Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)
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"And grant that when Christmas morning breaks for us
this year, we may
have something more to show for our much running about than
tired feet, wrapped presents, and regrets for cards not
sent."
Ernest T. Campbell
Where Cross the Crowded Way: Prayers of a City Pastor
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After a
distinguished career as president of one of his denomination's most renowned
colleges, he was a successful interim pastor.
Of course,
nobody's perfect except
for...
Not him!
Him!
The reason for
the season!
Geez.
Anyway, I liked
Bob and he became one of my mentors.
He taught by
example more than exhortation about staying loyal to Him over them; even if it means
catching everything but heaven too often with a spiritual eye to Matthew 16:26.
Of course, again,
nobody's perfect; not even our mentors.
For example, when
he was the interim pastor of a city church in Pittsburgh, he put this sermon
title on the bulletin board in front of the church: "Get a Hoe!"
If I have to
explain how that went over/down in that city
church, you wouldn't understand anyway.
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I used to type
out the liturgies for worship services for my secretaries.
Here's what I
would type in big bold capital letters at the top every week: A SERVICE FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD.
I got it from my liturgy
and homiletics professor in seminary who was always harping on and on and on
about pastors who'd start worship by calling out, "Let's celebrate
life!" He'd shout, "You don't gather together to celebrate
life! You gather together to worship God! To praise Him for being
God! To declare as You thank Him for who He is and what He has done
for us and for our salvation in Jesus! To honor the Creator, Savior, and
Sustainer of life here and now and forever! We don't get together to
celebrate life! We worship God!"
He'd also get
really, really, really upset after seminary chapel services when someone would
ask during worship, "Shall we pray?" He'd blurt, "Shall we
pray? Shall we pray? Shall we pray? As if we're going to take a vote on
it!"
Anyway, I'd
sometimes mess up the typing of those big bold capital letters at the top of
the weekly worship services by misspelling worship with whoreship.
Annnnnnnd as I've become
more acquainted with Matthew 15, 23, and other idolatries, traditions, and
human ingenuities masquerading as worship over the years, I've often wondered
if God wasn't trying to tell me something through those misspellings that maybe
weren't as accidental as I used to assume.
If I have to
explain that to you, you wouldn't understand anyway.
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God's deal with
Noah was prompted by His broken heart.
People took the
goodness of His creation and created wicked pseudo-facsimiles.
Jesus looked at
the clergy of His day - and
if you actually read what He had to say about 'em in places like Matthew 15 and
23, now ain't thaaaaaaaat much different from then - and it broke
His heart in a Matthew 23:37-39 kinda way.
They took the
goodness of His creation and created wicked pseudo-facsimiles.
He offered life.
They chose death.
Happened then and
happens...
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Sooooooo why bring this up
now?
It's sparkle
season!
Really?
If everyone is
sparkling so much around this time of the year, why are there more suicides
around this time of the year than any other time of the year?
It can't be just
because it's another year without the Cubs winning anything.
Really!
I don't think I'm
wrong when I say Stephen Schwartz's narrator in Pippin could have been talking about
Christmas 2013 while observing a young prince who wasn't celebrating any season
of his life: "You look frenzied, you look frazzled...Flushed and rushed
and razzle-dazzled.'
There's a lot of
depression out there and everywhere because, as Campbell prayed back in 1973,
too many of us have nothing more to show for this season than...
Stressed not
blessed is how too many of us feel around now.
Sooooooo busy, busy, busy
striving to make the season bright for everybody else that...
We're missing
it/Him.
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Kung was right.
We've got to be
reminded of what/Who it's/He's all about to catch the season's spirit.
"Not another
gospel; but the same ancient gospel rediscovered for today!"
"Before it
was covered with the dust and debris of two thousand years" of
celebrating life
more than worshipping God!
So let's go back
before continuing or moving ahead!
Let's rediscover
the reason for the season.
From an angel and
Joseph and Mary and shepherds and magi and Simeon and...
It's all right
there for here and now and forever in
the book.
Matthew 1-2 and
Luke 1-2.
It'll take just
20 minutes to read 'em again; and recapture...
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Let me put it
another way.
You've heard it
before.
Don't take Christ
out of Christmas!
That's because
there is no season without the reason!
Let me put it
another way.
John's way.
"Whoever has
the Son has life!"
There is no life without the Son!
Let me put it
another way.
Mark's way.
"Wherever He
entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the
marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His
garment. And as many
as touched Him were made well!"
There is life with Jesus!
That's how we can have Someone more to show for
the season!
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Maybe my college president
and interim pastor friend Bob remains right!
Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!
Get a Hoe!
His way!
"You shall
be My witnesses!"
Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!
It's/He's the
only way to recapture...
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Blessings and Love!
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