There’s been a lot of talk this week about Tea Parties. I know some people think that all the protesters are doing this because they don’t want to pay ANY taxes. That is not the case. Everyone, (not counting crazy people) knows that taxes are a necessary part of our social and government systems. The conflict is over the level of taxation and the fairness of its confiscation.

We live in a country, (one that I love and would proudly defend) that has some whacky tax situations. For example… my mother-in-law worked a part time job in which she earned about $2100 last year. She is in her 70s and is now disabled. But because the church that she worked for didn’t take the taxes out and filed on her as a self employed person, she had to pay almost $300 of that little amount in taxes. Something isn’t right.

There is a need for some reasonable changes in taxation. We are told that about 40% of all earners pay no taxes at all (meaning, no withholding—even the devil has to pay FICA). I heard this week that the top 10% of earners (those that earn the most) pay over 70% of the entire tax revenue that comes into the treasury. There is clearly a need for some sanity in this process. I don’t think that I’m smarter than many people, but I am smart enough to know there’s a better way.

When the wisest man to ever live passed from this life, he gave his son the role of King over Israel. His name was Rehoboam. When he became King the people asked him to cut their taxes so they could live with less of a burden. Rehoboam asked them to give him three days to think it over. He asked his father’s advisors and they gave good advice, but he rejected it. Then he asked his friends about cutting the taxes. They convinced him that it would serve their interests and make life better if he raised the taxes instead. So that’s what he did.

The people of Israel revolted (Tea Party) and the country divided. The nation never truly recovered from all the harm caused by a wise King who made foolish decisions and left an ill-equipped son to lead God’s people. Rehoboam never set his heart to follow God (2 Chronicles 12:14).

If they’re going to tax our tea, they had better know that there is a limit. If this young man president is going to listen to his ‘friends,’ tax like there is no tomorrow and spend like there is no end to the money; if he continues to proclaim, “only the government” then don’t be surprised if he ends up like another young king who divided the nation because he wouldn’t listen to wisdom, the people or set his heart to follow God.

telemicus out

In the movie, Passion of the Christ, Jesus falls and Mary comes and kneels down beside him. Jesus looks at her and says, “See mother, I’m making everything new.” This phrase is from Revelation 21:5. This Sunday is Easter. As I was thinking about what I should speak about this week to our church the Word came to me, “Tell them I’m making everything NEW!” No, I didn’t hear a voice, but I heard it loud and clear.

The book of Hebrews is partly about the ways in which Christ is better than anything that came before him. He is better than Moses, He is a better High Priest, He is a better sacrifice, He is better than angels. He is better than the Law and provides a better covenant. He grants better access to the Father and offers a better rest. Jesus death on the cross gave all of humanity something better.

But beyond the elements of our religion, Jesus gives us the opportunity to live new lives. On that Sunday morning when the stone rolled away like the doors at the Target store and he walked out a free man, everything changed for us who belong to Him. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

When we enter into relationship with him, He forgives us, for everything, for good. We enjoy the depth of His teachings. We mature in Him. We walk in and with Him by the Spirit. We have the capacity for holiness. We are no longer slaves but free! We are not under law, but grace. We are not illegitimate, but adopted into the family of God. We are not under the curse, but the blessing. We have peace with God. We have comfort in sorrows. We have family by faith. Because of Him, we can face the horrible, forgive the unforgivable, believe the impossible, endure the unbearable and overcome the insurmountable.

The Old Book says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3). Oh He truly does make everything New! The thing that is most incredible to me about all of this is when a person allows Christ to change their heart. When the heart of stone becomes soft and teachable, when bitter becomes forgiving, when closed becomes open, when wounded becomes healed, when anger becomes happy, when hateful becomes loving—this is Him making us new.

telemicus out

In the movie, Leatherheads, there is a scene where the Duluth Bulldogs are playing a “Mud Bowl” type game against Chicago. It’s the end of the game and Duluth has to have a trick play to win. So Dodge Conner (George Clooney) uses one play to take out one of Chicago’s players, and trades places with him as they carry him off the field. Because mud covered every player on both teams, no one notices. This means that Dodge is covering his own man. The perfect distraction—Duluth wins!

Distractions can be good. We all need something to take our minds off the dragons that have us in turmoil or tangled in details. But, when there is a pressing matter that needs our attention, distractions can render us ineffective and waste our opportunities.

In Mark chapter 9, Jesus spent some time on a mountain with Moses and Elijah. Peter, James and John were also at this meeting and as they returned to the town, they found the other nine Apostles engaged in an argument with the teachers of the Law. Jesus says, “What are you arguing about?” Out of the crowd a man speaks up and says, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by an evil spirit . . . I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not” (Mark 9:17-18).

There you have it. The father brings his son, tormented by an evil spirit and because the Apostles were not spiritually prepared to face this evil spirit, they could not cast it out. Instead of dealing with their own spiritual weakness, taking the boy to a private place to minister to him, taking him to Jesus so that He could cast it out, instead of any other course of action, they got into a shouting match with the teachers of the Law about the fact that they couldn’t cast out this evil spirit.

And the Enemy wins.

What frustrated Jesus here is not the evil spirit. You can see that by the way he dealt with it that is was not a giant battle for him. No, what frustrated Jesus was the unbelief and the lack of preparedness in his own followers. For while his disciples argued about their own efficacy and power, a boy still was being tortured.

We see this in politics, where those we elect go and fight with one another on Capitol Hill and the talk shows, while ignoring the real people who need help. They say their fighting for us, but it’s rarely about us. It happens in churches too. While people need to know the love and forgiveness of God, “leaders” argue about what they want or don’t want to happen. I wonder . . . if Jesus walked into our building or attended one of our meetings, would he say, “Keep up the good work?” or “What are you arguing about?”

telemicus out