Saul’s Conversion- A sermon based on Acts 9

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Dr Pepper was first sold in 1885, one year earlier than Coca Cola. Like similar drinks, it was originally marketed as a brain tonic and energy drink, first served at a drug store in Waco, Texas. Touting 23 different ingredients, one of them always rumored to be prune juice.

Well, like all products these days, Dr Pepper has to have variety. There are nine Dr Pepper drinks currently being sold in the United States. The latest version is “Dr Pepper 10.” “Ten Bold Calories” it says right on the 16 ounce plastic bottle. Except that it is ten calories per 8 ounce serving, so the honest name ought to be “Dr Pepper 20.” Or “Dr Pepper 15” for a 12 ounce can. But, I digress.

Dr Pepper 10 is being marketed as a “man’s drink.” “It’s only 10 manly calories, but with all 23 flavors of Dr Pepper.“ Apparently, Diet Dr Pepper doesn't have all the ingredients, besides just not having corn syrup for a sweetner? But, “it’s what guys want.”  O.K., I’m getting thirsty just thinking about this. It makes me want to punch somebody in the gut. I didn’t realize I was such a wuss for drinking Diet Dr Pepper, which I actually like, but with those extra calories, I can finally own up to my manhood. 

“Dr Pepper 10. It’s not for women.”

This is this the world our sons are born into. With so much emphasis on the equality of the sexes, and all the “trans,” as it were: -vestite,  -sexual, -gender, in my lifetime, we have finally found the distinct difference: 10 calories. 

Except, we fathers create the reality of what it means to be a man with our sons. Imitation being as strong as it is, there are alternatives.

Smoking cigars, drinking beer, and watching MMA? Nope, mom can do this to. 

How about treating our wives as precious? This is a good place to start. A real manly man adores his wife and makes no qualms about it.

Why?

How?

Friday.

getting the message to the frontier.m4a Listen on Posterous

In Acts 8:4-25, we see how Philip brings the message of good news to enemy territory and it sticks! The Samaritans are open to receive…

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In Acts 8, we see how God uses the persecution of believers to spread the good news beyond Jerusalem, into Judea, and even beyond into hostile territory, Samaria. The Christians don't go alone. They go together in the power of the Holy Spirit, mainly organized into extended families, or oikos, as Scripture records. What might oikos look like today? We don't have to ask, it's already happening…

I am walking this Saturday, October 8th, for the LSS Community Care Center Walk To End Poverty! Go here for more information and to sponsor me. Thank you!

October 6

Session One: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

October 13

Session Two: Why is It So Hard to Get Good at Praying?

(This course is developed by Dave Housholder, author, pastor, and radio personality on "The Bottom Line with Roger Marsh & Dave Householder," Monday-Friday 3-5 p.m. on KBRT AM740. Have a listen!)

Greg and David just celebrated their 20^th birthday yesterday. We started Saturday night at Cheesecake Factory, and then back home for cake. Every year, more candles (thank you, Captain Obvious), and with twins, 20 makes 40 (thank you, Captain Arithmetic).

Sunday, the official day, the boys wake up and we exchange hugs and happy birthdays.  Then we recall the morning of their 18^th birthday. Memorable for two reasons…

The first thing we remember is that I wake up before everyone else, and go to the gym. After working out, I get in my Ford Explorer. There is a BMW rich man’s car parked next to me. It is half parked next to my spot and half in the spot behind him. So, when I pull out and turn right, I cut it too close and clip his front bumper!

Not a scratch on the Explorer, of course, but there is a small dent in the front panel of the Beemer. I leave a note on his car.

“People are watching me write this and they think I am leaving you my personal information. But, actually I am writing to say that’s what you get for taking up two spots for your fancy car.”

Only kidding. I tell the owner to go visit the front desk.

So, it’s back to the gym, giving the guy at the front desk all my information. There is actually a prewritten form for just this situation. What did I learn? Two things.

1.  My driving skills are suspect when I can get in an accident from a dead stop in a parking lot.

2. When you are driving an 80/ 90K car, your front bumper getting dinged costs more than 10K to fix. I know, because I saw our insurance premiums go up after that. Now it’s been two years, so I think we are back to normal. 

The second memorable thing for the boys about their 18^th birthday, is when I greeted Greg with a punch in the sternum. He looks at me with his “what the heck” stare. I say one word.

“Misdemeanor.”

As in, “You have just turned 18 and now if I hit you it will no longer be felony child abuse, but only a misdemeanor.”

We laugh about this, but I really don’t hit my kids. Really. Do not take this as evidence that I strike the boys. Actually, they used to hit me once in a while. Parental abuse. But, it was only in the arm because they are playing that stupid “Slug Bug” game. You know where you punch someone in the arm when you see a Volkswagen Beetle.  “Slug Bug yellow!”

We don’t play this anymore because when I stopped participating, I was getting hit all the time. That’s a perfect game for sons to play with their father. They get to hit you, knowing you won’t hit them back. I guess it’s a good substitute for patricide, but I don’t want any part of it. It’s time to stop.

Instead of hitting them myself to make them stop, I give them my “mean dad” Bruce Willis-scowl. This proves sufficient. No more “Slug Bug” as far as I am concerned. But, there might come a day when I resurrect the game, if only once. I’ll scream, “Slug Bug blue!” and haul off and coldcock one of them.

That’ll teach ‘em…

(Now, really, you know I am not going to do this, right? I don't hit the boys nor advocate this kind of violent behavior.)

What is your biggest dream for your son? 

For most of human history, the future of sons was usually connected to their fathers. At around age 12, a boy began to apprentice in a trade with his father. If dad was a farmer, the son was a farmer. Dad is a carpenter, the son is a carpenter. You get the picture.

The biggest dream of any father was that his son would take his work to the next level. Farm more land or get a greater return on the crops. Expand the family business.

There were always exceptions to this practice of sons apprenticing with their fathers, but most often dads simply dreamed of their sons being a bigger and better version of themselves. Not so anymore.

With the industrial revolution, work becomes more than farming and trade. Factory work, and the entire infrastructure to make manufacturing possible, is not a place for apprentices. Sons certainly could follow their dads doing the same work, but not working alongside from the beginning.

Dads begin to have other dreams for their sons. In fact, a common dream for fathers becomes one of hoping their sons don’t follow in their footsteps, but make more out of their lives than what they did. This is often the case today. Sons are encouraged to do better in school, including making sure to go to college, or the “right” college.

Another twist to the “son doing better than dad” story is in leisure activities. Fathers work with their sons from toddler on in some sport or some hobby that dad was involved in, or wishes he had been involved in. Go to any park in America on any Saturday (or more recently, Sunday, and weekday nights for practice) and see this firsthand. Sports, from four/five year olds on, has become an American phenomenon. 

This becomes the classic scenario of dad working with his 3-year-old son to hit that golf ball, throw that baseball, kick that soccer ball, “better” than the other 3-year-old. Of course, there is always a price to pay. 

Living under constant supervision by adults is not the same as apprenticeship. Sons aren’t learning alongside their dads, as much as being observed and subconsciously graded by their dads as to how advanced they are compared to other sons their age. And creativity and imagination don’t function well when your childhood time is constantly spent under the supervision of adults. Even “creative” playtime is often overseen and structured by adults! Obviously the advent of the preschool movement becomes an influencing factor in all of this for younger children.

 Also, consider the whole concept of leadership development.  It’s difficult for sons to lead anything when dads are in charge of the activity. It is a challenge to see any son naturally rise to leadership when every step of the way adults are stressing concepts like “fairness” and “everybody gets their turn.” 

While these are certainly admirable rules to live by, the way they are interpreted, again, by adults, makes it difficult for kids to practice leadership. Interesting, at the same time, there is often talk of a leadership vacuum in our younger generations. Well, where would anyone learn leadership in today’s adult- controlling environment? 

Now, in all of this, who doesn’t instinctually know there is room for change here? Who doesn’t say or think at one time of another, “It’s hard for kids to just be kids anymore”? Quickly though, even this sentiment will disappear as children raised in this environment are now raising their own children in this environment. I’m afraid we will not know a time when the world of adult supervision was not the norm.