Friday, March 28, 2008

A Big Loss (x2)

Friends,

Sadly, famous sci-fi writer Arthur C. Clarke passed away this past week. He was ninety years old. Mr. Clarke was responsible for many wonderful science-fiction works including 2001: A Space Odyssey, (written in 1969 and which was also made into a classic movie by Stanley Kubrick), and my personal favorites, Rendezvous with Rama and Childhood's End. He, along with Ray Bradbury, were the primary pioneers for the sci-fi genre.

In addition, a giant star billions of light-years away exploded recently and was captured by astronomers. It was so huge that it could actually be seen with "the naked eye." (I have never really cared for this expression, but it's good astronomy jargon :-). When you consider (once again) that the light year is approximately 6 trillion miles (see 4/27/07 post on light years for more info), well...you get the picture -- it is a practically incalculable distance for normal folks like you and me. This star, technically, blew apart millions of years ago (supposedly), even before earth was formed (perhaps...although, I don't buy into scientific timelines as "semi-precisely calculated," but still would suggest that these things have taken place thousands of years ago, perhaps, but not necessarily millions or billions). Speaking of explosions, a new calculation by a contemporary astronomer says that 7.59 billion years from now, the Earth will be pulled from its orbit by an enlarged red sun (our sun will ultimately become a red giant), and meet its doom. Whew...glad I am not going to be around! Once again, the calculation (???)...but, the reality is that it could happen this way. Now for a mix of astronomy, physics and theology -- I do believe that just as God could "pierce the firmament," in my opinion, and unleash that water in relationship to its participatory aspect of "the flood," so He could also use "a red giant" or "supernova" in order to incinerate the earth and its elements according to the description in 2 Peter 3. I am not saying that this IS going to happen or that this is the way that God will bring an end to "earth as we know it," but it is certainly understandable and plausible. As to what "a new heavens and new earth" will be or be like...I'm still studying this one, so I will get back to you on it. I have heard a lot of different theories, but I have ideas of my own which are tumbling around, so, we'll see...

Don

Sunday, March 23, 2008

More On The Resurrection (Body)

Friends,

As we talked this morning in Bible class, a discussion arose as to whether "the Gardener" (Jesus) whom Mary saw just following the Resurrection was some "sort of vision" or "actually Jesus in spiritual body." I have to believe the latter, as a short time later (at least according to John's account) Jesus simply "appears" (no indication He used the door :-) among the disciples in a room (20:19), but is still able to "be tangible." So...He had a body that apparently could pass through walls and yet, still be touched by Thomas -- amazing! That Mary would grasp Jesus and then for Jesus to tell her..."don't hold to me" (which would seem to indicate that He was not really there in the flesh, but would -- in spiritual body form -- be going back to the Father) indicates that He was certainly aware of the differences between the physical body and the spiritual, and that He wasn't long for this world, but would come back again one day. We know that "flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven"(1 Corinthians 15:50), so there had to be a transformation, as it appears that there was, so that He could go to be with the Father in heaven, and so..."to be preparing a place for us," so to speak (John 14:1ff). (And I am not even going to get into detail concerning what kind of body we will have at this time -- not enough space :-), but I will say that John reveals..."dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 Jn 3:2, NIV). Some have surmised that this "spiritual body" was also that form that was seen on "the Mount of Transfiguration" (Matthew 17:1ff), as Jesus stood all aglow with Moses and Elijah. There would seem to be a good case that could be made that "we" (humans) were receiving a glimpse of Jesus in His "spiritual body" state. Regardless, one would have to consider that Jesus had to be "greatly relieved" to be rid of the physical body that he had "been burdened" with which He received at birth (the Incarnation). Someone once said...how difficult it must have been for Jesus -- as deity -- even to have to consider coming down to be a man of flesh...what love it took to even come to earth in the first place (before He would even endure the cruel agony of the cross). This is interesting. Of all "types of bodies" seen in the Scripture, it is apparent that the physical has the greatest of disadvantages, yet...it houses "a great treasure" (2 Corinthians 4:7) -- a soul and spirit (Hebrew 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). I thank the Lord for giving us the life and personality (housed in the body) that will one day be transformed "instantly" (1 Corinthians 15:52) into a body that will be able to dwell for eternity. It all makes one wonder how on earth those who would follow certain "eastern religions" would want to come back HERE. This is not what Jesus wanted, nor did Paul (Philippians 1:21)...and neither should we -- but to dwell in "the house of the Lord" (John 14:1ff) -- in spiritual/eternal form forever.

Don

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Resurrection Thoughts

Friends,

As one has shared, some thoughts to consider -- there have been numerous people throughout history who have sought to disprove the Resurrection...only to be rebuffed. From the very beginning the enemies of the Lord tried to deny the historic fact of the Resurrection. The Jewish leaders claimed that Jesus' body had been stolen. If so, how was it done? The tomb was guarded by Roman soldiers and the stone sealed by an official Roman seal. Furthermore, His disciples did not think that He was going to be raised from the dead; it was His enemies who remembered His words from Matt 27:62ff: "The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 'Sir,' they said, 'we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.' 'Take a guard,' Pilate answered. 'Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard" (NIV).
They certainly would not have taken the body. The last thing that they wanted was anyone believing that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. Could the disciples have had "visions" of the risen Jesus and interpreted them as evidences for the Resurrection? No...they did not expect to see Him, and that is not the psychological preparation from which hallucinations are made! Also, how could more than 500 people have the same hallucination at the same time? As to the argument that Jesus did not die, but only fainted and was later revived, little needs to be said. It was proven by many witnesses that Jesus was indeed dead when His body was taken from the cross.

Don

Monday, March 17, 2008

Unbeatable

Friends,

Just as I have said that I was amazed even to be doing a "motocross post", I am also amazed that it has taken me this long to post a message on perhaps the greatest sport ever invented (next to soccer, of course)...and that is golf. I have had the privilege of being able to enjoy this sport -- hard to imagine this -- for 35 years (albeit at varying times and costs). I have had (and currently have) some great golf partners...my dad, Gary, Nate, Dennis, Johnny, Willard, Leon and Randy. As much as I enjoy the challenge of golf, even more so, I enjoy playing with good, fun people with whom I can laugh and have a good time. It really is all about the fellowship to a great degree. I also have to say, what fun it is to watch -- I think it's safe to say, or at least it soon will be -- the greatest golfer ever to play the game. I do not watch golf on television regularly, but it is hard not to want to watch Tiger Woods at work. He pulled off yet another one of his amazing finishes yesterday, sinking a long putt for a birdie in order to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke -- his fifth win in a row! One would think that it would get old watching the same guy win, week after week, but it really doesn't, because we are all just so amazed by what he does on the golf course. I mean, Tiger may have his off days with the driver or the putter, but he still is (typically) the class of the field. It would be difficult not to be a head case if you were ANY other pro golfer, because the self talk would have to be that, on most occasions, "I am realistically playing for second place." What a catch 22...you know how good it is to have the most powerful figure in sports leading the way in your sport, but what a bummer to have such a small opportunity for victory. I used to always root for the underdog in most sports, but, for some reason, it is so difficult to root against Tiger. I don't know what it is, but I just find myself pulling for him...and I hear so many other people say the same thing. It just has to be that he is truly such an amazing, one-of-a-kind player...so set apart from everyone else that people just want to see him rewrite every record in the record book. (I guess it really is Brett Favre syndrome -- one just wants to see it happen for someone so dominating in so many ways). Anyway, I just have to tip my hat to the guy who now stands tied for third place all time in victories (64) with Ben Hogan (soon to be first) with only 219 starts, (which is half of the starts of Jack Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (82)), and he is already second all-time to Nicklaus (18) in "wins at the four majors" with 13 -- the Masters, the U.S. Open, The Open (British), and the PGA Championship. If he stays on any reasonable course, he is going to just cruise by these guys in short order. A generation from now, people are going to marvel at just how truly great a player was Tiger Woods. And for the rest of us...we'll just enjoy it now.

Don

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Church League Softball

Friends,

We have started our church league softball season -- and it is such fun. Unfortunately, we tangled with the best team in the league tonight, but the prospects look good for an excellent season. We have an exceptional group of people playing and this makes all the better. I am really proud of my girls...they had never even played organized softball before this month and both of them have played (hit and fielded) well -- who'da thunk? Keep up the good work! We play eight games in four weeks, so it is short and busy season, and at this point we have three weeks to go. If you are able to do so, come see us Tuesday and Thursday evenings down at the softball complex and enjoy the fellowship. God bless,

Don

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Retired

Friends,

One of the best quarterbacks of his generation officially retired today -- in the top five of all time, in my opinion. Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers owns nearly every important record for an NFL QB. He has long been one of my favorite QBs...even from his college playing days at Southern Mississippi. One of the amazing info bites about Favre is...a month before the start of his senior season he was injured in an automobile accident and he had to have a large section of his intestines removed -- not a pleasant thought...and yet, he was back a month later playing football for Southern Miss. I was amazed and impressed by this and knew that somehow this guy was going to be the great, tough guy (Ken Stabler, Johnny Unitas) NFL type at some point. Favre made 275 consecutive regular season and post-season starts over his 16 year career. Sports people talk about Cal Ripken's MLB leading consecutive games played streak (2632 games over 16 years) as being the most impressive "iron man" streak in sports, but Favre's streak is just as impressive, if not more so, given the serious weekly beating NFL QB's take every Sunday that they play -- 275 CONSECUTIVE GAMES -- remarkable! I will miss the "gunslinger" Favre who also owns the record for the most interceptions in history -- a tribute to his "no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners" approach to the game. Winner of a Super Bowl and NFL MVP's, he will never be replaced in Green Bay, although Aaron Rodgers will be the starting QB for the Packers when they start the 2008 season. I wish the likeable and capable Rodgers well. When asked if he would stick around and be an advisor or NFL game announcer, Favre said "no...not my style." He does not want to be one who would just "linger around," but wants to "get on with his life." One has to respect him for his convictions. At his press conference today, like so many before him -- Troy Aikman, John Elway and others who previously retired -- he could not contain his emotions. He came into the NFL with fire and passion, played with this same fire and now as he is leaving, his passion remains. I am not certain what it is that he will do during his retirement, but whatever it is, it will be done with zeal. Good luck Favre...the extraordinary everyman's QB.

Don