March 16, 2025

During Jesus last long discussion with his apostles in John 13-17 He explained to them that he wanted to have the same kind of love for each other that He had for them. He tells them in John 15:13 what this means. Saying “greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends”. Jesus said this knowing that within hours he would be arrested, tried, and then crucified for His friends. However this obvious meaning is not all that should be made of this saying. Jesus lived not just those last hours but his whole life for his friends.

This is what Christians are called to do. It has been said that when Jesus calls someone he calls them to come and die. It is very seldom that this is a one-time act. Instead the Christian must chose daily to give up his or her life for Christ and for others as He did.
Giving up one’s life can and sometimes does mean taking a bullet or falling on a grenade in a selfless one time act. Most often though giving up one’s life is about placing the needs and priorities of others before your own. This is exemplified in the spouse who gives up everything to care for their ailing partner. Or the parents of a disabled child who face the rest of their lives knowing that the needs of that child will forever be first. I know of couples now where one partner has Alzheimer’s and must be cared for perpetually. It is these people who set a wonderful example for the rest of us and who exemplify Christ like living.

Let’s remember then that we have been called to follow Jesus in giving up our lives to God, and in that to those around us Phil 2:3-5. When selfishness and frustration creep in remember the Lord’s example.

~ Kevin Cleary

March 9, 2025

In his book “The Postmodern Condition” Jean-Francis Lyotard defined postmodernism as “incredulity toward metanarratives.” Incredulity means lack of belief or skepticism towards something. In this case the something is “Metanarratives.” A metanarrative is a big or all-encompassing story, a story which offers a unifying explanation for all human history. If there is no all-encompassing story we are left with only personal or local stories or perspectives. This rejection was motivated by the neo/ social Marxist thought that society can be broken down into classes and that these classes use metanarratives to gain and hold power over other classes. 

I bring this up to make a point and the point is that the Postmodernists threw the baby out with the bathwater. They saw some people abuse power and were right to identify that as a problem but wrong to think that the solution was to do away with universal truth. 

A studious individual will also notice that the claim that we should disbelieve metanarratives because they are all power grabs is a metanarrative and so this reasoning is self-refuting. 

One of the applications of the above faulty thinking has been to language and meaning. If there is no universal truth then there is no universal understanding and a written message may mean something totally different to everyone who reads it. 

For the Christian the problem with this is obvious because the Bible is obviously a written document and if the authority to determine meaning lies with the reader then I could decide that “stop” means “go” while you decide that it means “potato” and someone else could decide that it means “turn left.” If this is the case, repent and be baptized could mean: go out to a restaurant and order pizza or run backwards around the block. We are left in a position where none of us can know what is good or bad right or wrong outside of our own feelings. People are drawn to this idea because it puts them in a position of authority (Rom 1:25). 

What they don’t realize is that they too, like the founders of the idea, which is influencing them, have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. If we determine meaning than God’s love and compassion his justice and power can all be redefined. There is no justification in Christ and no redemption for mankind. We are all lost and hopelessly so because there are no directions. 

But of course, meaning is not defined by us, rather it is recognized. People know this which is why people stop at stop signs. So long as they do, they should also accept that they can read and understand God’s will and be expected to do it. 

~ Kevin Cleary

March 2, 2025

    Many of us know the Bible enough to find a story we remember or maybe to think of what book a particular reference is in. Some of us have phones that can search these things up for us and so maybe get a little lazy.

    One of the things that can make a big difference in our study and application of scripture is noticing the details.

    Jesus points out the tense of the “to be” verb used in Exodus to prove that Abraham Isaac and Jacob were alive. It would be easy to miss this key detail, and Jesus says the Sadducees were ignorant of the scriptures for missing it.

    Steve Higginbotham developed a short quiz about the resurrection a few years ago. Take some time to read the question and try to answer them. See how many you get right by looking up the relevant passages. Hopefully this is fun and encourages us to pay close attention in our Bible Study.

– In addition to the women who sought to anoint the body of Jesus with myrrh and aloes, what man also sought to do the same? (John 19:39).

– What did Mary Magdalene think Jesus was when she first saw him? (John 20:14-15).

– From what city did Jesus Ascend into Heaven? (Luke 24:50).

– Who commanded that soldiers be placed at the entrance of Jesus’ tomb? (Matthew 27:65).

– Where had Jesus appointed the disciples to go in order to see him? (Matthew 28:10,16).

– Who requested the body of Jesus? (Matthew 27:57).

– What was the name of one of the disciples with whom Jesus spoke on the road to Emmaus? (Luke 24:13-18).

– Who was said to be a “secret disciple of Jesus?” (John 19:38).

– What did they bind the body of Jesus in? (John 19:40).

– While the male disciples of Jesus did not believe the initial report of Jesus’ resurrection, did Mary Magdalene believe he had raised when she saw his body was gone? (John 20:14-15).

 

As we read scripture we find many lessons both in the overall picture it presents as well as in the small details. My hope is that this little challenge helps us to be more aware of the details and see what lessons we can learn.

 

~ Kevin Cleary

February 23, 2025

     In one episode of the Simpsons, Homer calls the police to report that he has seen an alien. Chief Wiggum replies “your story is very compelling, let me just type that up on my invisible typewriter.” It sounds as if the police chief is mocking Homer until he receives another call this time for a real. A man says he has been starting house fires and is about to start another one. Chief Wiggum again replies “let me just type this up on my invisible typewriter”. The chief clearly does not take anything seriously.

     This humorous scene reveals something about how we think about reality. If we feel something is reasonable then we take it seriously. If we don’t feel something is reasonable then we laugh it off. Like Chief Wiggum you would probably doubt me if I said I had witnessed an alien landing in my back yard. If however, I told you I had a problem with a skunk you would believe me and begin suggesting solutions.

     It is both wise and normal to filter what we hear through our own reason and assess the credibility of information we are exposed to. After all we want to respond in the most appropriate way to the world around us. 

     One of the primary criticisms levelled at Christians is that we fail to do this in regard to our faith in both God and Jesus. It is said that belief in some supernatural being makes no sense. Nor does it make sense to think that a man was born without the help of a father, that he grew up and was able to perform miracles and was eventually put to death by the political leaders of the time only to raise again.

     Yet this, among other things, is exactly what we believe. And we believe it because it is true. It’s not a fable that we have adopted because we like the moral of the story. It’s not a tool we have made up to make us feel better. What we believe is historical fact. What’s more, it must be historical fact or we are foolish to take it seriously. Paul makes this point very powerfully in 1 Cor. 15:12-19.

     There is not time here to elaborate on the various evidences that exist which demonstrate that Christian faith is not misplaced. However I would encourage each Christian to look into that evidence. Some good sources are www.apologeticspress.org or a new book called Convicted by Dr. Brad Harrub which can be ordered from Focus Press. The “Case For…” books by Lee Strobel, or New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowel are good as well. The point is, we need to be ready to give an answer that will prompt a greater response than “your story is very compelling just let me type that up on my invisible typewriter”.

~ Kevin Cleary

February 16, 2025

A few years ago, my grandfather told me a story about snowmobiling with friends. He was traveling quickly and went over a small cliff at a high rate of speed this was not an issue because he had enough inertia to carry him to flat ground where he landed and continued his journey. The couple following him was not moving as fast. They stopped and the wife asked if it was safe to proceed. Her husband asked if the tracks continued, she said they did. He then said “well it must be good lets go.” No sooner had he said it than they dropped straight down off the cliff. Everyone was okay and they laughed about the situation later, but the story is a good illustration about why we should not jump to conclusions or presume. 

Neal Pollard offers a few Biblical Observations about Presumption:

PRESUMPTION CAUSES ONE TO KNOW BEFORE HAVING INFORMATION.  Solomon, by inspiration, says, “He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him” (Prov. 18:13).  That applies to poor listeners in a conversation, but also faulty perception about one’s circumstances.   It is a biblical principle to be certain of a situation before ever uttering a word about it.  Think of how foolish it is to pass judgment without a full hearing.

PRESUMPTION CAUSES ONE TO HAVE BOLDNESS WITHOUT FOUNDATION.  In 2 Peter 2:10, Peter references certain unrighteous ones, saying, “Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”  They fearlessly and recklessly speak against others, even those in authority, based on personal opinions they confuse with the truth (here is the idea of “self-willed” or “arrogant”).  They rant and rave about the object of their fury based on preconceived notions that they will not clutter up with the actual truth.

PRESUMPTION CAUSES ONE TO SIN WITHOUT RESTRICTION.  This is why David prayed, “Also keep back your servant from presumptuous sins” (Psa. 19:13a).  It is a prayer for self-control against willful sinning.  He speaks of this same, arrogant spirit, using a word elsewhere translated “proud.”  Willfully entering into sin hardens the heart, including saying something against somebody which we are certain we do not know with certainty is true.

Presumption is especially problematic when we apply it to people. I hear this most often in politics someone will say “I know what the Conservatives are really about” or “I know what the Liberals really want.” If you have proof, then feel free to expose those who are up to no good. However if you are just guessing then that’s a problem. Worse yet is personal presumption. In a similar way I have heard people accuse saying “you claim it was an accident, but I know what you were really trying to do.” “You said such and such, but I know what you meant.” These kinds of accusations are harmful and dangerous first because they impugn someone’s character. Second they leave the person making them feeling anxious and suspicious of everyone and everything. 

~ Kevin Cleary