Author Archives: Clark Bunch

Bittersweet Explained

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In the December post Bittersweet  I spoke in the language of metaphor and analogy.  Read Bittersweet first; this will make that make sense.

We learned on the 10th of December that my wife Teresa is pregnant.  We have been pregnant twice and had miscarriages twice.  The first (in 2002) was unexpected and very traumatic.  In 2004, we got to the doctor very early (9 weeks) and found that the condition of the baby was already deteriorating.  At 9 weeks there was no heartbeat, and after 2 quantitative HCG tests it was confirmed.  We scheduled a D & C, which was much less traumatizing than the first actual miscarriage.  So in December, when we found out that we were pregnant again for only the third time in 11 years, we had reason for concern.  The news was “bittersweet.”

Teresa is now 9 weeks pregnant, and this evening we heard a heartbeat.  The baby is 7.7 millimeters long, and the doctor says everything is perfect.  We’re still asking for your prayer, but also offering praises at this time.  There are no guarantees in life, but we are now feeling really good about this situation.  For the time it seems God has turned out bittersweet to sweetness.

Uncle Jay Explains the News

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I just leaned about Uncle Jay tonight.  This is his year in review for 2008.  You can check him out on a regular basis at  www.unclejayexplains.com

Welcoming 2009 or Look on the Bright Side

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2009It’s a new year.  It’s our nature to be hopeful.  We have a whole new year with new opportunities, new resolutions, and a chance to start fresh.  A new president will soon take office, with a whole new administration.  Yet 2009 seems to be coming in with an awful lot of 2008 baggage. Continue reading →

New Year’s Resolutions?

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new-yearsI no longer make resolutions, per se.  There are of course a thing or two I would like to change, and in the spirit of turning over a new leaf, it’s hard not to be caught up in the moment.

In the last few weeks, I’ve started several different books and haven’t finished any.  I think at this exact moment I’m in the middle of 4.  Three are theology, one is the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycling.  So without making a resolution (most last an average of 2 weeks) I would like to say I plan to finish those volumes before I start any others.  I also have a brand new ESV Study Bible that I read about, blogged about, doted over; then read very little of. 

So that’s it.  I plan, intend, commit to do these things; no promises.  And you?

Wacky Questions & Trivia, episode 3

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question_mark_3dActually, this one may not be so wacky.  I saw this evening where someone had been searching for occurrences of knives in the Bible, specifically the word “knife.”  By the way, when I searched for knife, I went first to the ESV website and then to Biblegateway, both listed under Useful Links in the right-hand column.  That’s always where I start a search of the Bible text.  Here’s what I found versus what I expected.

The word knife appears 5 times in the ESV.  Two occurrences are in Genesis, in the story of Abraham going up to sacrifice his son Issac.  There’s a post I need to write.  All of the uses of knife are found in the Old Testament, but I didn’t find the one I expected to.  I remember a story of a king, a fat king as a matter of fact, that was slain with a knife.  He was so fat that the entire knife, handle and all, were swallowed up in his fat roles, and the assassin simply walked out of the throne room.  I search the King James text at BibleGateway; there I found 6 instances of knife, but still not that story.  Did I imagine it?  Couldn’t have.

The king was Eglon of Moab, and the KJV uses the word dagger instead of knife.  The ESV actually uses sword, but without researching any Kebrew linquistics I imagine dagger is a better word.  A sword?  How fat could one person be?  At any rate, I was right about the story, wrong about it being a knife.  That’s being really technical.  The story of Eglon’s death is recorded in Judges chp 3.  It’s probably not one you want to read your children before bedtime.

4th Sunday in Advent – Peace

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advent-wreathToday is the 4th Sunday of Advent.  Let’s begin with a review.  The first Sunday of the Advent season was Hope, and we lit the candle of Prophecy.  The second Sunday was Faith, and we lit the Bethlehem candle.  The third Sunday was Joy, and we lit the Shepherd’s candle.  Today is the Sunday of Peace, and we will light the Angel’s candle.

Luke chapter 2  tells the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds as they watched their flock.  On the third Sunday we focus on the joy the shepherds experience as they hear the good news and then find the baby lying in a manger.  On this day, our focus is on the angels themselves, and their delivering the message of peace; specifically “peace on earth, good will toward men.”  If you read Rethinking the Angelic Choir, it’s ironic that the angels singing about peace and were probably all holding swords.  There are plenty of anti-war demonstratorsthat will quickly tell you peace cannot be brought with a gun; that peace is not brought with violence.  In Scripture, however, peace is brought with violence.  There cannot be peace as long as Satan is deceiving the nations.  He and his demonic forces are the enemies of peace.  God will cast Satan and all his followers, human and angelic, into the lake of fire.  After His righteous judgement, death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire, and then Jesus will rule the nations… with peace.  Recall the prophecy of Isaiah:

To us a child is born, to us a son is given; the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighy God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end…   -Isaiah 9:6-7

At his first appearing (or advent) Jesus did not come to bring peace.  He came to offer himself as a sacrifice, in order to reconcile us to God.  Read Ephesians 2:13-22, which I saw tonight in a whole new light.  This may be the best one paragraph summation of the Gospel anywhere in scripture.  It explains the sacrificial work done by Jesus Christ and his relationship to the Father and Spirit perhaps better than any other single text.  At his next appearing, however, Jesus will not come as a baby in a manger.  He will be riding a white horse and wielding a sword.  He came before to be our sacrificial lamb; He will back as a concurring king.  At his first appearing, he became the savior to all nations; at his next, he will judge the nations. 

Even as we celebrate the Advent of Jesus Christ, let us be found spreading the Gospel message and preparing for his second appearing.  That is our hope of peace.

Christmas Greetings from Jeff and Walter

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We just finished watching Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special.  This sample contains 3 clips; I especially enjoyed the first one. 

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Wacky questions, episode 2

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question_mark_3dWacky questions.  You know, like if I say to my history class “Lincoln was shot at the Ford Theater,” and a student asks “What movie was he watching?”  This is my second installment of wacky theological questions and/or search engine terms.  Today’s example is of the latter.

This phrase, typed into a search engine, brought 3 people to my blog today:

“photo of angels and shepherds.”

 

If you don’t get why that’s funny, go back and watch Gone with the Wind.  That’s the movie Lincoln was watching the day he was shot.

Rethinking the Wise Men

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Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  Matthew 2:1-2

nativity

Take a good look at this nativity scene.  Study it for a moment.  It should look similar to every other nativity you’ve ever seen before.  Jesus is lying in a manger filled with hay; the major characters are in or around a stable of some sort; the star would be shining above; the shepherds came from the field, where they had been watching their flocks; and the 3 wise men came bringing gifts.  It’s a nice picture, and we think “That seems about right.”  But it’s not.  One of the things on my list, according to scripture at least,  doesn’t belong. Continue reading →