All The Fuss About Michael

Today the world watched as Michael Jackson was laid to rest. I'm a musician and a pastor and have had occasion to preside over many such events (obviously not a production like that, but a funeral just the same). I’m not in the least surprised at the enormity of the event nor at the world-wide pouring out of affection that has been seen. As a pastor, presiding over many funerals, I watch as many, who while the deceased was alive may have shown little affection, pour out great love and great agony as they lay to rest a friend or loved one. On days like today, we remember the good that a person has done. We put our differences aside and say good-bye. These days, there is almost moment by moment contact with those whom we admire in the entertainment industry and people feel as if they are part of their family or friends.

I know that some whom I admire will not like some of what I’m about to say, but that’s OK. I’ll say it anyway… I have been a fan of Michael Jackson since I was 10 years old. Michael Jackson is only a couple of months older than me. I’m a musician and a performer and admired his talent greatly. I’m sad that Michael has moved on into eternity and it broke my heart as his family, especially his 11 year old daughter, Paris, cried for her “daddy”. I’m not, as I’ve read some put it today, a worshipper of Michael Jackson, but I am proud to be a fan of his for almost 40 years and I watched most of the funeral as did many of you.

In saying that, it does not mean that I necessarily understood everything Michael Jackson did. But, you see, I don’t have to. I enjoyed his talent and I appreciated the way he would go out of his way to help the less fortunate. Some, even on the day of his funeral, are calling him names and making fun of him. We live in a country where our laws presume that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Michael Jackson, as far as I am concerned and as far as the law of this land is concerned is innocent of all charges brought against him. I am not willing to participate in turning this country into a land where a man is guilty simply because he has been accused. Neither am I willing to be part of a church who thinks it’s their job to point out the faults of everyone but themselves.

Michael Jackson made choices in his personal life which I would never make in a million years, but you know what? I maybe have made choices in my life that others would not have made in a million years. As a musician, I know what it’s like to have long hair, a beard and earrings and walk into a church and have people judge me for what I look like. I’ve had many a pastor preach to me, looking straight at me throughout the entire service and altar call just “singing that chorus one more time” waiting for me to come up and get saved, only to have me walk up after the service and introduce myself as the evangelist and singer that his youth pastor had brought in for the evening service. I know what it’s like to be pulled over by the highway patrol in east Texas and have my vehicle searched for drugs because of what I looked like when I was on my way to a pastor’s conference in Florida. (they didn’t find any by the way) I know what things can look like to someone looking for faults.

I’ve been sending a lot of scripture over Twitter and Facebook today. I’d like to share some of them with you and leave the commentary to you:

Matthew 7:1-4
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? NIV

Romans 14:13
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. NIV

1 Corinthians 11:31
31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. NIV

Here is one I didn’t send out today on Twitter or Facebook and I will comment on this one…

John 8:3-11
3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." NIV

Jesus had every right to condemn this woman. She was caught in her sin. The criteria He gave was, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone…” and it was a criteria that He and He alone met. At the end, He said, “neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin”. He didn’t say that what she had done was OK, but He said he was not going to condemn her. He forgave her just like He has forgiven me and just like he has forgiven you. So often Christians wrongly believe that to not be condemning is somehow condoning sin. It’s not!!! Jesus did not condone this woman’s lifestyle and His kindness, as Paul tells us in the book of Romans, led her to repentance. Has anyone out there actually repented because some judgmental, mean “Chistian” (I put it in quotations on purpose, you do the math) has berated them into the Kingdom? No. Of course not. Neither will anyone else and that’s why it’s not my job to be the Holy Spirit. To those who call themselves believers out there today, but are behaving like Pharisees, haters, (as my friend Dan says they’ve had a glass of Hateraide) I say, let the one who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.

My understanding is that Michael Jackson may have surrendered to Jesus Christ before dying. If that is true then he has heard those words we all long to hear, “well done good and faithful servant…” If that makes you mad, then go join all the other “elder brothers” in this world looking down on their prodigal brothers. As for me, I choose to rejoice that another son has come home. Andrae’ and Sandra Crouch were not ashamed to call Michael Jackson their friend and to appear on stage at his funeral. I’ll not be ashamed to stand with them on this. You see people find fault with “Christians” and rightfully so when we constantly forget that the only reason we are saved is that we are forgiven by His grace and it is NOT our job to judge another man’s servant. Even when we get the log out of our own eye, we aren’t to judge. We are to love. We are to help. The only reason I stand forgiven is that I surrendered to Jesus Christ. Let’s be like Jesus was to the woman caught in adultery. He did not condemn her. All have sinned… Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples by our love for one another. I wonder what the world sees today in so many of us?

I’m not going to come to any judgment on Michael Jackson today or any other day because the only judgment that matters is God’s judgment. He knows all and sees all and I don’t. Today is a day to remember the good things that Michael did in life. He inspired people, myself included when I was young. He helped the less fortunate. By all accounts, he was a very caring person and as testified to by his 11 year old daughter Paris, much to the disdain of many, “A GOOD FATHER”. So, Michael, on this day, not that you need one more, I salute you for all the joy you brought to so many; for the legacy you leave in your musical profession; for all the many less fortunate than you that you helped; for the son, brother, father and friend that you were to so many. May you rest in peace and as your brother so rightfully said today, “may they finally leave you alone”.

Until later,

Don