Pastor Mike’s Blog

Linda and I spent the Memorial weekend in the four-corners area.  Of course, we spent a day at Mesa Verde visiting the remains of the cliff dwellings from the Puebloan Indians, the most recent of which was constructed some 750 years ago.

Part of their tradition was to bore a small hole in the floor of the Kevas, a large covered sunken room used for ceremonies, to let souls from worlds below into this world.  I’m told that they believed they had passed through three or four previous lower worlds before coming to this world.

There were no Christian missionaries in the region (not for several hundred more years).  What happened to those Puebloan Indians who never heard of Jesus?  This is a question with a long answer, so I’ll just touch on it briefly here.

If you follow along in the Old Testament, you will see implied that people knew about God before the great Hebrew exodus from Egypt.  You might argue that they heard from their ancestors.  Likely true.  And, if you believe that we are all descended from Adam and Eve through Noah, then even the Puebloan Indians can trace their lineage back to Noah and his sons and their wives.  (Note, current DNA evidence does support the “Out of Africa” theory that all modern humans arose from one part of Africa.)  If so, then they could have heard of God just as Abraham (Abram) of Moses heard of God from their ancestors.  Also, Paul says that we are all without excuse because God has made himself plain since the creation (Rom 1:20).

But, what about those who have not heard specifically about Jesus (Jn 14:6)?  The gospel message does contain a missional command (go make disciples–Mt 28:18-20), so we must all be involved in missional work in our own spheres of influence and supporting missionaries in other areas.  As for the Puebloan Indians of the Southwest…I trust God.  He is perfectly loving and just and how he deals with their salvation will come from his nature; I cannot make any judgment about them.

However, let’s not kid ourselves.  The world is not and never has been full of people chasing after a god who keeps himself hidden from some of us.  Quite the opposite.  The Christian God chases after us, but we love darkness (Jn 3:19).  So, the real question for me is not what happened to the souls of the Puebloan Indians; that I cannot know.  The real question for me is how well am I doing as a Christ-follower (2Cor 13:5).

Please continue to pray for Susan, the wife of our Sr Pastor Dave.  Susan suffered a brain hemorrhage some 23 days ago and they continue to work through complications as a result of the extended hospitalization.

Please pray specifically for Susan’s healing, remembering that God is sovereign over all things.

It’s been a little busy here the past couple of weeks and I’ve not been able to get after this blog.  Here goes…

The other day, a friend gave me this imagery:  The world is like a fast-moving river, one that moves faster with each passing minute.  It is swirling and has many rapids.  And, occasionally, there are stretches of calm water.  But the river is muddy and the water is brown.  It is polluted and smelly.  And we are in it.  We think our goal should be to swim to the shore and get cleaned up; however, we can’t, at least not in this life.  In fact, we contribute to the stench of the river.

Our goal is to link up with others like us, those in the body of Christ.  Together we can strive together, supporting each other in the torrent; and, we can relax together, as much as possible, during the calm times.  Always we can take comfort from each other and pray together.

We are not alone in the river.  We sometimes view Jesus as above it all; however, he came here to join with us in the river.  We link ares together with him; it is he who will get us through.

Others are in the river, too: the unbelievers.  As we float along we reach out to them, beckoning them into our community linked together and with Jesus.  “Come with us,” we shout.  “It is so much easier together.  Jesus gives us strength and hope. We can help each other.”

Some join us; many don’t.

Be strong and courageous in the river, it can be frightening.  Remember, one day we will be washed clean and be dressed in white before the King.  Continue to hold on to Jesus and to each other.  Jesus and we are all we have.  Reach out for those going it alone; remember how frightening it was for you before you found Jesus and joined the company of others.