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Monday October 4, 2004 Volume VI Number 40

It’s the account from Acts chapter one when Judas, the disciple who turned Jesus over to authorities in exchange for a sack of silver coins, comes to a rather distasteful end.  His intestines spilled out, the Bible says.  Read Dr. Luke’s description carefully, and it’ll make you cringe.

In the Steve Martin classic, Parenthood, Gil, Kevin’s father, must play the part of a singing cowboy at his son’s birthday party.  There was a mix-up in scheduling.  So Dad steps in to cover his oversight, and sets out to entertain a skeptical crew of nine-year-old boys.  It’s what one reviewer called virtuoso comedy, with Martin calling up his early days as a master designer of balloon animals (the actor’s first comedy job at Disneyland).  Cowboy Buck jokes with the kids about the origins of balloon rubber – the slimy guts of the bad guy he shot down at high noon on Main Street. 

“Eeeew!” cry the boys in unison, with a forbidden sort of glee. 

Cowboy Buck won them over.

While the particulars of certain awful events are generally sidestepped in polite conversation, a serious student of Scripture will inevitably stumble across passages that are, well, troubling.  Set out to read the Bible in say a year of daily readings, and you’ll soon find yourself scratching your head over the text, as this Pastor did, wondering what’s the point?  The books of the Bible, written a long time ago, contain historical accounts in surprising detail, some in cinemascope and Technicolor.  But digging deeper always yields rich rewards.  We’ll always find profound lessons we can carry into our lives.

Peter, the fisherman turned disciple and soon-to-be Apostle, stood to his feet and made a connection.  He linked the dots.  He couldn’t keep silent.  (His observation made it into the Holy Writ for all time.) 

The disciples remained together, about a hundred of them, for prayer and fellowship.  They were still somewhat off-balance - the events of the final week of Jesus’ life still burned in their memory.  There were also those post-resurrection appearances.  They were eyewitnesses.  And then they watched, wide-eyed and open-mouthed as Jesus, in a resurrection state, ascended into the clouds.  Still stunned by it all, they gathered.  They prayed.  They wept.  They recounted Jesus’ words.  No doubt, they took notes.  They studied the scriptures.

Peter stood to his feet and made a declaration.  It was an “a-hah” moment for the gruff, bearded fisherman.  “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled…”  His voice sure.  Strong.  Certain.  He drew a straight line between the terrible death of Judas and the Psalms.  The event had been foretold by David.  And the clear instruction was contained in the ancient text – another must take his place. 

Everyone agreed.  Confidence began to build.  The events of the past two months were devastating in so many ways.  No one would have written the script this way.  There were too many hardships.  The denials.  The cowardice.  The iron fist of the Roman regime.  The fate of their Master, crushed in the cruel hands of religious pietists and militaristic occupiers.  But then the renewed hope at the feet of a risen Lord.  His look of peace.  His instructions for a future without his presence.  And now, they embraced Peter’s insight.  They looked for another to round out The Twelve.  They found Matthias.

The Pastor put it this way – in the vortex of a raging storm of uncertainty, take your stand on the bedrock of trust in a Sovereign God.

That’s what Peter did.

And the disciples followed.

This band of about a hundred believers left that place, and changed the world. 

For all time.

It began with a story that will make you wince.  Steve Martin can make jokes.  Others, like physicians and paramedics and biology majors are a little more comfortable with discussions of bloody detail than the rest of us. 

But hear this: even in the face of cruel and gut-wrenching hardship, even when the doctor declares a devastating diagnosis, even when the phone rings and the news is shattering, even when the hurricane winds gather force and the predictions call for evacuation – even then –

You have a place to stand.

* * * * * * *

This week, I’m running an experiment with you.  I hope you don’t mind. 

I’m considering a new project – taking the Sunday sermon and putting it into a little narrative; an inspirational challenge that reinforces the main theme of the message.  It’ll be the basis of a small group program that meets around the biblical passage addressed by the pastor on Sunday.  It will also give the weekly newsletter an element of ministry, along with the calendar.  (No plans to change LeaderFOCUS.)

You just read the prototype.

I’m thinking of calling the piece – “The Heart of the Matter,” in hopes that I’ll not only amplify the main idea, but also inject something of the passion.  You know, heart.

I’ll personalize it some – instead of “The Pastor,” as I’ve done here, I’ll call him by name.

LeaderFOCUS has become something of a Monday morning tradition for six years this month.  I can’t imagine a weekend anymore that doesn’t include writing.  It’s now a full-blown habit.  Maybe an addiction.  I set out from the start to make it inspirational – hopeful.  And I’ve written about a hundreds of topics – ranging from news events to books to movies to historical accounts to museum visits.  Always, I’ve wanted my faith and values to be woven into the narrative.  As time has passed, maybe you’ve noticed, my faith seems to be getting more and more evident.

Someone recently suggested (one of my three brothers, actually) that LF has indeed fulfilled its promise.  In my introduction to LF, I wrote, “You are a leader. You need focus. Potential is terrific. But give me achievement any day. Agreed? So I call this weekly cyber-memo LeaderFOCUS. In bringing some of that to you – I’m hopin’ some of it will rub off on me.”

Well, Roger said, six years later, “looks like it has.”

In “The Heart of the Matter,” I’ll be even more overt.  At about half the length of LF, it will be unapologetically biblical.  It will end with a challenge.  It will make you think.

That’s the plan.

Stay tuned.

* * * * * * * *

It’s Monday morning.  You are a leader.

Sometimes events will blindside you and turn your whole world upside down.  All the planning.  All the dreaming.  All the expectations.  In a moment’s time, vanish like a vapor.  Think about Peter.  The emotional high, then low.  The denials.  Watching them take this man he’d followed with a reckless sort of abandon, and execute him.  Now gathered with about a hundred rag-tag followers, all asking the same question.  Peter, what do we do now?

Then it hit him like a lightening bolt.  The answer, hidden in the Psalms.  Enlightenment from a Bible passage.  It was a turning point.

Not a bad place to look when you’re on the hunt for answers.

Give it a shot.

It’s there you’ll find the heart of the matter.

Posted in Valley Center, California

© Copyright Kenneth E. Kemp 2004

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