Making Peace

"If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects." (Leviticus 3:1 NLT)

         The third chapter of the book of Leviticus begins with yet a third type of offering that could be presented before the Lord.  This type was called a "Peace" offering.  A peace offering was just what it appears to be... an offering which strives to bring peace or reconciliation.  It could be offered as a thanksgiving offering, or at the completion of a vow, or as a freewill offering.  It carried a couple of distinctions from a grain offering or burnt offering.  A peace offering could involve meat from either a male or female member of a herd.  It could also be shared by all involved... God, the priests who facilitated the sacrifice, and the person offering the animal.

Most of us are familiar with the concept of a peace offering.  In one way or another, we have attempted make peace with an adversary through the giving of a reconciling gift.  For example, when friends get into a squabble, it is not uncommon for the offending party to do something nice for the one whom they injured... maybe bake a cake, or send a greeting card.  When nations need to be reconciled to peace reparations are offered or binding treaties are signed.  The concept is simple... offer something that promotes forgiveness, goodwill, and of course, peace.  A peace offering declares, "the battle is over, it's time to live in harmony with each other."
What I like about the Levitical concept of a peace offering is how it can be shared by all involved.  God and sinner meet at the table when the animal is sacrificed.  Holy God and sinful man declare peace and man is welcomed again in His presence.  In terms of how we relate to and seek peace from God, things have changed.  No longer does God require an animal sacrifice to bring about peace.  He has offered the sacrifice of His Son.  The remarkable thing to point out is to discover which party offers the sacrifice.  You would think that the offending person would be the one required to make the first move toward peace.  But with God, things are different.  "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)  Do you find that amazing?  I do.  Though we have sinned, and though we should be the ones to make the first move toward reconciliation, God offers a peace offering.  And because of His love, we are welcome to sit at the table again and to enjoy His presence.  Maybe there is a message for us in God's example.  Rather than wait for those who have offended us to come our way with fresh cookies, or a baked cake, maybe we should make the first move.  What if we offered the olive branch?  What if we took the initiative to act like our Father?  Blessed are the peacemakers...

Prayer
          Father, call us today into the peacemaking business.  May we be quick to heal and forgive those who have trespassed against us.

Mentor Worthy?

Paul writes to young believers in the Corinthian church who are struggling with issues like faith-formation, attitude adjustments, and the demands of the Christian faith.  These immature believers had yet to "put it all together."  He actually challenges them in 1 Corinthians 4:16 to look to his life as an example.  He writes, "So I urge you to imitate me."  (NLT)

I wonder how many of us would dare to say to someone younger in the faith, “Imitate my life.”  Would our faith-example bear-up under such scrutiny?  Would our words, lifestyle, and dedication be Christ-like enough to welcome someone's imitation?  Probably not.  In fact, most of us would be petrified with the notion of welcoming someone's close watch of our conduct and faith.  And yet, such role modeling is vitally needed.  In fact, I would suggest that it is our inability to mentor those younger in the faith that continues to weaken the witness of Christ to our culture.  In other words, many of us are not “mentor worthy” because we don't want to be “mentor worthy.”  We don't want to be held to such a high standard because such faith would require so much of us.  We would have to be disciplined in our words, our conduct, and our relationships.  Authenticity and consistency would be required of us and most of us simply are unwilling to pay such a price.  We shirk our responsibilities in exchange for an easier, less-demanding lifestyle.  May God forbid.  And may God forgive our casual Christianity.  The world needs mentors.  Your children need mentors.  Your co-workers need mentors.  There is great competition for the very souls of your friends and family.  Are you willing to simply concede the battle to the enemies of faith?  Or will you take on the challenge of being a worthy mentor?  Whether you want them to do so or not, people have already begun to imitate your faith.  Be worthy.

In the midst of the storm...

Most of us spent last night huddled around our television sets as a severe line of storms whipped through middle Tennessee.  The emergency alert first started sounding around 3:00 a.m. and kept most of us up for much of the next hour.  I hope you were able to weather the storm without too much difficulty and that you were able to return to bed for a few much-needed hours of rest.

Not all the storms that come are way appear in the atmosphere overhead.  In fact, most of the storms we face don't.  Most come from a variety of other sources.  Some face the storms which are caused by ill health.  An odd feeling in the gut suddenly erupts into a series of tests, meds, and keep-you-up-at-night concerns.  For others, the storm may be caused by too many bills and not enough pay.  January is one of those months when most of us feel the pinch of having too many days left in the month and too little cash in the bank.  The worry over finances brings stress and tension to us all.  Still for others, the storm is one of relationship.  Sometimes even the most essential, foundational relationships get strained or even broken.  Marriages break-up and friendships sometimes dissolve.  At times the storms are self-inflicted.  We make bad choices and poor decisions and the consequences begin to pile up and we are all but spent.  The list of other destructive storms can be long in our lives.  In the midst of all of our storms, we seek our "safe place..." that spot where we can run for cover, security, and maybe grace.

I recently read a quote from Pastor Rick Warren.  He wrote, "When the way is unclear, stop waiting to hear a voice and start searching for a verse."  He's right, you know.  If the Bible is indeed the "inspired Word of God," then doesn't it make sense to search the Word to discover how God longs to answer your prayers and relieve your fears?  So this morning, I stumbled across this verse, not by accident, but by God's providence.  Psalm 57:1 - "Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by."

I would strongly encourage you to find your "safe place" in shelter of His wings.  The storms will come.  He waits to offer refuge.

You asked for it...

About a month ago, I used the following poem that I had written in a sermon.  It apparently struck a chord with many of you and many have asked to have a copy.  So here it is.  I hope it is meaningful for those of you who have requested it.  It was written in the context of what it means to connect to each other in significant ways.


Just Walk With Me...

When I am sick...
Don't tell me how much worse your illness is compared to mine,
Don't pat me on the hand and tell me it's nothing to worry about,
Don't lose patience with me or offer some trivial, meaningless platitude,
Just walk with me.

When I am scared,
Don't tell me that my fears are somehow stupid or irrational,
Don't tell me to just pray or to simply shake it off,
Don't tell me what works for you when you are afraid,
Just walk with me.

When I am young,
Don't treat my thoughts or ideas as though they are without merit or value,
Don't lose patience with my uninformed and yet to be fully educated opinions,
Don't expect me to always behave like an adult,
Just walk with me.

When I am old,
Don't pity my weak limbs, failing mind, or slow gait,
Don't treat me like a child or act as though I am no longer important or relevant,
Don't patronize me or push me to the margins of significance,
Just walk with me.

When I have made my mistakes,
Don't add to the guilt I already feel,
Don't assume I will always be a failure,
Don't shun me or exclude me from your life,
Just walk with me.

When I am discouraged,
Don't act as though I've got some disease and ignore me,
Don't tell me me to simply "cheer up,"
Don't ignore my tears or belittle what I am going through,
Just walk with me. 

Jon R Roebuck
December 2012

A Time To Mourn...

A Time To Mourn…

Matthew 1:18 – “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”  (Taken from Matthew’s story of the events surrounding the birth of Christ.)

It’s Christmas time… we should we celebrating the joy of the season.  We should be talking of peace and goodwill.  We should be thinking of Christmas pageants, mistletoe, and eggnog.  But instead, today we think of pain, tragedy, death, and evil. 

This morning, children at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut should have been thinking about Christmas plays, the holidays, and presents under the tree.  Instead, they were forced to think about the sound of a gun, a crazed gunman, and diving under their desks for survival.  By the end of the madness, 27 people lost their lives… 18 of them children, mostly kindergarteners.  It is a tragedy of unthinkable proportions.  For families across that community, Christmas will no longer proclaim a time of peace, joy, and gladness, but instead, horror, pain, and unending grief.  It is such a perversion of what Christmas should be about.  It is a reminder that evil is still very real in the world in which we live.  How much we still need the Prince of Peace to come.

I’m not sure that any of us can make sense of today’s events.  The shooting was a tragic, senseless, and horrific act.  It hurts the human soul and boggles the mind.  Like Rachel, we weep and refuse to be comforted, “for our children are no more.”  Let us pray for those families.  Let us pray for our families.  Let us pray for the day when evil will finally be defeated and peace will reign.

Prison Break

"But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 3:22 NLT)

In this third chapter of Galatians, Paul goes to great lengths to illustrate why freedom in Christ is better than the oppression of the Law.  The Law can only point to our sinfulness.  It can only tell us what we have done wrong.  It can do nothing to correct the problem and provide forgiveness. Only in Christ can our sins be erased and our lives find grace and forgiveness.

For years, Alcatraz was said to be the most "escape proof" prison in the country.  Because it was constructed on a island, there was only one way of escape.  Too far to swim, prisoners could only escape by boat.  Many of course tried to escape through the years but very few ever had success.  In fact, during the 29 years the prison was in operation, 36 attempted to escape, but none were known to survive.  (Five are stilled listed as missing and are presumed to have drowned.)  By all accounts, it was a very secure prison that offered no real hope of escape.  
       Paul writes about a different kind of prison in Galatians 3.  He reminds us that God's Word declares that we are all prisoners of sin and have no way, in our own strength and intellect, of having any hope for escape.  Our sins, our past mistakes, and our failures enslave us and keep us from experiencing the life that God longs for us to know.  But, there is hope...  The promise of freedom comes through only one source, Jesus Christ.  Apart from His grace extended to us through the cross, we have no hope of freedom and no hope of eternal life.  John 8:36 reminds us, "That if the Son sets us free, we shall be free indeed."  A lot of us struggle in prisons of doubt, despair, guilt, loneliness, anxiety, fear, and grief.  But Christ has come to offer us new life, joy, hope, and freedom.  Through our faith in Him, all the barriers and chains that keep us separated from God are removed.  We escape the past to live expectantly in the present.  How long have you been in your private prison?  How long will you choose to stay there?  Christ offers you a better life... a life of freedom.  Put your trust in Him and ask Him to break the chains.  A better life awaits you.

The Evidence We Leave Behind...

My dog Zack is a little ambivalent about Halloween.  He hates the strangers at the door and barks his head off with every “costumed neighbor,” but on the other hand, he loves the stash of candy that lingers around the house for a few days.  He’s smart enough to know that if he is patient enough, and if he will beg sweetly enough with his big, brown eyes, that just maybe he will get a taste of some sweet treat.  His favorite piece of candy is a bite of Tootsie Roll… don’t judge.  I know that’s wrong on many levels.  I discovered recently that he also has a taste for an occasional Tootsie Pop.

A couple of mornings ago, I awoke early and headed to my usual spot in my study.  Underneath my desk, where my dog often rests at my feet while I work, I discovered the following things… a shredded wrapper from a Tootsie Pop along with the remains of the safety stick that once held the candy.  It didn’t take much to put it all together… my dog had eaten an entire Tootsie Pop.  (The fact that he had bits of red candy stuck in the fur around his mouth also tipped me off.)  He might have avoided the guilt of his crime had he not left the evidence behind.

Let’s talk about us.  We do tend to leave a trail, don’t we?  There is evidence, not of candy eaten, but of where we have been, what we have done, and the legacy lived.  So here’s my question… “What does the evidence that you leave behind say about your life?”  When the record of your life is written, what will it reveal?  Is there a trail of kindness offered, grace extended, and forgiveness granted?  Or do we leave evidence of bitterness, anger, and selfishness?  Someone once said, “You can’t leave a legacy if you don’t live a legacy.”  So pay attention to your life.  What messages both verbal and non-verbal do you send to others?  What fruit does your life produce?  Will there be enough evidence to suggest that the Spirit of Christ lived in your heart and governed your days?

I would think that at the end of our lives, the greatest joy we could imagine would be that of knowing that our lives mattered… that we made a difference.  I would also think that the greatest sorrow would be knowing that we didn’t.  Pay attention to the evidence that you leave behind.