R-CSI

(If today was 33 A D, a first-hand account might go something like this:)

I was the desk sergeant down at precinct headquarters early that Sunday morning when the earthquake happened. It was significant enough, probably a 5.5, but hardly devastating. True to form the board lit up with callers wanting to know the magnitude and epicenter, and of course I simply had to refer them to local television and radio stations.

But then the call came that I will never forget. It was a woman crying hysterically and screaming, “He's gone! He's gone! They've stolen his body!” I tried without much success to get her to calm down. It took several minutes, but I finally managed to obtain her location. She was calling from the northwest corner of the Memorial Gardens Cemetery, apparently at the site of a family vault.

Then I found out that it was his  body that was missing, Javier Cruz.; the internationally known spiritual philosopher who had managed in a few short years to start a religious revolution with his unorthodox ideas. While he had growing popularity among nonreligious people, who packed out auditoriums to hear him speak, most religious leaders considered him a heretic and took every opportunity to slam him in the press.

Over time sides became more polarized and then the inevitable finally happened. A group of religious extremists took it upon themselves to rid society of his dangerous new ideas. They raided Javier’s headquarters, overpowering his top associates who apparently managed to flee the building through a rear exit. They beat Javier beyond recognition and hung him from a tree in front of the building.

Some friends and family members who witnessed the event immediately called police, but told reporters that they took their time getting to the scene. Whatever the case, Javier was dead by the time they arrived. A private funeral was held three days ago. I'm not particularly religious or philosophical, so I didn't pay a lot of attention to the publicity he attracted. The way things go these days I'm sure he'll soon be forgotten.

I dispatched a CSI unit to the crime scene and waited for their report. A few hours later they returned looking stunned. Several things at the scene did not make sense. For one, his clothes were neatly folded and set on a slab in the vault. Why would anyone want to undress a dead body before stealing it? The heavy steel-reinforced gate at the entrance to the family vault was swung open, but still locked, and there were no signs of forcible entry. Although the grass was damp from a slight shower, there were no footprints leading into or out of the family vault. No fingerprints were found on the gate, anywhere inside the vault or even on his clothes.

Investigators were struggling to come up with plausible explanations for the evidence gathered this far, or should I say the lack of evidence.  Not even the flowers or memorabilia left by admirers appeared to be disturbed in any way. This had to be the work of pros. But how did they pull it off? And why?

While we were still wondering about this, a police lieutenant called from the field. He had been approached by a woman, who identified herself as a friend of the family, and stated that she had conversed with Javier earlier in the day. He informed me, he was bringing her down to the precinct for questioning. I told him he should take her to County General and admit her to the psych ward. This was all we needed, a crazy on the loose! She must be traumatized and hallucinating. What type of useful information could we possibly get from her?

Imagine that you are this desk sergeant, and this is all the information you have. What would you think happened to the body? Who might have a motive to steal it? Who would you want to bring in for questioning? (Join us next week as this R-CSI continues to uncover more evidence.)

I invite you to our 9 AM or 11:00 AM services this Sunday where I will speak on the “The Overcoming Church.”

Pastor Che

Revenge: Sweet or Bitter?

The Romans perfected the practice of turning victory into a show of revenge. They called it the Roman Triumph, and it was a parade through Rome in which the victorious General, his troops and the spoils of war were greeted by cheering crowds. The spoils were not only physical treasures brought back from battle, but the conquered king, his family and nobles who were put on public display and humiliated.

Often, particularly when a rivalry is long or casualties are high, victors feel entitled to extract revenge to regain a sense of justice. History is full of examples. Recently secret documents from World War II were declassified and indicated that when the death camp at Dachau was liberated by battle weary US troops, they were horrified at what they saw. They lined up 75 SS soldiers who had surrendered and machine-gunned them down in cold blood. The event was reported to Gen. Patton who chose to dismiss all charges, apparently feeling justice had been served.

Revenge as a way to regain justice occurs on smaller scales as well. Recently, the History Channel aired a miniseries on one of the most famous revenge feuds of all time, the Hatfields and the McCoys. These two clans engaged in a cycle of killings, beatings and kidnappings over several decades in the late 1800s. What initially set it off? A disagreement about ownership of a hog!

But does revenge really reestablish true justice? The American Psychological Society Monitor recently reported that studies on revenge indicated that it made people more unhappy, not less so. Commonly, media interviews of relatives of murder victims who attend the execution of perpetrators indicate that witnessing the execution does not produce any satisfaction or relief. Rather than being sweet, revenge actually seems to be a bitter pill once swallowed.

Paradoxically, the way to celebrate a victory that seems to bring the most happiness to people, is to forgive those who have wronged them. Nelson Mandela is an excellent example. Imprisoned for 27 years from 1963 to 1990, he forgave those who imprisoned him.

The late Pope John Paul II is another example. After suffering serious gun shot wounds from an assassination attempt in 1981, he later visited his assailant in prison and forgave him face-to-face. The Pope said, “I spoke to the man as a brother whom I have pardoned.”

An important point to remember in both these examples is that neither man had been asked forgiveness by those who wronged him. They extended their forgiveness freely.

Why does forgiveness bring happiness where revenge does not? When we forgive, we are participating in the life of Father God. He is almighty and could have exacted revenge on us, but He demonstrated a better way to deal with injustice. He loved us so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us and show us His forgiveness. He tells us in Matthew 5:44–45, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on both the good and evil.”

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. Our pastors Greg and Linda Wallace will be speaking. Pastor Greg’s sermon at 9:00 AM is “Ekklesia: People Called Out to Change the World,” and Pastor Linda's sermon at 11:00 AM is “Undone: Abandoning Ourselves to God.”

Pastor Che

Big Losers Wanted

Their names read like a capitalists’ list of Who's Who from the early 1900s: Alfred Vanderbilt, the heir to the shipping and railroad empire, Henry Frick, the Pittsburgh steel baron, J.P. Morgan the Wall Street financier and Milton Hershey, the chocolate manufacturer. They were some of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the United States and accustomed to going first class in everything. But they missed out on the most exclusive, extravagant travel opportunity of their day.

They had all booked luxurious accommodations aboard the maiden voyage of the Titanic, but for varying reasons beyond their control, they were forced to cancel their reservations. What undoubtedly felt like loss and disappointment at the time, turned out to be a huge win.

You've probably heard of Carl Lewis, the American track and field champion, who won a total of 9 Olympic gold medals from 1984 to 1992. However, he is most remembered for the hundred meter race he ran against Canadian Ben Johnson in the 1988 Olympics. Lewis didn't win that race. In fact, he came in second. But three days later Johnson tested positive for steroids, was stripped of his gold medal, which was then awarded to Lewis along with an Olympic record for the event.

We are all familiar with Jennifer Hudson, who was introduced to the American public on the third season of American Idol in 2004. She went on to debut as an actress in “Dream Girls,” winning an Oscar and Golden Globe for best supporting actress in 2006. And her first album garnered a Grammy in 2008. I think we can all agree she has been immensely successful, but did you know she didn't even place in the top six on American Idol?

All these people are examples of how losing sometimes is actually winning. When we look at life events from our perspective we see and feel our losses, but in retrospect sometimes we understand that our loss was actually a win. A young associate of mine here at HRock Church shared the following story with me.

He was getting ready to graduate and was offered an excellent training opportunity for a possible management position with a prestigious firm. At the end of his training he was actually offered a lucrative entry position. However, in praying about his decision, he felt he needed to refuse the opportunity.

He told me, “I was really disappointed and didn't understand why God would be telling me not to take a position that seemed tailor-made for me. However my refusal led to my career taking a different path, and 6 months later that firm downsized and the position was eliminated.” You see God knew that what looked like a loss was actually a win for that young man.

Did you know that God is looking for losers? Actually He is looking for big losers. He's looking for people who are willing to lay down everything they value in this life to win a life larger than anything they can imagine. Jesus tells us that if we are willing to risk or lose seeming opportunities in our lives at His direction, He will lead us into a life of abundance that is true winning.

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM when we will have a special guest speaker, Brother Yun “The Heavenly Man.” Also, I will be doing a book signing for my new book, the Grace of Giving this Sunday.

Pastor Che

Ties That Bind……Or Strangle?

“I heard he had invaded our turf, and now he stood before me. He was tall and skinny and every inch a hillbilly just like they said. I squared off in front of him and yelled,’ Get the h… out of here preacher man or I’ll kill you!’ He didn't move but stood calmly looking at me.

I was enraged! I spit on him and then slapped his face hard. Through clenched teeth I yelled again, ‘You deaf? Get the h… off my street!’ I pulled out my switchblade thinking, ‘There's no way he can really, really take it. This will get him moving.’

He smiled at me and said, “Nicky, Jesus loves you and so do I.”

I screamed and lunged at him with the knife, but it felt like some force held me back. I just wanted to kill him. I was so full of hate and violence. I'd been in lots of fights and hurt a lot of people and it left me feeling good.

He didn't flinch a muscle, but smiled again and said softly, “Nicky, you can cut me into a 1000 pieces and lay them all over the street, and every piece will cry out that Jesus loves you.”

I was completely freaked out. This man had a quiet strength that came from somewhere that I had never encountered before. I turned around and fled.”

The speaker is Nicky Cruz, who at the time was the leader of the Mau Maus, one of the most vicious gangs in Brooklyn in the late 1950s. The man he confronted was David Wilkerson, a minister from a small rural church in Pennsylvania who had come to New York City to work with gang youth.

Nicky Cruz describes himself at the time as an animal, without any morality. Why did he run from David Wilkerson? For the first time in his life, he had just been confronted with real love and it terrified him.

Nicky had no idea how to respond to love. He was raised in Puerto Rico by parents who were involved in witchcraft and Satanism. They constantly physically and mentally abused him, and he was routinely exposed to Satan worship, animal sacrifices, séances and all types of black magic. You might say he had family ties that had strangled the ability to love out of him.

Fortunately for Nicky, David Wilkerson was not easily deterred, and he continued to pursue Nicky with the love of Jesus. Eventually God's love overcame Nicky's anger and distrust. He said “Yes” to God and found in David Wilkerson the loving father that he had never known before.

I do not know if you come from a family with ties that bind you in loving relationships, or if like Nicky, you come from a family with ties that strangled love out of you. I do know that Father God is inviting you into a family with loving ties that bind His heart to yours. Romans 8:15 says it best. “For you did not receive the spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. By that Spirit we cry to God, “Abba, Father.”

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. We are continuing our current series on “The Victorious Church,” and my son, Gabriel Ahn will be speaking on "Vessels of Honor."

Pastor Che

Malignant Victory

Normally when we think of victory, we think of something beneficial, something that feels good. But can there be such a thing as a malignant victory? That is a victory that's not beneficial but malevolent, vicious, injurious and harmful to its own victors?

If you think for a moment, you will realize that when we say someone died from cancer, we are announcing a malignant victory. Cancer cells differ from normal healthy cells in several important ways. First of all, they are “rebels.” Instead of operating in an ordered and systematic way that allows for balance in the body, cancer cells break all the rules exclusively for their own benefit.

You might say cancer cells are completely selfish. They divide rapidly without any regard for how their numbers affect the needs of other cells. They refuse to stay localized and instead spread and invade other parts of the body where they don't belong, disrupting the body's functioning. And they consume the lion’s share of nutrients, creating their own supply systems and starving out normal cells. Left unchecked, they eventually destroy the body they have invaded, and in their malignant victory they also destroy themselves.

Like a cancer, malignant victories in human societies are always self-destructive. They are fueled by self-interest where one group feels entitled to the greatest share of benefits at the impoverishment of other groups. Rather than respecting the contributions of others through collaboration, one group seeks to dominate, creating a barrier between itself and other groups. This dominant group often usurps existing authority and operating rules in order to entrench its own power structure. Eventually, however, the systems created by malignant victories either collapse internally or are overthrown by revolution.

Human history is full of examples of societies destroyed by malignant victories. The collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union is an excellent example. Proclaimed to be superior to other forms of government, it managed to last only 70 years, in the end strangling on its own stagnant economic growth.

The current civil war in Syria is another example. President Assad represents an elite that has ruled harshly for decades, denying the majority many freedoms, and controlling their access to jobs, food, communication and sources of information. Instead of listening to the complaints of the majority and creating positive reforms, the elite has chosen to retaliate with force killing an estimated 70,000 and turning 1.2 million citizens into refugees. Everyone agrees that the current regime will not last, but in its bid for malignant victory, it appears determined to destroy the country that has sustained it for so long.

Father God cautions us not to engage in malignant victories. He warns us not to be dominated by self-serving interests. In Proverbs 16:25, He tells us, “There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end results in death.” Self-interest will always inevitably turn to self-destruction.

Instead, Father God encourages us to seek Him, and His priorities. He reassures us that when we do, we will receive everything we need and truly desire (Matthew 6:33). Father God has a strategy for true victory that is never malignant and gives abundant life to all. “Wealth and power come from You (Father God); You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.” (1 Chronicles 29:12)

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. We are continuing our series on “The Victorious Church.” My message is “Ekklesia: God's House of Prayer.”

Living at the Top

Take a moment and think back to the last time you experienced a success. How did you feel? While success is different things to different people, I think we can all agree that success feels great! For a moment, no matter how brief, we feel on top of the world, somehow more vital and alive than ever. Everything in life seems to be going our way. But no matter how much we may desire it, life is never one stretch of uninterrupted success.

That doesn't stop many of us from dreaming about living at the top, by seeking ways to maximize our experience of success. Countless authors have written hundreds of books on the subject of how to attain and keep success. Several classics come to mind such as, Andrew Carnegie's “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” Napoleon Hill's “Think and Grow Rich,” and Stephen Covey's “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”

If you read even a few self-help books on success, you quickly discover that there is a high degree of overlap in the strategies they suggest. Some of the most common ones are:

• Having a clear vision and purpose to motivate you
• Proactively setting and attaining goals
• Being decisive, able to make and see decisions through
• Overcoming fear and taking risks
• Respecting, appreciating, and encouraging the contribution of others
• Consistent follow-through, always keep your word
• Enjoy the journey and challenges on the way

No matter how successful people are, no one lives at the top all the time, for all of us experience highs and lows. But even if it is fleeting, we keep on striving to experience success again and again, to drink in the wonderful sensation of being on top and fully alive.

Did you know that God wants you to have a successful life? That He actually created you for living at the top? Jesus clearly identified that His purpose in coming to earth was to give us abundant life (John 10:10b). In many ways, the Bible is a book about how to be successful and fully alive.

So what are God's tips for success? You might be surprised to learn they are very similar to the ones listed above. For example, Father God tells us that we can't get to square one without a vision (Proverbs 29:18); we must keep our eye continually on the goal (Philippians 3:14); our word is of utmost importance (Proverbs 18:21); and we have to take risks, counting their cost (Luke 14:28).

The strategies are similar because they are universal principles established by Father God for our success. However, the Bible gives important keys to ensure success that you won't find in any self-help book. Father God never intended for us to attain and maintain success through our own self-effort, but by continually abiding in Him (John 15). And once we become His child, He places us in His family where we exchange respect, appreciation and encouragement with others as we mutually build our success together (1 Corinthians 12:12–26).

Self-help success strategies provide fleeting results at best, but Father God promises that His strategies for success last forever.

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM to learn more about Father God's strategies for success. This is the second week in our current series on “The Victorious Church.”

Pastor Che

Spoils of Victory

Well the big day is almost upon us! Which team are you backing: Ravens or 49ers? The upcoming Super Bowl promises to be a great game, and fans on both sides are already claiming the championship. There is nothing quite so sweet as sitting on the edge of your seat through a close, well fought game and having your side seize victory in the final seconds!

It's a high that's hard to explain and we've all seen clips of joyous fans jumping, screaming, crying, dancing, hugging strangers etc., enjoying the thrill of the victory celebration. Unfortunately, we've also seen the controlled pandemonium of celebration turn ugly and destructive as fans careen out of control. How can the intensity of victory that feels so good, so easily turn into vandalism and violence that are the very antithesis of celebration?

We don't have to look very far for examples. Last February 1, 2012 at a soccer match in Port Said, Egypt, a brawl broke out between opposing fans and players. When it was all over the stadium looked more like a battlefield than a sports arena, with 73 people dead and over 1000 injured.

This past October 29, fans celebrating the San Francisco Giants World Series championship, rioted burning vehicles, starting fires and smashing store windows. The ensuing violence and vandalism resulted in over 3 dozen arrests.

And who can forget Brian Stow, the 42-year-old Giants fan, who was beaten unconscious and left severely brain-damaged after the opening game between the Dodgers and Giants in March 2011?

Team sports have been described as situations of “controlled aggression” in which as fans, we personally identify with the rivalry and the outcome of victory or defeat. Victory gives us a sense of competence and power, and defeat leaves us with feelings of vulnerability and loss. When our team wins, we want to leverage the power of our victory and “lord it over” those who have been defeated. We feel superior and entitled to these spoils of victory, but frequently the defeated fans resist us and fight back.

There seems to be a fine dividing line between power that wants to celebrate and power that seeks to spoil and destroy. World War II General Douglas MacArthur recognized this when he said: “Give me a man who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.”

Father God desires for us to experience a sense of victory when we face challenges in our personal lives. Romans 8:37 tells us, “The One who loves us gives us overcoming victory in all these difficulties.” But Father God is also aware of how the power of victory can have both a positive and negative attraction.

He cautions us against the spoils of victory in Proverbs 16:32, “The person that rules his own spirit is more mighty than the person who conquers a city.” Jesus gave us this instruction on how to use the power of victory, “The person who would be the greatest among you must become the servant of everyone.” True victory is displayed in using our power to benefit other people, rather than attempting to spoil and discredit them.

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. We are starting a new series, “The Victorious Church,” and we will be discussing how to walk in the power of true victory.

Pastor Che