Category: Christianity Page 2 of 7

I finished reading “Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus–Volume One” by Michael Brown just a few minutes ago. It covered what Dr. Brown titled “General and Historical Objections” and was (trying not to be hyperbolic) enlightening, to say the least. I am now moving on to Volume Two which covers Theological Objections. I can only hope that the second volume will be as good as the first. If nothing more, my improved understanding of my place as a gentile in the spiritual ecosystem God created is very, very helpful to me in my understanding of how to worship better and to advocate for Jews and gentiles both.

Lorena and I drove a couple hours to a funeral today. We really did not know the person who had died, but I knew her sons really well. We had studied together at Texas A&M. It was really good for us to be there. This event and the passing of our neighbor that we learned about yesterday has given us a strong wake-up call that we are just passing through this life. It was great to have the drive with Lorena, too. We stopped at Hico, Texas–one time on the way there and one time on the way back and back. Both stops were spectacular. We had zero thoughts on the other handful of times we passed through there, but now realize that it is a MUST to stop there whenever we go to Austin, San Antonio, or when we drive to Mexico. The talks on the way there were challenging, and on the way back were reflective. Our conclusion, at the end of the day, was that some things are within our control and some things are neither in our control or even knowable. We don’t know what is coming in the next year or so, but we are willing to go wherever we are either led or compelled to go.

I think this video is at the core of why I am a Christian. It is a question that deserves an answer. I know why I am a follower of Jesus and this is a big part of it. I have the sense that many would reject Christianity even if Jesus were raised from that dead. That makes me sad. A lack of belief is one thing and I understand that some look at the facts available to them in do not believe, but a willful choice to ignore reality brings me to the point of despair. John 8:32–And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Reading scholarship about the historicity of the resurrection, the veracity of the Biblical canon, the history and sociology of early Christianity, and to somewhat of a lesser extent, Christian Philosophy and denominational doctrine have been an avocational interests of mine for the last 35-40 years. Even aside from my own personal experiences of Christ which, of themselves are sufficient for belief, I long ago arrived at the conclusion that it would be irrational to believe Jesus had not physically raised from the dead. After that initial insight, more reading has just made that understanding more firm. The biggest effect it has had on my life is with situationally inconvenient events. When the flood is rising it might be situationally inconvenient to leave your house by the river in the valley for higher ground, but it is objectively true that, if you stay, you will drown. I have the sense that, because of my personal experiences with Christ, I would be a Christ follower whether I had this knowledge or not, but it is actually quite freeing to have a rational basis external to my own experience for my belief.

I finished my tenth read through the Old Testament since I started keeping track of my reading on February 9, 2006. In my first read through the bible, it took me almost 3¾ years because I was reading just a chapter a day. At my current rate, I am reading through the whole Bible a little under 2¾ times per year, enjoying it a lot more, and getting a lot more out of it. I have not yet decided to read through the New Testament three times or four times for each read through the Old Testament, but don’t have to decide that for a few months. The next time I read the New Testament, I think I am going to try to work my way through Robert Alter’s “The Hebrew Bible.”

Another book arrived today at the same time as my quarterly medicare payment. Maybe that was reminder that I should not be buying so many new books. I have plenty of reading to last me for the next few months as well as a bunch of audio books for my treadmill and outside walking. Most of the stuff I have been buy is not light reading. I want to take it fast enough so it stays interesting (faster than reading for scholarly reasons), but slow enough that I really get what is being said. My understanding for this book, N.T. Wright’s, The Resurrection of the Son of God, is that it is loaded with references and footnotes and is a definitive analysis of the physical resurrection of Jesus. I have read a lot about that already, but have heard this is a “must read” so I want to be careful in my reading.

The burros in the image live on the farm road that goes to Granbury from our house in Godley. They are part of a beautiful drive that we take often and for which we are grateful because it has a calming affect on us. We started the year by taking that drive to McDonald’s for an Egg McMuffin meal and to pick up a few things from HEB.

This year feels like an ominous start to what could be very hard times in America and around the world. We just live in very odd (to us) times. It seems epically biblical with war in Israel, extreme narcissism and evil permeating western society, extremism in the form of humanism, false religion everywhere else, persecution of Christians and Jews wherever you look, and good being called evil and evil good at every level of society and culture. I am currently reading through Ezekiel in the Bible having finished Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations and heading into Daniel next. Those people lived through horrific times that saw no end in their lifetimes. That might be our lot going forward. Or maybe not–only God knows. I just want to learn to live at peace with God in whatever the circumstances and find joy wherever I can. I think that entails clinging to the true and good and being an encouragement and a help to those around me.