Happy New Year!

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

As 2011 closes and 2012 appears, fresh and brand new, it provides an opportunity to look back and see what this past year has brought forth. Was it a year where we accomplished that which we set out to do? Was it a year of laughter, tragedy, or a mixture of both? What do we wish we would have done differently?

Part of our human experience is the fact that events appear on the horizon of the future, arrive at our feet, and quickly escape into the opposite horizon of the past. We get 24 hours a day, 168 hours a week, and 525,600 minutes each year, give or take, and then they are gone. The Bible gives an admonition in Ephesians 5:16, saying, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” I hope you used 2011 wisely.

But another famous passage talks about the seasons of life. It is Ecclesiastes 3, which says in part:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

A time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose;

A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time of war, and a time of peace.

Poetically, Solomon tells us that there is a time in life for everything, but they seem to cancel each other out. Sometimes it is wise to plant, and sometimes it is wise to pluck plants out of the ground. In the end, says Solomon, it is almost a zero-sum game. It’s the old picture of two men using snowblowers on their sidewalks, each covering what has just been done by the other. He continues by saying:

“What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?” The point is to not look at life for the sake of life itself, but to live for something, or Someone, bigger than this life. New Years Resolutions are wonderful, as we will see in the weeks to come, but they are a tool to help us reach higher goals in life than simply being more organized or forty pounds lighter. Make 2012 a year where you put aside the trivial things in life and focus on those things most important. Make this year a year where you know God through His Word and accomplish the tasks He has set before you.

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My Favorite Christmas Hymn

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

In 1739, a book was published that contained Christian hymns and poems. It was written by the great hymnwriter Charles Wesley. Wesley and his brother John were Anglican preachers who travelled around England and America preaching the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His conversion to true Christianity had made such a profound impact on Charles’ life that poems and songs naturally poured out of him.

He wrote the words to the great hymns, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” and “Jesus, Lover of My Soul.” One of the songs that was included in that 1739 book was one of the most doctrinal songs Charles had ever written. In it he describes in poetic beauty the fact that Jesus came to reconcile sinners to God. He wrote in it that Jesus was part of the Godhead, though covered in our own flesh. He speaks of how Jesus left His glory to come to this world and how in coming He provided a way for us to born again. This all in less than 50 lines of poetic text.

Charles had hoped that this new song would someday be sung to the same tune as “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” also written by Wesley. However, in 1855, a 24-year-old musician named William Cummings decided this gem needed a better setting. He took German composer Felix Mendelssohn’s “Festival Songs” and adapted it to fit these words. This is the tune that most associate with the song. The result is one of the most beautiful and widely loved Christmas carols ever written. I give you the words here:

Hark! The herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies;

With th’angelic host proclaim,

“Christ is born inBethlehem!”

 

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;

Christ the everlasting Lord;

Late in time, behold Him come,

Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;

Hail th’incarnate Deity,

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus our Emmanuel.

 

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Ris’n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die.

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

 

Hark! the herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King!”

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Falling Pride

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

When someone falls from a place of prominence, generally two responses are made: pity and disdain. Which of these reactions comes depends upon the person who has fallen. Was he someone who made a few mistakes and just had a bad day? Or was he someone who was self-important and conceited who got his just desserts?

The Bible speaks about the attitudes that people can have about themselves and offers a warning. Proverbs 16:18-19 says “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Someone who is arrogant, Solomon says, sets himself up for a fall from his high position. Why is this?

First, inordinate pride blinds a person. People like Bernie Madoff see only their success, and build for themselves a fantasy that nothing can defeat them. This usually leads to disastrous decisions, such as in the case of Absalom in the Bible. Shakespeare said, ““He that is proud eats up himself.”

Second, they put their trust in things that cannot hold the weight of faith. We, being finite, only have a finite amount of knowledge, which means we are unable to keep ourselves from seeing every pitfall. Proverbs 28:26 said “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” This is true for a prideful person- he puts too much faith in himself, yet can do little to help himself in the long run.

Third, God Himself throws down those who are filled with hubris. If your arm hurts from patting yourself on the back, God may break it for you, such as in the case of Herod the king. Pride is so destructive and hated by God that Solomon says that it would be better to be poor and humble than to be rich and proud.

If you are someone who exercises pride in your life, let this be a warning to you. That pride will result in a fall. Destruction will follow soon after. Don’t be a foolish, pompous person. That is nothing to be proud of.

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To Give or To Receive

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

You have heard the old adage: “It’s better to give than to receive.” Perhaps when you were a child this saying was nonsensical, since receiving was one of the highlights of the entire year. Hopefully, though, as you grow older, you have realized the tremendous blessing that comes from giving to others. It is good if you look forward to the Christmas season so you can bless others, not so you can count up all that you have gotten.

Who gave us this wise gem? Was it the wise Benjamin Franklin, or the clever Mark Twain? No, this saying is from the Bible. Though it was a wise saying, it was not from Solomon, but from Jesus. However, this is not found in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and sermons, but came from a sermon of the apostle Paul, recorded in Act 20:35. He said: “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This is a farewell sermon to his dear friends in Ephesus, and he is encouraging them to not only stay strong in their faith, but to remember to “support the weak.” He then renders a quote from Jesus not found in the Gospels: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Why is it more blessed to give than to receive? The first reason is that a truly good person is concerned for the welfare of others before his own happiness. Paul said in Philippians 4:11 that he had learned to be content with every situation. If you are content with what you have, you won’t feel that you need to receive. The second reason is that someone who loves to give finds pleasure in the happiness of others. If you love to bring joy to others and share the joy you have, you will find giving much more fulfilling than receiving, knowing that receiving brings only temporary happiness. The third is that God is pleased with those who will sacrifice their own happiness for the happiness of others.

When you think about it, that is exactly what Christmas is all about. Jesus left the glories of heaven to come to this world. The King of Kings was born in a manger and suffered at the hands of His creation so that we could have life. His gift to us was much more pleasing than what He could receive. He found it much more of a blessing to give us life than to be honored and to receive good things.

When you see a manger this Christmas, think of the cross. Think of how Jesus came to give, not to receive. When you think of the Lord of Lords born in a stable, say, “Yes, it IS more blessed to give than to receive.”

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Can you keep a secret?

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

Most people live lives that are open to scrutiny and feel they have nothing to hide. However, even in an open and honest life there is still the need for secrets. Sometimes they are good secrets, like a gift or surprise, but sometimes they are shameful secrets about personal struggles or disgraceful mistakes. How heart-breaking when those secrets are then let out.

Proverbs 11:13 says “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” King Solomon’s “Proverbs” is a book of contrasts, and here it contrasts those who are “talebearers” and those who are of a “faithful spirit.” The word “talebearer” in the Hebrew is literally “someone who travels,” with the implication that as he travels, he tells what he knows. We have the local news stations on television and radio, but people in those days had no such luxury and had to learn news by those who traveled. Woe to that man, says Solomon, who tells secrets to the man who is on his way to the next town, the “reporter.” A secret will not remain so for long in the mouth of a talebearer. He will betray any trust and bring much sorrow.

Contrasted with this talebearer is “he that is of a faithful spirit.” This is someone that can be trusted to keep a secret. At the root of the Hebrew word for “faithful” is the idea that this person is firm and trustworthy, the same way that a building’s foundation is trustworthy. You can tell any secrets to this person and it will stay with him, because he is dependable. In fact, if the subject ever comes up, they will “conceal” the matter. They will try to steer opinion away from the information that they know.

Two questions: Which one of these two people would you rather have as a friend? Would you rather have the most intimate details of your life in the ears of someone who doesn’t mind telling others, or would you rather have the friendship of a silent, firm friend who will keep your secrets to herself? I think the answer is obvious, which leads to the second question: Which friend would you like to be? Are you someone people can trust, or are you someone who will a disappointment and source of pain in the future? Does information end with you, or are you a stop on the highway?

Commit to being a secret-keeper today. Don’t let your loose lips sink the ship of friendship.

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In Every Thing Give Thanks

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

My children sometimes think it is funny that before we eat, we give thanks to God for the food. “Shouldn’t we wait until we have tried it first? How can we know whether we will be thankful for it or not?” The idea is that they are not very thankful for the collared greens and cabbage that we cruelly force them to eat. It isn’t hard to be thankful for pizza and ice cream; they are more than willing to thank God and us loudly for good things, but aren’t there things for which is it impossible to be thankful?

Not according to God. He says this in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Notice that it says “in every thing give thanks.” There is nothing for which we ought not give thanks. Give thanks for my cold? Give thanks for my pains? Give thanks for my broken car? Give thanks for snow? The Bible says that we ought to give thanks for every thing, and that it is the will of God that we do so.

The truth is that everything that we have is a gift from God, given from a loving Creator. The apostle Paul had no problem with finding something in all of his trials for which to give thanks. He said in 2 Corinthians 12:10: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” He knew that all the things through which he was going would result in him being stronger and closer to Christ. He didn’t understand it all, but he knew that God was infinitely wiser and more loving than he, and that He did.

With that in mind, when you gather around your tables tomorrow and give thanks, perhaps you might want to give thanks for something a little unconventional. Maybe you’ll say, “I am thankful for my pain, though I don’t understand why I have it.” Perhaps you’ll say, “I am thankful for the difficulties of this past year, and I trust God for the rest of it.” Who knows? You might even hear “I am thankful for this broccoli, even though I can’t stand the taste of it!”

It’s a start. In EVERY thing give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving.

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Deer Hunting – Part 2

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

Did you know that the Bible talks about deer hunting? Although the Bible talks about the way a person should live, it also tells stories about people who did everyday things. One of those everyday things was hunting. Specifically, they were involved in deer hunting. In the last blog entry, we looked at Esau, who the Bible says was a cunning hunter. Genesis 25:28 says that his father Isaac loved Esau because of his venison. Many of you can relate.

Genesis 27 says that Isaac felt he was close to death and wanted to give his blessing to his son, which was a way of passing on what was his. Genesis 27:3-4 says that Isaac says, “Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; and make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.” Again, this was amazing considering that Esau used only a bow and quiver. I know that many are interested in bow-hunting, though the bows available now are quite advanced from what Esau used. It was not easy to get a deer with just a bow.

This story takes a turn because Esau’s mother hears that Isaac intends to bless Esau. She prefers Esau’s twin brother Jacob, and so tells Jacob to get a goat that she make taste like venison. When Jacob brings the meat into Isaac, he pretends to be Esau. Since it has not been long since Esau left, Isaac expresses surprise. He asks, “How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son?” Isaac knows that it usually took much longer to get a deer than the time it takes to kill and prepare a goat, which may have been a few hours. Jacob realizes he has made a mistake in coming so quickly, and says, “Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.”

This is a lie, of course, and is wrong. But Isaac accepts it because he is a believer in God. The lesson to be learned here is that if you are able to get a deer this season, it will be by divine providence. You may use your knowledge of deer and equipment, but that will not guarantee you a deer. You most likely know of many people who are very knowledgeable when it comes to hunting, yet routinely get nothing in their excursions. James 1:17 says “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.” That includes deer.

You might be saying, “Can I really thank God for giving me a deer?” Here is what 1Thessalonians 5:18 says: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” If God says give thanks for everything, you can give thanks for your deer.

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Deer Hunting – Part 1

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

Before the Christmas trees and eggnog, before the turkey and mashed potatoes comes another holiday, though unofficial. It is a time, not for red and green, but for blaze orange. It is a time, not for crowding around a table in a warm, comfortable home, but for sitting cold on a platform in a tree and growing a beard. It is the week of rifle season for deer hunting.

In view of this unofficial Minnesota holiday, I would like to take some time to point out what the Bible has to say about hunting. One of the very first hunters we find in the Bible is a man called Esau, found in Genesis 25. Genesis 25:27-28 says “And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field… and Isaac [his father] loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison.” You may find it hard to kill just one deer this year, but imagine what it was like for Esau, who Genesis 27 tells us used only a bow and arrow to kill his deer. But the Bible says that Esau was “cunning.” That word in the Hebrew means literally “knowing.” Esau was a good hunter because he knew how deer acted: where they were, what they ate, and how to kill them.

I have never hunted; I didn’t grow up knowing how. But let’s say that today I get bit by the hunting bug and go to the store to buy a gun. What kind? I should probably know what kind of gun is capable of killing a deer, not just scaring it away. So I get my gun and go into the woods after buying my permit. Where am I going to look? How will I know where the deer are? How will I know where to hit it or even how to make sure my shot is accurate? You cannot just “hunt,” you have to know something about what you are doing.

If you are a young hunter this weekend, learn from those who are more experienced on how to hunt. Learn the tricks, and be patient. If you are an experienced hunter, take some time to be thankful for the ones who took time to teach you how to know to hunt. Take some time to teach a younger man how to know more about deer hunting. Then have some fun and go get one!

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Nostalgia

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

I was driving by McDonalds in Park Rapids the other day and saw a crane parked out in front. I am not sure if they are planning on adding on or merely doing some work on something else, but it reminded me of a picture that I once saw. Here it is:

 

This is a picture presumably of the last time a crane was seen on this site. It was when the old First Baptist Church building was destroyed. First Baptist Church was established in 1890 at the corner of 35 and 71, where McDonalds now stands. Here is a picture of it in 1906, immediately after the old building was built.

 

 

Here is a picture of it in 1966:

 

I meet many people who say: “What a shame that that old church was torn down! It was beautiful!” I have seen pictures of it, and would have to agree, although I was never in the old building myself. We still have three of the stained glass windows at the front of our auditorium, and the bell is in our garage building. The reason that the old building was destroyed is that it was too much to maintain. It was sold and a new building was built on 8th street, where the church currently meets.

The church is not a building, but the people inside the building. The place that First Baptist Church used to meet was where McDonalds is now. It then met in the old senior center. Now it meets in a different building. The point is not where a church meets, but what a church is. The earliest Christians didn’t even have a church building to meet in. Sometimes the building itself becomes more important than the people inside the building, but having an empty church building is the same as having none at all.

The point is that the church is not for attending, but being involved. Get involved in your church. Yes, go to the building every Sunday; more importantly, meet with other believers that make up the church. If you don’t have a church you attend, then find a group of Bible-believers with which to meet every Sunday.

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Immigration

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Joshua Hawn, First Baptist Church

While the debate in our country rages about immigration reform, I would like to offer a different perspective. I am, again, not trying to be political but wanting to offer another viewpoint from a Christian’s perspective.

This week I received an e-mail from a missionary friend who is in Southeast Asia. He ministers among refugees who have fled their country, but are not welcome in the one they are in. The e-mail I received told me that a group of Christian refugees had been captured and were going to be sent back over the border, where officials were waiting for them. He said that normally “repatriation” happens with international oversight, but that this exchange happened with the sanction of both governments away from such supervision. One man, who had become an acquaintance of my missionary friend, was beaten within an inch of his life, handcuffed, and drowned in front of the other refugees. The fate of these other refugees, who had been handcuffed, was not known. This kind of treatment is not the exception, but the rule.

There are those who would say that deporting those who have entered the USA illegally is inhumane. I say that others are treated far less humanely than simply sending them back or prohibiting them from coming. In America, illegal foreigners are often recipients of benefits, not victims of laws. When I think of the way that other people around the world suffer, the way America treats “illegals” doesn’t seem so bad.

However, there are differences between illegal aliens in the US and refugees in Asia. Both are unwelcome and both are there illegally, yes. But aliens are leaving their country to live a better life, while these refugees are leaving for the right to live period. Often they live in squalor in refugee camps and receive no benefits. Aliens coming into this country are treated badly by those ferrying them into the country, while the government is the one treating them badly in Asia. Illegal aliens have an opportunity to become citizens, while those in Asia have no such hope.

When I think of how Christians in other nations are treated, I thank God for the country He has allowed me to live in, and for the way we treat those who are here, even those here illegally.

Illegal aliens in many cases should be pitied, but not as badly as my fellow-believers in other countries, who are being killed. Paul, in Colossians 4:18, exhorted others to “Remember my bonds.” How much more for those who are truly suffering?

For information of how Christians are being treated around the world, feel free to visit these sites:

www.persecution.org

www.persecution.com

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