The art of producing a photograph has changed dramatically through the decades.  In the past this involved removing film from a camera and a lengthy procedure in the “dark room”, painstakingly avoiding any further exposure to light.  Nowadays, thanks to the advent of digital photography, pictures can be viewed seconds after they’ve been taken.  Not only can there be instant viewing gratification, one can also alter the picture right in the camera if so desired!  Cameras can brighten the color, change a photo from color to black and white, add a frame, texture or an effect.  Outside of the camera, images can be loaded into a computer and manipulated there.  Photos can be merged together with all kinds of spectacular results.  Some of these photos make a particular splash across the internet but they can be misleading.  Sometimes people believe them to be true representations of something, when in reality the photo is actually a combination of several photos and/or effects.  You can read about some of those photos here:   http://hoaxes.org/photo_database/viral_images
            As a culture we are aware that reality can be manipulated or stretched to promote a certain opinion or view, so we’ve become rather skeptical of many things (while others we take far too seriously as “the truth” as those viral pictures prove!).  From the Bible’s perspective there is a reason for this.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving”.  Although unnamed in this passage, it is quite clear Paul is referring to Satan, the angelic being who opposed God’s authority and was cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:3-4, 7-9).  Across New Testament Scriptures Satan’s character and activities are described via the names used to identify him: accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10), the evil one (Mt. 13:19), destroyer (Rev. 9:11), the father of lies (Jn. 8:44), the tempter (Mt. 4:3), your enemy (1 Pet. 5:8), and more.  Several passages particularly associate Satan with the earthly realm, a region he has been allowed temporary control of: the prince of the world (Jn. 12:31), the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Eph. 2:2), the one who leads the world astray (Rev. 12:9), and the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4).  Lawrence Richards noted, “Satan is portrayed as one who shapes the kosmos, the world’s system of thought and values.  He induces mankind to follow the sinful passions of corrupted human nature, causing people to believe lies and blinding their minds to the light of the Gospel.”
            The area where Satan is most actively deceptive concerns Jesus Christ.  In the passage at hand Satan has “blinded the minds of the unbelieving”.  A literal interpretation of this phrase would read, “The “god” who controls the world system of thought and value has wrapped a cover over the understanding of those who disbelieve so that they cannot understand Christ when He is revealed to them.”  How has Satan done this?  It has been my observation that by introducing conflicting thoughts on just WHO Jesus is, Satan has successfully muddied the waters so to speak.  Have you heard any of these lies?  Jesus was a fictional character created by a group of religious fanatics.  Jesus was a good man who taught people how to live better lives.  Jesus was a revolutionary.  Jesus didn’t really die on the cross; he merely fainted and was revived later in the coolness of the tomb.  Jesus had a wife and lived a normal life like everyone else.  Jesus was a human being like you and I who attained god-like status by living a morally pure life.  And I’m sure you can think of a few more!
            2 Corinthians 4:4 presents Jesus in a much different light- the light of the Gospel (2 Tim. 1:8-10).  When the Gospel is preached it reveals Christ for Who He truly is.  In this passage it is revealed that Christ is “the image of God”.  But Christ as the image of God is not like a manipulated photo which alters reality or deceives the viewer.  The word “image” (eikon-icon) means “a representation, a resemblance, or likeness” on a far deeper level.  It appears in several passages that speak of Christ in the same way (Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15; 3:10).  More importantly, when Christ as the Son of God is referred to as His “eikon” it indicates as Spiros Zodhiates writes, “the revelatory character of the incarnation.” (Jn. 1:14).  Unlike other words which speak of an image being a copy or replica of something, eikon “always assumes that there is a prototype that the image does not merely resemble something, but is exactly the same as the source from which it is drawn” (2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15; Rev. 13:14-15).  In other words, Jesus is not a “knock-off” or “imitation”.  He is the real thing!
            Do you fully grasp the significance of this?  It is popular to treat Jesus as our “bff” and “buddy”.  It is true that He loves us deeply and calls us “friends” when we trust in Him (Jn. 15:12-15).  But we should never lose sight of what this title signifies.  As the “image of God” Jesus is not merely a copy of God the Father, He IS God (Mk. 15:33-39).  And if we believe as such, then our relationship with Him should reflect it.  While we can approach Him as a friend, we must also keep His divinity in sight and give Him the reverence He is due.
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.  
Week of 6/26/2016

            I awoke in darkness.  I could sense a deep slumber still draped over my friends.  Somewhere on the men’s side of the tent I could hear my husband snoring and I had to stifle a laugh!  I knew I would not be able to fall back asleep on my mat, so I quietly got up, collected my flashlight, camera and my jacket and made my way out of the tent.  Our tour group had spent the night in a Bedouin camp in Israel and it was quite an experience!  I saw an area near the camp which looked just perfect to watch the sunrise and headed in that direction.  A thin layer of light was already beginning to show on the horizon.  A few moments later I was joined by my friend Catherine and after a brief “Good morning” and “How did you sleep?” exchange in whispered tones, we settled into a comfortable silence to watch the sunrise.  The sliver of light expanded and grew.  Vibrant colors were painted on the clouds of night until suddenly the sun appeared in all its glory forcing us to shield our eyes for a moment as they adjusted to the light.  The brisk pre-dawn cold evaporated in its golden glow.  The darkness quickly dissipated as well.  And so did the year 2004.  It was a new day and a new year.  Catherine and I prayed together and as we finished we could hear the rest of the group beginning to stir.  Welcoming in a new year in Israel is still one of the most glorious sunrises I have ever witnessed and I also have pictures to remember it by!
            It is not hard for those of us who have watched a sunrise, whether in our own backyard or on a special trip, to equate the sun’s brilliance with God Himself.  And that comparison is not our sole propriety.  The Psalms frequently use metaphors from nature to describe the Lord and the sun is one of the most obvious choices.  While people often equate David with authorship of the psalms, he is not the only composer of these poetic masterpieces.  The “sons of Korah” are among several other individuals and groups which composed or compiled the collection of psalms we find in our Bibles today.  As descendants of Levi they were assigned the duties of gate-keeping (1 Chr. 26:1, 19) but later rose to prominence as Temple musicians.  Psalms 42, 44-49, 84-85, and 87-88 are all credited to them.  Psalm 84 has spawned its own contemporary music versions as well.  Nature imagery runs throughout its verses culminating with the grand statement that “The Lord God is a sun and a shield” in verse 11.
            Most of us know that light is foundational to life.  I am no scientist, nor did I excel in the sciences when I was a student.  But I do remember learning about photosynthesis and I’m always intrigued by those machines that use light to help soothe aching joints and muscles.  And as a photographer, I know that without light, even a very small amount, I’m not going to get much of a picture.  What an appropriate metaphor for the Lord.  According to Psalm 84 His hand guides swallows to build their homes (v. 3) and puts the desire to travel through barren valleys to worship in Jerusalem (vv. 5-7) in the hearts of men.  As the fundamental element to all life, the Lord is both protector (a shield- vv. 9, 11) and sun (v. 11).  Like the sun beams which fall upon plant life and cause those flowers to bloom and grow, the Lord showers grace and glory upon the person who “walks uprightly” before Him.
            Most of us tend to think that grace is purely a New Testament concept.  But the word here (hen) means “an unmerited favor or regard in God’s sight; a special standing with God”; a meaning clearly continued, not developed, in the New Testament (Jn. 1:14-17; Ac. 15:11; 20:24; Rom. 3:24; 4:16; 5:2; Eph. 1:7; 2:5, 8-9; 4:7; Tit. 2:11; Heb. 4:16 and so many more!).  We’ve all enjoyed the benefits of a sunny day in our lifetime.  Some days the sun is so bright we find ourselves seeking shelter under the nearest shade tree.  But those glorious days when the sun is shining and the temperature is just right, those are the kind of days that lift our spirits and make us feel great.  They are a perfect picture of the glory which God bestows on His people.  The Lord as our sun withholds “no good thing” from those who walk uprightly before Him (v.11).  The wording here signifies something that is appealing and pleasant to the senses and a relationship that is pure.  Like a plant which sits upon a windowsill and follows the path of the sun throughout the day, our faces should be turned towards Him constantly.  When they are, we can’t help but called ourselves “blessed” (v. 12).  This word describes a person’s state of bliss, and in Biblical terms it is used of a person or nation who enjoys a relationship with God (Dt. 33:29; Jb. 5:17; Ps. 33:12; 146:5).  So, take a cue from nature and Psalm 84:11 this week.  When you feel the sun falling upon your face, remember it is God’s grace and glory falling upon you and give thanks to the One Who made it all possible (Rom. 5:15).
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.   
Week of 6/19/2016

            As a member of the Pocono Photo Club I have had the unique opportunity to meet and photograph several local farmers and their beautiful farms.  I am always interested in how they ended up doing what they do.  While the stories vary in particulars, there is always one constant among them- the farmers themselves.  They are passionate about what they do and how they do it!   You can hear it in their voices as they explain what’s growing in which field and the way they plant and cultivate each crop.  The proof is in their product; every bite is delicious.  While some machines have sped up the planting and harvesting process for the farmers I’ve met, there are still some crops which are hand-picked, such as garlic.  Last year several photographers and I watched the crew at Apple Ridge Farm bring in the garlic crop.  It took a team of 5 to uproot, gather and bunch up the garlic which was then brought to the barn and hung up to dry before being washed and brought to the market.
            Farmers in Biblical times operated in much the same way as my contemporary Monroe County counterparts.  Crops were planted, cultivated and harvested.  The farmer would tend to his crop and wait for the right moment to harvest it.  When the time came, he would assemble a team to help him bring it in.  Although a farmer in ancient Israel did not have the advantage of modern technology to plant or reap, the same attention was given to his crop.  His life and the lives of those he loved depended on it.  The fact that the farmer did not have technology in his favor made him more readily recognize that the outcome of his harvest was truly in God’s hands.
            Jesus as a master storyteller knew the close connection his audience had to farming.  Many of His parables and lessons are agriculturally based (Mt. 13:1-8; 20:1-16; 21:33-44; Mk. 12:1-12; Lk. 8:4-15; 13:6-9; 20:9-18).  In Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus uses the agricultural industry as a simile to the spreading of the Gospel.  He has been traveling through the Galilee region preaching the Good News and healing the sick.  Matthew notes in verse 36, that Jesus had a tremendous amount of compassion on the people who came to Him.  The verbs which describe this multitude accentuate the contrast in the way that Jesus saw the crowd over the perception of the Pharisees.  The people are distressed; a word derived from the verb “to skin, flay, or lacerate”.  It is used metaphorically here to signify their state of being.  The multitude is also down-trodden.  This verb brings forth the picture of something that has been dropped or scattered (such as a handful of marbles; once unified every piece has rolled off in its own direction).  While Jesus had compassion toward these people, the Pharisees in previous verses have demonstrated a different view of them.  John Barclay wrote, “The Pharisees saw the common people as chaff to be destroyed and burned up; Jesus saw them as a harvest to be reaped and saved.  The Pharisees in their pride looked for the destruction of sinners; Jesus in love died for their salvation.”
            We have no record of what prompted Jesus’ admonition to His disciples in verse 37, but I can imagine what may have preceded it.  With multitudes of needy people coming to Jesus day after day, I’m sure the disciples grew weary of it at times.  I’m also sure that some of those people were looking for what they could out of Jesus without any further commitment to Him.  I’m sure the disciples noticed this.  Perhaps they reflected on what they’d left behind to follow Jesus and resented the ones who were taking advantage of Him.  And I’m sure they felt obligated to point this out to Jesus!  It’s human nature.  But Jesus sees the behavior of the multitude as a direct result of their situation.  They are a flock without a shepherd (v. 36); a field ready for harvest with no workers to reap its bounty (v. 37).  I can almost guarantee that the disciples’ response to this was, “Well, Jesus, what do you want us to do about it?!”  So He tells them!
            Jesus says that the disciples are to “beseech the Lord of the Harvest”.  Most of us do not use this word today.   It is not merely “to ask” for something.  It means to make one’s needs known, particularly in the context of an inferior to a superior.  The request here is that the Lord of the Harvest would send out (literally “thrust forth”) workers (this Greek word is directly associated with farming).  Matthew relates this lesson as a rather brief moment in the ministry of Jesus.  But the parallel passage in Luke is connected to the sending out of 70 disciples to “every place where He Himself was going to come” (Lk. 10:1-12) moving the exhortation from His immediate disciples to all who follow Him.  Barclay wrote, “If the harvest of men is ever to be reaped, then every one of us must be a reaper, for there is someone whom each one of us could, and must, bring to God”.  What does the harvest look like to you?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.  
Week of 6/12/2016

            You’ve heard the saying, “Like mother, like daughter; like father, like son”.  It highlights the fact that although we may not always want to admit it, we bear a resemblance in either looks or behavior to our parents.  I can relate to the first part of that adage as a daughter and to the latter part as the mother of two sons.  I see my husband’s qualities in each of my “boys”.  My older son has the same analytical aptitude to figure out a mechanical problem and fix it as his father does.  My younger son has his father’s single-mindedness.  It’s sometimes humorous to see these personality traits in action.  Whether it’s Erick’s ingenuity in constructing a playhouse out of leftover wood for his children or Christopher’s focus during a soccer game, each son has a characteristic they’ve inherited from their dad.  Thankfully each one of our sons is proud to have some of their father’s attributes.
            Jesus, as the Son of God, also demonstrated the same qualities and attributes of His Father.  But how do we know this?  In 1 John 4:14 John writes, “And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”  The disciples had the unique privilege of living and traveling with Jesus during His earthly ministry.  John uses two key words to describe this relationship in this passage.  The first, “have beheld” is a verb meaning “to wonder, view attentively, contemplate, and consider with careful and deliberate vision in order to understand an object”.  In 1 Jn. 4:12 and 14 it particularly means to perceive with the eyes with great vividness both physically and mentally”.  In other words, the disciples had more than a quick encounter with Jesus.  They had time invested into their relationship with Him which allowed them to know Him better than a mere acquaintance.  Secondly, because they had such a deep relationship with Him, the disciples were able to “bear witness” to His character.  Just like a witness who gives testimony at a trial, the disciples could offer an opinion on Jesus because they had an intimate relationship with Him.
            John testifies that Jesus as God’s Son was “sent”.  This particular word carries the nuance of being sent on a specific mission such as to preach (Mk. 3:14; Lk. 9:2), speak (Lk. 1:19), bless (Ac. 3:26), rule, redeem or propitiate (Ac. 7:35; 1 Jn. 4:10), or save (1 Jn. 4:14).  Spiros Zodhiates wrote, “The expression that Jesus was sent by God (Jn. 3:34) denotes the mission which Jesus had to fulfill and the authority which backed Him in doing so.  The importance of this mission is that God sent His own Son to accomplish it (Mk. 12:1-12; Mk. 20:9-19)”.  This thought is emphasized throughout all of John’s writing (Jn. 5:37; 6:57; 8:16, 18, 42; 17:21, 25).  Jesus Himself taught this (Jn. 10:36).  The significance here is that Jesus’ purpose in coming was not to fulfill some fantasy He had about “saving the world” like an action hero or a deluded and deranged lunatic.  Rather His mission was to fulfill a promise made by God after the Fall in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15).
            There are somewhat negative connotations attached to the role of Savior today.  Our culture does not like recognizing that people get themselves into trouble and oftentimes do not have the wherewithal to get out of it- especially in the moral sense.  Needing Someone to rescue you is frowned upon.  The individual has the power to triumph over circumstances and struggles all within themselves.  But one look at the booming psychology industry and it’s easy to see that this is not so.  Humankind struggles with guilt, remorse, shame and fear.  While it’s taboo to say so, these conditions are a direct result of that tragic decision back in the Garden (Rom. 5:13-14).  But 1 John 4:14 declares there is hope in that God sent His Son to be the Savior of the world (a word that literally means the earth or the abode of man in the Biblical sense of the word).  The Bible boldly declares it is God’s desire and will to save His fallen creation (Jn. 3:16-17).  But no man is capable of saving everyone; only God can do that.  Enter God's Son!
            How did Jesus demonstrate that He was truly the Son of God (Mt. 14:22-33; 27:50-54)?  Jesus said that His works testified that His Father sent Him (Jn. 5:36) and that the words He spoke were His Father’s words, not His alone (Jn. 12:49; 14:24).  These statements were confirmed by the reaction to His teaching (Mt. 7:28-29) and His ministry (Mt. 15:31; Lk. 4:16-22; 7:22).  What about you?  Do you recognize God's Son as your Savior?  Do you listen to the authority of His word and acknowledge the purpose of His mission (1 Cor. 15:1-10; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Jn. 4:14-15)?  If so, the sending has not finished with Jesus.  He now sends you out into the world to carry His message (Jn. 20:21).  The question now is what words will you use and how will you demonstrate the attributes of your Heavenly Father to those around you?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div. 
Week of 6/5/2016