Pastor's Perspective - Justice

If moral relativism wasn’t so morally disgusting, it would be laughable.

Over the last few days I’ve casually been staying tuned to this whole Roman Polanski story. For those unfamiliar with him and his work, he is an award-winning film director. His story is a fascinating one, ranging from being a Holocaust survivor, to losing his wife Sharon Tate in the infamous Manson murders, to box office stardom. Thirty-two years ago, Polanski had sexual intercourse with a 13-year old girl. Since then, the United States has had a warrant out for his arrest. After fleeing justice all these many years, Polanski was arrested this past weekend in Zurich while attending a film festival. His legal team is aggressively fighting his extradition.

What is nauseating to me is the way many are trying to sweep the past under the proverbial rug and make excuses for him. Friends, Roman Polanski raped a child! The last I heard, that is still a horrendous, despicable and arrestable offense in this land, no matter how long ago it happened.

This week, celebrities are going so far as to saying it wasn’t a “rape rape.” Huh?! Some are saying that because he survived a death camp and lost his mother at Auschwitz that justice should go lightly on him. Others say that because he lost his wife so tragically that there should be great mercy extended to him. The biggest ‘but’ camp is citing his artistic cinematic talent to be his ‘Get Out of Jail’ card. Lastly, a few say that his advancing age should be considered, or that he is philanthropic.

As a pastor, I hear the very same arguments to answer, ‘Why God should let me into Heaven’. “Well, I don’t deserve hell, because I lived it here on earth.” “I’m a good person who helps people out when I can.” “I’ve lived a long life and deserve to go.” “I shared my talent for the enjoyment of many; therefore, I should get something, right?”

Friends, Roman Polanski committed a crime. He should and will face justice for it. No excuses can justify raping a child.

Friends, all of us have committed a crime against a holy God. We’re all guilty as sin and of sin! We have absolutely no justifiable excuses for our rebellion. However, Jesus Christ condescended to His offenders, and on a Roman cross, graciously took our full penalty upon Himself, satisfying God’s divine arm of justice.

Justice = Paying the due penalty of what we deserve.

God's grace = Jesus paying the due penalty of what we deserve.

How can we turn an offer like that down?

Pastor's Perspective - Next Tuesday

Last Wednesday I restarted my weekly morning adult Bible study called ‘The Pie Club’. Our group of about 12 have begun an exciting expedition through the book of Acts.

Last week I shared the pertinent introduction stuff – author, place, recipients, themes, unique characteristics, etc. We got to Luke’s amazing account of Christ’s glorious and promised ascension before our time together ran out. The angels in the scene remind Jesus’ team that He will come back someday in the same fashion. So, we began to talk about some of those dynamics –personally, physically, suddenly, and the like. Then our group matriarch, Margaret Rickard, posed a question I’m posing to you today as a reader – “What if we knew Jesus was coming back next Tuesday. What would we do?’

The room fell awkwardly silent. I then asked each attendee what they would do, knowing that each believed that Jesus was coming back and that He would come back suddenly. The answers varied, some with tears; but there was a commonality that was unmistakable – “I would do whatever I had to to get my loved ones saved.”

What would you do if you knew Jesus was coming back next Tuesday?

Pastor's Perspective - Where Were You?

I remember the morning vividly. It was just another Tuesday morning, or so I thought. I had a jam-packed ‘To Do’ list of things to accomplish at church that day. As I got ready, I flipped on the television in my bedroom to catch a few headlines before racing off. What I saw instead was horrifying; a live national nightmare. Both of the tallest towers of the World Trade Center complex were ripped open with the unmistakable black smoke of burning jet fuel billowing above them, dissipating in the wind. Stunned, I remember reaching for my cell phone and calling my secretary at the church office and saying, “Gena, lock-up the church and go home. The world just changed.”

Since that horrible day, Michelle and I have visited the WTC site twice. ‘Surreal’ is the only word I can find to describe our time there. During our second visit we took our children. Interesting enough, as buildings and fields burned in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania, our youngest Lily was coming into the world.

Just a year before the attack, Michelle and a girlfriend had visited a childhood friend who worked as a broker for Cantor Fitzgerald at the very top of Tower 1. By fate, he relocated with another company to another city in the interim. Through sobs he shared with Michelle on the phone that evening, “They’re all gone. Everybody I worked with and introduced you to – gone.”

Where were you?

Pastor's Perspective - FOR MEN ONLY

In a church culture permeated by white-washed messages, high in motivation and self-discovery and low on Jesus, I found this following message refreshing, convicting and challenging.

I believe every man on the planet needs to take just one hour of his life and watch this sermon by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It's a clarion call for real men to be real men - to step-up and model authentic masculinity Jesus-style.

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/trial/marriage-and-men