Creatures From the Black Lagoon?

Feeling creaturely lately?  Halloween is today, so not for long!  The term ‘creature’ has for some time been coopted by Hollywood to designate someone, or better, something strange, slimy and possibly horrible.  Some may remember that old black and white horror epic titled, “The Creature From the Black Lagoon?”  Of course, it had to be the Black Lagoon, first to make it scarier.  After all, how terrible can a creature be from the Blue Lagoon?  Besides, they only had black and white film in those days…  no choice!

So, as I said, nobody likes being a creature; however, creatureliness is in our DNA.  To be a creature means we are by nature created.  Now you must stop the presses because “Thems fightn’ words.” We are stepping onto a dangerous terrain.  Being created raises all kinds of issues for us - most importantly, if were created, then what force, action, artist, intelligent designer has left an imprint on the lower corner of the canvas? Who signed the created work?

Most mainline churches sing the answer to this question every Sunday.  We call it the Doxology.  You know the words, “Praise God from who all blessings flow.’”  Now listen to the second verse, “Praise Him all CREATURES here below.”  There it is – creatures!

According to Webster’s, “‘Doxology’ passed into English from Medieval latin doxologia, which in turn comes from the Greek term doxa, meaning "opinion" or "glory."  The word ultimately derives from the Greek verb dokein, meaning "to seem good."  The suffix -logia refers to oral or written expression.”  So ‘doxology’ is an oral expression of praise and glorification from the created to the creator.

All good, or it’s all “okey dokein.”  Not sure if this is where we get the colloquialism, but herein lies the trouble for atheist and modern-day Christians.  To get our heads around being God’s creation – a creature, is to reconcile who we are and where our goodness and good gifts come from.  Case in point, is our thankfulness for family, friends, resources, church, freedom, or as the Hebrews say, our ‘Meod,’ (our muchness) due to ourselves alone or do we live doxology to the originator?

How we see ourselves determines to a great extent how we live in relation to the community and the people around us.  To feel creaturely, means to feel and express generosity.  If we understand what God has done and is doing for us and that it ‘seems good’ (doxa) is to experience true thanksgiving.  To feel autonomous, or to see ourselves as sovereign creators in our own right of all we preside over, is to say, well done!  

Do you see the difference?  Creatures live doxology which not only rises to God but flows out in generous love.  That’s why Jesus said, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."  (John 15:12-13) Living Doxology is a life-long process! 

Recently during worship, Jody and I were celebration during Pastor appreciation month.  I think Hallmark invented this designation.  While being a pastor in this post-Christian culture is a tough call, it’s still a high calling.  I think we need a parishioner appreciation month.  Because, singing and living doxology is profoundly more powerful when done in community.  It is you, the creatures of “The Church” who create ministry.  Your actions away from self, acknowledge that you are overwhelmingly blessed by the creator in our years of generosity and loving compassion. 

I sing doxology to God for you because through you God’s blessing have flown so strongly over the years.  As Simba proclaimed in the Lion King movie, “It’s good to be King” however, the truth that unwraps the ultimate fullness in life, is that it’s better to be a creature!

Hell Has Frozen Over!

Today there is a growing sense of a distant, compartmentalized God.  

This is demonstrated most profoundly as a “thing” or entity least feared.  Said plainly, we don’t really fear God all that much.  I am not talking about the kind of fear you feel when you hear the work cancer or that you are being let go from your job.

I am speaking of the kind of fear we experience when in awe of something overwhelmingly-magnificent.  

It’s the kind of fear people in the Bible like Isiah the profit experienced in a vision, and Moses experience when coming face to face with the majesty and overwhelming power of God’s presence. 

 

Can you imagine being near an alpha-male lion.   You see the beauty of the his golden main, the power of his muscles, and the fright that this magnificent beast could destroy you if so inclined.  That’s what we call reverent holy fear.

In our culture today, I sense a diminishing consequential concern for the holiness of God.  Intimately connected to this fearlessness, is the gravity of the sacred and eternal in our own lives.

Again, said plainly, it’s as if Hell has frozen over!  We no longer have a reverent, holy concern for our spiritual self 

-- our soul. 

This Sunday, I will begin a new series where we will face what I call the least fear – the fear of God and the eternal within us.  Some of us have enough God while others don’t have enough and can’t seem to find God.  

Our culture tells us we can be spiritual in our own way, by ourselves.  However, Jesus says just the opposite – we are a connected body, set aside to serve and worship the awesomeness of God. 

In other words, collectively, we are the bride of Christ – the church.  Only, today the bride is more like a runaway bride, a church that is not gathered in communal worship, ready for Jesus!  How does this trend impact us, our church and our spiritual life?  That’s what we will explore.

Jesus Unplugged

 Jesus Unplugged

Way back in the MTV days when media technology was ramping up in the music industry, rock and roll guitar guru Eric Clapton, did something really daring.  He unplugged!  Wanting to get back to the intimacy, feel and beauty of the acoustic sound of music, he recorded an album which deemphasized the electronic “plugged in” sound. 

Unplugged was recorded in 1992 in front of an audience for the MTV Unplugged series.

The Album included a version of the successful 1991 single "Tears in Heaven" and an acoustic version of "Layla". It remains the most successful and best-selling live album ever, winning two Grammy awards at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in 1993.

Clearly, there is something in our spirit which connects with more organic forms of music.  The acoustic sound seems to gather the attention of our soul in a unique way. So, as I stood up to begin our 11:00 classic worship last week, and a loud boom was heard followed by an electrical power outage, I should have been happy considering the message would now be “unplugged” possibly making it the most successful sermon I’ve ever preached!

Once the shock that none of our projection or amplification systems would be available for the rest of the service, my mind turned to other matters – the air-conditioning!  

As the bulletins began to wave in fan-like motions, I had another thought -- no organ for hymns and the choir.  

Plus, we had invited the Hungarian Church Preschool we sponsor to sing.  There would be no microphones and no musical sound track for them to sing with.  But, not to worry.  Just like Clapton’s “Unplugged” the music was offered, and our congregation responded with our own annual Grace awards of 2018.   

Finally, it was time for the message.  Fortunately, we had just received a wish from our “Wish Book” of a new modern lectern.  So, I moved it close to the congregation and launched into the message.  It reminded me of my old Young Life days of speaking in a more relaxed and intimate “unplugged” style with high school students.  While speaking, something amazing happened.  I noticed a unique quietness in the room.  No whirling hum of the three AC blowers.  No rumbling from the organ pipes blower.  A sacred quiet fell onto the place.

It was very interesting, because the point of the message was the Apostle Peter’s call for us to slow, stop and turn (repent) toward God and receive a breather – a refreshing.  Even the hymns and piano accompaniment of the choir felt different.

It was as if God was helping us to experience this point as a stillness settled in among us.  I had the sense that in the moment, every ear was open and listing as never before.  While having everyone’s attention may, or may not, have been the reality, it felt so. 

The unplugged nature of our worship, created an intimacy between those of us gathered in Jesus’ name and God’s Spirit in the place.  While I did not create the power outage – although now thinking about it, it would have been a nifty sermon illustration – the experience taught us all that slowing, stopping, turning and unplugging, is a wonderful process to more fully experience God.  I think we will pay attention to this “serendipitous” lesson by unplugging on purpose at some worship service in the future.  Only the next time, we will do it when the temperature is 'unpluggable.'