Death

"Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
I read this saying from Isaiah 25 in 1 Corinthians 15 this morning. Paul is trying to explain the "resurrection of the body", if you haven't read this chapter, do, because he really fumbles around trying to explain this idea. It's actually kind of funny because Paul can be so clear and succinct, even elegant is his writing, and then a paragraph later totally muck it up.
Anyhow, my friend Kae (pastor at The Mercy Seat) likes to say "I just really believe that Jesus can raise the dead." I think this is the basis for my conversion to Christ, which was not an event, but is a daily process. Everyday I am reminded that the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not (can not, shall not, will not) overcome it. This morning I wept while praying, thinking of a part of me that feels dead. In this prayer I just kept saying, "I know you can raise me from the dead, I know you can raise me from the dead." I always feel weird asking God for something specific, I can't give God the command to raise me from the dead, but I feel that to admit that God has the power to do so is a moment of conversion from pointing to self to pointing to God. I believe that it is in these moments that prayer is completed, not because I say the magic works and POOF! my little Genie-God grants my wish, but that I am drawn closer to God and am more deeply aware of God's power and presence in my life. That, to me, is answered prayer.

Comments

[jeff m]

Hi Sarcastic Lutheran. I prefer coming to your site to respond to your comment on badchristian's site regarding the praise band being vapid ccm music.

It seems to me that many critics put everything into the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" category. We call the old hymns boring, then when someone writes new music it's useless if it stirs passionate feelings in you because we "have a religious experience," as if good feelings count for nothing.

We praise Amy Grant for her soft touch in her younger years, crucify her through her divorce, then she gets redeemed by the same folks who did her in.

I listen to a lot of music, some of it is ccm. I wonder if that is a mistake, seeing the broad brushstroke of death you've dealt it.

[Nadia]

Actually there is good music and bad music. Good and bad country, good and bad jazz, good and bad pop, and good and bad praise music. I find pretty much all the ccm music I have heard, and I freely admit that it is probably a small sample, to be vapid - both musically and theologically. I'm just not into the happy-clappy me and Jesus stuff, it's not for me. It suits other people and that's great. Am I against joy? No, I just have the kind of joy that has nails in it's hands and firmly believe that if a church has a praise band it is only right and salutary that they also have a lament band.

[jeff m]

Hi Nadia. I don't know whether you are the author of the site or not. I agree with with what you are saying. There's Christians making songs I just don't like. There are others who are great, and I like them.

I don't think we need to kill the messenger because his/her message isn't as "anointed" as someone else's. The unskilled "music messengers" just need to find the talents that produce excellence.

I've never thought about a "laments band." There is the Book of Lamentations, and in the Prophets there are commands to take up laments, and they are all the result of disobedience to God, which is also called sin.

The believer in Christ has his /her own "laments songs"---the consequences of sin, suffering, trials and tribulations. It is unwise to sing cheerful songs to a troubled heart. Nevertheless there are lots of times of praise and joy in the Bible, and those times are not some vapid nonsense to me.

Incidentally, since there is no "laments band" in your church, what do you listen to when you lament?

[phil]

Came across your blog, and this post, today, via Google. For the record, I think "praise" music is okay, but the chick in that country song would have been better off giving Jesus the wheel before she got in the car...

My comment, though, is about raising the dead. I'm ELCA Lutheran, and I went to a men's retreat this weekend. The speaker -- some honcho in something called "Toronto Blessing" -- spent a day or so telling us not to be afraid of demons -- with a subtext that demons are everywhere: numerous, active, dangerous and scary, a threat to our daily lives. The next day he spoke out against confession of sins -- since we can never do it perfectly, why bother making the attempt. He advocated praying for resurrection of the dead -- not eternal life in paradise, but specific corpses literally to climb out of their coffins. He dissed the Mennonites as misguided, but described with respectful skepticism an illiterate "pastor" in Mozambique credited with bringing several dead folks back to life.

Am I the one who's out of step with current Lutheran doctrine? At what point did we embrace syncretic shamanism?

I guess I've been missing out. My experience with God's grace is that it is the source of miracles and joy so incredible it takes my breath away. But it dissipates the moment I try to capture it, own it, or use it for Phil's purposes.

Little did I know that some people are able to bottle God's grace and use it as a potion to do magic tricks, and make God's creation submit to their own wills.

[Nadia]

Phil,
That sounds mighty creepy my friend! weird, huh? When I talk about Jesus' raising the dead I am speaking spiritually and emotionally and not literally