Concentration Camps Operating Today - Anybody Care?

I just skimmed an article in the paper on the appeasement efforts against Hitler in 1938, titled "What Were They Thinking?"  This is the usual response we have today to Hitler: how could we have let that happen?

The sad thing is, we are doing it again.  Right now.

China is forcing thousands of its own Muslims into concentration camps against their will, separating families, in a mass effort at thought control, to stamp out Islam and replace it with faith in Communism and President Xi.  The New York Times recently documented it, with leaks from within China's government.

It is true.
It is a travesty.
And we are doing nothing about it.

Xi is a modern-day version of Adolph Hitler, only more effectively controlling the information flow and thoughts of his people.  China is showing other dictatorships that it is actually possible to censor the internet and more or less control what millions of people can read and see.  I admit Xi hasn't yet moved to the final solution, but the logic of his totalitarian governance makes it entirely probable.

Meanwhile, Xi traipses around the globe offering eager nations his seemingly endless capital to borrow to boost their economies.  Across the page from this article was Xi in Brazil shaking hands with its Trump-esque leader, who ran by denouncing China's human rights record.  Now he's taking their money.

Why do we not oppose this with the same vigor we did Communist Russia in the Cold War?
Perhaps we think that method backfired?  It led to mutual-assured destruction in an arms race.  Do we think the risk is too great?

A more likely answer is that we have joined economically with China.  I have friends and family that go there for work regularly.  Their employers have high-stakes joint ventures with Chinese companies.  We have believed the lie that Chinese business and the Chinese government are two separate and different things, under the illusion that China is becoming like America.  The opposite is true.  Just look at Hong Kong.

We should be willing to pay a HIGH price to stand against such an obvious violation of human rights going on in China.  The Chinese politicians are masters of feigning offense and threatening to remove market opportunities, to get us to tow their line.  We need to stop caving to their tactics and recover our moral compass.

Death and Bach's Cantatas

I got to go to a church service I didn’t lead recently.

And not just any service.  Lutheran Vespers with a Bach Cantata tucked in the middle.

It was glorious.  The sermon was Bible-based but also expanded on the Cantata, which included such lines as "Human, you must die!"  "Put your house in order."  Like Handel's Messiah, many just like the pretty sound, but if you read the words in the program, you get full-boar Christian truth.

Written probably for a funeral, this Cantata is titled for its first line, "God's time is the best time."

Give a listen here.

Knowing Christ - Mark Jones - chapters 15-18

15 – Christ’s Humiliation

Philippians 2:5-11 shows us the humbling and exalting of Jesus.

No one ever stooped so low, because He came from such a height.

The Incarnation wasn’t automatically a humiliation, as if flesh is inferior stuff to get away from.  But being incarnate into His circumstances certainly was a humiliation.

His parents gave the sacrifice of the poor for Him.  He was taught.  He bore slander silently.  He submitted to wicked powers.  He had to wait years to minister to others, though he was wise at 12 in the temple.  He had to listen to others when He knew more than them.  His family thought He was crazy.  Judas betrayed Him.  Peter denied Him.  They attributed His miracles to Satan.  His trial was unjust.  His crucifixion was physically humiliating and painful.  He was scorned and rejected as prophet, priest and king.  He experienced death as His spirit parted from His body.

How can we complain of being humiliated when Christ bore so much more, for us?

“Our glory is our humiliation.”

16 – Christ’s Transfiguration

Jesus will return glorious, no longer marred and humbled, but with power like glimpsed at His transfiguration.

It happens after 6 days (Mark 9:2), so on the 7^th, a Sabbath hint.  Sunday is now our day of gladness and light.

The contrast with the crucifixion is striking. He spoke of it as He came down the mountain.

God answered Moses’ prayer to “Show me Your glory,” at the transfiguration.

God declares Jesus His Son, and commands us to listen to Him.

We need to listen to Him in the Scriptures, reading which, Peter says is better than seeing Jesus transfigured (2 Peter 1:16-21).

We too will be transfigured – glorified – in our bodies at the resurrection.

17 – Christ’s miracles

His miracles:

·         verified His ministry as from God.

·         ushered in a new creation.

·         Each point to the cross, the source of healing, blessing and restoration.

·         Were more than acts of compassion and charity.

·         Announced a new age, like the wine at Cana.

·         Show us what the new creation will be like – disease healed, sight restored, hunger fed, demons thrown out, life after death

·         Of exorcism show His victory over Satan accomplished

·         Show God’s own desire to restore all things

Jesus is all along now miraculously giving life to the dead in regenerating and converting them to faith in Him.

18 – Christ’s sayings

His seven sayings from the cross were:

1.      Father, forgive them.  He sought their repentance as He prayed, and it was granted at Pentecost when many did repent.  He prayed for His enemies, as they killed Him.  Can we be so kind to our enemies?

2.      Today you will be with me in paradise.  The first saying is answered, immediately!  God is willing to forgive and save miserable and repulsive sinners.

3.      Behold your mother.  Jesus fulfilled the law (5^th commandment) at His death.  [He also provides spiritually for her, putting her in His believing family of disciples instead of His unbelieving biological family.]

4.      My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?  Only Jesus knows the depth of this cry.  This was a new experience for Jesus, and His descent into hell.  He noticed God’s withdrawal of favor and fellowship.

5.      I thirst.  Shows His physical suffering – dehydration – and also a picture of need for God unmet (Isaiah 41:17).

6.      It is finished.  He fulfilled all righteousness.  The imputation was done, putting our sins on Him, and His righteousness on us.  The victory was won over Satan and death.

7.      Into Your hands I commit My Spirit.  The Father said “Very good” to His work.  Christ’s death was voluntary. 

These words comfort us, even as He said them in deep distress.

Talking to Teens about Sex and Culture // Gilead // Venker?

Just listened to an excellent series of talks to high schoolers by Rich Lusk, a pastor Alabama in my denomination, the CREC.  I highly recommend them.  A great Biblical response to the sexual rebellion/revolution in our culture right now, without overreacting into legalism ourselves or hostility against folks caught up in it.


World did a book review of Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson on their podcast today.  Part of me hesitates to recommend it, though I quoted from it in last Sunday's sermon!  The hesitation is because the author is a PCUSA liberal type.  But the insight she brings is very edifying.  It isn't wading through 80% chaff to find a few nuggets - there's food for thought on almost every page.  The link is here and it starts at 19:20.


Lusk recommends Suzanne Venker, who I hadn't heard of before today.
Just a quick skim of this page shows it useful.
Her bio says she's been at the Federalist, which is a plus in my book.