Celebrating Lent?

 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” Psalm 51:1

Lent begins this week.  The date of Lent is based on the dating of Easter, and I confess I can never remember how the date of Easter is set. The formula was established by the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, and it has something to do with the vernal equinox.  I trust that someone else remembers the rule, so I don’t even try to remember it.

Just as a side note, our orthodox friends (Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.) don’t celebrate Easter until after the Jews have celebrated Passover.  Some years that’s the same day we celebrate Easter.  This year, we’ll celebrate Easter on April 8, but the orthodox Easter won’t come until April 15.

The dating of Lent is slightly easier to understand than the dating of Easter.  Lent is forty days long, excluding Sundays.  The forty days are to remind us of the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness facing the powerful temptation of Satan.  In the early church these forty days were a time of fasting and praying in preparation for the joyous celebration of Easter.  The fast was broken each Sunday, which was considered a “mini-Easter” of its own. 

Over the years the idea of fasting diminished, and in its place people began to talk about “giving something up” for Lent.  The original idea was that these sacrifices would represent a total and complete fast. 

Lent begins this Wednesday with a day called Ash Wednesday.  I grew up as a faithful, active Presbyterian, but I don’t remember my church ever doing anything special on Ash Wednesday.  I certainly don’t remember getting ashes put on my head on that day.  That was something only my Roman Catholic friends did.

In recent years, however, Presbyterians have begun to realize there is a very special meaning to the day and to this season.  We’ll mark the beginning of Ash Wednesday with a special service at 6:30 this Wednesday, but if you’re not able to be with us, I hope you will take a moment wherever you are and remind yourself of this special time of the year.

In the words of the old hymn, Ash Wednesday is a day to be reminded that “it’s me, it’s me, it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”  It’s not only “those sinners out there” who are in need of God’s grace. It’s me.

When King David wrote his powerful Psalm 51, he was keenly aware of his own sin.  His affair with Bathsheba and his set up murder of her husband had left his life and his kingdom in disarray.  After he was confronted by Nathan, the sin in David’s life was fairly obvious.

I suspect for many of us, however, our sin might not be quite as obvious as it was for David.  But it is just as real.  And we are in need of forgiveness just as much as David was.

Lent is a time for honest confession.  Perhaps it’s my anxiety and my worry that the future may not really be in God’s control.  Perhaps it’s my pride… I know I’m better than a lot of people out there.  Perhaps it is something I’ve gotten caught up in that I know I need to stop.  Perhaps it is something I’ve left undone… some person I need to forgive, some phone call I need to make.

Lent is a time for honest confession.  And it begins this Wednesday. 

Typically as we head toward a special event I would say something like, “I look forward to celebrating with you…”  But in this case, I’m not sure I’m looking forward to celebrating a season of honest confession.

But I know I need it.  And I suspect you know that about your life as well.

And I know one other important point… My honest confession, coupled with Jesus’ overwhelming forgiveness on the cross, is going to make Easter an even more glorious celebration than I could ever imagine!

And that’s a day I am looking forward to celebrating!

Lane Alderman
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.Roswellpres.org

Life Matters

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:21

For the past six weeks, I’ve preached a series of sermons entitled, “Discover Why It Matters.”  I’ve tried to make the point that what we believe impacts the way we live our lives.  Here’s a link if you want to read or listen to any of the six.  http://www.roswellpres.org/sermonsmedia

We’ve talked about various issues… why it matters how we read the Bible, or what we believe about sin.  Yesterday I concluded the series by talking about why it matters what we believe about the resurrection.

Each week I’ve tried to make the case that what we say believe on Sunday impacts the way we live our lives on Monday and Tuesday.   I firmly believe that.

But I can’t help but point out that on at least one occasion, Jesus made exactly the opposite point.  In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made the observation that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  In other words, where we spend our money is where we will place our value. 

Or another way of putting it would be, “How we live on Monday and Tuesday is a reflection of what we really believe when we gather for worship on Sunday.”

On Sunday we say that “Jesus is Lord,”  but do our lives really reflect that?  Or is anxiety and fear really our Lord? 

On Sunday we say that everything belongs to God, but would our check books and our credit card statements reflect that?

On Sunday we say that we are all God’s children, but do we treat others with the respect and dignity due the children of God?

Over these past six weeks, I’ve tried to make the case that our beliefs impact the way we live our lives.   In his brief few words, Jesus challenged us to take a look at the way we live our lives, and to see what those actions say about our beliefs.

So what about it?  Does your Monday life reflect your Sunday faith? 

None of us is perfect, and we each have a long way to go, but here’s my prayer for today…  Lord, may today’s thoughts and actions reflect yesterday’s affirmations.

Dr. Lane Alderman
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.Roswellpres.org

 

Tumor Markers

Over the past few months, I have learned more about cancer than I ever wanted to know.  One of the things I have learned is that while there is no definitive blood test for cancer, there are “tumor markers” present in our blood which can indicate the presence of certain types of cancer.

In the past year, my marker has continued to creep slowly higher. It has never gotten to alarmingly high levels, but it has been higher than desirable.  Because of the continued increase, my doctor ordered a follow up PET scan a few weeks ago.  The scan essentially measures size, location, and intensity of any tumors in my body.

The good news (and it is very good news!) is that in the year and a half since we have been monitoring the cancer, it has not spread to any new sites.  For that we are very grateful.  We were disturbed, however, because the intensity of the cancer had risen in a few locations.

Because of the increased intensity, I was shifted to a different, stronger medicine.  I am currently taking an oral chemotherapy which  I take it for fourteen days and then let my body rest for seven days.   Last week I completed my first fourteen day cycle, and we were thrilled that there was a significant drop in my tumor markers.  That was reason for celebration!!!

I’m back on my fourteen days of taking the medicine, and since I had minimal side effects on the first cycle, my doctor has increased my dosage for this next round.

This may be more information than you want, but I’m sharing it with because you are my church family, and I promised to keep you informed on how I’m doing.  Most of all, I continue to be grateful for your prayers.  They mean more than you can ever know.

I am grateful for so many, many blessings.  I’m thankful for the outstanding  medical insurance you provide to every full time member of our staff.  There is no possible way I could afford this treatment without that insurance, and I am proud of the fact that we offer it to every member of our team, from the pastors to the facilities staff.

I’m grateful for each of you! What a special blessing it is to serve with you.

I’m thankful for the fact that I am feeling good, that my energy remains high, and that the tumor markers are on the way down!   I continue to walk regularly for exercise, and I look forward to seeing many of you on the path at Roswell Rec!  

God’s blessings continue to overwhelm me every day, and for that I give thanks!

Lane Alderman
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org

Revenge

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

Some verses are so important they get repeated multiple times in the Bible. This is one of them. In three different places, the Scriptures admonish us to leave the revenge to God. (As an aside, the other two are Deuteronomy 32:35 and Hebrews 10:30)

I’ll be talking about this verse on Wednesday night as I conclude my five week walk through Romans. In those closing chapters of his letter, Paul offers some very practical, down to earth guidance about how to live out the grace of Jesus Christ in our relationships with others. This is one the verses which stands out as especially relevant in today’s world.

Too often, the ethic of our modern world is captured in that bumper sticker, “Don’t get mad; Get even.” That seems to be the operative response for too many people. If you say something hurtful to me, I’ll zing you back with something even tougher. If you hurt me in some way, I’ll make a point of looking for an opportunity to get even. If something you have done angers me, I’ll make sure to get you back.

I had a man in a previous church who said to me, “Don’t give me any of this ‘turn the other cheek’ stuff. You mess with me, and I’ll drive up on the curb to get you back if I have to.” Sadly, he was one of the most bitter men I’ve ever known.

Anger is too great a burden for any of us to carry. I know from personal experience that when I’m angry about someone or something, it ends up eating me up and hurting me much more than it hurts the other person. “Getting even” never works, and inevitably only makes the problem worse.

And why is it that we think “turning the other cheek” is a sign of weakness? The reality is that any one can hit back. It takes real strength to respond with control and with a thoughtful response rather than a knee jerk attack.

Far better to leave the revenge to God, which, after all, is Paul’s guidance all along. We’re going to talk more about this on Wednesday evening at 6:30. I hope you’ll be able to join us. In the meantime, when the desire arises for that hurtful, sarcastic response, why not take a deep a breath, offer a prayer for God’s strength, and then leave the revenge to God?

I suspect God can take care the problem in much better fashion!

Dr. Lane Alderman
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org

Verses

Bible day is always fun at Roswell Presbyterian Church.  Yesterday we gave Bibles to our third graders and story Bibles to our three year olds.   The Bibles are a gift from the church, and our prayer is that through this gift these children will know that they are loved by the church and, most of all, by God.

RPC is special in so many different ways, but yesterday was a great reminder of the wide variety of ages which make up our worshipping congregation.  I can go to plenty of churches populated with no one without grey hair, and I can find plenty of churches with no one over 40.  RPC stands out as a place filled with folks over 80 as well as under 8.  I love having both groups in such large numbers!  Best of all, it’s not just on Bible Sunday when that is true!

Before we gave the Bibles to our third graders, I was asked to list four of my favorite verses.  Our fourth and fifth graders highlighted those verses in the Bibles so that the third graders could find them when they got home.

I confess, I only had a few minutes to pick my four favorites.  There are dozens… maybe hundreds… that could have made the list.  But here were the four on which I settled:

John 10:10… I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.  These words of Jesus first came to have meaning for me when I was in high school.  They taught me that following Jesus didn’t mean following a list of rules.  It meant entering into a relationship with the God who wanted me to experience life to the fullest.  My ministry has been focused not only on knowing that abundant life for myself, but on helping others experience the fullness of that life as well.

II Corinthians 5:17… So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!  I never had a dramatic conversion like Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus, but these words of Paul have reminded me that in Christ I experience new life every day.  I’m thankful every day that God gives me the grace to put my sin behind me and to live a new life. 

Psalm 46:1…  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  In this powerful Psalm the writer uses a number of images to remind us that nothing separates us from the power and strength of God.  Even when the world is at its worst, God is still in control. I find great strength in knowing that this is still God’s world. It keeps me motivated to work for change in the world.   I hope others know that strength as well.

Lamentations 3:22-23… The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  In the fall of 2010, after I discovered that my cancer had returned, I woke up one morning singing the hymn based on these words.  “Great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed thy hand hath provided.  Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.”  Every since that  morning, these words have carried special meaning for me.

So that’s my list.  I could have added dozens more, but I was only allowed four!

What verses would be on your list?  I’d love to know!

Dr. Lane Alderman
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org

Churched Up

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:15

When I was a pastor in Vicksburg, Mississippi, I used to play pick up basketball two or three times a week.  A group of us would gather at noon at the “Y” for an hour of running up and down the court.  There actually was some basketball that was played, but there was also a lot of pushing and shoving as well.  It wasn’t unheard of for the game to end with someone having to make a trip to the emergency room.

All of the regulars knew that I was a minister, but every once in a while a newcomer would join us who didn’t know who I was.  The game would proceed in its usual rough style, but eventually one of the regulars would yell at me and say, “Come on, preacher.”

All of the sudden the newcomer would stop and look at me and begin to process this new information.  I could almost see the thoughts going through his mind. “What did I say to him?  Did I cuss at him?  Was I too rough on him?  He’s a preacher.  I can’t believe I said that to him.”

I loved it when that happened, because inevitably the newcomer would lay off of me for the rest of the game and I’d play better than ever.  I never understood why they thought they had to treat me differently.  Were they afraid that I had never heard anyone cuss before?  Were they afraid that I didn’t live in the real world?  Were they afraid that I might tell God about their behavior?

Yesterday in worship I told a story about soldiers who “church it up” when they call home to their mother.  By their own description, they “sugar coat things and make things sound better than they really are.”

Sadly, too many of us think that when we talk with God, we have to “church it up.”  Like the newcomers at our basketball game, we think that religious people don’t live in the real world, and that we have to act like things are better than they really are.

I hope we know that when we call home to God in prayer, we don’t have to “church” things up at all.  We can be brutally honest and open with God.  When life is challenging, we can say so.  When we have doubts, we can admit them.  When we have struggles, we can be honest.  God can handle our toughest cries.  God can handle our greatest hurts.

God knows first hand the pain and the hurt of this world.  In the person of Jesus, he has been here… right in the middle of it all.

Don’t be afraid to be honest with God. God can handle it.

Dr. Lane Alderman
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org

Listening to a Prophet

“Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”
Matthew 7:28-29

Our nation pauses today to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was a unique and powerful figure in the last century, and his ministry and his mission literally changed the landscape of our nation and our world. 

Today, we look back to the life of Dr. King with gratitude.  His words are quoted by politicians, carved on to monuments, and memorized by school children.  We now know that we are a better nation because of the commitment of Dr. King.

Fifty years ago, however, a significant segment of our population looked upon the work of Dr. King with contempt and with disdain.  His words upset the status quo, and it made millions of our citizens uncomfortable to listen to him.  A common theme among many was to acknowledge that change was needed, but that it needed to come more slowly.  “Now isn’t the time,” was a common response to Dr. King’s prophetic challenge.

Thanks be to God, the nation did listen to the words of Dr. King, and our society has made some fundamental changes in the way it is structured.  We’re not there yet, and the dream of Dr. King has not been fully recognized, but monumental steps have been taken. It is appropriate that we pause today and give thanks to God for the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   He was a prophetic voice in the midst of a nation badly in need of a new direction.

As I thought about Dr. King’s legacy, I began to wonder about the prophetic voices in our current society.  I began to wonder about who in today’s world are making people uncomfortable, just as Dr. King made people squirm in the 1960’s.  I began to think about which voices we are trying to ignore today, just as people tried to silence Dr. King in a previous generation.

Who are those voices in 2012?  I’d be interested in your thoughts. But today’s reflection took me back to a prophetic voice of 2000 years ago.  It was a voice, which, like Dr. King’s, spoke truth in the midst of injustice.  It was a voice which challenged the status quo, and made people uncomfortable as they heard it.  It was a voice which called for change, and a voice which, like Dr. King’s, some people tried to silence.

As we consider who today’s modern day prophets might be, I have an invitation for each of us.  Today, on MLK Day, find a few minutes and go back and read the prophetic words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.  They are in the Gospel of Matthew, chapters five, six, and seven. 

Let me warn you.  It won’t take long to read those words, but it will take a life time to live them.  But live them we must.  If we are going be disciples of our Lord, then the words of this sermon need to resonate in our hearts and they need to direct our steps. 

Take some time today and read the Sermon on the Mount, and then let me know what jumped out at you.  There are lots of ways to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  I happen to think that living out the words of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount would be one of the most powerful responses we could make.

Dr. Lane Alderman
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org

So That!

“Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.” 
Hebrews 13:20-21

I did a quick search of my on line Bible and discovered that in the New Revised Standard Translation (the one we have in our pews at church) the phrase “so that” is used 1,069 times. 

So what?  Other than to answer some obscure trivia question, why does it matter how many times the phrase “so that” is used in the Bible?

It matters because the Bible deals with real life. Let me explain…

The Bible speaks a great deal about abstract, theological concepts.  It expresses profound, complex truths about God and the world in which we live.  It is full of spiritual truth.

But the Bible also cares about the real world in which you and I live.  The Bible cares about how we treat other people, and about how we treat ourselves.  The Bible is concerned with how we spend our money and how we spend our time.  The Bible challenges us to be involved in the world, about caring for the “least of these.”  The Bible cares about real life.

The phrase “so that” reminds of the Bible’s concern for real life.  1,069 times the Bible makes a profound observation, and then uses the phrase “so that” to connect that observation to our real lives.

Our passage in Hebrews makes that point.  The writer reminds us that God, through the blood of Jesus, makes us “complete in everything good.”  That’s a nice thing to know, and, by itself, is somewhat comforting.  But it really doesn’t make much of a difference in the real world.  God has made us “complete in everything good.”  But so what?  What difference does that make?

Read on, and he tells us why this is important.  God makes us “complete in everything good so that you may do his will.”

The purpose of God’s work in our lives is so that we will be doing the work of God in the world. 

Here’s the point.  Believing foundational truths is important, and over the next few weeks we will be talking about some of those truths on Sunday morning.  But how those foundational truths impact our living is even more important.

What we believe on Sunday is important.  But we hold those beliefs so that they will make a difference in the way we live on Monday, and Tuesday, and all through the week.

I’ll see you Sunday!

Dr. Lane Alderman
RoswellPresbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org

Best and Blessed for 2011…

The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him. 
Psalm 67:6-7
 
It’s that time of the year when publications list their best and worst of the year, so, in that spirit, I set out to do the same.  When I started making my list, however, I realized that my “best” of the year outweighed my “worst,” and that when I listed my best, my worst seemed to fade into the background.  What I realized is that what makes my “best” list is really a list of ways in which I have been “blessed.”

So… here’s my list for 2011 of the ways in which I have been blessed. I’m blessed… 
… to be surrounded by an amazing family.  We’ve had a great Christmas with our family, and I’m enjoying some relaxing time right now with my parents.  I’m so fortunate to have such a close and loving family.

… by the opportunity to serve as pastor of one of the healthiest large congregations in our country.  We have our problems, but they are miniscule in comparison to the health and strength of the Roswell Presbyterian Church.

… with incredible medical care, and outstanding insurance to provide that care.  The Presbyterian Church(USA)  has outstanding benefits, and I’m grateful that our congregation provides those benefits for all its full time employees.  I’m praying for the day when that care will be available to all the people of our country, much less our world!
 
… to hear story after story of ways in which God is changing lives through the ministry of the Roswell Presbyterian Church.  So many of you have shared amazing stories of God at work, and for that I am grateful.
 
… to work with the most faithful, dedicated staff of any church.  We are fortunate to have a team of people who go to work not because it is a job, but because it is a ministry.  I enjoy working with each of those wonderful folks, and for that I am thankful!
 
… to live in such a fascinating time in world history.  I suppose every era of history has its unique qualities, but this seems to be an especially fascinating time.  There are unique challenges, but technology has brought incredible opportunity for the world to connect and solve problems as well.
 
… to be loved by a God who loves me unconditionally, but who loves me enough to keep challenging me to grow and change and mature.  Without a doubt, God’s love is my greatest blessing.
 
My list could go on and on…  My life has its problems, and I have my struggles, but as I look back over 2011, I’ve chosen to focus on the blessings rather than the setbacks.  As the old hymn says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one.  Count your many blessings see what God has done.”

In my case, God has done a great deal, and for that I am thankful.  I pray you can say the same. 

I’m praying for an equally blessed 2012!

Lane

Dr. Lane Alderman
RoswellPresbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org

Merry Christmas, RPC!

We are in the final hours of preparation for our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services, and I wanted to take a moment and send Christmas greetings to each one of you! I hope and pray that Christmas will be a time for you to experience the wonderful news of Emmanuel… God with us! In the midst of this crazy world, we are not alone. The God of the Universe has come to be with us. I hope this Christmas will be a time for you to stop and give thanks for the blessings of God’s presence in your life.

Personally I give thanks for the fact that God is enriching my life in so many ways. Every day I’m grateful for the opportunity I have to serve as the Pastor of this remarkable congregation. You are an amazing group of people! I’m overwhelmed with stories of how God is at work touching lives through this congregation. Thank you for that blessing!

Thank you also for your continued prayers for my health. Many of you have asked me how I’m doing, and I have promised to keep you up to date on my situation. The good news is that there isn’t much to report! I’m feeling very good, and for that I give thanks! I had a PET scan about two months ago which showed virtually no change from the scan six months previous. I’m not receiving chemotherapy or radiation, but I do take a pill once each day and a shot once each month to help fight the cancer in my body.

I walk almost every day, and I’ve made a commitment to continue that exercise as regularly as possible. Because of the fact that I did have cancer in my spine (before last year’s radiation treatment) I do still have occasional back pain. (I suppose some of that pain is simply because of my age!) The walking seems to help the back pain, so that’s part of my incentive to keep walking.

I go to the doctor monthly for regular blood work, and sometime early in 2012 I’ll have another scan to see how things are going. I still have cancer, but for now, I give thanks for the strength and the health that God is giving me.

I’m blessed, and Christmas reminds of the greatest blessing of all. God, in the person of Jesus Christ, is with me “every step of the way.”

May you be filled with the joy of Christ, and may the new year continue to bring God’s blessings to your life!

Lane

Dr. Lane Alderman, Pastor
Roswell Presbyterian Church
www.roswellpres.org