Going West

More than a few sermons, books and Sunday School lessons have been based on the Jordan crossing of the Children of Israel. Although most of them have contained valuable concepts and great lessons, a few questions have sprung to my mind over the years.

How strange and terrifying must it have been for those Canaanites who lived north of the Jordan crossing, when Joshua first lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land? What, I wonder, went through their minds as they watched the waters of the Jordan flood their fields and homes for days as, perhaps unknown to them, a million Hebrews were going over.

As for those living south of the crossing, how horrified would they have been to see the waters of Jordan swiftly wane and  trickle to nothing for no apparent reason? Did they fear that somehow the water had been dammed off or the rains on the Mountains of Hermon had simply stopped? Did they think that some curse of their gods had taken from them the blessing of the always reliable Jordan River?

They must have known, had to have known, that the Hebrews were sojourning east of the Jordan. But could they even guess that their plan, for forty years, was to cross over and settle the already inhabited land of Canaan? Did they see or, at least, hear the teaming thousands as Joshua lead them across the now dry river bottom?

As for those heathen on the east side, who had watched in awe for decades as the cloud by day and fire by night lead the twelve tribes around the wilderness, to see it suddenly turn west, did they also see the mass of dust kicked up by a million pairs of feet moving away from them? Would they have even began to understand what was about to happen?  Were they presumptuous enough to think that that was a good thing?

How about those on the west side of Jordan? Did they see the people? Did they hear the noise? Did they comprehend exactly what was coming? Did they realize how much trouble they were in?

For its current residents, it must have been a sight to behold to witness this mass, not exodus, but mass penetration into a land where they themselves had lived for centuries. Did they realize just how dangerous things were about to get for them? Did they feel save because the Hebrews seemed like Lilliputians to them? Did they feel safe in their walled cities? Well, we all know how that ultimately worked out for them.

What about those who actually observed the crossing? What did they think when they saw the waters of the Jordan river wall up on the north side and deplete on the south? What did they think as that wall of water grew taller and taller and broader and broader? What could they have thought as they saw a million Hebrews march across the, albeit narrow, dry river basin? What might they have thought as they even saw them take the time to build an alter of stones in the middle of the now thirsty river bed? One can only imagine their shock and awe, amazement and befuddlement!

It all must have been a breathtaking sight, indeed. No doubt so, but I can only assume that while the ground may have been dry under the feet of the children of Israel crossing Jordan, it would definitely have been wet under the feet of the pagans fearfully observing this, for them, disheartening spectacle!

Nine and One Half Baptisms

I went to an old fashioned river baptism recently. You don't see many of those, these days.

There were a total of ten baptismal candidates. Though, in my book, it was, at the most, nine and a half.

Why do I say so? Because one lady, who appeared to me to be a fine lady, had been waiting on her "letter" to arrive from her previous church. ("Letter:" that's a Southern Baptist thing, if you don't know.) Suddenly, went to the altar asking the preacher if she could join the church by baptism instead of waiting on her letter. The preacher was pleased with the idea and the congregation even voted in the affirmative.

I suppose her recently converted husband's immanent baptism was on her mind. Perhaps she wanted, in some way, to show some sort of solidarity with him. She gave no real indication of her thoughts or feelings other than saying that she wanted to be baptized again. The pastor remarked at least twice, "There's nothing wrong with that!"

Well, is there? Is he right? One thought, among many, that loomed in my mind which apparently occurred to no one else, was the simple question: "Why?"

Was there some problem with her first baptism? Was it done incorrectly? Was she lost when she was originally baptized?

The very fact that the pastor described at least part of her wish to be baptized as a desire to "join the church" by baptism, begged several unasked questions. That very statement alludes to the old baptist teachings of baptism being the door to the church.

I know enough about Baptist history to know that the Ana-Baptists were so named because of their requirement of rebaptism, but that requirement applied only to those joining their ranks from other denominations. It's a topic for another blog, but, in short, they were dealing with pedo-baptists, papists, sprinklers and those who had been baptized under false authority. (It never seems to occur to most modern Baptists that, although the minister may be the administer of the ordinance of baptism, without the authority of the congregation, it's no more than bathing at home in your tub.)

What if she wants to be baptized again next week? Will the congregation gladly accommodate her? What if another member gets the notion to be baptized again? What if the pastor got the notion to be baptized again, would the church accommodate him?

I wasn't surprised when the pastor cheerfully professed that he had been baptized twice, himself. Sometimes it's hard to kick against the pricks. What I mean is, if he, in the recesses of his mind, somehow realizes that perhaps he was somehow in error, that's the type of thing that usually haunts one's mind. People who are in the wrong always try to bring others over to their unorthodox thinking. As my dad used to say, "You've got me convinced, now convince yourself."

It seems that Baptism, along with the Lord's Supper, have become something completely different than what they were even fifty, let alone, two thousand years ago. They are both thrown around and passed around on a whim without any thought that Almighty God, Creator of the earth, moon and stars, might be even the least bit particular about how we administer his ordinances. If you search nature itself, you'll discover order and structure throughout the cosmos. (That's yet another blog.) Yet, we capriciously chase any idea that throws itself before us.

Now, I'm really not trying to hurt any one's feelings or be insensitive to any one's sincere desire to be closer to God. I'm only trying to point out that there is a wrong way and a right way to do the Lord's work. Again to quote my dad, "If any way will do, then no way will do just as well."

Crossing Jordan

I can only imagine what it must have been like for Joshua. Did he have to drag the Israelites kicking and screaming out of their comfort zone?

There they were, in a land where they had pretty much taken out all their enemies. They had a daily supply of bread from Heaven and swarms of quail for meat. They never needed new shoes and anytime they needed water, Moses would just get it from a rock. Wouldn't God would grant the same miracles for Joshua?

What was on the other side? Hard labor? War and more war? Giants! Oh, yes, their fathers had even told them of how the Almighty had, for their lack of faith, cursed them to wandering in the desert until all the "old folks" died off. Sheesh! Thousands of funerals a day!

Yeah, the west side of the Jordan had grape vines so full that it took two men to carry a bunch, but things were pretty good in the east too. So good that two and a half tribes chose to stay where they were, (even though they did promise to participate in the conquest itself.) Sure enough, they all greatly desired to go to the Promised Land, but everyone hates change. This would be a big change!

We all fight change and prefer the status quo. Remember, inertia can keep you moving or keep you put. We say we want to grow in the Lord personally and in our congregation, but we don't want to move from our spot...metaphorically, spiritually or literally. We, especially, in small churches, have a "spot" where we sit and Heaven help anyone you find in your "spot." After, all you've been sitting in the same place for years...metaphorically, spiritually and literally. We don't want to sing any different songs. We sing the same ones Sunday after Sunday. Sure, thousands of lovely, Spirit-filled hymns have been written, but, then, we'd have to go through the trouble of learning them. Besides, our songs are the songs Mom & Dad sang. "That's how Daddy did it." are some of the saddest words that a Christian can say.

Daddy was great, but I ain't Daddy. He lived in his world in his way, but I have to live in mine. Moreover, I have to live in the world of others who don't see things my way. Yes, being different just for the sake of being different is no good either, but always remember what the great philosopher said: "A rut is just a ditch with the ends knocked out."We have our regular Sunday services, even though half of the people we know work nights and/or on Sundays. If they can't be there, too bad, too sad, I suppose. Not to mention, that Wednesday "Prayer" Service. Incidentally, have you noticed during "prayer" service that you meet for an hour, but pray for maybe five minutes.

We suffer through the same liturgy Sunday after Sunday and, sadly, many of us don't even notice the rut that we are in. Yes, my Baptist brothers, it is a liturgy when one service is a duplicate of the previous. How do you think visitors feel? The interest they may have in your otherwise loving congregation will wane when faced with stagnation that the rest of the congregation doesn't even notice. Different is not always better, but doing the same thing week after week, month after month and year after year definitely is deplorable.

It's enough to bore the good Lord Himself. Sometimes, I can almost hear him say, "Come on! Are you going to sing that song again?"The Pharisees didn't like the way the Lord made changes. They too wanted things to stay the same and yet we look down our noses at them and judge them for our very own sins. I'm like you. I want to be comfortable and not be annoyed by being forced to move...metaphorically, spiritually or literally. Still, the Lord is moving and if we want to keep up, we need to go with Him.

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:13

Change is a comin'! Come along or get left behind.