Gentlemen, why don't you laugh? If I did not laugh I should die, and you need this medicine as much as I do. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Humor is perhaps life's best medicine. It has the power to heal, reduce anxieties, and even add years to one's life. Perhaps contrary to popular perception, Abraham Lincoln was a man who valued humor. According to historian Keith Jennison, the President held fast to his sense of humor even during one of those most difficult eras of American history. So valuable was laughter to Lincoln that one day he decided to open his cabinet meeting by reading excerpts from a book of humor. Perhaps others saw it as inappropriate or untimely. For not one person in the room -- save Lincoln -- laughed.

I have recently read several articles that talk about bringing theology back to the church. A few of them even call for churches to be more intentional about creating environments where people are encouraged to think and express themselves theologically. After all, these writers argue, only so much can be covered during a worship service once a week.

In addition, some of these same authors claim that more and more people are looking for churches that will help them integrate faith into the rest of their lives. They want to carefully think through their faith and better understand how it relates to science, politics, work and relationships. Why? Simply put: it's because all of these subjects matter.

Theology. Some reading this blog know this word and could explain what it means. Others...well, that's a whole different story, right?

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. ~ II Peter 3:18 (NRSV)

I have been revisiting portions of Dr. Brown's debut sermon in my mind. Some of you can recall his message from February 2009. In it he talked about the future of Marble Church and even charted a course by which we would operate under his leadership. Do you remember his three points?

"Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last." ~ Matthew 27:50

Good Friday is traditionally the Friday before Easter, the anniversary of Jesus' crucifixion. In the Roman Catholic Church, today is a day of fasting, abstinence, and penance. At Marble, we gather our hearts and minds for worship and prayer, recalling with gratitude the words of the Apostle Paul, "But God proves his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

The Greek Church calls it "Great Friday."  Other faith traditions use "Holy Friday" or "Dark Friday." Germans call it Karfreitag, or "Mourning Friday." This seems appropriate considering how Jesus' first disciples must have felt after witnessing those horrific events unfold. As Dr. Brown reminded us on Sunday, the disciples thought their journey with Jesus was going to end triumphantly. Instead, they left Golgotha defeated and with heavy hearts.

So why do we refer to this day as "Good Friday?"

Former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, was recently asked 10 Questions by Time Magazine. When asked about the biggest challenges and issues facing the United Nations, Mr. Annan said the following:

There are challenges and issues but not just for the UN. It’s for all of us. We live in a world where we have to understand we are all in the same boat. One cannot be secure at the expense of the other. One cannot be prosperous at the expense of the other. And a world in which extreme poverty and immense wealth live side-by-side is simply not sustainable…

I am haunted by these words.

We are blessed to hear such well-crafted and well-executed sermons each week. I was both challenged and inspired by Dr. Brown’s sermon this past Sunday, The Road to Jerusalem. He talked about the road we all must travel with Jesus during Lent. It’s not a trouble-free road but one we must walk if we are to grow spiritually.

Just as Jesus’ own journey to Jerusalem wasn’t an easy one, we too will face challenges and bumps along our own Lenten roads. This often happens as the Spirit woos us to embrace our weaknesses. As scary as this sounds, we are not to despair. This forty-day pilgrimage of self-discovery provides us with the time and space to become more vulnerable with, and thus closer to, an ever-loving and all-embracing God.

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. For the Lord satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things. ~ Psalm 107:8-9 (NRSV)

Welcome to the madness of another “Black Friday!” Perhaps your daily caloric intake went “off the charts” yesterday? Are your intentions now to burn off some of those calories by rushing to take advantage of unbeatable prices?

While today is not an official holiday, countless shoppers will nevertheless take to the streets to consume and spend their hard-earned money. Stampedes of bargain hunters will be drawn to the stores with those BIG, bright signs that read: “SALE! SALE! SALE!” Perhaps you will be one among the many hordes of customers?

It’s hard to believe we have already entered another holiday season. This year, my mind isn’t engrossed with shopping ideas as in year’s past. No. My thoughts have been fixed on a totally different concern: a group of people who aren’t thinking about shopping ideas either. In fact, they could care less about discounts of any kind. The people I’m thinking of are the myriad men, women and children who are crossing their fingers, hoping for a miracle as their stomachs twinge for food.

These same people are not satisfied and need our help!

As most of you know, Elvis Presley is considered one of the greatest icons of the 20th Century. He is often referred as “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” or just “The King.” Many still enjoy his music and movies. In spite of his enormous success, Elvis was, according to friends and family, an unfulfilled and unhappy man. He died of obesity and drug dependency at the age of 42.

In an interview with his wife, Priscilla, she said the following about her husband:

Elvis never came to terms with who he was meant to be or what his purpose in life was. He thought he was here for a reason, maybe to preach, maybe to serve, maybe to save, maybe to care for people. That agonizing desire was always with him and he knew he wasn’t fulfilling it. So he’d go on stage and he wouldn’t have to think about it. He just couldn’t quite figure it out.

Such a devastating commentary on an unfulfilled life!

I recently read an article about an Omaha church that paid people to come to worship. Covenant Presbyterian Church of west Omaha paid eight people to participate in a Sunday worship gathering. After worship, these same people were asked to complete a survey about their experience.

This Midwestern church, affiliated with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and led by Pastor Jeremy Grant, ran a small ad in the Omaha World-Herald back in the spring of this year. More than 30 people responded. According to the Associated Press on JournalStar.com, one of the volunteers was a retired woman who reported that she needed the extra $25.

In his book, In the Eye of the Storm, best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado talks about traveling from one speaking engagement to another. He had traveled from San Antonio to Boston and had spoken at a gathering in Boston. Then he was scheduled to fly to Edmonton, Canada in order to fulfill another speaking engagement.

When his plane landed in Minneapolis and he had to change airplanes, he was thinking about how tired and hungry he was, and how crowded the airplane had been, and how his back was aching. His mind was throbbing. Try as he might, he couldn’t even remember who was supposed to meet him at his destination in Canada.

As he was heading to the gate to catch his next airplane he saw a McDonald’s in the distance and thought, “That looks good. Maybe I’ll run over there and buy a hamburger and that will at least satisfy my hunger pains.”

Then he writes, “I passed something better. I passed a telephone and decided to call home. I called and my wife answered the phone. I’m convinced that when my wife gets to heaven she’s going to be at the reception desk welcoming everyone in because when she answers the phone it makes you feel so good.”