El Segundo

by Jason

A couple of weeks ago I had a memorable day in a lovely town call El Segundo. Unfortunately, I was speaking at the sad occasion of the memorial service of Derryl Cousin‘s mother. Derryl is a MLB umpire; btw, he was behind the plate when Bonds hit his 755th career home run tying Hank Aaron for first all-time. I had a very enlightening conversation with him and a few of his friends, some of whom played played in the Majors about steriod-use among baseball players. I preached on John 14:6, contrasting it with Proverbs 14:12.

Here’s the time line of human existence: we are born, we live our lives, and we die. And when we die we go to heaven or to hell. There are some people who think that there is no heaven or hell. A few years ago a rock group, Blood Sweat and Tears, sang a song with these lines, “I swear there ain’t no heaven, and I pray there ain’t no hell.” That’s bad grammar and bad theology.

Proverbs 14:12 talks about a “way” that is “false” and leads to “death.” Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the “way,” the “truth,” and the “life.” The two false ways that most people try to get to heaven are the irreligious way and the religious way. The irreligious are essentially hedonist and can be liberal. They are not necessarily mean people; in fact, I know many very kind and wonderful irreligious, agnostics, and atheists. But the irreligious are full of hypocrisy: they claim freedom but are slaves to their sin. Sin has corrupted their body and their relationships. They get tired of it but can’t get free from it (John 8:34).

The other false way that people try to take to get to heaven is the religious way. The religious are moralist, filled with legalism and rules. Even though the religious are also very kind and wonderful, they too are very hypocritical; for they have tried to impress God with their obedience. They try to work their way to heaven. The Bible condemns this way as much as it condemns irreligion.

So, beware of the two wrong ways that everybody is trying take to get to heaven:
• Religion / Irreligion
• Moralism / Immorality
• Conservativism / Secularism
• Absolutism / Relativism

Rather, I implore you to consider a third way = The Gospel of God’s Grace, which is THE only true way. In John 14:6 Jesus says categorically, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Then he adds, lest anyone should misunderstand him, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (14:6). “Only Through Jesus” = that is an exclusive claim. People sometimes suggest that we are narrow-minded as Christians when we say that Christ is the only way to God, and we have to confess that this is precisely what we are at this point.

In many areas of life there are defined and limited exact standards. There are 16 ounces, no more and no less, in a pound. There are 12 inches, no more and no less, in a foot. There is precisely three feet in a yard, and there are exactly 440 vibrations per second in A above middle-C on the piano. Water consists of only two parts hydrogen and one part oxyge. At sea level water boils at precisely 212 degrees. When it comes to how to get to heaven = we are as narrow as Jesus, narrow as the Bible.

If these words are true, as Christians believe they are, then, although they are indeed exclusive, they ought not to be offensive, for they are actually what we most need as human beings. They should be received with joy and thanksgiving.

Salvation is not based on you, what you have done right or wrong, not a plan, not a baptism, not a religion, not based on moralism. Salvation is based on a person and your relationship to Him. Jesus is the Eternal Son of God, He is accepted by the Father and the Father will accept all who are disciples of Jesus Christ. Turn away from religion, moralism, sin, hedonism, atheism. Turn by faith to Jesus Christ. And based on His merit, not yours, God will break you from the bondage of sin right now, give you eternal life right now, and when you die you will live in God’s glory forever. The way to heaven is by faith in Jesus Christ and his merit only.

Derryl is the father of one of my dear friends, Erica. She and Phil have become great friends to me and my family. I love hearing Phil, who was a Lt. Col. in the Marines, talk about flying Cobra choppers in combat. Erica, also retired from the Marines, is a native of El Segundo. I had the wonderful privilege of leading Erica to the Lord, so it was a terrific opportunity for me to minister to her family and friends. Such opportunities is what we pastors live for… to share the gospel and see them share it with others.

Craig, Derryl’s brother, has also become a good friend of mine. He, Phil, and I occasionally enjoy of round of golf together. Craig teaches history at El Segundo High School. ESHS has been featured in many films and television shows, including Superbad, WarGames, Joe Dirt, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Boston Public, The Hot Chick, Yours, Mine and Ours, Even Stevens, 24, Joan of Arcadia, The O.C., Room 222, Epic Movie, Shredderman Rules , Bones , CSI: Miami and many others. Craig took me on a grand tour of El Segundo and shared with me its very interesting history. It is the hometown of Ken and George Brett,and Roseanne Barr. Fred Sanford use to talk about getting his wine coming from this town, but I saw no vineyards.

This town in framed like a little picture of small town America, framed between LAX to the north, a large Chevron oil refinery to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and corporate skyscrapers to the east. It seems that every street has a hill and is lined with beautiful old trees. The little town is truly an oasis in L.A. County.

We ended the day with a gathering of their family and friends at Stick and Stein. All day I tried to remember the lyrics to this song I once heard:… and “no” El Segundo is not in the desert. These rappers must have failed geography.