The Red Dragon in the Nativity

Gather around little boys and girls. It’s time for our annual reading of the Christmas story — this time with a twist.

I’ve seen many a nativity scenes and Christmas pageants over the years with wooden stables, sheep and goats, ox and ass, and Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus surrounded by shepherds and wise men. Interestingly, the Bible hasn’t a word about animals being present at Christ’s birth; but it does mention something far more dangerous than a rowdy sheep. Still, I have yet to see a Christmas pageant or nativity set with a giant, ill-tempered, seven-headed red dragon lurking in the distance waiting to attack.

The Book of Revelation includes its own lesser known apocalyptic styled version of the Christmas story and this one is probably not appropriate for small children. John of Patmos begins his story — or series of wild visions — in chapter 12. Grab a cup of egg nog, put the kids to bed and pull up a chair as we go through it together.  Open your Bible to Revelation 12:1.

¹A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. ²She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

When Darkness Wins a Battle, We Still Win the War

I just got home from the most painful kind of funeral. A young man, in a moment of despair, took his life.  He was deeply loved, and will be deeply missed. I was his basketball coach years ago – a wonderful kid. These kind of funerals are becoming all too frequent. Here’s a piece I wrote a couple years back in a similar situation.  May it be an encouragement to others, and provide a Christian perspective on such tragedies. -JB

The forces of darkness are always around us.  Most of the time, if we’re fortunate, the dark cloud of death is not hovering over our home.  Though our number is coming, and many have already faced difficult seasons of suffering, pain, death and loss in our own lives.

Maybe cancer has taken a loved one long before their time. Maybe a car accident stole away a life in it’s prime. Maybe you lost a child before they even had the chance to be born. Darkness is real.  The world is broken.

This week darkness and death won a victory in Burnsville, as a young man, “16 years old, full of life, and smiles,” took his own life in a moment of desperation. The young man has been described over and over again with words similar to these by a Young Life leader:

“He was very involved in Young Life Ministry — committed his life to Christ at camp, spoke at their banquet, and was in a campaigner bible study 3 or 4 hours before he hung himself. He was a fun loving kid, hugged everyone he could pick up (and being a heavy weight wrestler, that’s everyone) and had a smile that lit up the room.  Kids, leaders, we all loved him.”

In the wake of this tragedy, many students connected to our youth group are struggling to make sense of it all.  

QUOTABLES: Martin Luther on Mocking the Devil

“The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.”

-Martin Luther

“The Invisible War” @ the MainStreet Huddle

We’re beginning a 4-part series on spiritual warfare in preparation for breaking new ground at MainStreet in the New Year.  Join us at the MainStreet Huddle this Sunday at 5PM as we explore Chip Ingram’s “Invisible War” series together.

Q&A: What do you believe about Spiritual Warfare?

Another question from a former student of mine — now in college.  Great question for Halloween!

Q: What do you believe about spiritual warfare and its affects on people, including believers? I know it is pretty open ended question and topic but I am not quite sure what type of answer I am looking for. Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

A: Here’s my brief input on the topic of spiritual warfare. Much more could be said — but I thought 7 points was a good start.  =)

1. The battle is very real. Satan’s most effective tactic against modern Western people is to keep them disbelieving in his existence altogether.  As C. S. Lewis has the senior devil Screwtape say:

“I don’t think you will have much difficulty in keeping the patient in the dark. The fact that ‘devils’ are predominantly comic figures in the modern imagination will help you. If any faint suspicion of your existence begins to arise in his mind, suggest to him a picture of something in red tights, and persuade that since he cannot believe in that (it is an old textbook method of confusing them) he therefore cannot believe in you.”

2. The battle is rarely overt with outward manifestations (e.g., possession, exorcism, etc). It’s usually more subtle.

God vs. Satan: The Warfare Worldview (G. Boyd)

Every year around Halloween, I like to explore the topic of spiritual warfare — you know, angels, demons and the cosmic forces of evil. Here are some of the posts on this topic from the past.

Today I want to share Greg Boyd’s basic articulation of what he calls a “Warfare Worldview” — that is, how can Christians affirm that God is all-powerful and still believe that other evil forces (human and angelic) are working to thwart God’s will?  If created beings have genuine free will, then how can we be certain that God is really in control of this broken world? Here’s how Greg approaches these questions.

The warfare worldview is based on the conviction that our world is engaged in a cosmic war between a myriad of agents, both human and angelic, that have aligned themselves with either God or Satan. This is the view that is presupposed throughout the entire Bible, and it’s especially evident in the New Testament. For example, Jesus unequivocally opposed evils such as disease, demonization, and even natural disaster (i.e. when Jesus rebuked a storm) and saw them as originating in the wills of Satan, fallen angels, and sinful people, rather than in the will of God.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Time to ask that question that divides Christians almost right down the middle: Should Christians have any participation in Halloween activities? Ben Witherington adds some thoughts on the matter.

His post begins as follows:

Ghosts and Goblins, tricks and treats, houses of horror and costumed heroes and villains.  Should Christians have anything to do with such practices, or is it just harmless fun?  Believe it or not, Christians are about equally divided on this issue.  Perhaps a little history is in order to help us decide this matter.

What Does Prayer Accomplish? (D. Kirk)

Daniel Kirk highlighted this significant debate from the Twitterverse the other day.  Here’s his thoughts — and I agree with him. -JB

Daniel Kirk wrote:

Yesterday in the Twitterverse the following quote was going around:

The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.

It’s alleged that this quote comes from Kierkegaard, though I haven’t seen a reference appended to it anywhere.

The first time I saw the quote, I jumped into a good conversation about it. Then after the third time I saw it, I was done.

If I may put it provocatively: the quote is a cop out. It transforms prayer from a dangerous act in which we summon the God of all the earth to act now upon the earth over which God is sovereign into something that’s just for shaping our little hearts. This is the worst sort of existentialism working itself out in a theology of prayer. The real thing isn’t that God would be intimately involved in the real world, acting on behalf of those upon whom God has set God’s name. No, the real thing would be getting ourselves aligned with some transhistorical God who won’t be bothered to engage the lives of God’s people.

If Kierkegaard is right, Christianity is not worth believing, and prayer is not worth doing.

GOLF & GOD (6): The Mind Game

Every golfer knows that what goes on between the ears is just as critical for success as all the other mechanics that go into a golfer’s game.  In fact, long after you have mastered the mechanics of a smooth, skillful golf swing, the mental game continues to be the greatest obstacle for the advanced golfer.  

Tiger Woods and every other professional golfer is most haunted by the subtle attacks of the mind. These guys have mastered the swing techniques and skills of the game. But one bad shot or one poorly played hole can set off a chain reaction and downward spiral into mental weakness and lack of confidence.  A short 15 inch putt that typically gives us no problem can suddenly become worrisome and anxiety-inducing.  The cup gets smaller and smaller in our mind’s eye.  We get caught up in what we call a “mind game” and end up choking.

GOLF & GOD (5): Water Hazards

Don't be intimidated by the 15,000 sq. ft. putting surface as it beckons your challenge, quietly floating 150 yards off the lakeshore. Confidence is your key to success. Board the Putter Boat shuttle, and enjoy the short ride over to finish the most unforgettable island golf green in the world. Don't misread your putt... remember, everything breaks towards the water.

The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course of Idaho is the proud home of the world’s first floating green — an intimidating target with water on all sides.  But remember, “everything breaks towards the water.”  Ka-plunk! Splash!  Ever have one of those rounds where it seems as though if there’s water to be found, your ball will find it?  My dad seems to be one of those unfortunate ones.

While the OB stakes try to keep your ball on playable ground and sand traps merely slow your game down a bit, water hazards are placed on the course with a more sinister purpose of swallowing up as many victims as possible.  Yes, underneath those blue, sparkling innocent-looking waters lies a cold, sunken graveyard of every kind of golf ball .  All golfers agree: Water hazards are evil.