Flight Path

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

– John 10:9 

One of 2020’s most outlandish internet conspiracy theories involves the supposed return of John F. Kennedy Jr. — the son of the assassinated 35th President of the United States. The true believers say that for more than 20 years, JFK Jr. has been hiding out in Pittsburgh living undercover as a financial advisor named Vincent. And sometime soon, he’ll return to the political stage to assume his family’s legacy.

That’s intriguing. But it’s unlikely to happen because JFK Jr. was killed in a 1999 plane crash that also took the lives of his wife and sister-in-law. And that tragedy had, and still has, its own conspiracy theorists. They claim it was no accident because political operatives would do anything to stop Kennedy from entering national politics and upsetting the 2000 presidential election. So-called witnesses even claimed to have seen his Piper Saratoga airplane explode in mid-air.

For most people, however, the tragedy was just that: a tragic accident. They point to the young pilot’s relative inexperience with instruments-only flying procedures.

The weather that day was supposedly hazy with less-than-ideal visibility. The simple answer — they claim — is that JFK Jr. became disoriented during the flight and failed to trust his instruments. He instead decided to trust his instincts and divert from the flight path, which led to plowing his airplane into the sea.

Did his self-reliance and refusal to believe the truth (his instruments) result in disaster? If so, he wasn’t a trendsetter. As King Solomon observed centuries ago in Proverbs, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

That’s true for physical death. But it’s also the case for spiritual death; a stern warning that Jesus reiterated to his followers and enemies alike. He understood 1st century ideas about faith and spirituality, and how in many ways they would never change. The Roman Empire that governed Israel at the time was one of multiculturalism. Although the Jews worshiped the one true God, the Romans and others bowed down to multiple false, man-made deities. But if they were willing to worship Caesar as Lord, all was good and tolerated.

Modern society continues to embrace a multiculturalism and political correctness that declares no faith is better than another. Christianity, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism; it makes no difference — particularly if you’re sincere in your beliefs. Those who stand for Biblical principles are denounced as naïve, bigots and intolerant. And today in Canada, Holland and other nations, those who denounce the evils of Islam can be brought up to special commissions for questioning and prosecution.

Jesus — who was at the foundation of the world — knew that man’s self-reliance and willful ignorance about faith and salvation meant destruction, death and separation from him. To this, he responded, “I am the way and the truth and the life. “No one comes to the Father except through me.” And in Matthew 7:13 he likewise said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”
 
Are these outrageous and intolerant claims? Only to those who are lost and refuse to believe in him as their exclusive guide. But to those who follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior, his stunning declarations are a clear flight path that leads to truth and eternal life.

The Speed of Light

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, 

but will have the light of life."

– John 8:12

Nicknamed The Greatest, three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was known for his lightning-fast punches. “I'm so fast,” he once bragged, “that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.”

Ali’s quickness was legendary, but he was obviously exaggerating. The actual speed of light is 186,000 miles per second, which many physicists believe is an

unsurpassable barrier. And what does that kind of speed look like? Earlier this year, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) answered that question by filming a laser beam passing through a bottle of milk at about 100 billion frames per second. And according to the Live Science website, the resulting footage showed photons streaking through the milk in a blue blur as the laser traveled across the screen from left to right. Milk molecules helped scatter the photons in the laser beam, similar to how clouds of cosmic dust scatter the light from otherwise-invisible stars.

Cal Tech’s remarkable footage in more ways than one sheds new light on long-held notions about the universe. Likewise, the teachings of Jesus illuminate the distorted -- but accepted -- ways of the world against the perfection of God’s Kingdom. For example, society teaches us to beat the competition, climb the corporate ladder and keep up with our neighbors (and then leave them in our dust). We always need the biggest, the fastest and the shiniest. And most of all, it’s not bragging if we can back it all up.

But Christ teaches something quite unexpected; that his followers are the light of the world. And to be first, we must be last.

That’s a bold, revolutionary perspective that’s unacceptable to most people. And that’s just the point. After all, how much better would this world be if we were to adopt a servant’s attitude and put the interests of others before our own?

Jesus answered this question through his own example. First, he willingly surrendered the advantages he had as God’s only Son. He entered the world through the most humble of circumstances -- a birth among farm animals in a filthy stable. When he grew older, he learned to make a common man’s living as a carpenter. Of course, Jesus could have lived in splendor as the King of Kings. But instead, he chose a nomadic existence for teaching the Good News of salvation to his people.

That’s quite a life lesson. And it was one taught by the One with a humble servant’s heart. He’s the same One who came to serve rather than to be served. And he’s the only One whose sacrifice for our sakes is counted worthy.

How can we mirror Christ’s life through our own lives? 

It all starts by accepting him as our personal Lord and Savior. What’s more, we must realize that we’re nothing without Jesus -- and we can do even less by ourselves. But when we fully surrender our lives to God, it’s through this brilliant point of light that we can find our life’s true purpose.

Breaking Bread

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

– John 6:35

If you're like many folks, some of your fondest memories involve food. You might remember Thanksgivings with family whenever you smell the rich aroma of roast turkey and sweet potatoes. That unmistakable scent of hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy could take you back decades to a baseball game or your first State Fair. And maybe the sight of a homemade apple pie reminds you of the ones your grandmother used to bake when you'd come for a weekend visit.

Yes, food holds a powerful place in our lives. And not just because we need it to survive. There's something special — even joyful — about sharing a good meal with

family and friends. As Christ-followers, we remember our Savior's sacrificial death through Communion: a symbolic meal of bread and grape juice that reminds us of the last supper he shared with his disciples. The bread and juice represent how Christ's body was broken and his blood was shed for us.

While we're on the topic of food and its spiritual significance, did you know that there's a recipe for having a joy-filled, Christ-centered life?

The Bible tells us it's one part unity with other Christ-followers mixed with a measure of regular prayer. Then blend it well with a heaping helping of discernment: the ongoing intentional functions of living, thinking and acting constructively. It's all about habitually looking for the good and dwelling on the positive.

When we have lives that are filled with joy, we can stomach even the most unpleasant of circumstances. The apostle Paul exemplified this truth. He spent years in prison chained to his guards while under the constant threat of death. But Paul always prayed thankfully. And instead of feeling sorry for himself, he used his circumstances to change the lives of his fellow prisoners as well as his jailers — and all while writing much of what we today call the New Testament.

Are you hungry for some tasty joy in your life?

If you haven't done so already, the first step is to ask Jesus to be your personal Lord and Savior. Those who grasp this opportunity become ones he calls the Salt of the Earth: the special people whose distinct flavor makes all the difference to an otherwise bland world that lacks hope and meaning.

It's an eternal truth we should never forget.

Family Matters

As many as received Him, to them He gave the right, the authority,

 to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.

– John 1:12

Baseball legend Babe Ruth. Apple mastermind Steve Jobs. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Country music superstars Faith Hill and Shania Twain. Other than being famous for excelling at their professions, what do they have in common?

They were all adopted. 

According to the Gladney Center for Adoption, about 140,000 children are adopted in the United States each year. About 59% of non-stepparent adoptions are from the

child welfare (or foster) system, 26% are from other countries, and 15% are voluntarily relinquished American babies. And as anyone who has been through the process will tell you, adoption can be stressful, tedious and very expensive. What’s more, arrangements with birth parents can fall through at the last minute, and agency fees, court costs and attorney expenses can easily exceed tens of thousands of dollars. But for the right adoptive parents whose hearts are set on a special child, no price is too high.

Scripture reveals that God is quite familiar with the adoption process, its struggles and legalities. That’s because in a very real sense, he’s the adoptive parent of every Christ-follower. When we first put our faith in his Son — Jesus Christ — as our Savior, God acted legally on our behalf and paid all the related costs. The result? Our adoption into God’s royal family.

But just as adopted children don’t pick their new parents, the apostle John’s gospel reminds us that the same is true for our heavenly adoption. “You did not choose me; I chose you,” Jesus told his disciples. “And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.”

Before God became our Heavenly Father, we were spiritually dead. And from breaking God’s laws, our sinfulness had made us his enemies ... and he the Judge. What’s so remarkable is that this same Judge has declared us “not guilty” because of his willingness to pay the high price of our adoption through Jesus’ death on the cross. And for us — through our adoption — came a change of family, name and home. As God’s adopted children, it also meant an array of new privileges and life-changing responsibilities.

The implications are incredible. God — as our loving Father—is now approachable through prayer. He’s no longer some cold, impersonal Being who’s only accessible through a priest. In fact, Jesus outraged the strict religious authorities of the day by referring to God as “Abba,” which means Daddy in the Aramaic language. And he happens to be a Daddy who watches out for his kids!

Indeed, the Creator of our vast universe cares for us so much and knows us so intimately that he’s literally counted the hairs on our head! He’s also willing to pay any price to adopt us into his family. And for every Christ-follower, that’s exactly what he did to forever convey his name, protection, inheritance and love.

Because to him, family matters.

Sunday Best

I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

– John 17:23

Maybe you grew up attending a traditional church. That might have meant getting up early on Sunday mornings, eating breakfast with the family and then rushing to put on your Sunday best — those clothes and shoes you only wore to church and on special occasions. Then it was time to get in the car, drive to the service and listen to the preacher, choir and organist do their things.

Millions of people feel closer to God in such a classic church setting — one often characterized by stained glass windows, choirs, sanctuaries and sacred organ music. And wearing one's Sunday best is to them yet another way to set apart the day and glorify God.

Other Christ-followers have a different perspective. Meeting in

diverse locations ranging from storefronts to movie theaters — and over the last few weeks, online — some contend that the formalities of a traditional church service can hinder authentic worship. Rather than the traditionalists "being themselves" on Sunday mornings, these critics suggest that there are many who wear a special suit of clothes on one particular day of the week while actually looking and living quite differently on the other six.

Regardless of your worship style preference, there's no doubt that every Christ-follower must avoid the trap of praising God with their lips rather than through their lifestyle. Yes, an awe-inspiring church sanctuary can be a place of prayer and celebration. But so are the workplace, gym and supermarket. What's more, the Bible tells us that worship is what God uses to rebuild and unite his scattered people. So wherever we go each day, our place of worship should follow.

What type of worship does God honor? 

Among other things, it generally consists of singing praise songs, teaching God's lessons through the Bible, and acknowledging how he blesses our lives through the revelation of his son, Jesus Christ. We also ask for forgiveness for how we’ve fallen short of our Creator’s standards for living, and we celebrate Christ’s resurrection on our behalf through that symbolic meal called Communion, or The Lord’s Supper. And it doesn’t end there. Outside of the weekly service, we also must worship God in unity by being Jesus' hands, feet and eyes in our community. We should likewise do our 9:00 AM–5:00 PM jobs as if God — rather than a human supervisor — were our boss.

Christ-followers might not agree on every aspect of worship, but there is one thing that should always make us one: Christ himself.

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace,” the apostle Paul writes in his Letter to the Ephesians. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Let’s make that our best each Sunday, and on the other six days as well.