jeff warren Posts

A Savior for the Least and Lowest

14 Dec , 2009 1 Comment

At the heart of this wonderful passage in Luke 2 is God’s not-so-subtle announcement of His Arrival to a group of shepherds.  It is possible to miss the significance of the shepherds.  Behind the scenes of this story is a God who comes to the lowly, the broken, the sinful, those who didn’t make the cut, who were left out, and forgotten.  To understand just how wonderful it is, we must first understand who 1st Century shepherds were.

Shepherds were among the lowliest class of people in all of Palestine.  It was a low paying job because it didn’t take a whole lot to do it.  You watched sheep all day and all night.  So lowly, most adults didn’t want to do it and so simple a child could do it.  In fact, it was often a task given over to children.  You may remember another (famous) shepherd boy.  In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel is seeking out the next king of Israel and comes to Jesse, and says, “I’ve checked out all your sons.  Are these all the sons you have?”  Jesse says, “No, there is still the youngest…” (and then he adds rather mater-of-factly), “… but he is out tending sheep.”  It was a job left to the youngest son in the family.

There were two types of shepherds: Those who owned their own sheep and those who watched after someone else’s sheep.  The shepherds in the Christmas story were probably the latter.  In fact, many scholars have surmised that these shepherds were probably watching over the Temple sheep.  The massive numbers of sheep required for sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem necessitated that the authorities had their own private sheep flocks.  These shepherds were probably tending sheep that would be offered as sacrifices for the sins of the people at the Temple.  Being a shepherd was a dirty job and you certainly didn’t have time to practice the meticulous hand-washing and ceremonial cleaning demanded by the Law.  As a result shepherds were despised by the good orthodox people of the day.

God comes to shepherds.  What should that tell us about God?  And what should that tell us about how we are to love like Him?  Notice to whom He does not appear- among those giddy with excitement we do not find the so-called “righteous”, the Pharisees, the religious orthodox legalists of the day.  It seems that some of us miss the joy of the Gospel as well.  We want to put a wall around the Gospel.  We often become modern day Pharisees, keeping score on who’s in and who’s out, why we are and why others are not.  The Christmas Message is this: Our God is an inclusive God and He wants us to be like Him.  The Gospel is for everyone who will believe, and especially for the least, the forgotten, and neglected among us.  Capture the redemptive passion of our missionary God this Christmas season.  Run, tell everyone!

Video from Matt Chandler

07 Dec , 2009 No Comments

Some of you have asked about my friend Matt.  He is awaiting a biopsy report on a tumor found on his frontal lobe.  He offered these words prior to surgery on Friday.  I share this because I thought you would be challenged and encouraged by his words and perspective.

via Video from Matt.

The Star of Bethlehem- myth or reality?

07 Dec , 2009 3 Comments

If you’ve studied astronomy you know that the Universe is made up of billions of galaxies and within each of those galaxies are billions of stars.  We also know that the universe is a like a giant clock- in other words the planets- for instance orbit in patterns that can be mathematically predicted.  We know exactly where planets will be and where they’ve been.  A common example is this: We know, for instance that Halley’s comet, last passed in 1986 and the next time will be in 2061.  we know what’s happening with mathematical precision.  And now, with computer tracking, we can see what the skies looked like from any place on earth at any time in history- on any date, from any spot on our planet, looking at any direction in the sky.

You would think then that we could go back to the point where the Magi were looking into the sky and we could see what they saw. So, modern day astrophysicists can re-create what took place at the time of Christ’s birth. (If we knew when the Magi showed up). Guess what?  We can know pretty closely- based on Herod’s reign, which is referenced in Matthew 2.  In fact, because of some challenges in calendars and dating through the years, it might be that the stars and the planets can get us closer to the time of Christ’s birth than our own calendars.  Astrophysicists can go back and look at a window of time- (say a 5/6 year window and see if anything unusual happened in the skies that would have been unique.  Matthew says the Magi came from the East- most likely Babylon (modern day Iraq) and they studied the stars.  Many scholars believe that these Magi were descendents of those referenced in Daniel- many of the exiles stayed there.

So these Magi see a star move over Bethlehem and “stop”.  Do stars stop?  No.  In fact, neither do they “move”.  We know it’s not that stars move but the rotation of the earth causes them to appear as though they move.  Stars don’t move, but planets do as they rotate around the sun.  The Ancient Greeks called them “wanderers”- (planes) which is where we get our word for them: planets.  They were called “wandering stars”.  (Remember they didn’t have telescopes.  All that they saw was with the naked eye- planets/stars, it was hard to tell the difference).  In fact, planets weren’t known to be planets until relatively recently- Uranus was discovered in 1690, though first thought to be a star.  Neptune in 1846, and Pluto in 1930- though earlier this year, poor Pluto was demoted in status.  But do planets stop?  Yes, they do- or they appear to.  It’s called retrograde motion.  Based on the rotation of the earth- a kind of moving platform, a moving observation deck and the movement or orbit of a planet, it would appear to freeze in the sky for period of time- amazing.  And what we’ve discovered through computer tracking is- sure enough, Jupiter was in full retrograde motion and aligned with Venus, and they formed the brightest “star” any human alive would have ever seen.  So bright, in fact, for anyone looking, with knowledge of the night sky (like the Magi), it would have been quite obvious.  They followed it to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem.

But here’s what hit me, and this mind-blowing: When God flung the Universe into existence and set all things in motion (and remember- mathematically, you can follow the stars and the planets) it means that before anything was created, God knew exactly when His Son Jesus would be born.  He knew when Venus would align with Jupiter (in full retrograde motion) and multiply their light together.  He knew when the Magi would come, looking for the star of the Messiah.  No wonder the prophets foretold His coming- it had been set in motion before anything was even made!  No wonder Scripture says:

“He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” 1 Peter 1:20

Check out computer animation of retrograde motion online. You can also learn more at sites like www.bethlehemstar.net

A confusing week for atheists

24 Nov , 2009 14 Comments

Thanksgiving has got to be a strange time for the atheist- having a deep sense of gratitude for all of life’s blessings but not knowing who to thank.  In fact, the atheist who celebrates Thanksgiving is a hypocrite in the highest degree.  It seems strange to be thankful for oneself.   I suppose you can be thankful for others’ acts of love but in the end, isn’t life itself is a gift?  And if it’s a gift, is there not a Giver?

Of course, Thanksgiving is a distinctively Christian holiday.  It all started in 1620 when the pilgrims (at least a third of them) made it to America alive.  They invited the native Indians to join them and they gave praise and thanksgiving to God.  Our founding fathers saw fit to set aside time of prayer and thanksgiving to God (and yes, specifically to the God of the Bible).  Those of us who know God through Christ have no question about whom to thank.  Perhaps the greatest gift of all this Thanksgiving is this: You know whom to thank.

So as you go about this week, gather with family, and probably eat way too much, don’t forget that thanksgiving is not simply an attitude or a sense of gratitude.  It is an expression of thanksgiving and praise to the One who has given us all things- even life itself.  Give praise and thanks to God.  After all, thanks unexpressed is no thanks at all.

Happy Thanksgiving.  Thank you, Jesus.

Lessons from Samson’s life

20 Nov , 2009 1 Comment

Samson was one of the most “wheels off” characters in the Bible.  Read his story in Judges 13-16 and you’ll see: he was mostly out of control.  In many ways he epitomizes a kind of rugged “man’s man” in our culture today (brut strength, a womanizer, independent, even violent).  But in the end his story is tragic.  He ends up stripped of his God-given abilities, blind, and suicidal.  Such is the destructive bent of one who disregards God’s commands.

In the end Samson does, however, end up in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11.  How could it be?  Behind this unlikely hero is a God who is faithful and can use us in spite of our sins.  Consider a few lessons from Samson’s life:

1. The true measure of a man is not found in his physical strength or appearance. Samson seems to be a man in search of his identity.  Even his strength and ability to overpower (both men and women) did not bring any sense of peace to Samson’s life. Our worth is found in Christ and what He’s already said about us and what He’s already done for us.

2. Often your greatest strength can be the source of your greatest weakness. It is possible to squander the very gifts God has given you to live out his purposes for your life.  Failure to give those gifts fully over to God will carry a high price tag.  Samson’s strength became his demise.  He did not use his God-given strength for God alone.  He used it to leverage his own desires.

3. Strength in one area of your life does not make up for weakness in another. You can be “successful” in worldly ways and not in godly ways.  In what areas of your life are you strong (and does it really matter that you are strong in those areas?)  For instance, I often say, nothing makes up for failure in the home.  You see, you can be “successful” in certain areas of your life and still fail where it matters most.

4.  Acknowledging your bent toward certain sin is the beginning of your battle to overcome it. Admit where most apt to fall. Name it; say it out loud and tell others.  Sin unconfessed is sin revisited.  Sin revisited is sin that is self-destructive.

5. There are always consequences for disobedience. Samson’s story goes from sad to tragic when Samson does not learn from his mistakes.  He repeats the same bad mistake of entering into a relationship with another bad woman.  Word of warning to all you students/singles- Guys: Watch out for Delilahs. Girls: Watch out for guys like Samson.  You must guard your heart!

This verse expresses the lessons of Samson’s life: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Galatians 6:7

6. God can restore your life for His purposes even after you fall. Though you may face the consequences of your sin for the rest of your life, God can restore you.  Though some people will never forget, God forgives.  You may not enter back into a particular place or position but God will still accomplished His purposes through your life.  Samson ended up in the “Hall of Faith” because he continued to believe God- even in the end.  Sometimes it seems an undying faith in God trumps even our failures.