Dialog

When I was younger, I wondered why Jesus included “Blessed are the Peacemakers” among the Beatitudes. I could understand “poor in spirit (humble),” “those who mourn,” “the meek,” and the others, but peacemakers? Then, as I grew older, I began to understand how peacemakers especially need God’s blessings and protection. When you step into the middle of a fight, both sides are likely to turn on you. I have great respect for Queen Elizabeth stepping into the middle of a dog fight between her Corgis!

I believe the church at Philippi was Paul’s favorite congregation. They supported him on his missionary journeys and while he was in prison in Rome. He loved them, and they loved him. Just think about the members there: Lydia, the first convert in Asia, the Jailer and his family, Epaphroditus the Messenger, Clement, and even Dr. Luke ministered there for a decade. There were many more members, including Euodia and Syntyche. Paul says those two women “labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (4:3).

However, there was a problem. Those two faithful women turned on each other. We’re not told exactly what happened, but it’s not hard to imagine. Strong individuals have a way of butting heads. Someone says something, and the other person hears something different. Misunderstandings are at the base of most conflicts, and when feelings are hurt, the wounds tend to fester. Now Paul asks a favor of Syzygus (Your Bible may say “Loyal Yokefellow,” which is what his name, Syzygus, means): “Yes, I ask you also, Syzygus, help these women” (4:3).

Paul is asking Syzygus to become a peacemaker. What advice would you give Syzygus? We don’t talk about the work of peacemaking, perhaps because we don’t like to admit sometimes, Christians can’t get along. My old friend Gordon Gower sent me this little ditty:

To live above
With saints we love,
That will be glory.

To live below
With saints, we know,
That’s another story!

Conflict shouldn’t surprise us. Even Paul and Barnabas had such an issue that they couldn’t work with each other on the Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36 – 41). This week I’d like to take on this challenging topic, but for today we need to understand: conflicts in congregations are normal. It is how we deal with them that defines our faith.

Some people just rub me the wrong way. It doesn’t matter what they say; it always comes across to me as an insult. One brother came up to me after services with a scowl on his face (He lived with a perpetual frown) and said, “I wish your sermons were longer.” Was that a compliment or a complaint?

I believe a sermon doesn’t have to be eternal to be immortal, and I tend to keep them under twenty-five minutes. Once, an elder came up to me after services and advised me, “An ideal sermon should be twenty-three minutes long.” Not twenty-two or twenty-four? Why twenty-three? I never found out. Last weekend, a dear young couple called Jan complaining their minister had just droned on for two hours!

On the other hand, that particular Sunday, I only preached for fifteen minutes! That was short even by my standards, so Brother Curmudgeon’s comment, “I wish your sermons were longer,” had a sting to it. Of course, perhaps he was complimenting me. Maybe he was trying to say, “I love what you have to say, and I could have sat through a two-hour lesson.”

Let’s take it that way as we examine a virtue from the Apostle Paul’s “Definition of Love” (1 Corinthians 13:4 – 7). He begins by saying, “Love is patient,” and he concludes with “Love … perseveres.” Both words describe different aspects of the same virtue. The first could be translated as “long-suffering” and the last as “endurance.” Both are great qualities and serve as bookends – the beginning and the end of love. However, there is another beautiful little word for patience in the middle: stego (στέγω). The Greek dictionaries define stego as “keeping a thing confidential, cover, pass over in silence” or “to bear up against difficulties, bear, stand, endure.” In other words, stego could be pictured as a patch on a roof or a boat that keeps out the water, or it could describe the beam in a wall that supports the whole structure.

How does that help us? We’re not going to change Brother Curmudgeon into our own image. Instead, we need to learn to smile, say a little prayer, and use the virtue of stego to shelter us from his comments. Sometimes it helps to develop a thick skin! (See Ezekiel 3:9.)

Last week, I addressed some of the “fake news” surrounding Biblical interpretation. We looked about the story of William Blakely, “a modern Jonah,” and discovered someone made the story up. We don’t need verifications to believe God created a sea creature that could keep Jonah alive!

Likewise, I mentioned the story of a supposed gate in the walls of Jerusalem called the “Eye of a Needle” that someone made up to explain Jesus’ parable, and we also looked at a story that began making its rounds on the internet about the meaning of the “napkin” in the tomb of Christ. (If you missed these stories, please drop me an email, and I will forward them to you.)

While debunking these illustrations, I missed an important opportunity. Now that we know what these stories don’t mean, we should ask the question, “What do they teach?” (Thanks for that observation, Tom!) Let’s begin with Matthew 19:24.

“Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24).

If this passage teaches a wealthy person can’t enter the kingdom of God, then all of us in the West are in serious trouble! This quotation is an illustration of the previous verse:

“And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23).

And, in context, a wealthy man has come to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16). Jesus tells him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Matthew 19:21 – 22).

So, is it a sin to have wealth? Not necessarily. The Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – had great wealth, which was a blessing from God. If it is a sin to be rich, why didn’t Jesus tell Zacchaeus to give away his money? (“He was a chief tax collector and was rich” Luke 19:2.) I believe it was because Zacchaeus wasn’t devoted to his wealth:

And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold” (Luke 19:8).

The Apostle Paul helps us understand. He explains, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” Money is not the root of all kinds of evils. It is the “love of money” that is to blame. The Hebrew writer says, “Keep your life free from the love of money” (Hebrews 13:5). Why? Paul urged the Colossians, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” The love of money, which is one form of covetousness, is a form of idolatry.

What was the difference between the rich young man and Zacchaeus? The first trusted in his wealth in place of the Lord (idolatry), and Zacchaeus used his wealth to glorify God.

Finally, notice the gifts of the Spirit in Romans 12:6 – 8. Just as some have the gifts of teaching, leading, serving, and prophecy, some have the gift of “contributing.”

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:6 – 8).

May I suggest that before you can contribute, you must have a prior gift of making money? Sadly, I believe for most of us, the gift of making money would be a curse rather than a blessing. However, I have had the privilege of knowing wonderful Christians who have that double blessing: the blessing of making money and using that blessing to glorify God. They are the camels who truly can pass through the eye of the needle!

Do you remember reading Ripley’s Believe It or Not? Every day, in the comic section of the newspaper (do you remember newspapers?), Ripley would publish strange and amazing stories. Naturally, that was in the time before, and sometimes people would uncritically accept his assertions as the truth. After all, “I read it in the newspaper.” It must be true! Of course, the same thing happens today; it just happens at the speed of light on the internet.

It’s amazing what people believe. “They’ve found Noah’s Ark!” I was told. “An archaeologist knows where the Ark of the Covenant is hidden!” There are two monasteries in Egypt, and each one claims to have the head of the Baptist. One is much smaller than the other, and a sincere monk explains, “Yes, this one is from  when he was a boy.”

Matters of faith are “confirmed” by strange events, and one of the most bizarre stories involves a modern Jonah – a sailor was swallowed by a sperm whale and saved days later. It happened in 1891 when the ship, Star of the East, was whaling off the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. They spotted a giant sperm whale (think Moby Dick). 

“Two longboats were dropped, and the hunt was on. Two harpoons, one from each longboat, were sunk into the whale, which fought hard. The whale dived, and the harpooners started to pull the slack line back into their boats when the whale re-surfaced and started to beat wildly with its tail. One of the longboats managed to get away, but the other was struck by the animal’s nose and tipped over… by the time the second longboat could perform a rescue, one man had drowned, and one was missing and presumed drowned.

“Within a few hours the dead whale was pulled alongside the Star of the East, and the crew was busy cutting it up and retrieving the fat. The job took up the rest of the day, and a good part of the night, and then work resumed about noon the next day. It was on the second day that something strange was discovered; as the stomach was freed and brought to the deck for rendering, it was seen that something bunched up within it was showing spasmodic signs of life. When the stomach was cut open, they discovered the missing sailor — James Bartley — curled up and still alive, though just barely, thirty-six hours after he went missing!

“He was laid out on the deck and splashed with seawater; the whale’s gastric juices had bleached Bartley’s face and hands to a deathly white and wrinkled them. For two weeks he was kept in the captain’s cabin; physically, he recovered fine, but mentally he was unstable. But by the third week, Bartley had fully recovered and had resumed his duties.” [1]

This story has been endlessly repeated in sermons around the world and reported as true in The Princeton Theological Journal (October 1927). Sadly, the story is false. We have the crew list and the “modern Jonah,” James Barley, wasn’t on board. Many other facts have come to light since then discrediting this story, but it’s one of those yarns that are too good to let die.

Christians need to be especially careful when they share “facts.” Don’t just naively share things on social media, even when they come from other Christian friends and people you trust. Take a moment to verify the story because something that isn’t true is a lie and we know where liars are bound – even well-intentioned ones.

[1] The story of James Barley comes from http://anomalyinfo.com/Stories/1891-february-james-bartley-modern-jonah

One of the strangest Christians of all time was Simon Stylites (c. 390 – 2 September 459). He was an ascetic monk known for living on top of a pillar for over thirty years near Aleppo, Syria. Simon tried living in a monastery, but the monks kicked him out for not being social. After that, he lived in a small hut for a year and a half, but so many people came to meet with him and ask him questions that he moved on top of a pillar that had survived among ruins in nearby Telanissa (modern-day Taladah in Syria). Small boys would climb the pillar bringing him flatbread and goat’s milk to live on.

Simon moved to three different pillars. The last one was over 50 feet high. Eventually, so many pilgrims came to visit him for prayers and advice, two walls were built around his pillar to keep them at bay. Wikipedia reports:

Even on the highest of his columns, Simeon was not withdrawn from the world. If anything, the new pillar attracted even more people, both pilgrims who had earlier visited him and sightseers as well. Simeon was available each afternoon to talk with visitors. By means of a ladder, visitors were able to ascend within speaking distance. It is known that he wrote letters, the text of some of which have survived to this day, that he instructed disciples, and that he also lectured to those assembled beneath. He especially preached against profanity and usury. In contrast to the extreme austerity that he practised, his preaching conveyed temperance and compassion and was marked with common sense and freedom from fanaticism. [1]

After his death, a famous church was built around his pillar. The ruins are still there, although “On 12 May 2016, the pillar within the church reportedly took a hit from a missile, fired from what appeared to be Russian jets backing the Syrian government.”

The question we are all asking is, “Why? Why live on a one-meter square atop a 50-foot high pillar?” For the answer, I believe we can ask the mother of any preschooler who is trying to pray and study her Bible. We all could use a little quiet time, couldn’t we? But if you are rummaging around in the garage to find a ladder to climb up on the roof to find it, give me a call.

  [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_Stylites

One of the most amazing victories in all of history occurred on October 12, 539 B.C. The Medes and the Persians attacked Babylon. The city seemed impregnable. There were two sets of double walls; the outermost was 17 miles in length, 25 feet wide and 40 feet high! Belshazzar was having a drunken feast when he saw the writing on the wall (Daniel 5). The Persians diverted the river Euphrates into a marsh and marched in under the wall. 

In 538 B.C., one year after the Babylonian Empire fell to the Persians, the Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Would you have gone with them?

Unfortunately, reality is often harsh. That tropical island is full of mosquitoes. The wonder-diet isn’t all that wonderful. The new puppy does unspeakable things to your leather sofa. So was the new life in the Promised Land. Times were tough and people quickly lost interest in rebuilding the Temple. Priorities shifted. It wasn’t until 515 B.C.; 23 years later, that the Temple was finished!

In his very first parable, Jesus warned against hasty commitments (Mt. 13), and Jesus actually turned people away who wanted to be his disciples (Lk. 9:57-62). 

He told them to “count the cost” (Luke 14:25-33).

“Counting the cost” isn’t just for people considering a change. It should be a regular part of our lives as disciples. For example, self-examination is a regular part of communion (1 Corinthians 11:28) and is a fundamental part of discipleship. The Apostle Paul wrote: 

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test (2 Corinthians 13:5 – 6).

So, let’s ask, “how do I finish strong?” Here are four suggestions:

1. By starting strong. Do you remember the old saying, “Well begun is half-done”? Enthusiasm literally means “filled with the spirit.” Be an enthusiastic disciple!
2. By monitoring your progress. Have you set spiritual goals for yourself? Set aside time to reflect. Remember, the Holy Spirit is best seen in your rearview mirror.
3. By keeping your tank full. Don’t coast! Read, pray, fellowship with other disciples. Paul told Timothy to “Fan the flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6).
4. By not stopping until it’s over! Winston Churchill may have given the greatest commencement speech ever. It only included nine words: “Never, never, never, never, never, never, never give up!”

Exercise

1. Do you have any projects in your closet that you started but you just haven’t gotten around to finishing? What’s your excuse? Do you ever use that excuse with God?
2. Why would an Israelite want to leave Babylon after their family has lived there for seventy years?
3. What were some of the challenges they faced when they arrived in Jerusalem? (See Ezra chapter 4)
4. What does Haggai mean when he says, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4)
5. Why would Jesus discourage anyone from following him (Luke 9:57-2)?
6. When Jesus told his disciples to “count the cost” (Luke14:25-33) what was he referring to?
7. Think about the communion for a moment. Paul told us to examine ourselves before we partake (1 Corinthians 11:28), but if you are honest, who is worthy to participate?
8. So if we aren’t worthy, what should we do before we participate?

The Attitude of Gratitude is at the heart of the Christian way of life. Once a little boy and his mother were walking through the produce department of their local grocery store. The Greengrocer noticed the lad and gave him a bright yellow banana. The little boy took it. His mother looked down and asked, “What do you say?” The boy held up the fruit and demanded, “Peel it.”

The Apostle Paul reminded the Ephesians that one of the ways for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit is to learn to be thankful:

“Be filled with the Spirit … giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 5:20).

Doesn’t it seem like more and more people are subscribing to the “Ethics of Entitlement”? You hear it in phrases like “I deserve…” “What about me?” “I have my rights!” Social scientists talk about the “Fullness Phenomena”: The more we have, the less grateful we become. 

Why be Thankful? Gratitude is an attractive quality and it should be the fruit of grace and the heart of worship. In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one of them returns to say “Thank you!” I. Howard Marshall explains:

The story does not necessarily imply that the other nine lacked faith; the point is rather “that their faith was incomplete because it did not issue in gratitude,”

Gratitude is a powerful virtue. It opposes pride, envy, greed, and covetousness. It fills us with the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Today, make a special effort to say “Thank you!”

Exercise

1. “How do you feel when you do something nice for someone and they don’t even bother to say ‘thanks’?”
2. Why didn’t the other nine lepers come back and say “Thank you” to Jesus? (Luke 17:11-19)
3. Did Jesus expect them to say “Thank you”?
4. Why is gratitude called the “fruit of faith”?
5. Name three attractive qualities of a grateful person.
6. Why is an “attitude of gratitude” the heart of worship?
7. How will being thankful fill us with the Holy Spirit? (Ephesians 5:18-21)

The attitude of gratitude is the heart of worship and especially Christian ethics. Consider the difference between the “Ethics of Entitlement” (“I have my rights!”) and the “Attitude of Gratitude” (“Thank you.”) The first leads to constant friction and quarreling while the gentle spirit of gratitude sweetly enchants.

Frank Koch wrote in the magazine Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute:

Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge to watch all activities.

Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, “Light bearing on the starboard bow.”

“Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out.

Lookout replied, “Steady, captain,” which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.

The captain then called to the signalman, “Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.”

Back came a signal, “Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.”

The captain said, “Send, I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees.”

“I’m a seaman second class,” came the reply. “You had better change course 20 degrees.”

By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, “Send, I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees.”

Back came the flashing light, “I’m a lighthouse.”

We changed course.

Sometimes, things aren’t what they appear to be. It may be the obvious answer isn’t the correct answer. When I was a child, I loved the Lone Ranger and Tonto jokes. Here is my favorite:

The Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the desert. After they got their tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep. Some hours later, Tonto wakes the Lone Ranger and says,

“Kemo Sabe, look towards sky, what you see?”

The Lone Ranger replies, “I see millions of stars.”

“What’s that tell you?” asked Tonto.

The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute, then says, “Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time-wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, the Lord is all-powerful, and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What’s it tell you, Tonto?”

Tonto replied, “Kemo Sabe, it tells me you dumber than buffalo. It means someone stole our tent.”

This week, let’s be careful to listen and watch and not jump to conclusions!

The Minor Prophets are not called the Minor Prophets because they are less important than the other books of prophecy like Isaiah or Jeremiah. They are called the Minor Prophets because they are smaller than the other books.

Let’s look at the message of just one of them: Haggai. In 586 B.C. Nebuchadrezzar captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, but after 50 years in Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return and rebuild the Temple. Can you imagine their excitement as they began their work? When the builders laid the foundation, there was a grand celebration. The priests “in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the directions of David king of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD” (Ezra 3:10).

But it wasn’t long afterward that the work stopped. Perhaps the Samaritan opposition stopped them, or they may have been discouraged when it became apparent this Temple could never match the glory of Solomon’s Temple (Ezra 3:12 – 13). Of course, there might be a simple solution to why they gave up. They had their own homes to build and families to provide for. The work was hard, and although they had good intentions, they never seemed to get around to it. They became concerned only with their well-being, and so the Temple sat there unfinished for sixteen years!

Then God called an old man to lift his voice: Haggai the Prophet. He had a great love for the Lord and a vision of God that is expressed in Psalm 148. (The Greek translation, the Septuagint, attributes this psalm to Haggai.) It begins:

Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD from the heavens;

      praise him in the heights!

Praise him, all his angels;

      praise him, all his hosts!

Praise him, sun and moon,

      praise him, all you shining stars!

Praise him, you highest heavens,

      and you waters above the heavens!

(Psalm 148:1 – 4).

How would you motivate the people to finish what they started? The Lord, through Haggai, asks: “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4). The people hadn’t just built their homes; they had even paneled them! It’s time to get to work!

I hope you will take the time to read their little book. Here are some practical lessons:

1. We should face difficult duties courageously and without delay.

2. If material considerations crowd out God’s house and worship, our wealth costs too much.

3. Outward splendor does not necessarily constitute true glory.

Solomon seems like an unlikely candidate for king. He wasn’t the eldest son of David, and he was born amidst scandal. However, time proved Solomon was the “wisest choice” (excuse the pun). As 1 Chronicles ends, David offers a blessing for his son:

“Now, my son, the LORD be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you. Only, may the LORD grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the LORD your God. Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed” (1 Chronicles 22:11 – 13).

What does David pray for? “Discretion and understanding” – two essential traits for any leader, but I’d like to focus on the last phrase: “Fear not; do not be dismayed.”

“Do not be afraid….” What would Solomon have to be afraid of? Responsibility can be a tremendous burden for any leader. Likewise, fear of making the wrong decision paralyzes many leaders, and fear can paralyze us. It kept the one-talent man in the parable Jesus told (Matthew 25) from investing his master’s money. Fear keeps many leaders from taking action. In the book of Revelation, cowards are thrown into the lake of fire along with murderers, adulterers, and liars.

So what should we do? Respect fear, and it can empower you. A carpenter who respects his power tools can build beautiful objects. A mountaineer who appreciates the challenges of a mountain face can safely reach his goal. Jude told us, “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh” (Jude 22 – 23).

“… or discouraged.”

David also prayed Solomon would “not be dismayed.” Discouragement must be guarded against because it robs us of joy and saps our energy. There are many causes of discouragement. Failure and being tired (physically, mentally, and spiritually) are two of the leading causes of discouragement.

For me, discouragement is the greater enemy because it hits us when our resources are at their lowest. We are tired and seem to be unappreciated. No one notices the hard work we are doing but think about it. Are we working for praise, or are we working to please the Lord? He will reward us at the proper time. For now, we need to persevere! James tells us:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2 – 4).

The Apostle Paul said, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:3 – 5).”

Meanwhile, consider you may not be the only person who is fearful or discouraged right now. Take a moment to encourage someone you love right now!