coffee quotes....

a lot of you may have seen (or heard if you're not a coffee drinker) about the starbucks "the way i see it" quotes on their coffee cups. recently, i have been paying more than casual attention to them, and have been surprised at some of the nonsense that appears on the back of those oh so delicious cups of caffinated goodness. (can you tell it is nearing finals time??)

now, by nonsense, i do not mean they make no coherent sense. on the surface, they usually do. if you were to just read some of them in passing, you mightthink "hmm.. that's true." take this one i had last weekend for instance...

the way i see it #84
"in thinking about my journey so far here on planet earth, i have come to believe that there are some people who would rather be right than be loved. i would rather be loved. how about you?" -- wynonna judd

now, upon the initial reading, this doesnt sound so bad. who among us don't want to be loved?

when it coems to petty arguments, i can see her point. what the *real answer* is in trivial pursuit or scrabble, or discussing sports trivia really just doesnt matter.. no one likes a "know it all", so why not just enjoy the good company rather than trying to always correct people and be the one who is always right.

o.k. wynonna, im with you on this one.

but what about when it comes to the gospel? what if you have lost friends or family that tell you that they can believe whatever they want, and as long as they believe it sincerely, they will be in heaven? what if they get mad when you try to tell them that the bible says that christ is the only way to the father, and that there is only one way to salvation. what if they tell you that they love you, but they dont want to talk about it anymore. what if they say that if you love them, you would leave them alone. what if they tell you that you are closed minded and you need to be more accepting of those who are different?

what if you are told by a homosexual friend that if you can't accept that their lifestyle is a valid one and perfectly ok, and if you cant support them then they don't want to hear anything you say?

would you rather be loved by them, or be right?

jesus christ said that he is the only way to salvation. (john 14:6) it is not unloving to tell someone who is trusting on their morality or good works, or buddha, mohammed, or some other means to attain salvation that they are wrong.

now obviously, i am not suggesting that we become calloused christians who throw away any regard for personal relationships. we cant share the gospel with or minister people who we chase off because we treat them as a project. it is not about "being correct". it is about knowing the truth and sharing it... just like we are commanded.(matt.28:19-20)

but when it comes to the gospel, telling them that our message is the only "right" truth so that they might turn to christ*is* loving them.

i find that, mor often than not, i am apt to be light on the gospel, and heavy on the "don't disturb the still waters" when it comes to boldy sharing the gospel.
scripture paints no picture of christ or the apostles being sheepish about the truth. sometimes the most loving thing we can do is tell people that the way the are living, or what they believe is a lie.

again, obviously we are to speak the truth in love, not just go around trying to prove we are the ones who are right, just for the sake of being seen as "the one who is right." heaven and hell are at stake, and to compromise the gospel for the sake of "being loved" is selfish at best, and "wrong" at worst.

-stephen

intermission...

ive gotten a few emails and such wondering when the next post is coming. i always appreciate those and the comments left on here, thanks for reading.

the semester is winding down and due dates for position papers and such are coming at a rapid pace. hopefully, within the next week, i can get to a starbucks quote that i cut off of my cup to write about.

have a blessed resurrection day. ill post the lyrics to one of the most amazing songs about "easter" that i have ever heard.
the lines "when jesus took in that breath, and shattered all death with his life" gives me chills, as i picture a lifeless body not breathing for 3 days, suddenly being filled with life, and jesus christ breathing in, and with that breath, defeating death. we would all do well to just think about the significance of that . along with " go on you wages of sin, go dont you come back again", this *is* the significance of the resurrection. not simply that a dead man rose, but that that man was the son of god, and his rasing and life, freed us from the power of death.
the other line that always puts a lump in my throat, simply because i so rarely mediate on the truth of it, is "the mouth of the tomb shouted 'glory!! the groom is alive!!!"
how often do we even feel like shouting that jesus christ is alive??

i hope you are as blessed by them as i always am. the song is called "high noon" by andrew peterson, from his album "love and thunder". if you dont own it, it should be your next music purchase. simply amazing. -stephen

"high noon" from the album "love and thunder" by andrew peterson
high noon in the valley of the shadow when the deep of the valley was bright
when the mouth of the tomb shouted, "glory, the groom is alive"
"so long, you wages of sin go on, don't you come back again
i've been raised and redeemed you've lost all your sting
to the victor of the battle
at high noon in the valley of the shadow"

now the demons, they danced in the darkness when that last ragged breath left his lungs
and they reveled and howled at the war that they thought they had won
but then, in the dark of the grave the stone rolled away
in the still of the dawn on the greatest of days

it was High noon in the valley of the shadow when the shadows were shot through with light when jesus took in that breath and shattered all death with his life
so long, you wages of sin go on, don't you come back again
i've been raised and redeemed you've lost all your sting to the victor of the battle
high noon in the valley of the shadow

let the people rejoice let the heavens resound
let the name of jesus, who sought us and freed us forever ring out
all praise to the fighter of the night who rides on the light
whose gun is the grace of the God of the sky

it was high noon in the valley of the shadow when the shadows were shot through with light
when the mouth of the tomb shouted, "Glory, the Groom is alive"
so long, you wages of sin i said go on, don't you come back again
i've been raised and redeemed all praise to the king ,the victor of the battle
high noon in the valley of the shadow

Copyright 2003 New Spring Publishing, Inc.