Ensign: Jesus Christ Superstar

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. Isaiah 18:3


AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNTAINS 26 July 2013

I am sorry I didn't get to see Minot State University Summer Theatre's production of Jesus Christ Superstar. We had reserved tickets for opening night last Thursday, but we had been away from home so much that my wife Martha and I had hardly seen our kids at all over the preceding week. So Martha and I came to the decision that we'd rather spend time with our children Sarah and Jeffrey at home the night we had planned to go, and I believe it's worth it. They'll remember better the time we spent with them rather than what we spent on them.

So Jesus Christ Superstar performed to sold-out outdoor theatres the six days it ran here in Minot, I have heard. The first “rock opera”, it tells the story of Jesus' Passion (it wasn't until I was in my thirties I understood “passion” in the context of Jesus and not just intense physical affection) from His entry into Jerusalem to His death on the cross. In this case, passion refers to suffering – and like apology in reference to both our acknowledging wrong as well as a defense (where “apologetics” derives from, defending our faith and not confessing our wrong), understand that meaning may make us appreciate those we're closest to more. For out of suffering comes our greatest life's triumphs.

So why do I bring this up, the Pankow question comes? I haven't seen Jesus Christ Superstar, so this is obviously not a review. But I haven't seen God either, so how can I deign to give a review of Him? Look with me for a minute at 1 John 4 – not quite the best known passage from Scripture about love (that honor goes to 1 Corinthians 13, so often heard at weddings), but very important. In verse nineteen we see that “We [can] love him, because he first loved us.” It's God loving us first that makes any semblance we have of love for another being possible. But read chapter four verse twenty ...

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

THIS is one of those finger pointing with three fingers pointing back at me moments. For in truth I cannot love God or say that I do and mean it if I'm letting my brother – not necessarily a literal brother (or sister; to keep this from getting really long, ladies, I'm sticking with the masculine pronouns today), though aren't we all children of God? – rankle me enough to hate him. Not what he's done, but my brother himself. And I do this a lot more than I want to admit – I'm sure I'm the only person who does, but whether I am or whether I'm not does not excuse it for me.

God can not respond to my prayers when I've got something against my brother (or he against me, check out Matthew 5:23-25) that I haven't cleared up or asked forgiveness of him, not of God, for. You can't substitute righteousness or be more righteous and faithful toward one person and less toward another without God being left out of the equation. You become a respecter of persons – I love that phrase; essentially, God doesn't favor one person over another – and God is not one. You're not loved less if you deny Him, but you're shutting out the blessings you could have if You do not only acknowledge Him but also serve Him. By letting Him (and by extension, His Son Jesus Christ) be the superstar in your life, you actually become one to the family, friends, and world around you.

Glory to God,

David

P.S. I write this weekly devotional to keep in touch with all of you in my address book, and I hope to be an encourager too! If you find that I’m not or you want me to get lost, just let me know, thank you!

We praise You, Lord, for this beautiful day You have given us! Please pray with me for the peace of Jerusalem on both sides of the fence and for physical and spiritual communities around our world.

Lord, we need Your strength to fight the natural disasters and human ills to ultimately treat the cause and not just the symptoms; until we who have power change, this world You have made us stewards of won’t either.

Thank You, Lord, for all those in leadership and service here and abroad. Thank You for the opportunities we have been given as well as the promise of new life through Your Son. And may we all seek and have a blessed week! Amen.