During the debates over the Compromise of 1850, US Senator Sam Houston of Texas borrowed from the words of Jesus when he warned, “A nation divided against itself cannot stand.” The compromise comprised five separate bills that would temporarily ease the tension over the slavery issue by giving both sides a little of what they wanted. This salve applied to the publicly visible wound only delayed the inevitable disaster that ultimately resulted from the underlying cancer.
The Power of Pentecost
In the midst of celebrations of natural harvest, Jesus promised a spiritual harvest that would be like none that had come before. He told the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father that would cloth them with power from on high. (Luke 24:49) All other work was to be placed on hold until they were equipped with what God had for them.
This coming Sunday we will celebrate Shavuot – though most us refer to it as Pentecost coming from the Greek signifying that it is celebrated 50 days from the celebration of First Fruits. While many churches celebrated Pentecost on May 15 this year, Jewish people around the world will celebrate it on June 12. While I am delighted to celebrate it twice, I feel that untying the date from Passover and First Fruits was a mistake.
The Devolution of Common Sense
From “All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down” to “God Bless the USA” Country music has always been a strange mix of heart-land Christian values and drunken rabble rousing. Over the past several years, however, several artists have started to completely sever the music from its Church roots and have begun to create a completely new genre of agnostic and even atheistic Country music. The dress has become increasingly provocative and the lyrics less and less rooted in traditional values.
I began thinking about these issues several years ago while attending a songwriting workshop in Nashville. A group of successful songwriters and producers were listening to new songs by several of us who were trying to break into the industry. One of the songs that was presented was ostensibly a Christian song, but it contained a large amount of New Age imagery. One of the panelist explained to the writer that while it had many good attributes, it would never work in the Christian market because of the nature of the lyrics. The writer replied something to the effect that he was not surprised as he wasn’t sure if “you Christians” would get it.” I remembered thinking at the time, if you aren’t one of us, then why are you trying to write and sell songs into the Christian market?
The Muslim Jesus – Part 3
Will Jesus return to earth one day as King of kings and Lord of lords, or will He come back to let all the Christians know that they have been getting it wrong for the past two-thousand years? This question illustrates the large chasm that exists between what Christians and Muslims believe about Jesus’ Second Coming.
In part one, I wrote about what Muslims and Christians believe about the nature of Christ. If you haven’t read it yet, you may want to start there. You can read part 1 here.
In part 2 we looked at the beliefs pertaining to the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. You can find part 2 here.
Today, we will survey the beliefs Muslims and Christians have concerning the return and future destiny of Jesus.
It is impossible to encapsulate the beliefs of billions of people into a few short paragraphs. Likewise, neither Muslims nor Christians are homogeneous in their beliefs even within their own religion. We can however extrapolate the most commonly held views by the vast majority of each group. I hope that I will adequately achieve that goal here.
The Muslim Jesus – Part 2
In one of the most profound and important moments in the Bible, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” (Matthew 16:13) Responses included, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, and one of the prophets (v. 14). At this point Jesus asked a pivotal question that all of us must eventually answer, “But who do you say that I am?” (v.15)
Peter’s response was praised by Jesus as God inspired. His answer, “You are the Christ the Son of the living God.” (v.16)
In my last blog, I began discussing how Muslims and Christians answer this question differently. We looked specifically at Jesus as the Son of God and the idea of God made flesh. If you missed it, you can read part 1 here.
Today we take a look at the idea of Jesus’ death on the cross, the Resurrection and the Ascension to Heaven.
The Muslim Jesus – Part 1
Most of you probably already know that Muslims believe in Jesus, but do you know the differences between what they believe about Him and what Christians believe?
While many seem to believe that Islam and Christianity are pretty much the same, there are actually very marked differences that people – especially believers – should understand if they are to make an honest assessment of their beliefs.
Here are several beliefs about Jesus and how they compare and contrast between Christianity and Islam:
Lighthouses and Mixed Messages
I love lighthouses. There is something fascinating about those tall towers that provide guidance and hope to travelers tossed around on the waves of the sea. Unbeknown to the casual observer, lighthouses do much more than serve as interesting tourist attractions and beacons of light.
Each individual lighthouse can be configured to emit a specific pattern of light that synchronizes it with navigational charts. Without any other instruments, sailors can determine their position simply by observing the light. Each lighthouse is also painted uniquely in case the light is not easily seen or is broken. And in the case of very poor visibility, a unique foghorn signal conveys the same unique information.
As the United Methodist Church (UMC) struggles with its spiritual identity, I can’t help but wonder if they have forgotten that they are called to be a lighthouse. In one of the most famous passages of scriptures, Jesus related the idea of the importance of our uniqueness:
Are You Boring Your Angels?
One of the great promises of God is that He assigns angels to watch over and protect us:
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. Psalm 91:11-13 (NKJV)
Have you ever questioned where angels were when you needed them the most? Be assured that they were there keeping even worse things from happening. But perhaps they could have accomplished even greater things, if you had just known how to activate them.
The Not-So-Good Samaritan
While traveling in South Carolina last week, I had the opportunity to watch a few minutes of the local news. One of the stories was about a tow truck driver who responded to a stranded motorist. Upon arriving on the scene, the tow-truck driver began the process of hooking the woman up for the tow when he noticed a Bernie Sanders for President bumper sticker.
In an interview with WLOS-TV, the tow truck driver said, “Something came over me, I think the Lord came to me, and he just said get in the truck and leave.” He went on to say how good he felt about his decision to leave the handicapped and infirmed woman to fend for herself.
What Islam is Teaching Me about Christianity
I have undertaken a serious study of Islam. There are so many messages in our culture today about what it is and what it is not, that I wanted to know the truth. One historian said that when he started researching Islam, he felt as if he had been sucked in a black hole. I can relate to that. Although it is getting a little better now, moving beyond the platitudes and myths was quite overwhelming at first.
There are many things that this study is teaching me about my own faith journey and people in general, but I will focus on one particular area today. After cutting through the surface rhetoric, I found that there are at least three kinds of Muslims:
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