Showing how much He loves you

Today, I just happened to listen to the final track on the Jars of Clay album, “The Shelter”,  I had purchased a few weeks ago. 

The song was called “Benediction” and the first two lines took me by surprise.

“Go into the world

                                      Showing how much He loves you”

Why the surprise, you ask? 

Well I guess I mostly think of the Great Commission as going into the world to show others how much Jesus loves them. 

This is true enough, of course, but there was a subtle difference in the way this song writer put it – show how much He loves you.

Not the guy next to you – you. 

Not the people you’re ministering to – you. 

Not your Pastor, best friend, parent, sibling, or the lady who seems to have it all together – you. 

Not even the drug addict or the prostitute – you.

Of course Jesus loves all those people too, but at the moment, that’s not the point.

We ( and by we I mean me) can get so caught up in trying to serve others, defend our faith or just “save the world” in general, that we ( I) often have  “a tendency to forget to tend to me”. 

“We love Him because He first loved us.  1 John 4:19”

This is not about being self-centered – far from it, it is about being Jesus-centered and dwelling on His love for us. This fills our tank. This renews us.

In the Gospels, John is called “the Beloved Disciple”. 

It is often said that it was not because Jesus loved him more than the other disciples (which is obvious) but rather that John understood better than the others just how much Jesus loved him... and each of them. 

It is in this understanding of the “deep, deep love of Jesus” for us as individuals that we will be strengthened , motivated and empowered in our own lives and then to minister to others. Not to mention being more effective in that ministry.

It is also by this understanding that others will began to see the real Jesus – not someone we’re propagating but someone we are sharing… sharing because we cannot help but share out of the over abundance of His love for us (you).

Of course if your focus is first on your personal relationship with Christ and understanding this love for you, you (I) will tend to play the hypocrite much less and there will tend to be a real air of genuineness and authenticity of love about you – and that , I find, is what people are truly craving for these days.

Genuine, unconditional, unending love.

First learn to understand,  believe in and revel in what you have been given... then share it with others.

David Crowder Band " How He Loves Us"

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,  but have not love, it profits me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Best Ever Ikea Commercial

Jesus Rides the Subway

Evangelical : Why I Am and Am Not One

With the term "evangelical" being thrown about so much these days I thought it might be a good time to update and re-post this blog....

When the "E" word is used it can bring up any number of thoughts and emotions, depending on the connotation it has in any given culture or society. In North America - that connoatation is getting branded in a  worse and worse manner. And sometimes rightly so.

However, we all must be careful of building a "Straw Man" argument against any group of people. That is, taking the most extreme ( and thus often the worst) examples and using them to label and portray what the larger group is really like. This will always result in a false reality, ignorance and often hate.

I know many who would fall under the label of “Evangelical”. Sure there are some that don’t really understand some of the modern issues we face and are opinionated about it but then again that describes most of our grandpa’s - but I still love mine.

Most of the “Evangelicals” I know though are well reasoned people, educated, and full of love for Jesus Christ and for their neighbours, the poor and needy and even their enemies. 

At the very least, they are no worse than anyone else.

My pastor recently recounted a story of when he was speaking to an Arab man in Israel. The man asked him  "What "variety" of Christian are you?" . My pastor answered "Evangelical" but when the Arab man said "O yes I know what kind that is..." and then proceeded to explain something that my pastor certainly was not nor desired to be  - well, my pastor started thinking maybe he should be careful about using that term.

At the very end of this article I’ve listed the statement of faith of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. I agree with it wholeheartedly -  You may not agree with it and that is your right.   But you need not hate them - because I know the vast majority do not hate you.  

It is possible to deeply disagree with someone and 
still deeply love them.

My real point though is this though -  although I firmly believe in that same statement of faith, I am very much an individual with freedom of thought, faith and reason.

I understand the desire to categorize and label everything but, although I am certainly not ashamed of what I believe,  I do not like to be pigeon-holed as “Evangelical”.

I simply believe in the Bible and believe in and follow Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  

I am simply a Christian, a disciple of  Jesus Christ. 

“So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”  Acts 11:26

Nothing more, nothing less.

I will most gladly be labeled as that!

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Affiliates of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada agree on the following statements:

• The Holy Scriptures, as originally given by God, are divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy, and constitute the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

• There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• Our Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh; we affirm his virgin birth, sinless humanity, divine miracles, vicarious and atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, ongoing mediatorial work, and personal return in power and glory.

• The salvation of lost and sinful humanity is possible only through the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, received by faith apart from works, and is characterized by regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

• The Holy Spirit enables believers to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ.

• The Church, the body of Christ, consists of all true believers.

• Ultimately God will judge the living and the dead, those who are saved unto the resurrection of life, those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

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P.S.   One depiction of an “Evangelical” on TV that I really enjoy is Sheldon’s mom off the Big Bang Theory. She, of course, is the ultimate stereotype, always reminding her Vulcan-like son to think about what Jesus would do.

“Leonard, the Lord never gives us more than we can handle. Luckily He blessed me with two other children who are as dumb as soup.”  

But I have to admit – its hilarious.  And at the end of the day, everyone turns to her when Sheldon’s really gone off the map.

But speaking of ultimate stereotypes (or strawmen) , that’s usually what I see in the media when they reference “Evangelicals”.  I especially notice that in the U.S.  ( especially the Southern U.S.), there seems to be a very great polarization and we often only see the extremes.

Canada is a little more laid back. 

AIDS at 30 by Jars of Clay's Dan Haseltine

A poignant write up from pioneer musicians and AIDS advocates, Jars of Clay...

AIDS at 30: Nothing to Celebrate, Everything to Hope For - News & Updates - Jars of Clay

MONDAY, JUNE 27 | DAN

We are celebrating an anniversary this year.  “Celebrating” is not the correct word.  Perhaps, “acknowledging” is a better word.  We won’t be sending cards or thinking romantic thoughts, or raising a glass as we release sentiments like, “we hope the next 30 years are even better than the first. “   It was 30 years ago that the first cases of, “The Gay Cancer,” were reported.   We have come to know this disease by a different name.  We know it as AIDS.

I still remember sitting in the corner office of our Rendy Lovelady Management as I listened to a man describe what was happening in Africa.  He was not hopeful in that conversation.  His words held no silver lining.  How could it?   He was in the office because he needed help.  A poll had been commissioned by World Vision to find out what the general state of knowledge and understanding was in the church surrounding HIV/AIDS.  They asked a simple question of Evangelicals. “If you had the chance to help someone with AIDS, would you?”   Only 3% said yes.

 AIDS is complicated.   Just as relationships are complicated, or medicine is complicated, or humanity is complicated, or being a Christian is complicated.  So, for many people it was necessary to find reasons to disengage without feeling implicated in the work that needed to be done.
The poll suggested that Evangelicals blamed HIV/AIDS on a lot of things.  One of the loudest critical voices speaking about HIV/AIDS was the one telling us that Africans were reaping what they had sewn. AIDS was the way God was acting out his wrath on sinners, and so our job was simply to ignore Africa and let those infected with AIDS die.

AIDS is complicated. And the church was immature.  And the act of pulling the covers over our heads and hoping that the monster would simply go away, well… , It didn’t work.  The monster grew.  The next approach was better.  What could we learn from people struggling with HIV/AIDS?  Our approach was to listen and observe.

We found that the reason for HIV/AIDS rapid spread was not entirely due to an influx of homosexual activity.  We learned that it was transmitted through breast- feeding, and ceremonial circumcisions, and wife adoption, and a host of tribal practices meant for healing, and childbirth.  We also learned that our response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic was selfish and fearful.  We, as a culture, found the human story trapped under the umbrella of mega-statistics and impersonal numbers. We found a foothold to re-engage.  And even with a massive push by musicians like Bono and world leaders like, Bishop Tutu, we saw the effects of HIV/AIDS continue to rise.

We built initiatives, and peace plans, and watched the development world truly rally to the call of ending HIV/AIDS.  And still we saw the disease hold it’s ground.   We saw pockets where an idea or an education campaign made a significant difference in the number of new transmissions of HIV.  And still, we find ourselves 30 years into a great war, unable to fully end HIV/AIDS.

It is complicated.   It is killing more people than ever before.  And yet, we are saving more people than ever before.  Paul Farmer called the engagement with the poor, “the long defeat.”  Not because we need another reason to give up, but because we need to know that even if this disease continues its rise,  we must still care about the individual PEOPLE whose stories are written with HIV/AIDS as a formidable antagonist.
We must, 30 years in, decide that the needs are still urgent; that the work is still ours to accomplish, and that every man, woman, and child that is HIV positive is worth all of the efforts we could muster.

Caring about AIDS is not as sexy as it was a decade ago. There are fewer celebrities speaking out on behalf of the HIV positive.  How do we sustain a voice loudly speaking about the end of HIV/AIDS and watch all of our efforts fail to make significant change?  We are a culture of instant gratification. So many artists and advocates have moved on to other causes or humanitarian puzzles that show more tangible and quantifiable solutions.  

Yet, it is not about ending AIDS.  Just as our efforts to reduce our own children’s flu symptoms isn’t about ending Flu viruses. We are compelled to serve those we care about.  We treat human beings. And the human story should always be compelling.  And the discouragement we feel for the lack of ground gained in the fight to end AIDS should be overshadowed by the great joy and richness of serving people.

We cannot make our investment into the lives of others hinge on the eradication of AIDS.  We must make it about the reaching into a life.  We must make it about the caring for an individual.  We must make it about the human story that we can change, or heal. In the next 30 years, I would love to know that we didn’t give up.  I would love to see, God willing, a generation of people who see such transcendent value in the reaching and the loving and the helping and the serving of another without agenda or end goal.

We are beyond the myths of HIV/AIDS.  We are beyond the fears and miscommunications of a misunderstood disease.  We have the knowledge to move. Maybe 30 years from now, we can celebrate.  For now, we have work to do. Check out www.bloodwatermission.com to see how you can join the work.

Here is one way:  Become a Community:Builder. Join us in this investment and become a Community:Builder today.  Your support will enable us to confidently develop long term partnerships within a region, allow us to respond quickly to short term needs, and invite us to go further into other unreached communities.
For your gift of $30/month or more (that’s just $1 a day), you will be building the foundation for a healthy future in our communities in Africa.

Here is what the Community:Builders program could enable in the next 12 months:

• 1 Community Builder could provide 4 families with biosand filters along with hygiene & sanitation training.

• 10 Community Builders could provide a well repair and hygiene & sanitation training for a village of 1,200 people.

• 100 Community Builders could cover the opening costs of a comprehensive care clinic

• 250 Community Builders could invest in our Nairobi-based field programs, expanding our ability to train our community partners and increase their capacities to serve their communities.

• 500 Community Builders could sustain our long term commitments to our communities and offer the opportunity to seek new partners who desire to address the needs of their neighbors.

Join us in this investment and become a Community Builder today.  Your support will enable us to confidently DEVELOP long term partnerships within a region,RESPOND quickly to short term needs, and GO further into other unreached communities.

In appreciation for your commitment, Community Builders will receive:

• a Blood:Water Mission t-shirt,

• quarterly stories and photos from the field to share the impact of your partnership, and

• invitations to key events, in-person & online.

Thank you for your partnership. You are making a difference for long lasting hope and health in Africa.

The Chief - An Ode To My Grandfather

My Grandpa was affectionately known as "The Chief" , mainly because he had a quiet but firm air of authority about him and whatever job he took on he usually rose to the top and was running the show before long . 

On the day of his funeral I remembered the Scottish Clan crest pin that was given to me by my mom and that I wore on my wedding day.It symbolizes my Scottish heritage through my grandpa whose parents were both Scottish.  I turned the velvet pin holder over and read:

"In ancient times, a Chief wore in battle a badge on his helmet, a device which his followers could recognize in the turmoil of action. This is known as the CREST OF THE CHIEF and appears on the top of his full coat of arms. Anyone bearing the same name as a Scottish chief is a clansmen of the chief and has the privilege of wearing his crest..."

Thank you Grandpa for being the chief of our clan. Its an honour to wear your crest.

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Wilford Fraser Wilson

June 25, 1927 – January 5, 2011

On January 5th of this new year, Wilf Wilson, known lovingly and respectfully as “The Chief”,  passed away peacefully in Armstrong, BC, in the company of his loving family. 

Wilf, who also answered to “Will” and even sometimes “Willy” was born June 25, 1927 in Liberty, Saskatchewan. His father, John Wilson, was a Scottish immigrant who met his bride , Isabelle Fraser, in Nova Scotia.

Wilf was the fourth of 7 children and if you ever met his brother Frank you’d swear it was Wilf only 2 feet shorter! He grew up on a Saskatchewan farm during the Great Depression and life was no easy task. He had never been given a birthday party until he was 21 when his wife, Margaret, threw the very first of many more birthday parties to come.

Around age 11, Wilf and family moved west to Vancouver, driving a Model A Ford over the Rockies. His first job in Vancouver was at the Panorama Roof Restaurant. He lived far away and so he visited the local dump and found the parts he needed to construct a bicycle. He had a major hand in keeping his family fed even at this early age.

Wilf’s mother wanted her boys to learn a trade and so with this in mind, he began to learn carpentry and thus started an amazing career and a legacy of many buildings built.

 He helped restore the historical town of Barkerville. When he was working on the Wake-Up Jakes Saloon there, he had a blacksmith form square-headed nails just to make sure everything was authentic!  He built the largest saw mill at the time in La Pas , Manitoba and it was there that he saved a man’s life at great risk to his own and was recognized by the province of Manitoba.

Wilf either built or had a hand in building many buildings across BC including their first home in Valemount, a brick-faced house in Cranberry Place. He later built his second Valemount home on 14th Ave where he was surrounded by his family as most of them lived next door on either side of him. He had a habit of building a deck and then deciding to slap four walls and a roof up and make it an addition – then he would say “Well, we don’t have a deck, I better build one” and on it went. 

He was the Building Inspector for Valemount for a time and was involved in the building of many landmarks such as the Village Office ( which also housed the firehouse at the time), the medical Clinic, and he even had a hand in building the Dunster Community Hall.

Wilf also worked on the rigs in the Beaufort Sea, on the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and built a house for the Karas family in Greece.  He was known for his love of animals, his shop on Commercial Drive and his never ending generosity to his fellow man.

Above all of these things though, Wilf built a family. He leaves behind his loving wife, Marg, oldest daughter Debra ( Cliff) Harder, son Dean (Glenda) Wilson and daughter Dayle (Ebert) Erickson. He had 7 grandchildren: Joseph, Benjamin, Kathleen, Meagan, Jennine, Alyson and Darlene. He also has 6 great-grandchildren and another on the way. All of these people are mentioned because they were profoundly affected by Wilf and they dearly loved and respected him.

Wilf was a man of few words but near the end of his life he told his family that he had always known that Jesus Christ had died on the cross but now he knew" why". He didn’t expand on this thought too much but we know from Scripture that “… God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. Love and Justice met at the cross and a way was made back Home. As a family of faith we are resting in the assurance that through the grace of Jesus Christ our Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather has gone before us “ To a home on God's celestial shore”.  

Is there Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

When I was younger I used to think that as a Christian , I pretty much had to take the resurrection story of Jesus Christ on blind faith... and I guess didn't have a problem with that with all the other evidence I had both intellectual and experiential. 

However as I grew older I realized that this was a big deal and it needed some proper explanation and investigation. I was amazed at what I found. The article below summarizes quite well what I have been learning over the last few years.

God indeed requires faith - but never blind unreasonable irrational faith. 

Let's face it,  we believe in a lot of things with big implications that actually have a lot less evidence than this...

For me,  the rationality and reasonableness of Christianity ( on the Intellectual side) combined with my own personal experiences and those of millions of others makes it a beautifully true thing.

Here is the article:

Question: "Why should I believe in Christ’s resurrection?"

Answer: It is a fairly well-established fact that Jesus Christ was publicly executed in Judea in the 1st Century A.D., under Pontius Pilate, by means of crucifixion, at the behest of the Jewish Sanhedrin. The non-Christian historical accounts of Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, Maimonides and even the Jewish Sanhedrin corroborate the early Christian eyewitness accounts of these important historical aspects of the death of Jesus Christ.

As for His resurrection, there are several lines of evidence which make for a compelling case. 

The late jurisprudential prodigy and international statesman Sir Lionel Luckhoo (of The Guinness Book of World Records fame for his unprecedented 245 consecutive defense murder trial acquittals) epitomized Christian enthusiasm and confidence in the strength of the case for the resurrection when he wrote, 

“I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I say unequivocally the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

The secular community’s response to the same evidence has been predictably apathetic in accordance with their steadfast commitment to methodological naturalism. For those unfamiliar with the term, methodological naturalism is the human endeavor of explaining everything in terms of natural causes and natural causes only. If an alleged historical event defies natural explanation (e.g., a miraculous resurrection), secular scholars generally treat it with overwhelming skepticism, regardless of the evidence, no matter how favorable and compelling it may be.

In our view, such an unwavering allegiance to natural causes regardless of substantive evidence to the contrary is not conducive to an impartial (and therefore adequate) investigation of the evidence. We agree with Dr. Wernher von Braun and numerous others who still believe that forcing a popular philosophical predisposition upon the evidence hinders objectivity. Or in the words of Dr. von Braun, “To be forced to believe only one conclusion… would violate the very objectivity of science itself.”

Having said that, let us now examine the several lines of evidence which favor of the resurrection.

The First Line of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

To begin with, we have demonstrably sincere eyewitness testimony. Early Christian apologists cited hundreds of eyewitnesses, some of whom documented their own alleged experiences. Many of these eyewitnesses willfully and resolutely endured prolonged torture and death rather than repudiate their testimony. This fact attests to their sincerity, ruling out deception on their part. According to the historical record (The Book of Acts 4:1-17; Pliny’s Letters to Trajan X, 96, etc) most Christians could end their suffering simply by renouncing the faith. Instead, it seems that most opted to endure the suffering and proclaim Christ’s resurrection unto death.

Granted, while martyrdom is remarkable, it is not necessarily compelling. It does not validate a belief so much as it authenticates a believer (by demonstrating his or her sincerity in a tangible way). What makes the earliest Christian martyrs remarkable is that they knew whether or not what they were professing was true. They either saw Jesus Christ alive-and-well after His death or they did not. This is extraordinary. If it was all just a lie, why would so many perpetuate it given their circumstances? Why would they all knowingly cling to such an unprofitable lie in the face of persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death?

While the September 11, 2001, suicide hijackers undoubtedly believed what they professed (as evidenced by their willingness to die for it), they could not and did not know if it was true. They put their faith in traditions passed down to them over many generations. In contrast, the early Christian martyrs were the first generation. Either they saw what they claimed to see, or they did not.

Among the most illustrious of the professed eyewitnesses were the Apostles. They collectively underwent an undeniable change following the alleged post-resurrection appearances of Christ. Immediately following His crucifixion, they hid in fear for their lives. Following the resurrection they took to the streets, boldly proclaiming the resurrection despite intensifying persecution. What accounts for their sudden and dramatic change? It certainly was not financial gain. The Apostles gave up everything they had to preach the resurrection, including their lives.

The Second Line of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

A second line of evidence concerns the conversion of certain key skeptics, most notably Paul and James. Paul was of his own admission a violent persecutor of the early Church. After what he described as an encounter with the resurrected Christ, Paul underwent an immediate and drastic change from a vicious persecutor of the Church to one of its most prolific and selfless defenders. Like many early Christians, Paul suffered impoverishment, persecution, beatings, imprisonment, and execution for his steadfast commitment to Christ’s resurrection.

James was skeptical, though not as hostile as Paul. A purported post-resurrection encounter with Christ turned him into an inimitable believer, a leader of the Church in Jerusalem. We still have what scholars generally accept to be one of his letters to the early Church. Like Paul, James willingly suffered and died for his testimony, a fact which attests to the sincerity of his belief (see The Book of Acts and Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews XX, ix, 1).

The Third and Fourth Lines of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

A third line and fourth line of evidence concern enemy attestation to the empty tomb and the fact that faith in the resurrection took root in Jerusalem. Jesus was publicly executed and buried in Jerusalem. It would have been impossible for faith in His resurrection to take root in Jerusalem while His body was still in the tomb where the Sanhedrin could exhume it, put it on public display, and thereby expose the hoax. Instead, the Sanhedrin accused the disciples of stealing the body, apparently in an effort to explain its disappearance (and therefore an empty tomb). 

How do we explain the fact of the empty tomb? Here are the three most common explanations:

First, the disciples stole the body. If this were the case, they would have known the resurrection was a hoax. They would not therefore have been so willing to suffer and die for it. (See the first line of evidence concerning demonstrably sincere eyewitness testimony.) All of the professed eyewitnesses would have known that they hadn’t really seen Christ and were therefore lying. With so many conspirators, surely someone would have confessed, if not to end his own suffering then at least to end the suffering of his friends and family. The first generation of Christians were absolutely brutalized, especially following the conflagration in Rome in A.D. 64 (a fire which Nero allegedly ordered to make room for the expansion of his palace, but which he blamed on the Christians in Rome in an effort to exculpate himself). As the Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus recounted in his Annals of Imperial Rome (published just a generation after the fire):

“Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.” (Annals, XV, 44)

Nero illuminated his garden parties with Christians whom he burnt alive. Surely someone would have confessed the truth under the threat of such terrible pain. The fact is, however, we have no record of any early Christian denouncing the faith to end his suffering. Instead, we have multiple accounts of post-resurrection appearances and hundreds of eyewitnesses willing to suffer and die for it.

If the disciples didn’t steal the body, how else do we explain the empty tomb? Some have suggested that Christ faked His death and later escaped from the tomb. This is patently absurd. According to the eyewitness testimony, Christ was beaten, tortured, lacerated, and stabbed. He suffered internal damage, massive blood loss, asphyxiation, and a spear through His heart. There is no good reason to believe that Jesus Christ (or any other man for that matter) could survive such an ordeal, fake His death, sit in a tomb for three days and nights without medical attention, food or water, remove the massive stone which sealed His tomb, escape undetected (without leaving behind a trail of blood), convince hundreds of eyewitnesses that He was resurrected from the death and in good health, and then disappear without a trace. Such a notion is ridiculous.

The Fifth Line of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

Finally, a fifth line of evidence concerns a peculiarity of the eyewitness testimony. In all of the major resurrection narratives, women are credited as the first and primary eyewitnesses. This would be an odd invention since in both the ancient Jewish and Roman cultures women were severely disesteemed. Their testimony was regarded as insubstantial and dismissible. Given this fact, it is highly unlikely that any perpetrators of a hoax in 1st Century Judea would elect women to be their primary witnesses. Of all the male disciples who claimed to see Jesus resurrected, if they all were lying and the resurrection was a scam, why did they pick the most ill-perceived, distrusted witnesses they could find?

Dr. William Lane Craig explains, “When you understand the role of women in first-century Jewish society, what's really extraordinary is that this empty tomb story should feature women as the discoverers of the empty tomb in the first place. Women were on a very low rung of the social ladder in first-century Palestine. There are old rabbinical sayings that said, 'Let the words of Law be burned rather than delivered to women' and 'blessed is he whose children are male, but woe to him whose children are female.' Women's testimony was regarded as so worthless that they weren't even allowed to serve as legal witnesses in a Jewish court of Law. In light of this, it's absolutely remarkable that the chief witnesses to the empty tomb are these women... Any later legendary account would have certainly portrayed male disciples as discovering the tomb - Peter or John, for example. The fact that women are the first witnesses to the empty tomb is most plausibly explained by the reality that - like it or not - they were the discoverers of the empty tomb! This shows that the Gospel writers faithfully recorded what happened, even if it was embarrassing. This bespeaks the historicity of this tradition rather than its legendary status." (Dr. William Lane Craig, quoted by Lee Strobel, The Case For Christ, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998, p. 293)

In Summary

These lines of evidence: the demonstrable sincerity of the eyewitnesses (and in the Apostles’ case, compelling, inexplicable change), the conversion and demonstrable sincerity of key antagonists- and skeptics-turned-martyrs, the fact of the empty tomb, enemy attestation to the empty tomb, the fact that all of this took place in Jerusalem where faith in the resurrection began and thrived, the testimony of the women, the significance of such testimony given the historical context; all of these strongly attest to the historicity of the resurrection. We encourage our readers to thoughtfully consider these evidences. What do they suggest to you? Having pondered them ourselves, we resolutely affirm Sir Lionel’s declaration:

“The evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

http://www.gotquestions.org/why-believe-resurrection.html

Recommended Resource: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas.

The Gospel According To Twitter

P.S. If you want to learn more about the evidences of Resurrection please read Is There evidence For the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Thank You Sarah

I just got back from a gathering of 2011 Grads that are part of the youth program I run at my local church.  I thought for a laugh I would dig out some old pictures of me and the “white man’s afro” look I had going on back in ’96.

I flipped through a few pages of my photo album and I was reminded once again of a very special and beautiful person and my eyes welled up.

Her name was Sarah. She passed away not long after our Graduation ceremonies in Valemount, BC…. just about 15 years ago now.

And I owe her a huge thank you.

I was a shy kid and didn't always fit in. I played a lot of road hockey with the local guys and had a great home-schooled education but when graduation time rolled around I realized I really didn’t have anyone my own age to celebrate with.

Enter Sarah.

We had become really good friends in the past few years. In the kindness of her heart she must have realized the same thing about my lack of graduation options, because she started inviting me to Grad meetings of the one and only public school in town.

I felt like I didn’t belong there but she insisted. I’m not sure how she did it but before long I was neck deep in Grad planning, fundraising etc.

Somehow I was invited to go along on the Dry Grad trip to West Edmonton Mall and had the time of my life.

And in one of the most special memories, I was somehow invited to take part in the public school grad ceremonies – even though I had never taken a class there in my life.

I went to Kamloops with Lyle and rented a tux just like everyone else. I got to go to the dinner and invite my very proud family. And I got to hear Mrs. Olsen introduce me just like I was one of the gang.

These are deep, precious memories and I owe so much of them, if not all of them, to my friend Sarah.  

She made me feel included and important. Her kind and thoughtful heart and bubbly personality will never be forgotten by me or anyone who knew her.

She was taken from us too early. I do not pretend to know all the reasons why but I am so glad that I knew her and that she knew me.

From conversations I had with Sarah (and other friends), I know I will get to tell Sarah in person one day what I was never really able to convey at the time – Thank you Sarah. Thank you for making such a difference in my life.

Joe

General Schwarzkopf Shed's a Tear

It surprised me to learn that General "Stormin' Norman " Schwarzkopf told Babara Walters in a 20/20 interview that he had a good cry every once in a while.  It didn't surprise me that he cried now and again - it surprised me that he would admit it.

He goes on to tell Walters:

"I've been scared in every war I've ever been in.                                                                     Any man who doesn't cry scares me a little."

On the same note, my friend Kent was telling me the other day how he had both watched the movie "Troy" with Brad Pitt and Eric Bana and had read Homer's "The Iliad" on which it was based.

He noticed that in the original, Hector walked around inside the fortress many times in fear and trepidation before coming out to meet Achilles in battle. 

However, in the Hollywood movie, this is strikingly missing. Perhaps because it would make Hector seem weak and not a true warrior. Yet we both agreed that the original was far better - as it was far more in tune with reality. 

Hector may have been filled with fear - but in the end he faced it. That seems like a more likely and more brave story to me.

My point here is the mixed messages we, as men,  

receive in our society. 

As one humourist summed up the dichotomy of what is expected of men in today's society , 

"I don't know whether to write a poem or punch my fist through the wall".

It seems we are a bit confused on what makes a man a man with all the mixed messages from society and media.  And, personally , I believe this has created some severe polarization in the hearts and minds of men.

On the one end we see someone seeking to fit the "man's man" stereotype. If you're not up to you're neck in cars, hunting, sports, technology, body building and sexual exploits - then you are really no man at all. You are to display no significant emotions except perhaps anger and rage - these seem to be acceptable. 

On the other end is the man who just doesn't naturally fit this stereotype and has finally become so frustrated with it all he says "screw it".  We often label this man at best as "metrosexual" or maybe "Emo" and at worst as a sissy, weak, gay or fag.

Here's something the Bible says on the topic though:

Jer 9:23 Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

Jer 9:24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.    

The truth is that men come in all shapes and sizes and personalities. It is the character and maturity of that person that defines him as a man.  It is the provision for and protection of the ones we love - and not just in the physical sense but also in the emotional and spiritual sense. 

When I've thought about what makes a man a man, I often think of King David in the Bible. He was a mighty warrior that many feared and yet he was also compassionate and kind and sensitive. He would pour his heart out to God in the Hebrew poetry we call the Psalms. If you have ever read them you will see how David shows his naked vulnerability and fervent passion to God and to those he loves. 


As fathers (As David was) ,  we need to not just be worried about reproducing an heir but more so on being a role model for that child and raising, disciplining and nurturing them ( I can think of a few kings in history who could have worked on that). 

And, of course, the ultimate example is the Son of God - Jesus Christ.  He completely revolutionizes how we think of a "hero" or "warrior". 

It is His incomprehensible humility that we are to follow. 

His steadfast and undying love for His people. A love so undying, in fact, that Jesus Himself would die before He would let this love for His Father and His people die. 

Though He could have called "ten thousand angels" , He instead let mere mortals crucify Him - for their very sake, and ours.

His compassion to the poor and needy, the marginalized women and men, the sick and the sinner  - that is our example. 

Of course we should make no mistake about confusing Jesus' meekness with weakness. For He will come again riding a mighty steed and bringing justice to the world - He is indeed both the Lion and Lamb.

And although , like Jesus, we are to be meek - unlike Jesus, we are indeed weak. But He says to us...  "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 

Paul continues ..."Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me."   2 Corinthians 12:9

Why are we so afraid of taking on the responsibilities of being a man and, paradoxically, so afraid to show any signs of weakness in that attempt?

The principles and balance of manhood have always been right there in the Bible, but in different times and cultures we tend to focus on some and ignore the others. 

So on this father's day let us seek to know our Creator and thereby know more what it is to be a man. 

Let us develop healthy relationships with other men, whether they are our fathers, mentors, brothers, friends or sons.

 Let anything that has hurt us in the past and skewed our perception of manhood be healed.


Let us honour our fathers and mothers, love our wives as much as we love ourselves and raise our children well, with love, discipline and wisdom, never discouraging them.

And, as my Pastor said today, let us start a new legacy of Biblical manhood and fatherhood.