Pastor’s Page

While a little bit of the overall context might not be grasped due to this quote coming toward the end of John Calvin’s instruction regarding angels in the Institutes, nevertheless his pastoral approach is readily understood. Under the heading, “God makes use of the angels, not for his own sake, but for ours,” Calvin writes,

[God] makes use of angels to comfort our weakness, that we may lack nothing at all that can raise up our minds to good hope, or confirm them in security. One thing, indeed, ought to be quite enough for us: that the Lord declares himself to be our protector. But when we see ourselves beset by so many perils, so many harmful things, so many kinds of enemies – such is our softness and frailty – we would sometimes be filled with trepidation or yield to despair if the Lord did not make us realize the presence of his grace according to our capacity. For this reason, he not only promises to take care of us, but tells us he has innumerable guardians whom he has bidden to look after our safety; that so long as we are hedged about by their defense and keeping, whatever perils may threaten, we have been placed beyond all chance of evil” (I.14.11).

Today marks the Fourth Sunday in Advent, and next Sunday is Christmas Day! There’s a certain excitement in the air, isn’t there? The children are off from school, and eagerly anticipating opening presents. Moms and dads are finishing up the last bits of shopping to be done, and getting things in order for a Christmas feast. By and large, that’s the experience of many people. However, this time of year often brings it’s share of sorrow and despair, too, doesn’t it? The lonely will feel acutely lonely, and the absence of loved ones lost will be keenly felt. I would imagine that such will be the case for R.C. Sproul, Jr. and his family, as this morning Denise, his wife, passed into glory. R.C.’s testimony of faith throughout his wife’s last battle with cancer has been commendable in every way, and surely the God of all comfort is his close companion now (2 Cor. 1:3-5). I can only begin to imagine the loss they will feel next week when the place at their Christmas feast that had been occupied by an adored wife and loving mother will be empty. This is not the dream of an Ebenezer Scrooge who sees an empty stool and crutch leaning against the wall, but the real reality for a husband and his children that their beloved will not be with them again in this life. As much as it may be difficult for us to admit, death is very much a part of the Christmas story. Matthew 2:16-18 is evidence enough, but the very fact that it was necessary for God to become man also indicates to us that the world was suffering in a state of death. Jesus came in order to reverse the world’s condition, to bring new life, new creation, to bring life out of death. And He accomplished that wonder through His death and resurrection, and that is cause for joy! “No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow, Far as the curse is found.” Yes, that is marvelously true, and it is for faith to believe and rejoice in that truth, and yet there is still mourning in this life for the sins and sorrows that the curse and death still inflict upon us. That is the world in which we must live. Thankfully, that mourning is not without hope, even as R.C.’s own testimony today declares: “Denise, enjoying the blessed vision of our God and Father, is at home with the Lord. Cancer no longer afflicts her, and every tear has been dried away. The Queen of Orlando casts her crown at her Savior’s feet, and together, they dance.” It may be winter, and winter moments are an inevitable experience in our lives, but Christmas cannot be held back. The White Witch’s hold upon Narnia is growing weaker by the moment. Aslan is on the move. I cannot help but think that next Sunday Denise will declare, as did Father Christmas to the Pevensie children and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, “A Merry Christmas! Long live the true King!” And so will R.C. and his children, albeit with tears in their eyes.

The other night around the dinner table I raised the question of comparison between Chesterton’s imagery of God’s “appetite for infancy” as expressed in “The Ethics of Elfland” in Orthodoxy, and the Bible’s clear teaching that maturity is the trajectory and goal for the believer, the church, and the world. How do those seemingly disparate pictures match up? How can they be synthesized? Are they supposed to be synthesized? Is my definition or understanding of maturity mistaken? (That’s likely, I suspect.) Today I read a terrific post by Jennifer Trafton Peterson over at The Rabbit Room. I really can’t commend it highly enough to you, so go read it, but I am going to steal a quote she cites from Madeleine L’Engle’s essay “The Door, the Key, the Road.” In distinguishing between childlike and childish, L’Engle writes,

A childish book, like a childish person, is limited, unspontaneous, closed in … But the childlike book, like the childlike person, breaks out of all boundaries. And joy is the key. Several years ago we took our children to Monticello, and I remember the feeling we all had of the fun Jefferson must have had with his experiments, his preposterous perpetual clock, for instance: what sheer, childlike delight it must have given him. Perhaps Lewis Carroll was really happy only when he was with children, especially when he was writing for them. Joy sparks the pages of Alice [in Wonderland], and how much more profound it is than most of his ponderous works for grownups… . But in the battering around of growing up the child gets hurt, and he puts on a shell of protection; he is frightened, and he slams doors. Real maturity lies in having the courage to open doors again, or, when they are pointed out, to go through them.

I especially love that last sentence.

None of us will ever get our minds around a God of play who is the Ancient of Days, and we should laugh in wonder at such a thought. And as we find ourselves in the season of Advent and looking to Christmas, let us remember that Wisdom became a child, and there was great joy in Heaven at that event. So great that it spilled over into our dimension, and was witnessed by shepherds and sheep! Let us imitate Heaven’s joy, and we will know something more of Heaven’s maturity and the courage it engenders.

We do not know all of the details of what was reported to Coach Joe Paterno on that fateful day in 2002, when then grad-assistant Mike McQueary told the head coach that he’d witnessed something. Based on the available information, though, it is not difficult to understand why JoePa is coming under so much scrutiny. In fact, in the statement that Paterno released this morning announcing his resignation at the end of the year, he admits that “[with] the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.” This is a sad admission by a man who has always appeared to be directed more by principle than popular opinion, but it also raises the point that leaders are held to a higher standard. With positions of leadership comes greater responsibility, and the evidence (i.e. Paterno’s own admission) seems to indicate that Coach JoePa did not act accordingly.

Apparently, there are others who also share the fault. Athletic director Tim Curley and university vice president Gary Schultz have both left Penn State as result of the their involvement, or lack thereof, with the situation. Then there’s Mike McQueary who witnessed the aforementioned incident. Why didn’t he go to the police or be more proactive at the time about what he saw? Granted, he is not the face of Penn St., but what was he thinking that didn’t warrant immediately calling the police? (Here’s an interesting article that may shed some light.) Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan stated on Monday, “I don’t think I’ve ever been associated with a case with this type of eyewitness identification of sex acts taking place where the police weren’t called.” McQueary is culpable. So is Paterno, and all who had some knowledge of the matter (Joe Boylan doesn’t pull any punches in his editorial).

On Monday, Matt Millen, ESPN analyst and former player at Penn St., broke down in the middle of an interview and said, “if we can’t protect our kids, we, as a society, are pathetic.” I think Mr. Millen is saying far more than he may even realize. The simple fact of the matter is that our society does not promote the protection of our children. Rather, it promotes exposure and loss of innocence through a wide array of means. Consider still more, if a society is willing to kill children while they are still in the womb – the place of places that should be one of nurture, protection and security – doesn’t it necessarily follow that there will be those in such a society that will be willing to abuse children once they’re outside the womb? What happened at Penn State is a microcosm of America today. And while horror and outrage are understandable (even right) responses, a healthy dose of self-examination should not be neglected. Individuals and societies reap what they sow. Given the evidence, the results are hardly happy.

Our thanks to the folks over at the Brentwood Home Page for the write-up regarding our Fall Festival Sunday afternoon.

http://www.brentwoodhomepage.com/fall-fest-features-union-stations-ron-block-cms-6803#.TqLFu1qgKgA.facebook

This Sunday, October 23rd, 2:30-6:30 PM, St. Mark will be hosting its first Fall Festival. We are looking forward to enjoying good food and drink; beautiful, crisp autumn weather; fun games and activities; time spent with family and friends, and making new friends as well. And, if these weren’t enough reasons in and of themselves, we are also eager to enjoy the talents of special musical guest, Ron Block. I had the privilege of meeting Ron and getting acquainted with him last year at a conference here in Nashville (sponsored by the online community, The Rabbit Room). When the planning for our festival started taking shape, he was the first artist that came to my mind to invite, and he graciously accepted. Thankfully, despite being in the middle of a tour with Alison Krauss & Union Station, we were able to find a weekend when Ron was available. Ron is an avid fan of the writings of George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis, and I would invite you to read more about Ron’s musical career and Christian faith on his .

If you don’t already have plans on Sunday afternoon, please join us in Brentwood. If you already have plans, then change them, and join us just the same. You will be glad that you did.

In a letter to a young boy named Laurence, C.S. Lewis wrote: “Well, I can’t say that I have had a happy Easter, for I have lately got married and my wife is very, very ill. I am sure Aslan knows best and whether He leaves her with me or takes her to His own country, He will do what is right. But of course it makes me very sad. I am sure you and your mother will pray for us” (Letters to Children, 69, Touchstone).

“Send me, O Lord, into the tasks of this day with a rejoicing heart. Teach me to labor diligently, to eat and drink to Your glory, and to think and plan to the ends You have laid out before me. That I may be truly fitted for the day, remind me again of the mighty work of my Savior, Jesus Christ, who redeemed me and in whom my sin is forgiven and my place with You forever assured. Impress upon my heart this day that while there is nothing holy about my life, my speech or my faith without Your grace and mercy surrounding me, that with You I can faithfully help my neighbor and be of service to him. Teach me to look upon my life today as yet another opportunity to serve my fellowmen. Let me see in the routine of my daily tasks, in the need of my family and those who depend on me, in the want and struggle of the world about me, the good work You have prepared in advance for me to do. Grant that I be ready to forgive, earnest in rejoicing with those who are happy, quick in sympathy, and zealous in bearing the burdens of my fellowman, in Jesus’ name. Amen.” – Lutheran Book of Prayer

Eschatology is not simply how you think about the end of the world, but it is an articulation of faith. As a postmillennial, I believe that the new creation, that the redemption of the world has begun, and that everything is not going to Hell in a hand-basket. In fact, I would submit that you would be hard-pressed to read the Gospels and the Epistles and not come to any other conclusion. Jesus’ death and resurrection have set the world on this course, and this trajectory is at the very heart of the Gospel message. Nevertheless, sin and death still have a prominent existence in our lives. There are wicked people who perform violent acts and engage in despicable practices. You can hardly read the news headlines without getting depressed about all of the awful things that are going on around us everyday. And if you read them too much, then you might conclude that the world is decidedly getting worse, instead of better. I suppose there are times when that appears to be the case, and we may very well live in such a time, but let us go back to the statement made at the outset: eschatology is a matter of faith. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). To believe that the world is being redeemed is a matter of faith. To believe that the new creation has begun is a matter of faith. To believe that with each passing day God’s name is more hallowed, His kingdom has spread a little farther, and His will is being done, on earth as it is in Heaven, well, that is a matter of faith. And it has to be because the life of sight will come to a different conclusion, a conclusion not founded on the promises and word of God. Christ is victorious and He reigns over heaven and earth right now, and only faith can know it to be so.

I probably need to go see this movie a second time in order to give it a better review. That has been my experience with movies 5, 6, and 7.1. The first time through I am inevitably thinking about how it’s different from the book; critiquing, wishing they had said this or done that, or a specific character had expressed himself or herself in a more fitting manner, etc. That was the case with HP 7.2, but, thankfully, not as much as in the past installments. It has been a while since I have read the 7th book, otherwise this review would probably be more critical. So, by and large, the movie is… ” really good” (my words to my wife when she asked how it was). “Why the hesitation?” “Because I’m still thinking about it,” was my honest reply. And so I’m still thinking about it now, even as I write (or more properly, ramble). A few plot holes bugged me where a little bit of dialogue would have helped clarify or fill in said holes, but the liberties the movie takes with the storyline worked well overall. I am happy to say that Michael Gambon, at last, did reasonably well as Dumbledore. What a relief! Snape may have stolen the show, with Neville as a strong second. I know that visually it makes more sense for Hermione to stand between Ron and Harry, but I guess one can’t expect Hollywood to know that Harry is supposed to stand between Ron and Hermione (alchemy, you know). This is probably the best of the movies, though don’t waste your money on 3D. The battle scenes were intense, even graphic to a point, but not gratuitous (except for maybe the roasted goblin). They aptly convey the gravity of the conflict, and that is where this film excels. It sweeps you up into this all-out war between good and evil, an evil that must be resisted and fought to the death. And yet there are respites in the midst of the melee that are arguably the best moments of the film. In the end, I was profoundly reminded of Psalm 1:4: The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that that wind drives away.

Update: I failed to mention that I think Voldemort had the best lines in the movie. The intentional irony deserves a tip of the hat to the writers.

Overall, I’d give the movie a strong B+, maybe an A-, which could bump up to an A upon a second viewing.

The Auralia Thread comes to completion in Jeffrey Overstreet’s The Ale Boy’s Feast, resulting in a beautiful and intricate tapestry of life to be lived now, and life yet longed for. Through a host of characters and rich symbolism, Mr. Overstreet’s fantasy world once again provides greater insight into the world in which we live in a way that only a work of fiction can. There is a sacramental undercurrent to the story that is especially compelling, and a liturgical element that acts as a marker throughout the story, much the same way our lives take on a liturgical shape. While more meaningful in its context of the story, surely this description resonates with the worship experience of faith:

When one sang the Midnight Verse, the rest wove new harmonies. The song, once a simple promise of dawn’s approach, was now infused with an aching dissonance that spoke of weariness and loss, which only made the chords of its hopeful restrain stronger, opening up deep reservoirs of longing.

For the casual fantasy reader The Auralia Thread will not disappoint, and for the connoisseur Mr. Overstreet’s stories will be eagerly revisited to catch yet another glimpse of a world that is and will one day be.

I had heard good things about the movie “Super 8,” but was determined to like it simply because Joel Courtney plays a leading role. Who is Joel Courtney? A kid from Moscow, ID who is a member at a sister church. I don’t know Joel personally, but the simple fact that people I know know him is kind of cool (for an even better take on this, go here). I was eager to see how this young man did in his first acting gig, and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Joel was terrific. In fact, all of the kids did a great job in their respective roles, which really makes the movie. But the writing and story work well, too, so the cast had something to work with. There might be a couple of plot holes here and there, but they aren’t glaring. Or it could just be that I’m not smart enough to figure some details out the first time around (maybe I’ll have to go see it again). Comparisons have been made between this film and some of Steven Spielberg’s other works such as “E.T.” or “The Goonies.” I still remember seeing “E.T.” in the theater. I still remember how much I enjoyed “The Goonies” the first time I saw it on VHS. “Super 8” captures the essence that made these so enjoyable, and give us another rollicking tale of young kids who unwittingly stumble into an adventure that goes far beyond what they would have imagined. But the movie works precisely because the events are happening to imaginative kids, and so I’m willing to go on the adventure with them, and believe that they can do some extraordinary things. I’d be curious to know how many thirty-somethings (such as myself) enjoy this movie precisely because it reminds us of some of the movies that we imbibed in our formative movie years back in the 80s.

As to the movie itself, I don’t want to really give anything away. I will say that I liked the Romeo and Juliet theme that emerged; as well as the subtle Alice in Wonderland motif that seems to be there. For more astute movie connoisseurs (which I am not), they’ll probably catch references to some of Spielberg’s past works. This isn’t a movie for young kids. It’s PG-13 for a reason, so take that into account. I can’t imagine taking someone younger than 12 years old to see it. That being said, go and see “Super 8.” Simply go to enjoy the movie, because it’s a lot of fun. And go to enjoy Joel Courtney’s performance, because, at least for me, that alone makes the movie worth seeing.