our world!

That’s the good life.  – JB

*This does not advocate an abolishment of the church, but it does call for reformation of our ideals about what being Christian really means.

Politics and Religion

I happen to be the pastor of a small-town Baptist church in Northern Kentucky.  Recently I received a letter from “The Rev.” Barry W. Lynn of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State.  This letter, as they send it out every political season, is to threaten churches and church leaders about endorsing political candidates.  Oh, he is clear that as an individual I can endorse a candidate, but I cannot do so from my church pulpit or have any function that would lean toward any form of endorsement.  Otherwise, he threatens with sanctions from the IRS.  This annoys me greatly as an attempt to threaten me or the church I pastor.

First of all, I would not tell my people who to vote for.  It’s not my place to dictate their political choices, their parties, or anything else.  I cannot make decisions for the people, but what I can do is share the truth.  I can present the truth and I can challenge/encourage my people to stand by it as we are called to do as believers.  No, I am not afraid to make a claim and personally support a candidate, but I have better things to preach from God’s Sacred Desk (the pulpit).  I preach the Word of God, “no ifs, ands, or buts about it,” and no apologies for it.  For in it, we find the character of our Mighty God and our calling and mandate to imitate His character in our lives.

Secondly, I believe Mr. Lynn (as I cannot call him “The Rev.”) is dead wrong about this issue of church and state.  Anybody who looks at the historical context and documentation of our nation’s laws would recognize the fight for religious freedom and willingness of our founding fathers to protect for us the ability to worship however and wherever we choose.  It’s one of the great freedoms of our nation.  But some would pervert the truth about our history to say keep religion out of politics.  Now I must make it clear, I believe that a Muslim, a Mormon, a Jew, a Buddhist, or a person of any other religion should have the right to worship just as they choose as well.  It’s a fact of the freedom of choice God has granted us.  Neither do I want any particular denomination or religion to control the nation.  But a right is a right, and we as believers have rights to speak our minds and our convictions.  We shouldn’t have to be afraid that speaking out would threaten our tax-exempt status.  What I find in this letter is a government-sponsored group with certain leanings, trying to bully churches into keeping their mouths closed.  That is the two-faced double-standard in the world of politics.  As long as those who promote conservative ideals keep their mouths shut “everybody” (in the liberal world) is happy.  But nothing is ever said when a candidate who supports the liberal agenda enters a church to speak.  The news media shows up.  The red carpet is rolled out.  And nobody ever complains.  It is ridiculous really.

I also need to make it clear that according to the Scripture (the Bible, the Word of God), faith in Christ should permeate all of our lives, even the political part of us.  That means that if I am a person of faith in Jesus Christ, and I am, I have a responsibility to allow that faith to impact every area of my life.  If Jesus is Lord, and He truly is, then He is to be Lord over my personal life, my public life, my hobby life, my home life, my financial life, my work life, and my play life.  He is also to be the Lord of my political life and opinions.  And if He is Lord of my life, then I cannot help but to allow my faith to impact and direct the political decisions that I make.  It is a must!

Now, here is what really annoys me.  It’s a burden really.  There are way too many Christians that have bought into the nonsense that Mr. Lynn is promoting.  “Don’t mix politics and religion!”  I’m from the South and I have heard this numerous times.  Listen, nowhere is it recommended or encouraged in Scripture that we compartmentalize our lives as we have chosen to do, especially when we leave our Lord and our faith out of something.  God and His Word should drive everything about our lives and it’s high time we stand up for something before every freedom we have enjoyed is taken away.  Look at Scripture!  Those disciples were radical in their faith and in their lives (a state which few church members find themselve today).  They couldn’t get over Jesus and they sure didn’t try and leave him at home when they dealt with issues of the government (persecutions, trials, etc.).  He was at the forefront of their lives and that passion drove them to commitment and consistency, even at times to the point of death as martyrs.

The sad fact is that many professing believers are more interested in protecting their pocketbooks than they are their so-called faith.  Jesus said, ” Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destory and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where theives do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).  Accordingly, many “believers” hearts are in their pocketbooks and not in the things of Kingdom.  Many “believers” hearts are wrapped up in this world and not in Jesus.  Maybe, just maybe, we need to define believe.

Changes

Wow!  Things are always changing.  The temperature dropped 20 degrees over night.  Clouds roll in and quickly move out.  You know the Bible says that “life is a vapor.”  It’s here today and gone tomorrow.  Change has really hit us lately.  It has been a little over three weeks since we lost little Hudson Stone.  It’s hard to believe the hope of life and the excitement of the new baby was so quickly taken away.  Wow, it still hurts too!  Since then, though, more change has come.  We recently moved to Whitesville, Kentucky, where I am once again a new pastor.  The girls are in school again (and loving it).  The boxes are being emptied and slowly put into place.  We are in a new home.  But, we are still together, the five of us.  We are blessed beyond measure to be where we are and we are here only by God’s grace.  While all around us there is change upon change, one thing is always certain: GOD IS FAITHFUL!

He never fails and He never leaves us alone.  He is faithful and true and his mercies endure forever.

With all this change, I am reminded of something critically important.  All of this change is leading us to a point, a final point where all of this life will finally be consummated and we’ll go Home.  Every breath I take and every step I make simply leads me closer to Jesus.  I am so thankful that the hope He has born inside of me is a sure foundation that will not falter nor change.  I am so grateful that his promises are true: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on unto completion” (Phil. 1:6).

Until He comes again, I’ll be waiting, ready to go home.  But until then, I’ll be serving Jesus!

Our Boy

God is faithful!  Today has been a better day for us as Wendy feels like stirring some.  God’s faithful presence and the process of time are allowing healing into the brokenness.  Thanks again for the prayers.

This picture is where our precious boy is laid to rest.

Hudson Stone

Empathy – Correction

In an earlier post, I made a comment some might think one call is not enough.  Whoops!  If you are a BIG TALKER, one call might be enough. 

Empathy

Websters defines empathy as “the projection of one’s own personality into the personality of another in order to understand the person better; ability to share in another’s emotions, thoughts, or feelings.”  How can we care unless we exhibit a little bit of empathy? One thing Wendy and I have learned through the loss of our Hudson Stone is the need for empathy in showing care and concern for those who are hurting.

John MacArthur, in Safe in the Arms of God, reports that statistics show that 25% of all conceptions end prematurely by the 20th week, where we were when we lost Hudson.  Of those 75% end in the first twelve weeks (4).  The statistics in themselves are not comforting although it does show a family that they do not sit alone.  There are others who have walked through this “valley of the shadow of death.”  Yet it still hurts.

What we’ve learned really brings shame to us and a challenge for the future ministry God gives us.  Over our years together, Wendy and I have known several people who have gone through the same situation, but our response was much less than it could have been.  Oh, how I wish we would have been more persistent and faithful to minister in those situations further than one phone call or a hug and an “I’m sorry.”  Sometimes it takes a shoulder, an ear, an hour, or more.  But it definitely involves you/me/us.  It involves a little empathy to care, to listen, to love, to help in bearing the burden of hurting people who need the love of Christ poured into their lives.  The need demands it.

Don’t get me wrong.  We have had great support from family and friends who call, email, talk, pray, and sit with us in the late hours of the night.  They have laughed and cried with us.  They have encouraged us through this time.  This is not a complaint, but a reminder and a challenge to my family and to others.  Don’t be afraid to show a little empathy and get involved intimately and persistently with the grieving process.

JB

Precious Baby

Psalm 139:13-18

13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.  14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.(1 )Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.  17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

I know that the Giver of Life is Sovereign and that His will prevails.  I know that He is love and very gracious.  I know that He is holy and that He is just.  Yet sometimes in life events happen that radically challenge the assurance of who He is and how much He cares.

This past Friday, my wife and I found out that we were to have our first baby boy (our 4th child).  It happened that we found out (the baby was a boy) when the pregnancy ended just after 20 weeks and she had to deliver him in the early hours of Saturday morning.  The news broke our hearts and the hospital experience was traumatic to say the least as Wendy had to endure the entire labor process knowing the baby wouldn’t be coming home with us.

The doctors and nurses, along with other staff, were awesome.  Their care and concern, along with gentle encouragement, was greatly appreciated.  Family and friends gathered around, called, and sent cards and flowers.  We definitely knew great love during this time, but nevertheless, something is missing.  We were so excited to be welcoming this new Baker into the family.  Our girls were so excited about the middle of February, the due date.  Whatever the gender, we had great plans over the next few months and many years.  But now, everything has changed!

Let me tell you:  When you are in the middle of the circumstance, statistics about the frequency of miscarriage does not bring much comfort.  The statements, “God knows best!” and “God is in control!” sounds more like a counseling cliche than a compassionate, caring word of hope (especially if those words are said with cheer!).  Yes, we know that all those things are true and we genuinely believe them, but at times those statements just do not bring comfort.  Two things stick out in my mind that have brought comfort to us in this time: Presence and Hope.

The presence that has really given us comfort first is the presence of Christ in our lives.  As I have read and studied Scripture over the course of the past few days, over and over, the Spirit of God which lives in me has confirmed that He is in control.  I know that through His Word he has brought comfort and a sense of preparedness to this situation.  Our God reigns!  In the dark of the night and in the trial of a difficult delivery, I watched with fear and dread for my dearly beloved and I cried a river of tears from the brokeness and helplessness I felt.  Yet right there, there was a sense of God holding us and sustaining us in the midst of the pain.  He is real.  He was there.  And God be praised for His wonderful presence.

Another presence that brought comfort to us was the presence of our family and friends.  Maybe you’ve heard the statement, “It doesn’t matter what you say.  Just being there is what counts.”  From our experience, that is extremely true.  Our family gathered around us and for that we are truly grateful.  My mother-in-law stayed all through the night Fri./Sat. and my brother, sister-in-law, and sister were there ’til the early hours of Saturday morning.  They brought strength in a great time of need.  God be praised for our wonderful family and for their presence through this difficult time.

The greatest source of comfort for our family was and still is our Wonderful Savior and the hope we have in Him.  We know that our Lord is in control and whatever reason He allowed our precious son to die prematurely (in our time) we may never understand.  Really, it doesn’t matter!  What does matter is that through the blood of Christ and the faith He has given us in Him, we can look forward to the day in which our son will be introduced to us officially in heaven.  Then, there will be no more death nor parting, no sorrow or pain.  God be praised for His promise of heaven and for eternal given through Jesus to all who believe in Him.

For now, we buried our precious son, Hudson Stone Baker, on Monday evening.  We ordered his monument today.  We cry.  We grieve.  We wonder.  We hope.  We hope in Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Promise and Provider of eternal life, and the Source of Strength.  Hudson may have been a big teddy bear or docile like me.  He may have been as stubborn and driven as his mother.  He may have been as brilliant as Hannah or as loving as Ally.  He could have been as funny as Savannah, or his own little man.  But what we do know today is that he is like Jesus, at home with Him.

The Scripture above comforts us to know that Hudson was a beautiful creation of Almighty God, not a mere happening.  His days were governed by our Sovereign Lord and in our Lord’s love, He called him home.  Home!  That’s where he is tonight and that’s where we’ll someday be, Home!

We’ll be home soon!