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Season’s Greeting: “Fear not”

Why would I choose “Fear not” as my Christmas greeting? Most Christmas greetings focus on other aspects of the angel’s message to the shepherds. The front of Christmas cards are emblazened with messages, such as, “Peace”, “Joy”, “Good Will”,  “A Savior is Come” or “Christ is born.”  The authors of our favorite Christmas carols have used these themes repeatedly. We hear them in “Joy to the World”, “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Angels, We Have Heard on High”, “Oh Holy Night”, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”, “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night”, and perhaps the most beloved of all, “Silent Night.”

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:8-14. KJV)

I selected the greeting, “Fear not!” because it may be the most used phrase in the nativity narratives in Matthew and Luke. Four times angels confront people in the nativity narrative, and all four times the angels begin speaking by saying, “Fear not!”

The first encounter is between Zacharias, a priest of Israel in the time of King Herod. Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth, cousin of Mary, were aging and without children even though they continually prayed for children. In Luke Chapter 1, we read the encounter between an angel and Zacharias as he was performing his duty as the high priest:

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,  9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:5-17, KJV)

The second encounter was Gabriel’s visit to Mary, telling her that she was selected to be the mother of the Christ. We read about that encounter also later in Luke chapter 1.

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:26-35, KJV)

The third encounter is recorded in Matthew Chapter 1. This encounter with an angel occurs in a dream of Joseph as he tried to decide what to do about his pregnant fiance.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.                (Matthew 1:18-25, KJV)

Are angels so unusual and scary that they must reassure people that they’re not there to hurt them? Most likely. The angels, sent by God, were trying to reassure those being visited that everything was going to be fine. That’s great, and we could leave it at that. The birth of the Savior would allow God and man to be reunited and make everything alright. That is a great Christmas greeting.

However, recently I read another way to interpret this message. Elie Wiesel, Jewish ethicist,  Holocaust survivor, American professor and novelist, and winner of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize, explained why people need to watch out when visited by an angel approaching with the words, “Fear not!”  Wiesel is reported to have once said, “Whenever an angel says, ‘Be not afraid!’, you’d better start worrying. A big assignment is on the way.”

Look at the four encounters in the nativity narrative. Zacharias was given the assignment of being the father of John the Baptist, and raising the prophet who was to proclaim the coming of the Messiah. Joseph was given the assignment of loving Mary in spite of the question concerning the baby she was carrying. Then, when the baby was born, Joseph was to assume the role of the human parent of the Son of God. The shepherds were given the assignment to go and see. However, I believe implicit in that assignment was the call to tell others what they had seen. Mary was given the assignment of being the mother and raising Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world.

What about us? What is our big assignment, now that the angels have told us, “Fear Not!”? Our assignment is the same as the implicit assignment to the shepherds, “Go and tell the story.” The first verse of the traditional Christmas Carol, Go Tell It On The Mountain, says it all,

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

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Update on My Health

Friends, it’s been three months since my last post. It’s been a much longer absence than I intended. Three months may actually be the longest dry spell of writing in my entire career, not just my time as a blogger. I can’t ever remember any three month interval in which I did no serious or significant writing. It has been like I am in a boat, stuck in the middle of a lake, and I lost the winds in my sails. However, it is not as if I had run out of ideas on which to write. During those three months, I accumulated a list of more than 200 potential ideas for posts. However, during this period, whenever I sat down at my computer to write, something would happen and I could never finish my thoughts. Sometimes as I started to write, I couldn’t decide on the approach I needed to take to bring out the important aspects of the subject at hand. At other times, I would get into a topic and I found it had a mind of its own. It started going in a direction I didn’t want to go and I had to shut it down.

I finally decided to step up to the plate and follow the advice that, for years, I gave to scores of institutions that were struggling in the beginning stages of assessment programs. I would tell institutions to just pick an area and an approach, and then attack it. I would also suggest that after that first task was finished, the institution should celebrate its victory. The institution should then pick another topic, and go after it.  You make progress one topic at a time.

The first topic on which I have decided to write is an update on my health. I offer this posting, not as an excuse for the recent scarcity of posts, but as a partial explanation of my pain. It is also a request for your prayers and thoughts. The past five years have clearly taught me that God is a God of miracles, and not a God of my convenience. If not for the grace of God, I would not be writing anything. I have had six doctors in six different specialties tell me that there are no scientific or medical reasons to explain why I am still walking and talking, or even breathing.

After a life of excellent health, the past five years have been a long, trying journey. During this period, I have picked up a long list of problems which began with the rescission of a benign meningioma. This list of current conditions includes a mild case of aphasia, epilepsy,  abnormal involuntary movement (tremors), disturbed sensory perception (dysesthesia), organic hallucinosis (sensory hallucinations), fatigue, attention or concentration deficit, and mental status changes. These are complicated by another somewhat smaller list of conditions that I have picked up over the past ten years, independent of the brain tumor. This list includes atrial fibrillation and obstructive sleep apnea. Taken collectively these conditions have complicated my life and forced me to retire from full-time work within the academic world.

This fall as I strove to get my proposed coaching/consulting business, Higher Ed By Baylis LLC, and this blog, By’s Musings, off the ground, I have encountered some additional complications. Since the onset of my epilepsy four years ago, my seizures have been controlled by medication. However, earlier this fall I became concerned as I experienced several incidents of sensory overload, brought about by loud noise, quickly changing lights and my cross sensory perceptions. The confluence of these sensory experiences seemed to take me to the precipice of seizures. I developed intense headaches, became nauseated and momentarily lost track of where I was.

The intensity and frequency of headaches increased throughout the early fall until they reached their peak in mid-October. Thus, for the past eight weeks, I have experienced continuous headaches. The only things that change are intensity and location. I wake up with them in the morning. They wax and wane between “four” and “eight” on the normal ten-point pain scale. The headache moves around my head, fading out in one location, as it fades in at another location. As I wrote this paragraph, I found myself engaged in a metaphysical and grammatical argument: Am I experiencing one headache and I should use singular nouns and verbs; or is it many different headaches and I should use plural forms?

In an attempt to find answers, my neurologist ordered a DAT scan to determine if the tremors were related to the possible onset of Parkinson’s disease, and an MRI to determine if there have been any changes within my head. The DAT scan was negative. The good news from that report is that the tremors are not related to Parkinson’s disease. The bad news is the test doesn’t tell them what is causing the tremors. The results of the MRI were a little less positive. There is still a hole in my head where the tumor had been. There is still scar tissue approximately the size of a dime on my right frontal lobe where the tumor had been attached. Unfortunately, the new MRI showed some swelling in the surrounding area, along with a very small new growth within the hole. My neurosurgeon says that the growth and swelling are not extensive enough to be causing my headaches and other problems. However, any abnormalities in the brain area must be watched. Thus, I will have another MRI in three months. Depending upon the results of that MRI, it could be followed possibly by additional MRI in another three months to monitor the growth and swelling.

I know that God can heal me and I pray that He will do so. However, if God decides to do something else, I pray that I will be able to stand with Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Job and say, ” My God is able to deliver me from these medical problems. If he does, the glory goes to Him. However, if He doesn’t, I will still serve Him. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Please pray this prayer with me.

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:16-18, KJV)

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:20,21, KJV)

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Spiritual Tenacity: Examples from Scriptures

I introduced the topic of spiritual tenacity by referencing a recent sermon by our Associate Pastor, Rev. Richard Hall, at Calvary Baptist Church of York, PA. This post digs a little deeper into the topic by looking at several examples of tenacity from the Bible.

As I noted in the first post in this thread, my visual image of tenacity was the image of holding onto someone or something for dear life. It is a picture of hanging on with all of one’s strength, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

The first image that Pastor Hall painted for us was the image of the martyrs, the righteous saints of God dying for their faith. This image came right out of the letter to the church at Ephesus in Revelations, chapter 2:

 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Rev 2:10, KJV)

If a follower of Christ is faithful unto the death, besides the crown of life what awaits them? In Revelations chapter 6 we are told that they will be given white robes.  They will also remain at the altar and rest in the Lord until all the company of martyrs is complete.

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held…And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Rev 6:9 & 11, KJV)

Therefore, what awaits  martyrs? Besides eternal life in heaven, there are three specific things. The first is a crown of life, which they gladly give back to the Savior. The second is a white robe which signifies being clean and free from the dirt of sin, and which stands in stark contrast to the deep crimson of the Savior’s blood which is the cleansing agent. The third thing is rest under the altar of God, which is in complete contrast with the state of their lives on earth leading up to their martyrdom. They are free of concern and pain.

If tenacity is the act of hanging on in the face of opposition, then there are two examples of tenacity that just jump off the pages of scripture at me. The first is the picture of Jacob wrestling with God, in Genesis 32:

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. (Genesis 32:24 – 30 KJV)

In the middle of the night Jacob is alone waiting for Esau who is coming to meet him. Since Jacob is worried that Esau is coming to destroy him and his family because of all that he had done to Esau, Jacob sends his family to the safety of the other side of the river. While waiting alone a man approaches and starts wrestling with Jacob. Is it real or a dream? For Jacob the exertion and the results are real.  Jacob showed the tenacity to hang onto God for a blessing, and God rewarded him for it.

The second picture is the picture of the eternal security of those in the hands of God. In the gospel of John, Jesus replying to a direct question from unbelieving Jews as to whether He was the Christ, says,

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10: 27-30, KJV)

Paul reinforces this teaching in his letter to the church in Rome.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 35 – 39, KJV)

This idea of the tenacity of God, holding onto His sheep or children is not just a New Testament idea. We also find it in the Psalms. Psalm 73 is labeled as a Psalm or song of Asaph, the first music director of the temple singers. Asaph’s name means the gatherer. Asaph could have been the author, transcriber or just the collector. In this Psalm we read

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. (Psalms 73:23-28, KJV)

Again we see the picture of God tenaciously holding the hand of His children and followers. David echos this picture in Psalm 139:

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalms 139:5-10, KJV)

The picture of God tenaciously holding onto His children and His children tenaciously holding onto Him is all throughout the Bible. Returning to Pastor Hall’s sermon, he used a second word to describe the reciprocal relationship that God desires with his children.

That word was resolute. Pastor Hall used the example of Abraham Lincoln in his resolute desire to end slavery and to preserve the union. I had my own pictures of resolute. As I mentioned in the first post in this thread,  I have spoken about resolve in earlier posts, “Aphasia is not the end of the world”  and “Epilepsy is not the end of the world.”  

In these posts I told the story of the H.M.S. Resolute that was caught in the ice in Northern Canada in the bay that was later to be known as Resolute Bay. It was a story of determined survival. For me, the word resolute carries with it the picture of determination, persistence, and especially determined persistence. In my next post in this thread, I will further address this concept that is closely related to tenacity.

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Spiritual Tenacity

In late July, the Assistant Pastor at our church, Calvary Baptist Church of York, PA, preached a sermon entitled Spiritual Tenacity, based on Acts 14 and Paul’s experiences at Lystra, and Paul’s instructions to his mentee Timothy in II Timothy 3:14,

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; (KJV)

Before the Pastor began his sermon, just its title sent my mind racing. What does tenacity mean? What does it look like? Earlier in July, Gettysburg celebrated the 150th anniversary of that great battle. There had been numerous mentions of the tenacity of both sides of the battle as they faced off against each other on Cemetery Ridge during the climatic conclusion of the battle known as Pickett’s Charge. I will speak more of this view of tenacity in a later post.

What dominated my thinking about tenacity during the prelude to the service was the idea of tenacity referring to the ability to persevere, to “hang in there,” or to hold on in the face of tremendous odds or overwhelming opposition. I kept visualizing two pictures that I had taken during a trip to the far U.S. Northwest in the year 2000.

The first was a picture of my wife. It was taken along the Road to Paradise in Mt. Rainier National Park, at the Martha Falls Viewpoint, next to the 100 feet deep Steven’s Canyon cut out by Unicorn Creek, which is fed by melting glaciers on Mt. Rainier. The picture makes it appear as if she is tenaciously hanging on for dear life to keep from falling into the gorge behind her. However, this picture is deceiving because she is actually standing on a 20 foot wide ledge between the rock in the picture and the edge of the cliff.

My wife hanging on for dear life

The second photograph that came to mind was the picture of a hemlock tree which is at least 50-years old judging by its size and shape. The tree is growing out of what appears to be a solid rock near Inspiration Point, at the edge of the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” a ruggedly beautiful gorge cut out of rocks by the Yellowstone River.

The hemlock tree probably started out as a little seedling in a small pile of dirt on top of a rock ledge. As it grew bigger and bigger its roots wormed their way into fissures in the weathered rock. As the tree grew older and stronger, the roots tenaciously dug into the rock to grab onto a solid foothold.  The tree now stands firm near the edge of a 1000 foot gorge that sees heavy winter storms, lots of snow and winds. It has tenaciously dug its roots into the rock in order to maintain its stability.

Tenacious tree on the edge of a huge abyss

These are my pictures of tenacity. The perseverance to hold on in the face of insurmountable odds and opposition.

The service began with the singing of the hymn “I am Resolved,“  a classic late 19th century hymn written by Palmer Harsough (words) and James H. FIllmore, Sr. (music) which speaks to the resolve and tenacity required of a follower of Christ.

Verse 4

I am resolved to enter the kingdom
Leaving the paths of sin;
Friends may oppose me, foes may beset me,
Still will I enter in.

Refrain:

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.
I will hasten, hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

 Resolve is another great word which has its own visual images for me. I have spoken about resolve in earlier posts, “Aphasia is not the end of the world”  and “Epilepsy is not the end of the world.” However, the sermon and songs brought new visuals to my mind. The first picture of resolute that came to my mind was the picture of a dying Jim Valvano accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award at the 1993 ESPY Awards Ceremony. I invite you to watch this 11 minute video provided by the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research. Click on the link below and open it in a new window. It defines resolute better than I could ever find the words to do so.

   Jim Valvano: Never give up; Don’t ever give up

Returning to the church service, Pastor Hall used several incidents from the life of Christ and Paul to introduce us to spiritual tenacity. Why do we need spiritual tenacity? From where does it come? Since this is such an important message, I will speak to those in another post.

To my friends and all others who might happen by this blog, in the words of Jimmy V, “Never give up; don’t ever give up.”

 

 

 

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The Bart Simpson Defense

This post is drawn from an Op-Ed piece that I wrote in 2008 for The Herald, the student newspaper at Cornerstone University. At the time I was provost of Cornerstone and regularly wrote opinion pieces for the paper. The only real change that I have made from my 2008 piece is some updating of the Hall of Shame.

I begin with an admission that although The Simpson is the longest running scripted show in television history, it is definitely not one of my favorites. I can count on one hand the number of times that I have actually watched an episode all the way through. However, if one watches any Fox network programming such as NFL games or NASCAR races, which I do, one will be exposed to Simpson commercials. In one unforgettable commercial, Bart is accused of doing something wrong. His response has become known as the infamous Bart Simpson Defense: “I didn’t do it….You didn’t see me….You can’t prove it.”

Within the context of a cartoon family such a statement may appear funny. I must admit that on occasion when asked by my wife the whereabouts of the iced tea that she had made, I will reply, “I didn’t do it….You didn’t see me….You can’t prove it.” Both my wife and I understood completely what I was saying. It was obvious that my statement was an attempt at a humorous confession of guilt.

Unfortunately, almost every day, we hear entertainers, athletes, politicians, and even ministers say in effect in all seriousness, “I didn’t do it….You didn’t see me….You can’t prove it.”  Are they really trying to convince us that they didn’t do it? The hall of shame list seems unending — Brittany Spears, Floyd Landis, Mel GIbson, Marion Jones, Spiro Agnew, Jim Bakker, Mark Mcquire, Lindsay Lohan, Pete Rose and Martha Stewart are names almost everyone recognizes. There are other names that are somewhat less familiar. However, if we were to attach particular descriptors to these names most people would recognize the situation — Ken Lay and Jeff Skiling with Enron; Charles Graner and Lynndie England wtih Abu Ghraib; Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken with insider trading; William Jefferson with “$90,000 of frozen assets” found in his freezer; Jayson Blair and the New York Times with a revoked Pultizer Prize; Ted Haggard and his removal from the leadership of the National Association of Evangelicals. Over the years related to this phenomenon, we have been introduced to expressions that will always be associated with the speaker. Richard Nixon will always be remembered for his statement, “I am not a crook.” BIll Clinton will go down in history for his assertion, “I did not have sex with that woman.”

“I didn’t do it….You didn’t see me….You can’t prove it.”  This trio of expressions begins with a personal denial. The speaker is asking the recipient to trust him or her. The ability to trust the speaker depends upon his or her reputation and relationship with the recipient. The second expression throws the burden of proof onto the recipient. Did the recipient actually see any transgressions? If not, the speaker is claiming his or her innocence. The third expression raises the level of proof even higher. It throws the case into a legal sense, where the burden of proof is even higher. It must be “beyond a shadow of doubt” as judged by a jury of one’s peers.

Since I wrote the first version of this essay in 2008, unfortunately the Hall of Shame has added a number of new celebrities from all areas of public life. The most tested cyclist of all time, Lance Armstrong finally gave up defending himself, essentially admitting blood doping. He was stripped of his Tour de France wins and banned from all competitive sports. In baseball, all-star and MVP, Ryan Braun accepted a suspension, and in effect admitted use of a banned substance. In line right behind Braun is Alex Rodriquez. The evidence is piling up against A-Rod, who is now facing a stiffer suspension than Braun. In football, college star and potential NFL star, Manti Te’o had to admit lying about a fake girlfriend. Another football star, Aaron Hernandez is facing direct murder charges and possible charges in two other murders. Tyson Gay, Olympic track and field star, has failed a number of recent drug tests and been suspended from upcoming track participation.NY politician Anthony Weiner, who had already admitted inappropriate texting of explicit photos, has been caught again in the same behavior. San Diego major Bob Filner is under fire for inappropriate behavior toward women. He has admitted “having a problem” and checked himself into a rehab program. He has indicated that he hopes this will satisfy his critics and that he will be able to maintain his political career. Celebrity cook Paula Dean had admitted using racial insensitive language. As a result she has lost her television show and many endorsement deals. Actress Amanda Bynes is facing hospitalization for her wild behavior.

For those who use the Bart Simpson defense something very important is missing. That something is the realization of personal responsibility. Some individuals eventually reach the point of saying, “I did it and I’m sorry.” Many do not. Track star Marion Jones finally admitted the use of performance-enhancing drugs and plead guilty to lying to federal investigators. In a tearful apology, Jones said, “It’s with a great shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust….”  On the other hand in a letter asking for leniency just prior to a sentencing hearing, football star Michael Vick wrote “I am not the bad person or the beast I’ve been made out to be.”

In chapter 12 of II Samuel, the prophet Nathan tells King David a story of a rich man taking advantage of a poor man. David is incensed and demands to know the identity of this rich man. Nathan tells him that he is the culprit himself. Nathan then confronts David with what he did with Uriah and Bathsheba. David immediately recognizes what he had done and says, “I have sinned against the Lord.” David does not try to claim his innocence, indict his accuser, or challenge the evidence against him. David did not use the Bart Simpson defense. David accepted full responsibility and asked God for forgiveness.

We see what happens to public figures when they are caught doing something they shouldn’t. We see what happens when they claim, “I didn’t do it….You didn’t see me….You can’t prove it.” What will happen the next time that you or I do something wrong and we are confronted with it? What should we expect of ourselves? What does God expect of us?

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Judgment Day is Coming

Recently, our pastor, Rev. Greg Wahlberg, at Calvary Baptist Church in York PA,  used the idea of a family reunion as the introduction to his Sunday morning message. Pastor Wahlberg began his message on June 30, 2013,  by recounting the joys and sorrows of family reunions. The biggest joy has to be seeing again our family and those that we love. The biggest sorrow, aside from missing those who couldn’t attend,  has to be feeling and seeing the disappointment in the faces of family members that we have failed to please.

Pastor Wahlberg used the parable of the Parable of the Talents from chapter 25 of Matthew’s gospel, as the scriptural text for his message. In particular, he focused his message on one verse, Matthew 25:21

His lord said unto him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (KJV)

Pastor Wahlberg made the point that a reunion day is coming for the family of God, that is all individuals who have accepted the gift of salvation offered through the sacrifice of Christ. This reunion will occur at the judgment day of Christ where our works will be judged to determine if they are gold, silver, wood, hay or stubble. If they are gold and silver, we will be rewarded with a “Well done, good and faithful servant.” If they are wood, hay or stubble, they will be burnt up. We will be saved, but so as by fire as Paul noted in I Corinthians 3:11 – 15:

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (KJV)

Returning to the verse Matthew 25:21, Pastor Wahlberg noted that there are three things the words “well” and “good” modify.He continued by focusing our attention on those three ideas.

The first idea to which “well” referred was the quality of our work. The servants that had been given the two and five talents doubled their master’s money. The quality of their work was excellent. It met or exceeded the normal human expectations for return on investment.

This point got me to thinking about the motivational basis of our work. There has been an ongoing discussion on an academic discussion board in which I participate about whether faculty members should be motivated by rewards or duty. In this summer season, as we have celebrated Memorial Day, Independence Day and the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, it is a question that many are asking about service to our country, the United States of America. No matter what season, this is a question we need to ask ourselves about our service to God. Should we be motivated by a sense of obligation, a sense of duty, an expectation of reward, or a sense of love? I believe we can find the answer in I John 4:10 – 19.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. (KJV)

The second idea to which “well” referred was the completion or completeness of one’s work. The word “done” says it all. Pastor Wahlberg reminded us of Christ’s prayer, in John 17:4, just before his crucifixion,

I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (KJV)

Completion of work in a timely fashion and the completeness of one’s work in academic circles usually raises many debates and arguments. At Judgment Day, there will be no extra time allowed. There will be no opportunity to make up work. There will be no extra credit allowed. The assignment will be judged on its quality and whether it is completed, at the given due date.

If those two aspects weren’t enough, Matthew 25:21 suggests at least one more factor on which we will be judged. That factor is the quality is our character. Note the verse praises the servant as a “good and faithful” servant. Good and faithful are attributes of one’s character.

Can people count on you “to be good”?  “To be good” is usually understood  to do what is right, even if that is not convenient or advantageous for you to do so. Do you have a reputation for being good? Proverbs 22:1 suggests one very good reason for seeking a good reputation

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. (KJV)

 I Peter 2:11 – 16 is more specific:

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. (KJV)

There in verse 16 is that word “servant” again. We must be “good servants.”

Now the second desirable attribute of our character suggested in Matthew 25 was the trait of being “faithful.” What does it mean to be faithful? Two ideas came to my mind. The first is the idea of loyalty. Are we loyal to our God and Saviour?

One scriptural passage that speaks to loyalty is Luke 16:12 & 13:

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The second idea associated with loyalty was the idea of being committed to another. It is as in the marriage ceremony where the bride and groom pledge their troth (or trust) to each other. Troth is a Norse word that means true or truth.

The questions then remain: Are  we good and faithful? Is our work good and done well? Judgment day is coming!