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The Amazon Big Spring Sale is in full swing, and among the slew of clothing, outdoor and home products on discount, there are a few good tech deals to be had. Unlike regular Prime Day, the Big Spring Sale is not exclusive to Prime members, which is great for any shopper with items to check off on their lists. However, it's also not like Prime Day in that the number of tech deals available is much less than that of Amazon's summertime or fall sales events. But if you're on the market for a new Bluetooth tracker, robot vacuum or pair of wireless earbuds, you have some decently discounted options to choose from. We've scoured Amazon's site to find the best tech deals to come out of the Big Spring Sale — check them out below.
A single AirTag is on sale for $24, which is $5 off and close to its record low price. These are the best Bluetooth trackers for those with iOS devices since they use the vast Find My network to keep track of your belongings. You can force them to ring to help you find your stuff if you're within close range, and newer iPhones can even display directions on their screens to guide you to your lost stuff. Just make sure to pick up a holder if you intend on attaching the AirTag to your keys.
Our favorite pair of budget wireless earbuds has dropped to a new record-low price of $50. The Anker Soundcore Space A40 impressed us with their solid sound quality, comfortable fit and impressive active noise cancellation for the price. We think they're a great value at their normal $80 price, so this sale makes them even more attractive. In addition, they have good battery life and support for multi-device connectivity and wireless charging. They may not have the best call quality, and they don't support automatically wear detection, but otherwise you're getting a nearly-full package for a great price.
The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max is back down to its record low of $40 for the Big Spring Sale. It's a discount we've seen a few times before, but nevertheless, it matches the item's all-time-low price. This is the most powerful streaming dongle Amazon has, with support for 4K content, Dolby Vision with HDR, Wi-Fi 6E and the "Fire TV Ambient Experience," which puts art and photos on your TV screen when you're not actively watching anything. Also discounted for the Big Spring Sale is the Fire TV Stick Lite, which you can pick up for only $20.
One of our favorite pairs of budget wireless earbuds, Amazon's latest Echo Buds are on sale for only $35 ahead of the Spring Sale. These buds have an open design, which means they purposely let sound in so you can stay more aware of your surroundings. They support adjustable EQ and, unlike many other earbuds at this price, auto-pausing and multi-device pairing. And, as to be expected, they have Alexa built in so you can call upon the voice assistant when you need to while wearing them.
Amazon's Big Spring Sale has brought the most recent Echo Dot down to $35, which is $12 more than the lowest price we've tracked but still $15 off the smart speaker's usual going rate. It also matches the best price we've seen for the device in 2024. The Echo Dot is the "under $50" pick in our guide to the best smart speakers. It can still do just about all of the expected Alexa features, and it sounds decently balanced for something this compact. It can also serve as a node to extend an Eero mesh Wi-Fi system, if you own one of those. So long as you're comfortable having a voice-activated speaker in your home in the first place, this is a good way to see if you'd find an Alexa device useful.
If you can pay a little bit extra, the full-size Amazon Echo is also on sale for $65. Again, that's not an all-time low, but it's $35 off Amazon's list price. This model offers all the same functionality as the Echo Dot but sounds louder and fuller across the board, so it's better for streaming music.
Best Spring Sale deals on Apple devices
The second-gen Apple Pencil is down to $79, which is one the best prices we've seen. It's important to note that it's rumored that we'll see new Apple Pencils when new iPads come out sometime within the next month — but if you already have an iPad and have been looking to snag this accessory on discount, now's your chance. This is the Pencil that works with most of the latest iPad models and it magnetically snaps to the sides of the tablets for safe keeping. It's one of our favorite iPad accessories thanks to that, and its generally stellar, little-to-no latency performance.
Apple's AirPods Pro are once again available for $199, which is a near record low for the latest iteration with a USB-C charging case. Apple normally sells the noise-canceling earphones for $249, though we often see them go closer to $200 at third-party retailers. Either way, they remain our favorite wireless earbuds for iOS users, as they provide an array of perks when paired with an iPhone, from faster pairing to hands-free Siri. Useful ANC, a superb ambient sound mode and a pleasingly warm sound profile help beyond that. Their battery life and mic quality are just OK these days, but this pair should serve you well if you're all-in on Apple. We gave the second-gen AirPods Pro a review score of 88 back in 2022.
Best Spring Sale deals on Anker devices
As part of a larger portable speaker sale, Anker's Soundcore Motion 300 has dropped to $64, which is a record low. It earned a spot on our favorites list thanks to its solid sound quality featuring crisp highs and generally punchy, bright audio. Its IPX7 design weighs only 1.7 pounds and the built-in loop makes it easy to attach to a bag to take with you on the go. It also works with Anker's Soundcore app, which lets you customize EQ, button brightness and more.
Best Spring Sale deals on headphones, earbuds and speakers
Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones are back on sale for $328. This isn't an all-time low, and it's a deal we've seen numerous times over the past few months, but it's still $70 off the noise-canceling cans' list price. The XM5s are the top pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones thanks to their comfy fit, solid active noise cancellation (ANC), clear mic and handy bonus features. They're bass-heavy by default, but you can adjust their sound profile with EQ tools in Sony's companion app.
This XM5's predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4, is also worth a note at $248. Again, that's not an all-time low, but it's about $50 below the pair's average street price in recent months. This older model has many of the same benefits as its successor, plus its earcups can fold up, which makes the design a little easier to pack away. Its call quality is worse, however, and it's not quite as light on the head. We gave the XM5 a review score of 95 in mid-2022, while the XM4 earned a 94 way back in 2020.
If you're not tethered to Apple, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are another set of high-end earphones we recommend. Right now they're down to $249 at Amazon, Bose.com and other storefronts. That's a $50 discount. We've seen this price a few times before, but it still matches the best deal we've tracked. Bose says the offer will run until March 31.
We specifically highlight the QuietComfort Ultras in our buying guide for their noise-canceling prowess, as they do a superlative job of muting outside noise and allow you to lower the intensity of the ANC if it ever becomes uncomfortable. They're another pair with a somewhat bass-heavy sound out of the box, but they don't sound sloppy, and unlike the AirPods Pro you can customize their EQ through a companion app. That said, they don't support wireless charging or multi-device pairing, and their six-to-seven-hour battery life isn't anything special. The earpieces themselves are also fairly large, though we wouldn't call them uncomfortable. We gave the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds a score of 88 in our review last year.
The Beats Studio Buds + are back on sale for $130 in various colors, which is roughly $20 off the true wireless earbuds' average street price and $40 off Beats' list price. The only time we've seen them go for less was a brief drop to $120 around Black Friday. This deal is also available at other retailers, including Target, Best Buy and B&H.
We gave the Studio Buds + a review score of 84 last year. As Beats is an Apple subsidiary, this pair provides many of the iOS-friendly perks you'd get from a set of AirPods, such as faster pairing, Find My tracking, hands-free Siri and Control Center integration. Unlike AirPods, they offer similar features on Android as well. A comfy fit, decent ANC and a mostly neutral sound profile also help. However, other AirPods features like audio sharing and automatic device switching (with Apple gear) aren't supported, nor is wireless charging or wear detection. And the ANC and audio quality are a step down from the AirPods Pro. Still, if you dig the style and want to save some cash, the Studio Buds + are worth considering.
One of our favorite headphones for running is on sale for a near record-low price. Jabra's Elite 8 Active earbuds have dropped to $160, which is only about $10 more than the best price we've seen. They're rated IP68, which is one of the best protective ratings we've seen on workout earbuds. Jabra even put these buds through military-grade testing, so it's fair to say they can take a beating. They also have great sound quality (that has spatial sound with Dolby Audio), good ANC and HearThrough transparency mode, multipoint connectivity and an easy to use mobile app. Also included in this sale are our budget top pick, the Jabra Elite 4 Active, for only $90.
The Google Pixel Buds Pro are down to $139 from $200. The 30 percent discount doesn't bring the earbuds to their all-time low, but this is the cheapest we've seen the Google Pixel Buds Pro so far this year. These are our choice for the best wireless earbuds for Android.
Engadget's Billy Steele gave them an 87 in his review thanks to the addition of solid active noise cancellation, punchy bass and reliable touch controls. They also offer IPX4 water resistance so you can take them on a run without worry. The buds get up to 11 hours on a charge and 31 hours in total with the case. And when it's time to recharge, wireless charging makes a refill a little easier. One catch is the call quality isn't as great as it could be, but if you're primarily using them for music and podcasts, you may not notice.
Sonos has kicked off a new round of discounts on its soundbars and portable speakers. The deals include the Sonos Move 2 for $359, which is $70 off its usual going rate and the second-best price we've seen outside of a very brief drop to $349 last year. The Sonos Ray soundbar is $56 off and down to an all-time low of $223, while the higher-end Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is available for $399, a $100 discount. The Sonos Sub Mini subwoofer is also down to a low of $343, which is $86 less than usual, while the compact Sonos Roam SL is $32 off at $127. A few speaker bundles are also discounted. These offers are available at several retailers, including Amazon, B&H and Sonos.com. Sonos says they'll run through March 25.
None of these devices come cheap, but they all deliver relatively clean sound, easy pairing with other Sonos hardware, AirPlay support and an app that (mostly) makes it simple to set up and stream music. The Move 2 is a hefty yet powerful battery-powered speaker for those who are more concerned with sound quality over portability. The Roam SL doesn't sound as rich, but it's much more travel-friendly and has a better water-resistance rating. (It lacks built-in mics, though.) The Ray is an entry-level 2.0-channel soundbar meant for smaller rooms and budget buyers. The Beam is a 5.0 model with a more expansive sound, an HDMI eARC port and voice assistant functionality. It also supports Dolby Atmos, though it can't take advantage of that quite as much as larger models. The Sub Mini, meanwhile, is a handy way to beef up the bass response of an existing Sonos system. You can check out our reviews of the Move 2, Ray, second-gen Beam and Sub Mini for fuller breakdowns of each device.
Best Spring Sale deals on smartphones
Our favorite midrange smartphone, the Google Pixel 7a is on sale for $374 right now, which is a record-low price. That almost puts it within our "budget" price range ($350) for Android phones, so while it's still a splurge pick, it's arguably the best Android phone you can get in that price range at the moment. It runs on Google's Tensor G2 chipset, plus it has a lovely 90Hz touchscreen, long battery life and an excellent camera array that takes impressive photos in all kinds of light situations, and good selfies, too. While there are plenty of good budget Android phones available today, you won't find one that offers a better value than the Pixel 7a when on sale like this.
Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have been discounted for the Spring Sale, down to $499 and $749, respectively. Both run on the Google Tensor G3 chip, and they have great battery lives and excellent cameras. We consider both of them to be the best Android phones available right now thanks in part to those features. Google also added a number of actually useful AI features like Best Take and Magic Eraser for photos, and more accurate voice typing and article summaries for the Google Assistant.
Best Spring Sale deals on gaming gear
Our favorite budget-friendly VR headset is down to a new low for the Amazon spring sale. You can grab the Meta Quest 2 for only $199, which is $50 off its usual price. Walmart has it for the same price, and it includes a $50 Meta Quest store gift card with purchase. There's no better VR headset for those who don't have a lot of spend, and the Quest 2 holds its own even among the newest models. It's completely cordless and comfortable to wear for long sessions, it comes bundled with Meta's solid motion controllers and there's a huge library of titles that you can try out with it.
The Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2 in white is back down to $130. This is another deal we've seen pop up periodically in recent months, but it's $20 off the device's usual street price all the same. The Stream Deck is a macro keypad we recommend in our guide to the best game streaming gear. It has 15 programmable hotkeys that you can set to perform different commands, from launching an app to activating smart lights to triggering on-screen GIFs and sound effects. It's really meant for content creators and power users first and foremost, but if you think you could benefit from having a bunch of shortcuts within arm's reach, this is a decent time to pick one up.
Bundles that pair the PlayStation 5 with a digital copy of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are still $50 off, bringing the standard model down to $449 and the digital-only version down to $400. These deals aren't tied to Amazon's Spring sale, but larger discounts on the PS5 have been uncommon, so this is still a good opportunity if you've been looking to take the plunge. The offers are available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Sony's PlayStation Direct store. Sony says they'll last through March 31. My colleague Nathan Ingraham gave Marvel's Spider-Man 2 a glowing review last year, calling it a "perfectly balanced game with gorgeous graphics, delightful combat and traversal systems, a compelling storyline and characters, plenty of challenge and a huge map to explore."
Best Spring Sale deals on smart home tech
The Google Nest Thermostat is on sale for $100 ahead of Amazon's Spring sale, which is about $10 more than the best price we've seen over the past year but $30 below its typical going rate. We've highlighted this entry-level smart thermostat in past gift guides. Compared to the higher-end Nest Learning Thermostat, it has a cheaper plastic frame, doesn't support remote temperature sensors and can't learn your heating and cooling tendencies to make automatic adjustments throughout the day. That said, it's a more affordable way to remotely control your home's climate, and it still supports features like HVAC monitoring and voice assistant control. It's also compatible with the Matter standard, unlike the pricier model, so it can work with third-party platforms like Apple Home.
The is the runner up in our and thanks to the Amazon Big Spring Sale it's now half price, making it just $300. That's not quite an all-time low — it was $2 cheaper for much of February — but still a significant discount on one of our recommendations.
Engadget's Valentina Palladino found this one to have powerful suction and an easy-to-use app. She also appreciated the upgraded obstacle detection that particularly avoids pet poop. The bot does take a couple runs before it can create a full map — and it doesn't clean while it does that, so be prepared to wait a little after unboxing before your floors are truly on auto-pilot.
The Tineco Pure One S15 is the runner up pick in our cordless vacuum guide and right now it's on sale for $349, but an addition clippable $25 coupon brings the final price down to $324.
This model is slightly less powerful than our top pick from Dyson but it handles dry messes well — including pet hair. It also automatically adjusts suction power depending on the amount of dirt it detects through the sensor. It's app-connected, though that feature is admittedly not super necessary in a cordless vac. Still, it can help keep you apprised of your filter and battery levels.
Best Spring Sale deals on Amazon devices
As part of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, the Paperwhite Signature is getting a $30 discount — it's first sale since Black Friday last year. The catch is that this deal is exclusively for Prime members. The Signature Edition is an upgrade over the standard Kindle: It has a larger, 6.8-inch screen, 32GB of storage, auto-adjusting warm front lights and wireless charging capabilities. It also comes standard without lockscreen ads, a great perk since you usually have to pay upwards of $20 to remove those on other Kindle models.
A number of Amazon's Fire tablets are on sale right now, including the new Fire HD 10 for $95. That's about $15 more than its record-low price, but it's still a decent deal for this time of year. Updated in 2023, the Fire HD 10 has a 10-inch 1080p touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 13 hours of battery life and it charges via a USB-C port. We still think Fire tablets are best as secondary devices rather than daily drivers — that slab you keep next to the couch to check email or shop online on the fly, or by your bedside to read books and comics. And when they're discounted like this, it's much easier to justify getting a secondary device like that in the first place. A bunch of kid-friendly Fire tabs are on sale, too, most of which come with a childproof protective case, a two-year warranty and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.
A variety of Amazon Blink devices are now discounted as part of the site's Big Spring Sale. A three pack of the new Blink Outdoor 4 is down to $150 instead of $260. That's a 42 percent discount and the lowest price we've seen this year (the set hit an all-time low of $135 for Black Friday).
If you just need one camera, take advantage of the sale on a single Blink Outdoor 4. It's currently down to $65 from $100 — a 35 percent discount.
The Blink Outdoor 4 came out last August with a lot of upgrades including a larger field of vision, up to143 degrees and better low-light sensitivity and image quality. Blink claims the devices will go for two years before needing their AA batteries replaced.
Best Spring Sale deals on other tech
The Kobo Libra 2 is $20 off right now and down to $170, which is the best price we've seen all year. You can get that discount at Amazon or from Kobo direct. The Libra 2 is one of our favorite ereaders thanks to its handy page-turn buttons and ergonomic design. The page will automatically switch orientation when you rotate the ereader, which makes it much easier to hold, and you can lock the orientation when you want it to stay put. The design feels premium, the 7-inch display is comfortable to look at for long periods of time and the convenient Overdrive integration makes it easy to borrow, download and read books from your local library.
The Google Pixel Tablet makes a good smart display and tablet hybrid. Right now the 11-inch slate-plus-dock is back down to $399 at multiple retailers for the 128GB model. In addition to Amazon you can save at Target and the Google Store. This matches the lowest price we've seen and works out to $100 below the variation's usual going rate. If you need more storage, the 256GB version is $150 off and available for $449, also an all-time low.
Engadget's Cherlynn Low gave the Pixel Tablet a score of 85 in her review last June, and we mention the device in our tablet buying guide, though it's not one of our top picks. But if you're looking for a tablet that can also be your smart home command center, this is a good pick for controlling smart home devices, showcasing photos, streaming music with the improved speakers, and even cast video from your phone.
Plugable TBT4-UDZ gets a mention in our guide to the best laptop docking stations and right now it's 20 percent off and down to $239. It's a rare discount for the brand and the lowest price we've tracked. We were a little disappointed that the dock only has one downstream USB-C port, but it has plenty of USB-A and display connections and worked well with the MacBook and Dell laptops in our test, but didn't work with a Chromebook.
Best tech deals available elsewhere on the web
New subscribers can get 40 percent off a Max subscription when you pay for one year upfront. If you want to go all-in on the highest tier, which gives you ad-free viewing and 4K streaming, it'll cost you $140 for the year (roughly $12 per month). The most affordable tier will set you back a total of $70 for the year, which works out to about $6 per month. Considering how often streaming prices have increased recently, a sale like this is a great time to invest in a year of access to shows like The Last of Us and movies from outlets like Studio Ghibli and A24.
Our top pick for the best cordless vacuum cleaner, the Dyson V15 Detect, is on sale for $600 right now directly at Dyson. We've seen this model drop to $550 in the past, but this remains a great sale on a cordless vacuum that's typically priced at $750. The "Absolute" models are much the same as the standard models, but you can typically only get Absolute versions at Dyson.com. Also, this model has HEPA filtration, a built-in tool and an exclusive gold color. Otherwise, it's the same as our top pick, which impressed us with its excellent suction power, lightweight design and good battery life. In general, we found Dyson stick vacuums to provide the strongest suction power of any brand we tried, and the V15 is noticeably stronger than older models like the V8. It comes with a number of attachments as well, including the Fluffy Optic cleaner head that illuminates your floors with a laser of light so you can see exactly where the most debris is as you clean.
As part of the Big Spring Sale, Amazon has a similar version, the V15 Detect Complete, for $690 as a Prime exclusive. The main difference here, aside from the lack of HEPA filtration, is that you get a standing dock with Amazon's model, which will be handy if you aren't keen on mounting your new cordless vacuum to a wall.
However technologically impressive a foldable smartphone may be, they're seriously expensive. A $500 discount can help if you're ready to grab one. The Google Pixel Fold is one of our favorites, and it's now down to $1,299 at the Goole Store. It beats the largest discount we've seen for the unlocked 256GB model, by $100. If you need more storage space, Google has the 512GB model for $1,419, another $500 discount and record low.
The Pixel Fold is the runner-up pick in our guide to the best foldable phones, and Engadget's Sam Rutherford gave it a score of 85 in his review last June.
The discount is part of a larger sale Google is hosting on its storefront right now, perhaps in response to Amazon's event.
We'll move beyond Amazon for our last few deals this week. First, a configuration of Apple's 14.2-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $1,799 at B&H. That's close to an all-time low and comes in $200 below Apple's MSRP. We gave the latest MacBook Pro a review score of 90 last year. It's more Mac than most people need, especially after the recent refresh of the MacBook Air. But for video editors, 3D designers and other professional types who need more power, a wider port selection and a brighter display, it should still fit the bill.
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is back on sale for $80 at Amazon subsidiary Woot, a $20 discount that matches the lowest price we've seen. This is a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard we recommended in our retro gaming gift guide late last year. You'd mainly buy it for the aesthetic, as it looks like a companion piece for an old NES. Beyond that, it's sturdily built, it works wirelessly and it comes with a pair of giant "Super Buttons" that you can customize to perform different macros. It's comfortable for typing as well, though its clicky Kailh Box White V2 switches are fairly noisy. It also lacks any kind of backlighting. The stock switches are hot-swappable, however, so you can easily replace them if needed.
The latest Steam Spring Sale is underway, bringing an enormous range of PC game discounts along with it. There are simply too many deals for us to list everything, but some highlights include the acclaimed CRPG Baldur's Gate 3 for $54 (a small but rare discount), the frantic platformer Pizza Tower for $13.39, the recently released Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $56, the FPS compilation Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10 and the VR adventure Half-Life: Alyx for $20.39. These big Steam sales are always a good time to grab some older classics for dirt cheap, too: The two Portal puzzlers are available for $1.48, for instance, while the co-op shooter Left 4 Dead 2 is just a buck. Valve says the sale will run until March 21.
Outside of Steam, the Epic Games Store has commenced its Spring Sale as well. The selection there isn't as large, as usual, but it does include some well-reviewed exclusives like Alan Wake 2 for $40 and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for $30. Before you go padding your backlog on either store, though, we'd recommend using a price tracking site like IsThereAnyDeal to ensure you're getting a genuine discount.
Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon's Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog's car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.


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If you're daydreaming about your next vacation, and looking for something a little off the beaten path, why not consider embarking on a global design tour? The world is full of inspiring destinations for travelers looking for a recharge, and you only need to do a bit of googling to plan a unique design vacation. Come along with Inhabitat for a brief tour of our favorite design destinations around the globe – from scuba diving to an amazing underwater art installation in Mexico to jetsetting to an ultra-modern designer hotel that towers over NYC's iconic High Line park and meandering through the world's largest wooden structure, which recently rose in Seville. Read on for 10 of our favorite, must-see design destinations!
Parc Güell, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona's Parc Güell is a 100-year-old architectural and horticultural masterpiece by the city's master architect, Antoni Gaudi. The gorgeous public park was completed in 1914, and perfectly exemplifies Gaudi's fantastical signature style. Visitors are met with gingerbread-esque guard houses, which lead to the park's infamous long and winding bench that snakes around endlessly in the shape of a sea-serpent. Aside from the colorful mosaics and architectural wonders, Gaudi designed the park to bring greenery to an otherwise barren hill in Barcelona. The park's lush trees and plants are fed through Gaudi's self-irrigating viaduct, which runs the entire length of the park and features nests for the park's green monk parakeets. Parc Guell is a serene relaxation spot for locals and tourists alike, and is an incredible example of Gaudi's architectural vision.
The High Line and Standard Hotel, New York City
The Standard Hotel in New York is much more than a place to rest your head at night. The gorgeous glass structure straddles the innovative High Line Park, an elevated railway originally constructed in the 1930s that has recently undergone a magnificent transformation. Redesigned by landscape architects James Corner Field Operations and architects Diller Scodifio + Renfro, the High Line is now a beautiful urban park that's truly enhanced the surrounding areas, providing a covered space for vendors, cafes and art installations right in the middle of the park.
The Standard Hotel was designed by Gluckman Mayner Architects, and is a center for art, design, and food. Artists such as KAWS and Marco Brambilla have their pieces installed within the hotel, and other artists have collaborated with the hotel to create items available only at the Standard's shop. In winter, guests can even ice skate on the hotel's very own ice rink just below the High Line.
Las Pozas Sculpture Garden, Xilitla, Central Mexico
Deep in the subtropical rainforest of Xilitla, Mexico, sits a surrealist jungle estate. Created for Edward James, a popular patron of the surrealist movement in the 1930s and 1940s, the estate combines 80 acres of natural waterfalls and pools that mirror James' penchant for design. The grounds are covered with concrete surrealist structures that intermingle with beds of tropical plants and orchids. James lived there from 1949 to 1984, but now visitors can enjoy the grounds, which are maintained by the Fondo Xilitla, themselves.
The Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee
Since the decline of industry in the US, Milwaukee — a city previously known almost exclusively for brewing and manufacturing — has been undergoing its own renaissance, adding new tourist-worthy attractions and architectural masterpieces to its evolving skyline. Spanish starchitect Santiago Calatrava's design for the Milwaukee Art Museum is as inspiring as the 25,000 works of art it houses. The concrete Quadracci Pavilion was the architect's first completed project in the United States, and it includes a moving brise soleil that "opens" like a pair of wings to span 217 feet. The wings can then close over the structure at night or during poor weather conditions. Since its construction the building has become the symbol of Milwaukee and change.
Metropol Parasol, Seville, Spain
Jurgen Mayer H. Architects' spectacular Metropol Parasol was crowned the world's largest wooden structure when it opened just last year in Seville, Spain. The undulating parasols of interlocking wooden panels provide shade to the open plazas, retail spaces, and cafes underneath. The sprawling canopies cover walkways and promenades in the Medieval portion of the city, and a museum, farmer's market and elevated restaurant add to the richness of the historical city.
+ Inhabitat's video interview with Jurgen Mayer H. on the Metropol Parasol
Tour Norway's Architectural Fjord VIsta Points, Various Locations, Norway
The untouched beauty of Norway's natural fjords, mountain landscapes, and aurora borealis were the inspiration for a series of look-out points commissioned for $377 million by the Norwegian government. The lookout points were created to encourage tourists and locals to enjoy the country's natural beauty. Many architects, including Todd Saunders, Code Architecture, 3RW Works, Holmebakk Architechts, Manthey Kula and Juvet Hotel have designed elegant vantage points that bring visitors to the edge of beauty, without obstructing the landscape.
Habitat 67, Montreal
Montreal's Habitat 67 may be private property, but the pixelated housing project is still a sight to behold. Not only is this dynamic structure visually interesting, but it also has historic architectural significance, and is regarded as one of the most famous buildings in Canada. The building complex was first conceived by architect Moshe Safdie as his master's thesis in architecture at McGill University in Montreal. However, the project quickly took shape and was ultimately built as a pavilion for Expo 67 at the World's Fair in 1967. From the beginning, Safdie's goal was to design a modern urban apartment complex that integrated the benefits of suburban housing including: gardens, fresh air, privacy and multilevel environments. This was the first structure to combine these two concepts and its influence has since "redefined urban living."
A stone's throw from historic Old Montreal, Habitat 67, Montreal is composed of modular pieces that cantilever in many directions, forming a conglomerate of stacked apartment units. All of the units were prefabricated on-site, and each has its own rooftop garden space set upon the roof of the neighbor below. The vision is an ultra-modern mix of pixelated units that challenge how we think about suburbia.
'Silent Evolution' Sunken Statue Coral Reef, Cancun, Mexico
Just off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, but far from the typical "Spring Break" scene lies an incredible underwater, manmade reef of statues entitled 'Silent Evolution'. Created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor, this body of work is made up of 400 life-size human sculptures installed 30-feet below sea level. With this work, Taylor evokes feelings of sadness and awe, while also speaking to the complex relationship between man and nature. In addition to the sculptures' aesthetic value, the artificial reef serves its nature made counterpart. As many coral reefs are currently experiencing life-threatening conditions caused by careless human behavior, artificial reefs are durable, environmentally friendly and offer relief as natural reefs attempt to regenerate. The sculptures are made from a pH-neutral concrete and reinforced with fiberglass that have proven to be surprisingly attractive to marine life. In addition to these materials, Taylor also rescues coral damaged by storms and humans by replanting them into the sculptures themselves.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is sometimes perceived as a "flyover destination" on the way to tour the more famous highlights of Europe, but a design aficionado would be remiss to overlook this striking volcanic land of geysers, geothermal power, grass-roof homes, and modern architecture. Iceland's capital Reykjavik is where the majority of the island's population resides, and with only 120,000 people, but a strong cosmopolitan flavor, Reykjavik manages to feel both sophisticated and charmingly "small town" at the same time. Every visitor to Iceland should take the time to visit the incredible Blue Lagoon geothermal power station and spa. This natural geothermal wonder has been harnessed by human ingenuity to provide electrical power for the Reykjavik area, as well as attract locals and tourists alike with the world's most stunning spa.
In addition to copious natural wonders, Iceland also delights with unique architecture and inventive design. Traditional village houses all over the country are covered with grass roofs in order to provide shelter from the winds and cold. In stark architectural contrast to this, Iceland might the world record holder for largest number of crazy-looking modernist churches per capita. Reykjavik, skyline is dominated by the spacecraft-like shape of The Hallgrimskirkia(Hallgrim's Church) — the city's tallest building located positioned atop a hill. Tourists can easily find this architectural landmark listed in any guidebook, but what's often overlooked is that in addition to The Hallgrimskirkia, Iceland has a wealth of wacky modern churches that are often missed by first time travelers.
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
As far as design destinations go, Rotterdam should be at the top of the list for any contemporary architecture buff. From the iconic Ben van Erkel's Erasmus Bridge, to housing the NAI, to the massive new MRVDV Market Hall currently under construction, this vibrant dutch city is a hotbed of design innovation.
In the spring of 1940, the city of Rotterdam was demolished by the Luftwaffe during WWII's German invasion of the Netherlands. Left with only rubble, the city began to rebuild and has since continued to reinvent itself to ultimately become the hub for architecture and design today. As the city continues to evolve, new attractions are constantly being added, like the incredible tunnel-shaped Rotterdam Market Hall. Designed by the boundary-pushing architecture firm MVRDV, this fun-looking building will become a 1 million sq foot tunnel with residences, a bustling green market, shopping, restaurants and more. Although construction is still underway, the Rotterdam Market Hall is something for both locals and tourist to look forward to.
Images via Wikimedia Commons unless otherwise indicated

subset: commoncrawl


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Update May 21:
On May 20 Russia's State Duma adopted amendments in the first reading.
(Moscow) – Russia's State Duma should drop proposed amendments that would further restrict the law on public gatherings, Human Rights Watch said today. The draconian amendments and other recent pernicious legislative initiatives to suppress critics of the government take Russia even farther astray from its international human rights obligations.
The proposed amendments, submitted by the lower chamber of Russia's parliament on March 31, 2014, would increase the already significant fines for violating rules on holding public events and provide that a participant of an unauthorized public gathering can be punished by administrative arrest, and, if a repeat offender of the rules, can be subject to criminal sanctions. According to the amendments, "repeated violations of the established order of organization or conduction of a gathering, rally, demonstration, march, or picket" would constitute a criminal offense punishable by up to five years of imprisonment. The penalty would apply to those who have been sentenced for organizing or participating in an unauthorized public gathering more than twice in 180 calendar days.
"The Russian authorities want to criminalize public criticism," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director. "They're threatening peaceful demonstrators with prison time."
Russia's law on demonstrations was last amended in 2012, when large fines for violating rules on public events were imposed to discourage participation in protest rallies. The idea of imposing criminal sanctions on those who repeatedly violate the rules for public gatherings was first floated at a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and the leadership of the parliament's upper chamber on March 27, 2014.
The three State Duma deputies who offered the amendments just three days after the meeting included Alexander Sidyakin, author of the infamous 2012 law on "foreign agents," which demonizes independent advocacy groups as foreign spies. In a TV Rain interview on April 1, 2014, Sidyakin contended that criminal liability would apply only to organizers of unauthorized protests, not regular participants, and only in cases in which the organizers' actions represent a threat to public infrastructure. However, the text of the draft amendment does not include such limiting provisions and would apply broadly to all repeat participants in unauthorized protests.
In their official explanatory note, the authors of the draft law say that the new amendments are necessary to protect society and the public order from dangers caused by unauthorized gatherings. Trying to justify the need for tougher sanctions, they say that many people have been fined repeatedly for breaking the rules for public events, but nevertheless continue to be involved in unauthorized gatherings.
The right to freedom of assembly has increasingly been under attack in Russia, Human Rights Watch said. Police frequently disperse peaceful public rallies by civil society activists and the political opposition, sometimes using unnecessary or excessive force. In February, in what has evolved into Russia's biggest political trial, a Moscow court sentenced eight participants in the May 6, 2012, anti-Putin rally at Bolotnaya Square to prison terms ranging from two-and-a-half to four years on unjustified charges of mass rioting and violence against the police.
The official legal process for organizing a public rally only requires notification to the local authorities, including the time, place, and estimated number of participants, but not receipt of a permit from the authorities. However, in practice the authorities often refuse to sanction protests, using various pretexts and suggesting alternative, less prominent locations to organizers. This practice pushes organizers to hold "unauthorized" demonstrations and to face detention and administrative punishments for violating the rules or for not complying with police orders.
The draft amendments propose a new article for Russia's criminal code, under which those who are found guilty of organizing or participating in unauthorized gatherings more than twice during a period of 180 days could be fined up to one million rubles (US$27,800) or sent to prison for up to five years.
The draft amendments also introduce the possibility of administrative arrest for up to 10 days for unauthorized participation in public gatherings and up to 15 days for obstruction of traffic and social infrastructure. The current sanctions for these administrative violations are limited to fines.
The amendments provide for up to 30 days of administrative arrest for participants in public gatherings who are repeatedly accused of refusing to obey police orders. Presently, Russia's administrative law allows for up to 30 days of administrative arrest solely as a sanction for breaking the emergency situation rules or the counterterrorism operation rules; administrative arrest as punishment for all other types of violations does not exceed 15 days.
The amendments would impose fines of up to 300,000 rubles (US$8,350) and up to 20 days of administrative arrest for organizing public gatherings next to railroads, oil and gas pipelines, border zones, court buildings, prisons, and other places of detention.
"This provision seems to be a reaction to recent spontaneous peaceful gatherings by the Zamoskvoretsky courthouse in Moscow to support the Bolotnaya Square protesters who were on trial," Williamson said. "Though the sanction is supposedly only applicable to 'organizers,' in reality any participant in a spontaneous protest – especially those who use social networks to call their friends to join them – could be labeled 'organizers' of those gatherings."
The right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in the Russian constitution, as well as in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), treaties to which Russia is a party. Article 11 of the ECHR states that "Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others." Article 21 of the ICCPR states that no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and that are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals, or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
As the European Court of Human Rights has made clear, the freedom to take part in a peaceful assembly is of such importance that a person cannot be subject to a sanction – even a minor one – for participation in a demonstration that has not been prohibited, so long as this person does not commit an act of violence or similar crime. The court has also emphasized that an unlawful situation does not justify an infringement of freedom of assembly. The court said that in instances in which demonstrators do not engage in acts of violence, it is important for the public authorities to show tolerance toward peaceful gatherings for freedom of assembly to have real meaning.
"The amendments, if adopted – especially the provision on criminal liability for those who repeatedly violate the rules on public events – would negate freedom of assembly as enshrined in international law," Williamson said.


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Walk-in Wednesdays are open house nights at The Foundry. At 5:30pm you can join us in one of our makerspaces. Each Wednesday highlights a different makerspace allowing supervised access to tools as well as some experts you can ask questions. You are invited to bring a project to work on. Maybe a pair of pants that need to be hemmed? Or if you would like to simply craft among others, you're welcome to bring a knitting/embroidery/weaving/felting project and enjoy being among other fiber artists as you craft. Children 12+ must be accompanied by an adult.
Special thank you to the Cassety Family who donated in honor of beloved Cheryl Cassety and the generous Toner Family donation.
Interested in checking out our other makerspaces?
Check out our Walk-in Wednesday monthly line-up. WIW runs from 5:30-7:30pm.
- 1st Wednesday- Fiber Arts
- 2nd Wednesday- Kid's Lab- FREE craft project for Kids 6-12
- 3rd Wednesday- Metal Shop- Learn to plasma cut and tack weld- Donations encouraged
- 4th Wednesday- Wood Shop- Need a couple pieces of wood cut? Have a project you're working on and have some questions for an expert? Come join us for WIW-Wooshop night!
If you've never visited. Come visit us!
The Foundry offers tours at 5 pm hosted by one of our staff members. Tours are about 30 minutes long. Whether you're simply curious to learn about The Foundry, interested in starting a business or want to gain access to our tools- it's great to start with a tour.
There is a side parking at The Foundry.
298 Northampton St
Buffalo, NY 14208
RSVPs are greatly appreciated.
**This event occurs every 1st Wednesday of the month unless otherwise noted*


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Let's open our bibles to Romans chapter 13, and we're glad all of you are here, wonderful to be together and look to the Word of God. We're endeavoring to get through the first few verses of Romans 13 on the subject of the Christian's responsibility to the government. In the epistle to the Romans, obviously, the familiar portions are about salvation. The great sweeping argument of Romans is from chapter 1, really, all the way to the end of chapter 11, laying out the doctrine of justification, sanctification. We went through that in great detail.
Then beginning in chapter 12, based upon the fact that we've been saved and set apart unto God, we are to commit ourselves to a certain kind of living. And within the range of the living that a Christian is to be committed to is a proper relationship to the government, to the authority under which he exists. And so we're looking at how we are to respond to the government.
And basically in verses 1-7, Paul tells us there are two responsibilities that we have. One, in verse 1, is to be subject; two, in verses 6 and 7, to pay our taxes. So we are to be subject and pay our taxes. This first point, being subject to the higher powers goes all the way down through verse 5. And in this, he gives seven reasons why we are to be subject to the government under which we live. And by the way, our subjection is unqualified. It's not determined by the kind of government, the benevolence of the government, the theology or absence of it...of the government. It is strictly and simply a matter of obedience to the plan of God in which He has ordained governmental authority for the protection of life and property. And those are the two basic things, as we've seen, regarding government. They are to protect life and property.
Now we may not agree with all that they do. We may not like all that they do. We may feel some of our freedoms are encroached upon. But unless they countermand the specific instruction of God in the Scripture, we are to be submissive. And he lays out for us the reasons for submission to the government.
Reason number one comes in verse 1, and I'll just review it. "For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God." In other words, government is by divine decree. We submit to government because God has designed government for its role of protection of life and property.
Secondly, there is a great reason why we want to submit to the government, and that is that if number one is true, and government is by divine decree, then point number two in verse 2 follows logically. "Resistance to government is resistance or rebellion against God. Whosoever therefore resists the power," referring to the higher power, referring to governmental authority "resisteth the ordinance" or the institution "of God."
That leads to a third reason which flows out of the first two at the end of verse 2, and it is this: "Those who rebel against the government which is ordained of God, and are therefore rebelling against God, will be punished." Verse 2 at the end says, "And they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment." And that is not only judgment from the government, which has been given the right to exact punishment for those who violate its law, but it is the judgment of God who is behind the government as well. So government is by divine decree. To resist is to resist God. And to resist is to bring upon oneself punishment, not only from the government, but from the Lord as well.
Now there are four more reasons for submission. We at least began to look at the fourth one, and we'll move through them, I trust, in a brief time tonight. Reason number four is that government serves to restrain evil. Therefore, to go against the government is to go against the restraint of evil. So point number four, government serves to restrain evil.
Notice verse 3: "For, rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil works." Now that's a very basic thought. Government is designed to put fear in the hearts of people who do evil things, not to put fear in the hearts of people who do good things. "Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same." And we'll get into that in a moment.
So closely connected to the last idea about punishment, the thought of verse 2, is this idea about fearing the government if you do evil. The word "fear," by the way, is the word phobos. We get "phobia" from it. It has to do with a certain terror. And it tells us that that terror is not to people who do the good works, the good works being a class of deeds which are inherently good. But it is a terror to those who do the evil works, a class of deeds, the nature of which is inherently evil.
The people in society against whom the government moves are those who do the evil deeds, who defy the law, who break the law, who violate the law. And the apostle says they have reason to have a certain amount of terror, for rulers are to bring terror to those who do evil. In other words, the government, to do its work, must put fear in the hearts of evildoers. That's a very basic factor. And you and I are well aware of what happens in a government that doesn't put fear into the hearts of evildoers. The results of that are indeed tragic. Rulers should be causing evildoers to have fear.
Now what this indicates to us — and I want to just digress for a moment — is this: That generally speaking, rulers who are just secular, not speaking about those who know the Lord or know biblical truth or any of that, but rulers in general know the difference between good and evil. Is that not so? They know the difference between the class of deeds that could be categorized as good, and the class of deeds that are categorized as evil. That's patently obvious to them.
And I can show you why. Go back in your Bible for a moment to Genesis chapter 2. In Genesis chapter 2, verse 15, the Lord God took man, put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden, thou mayest freely eat." You can have food from everything that's here. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." What did Adam do? What did Eve do? Disobeyed God and what? Ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Therefore, Adam and Eve, when they sinned, entered into a knowledge of what? Good and evil. That knowledge has been passed down through all the sons and daughters of Adam. And every man and woman coming into this world has an inherent and basic knowledge of good and evil.
We find in Romans a similar idea in chapter 2 and verse 14. It says, "When the heathen," that is those who are unconverted, those who are not a part of the covenant of God, "who have not the law," that is the written law, those who have not the written law, "do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves who show the work of the law written in their hearts." And you can stop at that point.
The unregenerate world has the law of God written in their heart. What does that mean? The knowledge of good and evil. That's a part of conscience. That's a part of what we call in theology "natural revelation," as opposed to special revelation, which is Scripture. So the government of man knows the difference between good and evil. Even pagans understand basic morality through human reason, through natural revelation, through common grace. They understand what is a basic morality.
Now that basic morality may find itself eroding over a period of time, as we see it even in our own society today. But nonetheless, there are some bottom-line principles of good and evil that all society recognizes, regarding the preservation of life and property. And society recognizes that they are absolutely essential for any kind of quality of living. You cannot go around and take other people's property. Men understand that that creates an absolutely impossible chaotic situation. It'll create a situation of self-destruction. You cannot go around and take other people's life or injure other people. So there is a basic sense of good, and right, and wrong built into the heart of even unregenerate people. And that is reflected in the government that God has set for the protection and preservation of man.
Now even the most evil society, even the worst government will hold to a basic preservation of property and life. And frankly, some good governments do very poorly at this. And some evil dictators do very well at it. Even the poorest government is a blessing compared to no government. Can you imagine what would happen, for example, in a society where there was absolutely no one in control? It would be an instant self-destruct. If no one could protect his or her life, except by himself, no one could protect his or her property, except by himself, you'd have constant war.
So even in a corrupt government, there has been built in by God to the heart of man a sense of what is right and wrong, at least in very basic terms. And so government then is placed by God for the preservation of life and the protection of property, and that it functions in doing. It then becomes a terror to those who will do evil, who steal property, who take lives. It is not a terror to those who do good. Government is designed to create this fear and create this terror by taking swift action against those who do evil.
Now let me give you a little bit of an insight into how a government is to act if it fulfills its God-ordained role to the maximum. And I don't want to belabor it, but there are some passages that you might find interesting.
Back in chapter 19 of Deuteronomy and verse 13, we learn that a government is to act against evildoers without pity, without pity. It talks here about a murderer, someone who's taken a life. And it says in verse 13, "Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee." In other words, if you don't do to that murderer what he has done to someone else, and therefore put away the guilt of the innocent bloodshed, you can know that it will not prosper with you. That's God's promise. This thing is to be dealt with without pity. A government is to act against an evildoer without pity, it says.
And down in verse 21, "And thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." In other words, there is to be equal retribution without pity. Why? Verse 20 says, "So that the people will fear and henceforth commit no more any such evil among you." And if you do not exact punishment without pity, then people don't have that fear that restrains them from doing evil.
Back to chapter 17 of Deuteronomy for a moment and verse 12. "And the man who will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest who stands to minister there before the Lord, thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die. And thou shalt put away the evil from Israel, and all the people will hear and fear and do no more presumptuously." In other words, when someone does not obey those in leadership, they must be sentenced without pity, and sentenced in a way that causes other people to fear the same thing if they act the same way.
Now I'll go back to Deuteronomy chapter 13, and I'll give you a second principle in which the government is supposed to express its leadership. It is not only to act without pity, but it is to act by God's design without partiality, without partiality. In other words, there is to be no one set apart because of some respect of persons, because of some preference.
Verse 6 of Deuteronomy 13: "If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend who is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying let us go and serve other gods which thou hast not known, nor thy fathers, namely of the gods of the people who are round about you, near unto you, far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him, but thou shalt surely kill him. And thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he has thought...sought to thrust thee away from the Lord, thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage."
Now the principle here, of course, is unique, in a sense, to Israel because it was a theocracy. And the crime was leading people to the worship of a false god. But the point that I want you to see is, in the restriction of bringing death, there was a clear word that it doesn't matter if it's your brother, or your son, or your wife, or your friend, or whoever it is, there's no partiality in exacting the law of God.
And then verse 11 says, "Then all Israel will hear and fear and do no more any such wickedness as this among you." If government would act without pity and without partiality, it would go a long way to convince evildoers to change their ways.
There's a third principle in the twenty-fifth chapter of Deuteronomy: "And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten." And the judgment comes in verse 1. Then verse 2 says, "If he's worthy to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten before his face according his fault by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him and not exceed," and so forth and so on. In other words, when he finds him guilty, he puts him down right on the spot, and he beats him and gives him what retribution is due. This means government is to act without pity, without partiality, and without delay. It needs to be an immediate kind of punishment, an immediate response, so that it is apparent and obvious to all that there is fast judgment.
In Ezra 7:26, a very important statement: "And whosoever will not do the law of thy God and the law of the king." Notice that. You don't obey the government, "let judgment be executed speedily upon him." That's Ezra 7:26. "Whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or imprisonment." In other words, you can take his life. You can banish him from the country, confiscate his goods, that is to fine him or put him in prison in some way so that he would be under some... It isn't the idea of a prison as we know it, as I mentioned last week, but put him into some kind of a situation where he's made to pay consequences for what he did, until he has paid back what is right. But judgment is to be executed speedily.
If government acted without pity, without partiality, and without delay, it would be a terror to evildoers, right? Unfortunately, we have seen the erosion of that kind of principle, haven't we? And very often, we hear all the hue and cry of pity for the criminal, and I understand that, and I understand the need for mercy. But I also understand what happens when that becomes the norm, and everybody thinks they can do whatever they want and escape judgment. And then we are well aware of those kinds of times and places where some people seem to receive partial treatment for things that they have done, for which others are more severely punished. And then we all know that punishment is anything but without delay, isn't it? This will deter the criminal, and this will put fear in the hearts of the evildoers.
So we are to submit, then, to God's ordination of government. It is from Him. To rebel is to resist Him. To resist Him is to bring punishment. And government is designed to restrain evil. And certainly we, as Christians, want to hold up anything that restrains evil, don't we? We don't want to tear down what God has put in place to uphold goodness and restrain evil.
And we might stop at this moment and ask the question: But what if government treats you badly? What if government takes your freedoms? What if government encroaches upon you in ways that you feel are unfair, or unjust, or inequitable? Well, the pattern that you need to look back to would be the example of the apostle Paul. The apostle Paul was put in jail in Philippi, wasn't he? He was put in jail there. He didn't do anything to deserve it. He was accused, it says in Acts 16, it says, "These men being Jews exceedingly trouble our city and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them. The magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded to beat them." The whole place is in an uproar in Philippi, and they haven't done a thing. It's just a mad mob. And they laid many stripes on him, threw him into prison, charged the jailer to keep them safely. They made their feet fast in the stocks. And what did they do? What were Paul and Silas doing at midnight? Singing praise, weren't they? Yes, they were treated badly by a government. Yes, they were treated unfairly and inequitably and unjustly, absolutely. But it's the same Paul that was treated that way who said that we're to submit to the government. The apostle Paul knew what it was to endure injustice. In fact, he endured it rather frequently from place to place. Three times he was beaten with rods, once stoned.
Still, the truth stands in spite of the fact that there are those times when government oversteps its bounds, when government goes beyond its limits. There are those times when there is injustice and inequity. Still, the principle stands.
In the 19th chapter of Acts and verse 35, do you remember the story in Ephesus? When the town clerk had quieted the people, he said, "You men of Ephesus, what man is there that knows not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess, Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter. Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly, for you have brought here these men who are neither robbers of temples, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies. Let them accuse one another."
And here the town clerk stops the mob that would have just eliminated those who were proclaiming Christ, and says, "Let's bring this to the law. Let's bring this to lawful assembly," he says in verse 39, "for we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar. For there being no cause for which we may give an account of this concourse." And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
Just on one hand, we see in Acts 16 where government acts against the apostle Paul. We go to Acts 19, and government acts in his defense and rescues him from a mob. So we don't want to obviate the principle. There are times when government may overstep its bounds. There are times when we may be very dependent upon its provision.
And you remember when they were going to scourge the apostle Paul in Acts 22. He said to the one who was going to lead him into the scourging, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman citizen?" And he pulled rank, didn't he, in a sense? He reached out for his Roman citizenship as a protection against what they were going to do to him. So the truth stands. Whether government is protecting us or whether government seems to be overstepping its bounds, and acting injustice...unjustly toward us, we need to be submissive.
Now that leads us to a fifth principle; back to Romans 13. We are to be submissive because government serves to promote good. It serves to promote good. In verse 3 again it says, "Will you then not be afraid of the power?" Do you want to have it so you're not afraid of government? "Then do what is good, and you'll have praise of the same." And I still believe our government is in place to bring praise to those who do good.
I was given a plaque the other day, and there is supposed to be a formal presentation from the community and from the local state representative for the contribution that they think I made it, but Grace Church made, to this area. And when things are as they ought to be, society recognizes that there is a good contribution being made.
And so Paul says, "Do what is good, and you don't have to fear, because you will have praise from the same." That is, from those in authority. If you enjoy a quiet and peaceful life, if you live a life of goodness, if you demonstrate the love of Christ and godliness and virtue, and if you are not a troublemaker and a rabble-rouser, you will find that you will receive praise. And government becomes, in a sense, verse 4, "The servant of God to thee for good." Isn't that a wonderful statement? The servant of God to thee for good. The diakonos, the deacon of God, to thee for good.
And here is the ruler's purpose, not only to be a terror to those that do the class of deeds called evil, but to be a praise to those who do the class of deeds called good. And his title is one of great honor; he's a servant of God. The president of the United States is a servant of God. The senators and assemblymen of the United States, the justices, all the way down into the states, the mayors and the people who function in the city level of government, they are all servants of God. That is, in a unique sense, not in the sense of a believer necessarily, not in the sense of one who ministers in the church, but in the sense that they carry out a God-ordained service. They uphold a divine institution. Personally, they may not know God at all, but they represent Him. They represent His desire for peace and safety among men. And so we do all we can to keep peace, to live honorably, to live with sobriety and dignity, to cultivate harmony, to be model citizens, that those who are carrying out a service to God in government may honor us.
And certainly, beloved, and we've been trying to say this in the whole series, we who are evangelical, fundamental Christians who really hold the name of Christ up should be the model of what a citizen should be in society, that those who are in the governmental sense the servants of God may see in us something utterly unique and attractive.
Robert Haldane many years ago wrote a marvelous commentary on Romans. And in it, he says this: "The institution of civil government is a dispensation of mercy. And its existence is so indispensable that the moment it ceases under one form, it reestablishes itself in another." That's a very good statement. When you see a coup in a country, or you see the country overturned, or a revolution, it'll never be the elimination of government. It will only be the exchange of government, because man cannot survive without that.
Haldane goes on to say, "The world ever since the Fall, when the dominion of one part of the human race over another was immediately introduced, has been in such a state of corruption and depravity that without the powerful obstacle presented by civil government to the selfish and malignant passions of men, it would be better to live among the beasts of the forest than in human society. As soon as its restraints are removed, man shows himself in his real character. When there was no king in Israel, and every man did that which was right in his own eyes," end quote.
So Paul is still building his case. We are called to submission because God is a source of government. To rebel is to resist God. To resist God brings judgment. Government is set to restrain evil. And we want to uphold a government that restrains evil. And government is there to promote good. And we want to be good so that we might enjoy the benefits of government.
Sixthly, and this is a very important one, rulers are empowered by God to inflict the severest punishment. In verse 7...pardon me, verse 4, he says, just after the first sentence, "If you do what is evil, be afraid." Why? "For he bears not the sword for nothing. For he is the servant of God and avenger to execute wrath on him that doeth evil." Very strong verse. If you do what is evil, be afraid. You have every reason to be afraid because God has given to government the right to bear the sword, and he does not bear the sword for nothing. He bears the sword for something. And it doesn't take a Phi Beta Kappa to figure out what you do with a sword. You don't spank people with a sword. You don't fine people with a sword. You kill people with a sword. And what he is saying here is that government is given the right to inflict final punishment, irremedial and irreversible punishment, the punishment of death.
Civil government is not just a pageant. It is not just a symbol of power. It is not just a weak threat. God has ordained that civil government bear the sword. And the sword means nothing other than death. If you ever question whether capital punishment is biblical, this verse should end that questioning. Indeed it is. The sword is always the symbol of death.
And you go back into Genesis 9, and there we have the institution of this principle. Genesis chapter 9 verse 6, when God was laying down some basic matters regarding human government in verse 6: "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. For in the image of God made he man." In other words, man is so sacred, having been made in the image of God, that if you take the life of a man, you forfeit your own life. Without pity, without partiality, and speedily that should be carried out by government.
In Matthew, have you been with us? In chapter 26 and verse 51, do you remember it? Peter took out a sword and started to cut up the first person in line. And Jesus said in verse 52, "Put up again your sword into place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." What he meant was, "If you take a life, Peter, then you will die." Because that is the law. So, if you try to fight that way, then you're going to die, and justifiably so. The Lord is upholding there capital punishment. "If you take a sword, Peter, you will die by the sword." That is a divine institution.
Over in the 25th chapter of Acts, verse 11, Paul, appealing to Caesar, says, "If I be an offender," talking to Festus, the governor, "If I have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die." Now there again is the apostle Paul saying, "Look, if I have committed a crime worthy of death, then I ought to die." Why does he say that? Because he knows that's God's standard. That's a God-ordained principle. Paul affirms the right of government to take his life if he has violated law.
The Old Testament prescribes the death penalty for murder, for striking your parent, for blasphemy, for witchcraft, occult, false prophecy, rape, immorality, homosexuality, kidnapping, idolatry, a blasphemous violation of the holiness of the Sabbath. God has ordained that government has the right to take a life.
And so it says, back to verse 4 again, "He is the minister of God." And part of the ministry of God in government for the good of man is to make evildoers afraid of the sword which is not carried for nothing, but rather he is a minister of God who further is an avenger. Now listen to me, taking the life of a murderer, bringing capital punishment against one who has committed a crime of that magnitude, is a matter of an avenging. And it is an avenging that God requires.
One writer has said, "What must not be lost sight of is that unpleasant as is the task of the jailer and the use of the whip, the cell, the noose, the guillotine, these things stand behind the stability of civilized society, and they stand there necessarily, for God has declared it so, in harmony with reality, rather than with apostate sociological opinion. Government, with its coercive powers, is a social necessity, but one determined by the Creator, not by the statistical tables of some university social research staff. No society can successfully vote fines and corporeal and capital punishment away permanently. The society which tries has lost touch with the realities of man, his fallen sinful state, realities of the world, and the truth of divine revelation in nature, man's conscious and the Bible," end quote. You can't do that and survive. God has ordained government to bear the sword. And vengeance belongs to God and comes often through the government.
Remember back in verse 19, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves," chapter 12? Vengeance isn't ours. "Give place unto God's wrath, for vengeance is mine, says God, I will repay." And here's one way God says he has to channel his vengeance. That is through the government. And we as Christians can thank God for government. We can thank God that government has the right to use the sword.
Now I don't like to think of people losing their lives. And I think the way to stop it is to make it very, very clear and very, very certain that if you take a life, you'll immediately lose yours. That protects the sanctity of life.
Now when this is not satisfied... And I want you to listen very carefully to what I'm going to say in the next few minutes. When this is not satisfied, a nation comes under blood-guiltiness.
I want you to do a little Bible study. Let's go back to Genesis chapter 4, and I want you to listen very carefully to what I'm going to say. Genesis chapter 4 verse 10, Cain killed Abel. He murdered him, first murder. And the Lord said, verse 9, "Cain, where is Abel, your brother?" He was not only a murderer, by the way, but he was a liar. That figures. Satan was the father of lies and a murderer from the beginning. And so Cain was mirroring the one who had no doubt inspired him to do this. He said, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?" And he said, "What hast thou done?" Now listen to this. "The voice of thy brother's blood cries unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand." When Cain killed Abel, Abel's blood cried out to God. It was unrequited blood. It was unsatisfied. It was a life taken with no life given. There was no retribution. And the blood cried out to God.
In chapter 9 verse 6, we come then to that principle, and God lays it down. "Whoever sheds man's blood by man, shall his blood be shed." And so God later on puts down the principle that a murderer is to lose his life. And that and that alone, listen now, will satisfy the unrequited blood. That and that alone will satisfy God.
Go to chapter 42 of Genesis, and I'll just show you another illustration of this. It says, "And Reuben answered them saying, 'Spoke I not unto you, saying do not sin against the child?'" Remember the brothers had sold Joseph? Do you remember that? And of course they're concerned and feeling guilty by now in the story.
And so in verse 22, Reuben says, "Didn't I tell you, don't sin against the child, and you wouldn't hear. Therefore, behold also his blood is (What?) required." In other words, until there is a life for His life, God is unsatisfied. They realized the principle that had been established in Genesis, blood for blood.
Joshua chapter 2 verse 19: "And it shall be that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless. And whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head if any hand be upon him."
In other words, again we just want to draw this one principle. I don't want to take the time to go into all the story here about the spies going into Jericho and Rahab, and all the things that were happening here. But the point is this: Whenever there was guilt in the loss of a life, somebody was to pay, somebody was to shed blood. And so the statement, "His blood shall be on our head if any hand be on him."
In second Samuel chapter 4, and you'll see where all this is going in a moment. Again this chapter describes a murder, a murder of Ishbosheth, Saul's son. You come down to verse 11, and the principle is there: "How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not therefore now" here it comes "require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?" If you take a life, you give a life. And your blood is required for his blood.
First Kings, just another passage, chapter 2, just so you'll understand how really comprehensive this is. Again it's the same idea. The king said unto him, "Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him, that thou mayest take away the innocent blood which Joab shed from me and the house of my father." What God says is to execute Joab, execute Joab for shedding innocent blood.
Backing up for just a moment, I want to draw your attention to one verse I probably should have mentioned earlier. It's Leviticus chapter 20 and verse 9: "For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death." He has cursed his father or mother." Here it is. "His blood shall be on him." In other words, again the idea of blood-guiltiness. He is a bloody murderer, there is blood on him. Verse 13 ends with, "His blood shall be on them." And I think it's verse 27 which is the same, yes, "Their blood shall be upon them." So the pattern is the same all the way through the early part of the Old Testament that blood was required for the shedding of blood.
Now I want to just draw you to one other book in the Old Testament. That's the prophecy of Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 7 and verse 20: "As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty. But they made the images of their abominations and their detestable things of it. Therefore have I set it far from them." God is talking about the temple, by the way, which they had desecrated. "And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil, and they shall pollute it." And do you remember when the Babylonians came in and took Jerusalem, they profaned the temple terribly. "My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute My secret place, for the robbers shall enter in and defile it. Make a chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes." I want you to stop there.
One of the reasons, and a primary reason that God brought judgment on the nation, Israel, and the Babylonian captivity was because the nation was full of bloody crimes. In other words, murders for which there was no retribution. And the blood was crying out to God. And the city is full of violence. You show me a place where they don't deal with murderers, and they don't execute those who commit severe crimes, and I'll show you a place full of violence.
And that was exactly what Ezekiel saw. "Wherefore I will bring the worst of the nations, and they shall possess their houses. I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease, and their holy places shall be defiled. Destruction cometh, and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none. Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumor upon rumor. Then shall they seek a vision from the prophet, but the law will perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients. The king will mourn. The prince shall be clothed desolation. The hands of the people of the land shall be troubled. I will do unto them after their way. And according to their deserts, will I judge them. And they shall know that I am the Lord." In other words, God says, "I'm going to come in and bring a terrible judgment because there is a land full of bloody crimes, full of violence where judgment is not executed on evildoers."
In Ezekiel, the same book, chapter 18 verse 10 says, "If ye beget a son that is a robber." The man has a son that's a robber, "a shedder of blood," that's a murderer, "and doeth the like to any one of these things, and that doeth not any of those duties, but even has eaten upon the mountains and defiled his neighbor's wife, has oppressed the poor and needy, has spoiled by violence, has not restored the pledge" that is keeping his word, "has lifted up his eyes to idols, has committed abomination, has given forth upon interest, has taken increase," that is extortion, "shall he then live? He shall not live. He hath done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood shall be upon him." And there's that idea of blood-guiltiness. It must be requited. It is required that those kinds of crimes be paid for with blood.
Now why does God do that? Because God hates people? No. Because God knows that that, when executed properly, becomes a terror to evildoers and restrains them from doing evil, and men need restraints because men are basically so vile and wicked.
And you can see the same thing in Ezekiel 36. Now the point is this. All the way through here, God requires the death penalty. You say, "Is that so that God can kill people?" No. That's so that people will not have to die. That's so that there are no victims, and there are no criminals. Do you understand that? If you make it... If you make the law of the land according to the law of God, it restrains the criminal. And therefore, there are not victims, and there are not perpetrators. That's the whole point. But where there is bloodshed, and where that blood is unrequited blood, the nation becomes guilty, and God moves in to judge.
Listen to Numbers 35:33: "So you shall not pollute the land wherein you are, for blood defiles the land. And the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it." Did you get that? You ought to mark that down, Numbers 35:33. The land will never be cleansed of the blood that is shed until the blood of the one who shed it is shed.
You ask yourself why America is in the mess that it's in, and I could give you a myriad of reasons. One major reason is that this nation is under the judgment of God for unrequited blood. The ground of the United States of America cries out to God for retribution against murderers and robbers, and those who are worthy of death. And were they properly dealt with, there would be the minimizing of victims and perpetrators. But instead, we do the very opposite, and our land is blood-guilty.
And friend, I want to tell you, I believe with all my heart that abortion is murder, and that we are guilty to an absolutely inconceivable extent in the matter of massacring unborn children.
Pacifism finds no advocacy in the New Testament. Government is given the right to use a sword. It is true that when harlots were converted, Jesus said, "Go and sin no more." But when soldiers were converted, he didn't say, "Go and soldier no more." Government has the right to the sword. If it doesn't use it, the land cries out for unrequited blood.
And this land cries out from the blood of millions upon millions upon millions of those who were unborn, and many who were born, the killers of which have never been brought to retribution. And I believe that is reason enough for God to bring against us judgment even as He did against Israel. For we have become a land full of bloody crimes, a land filled with violence.
Finally, we are to submit to the government for conscience sake, for conscience sake. Verse 5: "Wherefore you must needs be subject." Now we're back to the key idea from verse 1. You must needs be subject not only for wrath, not only because you fear God as God acts through the government, not only because you don't want to feel the vengeance of God, but for conscience sake also." Not only because you fear the consequence, but because you know what is right, you see. So it isn't all negative. This should be the highest motivation.
Yes, there has to be a fear factor. Yes, there has to be a judgment factor, a vengeance factor. Yes, there has to be punishment that is without pity, without partiality, and without delay. Yes, there has to be blood for blood, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot. Yes, yes, we are to conform because we fear. But on the other hand, what much...what a much higher motive it is that we conform in submission, not only for wrath's sake, but for conscience sake. That is, because we know it is right, because we have a conscious regard for love for the law, a conscience...conscious commitment to obey God. This is a higher motive. This is a purer motive.
And that's what it means in 1st Peter 2:13: "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake." Not just so you can avoid the consequences, but for the Lord's sake. When you think about obeying the law, you think about it because you're afraid of what will happen if you don't? Do you govern your life by fear, or do you think about not breaking the law for the sake of honoring your Lord? That's the higher motive. I mean we need them both, but I hope you've come to the commitment to the higher one.
So what did we learn here? The conscience is that, that inner voice. We've studied it in detail in Romans earlier. The conscience is that little place inside of us where God speaks to us of what is right and wrong. It is in that, in that conscience, that inherent sense of what honors God, that we should find our strongest motivation. There's no place for rebellion on the part of a Christian, no place for lawbreaking, no place for uprising and resistance. We are to do what is right, to submit.
I love the story of Genesius. He was an actor. And was an actor in the days of Diocletian, who lived about 245 A.D. to maybe 315 A.D. Diocletian was violently anti-Christian and used to be loved to be entertained by plays that mocked Christianity. Genesius was an actor in such a play mocking Christianity. And as a play was going on and being watched by Diocletian, according to the historian, in the middle of the play, Genesius broke from his normal lines and cried out with these words: "I want to receive the grace of Christ, that I may be born again and be set free from the sins which have been my ruin." And there before the whole audience, including the emperor, in a play mocking Christianity, the message got to his heart, and he cried out for salvation. The unbelieving crowd saw the mockery — which, by the way, at that point in the play, was a baptism — turned into a hallow moment of conversion. And Genesius turned to the emperor and said this: "Illustrious emperor, and all of you who have laughed loudly at the parody, believe me, Christ is true king." Unmoved except to rage, Diocletian ordered that he first be ripped with claws, then burned with torches, and finally beheaded. Before he died, he cried, "There is no king except Christ, whom I have seen and whom I worship. For Him, I will die a thousand times. I am sorry for my sin and for becoming so late a soldier of the true king."
I like a lot of things about this guy. I want to find him in heaven. One of the things I like about him is that he came to Christ with such courage. The other thing is that when he spoke to the emperor, he said, "illustrious emperor." That tells me where his heart was. He understood the place of authority, though he knew who the true King really was. May it be so with us.
Let's bow in prayer. Oh Father, we would pray that the church would be the church, a nation of priests, not politicians, heavenly citizens, yet earthly models of citizenship. That we would so live in peace and quiet and honesty and integrity, seeking to make peace, demonstrating love and the graciousness of Christ, accepting our lot, submitting willingly and joyously, and counting it even worthy experience, blessed experience to suffer for Christ. And in so doing, silence the critics and attract men to the only one who can give such peace, and in so doing change our society. May we be committed to loving, living, and preaching the saving gospel. May we be all that we ought to be, as Your children, for Christ's sake, amen.
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EA Sport's Football GM Cam Weber takes the helm of NCAA Football and Madden NFL at a tumultuous time. Externally, the NFL lockout brings a large amount of uncertainty in how it'll affect sales of the brand's flagship franchise. Internally, EA Tiburon, the studio responsible for the football games, has experienced plenty of turnover with the departure of top level management.
Weber will have a tough job guiding the series in the next few years, but from what I've seen of both games, it seems as though they're in good hands. I had a chance to check out Madden NFL 12 and NCAA Football 12 last month. In terms of guiding principles for this year, EA Tiburon is emphasizing a revamped presentation along with a new physics model to intensify the drama within the games. From my initial impressions, it sounds like a winning formula. Here's are some other thoughts:
More on Madden NFL 12 and NCAA Football 12 on the jump


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