But he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth (2 Corinthians 11:17 - 18).
" + "On the eve of the inauguration, that is, the ascendancy of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States, what we need most is a healthy dose of perspective. As political pundits, reporters, and historians reminisce about Martin Luther King and make countless correlations between him and Obama and the ways in which Obama embodies King's dream, we need a healthy dose of perspective. And tomorrow, as we watch Obama place his hand on the Bible—the same bible used at Abraham Lincoln's inaugurals—to take the oath of office, we need a healthy dose of perspective.
" + "Couched in the rhetoric and cadence of a black preacher, Obama motivated this country, indeed the world, as he spoke of the dreams and other possibilities of this nation with the mantra: "Yes we can." Ostensibly, Obama is a gifted orator and a savvy politician; and, he used these skills to electrify a nation, using a psychology of politics to speak to the viscera of human experience. That is, Obama framed his campaign in light of the outgoing administration—high gas prices, less jobs, poor healthcare, teetering educational standards, unnecessary international conflicts, etc.—to tell people that these issues comprised their primary problem. More, these issues were and are the roots of the problems we face, problems that frustrate our "pursuit of happiness."
" + "Over against the "dream" of Martin Luther King and the "Yes we can" of Barack Obama stands the "Yes We Will" of Jesus. See, the whole of human history represents humanity's inability to achieve transformation and its own salvation; in fact, history shows that when we rely on our own devices we hasten our own ruination, even damnation, that is, we make our "problems" worse. Thus, history shows us that in and of ourselves, "No we can't."
" + "The sinister, indeed evil, byproducts of King's dream and Obama's mantra are that they caused and still cause many people to identify with and trust in man and man's wisdom (Jeremiah 17:5). More, these same tempt, indeed force, many to focus on this life that will pass away over against the in-breaking kingdom of God, which one enters only through identification with Jesus, God's Word to us (Romans 6:1 - 5). One of the many issues we take with God's Word to us is that it does not always make us feel better; God's Word does not always excite us and pique our emotions. And, we want to be inspired; we want to feel better; we do not want the pain of God's Word (Hebrews 4:12; Colossians 3:5). We prefer man and man's wisdom, because this is easier and more comforting.
" + "In short, we really do not want to die to sin; rather, we see the resurrection of Christ as exempting us from the invitation and responsibility to walk after Him (Ephesians 2:8 - 10; Romans 6:1 - 5). We see the resurrection of Christ as an excuse to "continue in sin, that grace may abound." This rush to the resurrection allows us to create "another Jesus" and even more idols so that our type of grace may abound, a grace based on our rules and not the Word of God. This rush to the resurrection disallows our baptism into the death of Jesus which is absolutely necessary if we are to be raised with Him in his resurrection.
" + "Make no mistake, Jesus, "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead," (Romans 1:4) is God's Word to us. Paul starkly reminds us that we must glory in the One, who saves us (Romans 5:8). God's Word assures us that if we join Jesus in His death, "we shall also be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Romans 6:5). This is no mere dream; this does not constitute a satisfaction with or settling for possibility and probability.
" + "If we dedicate ourselves to focusing on the sin that so easily besets and not the distractions our idols, or another Jesus, place before us, then we will be with Jesus in the end. God's Word to us is: "Yes we will!" (1 John 3:2) If we focus on God's Word, laboring vigilantly in meditation and prayer, fasting when God wills, "Yes we will!" If we commit ourselves to rejoicing in the Lord no matter the circumstance as Paul exhorts us to in Philippians 4:10 - 13, "Yes we will!" If we commit ourselves to loving one another as ourselves, "Yes we will!" God's Word to us in Jesus Christ represents the inexorability and inevitability of God's will and plan for salvation. If we obey the Word of God, we shall behold Jesus and what is more, we shall be like him. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all!
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