The Network

Tek Ma Te Warriors and Scholars!

Well, have you seen Ant Man yet? I did! I laughed several times and really enjoyed the relationship between Scott Lang and Hank Pym. I thought that they kept the montra "It's all connected." quite well.

One of those little connections was pretty big news. During the second montage of Luis explaining a complicated story of how he got some information, we heard this: "We got one who jumps, one who swings, one who crawls up walls." The first MCU reference to our friendly neighborhood Spiderman!

Now, this is really exciting, but most of the blogs and articles I've seen about this have not talked about something. There is a network. This scene showed us that as various small time heroes have stepped out to fight crime something else is happening. A network of people has been built that is providing routes of communication and support and networking. Presumably, the network has reached from NYC where a conversation between one of it's members and an Avenger all the way to San Francisco where our man Luis is telling Scott Lang about the conversation. I am unsure of the location of the club where this conversation happened, but I'm guessing it was in New York.

Now why is this important? Well, because we find at least some people who do not have cool tech suits or super powers joining in a huge work that is all about fighting evil and crime. Not everyone making a difference in the MCU is a spy or a great engineer or a super soldier. Some are just normal people who want to help out.

In the church we tend to take certain gifts and abilities and treat them as some sort of ultimate achievement. Some do this with the gifts of teaching and preaching. There are churches out there where it is all about the preaching pastor and that is it. Some do it with speaking in tongues. They claim you must do this to show evidence of being truly saved. But what does scripture say?

"There are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work." 1 Cor. 12:4-6

Paul later goes on to describe the church as a body. This is where we get the phrase "the Body of Christ". He comments "how can you see without an eye?" and "how can you hear without an ear?" Some people have a gift for helps. They just come in and help around the church by cleaning or setting up tables. My brother, Dad and I are on the tech team. My Dad runs a video camera multiple times a month and I run lights and my brother runs sound. Some have an amazing heart and ability for prayer. They never really "teach" or set chairs up or stuff like that but they will pray for hours every week for people in the church and within their influence.

EVERYONE is important. I remember that line from the 11th Doctor, "In 900 years I have never met anyone who wasn't important." God feels the same way and he has given you a gift to serve with. You might have to do some exploring to find it, but it is there. There are a lot of online spiritual gift surveys to take to find it, but in the end you will need to step out and try something. Your gift might be really helpful in areas of your church that you have never thought about.

The Fire without the Doctor

My house burned on the Day of the Doctor...and he was not around.  There was no blue box.  No "whirr-wrrrr" of a time machine that is bigger on the inside than the outside.  All 13 of him were busy moving a planet.  Gandalf didn't come.  I hear he was on a journey with or preparing for a journey with a hobbit named Bilbo.  Thor didn't come because he was fighting dark elves.   I do not know where Superman, Luke Skywalker, or Chuck were.

I do know that he Lord God was with us.  I won't tell you how it started, but the flames went right between my Dad's legs as he was running out of the room it started in.  NOT A SINGLE BIT of his jeans was burned.  God was with us.  He protected us. 

"To You, Lord I call; you are my rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me.  For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to that pit.  Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place....Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy" Psalm 28

 

Tennant, Smith and the Transfiguration

Greetings in Christ.

Are you excited about this weekends 50th anniversary of DOCTOR WHO??!!!!!

I am!  I am excited to see the 10th and 11th Doctors together and to find out more about John Hurts character, "The War Doctor".  This will be interesting seeing the 3 discuss, argue, and have adventure.  I am looking forward to see what they do with Rose Tyler, as it seams from the trailer has something more going for her on than just another journey in the Tardis.  Will Bad Wolf come back?

Now as we get excited about this combination of characters and actors, imagine how Peter, James, and John felt when they and Jesus reached the top of the mountain for the Transfiguration.  He had done so many miracles for them, and to be sure they didn't even realize how much he had yet to accomplish!  But then, he became as bright as the sun in front of them and was immediately joined by Moses and Elijah, two of their other heroes!  Then, a "bright cloud" surrounded them and a voice from this cloud spoke of love for Jesus and commanded that they listen to Him.  In their culture that meant not just hearing, but obeying.  

Peter wanted to do something of a service for them by building shelters for them.  I love that his first thought with them there was one of service.  It is such a far cry from our culture which would be screaming and pushing for autographs. 

We know that they talked with Jesus as they came down the mountain, but I wonder if, before that, there was some silence.  They had heard a voice from God the Father that came from a bright cloud surrounding them, met two of their heroes from scriptures and history, and seen their master Transfigured with blinding light.  I am amazed that Peter was able to speak out in the middle of all this to suggest building a shelter!  I mean, yeah, just meeting Moses and Elijah might not have taken a persons breath away, but the cloud, Jesus becoming light, the voice of the Father.  This was a lot to take in!

In the middle of our excitement about Christmas gifts coming, the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, the future possibilities of Star Wars Episode 7, Avengers: The Age of Ultron, Batman/Superman film, many video games and board games and conventions, let us keep our focus on our Christ as if He is always Transfiguring before us.  In awe and service let us trust in Him.  

A couple quick things:  If you haven't read the story of the Transfiguration in a while I encourage you to open your Bible up to Matthew 17 and do so.   Secondly, remember that I extended the deadline for the King David stories.  Email me your story about King David meeting a fictional character with no more than 1,000 words by December 1st.  My email is ericanderson25@gmail.com.