I am so grateful Jesus died on the cross.
Because me? I am a screw up.
To the random person that only knows me from outward appearances or the ones that see me 2-3 days a week when they are dropping off or picking up their kids at preschool I work at it may not seem like I need Jesus that bad.
But I do.
And I have come into every Easter this way. With my hands out, my heart open, almost one dimensionally being thankful the He died on the cross for me.
But this year?
My Easter went from being a singular picture, one page summary, to a story. Read More
This year, Easter was a little different for me. It was the first Easter service for my 7 month old son, Ben. At first, I didn’t think it would really be all that different. I mean, he’s way to young to understand the service, or what Francis would be saying. He would probably take a quick look at what was happening on stage, and then resume playing with his toys, which would be far more interesting to him. I wasn’t expecting for him to change my outlook on Easter, and remind me why I fell in love with Jesus in the first place.
Having grown up in the church and being a Christian most of my life, it’s really easy for me to get caught up in the routine of things. To take for granted stories and events I’ve heard or been to a hundred times. It’s not that I mean to do this, I think it’s just something we as humans have to purposely overcome, and a lot of times I”m not in the mindset to think about over coming it. So I just go along through the motions, happy to celebrate, but ultimately seeing things through the lens of experience. Read More
At the beginning of Good Friday service I made a simple request of God, a simple request with a heavy answer: please show up. And show up he did. In ways I never could have expected, in epic, amazing, undefinable glory. Over the course of the weekend He declared in a loud voice, you are Mine, and I love you. He showed me the depth of His love for me through my two sons, ages two and four. I brought them in to worship with me and my wife at the end of service. And as we sang, I put my hand in the air, reaching towards the cross, and their little hands joined mine. They had never done that before. At that moment, my love and adoration for them hit a new level, and it was at that moment that God spoke to me. He said “do you feel how much you love them right now? I love you more.” For the first time, I felt the weight of his love. But this, it turned out, was only the beginning. Read More
A Foretaste of Easter
Today our focus is in the crucifixion of Jesus. This is a painful and somber event without doubt. To realize that an innocent man was brutally tortured and murdered simply for spreading the love and peace of God’s Kingdom to those typically considered unworthy of such love. That’s how this story is seen on the surface anyway. On another level we know that the death of Jesus was required as atonement for the sin condition of humanity. On this day we try to understand the pain and loss that Jesus mother, siblings and followers would have been experiencing. The weight of this event is so crucial for us to bear; even to the small degree we are able in our time and culture. For without feeling the sorrow of Jesus death, we cannot fully comprehend the joy of his resurrection. After all, this season of Lent and the Good Friday observances are themselves preparation for the declaration that Jesus is alive. One of my favorite sermons of all time is titled “Its Friday… but Sunday’s comin’!” The preacher in this message, encourages the church that no matter how dark or defeated things may look when Jesus is on the cross, don’t write him yet… because Sunday’s comin’! No matter how bleak or hopeless the situation may look when Jesus gives up his life and dies, don’t give up hope… because Sunday’s comin’! No matter how menacing the enemy and the powers of evil may appear as the stone is rolled in front of the tomb, do not lose sight of who Jesus claimed to be… because Sunday’s comin’! So as we necessarily acknowledge and experience the pain and suffering that resulted from the crucifixion of Jesus, let’s not write Jesus off as being irrelevant, let’s not give up hope in his healing power, and let’s not lose sight of the promises he made to his followers… because SUNDAY IS COMING! And we all know what happened on Sunday!!! Read More
Healing and Conversion
This day we focus on the healing and conversion that is offered by God through faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. As we face our temptations, turn away from our desires that are driven by our sinful nature and turn towards God we are now in a place where healing can happen and ongoing conversion can take place. Some people are blessed with a healing experience that seems immediate and miraculous. This is an amazing gift and should always be celebrated. But it should never been seen as the only way God heals. The reality is that most people experience God’s healing, and their own conversion, as a process. There is often a lot of struggle and anguish involved in this process as well. But what we usually notice is that God begins to redeem our pain and struggles to be used for helping and encouraging others that are walking just steps or even miles behind us on the same path. And in a very strange and beautiful way, the more we help others heal the more we are healed ourselves. For some people it may seem weird to talk of conversion as a process. For so long the church has taught that conversion is the point of decision. The moment when a person decides to follow Jesus. The few seconds they spent saying a carefully scripted prayer they were asked to repeat. But again, the reality is that there is usually a lot of preparation that happens in a person’s life before they get to that point, and hopefully there is also a lot of preparation that happens after that moment as well. So that brief snapshot in their life is only part of the process. A very important part to be sure, but still just a part. Read More
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