Halloween: Hallowed or Harmful?

"Uh-oh, here we go," some of you are thinking.  "Pastor's Matt's going to get on his high horse about Halloween."  No, I'm not.  After all, that wouldn't be much of a treat, now, would it?

I simply want to share with you something that caught my eye nearly twenty years ago and changed my way of thinking.  It was an article in October 29, 1990 edition of the USA Today entitled Satanist 'revival' rumors stir a furor.  This had to to with talk of a satanists' convention that was reportedly going to happen in D.C.  The reports were unconfirmed, with no verifiable data to give warrant to the hysteria that began to spread among evangelicals throughout the area.

But what caught my eye was one of those "blow-up" quotes that you'll often see in the midst of a newspaper or magazine article.  This quote was by Bryan Jordan, a Washington witch, who said,

"(Christians) don't realize it, but they're celebrating our holiday with us. . .  We like it."

What do we make of such a statement?  Jack  Kelley, the author of the USA Today article, wrote just prior to Jordan's remark, "While children typically trick-or-treat for candy on Halloween, it's a religious holiday for the underworld, with satanists performing sacrifices and witches quietly celebrating with prayer circles or meals for the dead."  Now, please remember, this is not Moody Monthly, Christianity Today, or World magazine putting out his article.  This is the USA Today - not exactly a bastion of conservative Christianity!  

If you do some research, you'll find that Samhain, the "original" Halloween, was a festival that marked the eve of the Celtic New Year, which began on November 1.  The Celts believed that during Samhain the "veil" that separated the living from the dead was at its thinnest.  They believed that on the evening of October 31, evil spirits and the souls of the dead passed through the barrier and entered the world of the living.  Such a thought created fever-pitch excitement ... and fear.  That night, the Celts would leave out food for the spirits, hoping that a "treat" would prevent a "trick."  You can probably see how the modern-day version of Halloween evolved from there.

In the 700s the Church decided to combat this festival with their own celebration of the Lord of life.  Instead of appeasing evil spirits, they chose to honor the saints - those who had lived godly lives.  In essence, Christians were saying, "Fine, if you want to have a holiday for the dead, let's celebrate the lives of faithful saints who are now with the Lord."  So November 1 became known as "All Saints' Day" or "All Hallows' Day."  The evening before was called "All Hallows' Eve," from which we get the modern name "Halloween."

Okay, then.  So we have two different paths of tradition concerning this holiday.  How should Christians handle Halloween?

First, we should realize that this is a matter of individual conscience and liberty.  Don't go against your conscience, and don't judge those who have a different conviction than you.  But having said that, let me offer a few alternatives to celebrating Halloween the way that the world does.  Instead of focusing on activities that are preoccupied with fear and death, let us celebrate the One who gives life.  Here are some ways that we can do this. 

1.  Celebrate All Saints' Day

Protestant Christians tend to shy away from honoring saints, for fear that admiration or respect will evolve into worship.  Indeed, we are to worship God alone.  But in Hebrews 11 and other passages, godly men and women are given "honorable mentions" for their faith in God, so that Christians who are reminded of their legacy will imitate their faith and so honor their Lord.

So there are saints in biblical history we can appreciate as well as saints in church history.  Incidentally, October 31 is also known as Reformation Day, for it was on October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church.  God used Martin Luther and faithful men like him to reawaken the Church to the true gospel, especially the doctrine of justification by faith.  These are great truths to celebrate.

2.  Have a different kind of party.

Our family hosts a fall harvest party.  We've belonged to churches that have had a Noah's Ark party, where the children dress up as different sorts of animals and hear the story of Noah, which reminds us of God's judgment against sin as well as His saving mercy and grace.  Others might have a costume party where the children (or adults!) dress up as Bible heroes or famous men and women from Christian history.  (One year here at First Baptist, we hosted such a party, and I came dressed as Billy Graham.)

3.  Use trick-or-treating as an opportunity to share the gospel.

Give a tract along with a treat!  Show the love of Christ in demonstrable ways to those whom God brings to your door.

These are just a few suggestions.  I'm sure you can think of some more.  What some mean for evil, we can use for good.  Whatever your convictions about Halloween, let's remember the exhortation of 1 Corinthians 10:31:  "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God."

Abortion: More Than a Political Issue

Abortion is more than a political issue.  It is a personal issue.  Too often we get desensitized to the abortion issue because we hear discussion on it without seeing a demonstration of it.

Don't get upset - the following video is not an actual demonstration of partial birth abortion (PBA); it is a gynecologist explaining to a classroom of adolescents the procedure, using a fake baby.  Yet this alone caused my heart to race, my palms to sweat, and my eyes to tear as I realized what this murderous act entails.

Yesterday my family and I participated in the Walk for Life, this particular one being a peaceable and prayerful Christian protest against the evils of abortion, regardless of when it takes place (first, second, or third trimester).  I am not a "political activist."  But as I said, I believe abortion to be far more than a political issue; it is indeed a very personal issue - one for which we will all give an account.  Hear the word of the Lord:

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.  If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?  Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?

- Proverbs 24:11-12 ESV

With election day fast approaching, make sure you know where political candidates stand on the issue of abortion.  The President of the United States, in particular, has a tremendous amount of power and influence over this issue and how it is reflected in the laws of our land.  So be informed, and vote your conscience.

Avoiding the Sunday Morning Meltdown

Have you got seven minutes to spare between now and Sunday?  I hope you can carve out the time to watch the following video and then read my remarks afterwards.  I promise that it will be seven minutes well invested!  Watch the video, then return to read my comments.

We all have experienced what a friend of mine has referred to (jokingly) as "Sunday morning pychosis."  Sometimes the hour before coming to church is the most hectic and carnal hour of our week.  As James says, "My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (3:10b).

In dealing with this problem, we have to realize that ultimately it is a matter of the heart.  Hectic schedules, uncooperative kids, and unironed shirts do not "make" us react the way we do; they simply draw out the sin that already resides within our hearts (Matt. 15:18-20).  So we need first of all to repent of our ungodly attitudes, behavior, and words.

But having repented, what can we do to remedy the situation?  The answer lies in Romans 13:14:  "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."  For the sake of applying this verse, each of us should ask, "What can I do to honor the Lord Jesus and promote a spirit of worship in my heart, especially as I prepare to worship Him publicly with His people?"

With this in mind, I would like to offer five suggestions to help you get "READY" for worship.  As you can see, these are presented in the form of an acrostic to help you remember them:

Retire early.  Don't stay up late on Saturday night if you can avoid it.  Get a good night's rest so that you awake refreshed on the Lord's Day.

End the day with scriptural meditation and prayer.  As we sleep, our  mind tends to mull over the last things we thought about before going to bed.  So what better way to end the day than to meditate on Scripture and commune with the Lord in prayer?

Arise early.  Figure out how much time you'll need to get ready for church, then add an additional thirty minutes as a buffer.  Having gone to bed at a decent time, it shouldn't be difficult to get up at a decent hour to prepare your body, soul and spirit for worship.

Delight yourself in the Lord.  Turn on some good Christian music that will help to cultivate Godward thoughts and a spirit of joy in your soul.  Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord!

Yearn to be a blessing to others.  Begin with your own family members as you get ready to go to church.  Serve one another in love.  Come to church in the same spirit, desiring to build up the body of Christ and to be a blessing to as many people as possible (including people you haven't met or don't recognize).

May the Lord impress these things upon our hearts and help us put them into practice as we seek to worship Him in spirit and in truth!

Beware of Study Bibles

Beware of Study Bibles

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Author: Steve Burchett

I like resources that help me understand the Bible. My collection of commentaries grows yearly. The amount of books I own addressing various areas of theology numbers in the hundreds. There are a couple of websites that I visit regularly where numerous Bible study tools are offered. I also own four "Study Bibles," which include not only the biblical text, but introductions and outlines for each book of the Bible, notes that explain verses, maps, articles about major concepts, and a large concordance at the back. I have been strengthened by all of these resources, and I'm confident others could testify likewise. However, every good gift from God can be abused. Of all the study tools, perhaps in our day the Study Bible is the resource that is most often misused. For example, many who have taught the Bible have felt the frustration when, instead of meditating on the passage of Scripture being taught, several in the group were busy reading and then sharing from the study notes at the bottom of the page! Perhaps some might respond, "But at least these people are trying to understand what the Scriptures say." Indeed, their motives may be pure, but excessive reliance on study notes actually removes them from what a Study Bible intends to promote: The study of the Bible! James tells us to receive and live out the Word of God (James 1:21-22), not what somebody else says about the Bible. The Lord has given the church teachers (Ephesians 4:11), but we should follow the example of the Bereans who not only listened eagerly to Paul's preaching, but were known for "examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so" (emphasis mine). Maybe you are not convinced that you can really understand Scripture apart from the significant aid of others. Perhaps you have been led astray by certain preachers or writers who seem to imply that you have to be an expert in Hebrew or Greek (the original languages of the Old and New Testaments) in order to "really comprehend the Bible." Yes, a knowledge of the original languages is quite valuable, but it is not required. Peter does admit that "some things" in Paul's writings are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). Commentaries, Study Bibles, and conversations with other believers are a valuable tool when we come across these places in Scripture. But Peter didn't say everything is hard to understand! In fact, with a careful and contemplative reading of a verse or passage and its surrounding context, and with the help of the Holy Spirit (see 1 John 2:27), we can grasp what God is saying. Probably our larger struggle is living out what we clearly see. Does this mean you should throw away your Study Bible? No, but consider three ways to guard against misusing this tool: Don't use a Study Bible as your primary Bible. Regular Bible reading, group study, and personal study should be out of a Bible without study notes. This eliminates the temptation to look away from what God has said. Before you pull your Study Bible(s) off the shelf, force yourself to think hard about the text of Scripture alone. The person who "looks intently" at God's Word and lives it out is "blessed in what he does" (James 1:25). You may even want to purchase a Bible with wide margins in order to write down your thoughts, or maybe a notebook or journal. When you struggle to figure out what a verse or passage means, ask the Lord for help. You'll be amazed at what He helps you comprehend. If you still don't understand what you are reading, ask Him again and meditate longer. How often do we skip this vital step of depending upon the Lord? Who is more resourceful, a biblical scholar or God? Consider your Bible study methods: Do you spend more time focusing on the text of the Bible, or the words of non-inspired writers who are seeking to explain the Bible? When we are overly dependent on study notes, a subtle shift takes place from living "on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4) to living "by the words of Bible teachers." As I write, I'm aware of another Study Bible soon to be unveiled. It has been endorsed by a large number of well-known pastors and ministry leaders, and it includes over 20,000 notes, over 50 articles, and over 200 color charts. I'll probably buy one. More, and even better, Study Bibles will surely follow. There is no doubt that they will shed much light on the text of Scripture. But we must beware: They may also distract us from the very thing they are intended to illuminate. Copyright © 2008 Steve Burchett  Christian Communicators Worldwide, Inc. Permission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in unedited form including author's name, title, complete content, copyright and weblink. Other uses require written permission. www.CCWtoday.org

Every Life Is a Leaf

A few days ago I was down in Alabama for a preachers' conference, and one of the keynotes had a Q&A session with the pastors gathered.  In response to a question that I posed, the speaker made reference to a positive trend he saw among pastors, to which he added (while looking at me), "And not just pastors such as yourself, but young pastors, too."

What?  I thought I was one of those young pastors!  Do I really look that old?  Typically I don't think of myself that way.  But apparently to this speaker I did not appear to be in the category of "young pastors."  

The next day, after I had flown home from the conference, I took a long walk during which I listened to a podcast sermon by Alistair Begg.  His text was 1 Peter 1:24-25a:

All flesh is as grass,

and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls, 

but the word of the Lord remains forever.

As I listened to Pastor Begg's exposition of these verses (which are a quotation from Isaiah 40:6-7), I noticed something that drove home the truth I was hearing.  All along the street where I was walking, there were brown, crumpled leaves against the curb.  They had fallen from the trees and had been pushed by the breeze against the concrete edging.  That's my life, I thought.

Actually, that's every life.  The withering grass, fading flower, and falling leaves each autumn season are intended by our Creator to remind us of how quickly we age and eventually die.  Romans 1 tells us that "since the creation of the world [God's] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that [people] are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (vv. 20-21).

Usually when we look at creation, if we think of God at all, we think of His power, His creativity, His ability to make beautiful things.  These things might come to mind especially during the autumn season as we behold the magnificent fall foliage here in New England.  And certainly our minds should reflect on these wondrous attributes of God.  But there is another attribute that should come to mind whenever we see the fallen leaves, and that is God's wrath against sin.  Going back to the first part of the original quote in Isaiah we read:  

The grass withers, the flower fades,

Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

Here God tells us that we are the grass; we are the flower.  Just as God causes their death, so He causes our death.  Why?  Isaiah 64 gives us the answer:  "But we all are like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.  And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself to take hold of You; For you have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities."  The penalty for our sin and our failure to honor God as our Creator is death.  The apostle Paul reiterates this in Romans 5:12:  "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

We all grow old and die because we all sin.  That's the sad reality of life.  But God in His mercy has not left us without hope.  Going back to the passage in 1 Peter, we read:

All flesh is as grass,

and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls away.

But the word of the Lord endures forever.

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

God's Word, unlike man's life, endures forever.  This Word, in addition to telling us of our sin and the consequences it brings, also conveys to us the gospel - "good news" from God.  What is that good news?  That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and raised to life again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  Though sin brings death, Jesus Christ brings life to all who believe in Him.  Indeed, Jesus Himself said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26).

That's the question each of us must answer.  Do we believe the truth about Jesus Christ?  Whether or not we do will determine our eternal destiny.  "He who believes the Son has life; he who believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36).  

Dear reader, please give serious consideration to your condition before God.  It is literally a matter of life and death.  I urge you to receive the One who died for sinners like you and me so that we could live forever in heaven with Him.  Just as Jesus lives forever forever and His Word abides forever, so will we if we put our faith in Him.

The Tightrope of Christian Parenting

This morning I read Psalm 78, which rehearses God's dealings with rebellious Israel.  He did wonderful things for them - "marvelous things" (v. 12).  Yet the more He did for them, the more they rebelled against Him (v. 17).  They "tested" Him and "spoke against" Him (vv. 18-19).  So the Lord was "furious" and kindled a fire of divine, disciplinary wrath against them (v. 31).  But even then "He did not destroy them.  Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath; for He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again" (vv. 38-39).

God is the only perfect parent.  Our best attempts as parents to use the rod while remembering mercy are flawed by our own fleshly impulses.  At times mercy gives way to excessive leniency, permissiveness, or passivity.  Or we can gravitate toward the opposite extreme and "stir up" too much wrath and apply the rod too severely.

At the end of the psalm, we are reminded that God chose David - out of the sheepfolds - to shepherd His people Israel.  Likewise, God has chosen us parents - as weak and frail as we may be - to shepherd the hearts of our children.  Certainly David had his failures.  Nevertheless, God Himself described David as a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22).  "So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfullness of his hands" (Psalm 78:72).

May God grant me such character and competence, that my children "may set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep His commandments" (v. 7). 

Everything Looks Good, But. . .

My office looks pretty good.  Better than it did, anyway.  

You see, yesterday my two oldest sons, a couple of staff members and myself went to pick up some free used office furniture that was donated to the church and Christian School.  This included a desk, cradenza, and large filing cabinet.  The desk was huge and HEAVY, as was the credenza.   Thankfully, we got it transported back here to church without a problem.

Once we got back to the church, we had to do some shifting around.  A smaller desk that was in my office was to go to one of the teachers, whose desk was to come downstairs and into the Christian Education resource room.  Filing cabinets also had to be taken out of my office and put upstairs, which meant they had first to be emptied of their contents.

Long story short, my office was a MESS by the time all this switching around took place.  I worked as hard and as fast as I could to get things situated well enough that I could devote this day to studying.  

This morning, one of our staff members walked into my office and said, "Oh, this looks nice!"  To which I responded, "Yeah, well, all the junk is hidden."  That was an understatement, to say the least.  Virtually all my desk, credenza, and filing cabinet drawers are jammed full of miscellaneous notebooks, papers, computer accessories, binders, and other paraphernalia.  So, everything looks good, but everything is not what it seems.

That's how it is in the life of many Christians.  For the sake of appearance, they hide their sins very adeptly so as to appear righteous before others.  But just as I knew the true condition of my office, they know the true condition of their hearts.  

Apart from the sin of hypocrisy and the consequences it brings (see Matthew 23), there is an additional danger.  Hebrews 3:13 reminds us that we can "be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."  I suppose that if I sat in my office long enough, looking at how "tidy" it is while refusing to open the drawers to deal with the junk, I could convince myself that it really is as neat and clean as it appears to be.  But I would have only deceived myself.  The junk is going to go away by my ignoring it.  The same is true of the hidden sins of the heart.

So don't be deceived.  Don't be a hypocrite.  Instead, attack each sin with a holy determination to root every evil out of your life.  This may seem like a job that's too big for you.  You're right, it is.  But it's not too big for God.  "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).  So don't make excuses.  Make progress.  You'll be glad you did.