ALTAR CALLS

A few readers are probably groaning as they see this title.  I understand!  I have negative – even humorous – memories of altar calls from my childhood and youth days.  Singing “Just As I Am” over and over as the evangelist promised “just one more verse”.  At times someone would slip into the seat with you and try to persuade you to go to the altar.  Evangelists would ask you to raise your hand if you were interested in acknowledging Christ as your Lord;  then, they’d strong-arm you into coming forward to pray.  Those situations incensed me – even when I was quite young;  it was just wrong!

Just so you’ll know:  that is NOT what I intend to talk about here. 

Some of the most favorable altar calls I ever saw were at Billy Graham crusades.  He would simply preach the gospel and then invite people to come and pray with him.  And they came – by the thousands.  “If you came on a bus, it will wait for you.”  Weeks and weeks of preparations had been made.  People had been trained to pray with ‘seekers’.  Information was available to take home and study.  The whole process was full of integrity.

As a pastor, I strongly encouraged altar prayer!  I did so for several reasons:

·         Why put off until later what you can do right now?  :-)

·         We make a public statement when we move forward and stand or kneel in prayer!

·         It gives others who love us and care about us a chance to slip to our side to join us in our appeal. 

·         If we’re willing to make this public gesture, we are more likely to hold to the commitments we’ve made!

I visit churches with some frequency and often write about the experience in my blog.  I always try to recognize what a church is doing that seems right or effective.  Of course, I also observe things that detract from worship or a sense of community.  I find very few churches that still offer altar prayer or make appeals for people to respond. 

Pastors may still appeal to people to change their lives, but I find few today who encourage that response to be public. 

For six years, I was Lead Associate pastor at a fast-growing church in Akron, Ohio.  75% of our congregation were first-time believers!  [If you don’t realize it – this is unheard of!]   Every Sunday, Pastor Brenda Young opened the altar for prayer and people [many of whom were new believers] flooded the front of the church – sometimes six deep!  Then, with them praying with one another, she led the whole congregation in prayer!  It was a powerful and moving experience.

Personally, I made many decisions to be true to Christ at the altar.  I received my ‘call to ministry’ while praying at the altar (at the age of seventeen).  

It was common in my tradition that following an altar service would be a time of ‘testimony’.  This was a time of public confession that was marked by humility and contrition.  The ‘crowd’ at this point was usually smaller and included those who were family or part of the committed core.  Genuine concern and affirmation were commonly and generously offered.

Being a Free Methodist pastor for forty-three years, I served Holy Communion in such a way that people had the option of kneeling at the altar to receive it.  The action involved in standing in community and literally coming forward had the impact of making our commitment more confessional!  In addition, people were always welcome to practice the admonition in James [5:13-18] where they could call on the elders to pray over them and anoint them with oil for healing.  This was a wonderfully compassionate and caring ministry.  While attending Springfield Church of God, when Pastor Jonathan would offer this invitation, nearly everyone present would crowd forward to participate.  It was a very caring picture!

But, these two alter-options (Communion and Healing) are very rare in churches by my observation.

So, my concern is, if many of us made our commitments to Christ while we were young at an altar of prayer, where are today’s youth making their decisions?  Where ARE people praying with one another – if not at the altar?  Where is the public confession that was naturally a part of praying at an altar? 

These things concern me!  It is likely a factor in the decline of the church’s impact in recent decades! 

WHERE WAS JESUS ON SATURDAY?

There are no general passages that tell us plainly where Jesus was on Saturday.  Rather, we have to be detectives and consider snippets of scripture from here and there to produce an answer.  But, as you will see, the scripture does give us an answer.

Peter, the lead apostle writes about this with clarity in his first letter.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous,

to bring you to God.

He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,

through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison

who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently

in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. [3:18-20 NIV]

Then, in the following chapter, Peter picks up this theme again.

For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead,

that though they are judged in the flesh as men,

they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. [4:6 NASB]

Peter speaks with no doubt about Christ’s after-death activity.  His points are clear:

1.     When Christ died in His body, He became alive in His Spirit!

2.     He went to preach to the spirits in prison who had rejected faith.

3.     Clearly these people were given a one-time-only opportunity to respond to the Good News, and their evangelist was Jesus Himself!

But let’s continue our investigation by looking at Ephesians 4:7-10  [NIV].

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 

 This is why it says:

‘When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.’

[this is a quote from Psalm 68:18]

(What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower earthly regions? 

 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens,

in order to fill the whole universe.)

We’ve all read or recited the Apostle’s Creed which comes to us from the fourth century and is the criteria for all that is truly Christian.  Have you ever been perplexed by the awkward phrase, “He descended into Hell”?  Some churches have been so bold as to remove that line from a creed that comes to us from a time much closer to when Christ was alive! 

But isn’t this further evidence of what Peter has already told us?  Now we have both Peter and Paul’s testimony that after dying on the cross, Jesus went – in His Spirit – to the place of the unsaved dead and preached the Gospel!  Why would we struggle to believe this?

But let’s consider even more evidence.

In Colossians, the Apostle Paul speaks of Christ’s victory in overcoming evil powers and authority.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,

God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,

having canceled the written code, with its regulations,

that was against us and that stood opposed to us;

he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities,

he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

[2:11-15 NIV]

If you’ve stayed with me this far, then you may see that:

1)    Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all who have ever (or will ever) lived.

2)    He then immediately went to the place of the dead and preached the Gospel to them.

3)    Those who believed His message were led into the heavenly realm in triumph!

4)    In doing so, Jesus disarmed the evil forces and triumphed over them!

Doesn’t this deserve a massive PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

But let’s look at one more piece of biblical evidence that is consistently overlooked and under considered.

This time, we turn to Matthew’s account of the death of our Lord.  [27:50-53 TM]

But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.

At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom.

There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces.

What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised.

(After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)

What?  Did we read this right?  Apparently, upon Jesus’ death, He immediately released those who had believed since the beginning of time to ascend to heaven.  Although it’s supernatural for us to believe, some of these dead were able to visit loved ones on their trek to their eternal home! 

One last piece of evidence:

In John’s gospel, we are all familiar with Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the resurrected Jesus in the garden of His tomb.  When He reveals Himself to her, she is overwhelmed with love and joy and apparently moves toward Him.  He cautions her by saying, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father…”  [20:17 NASB]

Three days and three nights after His crucifixion and death and HE STILL HASN’T ASCENDED TO HIS FATHER?  He’s been busy doing what He always does – seeking and saving those who are lost!  Even going to the depths of Hell to proclaim His Good News!  GLORY TO GOD! 

A MAN NAMED JESUS!

There was always great joy in Judea when a son was born!  This was a blessing for any poor farm family for it meant another worker would be available to help with the cultivating, planting, and harvesting. 

When this beautiful baby boy was born, he brought great joy and expectation to his parents:  Eitan [meaning ‘one who is steady and very bold’] and Noam [meaning ‘loveliness or satisfaction’].  They deliberated about their new son’s name and wanted to give him one that would set him apart from all other Jewish boys.  They considered Moses – the great law-giver.  They also thought of David – the great king!  But the proud father won out and convinced his dear wife to name the baby Jesus.  It was the contemporary name for Joshua, the one who was mentored by Moses and then led the people of Israel into the Promised Land!  His name meant ‘savior’. 

Yes, this family had great expectations for their son!  They would name him ‘Jesus’ – savior!  They wrapped him tightly in cloths and held him close – only after checking him from head to foot and seeing that he was perfect in every way!  He would be a fine son!  Father and mother loved their son and cared for him attentively during the troubled times of Roman occupation.  They wanted their son to revere God, be kind and treat all people fairly.

But all plans, dreams and expectations are not fulfilled.

When Jesus was a young boy, tensions associated with Roman rule erupted into many violent conflicts across Israel.  A tax census placed upon the people by Quirinius triggered an uprising by Judas the Galilean and many died as the Romans responded with fierce and relentless force to quell the disturbance. 

Jesus’ father, Eitan, was caught in the conflict while on a trip to town for supplies and was killed.  He lay in the street as his blood mingled with the sandy soil of his homeland.  When news was brought to Noam, she was crushed that her love had been so abruptly taken from her.  Jesus, being only six, couldn’t understand why his father wouldn’t be coming home.  The house was filled with his mother’s anguish and tears. 

Life was hard for the mother and son!  Jesus was too young, too weak and unskilled to be able to fill the shoes of his father.  They were forced to be dependent on his mother’s larger family system to be able to survive.  This precious little boy, who had been the treasure of his father’s eye, was left alone with a mother who struggled for their very survival.  As he began to realize that his father would never be coming home, Jesus turned to anger and bitterness instead of despair. 

The father who had thrown him into the air and caught him with delight,
the father who tickled him until he was weary from laughing,
the father who held him and told him stories of his own childhood,
HE WAS GONE FOREVER!

And Jesus grew up hating the Roman soldiers for what they had done to his father!

His mother tried to steer him toward acceptance and forgiveness, but Jesus’ determination was set.  He would rebel against Roman oppression!  He would get even with those who had so brutally taken his father away.  When the time was right, he would even the score.

Noam lamented the dark moods of her son.  She tried her best to redirect his thinking and help him find a purposeful life, but the roots of Jesus’ hatred ran deep!  His hurt was inconsolable!  He was bent on revenge!

As time passed, they managed to survive with the help of family and friends.  Noam developed skills at making pottery and sold it at their village market.  Through the gracious help of her sister, Shira [meaning ‘song’], and Shira’s husband, they were able to get by.  Jesus was able to attend the village school and grow up among cousins and friends.  But, his anger was noticeable and his best friends were few – and also rebellious.

As he progressed in age, Jesus eventually left home and made his way to Jerusalem.  He wanted to find a way to hurt the Romans and they were more numerous in this center-city of the nation.  His companions shared his hatred and they schemed to create chaos in the city through subversion and disrespect.  One day, their efforts were rewarded as they set a trap for a small band of Roman soldiers.  Chaos erupted and a man was killed in the confusion.  Jesus was quickly captured and imprisoned.  After having been beaten, he lay for days tending his wounds as best he could. 

Then, to his surprise, he was suddenly led from his prison to the Praetorium, where he was placed on a platform along with – to his immense surprise – Pilate, the Roman governor!  What was going on?  Why had he been brought here?  What was going to happen to him?

It was then that he noticed another man, also standing between two Roman soldiers.  He quickly discovered that this man was also named Jesus.  He’d heard of this man!  He was a good man, a rabbi, who had healed many and fed multitudes.  He had often thought about searching him out to hear what he had to say, but it had never happened – until today. 

He could see that Jesus of Nazareth had been severely beaten.  His face was distorted and his eyes nearly swollen closed.  The soldiers had draped a purple cloth around his shoulders and had crushed a crown of thorns on his head.  Jesus thought of his own father and the blood that his mother had cleaned from his body before they buried him.  He felt sorry for Jesus of Nazareth and wanted to reach out to him and help him.  But he, too, was a prisoner;  a prisoner who was trying his best to figure out why he had been brought to this place.

Suddenly, Pilate stepped forward and called to the large crowd that had gathered:  “You know it is our custom to release a prisoner today in honor of your feast.  Which would you have me release today:  Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus, the King of the Jews?" 

Jesus Barrabas [bar = son, abba = father - therefore, “son of the father”] was shocked to hear his name being called out in unison by the mob.  Pilate seemed angry with the response of the people.  He called for a basin, washed his hands publicly, then said, “I’m washing my hands of responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands. You’re judge and jury.”

After those words fell from Pilate’s lips, the soldiers released Barabbas and took Jesus of Nazareth away to be crucified. 

The precious “son of his father” was released, while the “Son of God the Father” was paraded away to become the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world! 

This Jesus of Nazareth, this Son of Man and Son of God, died in our place just the same as He died in Barabbas’ place! 

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE AS A RESULT OF BEING SET FREE?

SUCH LOVE!

As I’ve mentioned before, you have to read all four gospel accounts to get the whole story.  Below, I’ve recorded my favorite part of the Holy Week narrative for your enjoyment.  It’s a merging of the accounts [from The Message] of Matthew [27:57-61], Mark [15:42-47], Luke [23:50-56] and John [19:38-42]. 

There was a man by the name of Joseph, a wealthy man of good heart and good character. He was a highly respected member of the Jewish Council, who had not gone along with the plans and actions of the council. (He was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews.) His hometown was the Jewish village of Arimathea. He lived in alert expectation of the kingdom of God.

 

Late in the afternoon, since it was the Day of Preparation (that is, Sabbath eve), Joseph worked up his courage, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate questioned whether he could be dead that soon and called for the captain to verify that he was really dead. Assured by the captain, he gave Joseph the corpse.

 

Having already purchased a linen shroud, Joseph took the body of Jesus down, wrapped him in the shroud, and placed him in a tomb that had been cut into the rock for his own use.  Then, he rolled a large stone across the opening.  Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds and joined Joseph in this loving, caring task.

 

There were women who had been companions of Jesus from Galilee, watching from a distance, among them Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and Joses, and Salome.  These women followed and served him, and had come up with him to Jerusalem.  They saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed. Then they went back to prepare burial spices and perfumes.

 

It was the day before Sabbath, the Sabbath just about to begin. The women rested quietly on the Sabbath, as commanded

I’d like to unpack this scene for you with a little clarity.

We know that Joseph and Nicodemus were dissenting members of the Jewish Council!  This fact alone makes this episode remarkable!  We see the risk that Joseph took in stepping forward to privately ask Pilot for the body of Jesus.  He may have been a secret follower before, but he was certainly declaring himself publicly now.  What would the other Council members think of these two?  Would they be ostracized? 

Did they have help with this process?  Taking the body of a man from a cross was a gruesome task.  It usually involved a lengthy drape that was placed under the arms of the body.  Once the nails were removed, the weight of the body fell onto the drape as it was gently lowered to the ground.  This is why we see crosses draped with purple cloths during the season of Lent! 

Did Joseph and Nicodemus wear their Pharisaic robes as they performed this loving act?  If so, whatever they wore surely became covered with the blood of our battered and torn Lord!  This blood and the fact that they had touched a dead body would make both of these spiritual leaders unclean for the duration of the Passover observation!  Two highly revered men carrying the body of Jesus from Golgotha to the Garden of Gethsemane.  We know the women watched this all very carefully;  did others also watch? 

Upon arriving, they cleaned the body of Jesus and wrapped it in the shroud brought by Joseph.  Nicodemus brought SEVENTY-FIVE POUNDS of myrrh and aloes to use in this burial process!  Seventy-five pounds!  It must have been easy for Mary Magdalene to find the tomb in the misty, early dawn hours of the first day of the week – she simply followed her nose to the place where they had laid Him! 

Such courage!  Such devotion!  Such love!  No disciples present!  Just two Pharisees!  Remarkable!

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken,

I'm accepted, you were condemned

I'm alive and well, your spirit is within me

Because you died and rose again.

Amazing love how can it be

That you my King should die for me

Amazing love, I know its true

And its my joy to honor you, in all I do to honor you

[Words by Chris Tomlin]

FEAR INVOKING HEAVENLY BEINGS

I suppose we all have things that we're intolerant of.  Maybe it's a certain type of music, or an actor/actress that you just can't stand.  Or perhaps a specific time of year that you simply endure. Maybe you have a friend or family member that drives you nuts.  It could be a holiday that you simply don't connect with.  Or on and on and on...

My 'thing' is angels!  I can't stand the cupid, overly beautiful, all-wings, long-haired, weaponless creations of artists and illusionists.  Most images of angels provoke humor or some sentimental feeling.  They fail miserably at raising up in us fear and reverence for God Almighty!  

And where did this idea come from that we become angels when we get to Heaven?  No biblical references teach this!!!  

This article is not meant to be a resource on angelology!  We can do that at another time and in another place.  Simply stated, angels were created by God before He created our world!  They are beings that differ significantly from us.  There are several terms used in scripture to describe them:  angels, seraphim, and cherubim.  Some of these are described as having wings.

But let's get to the gist of this peeve.  Repeatedly in the scriptures, the presence of angels invokes immediate fear!  Even terror!  Why else do they so often begin their conversation with us using the words, "Fear not!"  

One of the recurring names for God in the Bible is "Jehovah Sabaoth" [Hebrew].  The King James Version rendered this as "Lord of Hosts".  The New International Version translates it as "LORD Almighty".  Eugene Peterson may be most on target;  he uses "God of the Angel Armies".  

To see an angel is to be struck with fear!  Their appearance must be EXTREMELY intimidating!  They are AWESOME creatures created for spiritual warfare!  

Consider Matthew's version of Resurrection morning:  [28:1-4 TM]

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

These were Roman soldiers!  They were the Navy Seals of their day!  These were big, strong, confident, arrogant, braggadocios fighters who didn't run from anyone or anything!  Yet, this morning, they were paralyzed with fear!  That's the affect that God's holy angels have!  

But don't get a stereotype in your mind!  Debbie and I had the privilege of meeting many Navy Seals who were work associates and friends of Travis' in Honolulu.  He was, at that time, assigned as Lieutenant Commander with the team of Seals that he had moved from San Diego to Honolulu.  He helped plan their missions.  He watched their deployments in a small theater in their base - a few steps from Travis' office.  [We were given opportunity to visit his office right after his passing.]

As these seals met us, greeted us and made various comments about Travis, the first thing we noticed was that they were all different.  Most were not bulky, huge, musclebound men.  Some were tall, others short.  Some were heavy, others were thin.  All of those we met were kind with their words, highly intelligent, humble and fiercely dedicated to their work!  We were impressed!  

Similarly, I doubt that our creative God would make all His angelic beings look alike,  I don't think God used a form.  Some clearly have wings and therefore, must be able to fly.  All of them - except the third that were thrown out during Lucifer's rebellion - love and serve God loyally and obediently!  They are His messengers and His warriors!  

If you need convincing about the warrior aspect of God's holy angels, do yourself a favor and read Daniel 10.  Everything mentioned here is drawn out specifically in that passage.  

Hebrews 2:16 gives us further insight into our understanding of angels.

For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the seed of Abraham.

There is common agreement that this verse refers to redemption!  Angels were created by God to serve His purposes.  Unlike us, they have not been 'saved' or 'redeemed'.  Johnson Oatman, Jr. captured this many years ago in a hymn titled, "Holy, Holy, Is What the Angels Sing".  [1894]

The chorus reads:

Holy, holy, is what the angels sing,

And I expect to help them make the courts of heaven ring;

But when I sing redemption's story, they will fold their wings,

For angels never felt the joys that our salvation brings.

Incredible, isn't it?  That these awesome creatures who love and serve God so faithfully will never experience or fully understand the joy that is ours as a result of our redemption!   PRAISE THE LORD!