Above All

Above All

April 11, 2013

Memorial of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr 

But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men."  Acts 5:29

The one who comes from above is above all.  The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.  But the one who comes from heaven is above all.  He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.  Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.  For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.  He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.  John 3:31-34

Piety

Father, help us to follow the one who is from above and not the leaders of our social and political pop culture.  Do not ration your gift of the Spirit in our lives.  Amen.

Study

Jesus repeatedly reminded his followers that he was not of this world but came from above.  Despite the number of times he repeated this concept, the apostles would not truly believe and act upon it until after the Resurrection.  By then they had learned the lesson so well that the apostles would reject commands of earthly leaders even when their lives, fortunes and freedom were in peril. 

As Ambassadors of Christ, the apostles became true practitioners of civil disobedience and the first commandment putting nothing before obedience to God.

Action

There is an amazing short video on You Tube that reinforces this message about following God, not culture.  Check this out:  http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0

Here is my rough transcription of the one-minute sermon (actually it runs 1:42):

To be a survivor in this amazing race, with a need for speed, you need God's grace. 

If you're a Desperate Housewife watching Days of Our Lives, you can't cope without hope and that's not on a soap. 

If you are looking to Oprah or Dr. Phil, you can shop nonstop or pop a pill but the void won't fill and the pain won't kill until you love the One who hung on the hill. 

Kicking back in your La-Z-Boy easy chair watching You Want to be a Millionaire, now you're not gonna find it there.  No American Idol or council tribal has a final answer that'll satisfy you.  CSI ain't got a clue.  SVU don't know what to do.

Not the ER or the OC -- nothing on a CD TV DVD or MP3 -- can save you and me.  CNN's got no good news.  Here's a headline: "You must choose."

It's not A Simple Life, Paris Hilton.  It's treading on thin ice living in sin.  You can be an apprentice with Donald Trump or eat Fear Factor fast food from a dump.  You can be a heavy-hitter, or Wheel of Fortune winner.  A Fox News "no spin" spinner.  A flat out sinner but you got to check this life that you're living in order to make sure that your sins are forgiven. 

I bet you 50 cent Elvis done came and went.  And eventually every Black-Eyed Pea, Gwen Stefani, P Diddy, and Britney, every wannabe on MTV with icey bling, every Dixie Chick that sings, they all gonna see the King of Kings. 

I don't care if you're J Lo or Leno or Bono -- one thing you gotta know:  someday you're gonna die  bro.   Then, where you gonna go? Hey, I'm not talking some punk junk that irrelevant like your grandma's church from way-back-when.  It's not some creature feature on TBN that you need to be like inner listening. 

The real superstar is Jesus Christ.  He is the way he's the truth and the light.  One day, he's going to split the sky.  He's the brightest light in the highest high. 

So what I came to say, what I'm telling you, is don't buy that stupid stuff they be selling you.   It's all designed to fill your head and waste your space until your dead.  Here's the bottom line in my rhyme:  Give your life to God while there's still time.