I love movies don't you? The stories...the drama...the humor...the villains being defeated...the fantasy worlds coming to life...exploring places we never even knew existed...often on the shoulders of some hero we identify with...yet can't be. Now with computer generated images, CGI, the special effects are insane! Our hero's do the most amazing things. The stunts and scenes can be completely other worldly, its crazy, but so much fun to experience the adventure. Having known some people who work behind the scenes in film, its amazing to get a glimpse into how all this is done. The computer effects...the sets that are built and look so real...and the stunts, wow how do they do all that? It turns out most stunts are not done by the actual actor or actress, but rather they are done by a what's called a "body double". Someone who looks very similar to the original actor or actress, yet is given the task to do what the actor or actress cannot. They are usually difficult stunts or dangerous maneuvers of some type. The kind of things you need to be equipped and trained to do properly. But on film, the body double represents the original in such a convincing way, that the audience doesn't see a difference, they seem as one! In many ways I believe the people of God, those who follow Jesus, the church, if you will, are intended to be body doubles. Let me explain. Jesus was the physical representation of God on earth...Jesus loved as God loved, healed, forgave, and taught truth as God the Father does. Jesus was the physical manifestation of God to us humans, so that we may understand God on our level... human to human...yet also the spiritual expressed through humanity. Why? To teach us. Because Jesus would then ask "us" to be "His body"...the physical, human representation of God on earth. You see, Jesus passed the baton, so to speak, to those that would believe. Jesus was the light of the world, but now He says "we are to be the light of the world." The baton has been passed. We are now the "body double" continuing to do what Jesus did. We are the current representation of God's love on this earth. Human beings, in cooperation with God's Spirit, living out His ways, so that others may come to experience the love of God through us! Wow, quite a concept! Now unlike an actor who can't do his own stunts...Jesus clearly didn't hand off this task to us because He could not do it Himself...rather He chose to allow us to do it, so that we could learn what His love is like when lived out. So that we could learn to trust the Spirit of God as it guides & directs us. So that we could be part of the Story He is telling, and hopefully, people will not be able to see the difference between Jesus and us. Jesus said "when you see me you see the Father"...may we become a people that others will say, "when you see them, you see Jesus."
be God's!
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas
I once heard a story of a lady preparing a special family meal, passed on for generations. Oh, this meal was delicious, a very tasty pot roast. One of the "family secrets" to the recipe, was that mom would cutoff the ends of the pot roast before she cooked it. Sure enough it was delicious as always! One day her daughter, while learning to cook, asked her mom why she cutoff the ends of the pot roast before cooking? "Well", the mom said, "I don't really know, I just know that is how my mom cooked it and it always tasted wonderful." So the young girl goes and asks her grandma why she cutoff the ends of the pot roast before cooking? Grandma replies, "I'm not sure dear...that is how my mother cooked it...and it always turns out perfect." A few weeks later, while visiting her great grandmother in the rest home, she asks, "Great Grandma, why do you always cut the ends off the pot roast before you cook it?" To which Great Grandma replied, "because my roasting pan was too small." In many ways we do the same thing in church. We believe many things that have been passed on to us, without ever trying to examine the truth of the matter...or the roots to the truth. Many church myths and legends have been passed on from generation to generation, without us ever knowing why or where they came from? Most legends have a grain of truth from where it came. Most myths are misinterpretations of the facts, as in this "pot roast example". But as believers in the One who is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life...then shouldn't pursuing "truth" be central to our lifestyle? Now I am not suggesting that followers of Jesus "know it all", but shouldn't we, at the least, be pursuing the truth...seeking it out...striving to know & understand it. Occasions like Christmas are fraught with church myths & legends. Unfortunately some of these divide people and cause strife. Sad that at a time when peace, brotherhood and good will to all men are the underlying theme...that church myths & legends cause us to be antagonistic, argumentative & divisive. In my previous post I touched on the "myth of the Xmas scandal" that sweeps through every Christmas. Also the Santa scandal is a big one. Oh how those evil Santa secularists have robbed Christmas from Jesus. When in a brief examination we discover that first off "santa" is Spanish & Italian for the word "saint". Hmmm, Saint Claus, how odd is that? Upon a more thorough examination we will discover that there was a bishop in the 4th century, named Nicholas, who eventually became St. Nicholas. And guess what? St. Nicholas was best remembered as a man, who loved Jesus, and was also very wealthy. He felt God's heart was a giving heart, so Nicholas committed his life into giving away his wealth, mostly to children, especially poor children. He often threw gifts through their open windows at night or put surprises in their boots, as they sat out at night, on their porches. This legend of Santa began with a very real man named Nicholas. This legend spread to virtually every nation & culture. Some call him Father Christmas, or St. Nicholas, or Sinter Claus, as the Dutch called him. The Dutch brought Sinter Claus to North America...Sinter Claus became Santa Claus...and the legend lives on to this day! Now of course there has been some fancy & exaggeration added to the legend to make it fun for children...you know, flying reindeer, flying up & down chimneys, elves making toys, and naughty & nice lists...but the truth of Santa Claus goes all the way back to the 4th century. To a real man named Nicholas, who loved Jesus, and loved children, and simply wanted to give some of that love away. Why don't we embrace this truth and draw the Santa lovers towards Jesus, rather than argue them away with the "Santa is stealing Christmas from Jesus stuff"? Nothing attracts (insert sarcasm here) like bashing peoples fun childhood Christmas memories, doesn't it? Why don't we embrace the truth, and share that truth as a bridge...rather than blowing up that relational bridge with a debate based on error? We too often in church circles "believe" what we've been told, and pass it on from generation to generation, without ever consider the merits of truth involved, if any. We see this in the Christmas story itself...we tend to believe there were 3 wise men...even though the bible doesn't say how many there were. We tend to believe Mary & Joesph were 2 brave little teenagers on a mission from God, ignoring the cultural and historical fact that a family would not allow their young teenage daughter to be engaged to a 15 year old boy in those days. The common was an older man, who had proven his ability to support & take care of a family, and who had the "where with all" to pay a substantial dowery, would be the likely husband to be. Obviously, those requirements were beyond a 15 year old boys purview. He at best was apprenticing, most likely with his father, at the job that may provide for himself and his future family...as most 15 year old boys of this time would. Joseph according to history was more than likely over the age of 40, and may have very well been married already, his first wife dying. This also explains why we never hear about Joseph in scripture after Jesus is lost in the Temple at age 12...Joseph, it appears, died between Jesus' 12th year and his 33rd year when his public ministry began. If he was an older man, this would make sense. But we don't like that story in our Western world. Child brides? Older men with 15 year olds, gross? Ok, I get the creepiness factor for us Americans. But that is accurate to the common marriage in this place & time, around Jerusalem. I get why we have changed the story to fit our American/western cultural bias...but it is factually incorrect. Because we don't like the image of a 40+ year old man with a pregnant 14 or 15 year old bride...doesn't mean the biblical story changed. In fact, many middle eastern, asian and african cultures still would have marriages like this today. It doesn't make it right morally perhaps...but it is the truth. Another area of myth...the wise men, with the shepherds, Mary & Joseph in the manger? Nope, didn't happen that way. Where do we see that in scripture? The wise men most likely never saw the manger, and probably visited Mary & Joseph within 2 years of Jesus birth...but not the evening of the birth...in the manger. In reading the bible we see they visited a "house"...not a manger. The Greek language speaks of visiting a toddler, not a new born. This also explains Herod asking that all male children under the age of 2 be killed...and yet also, why Herods soldiers weren't waiting to kill every male baby presented in the Temple as was Jewish Law would dictate, just days after Jesus was born. The wise men saw Jesus sometime after He was presented in the Temple (40 days after birth)...yet before He was 2 years old. In addition, we also know that Mary & Joseph traveled, as committed Jewish people, to Jerusalem for at least 3 major feasts a year...and their friends in Bethlehem, were very likely a stopping place for them, since it is only 5 miles from Jerusalem. This appears to be more likely scenario than what we usually depict in our church plays. All this and so much more, is interesting in the quest for truth... but rather than unpack many more biblical & historical discussion points...the main gist of this post is this...we believe many things, because they have been told to us, yet not necessary because they jive with scripture or history. Because our "church plays" at Christmas have been condensed & sanitized into a one evening event of all the characters arriving at a manger...we believe that's the way it happened. Because we prefer culturally to have two teenagers or young adults be Mary & Joseph...we believe that is how it must have been. Because we decided long ago that 3 wise men was a good number...we assume it must be factual. But, once again, as people of Truth, shouldn't we seek after, examine & communicate the truth as best we can. If we don't, we confuse people, debate with people, and ultimately push people away from the very Jesus that came as a Gift of God's love for them. These myths & legends can actually become bridges of relationship that point people towards Jesus...rather than confusing them away from Him. If we seek after truth...and point people towards it...and admit we don't know, when "we don't know"...how refreshing and attractive that may be to a world seeking truth...not just the truth about Christmas...but the Truth about life...and ultimately the One who is Truth! May we be a people that pursues & expresses truth well...so that others may encounter a Truth that will set them free! Rather than chopping off the parts of truth that "don't fit" and ultimately misleading them into believing what isn't so.
be God's!
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas
It's such a great time of year...when all around us breaks out in celebration. Bright lights, decorations, Christmas trees, Christmas sweaters, scarves, gloves, shopping, parties with friends, family & work associates. Holly...garlands...bows...ribbons...snow (or fake snow)...reindeer...Frosty...Santas...elves...gingerbread cookies...egg nog...all familiar stuff, you know the drill. But in the midst of the parades, parties & festive gatherings strange little myths arise. Myths that often confuse or at least separate, even the best of friends. Now I'm not talking of the obvious here...the myths surrounding Santa Claus...or the Christmas tree...or the Mistletoe. I am talking about the myths the "church" has created. Yep, Jesus followers...the pursuers of truth...sometimes miss the mark and in the process create their own "church myths" about Christmas. One of my favorites, or least favorites, is the Xmas myth! Oh nothing gets a unsuspecting believers dander up like calling Christmas, Xmas. How dare you remove "Christ" from Christmas they will say! This is a perfect example of the secularization of the sacred day we call Christmas... how dare they remove Jesus from Christmas, they often say! As well meaning as their bumper stickers that declare "Put Christ back into CHRISTmas!" are, they are misguided. Actually ill-informed, is a better take. First of all, you have to understand that it is not the letter X that is put into Christmas…to somehow take CHRIST out of Christmas. You see the English letter X there, but actually what it involves is the first letter of the Greek name for Christ. Christos is the New Testament Greek word for Christ. The first letter of the Greek word Christos is transliterated into our alphabet as an X. That X has come through church history to be a shorthand symbol for the name of Christ...the "Anointed One". In fact "the Messiah", in Greek is written as: Ο Χριστός (ho christos). This Greek word is where the English term "Christ" comes from in the first place! So all this ruckus about the evil secularists taking "Christ" out of Christmas are misguided by a self created religious myth...a very uninformed myth. As believers shouldn't we pursue "truth". If so the "truth" of this Xmas scandal is found in this simple truth...X has been an ancient symbol for the name of Jesus the Christ since the first century! Whether people know it or not...that is the fact of the matter. And if this is true, then in that truth we should rejoice this Xmas!!!
be God's
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas
I love movies don't you? The stories...the drama...the humor...the villains being defeated...the fantasy worlds coming to life...exploring places we never even knew existed...often on the shoulders of some hero we identify with...yet can't be. Now with computer generated images, CGI, the special effects are insane! Our hero's do the most amazing things. The stunts and scenes can be completely other worldly, its crazy, but so much fun to experience the adventure. Having known some people who work behind the scenes in film, its amazing to get a glimpse into how all this is done. The computer effects...the sets that are built and look so real...and the stunts, wow how do they do all that? It turns out most stunts are not done by the actual actor or actress, but rather they are done by a what's called a "body double". Someone who looks very similar to the original actor or actress, yet is given the task to do what the actor or actress cannot. They are usually difficult stunts or dangerous maneuvers of some type. The kind of things you need to be equipped and trained to do properly. But on film, the body double represents the original in such a convincing way, that the audience doesn't see a difference, they seem as one! In many ways I believe the people of God, those who follow Jesus, the church, if you will, are intended to be body doubles. Let me explain. Jesus was the physical representation of God on earth...Jesus loved as God loved, healed, forgave, and taught truth as God the Father does. Jesus was the physical manifestation of God to us humans, so that we may understand God on our level... human to human...yet also the spiritual expressed through humanity. Why? To teach us. Because Jesus would then ask "us" to be "His body"...the physical, human representation of God on earth. You see, Jesus passed the baton, so to speak, to those that would believe. Jesus was the light of the world, but now He says "we are to be the light of the world." The baton has been passed. We are now the "body double" continuing to do what Jesus did. We are the current representation of God's love on this earth. Human beings, in cooperation with God's Spirit, living out His ways, so that others may come to experience the love of God through us! Wow, quite a concept! Now unlike an actor who can't do his own stunts...Jesus clearly didn't hand off this task to us because He could not do it Himself...rather He chose to allow us to do it, so that we could learn what His love is like when lived out. So that we could learn to trust the Spirit of God as it guides & directs us. So that we could be part of the Story He is telling, and hopefully, people will not be able to see the difference between Jesus and us. Jesus said "when you see me you see the Father"...may we become a people that others will say, "when you see them, you see Jesus."
