Popcorn Evangelists, One Pop At A Time!

Last night the Vineyard Church of Wheeling handed out over five hundred free bags of fresh popped and salted popcorn.  As I stood there with the team, the light in the popcorn popper stood in stark contrast to the faltering light of the evening sky and I was reminded of Jesus' words to his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth...".  I  wondered how much popcorn they had provided to movie watchers down by the Ohio River in Wheeling.  They figured they had been doing this for seven years and with several Friday nights, they could have served tens of thousands of these treats to the young and the young at heart. 

Salt on popcorn is one of the 14,000 uses according to the National Salt Institute.  In ancient times Roman soldiers were paid with salt, called the salarium argentum.  It was used as an exchange like money for slaves and the phrase, "not worth their salt" comes from this era.  Jesus tells us salt which loses it flavor is worthless, but salt cannot lose its flavor except by dilution.  A teaspoon of salt in a glass of water is far saltier than in a swimming pool.  A small amount of salt is used in cooking to make sweet things sweeter and bitter foods better to the taste.  Was Jesus talking about salt as a means of flavoring or a means of exchange between people?  Perhaps we can be both.  Each bag said, "God loves you" and the smiles of the popcorn evangelists touched thousands of people.  People stood in line to get a taste of the buttery and salty confection and with a "Thank You" they would trail off to watch the movies or cartoons but the consistent prescence of these popcorn evangelists year after year offered Wheeling residents a picture of those words, "You are the salt of the earth!" 

Popcorn can be a reminder to the fruit Jesus was looking for from his disciples.  Popcorn will generally expand to 35% of its original size and since Jesus told us we are to be fruitful, these popcorn evangelist have sowed seeds across the Wheeling waterfront in the hope it will bear much fruit.   Salt, oil, popcorn kernels and heat make a great treat and a great illustration of another statement Jesus made:

"I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."(GNT)
  

Another Cupbearer to a King

We see in the Old Testament Nehemiah holds the position of cup bearer to King Artaxerxes, a highly honorable and responsible position.  In the old French a bouteille, was a person with the duty of the tables and the wine cellar, but today we would call him a butler.  In movies and television, the butler is dressed in a waistcoat and tails with a British accent such as Mr. Giles French, the very prim and proper gentleman's gentleman who cared for Uncle Bill in the 1960's television show Family Affair.  In dealing with the small and unruly Jody and Buffy, Mr. French never had a hair out of place nor a dirty vest or jacket.  However, Christian service is anything but prim or proper.  We know the image of Jesus kneeling down to the level of the lowest servant to wash the feet of his disciples.  Only hours before, two brothers and their mom approached Jesus to sit on seats of honor and the others got angry because they wanted the high positions too.    

This weekend the Vineyard Church of Wheeling is having ServeFest 2011.  Such activities as giving away popcorn at the Heritage port movie for Friday, giving away water, cleaning and repairing the Children's Museum and YWCA on Saturday, and giving people a $1 to allow us to wash their cars affords the church the opportunity to model both Christ and infectious Christianity.  Sadly, many servants of Christ in churches across the world need events to practice what should be a daily duty.  It is not a duty of obligation but a duty of appreciation as Jesus took on the image of a servant instead of the Son of God to both serve as our payment and our pattern for eternal life.

As Christians we have been given a royal commission to serve God.  In serving others we will have to leave the lofty seats and get down to serve.  We might then get to see things as Christ did: the chance to serve instead of being served. 

How Ironic!

Irony is a literary device using either characters or the plot of the story to give an opposite meaning to what happens and is similar to words as sarcasm and satire.  Recently in upstate New York, a fifty-five year old motorcyclist died during a rally against wearing a helmet when his motorcycle fishtailed and he flew over the handlebars.  Troopers investigating the accident said he probably would have lived if he was wearing a helmet. 

How ironic the day after we celebrate the Fourth of July and the freedom this revolution engendered, we see liberty as a God given right put to the test. For three years we have heard of the Caycee
Anthony case and many decided her guilt years ago.  We saw prophets and prognosticators speaking on the merits of the case but in the end she was found not guilty.  Under the rule of King George III, juries were gender based, and only those males who had lands would make up a jury.  Under the strict control of the government juries who did not render the expected results could be punished themselves.  The right of trial by jury was such a needed right it is mentioned three times in the Declaration itself.  (Jury Service, A Vital Role in American Justice, http://www.courts.mo.gov/.)

We cannot celebrate freedom unless it is freedom for all.  I am not saying "not guilty" means Caycee was innocent.  In our system of courts the state must prove beyond a shadow of doubt her guilt.  We cannot get into the minds of the jury, but we must accept her "freedom" just as we accept our own.  Years ago I was asked if I would hear Colonel Oliver North Thomas Road Baptist Church and I said no.  The next question of why received the answer: "I am not going to hear him speak from a puplit because he is a convicted felon."  This was met with, "The charges were overturned!"  I said, "That is not the same thing as innocent."  Only God will get justice for the small child.  We must however appreciate the system which has set her free. 

Protecting the Declaration of Independence

If you saw the movie, National Treasure, you might remember the difficulty they faced in stealing the Declaration of Independence.  The recent renovation of the DOI also updated the security of the document.  It can be seen daily and then stored in secured vaults at night time.  Like the movie, if someone was able to steal the DOI, they would forever be sought by local, state, and federal authorities because the value of the Declaration far exceeds any monetary amount.  The DOI divided this country for the crown of England based on rights we believed came not from government, but from the Creator.  We established a new government to protect these rights and faced with the belief that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness came from God, Americans today can protect the ideals of the Declaration of Independence in three distinct ways. 

Protecting the ideal of LIFE.  Life is more than the physical nature of man but what he believes gives him this life.  As a believer, I believe it is God and therefore I have a right to live my life for him.  As a baptist I love our statement of belief which allows each person to interpret Scriptures individually apart from an established church and also the right not to have a faith.  However, if someone believes it is something else, I have no right to deprive him of his right unless it prevents me from living mine.  We then have a courts system to protect the rights of individuals to ensure each American can continue to have life.

Protecting the ideal of LIBERTY.  Liberty is opposite of oppression.  A nation left the rule of a king so they could be free.  Liberty is for all who come to our country legally because our nation was created by immigrants seeking these ideals  Because we are a unique nation, classes on citizenship, civics, and our national language do not deprive immigrants of this liberty, it informs them of our history, rights, and beliefs.  If they do not understand the ideals of the Declaration and the freedoms it offers, how can they truly be free?

Protecting the ideal of PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.  If happiness would simply be a state of frivolity then the DOI would be a cheap piece of parchment.  A government is established so man can pursue what makes him happy.  Religion, family, prosperity, social discourse, a free press, and many more provide man that which each seeks: peace.  A national government establishes a military to protect these ideals.  A strong defense brings peace and not political words.  We fought for these and have continued to fight to protect them. 

You can also protect them by becoming an active band of citizens in the political affairs of our country.  If someone does not stand for your ideals, then use discourse and the vote to ensure you can retain these God given rights.  One of the themes from one of the early colonies stated: "Live Free or Die."  Many died so we can live free and let us live that freedom.  Happy Fourth of July all and watch the video of the reading of the Declaration of Independence.