2015: The year I will never forget

On July 4th, 2015 my boss had a team meeting scheduled.  In that meeting, he gave the surprising announcement that he was going to be leaving to pursue another opportunity that had been presented to him.  In the course of the comments he made that day he made a shrewd statement that I want to share with you today.  He said, “Life is chapters.”  When I look back, I can see how my life really does seem to be divided into various chapters.

 

What my boss didn’t know – and what no one could possibly know – was that later on that very month my dad went home to be with Jesus in Heaven.  It was an occurrence that I certainly didn’t see coming.  When I woke up that morning, I never would have envisioned that it was going to be his last day on Earth.  Dad was a model of health.  But it didn't matter.  It’s a stark reminder that when God says it’s your time, then that’s settles it.  “Life is chapters,” said my former boss.  My dad’s unexpected entrance into glory plunged the Bauer family into a chapter of grief, pain, and loss.

The magnitude of such a loss changes you forever.  C.S. Lewis, in his book “A Grief Observed” (a book where Lewis is processing the pain of his wife’s death) likened losing a loved one to having an arm amputated.  If you were to go through such an ordeal, it wouldn’t kill you, you would survive, but you’d never be the same again.  That’s a perfect illustration of how I feel.  Life will go on.  But I’m never going to be the same.

Taking photographs was one of my father's hobbies.  So, to conclude the blog for today (and the 2015 content) in honor of Dad, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite pictures with you.  Of course, there are so many more I could share.  But this is a good sampling plate.

Dad showed us all what it means for a husband to love his wife as Christ loves the church

Dad with his two boys

I love this picture so much!

Dad loved being a Grandpa.  Here he is with Anna, my niece

Dad was also a really good pianist

Attending a Colorado Rockies game.  Cherished memories!

I'll see you again one day, Dad!

The world desperately needs a savior

One of the superhero movies that has faded into obscurity is a film made back in 2006 called “Superman Returns” starring Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth.  I’m not proposing that this is a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination.  It has noticeable flaws.  I think it could have done a better job of explaining some of the plot points, for example.  But for all the issues this movie has there is one scene that has really stuck in my mind to this day.

In the film, Lois Lane is heartbroken because Superman left Earth for a time.  She didn’t know when or if he would ever return.  Five years passed, but he did return (hence the movie title).  Superman discovers that Lois has moved on with her life, he finds that she has a child and she is in a committed relationship with another man.  Superman is also very sad to learn that Lois has written an article (and she won a Pulitzer for it) called “Why the World Doesn’t Need Superman.”

In the aforementioned memorable scene, Superman asks Lois why she wrote such a paper.  “I moved on,” she replied.  “So did the rest of us.  That’s why I wrote it.  The world doesn’t need a savior, and neither do I.”  Later on in the scene, Superman, while flying high above the city with Lois in his arms, asks her, “What do you hear?”  She answered that she didn’t hear anything.  “I hear everything,” he responded.  “You wrote that the world doesn’t need a savior, yet every day I hear people crying out for one.”  What he was saying without directly saying it is that Lois was absolutely wrong; the world does need a savior.  It’s true in the world of superheroes, but it’s also true in real life.

In Luke 2, we read words that are so familiar we can easily miss their vast importance.  When Christ was born, an angel from Heaven announced, “There is born unto you this day, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11; italics mine).  Further, in Matthew 1, we read that an angel conveyed to Joseph that they should name the child Jesus, because, “He will save His people from their sins.”  Yes, the world does need a savior, and His name is Jesus Christ.

What does it mean that Jesus is Savior?  The Bible tells us that humanity has a problem: sin.  We are sinners, both by inherent nature and by personal choice.  I once heard Billy Graham put it this way: “All of mankind is infected with a disease called sin.”  It’s a blight upon our souls and hearts.  The book of Romans puts it succinctly: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  God loves us and wants to be in friendship and fellowship with us, but our sin is repugnant and vile to Him. 

Seeing our dilemma, Jesus, Immanuel, God in human flesh, came to Earth as an infant.  He grew up, and died a violent death on a cross to pay the penalty of humanity’s sin.  He paid our “sin debt” as Charles Stanley has put it.  We’ve all accrued a massive debt to God that we could never pay, but Jesus paid it on our behalf.  I love these words from an old hymn: “Jesus paid it all.  All to Him I owe.  Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.”  1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”  

However, this doesn’t mean that everyone is now automatically in a right relationship with God.  We have to make a conscious decision to put our faith, trust, and reliance in Jesus.  To use the Biblical terminology we have to “believe” in Jesus.  John 1:12 states, “But as many as received Him, to those who believe on His name, to them He gave the right to become children of God.”  

Let me try to illustrate this.  Yesterday, so many people had Christmas gifts placed in front of them.  But for them to actually be appropriated, they had to be accepted and received.  If not, they would simply sit there and be of no benefit whatsoever.  It’s the same with salvation from sin in Christ.  Ephesians 2 says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (italics mine).  Have you accepted God's gracious gift?

Growing up, I used to hear a sentiment in gospel tracts or sermons; it was this question: “If you died today, do you know for sure you would go to Heaven?”  I would relegate this question to nothing more than a mere hypothetical situation given to illustrate a point.  But if this year has taught me anything, it is that we don’t know when our last day on Earth will be.  Only God knows when we are going to pass away.  It could be 50 years from now, but it could be tomorrow.  We simply do not know.  I urge you, dear reader, to be ready for eternity.  I’m convinced that some of you reading these words have heard this message before, but you’ve resisted putting your faith in Christ alone to save you.  It’s time to stop fighting and submit to God.  Don’t delay.  Put your faith and trust in Jesus today.

Kevin

The destiny of Jesus Christ (part 2)

Last week, I ended my post by speaking of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross for all of humanity.  Today I wanted to bring up the glorious truth that Jesus didn’t stay dead, He resurrected from the grave; victorious over death itself!  Some of you are thinking, “Wait a minute.  Kevin, why are you talking about the resurrection?  Why not focus on Jesus’ birth instead?  Today isn’t Easter, it’s Christmas.”

I understand your confusion.  Make no mistake: I am certainly very grateful for the Christmas narrative (and I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas).  I love the plan God had in bringing about the birth of Jesus.  But this year, I've decided to convey that Christmas, as wonderful as it is, was really just the beginning; so much more occurred after Jesus was born in a manger.  For instance, Jesus performed astonishing miracles.  He delivered the most amazing teachings.  But the time came when Jesus voluntarily chose to give His life by means of crucifixion on a cross.  Then His lifeless body was placed in a tomb.

But His destiny didn’t end there.  Jesus rose from the grave; He who was dead was alive again!  Furthermore, Jesus spoke of His post-cross destiny.  He repeatedly predicted to His disciples that He was going to be killed, but that He would be resurrected (see Matthew 20:17-19 for just one example of this).  Interestingly, after Jesus was crucified, the chief priests and Pharisees go to Pilate and they tell him that Jesus had predicted that He was going to rise again in three days (read it for yourself; it’s Matthew 27:62-63).  Even they knew the predictions Jesus had made!  

Let me shift gears and move to some personal application.  Yes, Jesus resurrected from the dead, but does it make a difference in life?  To put it succinctly, it makes a huge difference!  Regular readers of this blog already know that 2015 has been a year of pain and loss for me and for the Bauer family.  While the Biblical truths regarding a Christian’s hope after death were important to me before, they have washed over me in a whole new way this year.

Take 1 Thessalonians 4 for example.  In verse 16, Paul writes, “The dead in Christ will rise first.”  It’s remarkable to think about this: because Jesus conquered death, a future bodily resurrection is assured for our dearly departed loved ones in Christ.  Please don’t misunderstand me.  This doesn’t mean that when a person dies they just go through a soul sleep.  The people that teach this concept are wrong.  The Bible says that for the believer who passes away, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

But one day, that body will be raised again.  An article from the website compelling truth.org puts it this way, “In summary, the dead in Christ are believers who have already died.  However, these believers now dwell in God’s presence, will one day receive a new, glorified body, and will be reunited with all believers living today at the moment of His return.  Though the death of a believer produces sadness for those who remain, we can take joy in the fact that they live on with the Lord and that we who believe will one day see them again” (please check out the full article in the link I’ve included below).  I don’t know how I would have endured the pain, heartache, and sorrow of this year if I didn’t have this truth to hold onto!

1 Corinthians 15:19 says, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”  Because Jesus arose from the grave, I know that death itself has been defeated.  I know that death isn’t the end.  I know that I will see my dad one day again in Heaven.  What a glorious reunion that will be!  Later on in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where O death, is your victory?  Where O death, is your sting?...But thanks be to God!  He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (verses 54-55, 57-58).

Kevin

http://www.compellingtruth.org/dead-in-Christ.html

The destiny of Jesus Christ

One of the interesting aspects of the superhero genre for me is the origin story.  The origin story is almost like the prologue before the main event.  For example, a young Bruce Wayne witnesses his parents brutally murdered right before him.  This forever changes the course of his life.  He wants to pursue justice.  It takes him decades, but he ultimately puts on a cape and cowl and becomes Batman.  But that’s only his origin story.  Any superhero has a story of their humble origins, but it’s only the beginning act.  Many battles are still going to be fought.

In a similar way, the account of Christmas is really just an origin story.  Mary, although a virgin, is used by God to give birth to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  By the way, don’t forget Joseph’s role in all this.  He was Mary’s devoted husband, who was also used mightily by God.  How could Mary have done everything she was called to do alone?  The answer is she couldn’t; so God provided Joseph to her.  But so many seem to believe that the entire saga ends with Jesus in a manger; this is simply not the case.  This was only the beginning, the prologue, the origin story.  Jesus grew up and lived out His destiny.

What was Jesus’ destiny?  From the moment Jesus was born in that manger, it was His destiny to give His life on a cross to pay the penalty of the sin of mankind.  Why would His death accomplish this?  Because Jesus is God incarnate, or to put it in simpler terms, God in human flesh.  Every Christmas we hear these words, and it’s easy for us to gloss over them, but listen to this again.  “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means, “God with us.”” (Matthew 1:22).

Jesus was fully man, He was also fully God.  Immanuel – God with us.  That’s why His sacrifice on the cross is so important.  Only Jesus, the God-man, could take on the role of sin-bearer for mankind’s sin.  This Christmas season, I’m remembering Jesus’ sacrifice made for you and me, out of pure love.  Let me illustrate this:

I was so intrigued by a storyline in a recent episode of “The Flash”.  Two villains teamed up and hatched a near perfect plan.  They placed one hundred bombs throughout the city.  They threatened to detonate them and murder thousands of innocent people.  But what they actually wanted to do was destroy The Flash.  Check out this choice they give to the hero.

“Here’s how it’s going to be: you are going to stand there, and let me end you, very publicly and very painfully, and I’ll let everybody live.  But if I see if a little flicker of electricity on you [in other words, if he attempts to run], casket makers in this town are going to have a very merry Christmas.  So, Flash, what’s it going to be?”  Selflessly and heroically, The Flash concedes and lets the villains pummel him.  Blow after blow hits him, and even though he has the power to fight back or flee, he doesn’t.

As I watched this unfold, I was thinking, “He intends to give his life as savior for the city.”  Ultimately, The Flash doesn’t die.  Thanks to the quick thinking of his friends, the bombs were diffused; the crisis was averted.  But I hesitate to even mention that detail.  The fact is, he was ready to give his life for the citizens he loves.  This is a Christ-like scene.  Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrated His love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”  1 John 2:2 says that Jesus is “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  I am so thankful for Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross for my sin.  Without that, I would have no hope.

Kevin 

"Blue Christmas"

Some of you may be wondering why I haven’t devoted a blog to the Christmas season yet.  After all, in previous years of this blog most, if not all, of December’s posts had a Christmas theme.  While the Christmas content is still coming later, this year is different.  This year is painful.  In fact, I wish I could go to sleep, wake up the next morning, and have it magically be January of 2016.  It’s difficult to walk out these days leading up to Christmas because my dad is no longer with us.

It’s difficult for several reasons, but let me give you just one example: my father loved Christmas and he loved music (as a matter of fact he even wrote his own Christmas song).  Thus it is not easy to hear Christmas music.  Which, of course, presents a problem: trying to avoid hearing Christmas music is nearly impossible as it is everywhere at this time of year.  One of the songs that I find myself resonating with is Elvis Presley’s song “Blue Christmas.”  He sings about how he will have a “blue Christmas” without his loved one.  Similarly, it will be a blue Christmas for me without my dad.

Check out this passage from the Bible: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Most know these words, or at least that last phrase “Great is Your faithfulness.”  But not everyone knows that the book of Lamentations is the prophet Jeremiah lamenting the extremely difficult circumstances God had permitted.  Jeremiah is in the midst of intense pain, sorrow, and heartache.  For example, consider how just a few verses earlier, he says that God has “made me walk in darkness and not light” (Lamentations 3:2).  In verse 5, he says that God has “surrounded me with bitterness and woe.”  Verse 17: “You [God] have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity.”

But then in verse 21, his tune changes; he says, “This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope.”  He goes on to say what I’ve already cited in verses 22 and 23.  Context is crucial in the Bible.  The context of the monumental statement of God’s faithfulness is that, even in the midst of this intensely emotional, gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, agonizing pain, Jeremiah can still honestly declare that God is faithful.  I can say the same thing for myself.  Even though this is a “blue Christmas” God has never ceased to be faithful to me.  Great is His faithfulness!

Kevin