April 22, 2011

"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  Luke 23:33-39

Not much good on this Friday.

Terrible Friday makes sense. Horrible Friday would be accurate. Awful Friday certainly would fit. But GOOD Friday?

If you were lynched by an angry mob in the middle of the night, betrayed by a close friend, arrested on trumped up charges, ridiculed and then spat upon, would you call that a good day?

Would you call it a good day if you were savagely beaten and scouraged until your back looked like hamburger and then have a roughly hewn cross thrown onto your raw shoulder and forced to carry it one-half of a mile to the place where you would be nailed to that cross?

Jesus was cruelly crucified on a day that has come to be known and even celebrated as Good Friday! How can that be?

It can only be known as Good Friday because of what happened bright and early on Sunday morning! Good Friday was good only because of the resurrection! That single miraculous event changed everything before it and everything after it forever! The bloody cross of Golgotha led to the empty tomb in the garden!

And since that empty tomb, indeed, because of the resurrection the dark, difficult and painful Fridays of your life will always be followed by a Sunday! That is the power of a Risen Savior! That is the promise from a Risen Savior! Thus is the presence with a Risen Savior!

As Tony Campolo has declared, "It's Friday - but Sunday's coming!"

That's the glory of Easter! He's alive! He has risen as He said!

"But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."  Romans 8:10-11

If you are in a Friday time in your life - hold on - Sunday is coming!

April 21, 2011

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep"..........."When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? "Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."   I Cor. 15:14-20 & 54-58

Life is about figuring out what matters and what doesn't. The sooner you figure that out the better your life will be. Some never figure it out.

Usually, you figure out what matters through being told what matters by someone who matters a lot to you. Most often you are taught what matters by your parents because they matter most to you and you learn to value what they value. Over time, as you mature, you begin to develop your own value system to determine what matters most to you.

If you are a Christian you must ultimately develop your value system according to the truths and people who are recorded in the Bible. When you decide that Biblical values will matter more to you than material or temporal or cultural values you will begin to experience some push-back and that pressure forces you to regularly examine and evaluate what matters to you. That can be a healthy process! Perhaps you are in that process right now.

So, what matters most to you? What should matter to you is what matters to God since pleasing Him should matter most to you. In this message to the Christians at Corinth, Paul states clearly and confidently that what matters most is the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

That is why Easter is such a big deal! Easter is a big deal because the resurrection IS THE DEAL! Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, He was a liar, because He promised His disicples that He would return from the dead. Without the resurrection, God is a failure, because His plan for redeeming the human race depended on His Son dying and then rising from the grave. And, as Paul says his preaching is useless, as is your faith, and we are fools or liars, we are trapped in our sins, and we have no hope in life or at death if Jesus did not die for you and me and if He did not arise from the dead.

Without the resurrection of Jesus, nothing matters. With the resurrection, every promise in the Bible matters! Without the resurrection the Bible is a fable and the Old Testament Prophets are fools. With the resurrection, God has proven He has power over sin and death! His power matters! With the resurrection we have the hope of our own resurrection! That matters! God made sure the resurrection matters because He wants you to know how much you matter to Him!

Jesus' resurrection matters because it is the heart of the matter!

Will you bow before the Father and thank Him for the Resurrection of Jesus? Will you stand up and rejoice that you serve a Risen Savior? Will you go to your church Sunday and worship for all you're worth? Will you worship like it matters? Worship matters because He matters. And He matters because of His resurrection!

HE'S ALIVE! HE HAS RISEN AS HE SAID!











                                                                                                           

April 20, 2011

"So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." Matthew 28:8

These  women loved Jesus passionately and arose before sunrise in order to get to the tomb to prepare their Lord's body. I'm sure they were filled with grief and some dread as they prepared themselves to see His badly battered and bloody corpse. The horrible events of a few days ago seemed like a terrible nightmare but one from which they could not awake. But now, on this chilly morning as they hurried through the darkness to the tomb they must have been trying to prepare themselves mentaly and emotionally for the jarring reality of a cold, dead, and badly disfigured body.

While they were still trying to prepare themselves for what they thought they would see, upon arriving at the tomb they saw something they were totally unprepared for - the stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty and a angel appeared to explain why!

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?", the angel asked.

And the discovery they made that morning has changed the course of history as well as the changing the trajectory of eternity! About the time day was dawning it was dawning on these women what had happened! Jesus was alive! He had risen from the dead! With the breaking day, they rushed back to break the joyous news to the rest of His followers!

Can you imagine the joy? As the Gospel records, "They were filled with joy."

As I read this story this evening and tried to imagine how these women must have felt as they discovered the good news of the resurrection, I could not help but wonder, "Where is the joy?"

Is the resurrection any less significant today than it was then? No!

So, where is the joy?

Is Jesus any less alive today than He was then? No!

So, where is the joy?

Sunday after Sunday we come to our churches to worship and celebrate that Jesus is risen from the dead!

So, where is the joy?

How can we be so somber about something so significant as a Risen Savior?

Where is the joy?

Oh that we could celebrate and worship with joy like this:

                                         http://youtu.be/8KX2-J6uS-o

So, where's YOUR joy?

April 19, 2011

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."  I Corinthians 15:17-22

Do you remember as a kid how you played soldier or maybe cowboys and Indians? You would hide behind a tree or in the bushes and shoot your cap gun to make sure you got the "bad guys" before they got you! The idea of the game was to make sure you didn't get "killed". But, in fact, you got "killed" a number of times. Other than the sting of losing the battle, being "killed" was no big deal because you would rise to play again! Over the course of a long Summer day of cowboys and Indians you probably got "killed" a dozen times or more!

If death were no bigger of a deal than it was in a game of cowboys and Indians, then the resurrection of Jesus Christ would be of no consequence. But death IS real. And death IS final. Therefore, death is fearful.

But Jesus died. The Son of God succumbed to death! That is a big deal! It is not easy for God to die and it was anything but easy for Jesus. He suffered unimaginable cruelty. The agony inflicted on Him has been experienced by no other in history. It is a big deal because He did it for you! He took the shame and the penalty of your sinfulness and paid it for you on the cross! Though He was innocent He took your guilt! It killed Him so you wouldn't have to die for your sins!

Jesus' death was a big deal because by dying in sin He conquered sin!

As significant as His death was, His resurrection was even bigger! In this cosmic battle between good and evil, the Good Guy won! He arose from the dead on the third day! By rising from the dead - coming back to life after being dead for three days - He defeated death! And He defeated it not only for Himself but for you and for me! That is a big deal! That is worthy of celebrating!

So, one of these days when death comes to claim you, because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - the miraculous return from the dead, the best documented return from the dead - you will re-enact your cowboy and Indian days of getting back up after you are dead!

That is a big deal!

That is something worthy of celebrating!

Celebrate it now! Celebrate it tomorrow! Join your Christian brothers and sisters and celebrate it BIG TIME this Easter Sunday! Celebrate it as though your life depends on it! Oh, by the way, IT DOES!

April 18, 2011

"Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified."  Matthew 17:4

I can relate to Peter. Perhaps you can too.

Just like him there is a part of me that wants to camp out a certain comfort level. When something good happens or especially when I experience a spiritual high, I want to linger there for awhile. I understand his desire to want to pitch a tent.

But God would have none of that. Before Peter could even finish his thoughts, he was interrupted by the voice of God. God doesn't let me get away with it either.

Why is that?

God loves us too much to allow us to level off. There too much growth that has to happen in you and in me to allow us to camp out in a comfort zone. There are too many other people to be reached to let us pitch a tent at a past event. God is too dynamic and has so much He wants to reveal to us about His nature and His will to allow us to live on yesterday's experience. God wants to stretch us and grow us so he can do greater things through us and show greater things to us!

Our relationship with God is often described as a walk or sometimes as a race or even as a journey - but never is it called a camp out! When we walk with God we must keep up with Him - stay in step with Him. The Bible urges us to "wait upon the Lord" but it doesn't say He should wait on us!

Some of the old hymns used to refer to the Christian walk as a march. Marchers move forward steadily and purposefully in step together with each other and with their leaders. You may remember this one:

Come, we that love the Lord,

And let our joys be known;

Join in a song with sweet accord,

Join in a song with sweet accord

And thus surround the throne,

And thus surround the throne

We’re marching to Zion,

Beautiful, beautiful Zion;

We’re marching upward to Zion,

The beautiful city of God.

Let those refuse to sing,

Who never knew our God;

But favorites of the heavenly King,

But favorites of the heavenly King

May speak their joys abroad,

May speak their joys abroad.

Notice the hymn-writer said we are "Marching" not camping! And we are marching forward as we march! And, we are marching upward!

So, following Jesus requires us to walk with, to stay in step with Him. As His disciples, what happens if you walk ahead of Him?  What might happen if you don't really keep up with Him? A distance can develop then, right?  And what happens if He wants to lead you to a higher place or share a newer revelation of His glory and you are still looking back?

As we head into this Holy Week finalizing preparations for a great celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, intentionally order your schedule and your stuff so you can enjoy this journey with the King of Kings. Revel in His presence and praise Him for keeping in step with the will of God for you. Chase the Risen Savior with all your heart and never pitch a tent! Never get too comfortable or casual so as to lose the blessing, the significance, the hope, or the presence, or the peace of following Jesus who rose from the dead to set us free!

Comfort is over rated. God designed and wired us for challenges, not for camp outs!

What comfort zone might you be caught in?

 

April 17, 2011

"There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.............When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus."   Matthew 17:1-3; 7-8

What was it that they saw on the mountaintop that so affected them?

As they headed up the mountain I wonder what they thought they were going to see?

I have a feeling they didn't expect to see what they saw!

When you think about a mountaintop experience with God, what is it that you want to see? Have you ever thought about that? Maybe you should.

Of course, I wasn't on the mountaintop so I can only speculate, but I'll tell you what I think they saw. I believe what they saw that so changed them was the holiness of God!

Why do I say that? What do I base that on?

First, the Word says they saw a brilliant light. What would cause such brilliance other than the pure radiance of a holy, sinless Presence! That brilliance is the light of pure love, the light of pure wisdom, the light of pure knowledge and the light of pure never-ending life! Those are the components of holiness and that is Who God is! As John wrote later in His Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind."

Second, the record says that His clothes became was white as the light. To be that white and shine that brightly denotes the absence of sin. What is holiness except the absence of sin? Doesn't it remind you of another time John saw Jesus, "The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire, His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance."

You may disagree with me if you wish, and you may be right. But I think what they saw on that mountaintop was the holiness of God!

After three years of following Jesus and sharing in His life and ministry they had seen His power in countless manifestations. They had witnessed healings! They had seen the dead raised! They had seen water turn into wine and a lunch turned into an all-you-can eat buffet! They had seen Him walk on water and they watched Him still a storm. You would think that with all those experiences with His power, they wouldn't have needed a mountaintop experience.

But they did.

I would venture to guess that when you think of a mountaintop experience you envision a manifestation of His power. You long for that. You pray for it. Sometimes you even fast for it. But is that what you really need? Does God still have to prove His power to you?

And if you did receive that mountop experience and if God DID show you a supernatural manifestation of His power - then what? Would you believe more or would you cry out for another one? How would you be different coming down the mountain that you were climbing it? Would you be different in your hidden places that you were on the high place?

Isn't holiness what you really need? Would His purity be a better answer to your problems than His power?  Everyone looks good in the high places. Wouldn't it be great if the mountaintop experiences made you different in the hidden places of your life?

When you long for a mountaintop experience you had best know what you are asking God for. And if it is not a fresh vision of His holiness - do you really need it? And if you are not ready to receive His holiness - do you really want it?

April 16, 2011

"Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”   Matthew 17:4

I contend that the reason we need a mountaintop experience is not always the reason we want one. Just as Peter wanted to build three shelters on the mountaintop, I believe there are three boxes we are especially prone to want to build for Jesus. A fresh revelation of Who He is can help us confront those. This morning I want to focus on those three "shelters" or boxes where we try to "store" Jesus.

The first is the emotional box. We want to be able to pull Jesus out to give us an emotional lift whenever we feel we need it and then put Him back in. With all the dangers of 21st century living and the demands of being a parent, a spouse, and employee - a child of God - emotions can get stretched and strained.

Certainly, God cares about our emotions, but He wants to do more than just thrill us - He wants to fill us! I believe that was one of the messages of the mountaintop. Jesus had worked with these disciples and in these disciples but a His time on the planet was nearing an end He was going to have to work through them. To do that He need to fill them. If you just want God to thrill you and you try to keep Him in that emotions box, you need a fresh revelation of Who He is!

Also, if you just want Jesus in your emotional box so you can pull Him out for an occasional charge, you will find that doesn't work. Jesus didn't lead these three guys up the mountain to charge them, He took them up there to change them!

God didn't want them to build three boxes and He doesn't want you to try and confine Jesus in your emotions box.

A second box we try to build is the emergency box. We want Jesus to be like the fire alarm in our lives - "In Case of Emergency Break Glass". Rather than allow Him to guide us and keep us on His path, we ask Him to guard us when we've wandered off the path and into danger. We want rescue but not responsibility. It is hard to be responsible. It costs us something and makes demands of us. To just keep Jesus in the emergency box and have Him on call when we get in a bind seems much easier to us.

If that is where you are with Jesus you need a fresh revelation of Him. You need a mountaintop experience that will cause you to take responsibility for your spiritual progress and not use Him for rescue missions.

A third box we want to keep Jesus in is the encouragement box. Life is hard! The grind of daily routines and rituals take a toll on you physically, emotionally and spiritually. But we tend to try to go it on our own and find our own ways of coping until we run out of gas. When we feel discouraged and need a lift out of the mundane exoeriences of doing life then we let God out of the box and demand that He encourage us. We grab the devotional or the Bible or the latest worship CD and say, "Okay, God, do your thing!"

If all Jesus is to you is a means of encouragement in the midst of the mundane, you need a fresh revelation of Who He Is! He doesn't exist just to encourage you - He lives to empower you! He wants to be your Master so He can turn the mundane into your ministry and your mission field! Your routines are where your life is lived on a daily basis and if you miss Him there you miss out on Who He is and what He can do!

As Peter was proposing his plan to construct the three boxes he was interrupted by God with an announcement that Jesus is HIS Son! He is God in the flesh! He is not to be contained or confined to any shelter or boxes. He did not come to emotionally charge you - He can to essentially change you! He did not come to be an emergency response, He came to call you to responsibilty. You are to build His Kingdom! And He does not exist just to brighten your day, He wants to empower you to live in the fullness of His love and power everyday so what was once mundane can become a mission!

Mountaintop experiences happen not to construct boxes but to crush them. Are there any boxes you are clinging to? Do you need to allow Jesus to be much more than He is in the area of your emotions, in the realm of you will, or in the midst of your daily living?