Wednesday, June 1, 2016

TV firsts you don't remember













Growing up the TV Guide was an indispensible part of our lives.  We could plan ahead for the week, and hope our parents and brothers and sisters would agree.  With only three channels, we were limited, six if you counted the independents, the choices were not big, but still major.  Star Trek or Batman on Thursday?  And if you watched the first part of Batman on Wednesday, did it guarantee you part two the next night?  And how could your parents have such bad taste in TV show?  A cycle that would reproduce itself with future generations, as my parents were the first generation with TV.  If only they knew what they had started way back then.  But with TV, came some interesting firsts, things seemed nerdish or boring today, but back in the 50-60’s were big time.  Here are nine firsts that changed TV, and of course those who lived by it.
1-Lucy Ricardo had the first birth mentioned on TV in 1953, and never mentioned the word pregnant, she was expecting.  As if we couldn’t tell....
2-Later on in the fifties, the first significant death of a character occurred, when Jean Hagen decided to quit.  Divorce was taboo, so they killed her off.  Good thing she wasn’t pregnant.
3-The first toilet shown on TV was on Leave it to Beaver, shown but never mentioned by name, or used.  Didn’t kids go to the bathroom back then? 
4-Sleeping in the same bed first hit in 1947, but didn’t become accepted or repeated until after 1960.  Giving the “your place or mine” a different meaning back in those happy days.
5-1968 brought black and white together, as Capt. James T. Kirk went where no white man had gone before, kissing Lt. Uhura.  Indeed. But illogical, huh Mr. Spock?
6-Times and time were faster in prewar America, as the first TV ad, for Bulova lasted all of 10 seconds, during a Brooklyn Dodger/Philadelphia game. 
7-It took Norman Lear to create the first TV show that had a warning before it, Hot L Baltimore, a show about hookers, addicts, illegal immigrants and a gay couple.  Toady you have to only watch the news to see such things.
8-Mark Harmon on Chicago Hope muttered the first scripted S word on TV.  Chicago, the home of vote early and vote often.  But I wonder, ever listen to the 1968 Democratic convention on TV?  The key word here is scripted.
9-Ginger or Mary Ann?  Or Jeannie?  How about Cher, the first to show her belly button on air.  We all have one, good thing she wasn’t pregnant or had to use the toilet.
So maybe we have changed, or at least our morals and sense of decency have.  Today women get pregnant, indoor plumbing is the norm, salt and pepper couples exist, in any 30 minute show you can see 7-8 minutes of commercials, and the belly button fetish has changed to other physical attributes, more appealing.  But sin will always be sin, and it is even sadder when we have to legislate it and have rules so we know what is right or wrong.  Some 2000 years ago the people of Corinth had come out of legalism, and were coming to Christ, finding grace more desirable.  But yet they continued in sin, which Paul identified to them.  Imagine a public letter read accusing the church of sin, and without mentioning names the assembled crowd knew just who you were speaking of.  Years ago I was chastised for confronting a woman and man sleeping together without benefit of marriage.  They bragged in public about their lifestyle, but the church was hesitant to confront them, even in love.  And when I talked to them publicly, I was the guy who was wrong and had the riot act read to me.  It seems if you don’t talk about sin and confront it, it is OK, but mention it publicly and you are the bad guy.  Interestingly enough the couple were not the ones who attacked me, they knew they were in sin, and later would marry.  When accused of judging them, I answered “no, I am describing them,”  they were living a lifestyle that would not have made it to TV years ago, but now seemed OK.  “See on TV, so it must be true,”  what would the Apostle Paul have said? 
But interesting enough in his confronting them, he showed mercy.  He told them to stop, not to stop or you will lose your salvation, or die.  He just said stop.  They lived under grace, mercy only comes when you screw up, and they got closer to God by being forgiven. 
Today we need to love the  sinner and hate the sin.  We need to love the sinner more than the relationship with them, risking losing it if we confront them in love.  Why does it seem we will permit certain sins by our friends, but chastise those we don’t like?  Aren’t we supposed to pray for our enemies?  Imagine if Jesus didn’t love us before we were saved, you can eliminate the cross and resurrection, for he loved us as sinners, so he died for us.  Shouldn’t that love extend to those caught up in sin?  Saved or not?  Wouldn’t you want to be treated with love or is condemnation more your style?  There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, we are forgiven, for all including tomorrow sins. 
It amazes me that no one has caught on and used the Bible for a series.  But would it make it to TV?  We have lust, murder, incest, witchcraft, homosexuality, idol worship, robbery, deceit, drunkenness, envy, war, and fits of rage all in one book.  Brother against brother, and friend against friend.  Would make a great series...with a number of first on TV.  But with a happy ending, and a message of hope.  It is called the gospel, what do you think?  Brad Pitt as the Apostle Paul, Madonna as the Virgin Mary, etc.  But who would play Jesus?  Now that would be a tough act to follow.  Come to think of it, the screen is too small for such an epic.  Just give me Jesus without the commercial interruptions.  Bet you never thought of the Bible as X rated?  But then sin does have its price...so does salvation.  I think I’ll stick with salvation.  Now if I can only find the TV Guide to see what’s on tonight...where the heck did I leave the *&^%( remote, you don’t expect to get up top change channels do you?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com

stuck in the web of a spider













Take a look around you, these are probably the people who are going to attend your funeral.  How will they remember you?  Will your funeral be a sad event, as you will be missed, or a time of joy, because you persevered to the end and made it to heaven?  Will it be family, friends, club members, or just a private service?  Will there be a service at all?  And if you could, what would your final words be if allowed to speak at your own funeral?  Today many have turned form funerals to celebrations of life, but the theme is still the same, to remember the deceased, and comfort those who remain.  Lest we forget.  So some I attend are good, some are bad, some I wished I had passed on, and some truly are a celebration, but not of the person, but of Jesus Christ.  Sometimes it is the deceased’s wish of how it should be, sometimes the family’s, sometimes too overcome with grief they leave it up to a pastor or priest.  But two funerals I attended were so different, but only one represented the person who died.
If a bunch of bikers, over 100 descended on your church, how would you handle it?  Does your pastor know you ride?  That you minister?  It may affect the service he provides, and at this one it did.  But not to honor my friend who died.  The room was filled with leather and denim, and as the pastor stood up, you could tell he took a dim view on us.  And for the next 60 minutes made it known.  His attitude was “I have all these sinners here, I am going to teach them all about Jesus while I have the chance.”  And he did, or thought he did, as many of us are saved, and out living for Christ.  We deal with bikers, hookers, junkies, and others who would not be welcomed in his church.  And we didn’t feel welcomed.  Just about any of us could have done a better job, not the way my friend lived or wanted to be remembered.  This pastor had us, like a fly stuck in a spider’s web, and we were his, and we would listen as he forced the gospel on us.  With only a few who couldn’t wait to get out.  Alive.  He had told the gospel, maybe as he knew it, he forgot only one thing.  The love of Jesus.  The gospel is good news, the good news that day was when it ended.  And so too many try to take advantage of those who attend, preaching at us just because we look different, but unable to minister as we do, because they don’t have the love of Christ within.  Afterwards too many wondered “what was that all about?”  Personally I wondered, “if the rapture came today, how would he explain the bikes, but the missing bikers?”
But I was honored to be asked to do a friend’s funeral.  A Viet Nam vet, he was buried in The Riverside National Cemetery, and many of his biker friends attended.  At the last moment, I was told I was to speak at the graveside service, not just at the church after.  Before panic set in, I just turned to God, always a good thing to do, and he gave me the words needed.  I shared how Lee loved his God, his family, and his country.  Many ex-Marines, sorry always Marines showed up, and the facility was full to overflowing.  After a few words about Lee, to comfort his family, God gave me a song, Amazing Grace.  But to be sung to the tune of America the Beautiful.  Try it, it works, and I think should be a patriotic song.  But when it came time to sing “God shed his grace on thee,” we sang “God shed his grace on Lee!” and the crowd erupted in joy!  For he had, and in listening to the spirit had comforted many, and shown the love of Jesus better than any 60 minute sermon.  I loved Lee, and wanted to comfort his family, and God did that day.  That morning the spider of death was caught in his own web, as we celebrated a risen Christ, and the fact that Lee and someday we will to be resurrected. 
The song God had given me was so special, we were asked to sing it again and many were blessed.  Jesus and patriotism go hand in hand.  The funeral director told me of the thousands of funerals he had ever done, none gave hope like this one.  He was even touched by it-give glory to God and his spirit.  But a month later an email was forwarded to me.  From an elder Marine in his eighties, who had attended to many funerals of his friends, his words.  He had been taught that Marines don’t cry, yet was moved to tears that morning.  His heart broke for joy, hearing the gospel, and seeing it in action.  His life was changed that day, and he was given hope and a new insight to Jesus Christ.  And was sharing his experience with others.  A testimony of the Lord, and how he changed his life, at a funeral.  What better place to be resurrected than a cemetery?
But don’t wait for a funeral to be born again.  The same spirit that touched hearts that day is alive and well and with us now.  The spirit is willing, are you?  I had never sung before a crowd before, and when God put the song on my heart, I immediately looked for someone to lead the song.  God’s answer was “I am going to stretch you today.”  Pride swallowed, love showed, and obedience led to joy.  We never know who is listening, but God always is, and knows what we need, and when we needed it.  Something to remember when planning a loved ones funeral, but better yet to be recognized and honored everyday of our lives.  Let the spirit perform a stretching exercise on your heart today.  When the spider of death and doubt has you stuck in its web, be confident that Jesus saves.  And rescues.  And is the way out. 
Look around again, who will be at your funeral?  And take note-you won’t be.  Either heaven or hell has been your eternal destination.  Only your body remains, to remind those attending of you.  But you still have a say in where you end up, choose Jesus today, and don’t worry. 
So do the attendees.  Maybe that long winded pastor was telling us all about hell and I missed it.  Hell on earth.  It can be hell on earth with religion, don’t confuse Jesus with it.  God shed his grace on Lee and thee....a sweeter sound you will never hear.  Sing with me to a new tune, and honor God and the US of A he sheds his grace on.  Truly grace is amazing.  And so is the one who sends it. From sea to shining sea.  When you pray, not if. 
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com