Author: Victor Scott

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, husband, father, and author. I am an avid Cubs fan and a lover of Chicago-style Deep Dish pizza.

Christmas-gate: The Scandal of Christmas

6For to us a child is born,
     to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
     and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
     there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
     to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
     from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV)

This may very well be one of the most astounding prophecies that Jesus fulfilled by his birth. It reveals so much of what the Christ Child would accomplish for all those that would put their trust in him.

Here in the form of a small, defenseless and humble child the Redeemer of the world stepped into the limited from the eternal. In the hands of a young, faithful maiden was held the hope of the not just the faithful, but of the cosmos itself. In the company of beasts of labor and livestock the King of kings was born.

Jesus was born in a lowly place, not so he could learn humility, but so that the humble would not fear approaching him.

Jesus, the baby, was given to us so that we could, if we would, find the hope and solace our hearts and souls long for.

God’s Wild Idea

But, what really astounds is the last line of this passage. Look at it again. Notice the “who” and the “why” of this event. Who will do this? “The Lord of hosts will do this.” The birth of Jesus was not relegated to the hands of angels. It was not entrusted into the feeble hands of broken humanity. No, God himself, concocted and executed the greatest scandal ever perpetrated in the universe!

If you do not believe that the birth of Christ is a scandal, you must read the stories again.

  • An unwed, pregnant girl
  • A betrayed groom
  • A birth in an unsanitary stall
  • Outcast shepherds, the first to hear
  • Pagan wise men, the first to worship
  • A mad king, bent on retaining power
  • The king’s counselors, unable to accept the news

This is a scandal. We have grown so used to it that we have made it seem so normal. And it was all God’s idea.

God Enjoyed What He Did

If the fact that God made this event take place is not enough, the way in which God did it just as unbelievable. Isaiah says that it was “with zeal” that God was going to do it. With zeal? God enjoyed doing what he did. While that is not completely surprising it is surprising. God took pleasure and delighted in sending His son into the world. God was not unhappy or saddened by the Son’s departure from heaven into the world of men. No, the Father sent him with “zeal”.

There are so many miracles taking place in the birth of Jesus. What makes this entire event and the circumstances that surround even more spectacular is that God was not only behind it, God was pleased by His role in the whole thing.

The sun will rise on Christmas morning and we will be challenged once again to consider not only if we have accepted the man that this baby would become. That would be too short sighted a view of Christmas. We will be confronted with whether we, like our Heavenly Father have enjoyed and delighted in the coming of the Son of God.

Book Review | 131 Christians Everybody Should Know

Summary

Editors Mark Galli and Ted Olsen have put together 131 biographical sketches from the first centuries after the New Testament period until the twentieth century. The book is subdivided into categories that help the reader understand how each person understood themselves or how they become known since their times in history. Below are the categories.

  • Theologians
  • Evangelists and Apologists
  • Pastors and Preachers
  • Musicians, Artists, and Writers
  • Poets
  • Denomination Founders
  • Movers and Shakers
  • Missionaries
  • Inner Travelers
  • Activists
  • Rulers
  • Scholars and Scientists
  • Martyrs

Many of the names were familiar to me, but many of their stories were not. There were even some names that I had never heard of who were influential and even instrumental in the shaping of history itself, not just the continuation of the Christian faith. If you are interested in exploring the lives of some of these Christians, this book will serve as a handy introduction. The chapters are short, clear and concise. The reader gets a helpful picture of the historical context as well as the personal dynamics at work socially during the lifetime of the various individuals. This book is accessible to the average reader with an interest in Church History.

My Thoughts

The first thought that comes to mind is, “Wow!” There are many aspects of these individuals lives that I did not know. The reasons for their actions and the consequences of their choices, from the vantage point of the 21st century, has been interesting. I do not think that many of these people would have guessed the effect that they have had on the way that the Church has been shaped and the world has been changed by what they did. Those that make history are never conscious of the effects their efforts may have after they are gone. These anecdotes have opened my eyes to the many different ways that people can live out their faith and become agents of change.

I was inspired, convicted, challenged and even distressed by the accounts in the book. There were highs and lows in the lives of these “famous” Christians. But, what really stood out is that all of the accolades and the all of the praises that could be offered to them, they were merely striving to be obedient to what they believed. In the end that will be my biggest take away. While history will be the judge of the value of our lives, we must be the ones, who in the present time, commit ourselves to obedience and service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to our Heavenly Father by the working of the Holy Spirit within us.

In the end, history is not something that is made, it is lived.

Book Review | Jesus Loves You This I Know

 Summary

Sometimes you just need a reminder.

Gross and Harper provide an insightful, touching and sometimes raw reality for the reader to consider. There are some people, maybe even a lot of people, who do not know this simple truth. Craig Gross is the pastor of Strip Church and leader of XXXchurch.com, a ministry that reaches out to those engaged in the pornography industry. Jason Harper is the founder of The Extra Mile a non-profit organization.

The book provides various accounts of individuals that both Gross and Harper have interacted with in their ministries. The people range from those who were in church, to those who have left the church hurt or angry, to a prominent porn star, to those who think that they should not even be doing this kind of ministry. The exchanges are as varied as the personalities. The book is a series of narratives chronicling the history and effects of the relationships. Jesus Loves You This I Know is a quick read, but provides various opportunities to stop and consider your own engagement of the world “out there.”

My Thoughts

This book was a clear reminder that there are many more opportunities to reach outside of my comfort zone. And, I think that this is part of the problem. When did a person, someone created in the image of God, become another “opportunity” for evangelism? Relationships are at the heart of what it means to be a community on mission and a family of faith. This is the reason that Jesus Loves You This I Know is powerful. Gross and Harper remind us that God sent Jesus for people, for individuals, and not institutions. It does take a shift in thinking to see this. There are several examples of this throughout the book, but the one that stands out in my mind is the following one.

God loves and accepts people where they are, not where we think they should be. [135]

Many of us might read that and think that they are watering down the message, or that they are too open, or that they are not faithfully preaching what the Bible says. But, I have to ask, why do we tend to respond in this way to what is said here. Could it be that we would really like for God to agree with us about where such and such a person should be? That may be more the truth than many of us would care to admit.

Here is another example of what is wrong, or maybe, has been forgotten by those within the church. Look at this very perceptive comment.

Now the concept of living a sacrificial life that is attractive to the broken has largely been replaced with a religious exclusivity that has made people broken. [16, emphasis in original]

Think about that. What has been replaced? Is it not a clear and simple presentation of Jesus’ love for people who truly need it? The very thing that should be drawing others toward Jesus has become the reason that they are running from. Jesus loves you… but they do not know.

Jesus Loves You This I Know does not really offer a way for fixing what is wrong with the way the church may have gotten off track. It simply and poignantly paints a picture of what could be, of what should be.

I had a lot to think about after I read this book. I think you may as well.

“Faith is…” Series, Pt. 8 | Faith is… Yearning for the Presence of God

10 For a day in your courts is better
     than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
     than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
     the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
     from those who walk uprightly.
12O LORD of hosts,
     blessed is the one who trusts in you! (Psalm 84:10-11)

If I had to pick one thing that should be the greatest desire for the follower of Jesus it would have to be this:

Believers in Jesus yearn to be in the presence
of God more than anything else.

For some this may be a bit much. How could this or why should this be the “greatest” desire that we hold as believers?

As I have thought about what “Faith” is I do not see how we can avoid this. What is it that we should want for ourselves? Should it not be what God our father wants for us? Should it not be to have, right now, the eternal fellowship that He has promised. The way that we think about what this means will depend on how we understand God and our relationship with him.

Continue reading ““Faith is…” Series, Pt. 8 | Faith is… Yearning for the Presence of God”

Book Review | The Messenger: A Parable

Summary

The Messenger: A Parable by Joseph F. Girzone chronicles some of the exploits of a priest named Francis in a modern context. Girzone is a retired Roman Catholic priest and many of these theological threads are found throughout the book. At just over one hundred pages it reads rather quickly and provides an interesting Catholic perspective to the state of the Roman church.

While always maintaining a strong affection for the Church, Girzone, is no always happy with the decisions that are made by those in power. This book is as much a critique of what is wrong with the ecclesiastical structures of the Roman Catholic church as it is a clarion call to seek reform, or better yet, a return to what, I would guess, is a more true Catholic identity.

The leadership of the church is predominantly portrayed as weak, selfish, uncaring and conniving, with some exceptions. The primary concern in the book seems to be the loss of focus on the churches mission. A mission that is supposed to be upheld and protected by the bishops because of their role as successors to the Apostles. But, Francis, bemoans the fact that this task has fallen to him, a simple priest. Francis, is not comfortable with this role. His struggles and desire, hopes and dreams, are chronicled through various experiences throughout the book.

My Thoughts

I found the book interesting on a couple of levels. The first level was that of Francis’s perspective and analysis of what was missing from the church. There was not a strong sense that the Protestants were the cause of problems within the Catholic church. The books from very introspective about a Roman Catholic’s view of purpose and mission. The need for unity and understanding among those that loved Jesus was emphasized and highlighted in the story. Francis is not interested in getting everybody to “come back home.” What is at the center of Francis’s thinking and what motivates him to act is the need for Jesus to be more than the symbol of faith, or worse yet, a symbol of faith. This is not a sufficient view of Him. Jesus must become everything because he is everything. This was a refreshing note in the text.

The second level had to do with the way that a Roman Catholic perspective interprets the role of the Bible and its authority. The theology of the authority of the church is not found in the Bible according to the book, but in the ones who wrote the bible. And connected to this is the idea that this same authority to lead and guide the church was vested, in a very literal way, to the succession of leaders since the Twelve Apostles. I had never encountered this theological understanding in this way before, but I will investigate this further. Because of this understanding of authority, it becomes easier to see how the Roman Catholic church is organized and how it practically works out its theology. This understanding also explains why the dogma of apostolic succession is pivotal and protected within Roman Catholic theology.

The book was interesting to read. It was much more “evangelical” than I would have expected, and yet it was inspiring to think that there are those within Catholicism’s ranks who are concerned with the promotion and propagation of the Gospel of Jesus (even we do not agree on some points of theology!). Over all I enjoyed it.

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