Paul wrote Philippians while experiencing a really hard time – he was in prison and facing possible death. And yet the book us upbeat and positive. He, in this passage, write of expectation, hope, courage, and rejoicing.

This sermon examines the idea of being in the middle of the story. We are encouraged to look back, look ahead, look around…and that this will help us realize we’re in the middle and that will help us maintain an attitude of expectation, hope, and courage in the midst of whatever hard circumstances we might find ourselves in.

“The Jesus of the Gospels focused continually on…lifting up the humble, and bringing down the powerful… If I am to be his follower, if I am to be on his side, then I must actively participate in reversing patterns of power…” ~ Philip Clayton

“In the world everyone wants to be a ‘wolf,’ and no one … a ‘sheep.’ … it is essential that Christians should be very careful not to be ‘wolves’ in the spiritual sense – that is, people who try to dominate others.” ~Jacques Ellul

“When God flexes his omnipotent muscle, it doesn’t look like Rambo or the Terminator – it looks like Calvary!” ~ Greg Boyd

“The power of God is creative, sacrificial and empowering, not coercive, and his glory consists in sharing life with, not dominating, others.” ~Clark Pinnock

As I looked back over the video, I may have left the impression that prayer doesn’t “work” – that was not my intention.  Prayer is powerful and is one way that we participate, using our God-given power, in shaping reality.  So while God is not a cosmic Santa Clause, prayer certainly has an important effect on things.

Yesterday in a sermon about mourning I got off on a theological tangent that deserves a fuller explanation. It has to do with God’s power.

I said that God CANNOT do some things, which is why bad things happen. So “where is God” is the midst of tragedy?  God is not causing, nor even allowing them, rather, God is suffering along with those effected.

So let’s think about God’s power as it relates to acts of genuine evil. (Genuine evil, by the way, is quite different than things that are inconvenient or annoying.) What are our options?

Option 1 – God Causes Evil

If God actually causes an evil act, say the torture and abuse of a child, then two possible conclusions can be drawn:

1. God is evil
2. The evil is not really evil – evil is an illusion.

Few believing people choose option (a) – though this thought is a reason many do not believe in “God” – a god they believe causes acts of genuine evil.  (I don’t believe in such a God myself, actually.)

Option (b) is often chosen by people who believe in theistic determinism (the idea that God causes all events).  Many of these folks see evil acts as contributing to the “greater good” somehow which, in the scheme of things, makes them not so very evil after all.

Option 2 – God Could Prevent Evil But Allows Evil

A whole lot of people I know choose this option, I think, but without fully considering what it means and implies.  Let us imagine a situation where one “allows” an evil thing and then let us see who is “at fault.”

Say that I have a dog on a leash.  The dog is big and sees a little girl playing in the green grass of a lovely park.  My dog become aggressive, wanting desperately to attack that little girl.  But I’m holding the leash so that it cannot attack – I am preventing my dog from attacking the little girl.  Then let’s say that I think, “You know, I’ll just allow my dog to do what it wants.”  So I let it go from the restraint – I allow it to do what it wants to do.  And a little girl is attacked and killed by my dog.

Who is at fault?  Does it work to say, “I didn’t cause that event! I only allowed it! It’s not my fault! The dog actually did the damage – I only allowed it!”?  No.  Such a defense does not work; I would still be at fault.  For if I COULD but chose NOT to prevent that evil, then I am still guilty for it having occurred. It is not significantly different than if I had caused it to begin with.

So this option still leaves us with:

1. God is evil
2. Evil is an illusion

Many (many!) people think that God does not cause but does allow evil.  In their minds this frees God of guilt – but it does not and we are left with the same (in my view unacceptable) options as we have in a strictly deterministic system.

And, in reality, if all things happy by either God’d decree or God’s permission, then we still have a functionally deterministic system…all things are determined, by decree or permission, by God. In this system there can be no real love, relationship, or freedom – for such things require genuine freedom.

Option 3 – God Cannot Prevent Evil

If God cannot prevent an evil action, then God is in no way culpable for it happening.  This is, as I see it, the only way for God to be innocent of evil and for evil to remain actually evil.

Why or how might it be that God is unable to do something?  We have three basic options:

1. Something outside of or beyond God prevents God from doing something.
2. God places self restrictions on God’s self.
3. God’s very nature prevents God from doing some things.

Most find option (1) objectionable.  This means that something beyond God is more powerful or a higher authority.

A great number of people find (2) to be acceptable.  In this scenario, God would limit God’s power and control, usually for a limited amount of time, to allow creatures to have true freedom and power.  This way love is possible. This way free and powerful creatures can participate in creating the unfolding of the world.

When explaining this option to people, I often make use of a scene from the Disney animated movie, Peter Pan.  Toward the end of that movie Peter is fighting Captain Hook high up amongst the sails on a ship.  Hook says something like, “No fair – you can fly. Fight like a man.” To which Peter replies, “Ok, I won’t fly – we’ll fight man to man.”  And the sword fight continues. Then Peter gets knocked down and it looks bad. From far below Wendy shouts, “Fly Peter! Fly!”  And Peter replies, “NO! – I gave my word.” (You’ll just have to watch the movie to see how it all turns out.)

So, technically speaking he “could” fly – he had the power – but because he placed a temporary restrain on himself he could not.  A great many people think that something like this is going on with God.

The benefits of this kind of thinking are, first of all, that God is not responsible for specific acts of evil.  God is responsible for setting up a risky situation where free creatures with some measure of power might do bad things, but it is a risk taken for the sake of love; such risk is necessary if genuine loving relationships are also to be possible.  And secondly, because the power restrictions on God are temporary, at some point in the future God will be able to “override” all other’s choices to put an end to evil in one fell swoop.

Finally, option (3), that God’s nature prevents God from doing some things, is another option some take.

The argument often goes something like:

Love and coercion are incompatible.

God is love.

God does not coerce.

So because of God’s very nature, love, God cannot coerce.  God cannot override freedom and stop evil.  God cannot because God is love.

Quite a few people out there find that line of reasoning compelling.  If this one is true, then God is not, in any way whatsoever, responsible for evil in the world.

This option also limits God’s power more so than the second option (God’s voluntary limiting to God’s own power).  Some find this disturbing and so go with another option.

It’s Complicated

The way in which all this works out in the world is probably quite complicated (which is, by the way, the basic message of the book of Job).  God directly causes some things, God allows some things, and God wants to stop some things but can’t.  Anything that God causes or allows cannot be evil for if God is responsible for anything it would be a good thing (even if we misunderstand it).

Limited Human Freedom and Power

Another important thing to keep in mind is that our freedom and power is limited.  No one can simply do anything.  There are restraints on our abilities, the scope of our power, the range of our choices.  No creature possesses power or freedom that could rival God’s in any kind of ultimate way.

Questions to Ask…

To help you think about what you believe, it may be helpful to ask yourself some questions.

Does God ever cause evil?

Is God ever responsible for evil?

Is it better that (a) God have all power but is responsible for evil, or that (b) God has limited power such that God is not responsible for evil?

God’s Limited Power – What That Means

I sometimes find that when people begin thinking (or hearing) that God has limited power, they think that God becomes weak.  This is NOT what anyone is saying.

Even in the event that God has given away power, that God shares power, God is still the most powerful, most influential, most creative, most resourceful, most long-lasting being in the universe.

So no human choice, no matter how powerful the human, could in any way be a threat to God.  God is at least a enormous as the universe and has always (always!) existed (even a trillion trillion years looks small next to “always”).  On that scale, humans are less than microscopic. The power we wield may seem huge from our perspective but from the perspective of time and space and God we are insignificant.  Even the collective efforts of every human who has ever lived would not measure in the scheme of things.  God is far too big, far too long lasting, far too wise and resourceful and influential, to be threatened by the likes of us.

So on the small scale, what we see, God often “needs” our cooperation to accomplish things (not all things, just some things).  That is what being a disciple is about.  It is partnering with God.  God is always the first actor, but as we participate, by our actions and by our prayers, God’s influence is expanded.  Our participation becomes important.  What we do and pray (and fail to do and fail to pray) really makes a difference in our world.

But, again, our measly efforts could never threaten God on God’s grand scale.  God will outlast (and out love) our best efforts at rebellion.  We must be careful not to think too highly of ourselves.  God is “big enough” to accomplish anything God wishes to accomplish – any efforts at rebellion my delay God’s plan, but we are too small to stop God in any kind of ultimate sense.

What Am I Saying?

My personal take is that God somehow gives away or shares power.  But I do not expect everyone to agree with me.  After all, pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity.

What I do hope is that everyone think through these kinds of things carefully.  What we believe matters; it makes a difference to how we view God, others, circumstances in the world, and so on.

Happy theologizing…

[UPDATE]

Perhaps, and this may become another blog post, perhaps the “solution” to all of this is to understand God as possessing and exercising a different kind of power then we typically think of.  Rather than using a kind of power that controls or coerces, perhaps God’s power is ironic.  Perhaps it is unseen, persuasive, working from the inside rather from the outside…

Still counting.  This is sermon number three at Scottsdale First Nazarene.

This one is the second sermon in a series on the Beatitudes. It deals with the first Beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Grace comes first in the Beatitudes. Grace, grace, grace.

“How deep the Father’s love for us;
How vast beyond all measure.”

You are LOVED by God – just because. It is nothing you deserve, nothing you have earned.

Receive that grace.

Rest in that love.

One day I’ll stop counting, but this was my second sermon at Scottsdale Nazarene.  The topic is one of my favorite in the scriptures…

Following Jesus is an UPSIDE DOWN affair. In this introduction to the Beatitudes, Matt talks about the Kingdom of God, the Good News, and the irony that helps define them.

One thing that I left unsaid in this sermon: to those who are oppressed in some way, perhaps a victim of abuse or part of a marginalized group, or something., you would not begin your way of being upside down the same way others would. Though the upside-down-ness of the Kingdom is still part of your calling as a Christ Follower, you should not put up with your abuse (or whatever it is). Get away. Get help. Let others know so that they can stand with you and against your oppressors. And then, without subjecting yourself further harm, continue to find ways, your own ways in your own life, to live an upside down Kingdom of God kind of life…

Though the quality is not all that great (we’ll get better over time) here is my first sermon (a few minutes of the beginning were also not recorded…but you’ll get the gist just fine):

I recently had a friend ask for this recipe – it is a combination of a few different recipes and a few little changes of my own.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 1/3 cups flour (all purpose)

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1/3 cups softish butter (you don’t want it to melt, just to move if you push on it…)

2/3 cup pineapple juice (from pineapple used in topping – top with milk if you don’t have enough, but you should)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

And

For the topping:

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 can pineapple (can use crushed, chunks, circles – whatever you’d rather. Each gives a different texture…if you use crushed, be sure to get lots of the liquid out)

A splash of pineapple juice

Nuts – if you want, as much as you want.  I’ll often use pecans or walnuts sprinkled over the topping.  Sometimes I don’t use any at all.

Cherries – if you want.  They look nice placed in a pattern or in the center of the circles of pineapple, if you are using that kind. I don’t always use cherries…

Making the topping:

In a 10 inch cast iron skillet (or, if you don’t have this, something else about the same size – I used to use an 8inch square glass dish…the skillet is best) melt the butter, combine with the brown sugar, top with pineapple, juice, nuts & cherries (if you are using such things). Lately I’ve been heating the skillet on the stovetop to melt the butter and sugar together – this makes the topping hot/warm when you put in the cake batter.  Not sure if that makes a difference or not…

For the cake:

Combine the flour, baking powder, & salt.

Combine the pineapple juice and vanilla

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for a while – it should spread around the bowl and look softer. Add the sugar slowly.  Beat this until it looks noticeable different: lighter in color and just a little “fluffy.” Add the egg and beat this in on low until it is completely incorporated.

Scrape the bowl.

Add one third of the flour mixture – beat until incorporated.

Add one third of the juice – beat until incorporated.

Repeat until it is all used up (the last step should be to add the last of the juice).

Beat on med-high for 2 min or so (scrape the bowl a few times).

Pour over the topping and bake at 350 for 40-50 min.

Allow it to sit for a few minutes then invert onto a serving dish.

Devour. I like it with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Jesus, as is typical, turns this question on its head – in a way ignoring it – and at the end of the story asks a completely different question; Jesus asks him which of the three who saw the in injured person acted like a neighbor. So while the lawyer asked who is my neighbor, Jesus answers with a story about how to be a neighbor.

The implication of the way Jesus switches the focus is that the lawyer’s question was all wrong. Anyone is a neighbor. All humanity. No distinction can be made. This is further emphasized by the fact that the injured person in the story is completely ambiguous: “a certain person” who is quickly “stripped naked, beaten, and left for dead.” A naked, beaten half-to-death person cannot be easily identified. This could be anybody – and that is the point.

Who is my neighbor? All humanity. Without regard for nationality, political affiliation, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual practices, age, social status, or any other way in which we might want to categorize others. Who is my neighbor? Whom must I love? Everyone.

Which brings me to this video. It is one of my all time favorites. It is a picture of the answer: everyone. You will find your neighbor everywhere you look, anyplace around the world, in every skin color and lifestyle and religion. In a way, even in the waves of the ocean and the whales that swim within. Who is your neighbor? Open your eyes and see…