Wednesday, April 27, 2011

"Easter isn't Over"

This week, I caught myself saying, "Well, another Easter has come and gone."

I could not have made a more inaccurate statement. Easter isn't over!

Jesus' Resurrection started something that will never end! Easter is not about a holiday; it is about every day! New life, fresh starts, forgiveness, freedom, hope...it is available through the resurrected Christ every day. On the days when it is easy to sing and on the days when it is hard not to cry...every day...Jesus Resurrection has changed everything for all time.

1 Peter 1:3-9:
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Are you you receiving what Jesus overcoming death has made possible for you and our world? Receive and you will discover that Easter isn't over.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

"Themes of Lent: Love"

As we walk through this Holy Week, we look back and reflect on the themes of Lent we have explored so far--commitment, obedience, purpose, sacrifice and trust. Jesus is our example for each and he shows us the motivation for each.

It is His motivation that it would seem many fear. And yet, the Bible said when this is our motivation for commitment, obedience, purpose, sacrifice and trust all fear is cast out. So, what is this motivation that many fear and, yet, has the power to dispel all fear? The motivation is LOVE. All of the other themes of Lent are empty of meaning and power if they are not fueled by love.

The Bible explains, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man or woman who fears is not made perfect in love" 1 John 4:16-18.

It goes back to what we talked about on Sunday. Why do want a "Warrior" image of God? Why do we say, "God is not just love" and then reference God's judgment as though it is some how separated from His love. No...No...again, NO! The Bible says, "God is love." End of statement. Period. Any addition to God's nature is our addition, but it is not biblical. God is love! Why do we resist this? Why do so many fear this? Why do we hesitate to simply and humbly receive that God is love. Because God is love, he is just. Because God is love, he will judge the living and the dead. Because he is love, he will discipline us as a parent disciplines his or her child. All that God does flows out of who God is--love!

"There is no fear in love." How much of your relationship with God is driven by fear and its comrades, guilt and shame? Jesus suffered, died and rose again to free you of that not enslave you in it. Perfect love drives out fear. What is it going to take for you to have fear driven out of your view of God and how you relate to him?

Jesus' answer to that question was three words, "It is accomplished", which he punctuated with the cross. Will you receive his answer? His death has accomplished fear being chased away by love. Will you let what what his love has already accomplished be accomplished in you? If you will, then commitment, obedience, purpose, sacrifice, trust...it all becomes about his love.

His love is what we reflect on this Friday as we force ourselves to stare at his blood. His love is what we celebrate this Sunday as we stare into an empty tomb. Brother and Sister in Christ, will you--not the unbeliever--but will you, receive his offer of perfect love that casts out all fear?

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

"Themes of Lent: Trust"

Our Son Seth (3 years old) sometimes will stand up on a chair and shout, "Daddy!" and jump! No warning. He just jumps and expects me to catch him whether I am right next to him or across the room. He scares me to death when he does that and, yet, I am so thankful he trusts me to catch him. However, I know what he will one day learn that even a dad who loves you will sometimes let you down.

It is there that many of us get stuck. Don't we? The person we counted on catching us lets us fall. Sometimes it is an accident...we know that...but it still hurts. Other times the person we trusted, lets us fall on purpose. We jumped and with cold, mean hearts they watch us hit the ground and do not even offer us a hand to help us up. That breaking of trust cuts very, very deep.

How many people...how many of us are stuck in broken trust? People who are stuck in broken trust are people are willing to give help, but not receive help. People who are stuck in broken trust are chained by hurt or bitterness or both. People who are stuck in trust only let people get so close. People who are stuck in trust don't just apply their suspicion to other people, but also to God.

The themes of lent we have discussed these last several weeks--commitment, sacrifice, obedience, perseverance, purpose--flow in and out of trust in Christ. Trust is the key that unlocks the door to them all. Without trust commitment is to be feared. Without trust sacrifice becomes abuse. Without trust obedience is a burden. Without trust perseverance is a punishment. Without trust purpose is pointless. With trust all these themes of lent unlock the door called blessedness in our lives. Blessedness is a state of being prosperous in happiness. Are you prosperous in happiness? Do you want to be? Then may be it is time to have a good, honest talk with Jesus about when and why you got stuck in broken trust. Ask Jesus to free you from projecting your distrust of others onto him.


Hours before Jesus' trust was broken by Judas, Jesus said, "Trust in God; trust also in me...I am the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:1&6). Will you trust Jesus today?

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

"Themes of Lent: Purpose"

Is your life driven by necessity or by purpose?

Are your priorities arranged according to the urgent or according to what is important?

Are you making a living or making a life?

Are you investing your time and money in anything that makes someone other than your own life better?

Do you get up every day to do what you have to do or what you want to do?

Would you know what you would want to do if every day you could get up and do it?

Is life more about frustration or fulfillment for you?

Why did God give you life today?

These are the questions of Lent because this season asks us to take an honest inventory of where we are going and why.

Matthew 16:21 records how Jesus answered that question: "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."