The Gospel According to Matthew

This Sunday we're beginning a teaching series in Matthew's Gospel. We're going to save chapters 1 and 2 for Advent (that's only six weeks from this Sunday!), and begin with chapter 3. This is fitting, because chapter 3 deals with John the Baptizer and Jesus' baptism, and we're having a baptism celebration of our own. I'm still not sure how many are being baptized, but we've got 6 confirmed. Add these to the 12 who followed Christ in baptism last spring and we can rejoice in God's goodness to us.

Our Sunday teaching is titled The Identity of Christ. Granted, not the most imaginative sermon title I've ever heard, but it fits. The first three chapters of Matthew serve to answer the question, Who is Jesus? In aswering this question, we can also examine its companion, Who are we supposed to be?

Bless your brothers and sisters in Christ by being here for our baptism service this Sunday morning. This is an excellent tme to invite friends and relatives as we celebrate God's gift of new life and community. See you Sunday!

Fayette County Fallen Firefighters Memorial

I was very blessed to be included in the dedication service for Fayette County's new Fallen Firefighters Memorial on Sunday, October 14th. This incredible memorial was erected through volunteer help and paid for by private donations. It carries the name of six Fayette County, Pennsylvania firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty, dating all the way back to 1901.

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Why was I invited to share the dedication prayer?

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A year ago our church invited Connellsville and Connellsville Township firefighters and our EMT's and Paramedics to a special worship service in their honor. We wanted to connect with these brave men and women, and simply say, "Thank you; we appreciate what you do." After that worship celebration we treated them to a wonderful roast beef dinner, and they really appreciated it.

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On that Sunday I shared from the pulpit how I started out as a junior (I always hated that title) firefighter with Brookside Volunteer Fire Company (near Erie, PA) when I was 16 years old. Through that experience I was chosen to attend EMT training. After my first stint in college, I went back to school to become a Paramedic and worked the streets for five years in Kansas City, Missouri and Topeka, Kansas. After more than 20 years on the sidelines, I still miss the rush and the cameraderie of the fire house.

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When the dedication service for the memorial was being planned, Assistant Chief Rob Leiberger of C'ville Township VFD remembered our kindness to their department and my history as a paramedic. He said,"Hey, we ought to ask Pastor Tim to pray the dedication prayer. He's kind of one of us." It was fantastic to be invited.

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I read two scriptures: John 3:16 and its companion 1 John 3:16. I've included those verses and my prayer below.

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For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16 - NIV)

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This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers [and sisters]. (1 Jn 3:16 - NIV)

Prayer:

Our God,

We come before you today, privileged and honored

to take part in the dedication of this memorial.

We thank you, this beautiful autumn afternoon,

for this moving tribute to fallen heroes,

for the tireless efforts of those who lobbied, recruited,

and raised funds to make this memorial possible,

and for those who have contributed financially

that we might stand here today.

* * *

You are our Creator,

and in your image we have been created.

The Bible teaches us that God is love,

and that the love of God is a sacrificial love.

Sacrifice goes against our natural inclinations,

and yet the sacrifice of these brave men

that has brought us together today

corroborates the Bible’s testimony

that we are indeed created in your image.

* * *

Not only do we thank you for the lives of these six men

who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of others,

asking for your peace and your presence

in the lives of their family members;

we also give thanks for every Fayette County firefighter,

paid or volunteer,

who, regardless of risk to life and limb,

daily answers the call to service,

and for our protection.

* * *

We ask your provision and protection over these brave souls,

that their lives would be long and healthy,

that their hearts would be filled with courage,

as they run toward the dangers

from which others run away.

* * *

In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Unfortunately, common sense required the memorial to be designed with space for future names to be added. Dear God, please don't let that be necessary.

The Masked Evangel

My absolute favorite childhood hero was Zorro. The TV show lasted only two years, but it birthed around 80 episodes. Actually, I only remember the Saturday afternoon re-runs, because the original series was dropped before I reached my first birthday. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr may have been the original silent pictures Zorro (ca. 1920), but the all time best was Guy Williams from the 1950s television series (later to be Professor John Robinson of Lost in Space fame).

The show centered around Don Diego de la Vega, the unversity educated son of a rich 1820s California landowner. Returning home from college, Don Diego saw the plight of the oppressed and downtrodden, and set about to defend them from the evil Governor and all others who scrambled for wealth by climbing on the backs of the poor.

The only problem was that Don Diego felt the need to keep his identity a secret, hence his mask. By day he was a gentleman, though somewhat reserved and painfully inept in the art of swordplay (think of a Latino Clark Kent). By night, he donned the mask and cape of an outlaw, brandishing his rapier to defend the weak, and leave lovely senoritas weak in the knees.

Two years after Douglas Fairbanks thrilled silent pictures audiences as Zorro, a lesser known actor, Lester Cuneo, took up the roll of another hero who called himself The Masked Avenger. As an old west rancher pushed to the limit by cattle thieves, Cuneo rode the starlit prairies wearing the mask of a criminal to punish rustlers left unchallenged by inept and crooked lawmen.

Zorro and the Masked Avenger were not the first in this genre of hero without superhero powers, and they aren't the last either. The Shadow and Batman are cut from the same cloth. But before them all was the 1905 Scarlet Pimpernel. The Pimpernel was a fictional hero from the French Revolution. He is normally given credit as the first in the genre of superheroes.

Whether we’re talking about The Scarlet Pimpernel, Zorro, or the Masked Avenger, they all have one thing in common. They were heroes disguised as criminals and forced to fight their battles in the cover of darkness.

What’s that have to do with blogging and the good news of Jesus Christ? Not a blessed thing. I just thought, as a play on words, The Masked Evangel was a pretty cool name for a blog. This is a new beginning for me, as far as blogging goes. Hence, the new name, the new look, and the new attitude.

Now that you've been introduced to The Masked Evangel, I hope you'll subscribe to the RSS feed and join me as we pursue life together.

Home Run from Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson has written a great post on Evotional.com. I highly recommend it.

Revelation Song - Kari Jobe

Kansas City, Kansas City, Here I Come

Well, I fully intended to blog from our Kansas City trip, but had no Internet where we were staying, and it was too much trouble going somewhere else just for the purpose of blogging.

Sorry this picture is a little dark, but it was taken in the hallway of the Clarion Sports Complex Hotel (right across the highway from Royals Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium) about 11:00 p.m. last Saturday night. Janelle's niece Mandy was a beautiful bride. We're excited for her and Dustin.

The next picture is the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. It serves as a memorial for servicemen and women, and also houses the World War I Museum. It's an awesome presentation, and we all learned a lot about those war years and America's involvement.

This is Will communicating with some friends from McDonald's in Independence, MO. This computing age is something else with wireless availability even in McD's! Ben and Will were able to keep up on their schooling by getting online at the house of Janelle's sister Beth. As you can imagine, they were thrilled.

This is the Mississippi River from a St. Louis bridge on the way home.

We had to drive all day Sunday and Monday (no, we were not able to attend church Sunday) to make it to Punxsutawney for the Western Pennsylvania General Assembly Meeting, which began Monday night.

Judy Deans in Concert

Tomorrow is going to be a blast at Connellsville Church of God. Judy Deans will be sharing in concert at 10:45. Judy has a beautiful singing voice and a beautiful spirit to go with it. We are very fortunate to welcome her.

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Come prepared to give generously for the love offering we will receive to support Judy's ministry.

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That brings up a story.

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Many years ago when Janelle and I were traveling and sharing concerts across the country, we did a Sunday morning service in a little Virginia country church. Our financial arrangements were a love offering plus $50 to defray our expenses--call it gas money. Before church the pastor handed me an envelope with $50 in it. I presumed the love offering would be received later in the service. There was an opening song, and then the church's regular tithes and offerings were collected. Then, a little later, as it was the first Sunday in November, a "meat offering" (a love offering to help cover the cost of the turkey for the church's upcoming Thanksgiving Dinner) was received. Soon it was time for us to sing. When we finished, the pastor dismissed the service... no love offering.

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Keep in mind. We were traveling, and a long way from home. We did have another concert, but mind you ONLY one, on this leg of our journey. I spoke with the person who set up the date to make sure he understood the arrangements included a love offering, and he assured me he had explained it in detail to the pastor.

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Come Tuesday morning I felt it would be appropriate to call the host pastor to see what exactly was going on. When he answered the phone I explained my dilemma, and asked if he understood the arrangements. His response (use your best Virginia drawl): Well, Brother Tim, we had to take up an offering to help pay for our Thanksgiving turkey; I didn't think it was fair to my people to take up two love offerings and, frankly, I THOUGHT THE TURKEY WAS MORE IMPORTANT.

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Now, picture the phone still in my hand, and my chin on the floor. What could I say? All righty then; God bless and have a good day. But to this day, when walking through the grocery store, I always feel a little resentment toward those Butterball turkeys in the freezer aisle. :)