"So Toxic... Nothing Can Survive."

"So Toxic... Nothing Can Survive."

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“Don’t stifle God’s Spirit or ignore prophecies. Put everything to the test, holding on to what is good while having nothing to do with anything that is evil [contrary to the Word].”  [1 Thess.5:19-22, PJV]

A recent “Digging Deeper” class was talking about the Aral Sea.  As recently as 1980, this 4^th largest inland saline body of water in the world covered over 42,000 square miles, employed over 60,000 people in the fishing industry and provided countless others income through tourism. Then the USSR decided to make the area the world’s major cotton exporter by tapping the sea’s two major feeder rivers, in much the same way as has happened here in the U.S. with the Colorado and Rio Grande. Flow into the Aral Sea stopped and, without the influx of fresh water, the sea literally died.  It became too salty even for the sea fish, eventually losing over 90% of its volume until now the seabed is a desert littered with rusting hulks of shipwrecks. All that remain are two small portions, hundreds of miles apart and far from any previous shoreline populations.

Our “DD” class applied this lesson to what happens when God’s people stifle His Spirit, ignore prophecies and, in general, shut down the fresh, challenging conversations of people He places in our lives each and every day.  We’re quick to dismiss unbelievers or those who do not share our opinions and beliefs [perhaps our values and politics?] when, in truth, they may be exactly what we need to keep us from becoming so toxic that nothing can survive around us. Even our own family members and friends at church will be avoided if, God forbid!, they disagree with our lock-step mentality.

I know, I know.  Much can be said about maintaining doctrinal/Biblical purity, which is why the Thess. passage above talks about testing everything and holding on to the good. But there’s a lot of good extra-Biblical stuff out there, and Jesus was not afraid to go looking for it and people welcomed Him into their homes as a result. We’re talking about keeping an open mind, a fresh outlook in order that we do not become dead seas, so to speak -- people who wither and die because of a lack of renewing, revitalizing conversations and relationships with our families, friends, churches and communities.

And you’re right, there is another Dead Sea: the original from Scripture. Same problem: nothing of the Jordan River reaches this infamous body of water and it, too, is vanishing; nothing in, nothing out. On the other hand, we have been blessed to BE a blessing, even as our Lord Jesus has said [John 7:38], 

“Whoever believes in Me, streams of living water will flow from within him.” We take rest in God’s Word, rejoicing in His people, prospering His communities wherever He has planted us.

The alternative is to dry up and blow away.

- Jack

"Beyond Our Fragile Planet."

"Beyond Our Fragile Planet."

“’But the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will punish her idols… Even if Babylon reaches the sky and fortifies her lofty stronghold, I will send destroyers against her,’ declares the Lord.”  [Jer.51:52, NIV]

Stephen Hawking has spoken. Like a 21st Century prophet, the British cosmologist has declared that space exploration is the key to saving humanity, since we are not likely to survive another 1,000 years “without escaping beyond our fragile planet.”

C’mon. You seriously expect me to buy into the idea that we’re going to figure out how to bail ourselves off this rock and go somewhere else when we’re not bright enough to clean up the poop in our own back yard that trashed this one in the first place? [I know, pastors aren’t supposed to write like that, but it’s truth, isn’t it?]  Better yet, if we COULD go somewhere else in the universe and start over, what’s the filter to keep us from starting the whole destructive process all over again? That’s the real issue. Sounds to me a whole lot like Noah and his boys with their families. The problem is not with the process of reconstruction but with the DNA -- the sample is tainted.

And that, my friends, is what the Jeremiah passage reflects. It reminds us of Genesis 11 and the tower of Babel while looking forward to the arrogance of Babylon and her astrologer armies. These are idols, no doubt, along with others of wood, silver and gold. But our idols today take on other forms, as well. They’re digital, computerized, flashy, and sometimes do nothing more than take up space on our calendar to drag us away from Godly priorities in life. And wrong priorities are deadly. They’re like trying to build a rocket ship when all we really need to do is clean up the back yard. 

Which is what God has done in His Son. That’s what the Cross and Resurrection is all about. “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” [Rom.5:6,8] The key to saving humanity, contrary to the brilliance of Hawking, is not going somewhere else to start over but staying right here and regaining our center in the grace of God through Jesus Christ, Who makes all things new.

Hawking is right about one thing, for sure: this is a fragile planet. Furthermore, God has placed us here as stewards, managers of His creation, and He expects the best from us.  May we one day stand before Him to hear His voice proclaim, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” The alternative, to treat His creation with callousness and sloth, leaves us no place to hide. Literally.

Think about it.

- Jack

"An Example of God's Grace and Power."

"An Example of God's Grace and Power."

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“[T]he holy Scriptures…are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  [2 Tim.3:15-16, NIV]

Pastor Oscar Benavides, the director of LINC NT [Lutheran Inter-City Network Coalition North Texas], has preached here at St. Paul a number of times and is well-known to you. This story comes from him as an example of God’s grace and power.

At one of LINC NT’s new mission sites, two teens snuck out of their apartment with the keys to the family car. The parents did not know the twins had left without their permission. Around 1 a.m. the parents got a call the boys had parked the car in a no-parking zone and the police were ready to tow the car. It was also discovered the boys did not have licenses. The parents were shocked and went to rescue their car and teens. The brothers were cited and required to appear in court the next month.

At the court hearing, the mom told the judge that she was attending a parenting Bible study with LINC NT. The judge asked more about the curriculum and inquired if the boys were attending the Bible study [they were not]. The judge then compelled the boys to attend the Bible study every week for three months, requesting that LINC NT verify their attendance. We now have two 15 year old teens learning about the Bible at our Wednesday study with their family. We are in awe of God’s sense of humor and work. Please pray for these boys, that His Word would infiltrate their lives in such a way that they choose to be at the study even after the term is completed. God is amazing!

Wow! What a great witness this is! On the one hand, we see the incredible things God is doing through LINC. On the other, we see how He is using “secular” judges to accomplish His will in bringing His Word to hearts that so desperately need it. And on top of it all, we give thanks for the creativity of pastors/leaders like Pastor Oscar and his teammates who search for doors into our communities -- ways to introduce Jesus Christ into the lives and homes of the people who live right there.

Of course this begs the question: how can we at St. Paul knock and open doors into the lives of people around us here in Plano? We have great facilities, a tremendous early childhood ministry in our school, we are highly visible on a well-traveled venue and, with all this, we have the benefit of skilled volunteers. We do not need to have a perfect plan to get things going -- just the perfect peace that God will use what we bring for His purpose.

- Jack

"Don't I Get a Vote Here?"

"Don't I Get a Vote Here?"

“We never give up! Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory… Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That’s why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.”  [2 Cor.4:16-18, CEV]

The historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI has been captured on camera, and the details of his retirement are available to all.  This coincides with my own retirement later this year after installing our new senior pastor, and now it’s rumored someone [likely our golf league, knowing that bunch!] wants to use Benedict’s ceremony as a model for me.  What I’ve gleaned so far is this:

First, where the Swiss Guard is charged with destroying the fisherman’s ring and seal used for official papal business, the group here had plans to destroy the driver in my golf bag until it was pointed out that it always self-destructs on the first tee, anyway.

After that, there was lengthy discussion about a white helicopter to lift me off after my last sermon, then it was decided a MediVac would be more appropriate and, finally, they voted on a white plastic lawn chair attached to 18 helium weather balloons. However, none of them trusted me with a pellet gun to shoot out the balloons for descent, so that one’s still up in the air -- literally. Oh, and that’s not a seat belt on that thing, either -- it’s a strait-jacket.

Finally, the Pope Emeritus will spend two months at Castel Gandolfo after two Swiss Guards usher him in and close the massive wooden doors, marking his symbolic time in secluded meditation. Well, apparently Carolyn has conspired with this group of lunatics here, because I found the Trustees drawing up secret plans to change the lock on my office door, neutralize my building alarm code, and commit me, literally, to a rigorous exercise plan at 24-Hour Fitness.  Wait, don’t I get a vote here? Can’t I choose secluded meditation instead of painful exercise?

All right, let’s get serious… 

Indeed, we’re getting stronger each day in Christ as we keep our minds on Him. Everything we say and do is moving toward this point: being with Him for all eternity -- not at death, but starting here and now! Sure, we struggle with problems and pains, and inevitably we have to face death and taxes. Yet we face them, and more, as the people of God confident in His love and secure our past, present and future.

Never give up, and keep your eyes on what you can’t see. [It never hurts to laugh, either, does it?]

- Jack

"Wake-Up Call"

"Wake-Up Call"

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“The time is coming when people won’t listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear.  They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories.”  [2 Tim.4:3-4, CEV]

I awakened one morning last week at my usual time. It was still dark and, as I rolled over and sat up to get out of bed, I suddenly had the horrifying feeling I was falling face forward and sure to land sprawled painfully on the floor. Arms and legs flailing wildly, trying to gain my balance and catch myself to break the fall, it seemed an eternity before Carolyn’s voice broke through to me, “Are you okay?”  It was then I realized I was still lying in bed, on my back, with my legs hanging over the edge.  My ears were filled with fluid from sinus pressure and my equilibrium was totally shot -- I couldn’t sit up, stand, roll over or anything without being disoriented. It was a miserable feeling, and it has taken days of corrective measures to get over.

If ever there’s an analogy for satan’s mind-games with us, this is it.  He fills our ears with lies and half-truths until our sense of balance and Godliness is so skewed that up is down and we have no idea where we are in relation to Christ. What was so weird about my physical situation was that I had no clue, no symptoms to alert me when I went to bed the night before; I simply awakened the next morning, completely messed up.  And do you think satan is about to give us any warning signs he’s on the way -- something like an e-mail or a text-message with a 12-hour advance notice, “by the way, I’m going to mess you over tomorrow…have a nice night!”

Nope.  Your day will be just like my wake-up call.  I felt like I was falling from a 20-ft. wall and was scrambling like a turtle on its back. Come to think of it, that’s how helpless I have felt at times in the face of his attacks -- until Someone’s calming voice broke through to remind me where I really was: safe in the hands of my Savior. You see, satan wants us stumbling around blindly, crashing into things, hurting ourselves and others. But when we stop, listen for that still, small voice of the Word and regain our direction in Christ, safety and peace are at hand.

Be careful. Someone will always be happy to fill your ears with junk, if you’ll let them. It’s the times we live in. Earlier in 2 Tim., the apostle wrote;

“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of.” 

That’s the truth, and the truth won’t make your head spin.

- Jack