Daniel Lion

In the Old Testaments we are introduced to Daniel. He was a Jewish kid taken into captivity in Babylon. This was a normal thing for an occupying force to do. They would kidnap young men of the nobility and raise them in a bit of luxury in the hopes that they would start siding with their captors. And they could then go back to the people in a few years as “one of them” saying, “sure, they invaded and enslaved most of us, but they’re not so bad.” Daniel and the others were given much better food and lodging than you would usually expect when you’re kidnapped by the bad guys.

Daniel knew the trap that was laid before him. It would be very easy to succumb to the temptation of being fed from the king’s table. It was all the best food and best wine. But Daniel stayed resolute. He and his friends ate only vegetables and drank water. Through acting righteously and being helpful Daniel is raised to a position of authority. Making some of the Babylonians jealous that he was trying to replace them.

They tell the king that Daniel is worshiping God instead of worshiping the king, and this gets him into all kinds of trouble. The king is so angry that he decides to punish Daniel by throwing him into a den filled with hungry lions. You may have heard this one before; Daniel spends the whole night in there and remains perfectly safe. The King is so shocked and amazed that God would save Daniel in this way that he falls down to worship.

The king in Daniel 6:26-27 says,

26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
he works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”

You may not be kidnapped, you may not be thrown into a lion’s den, but the struggles of life can still feel like they are beating down your door every day. In these times I hope you can hold on to the reminder that our living God endures forever! The God who saved Daniel from the power of lions, is working to save you too.

God So Loved You

In the Church we talk a lot about repentance and forgiveness. We say it all the time, “we are all sinners who need saving through the work of Jesus Christ.” When times are good it is easy to say, “I know I am forgiven because Jesus loves me.” However, there are also times when we cry out like David did in Psalm 22, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” And there are seasons when life can make us feel like a pinball bouncing between every possible extreme.

Once those times of doubt rear up, we need to lean into the promises that God has made to us. We must remember that God’s faithfulness in the past is a pattern and a promise for what God will do in the future. You are a child of God, and you are loved so deeply that nothing can come between you and your loving savior. The world (or your own mind) may come at you and try to convince you that you cannot be loved. This is a lie! You are a beloved child. You are always welcome to turn back to God. God does not lie. He showed us His love through Jesus.

Paul in Romans 8 says it this way,

“38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When Paul says “nothing” he means “NOTHING.” There is not one thing in this world (or out of it) that can make God stop loving you—nothing that you’ve done, nothing that you’ve said, nothing that you thought. No matter what, there is always a path back to hope and redemption because God so loved you, that he sent his only son, that you should not perish but have eternal life.

Even when it feels hard to believe, Jesus loves you.

Hurry Up and Wait

I love taking the train out to my destination. No need to worry about traffic, gas, or the endless circles searching for a parking spot. I have more mixed feelings about taking the train to get home. Recently, I missed my train by less than a minute, I heard it pulling away as I was running down the stairs. And due to that one minute I had to wait an hour for the next one. I was immediately annoyed. Unfortunately, you can’t blame the train for leaving on time.

It's easy to chalk this up as an opportunity to learn a little patience, and trust in God’s timing. Yet, in the moment, patience is stupid. Like that girl in that movie, “I don’t care how, I want it now!” Of course, patience is a virtue, and a fruit of the spirit, and an aspect of love, and James calls it a growth opportunity (my paraphrase). To all that I would reply, “while true, it’s also really, really hard in the moment.”

We hate waiting. Whether it was due to our own poor time management like my missed train, or factors outside of our control like a flight delay, unplanned/forced waiting throws a wrench in the way we expected life to go. However, we can also think of waiting in the same vein as fasting. While challenging, we can learn from it, if we are mindful. When we look back, we can see what we’ve learned and how our muscle of patience has grown. God is faithful. God has come through for us again and again. God has strengthened us when we thought we’d lost it all.

Isaiah 40:29-31 says, “God gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint.”

We don’t like when our timing is interrupted, but each time it is, we have a choice. We can lean into God, or we can wallow in anger. It’s a hard choice to make; I hope we can all make the right one—at least once in a while.

Dude Be Nice

When I was in youth ministry, one of the niches I found was working with the kids that had a hard time fitting in. If you were ever a young person then I’m sure you know that, at times, kids can be brutally inconsiderate. Someone new came along that looked different, or acted different, or didn’t know the arbitrary rules your group had set up for inclusion and they got pushed away. That’s where I would step in and introduce them to some kinder kids or for the real outliers just be the listening ear they desperately needed.

Looking back with the eyes and experience of an adult it’s easy to forgive children acting this way because their brains are still (hopefully) developing empathy. However, for some this attitude hangs on. It is all too easy to find a routine we like and put everyone into neat little boxes to categorize our life. Anything that could cause even the most minor disturbance to one of these boxes is an abomination.

If you consider yourself a follower of Christ then Jesus made it pretty clear for us in Matthew 28:18-20 when he said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

“Go and make disciples of all nations,” one translation says everyone you meet. If you have been given the life changing gift of the gospel of Jesus, you should be excited to bring people along with you on the journey. And it’s hard, it’s hard to be loving to new people. What if they’re weird? What if they ask me a question and I don’t know the answer? What if we didn’t go to high school together?

There are people looking in on what you have and wondering how they could have something similar. Be it your marriage, or your job, or your community. And while you may not be able to help someone find a spouse or a job, you can let them be a part of your community. Even if you need to adjust or get used to a new normal, you know what Christ has called you to do. We have been called to show the love of Christ to everyone.

How do YOU increase community?

Called to Freedom

Tomorrow is the 4th of July, the day Americans come together to grill hot dogs, set off fireworks, and wave flags to celebrate freedom. Unfortunately, in that coming together and talking about America, there is also going to be a lot of arguments. “This country used to be XYZ,” “What we really need is ABC,” and “I don’t care what you say that town should let the dog be the mayor!”

All this coming from different people having different perspectives on what it means to be free. If this happens to you, I pray that you can keep things at a respectful/conversational level and the you remember the words of Galatians 5:13-15.

Here Paul says, “13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”

Love your neighbor. Three little words that end up so complicated when we try to live them out. It is much easier to bite and devour one another, but that’s exactly what we are told not to do. We sadly don’t need to go very far to see this kind of arguing. Talking heads on the news, people all over the internet, and even our friends, neighbors, and coworkers. It can feel inescapable.

This is why we are called to do our best to be the bigger person. This is why we are called to try and show love to our neighbor. This is why we are told elsewhere to “do unto others what you would have them do to you.” Treat people the way you want to be treated. You don’t need to engage in every possible debate and argument. You have the freedom to say, “I love you, but I don’t think this discussion is productive.”

Shhhhh

Matthew 6:2-4

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

With the rise of social media and the internet there are more famous people now than there has ever been before. There are people who are super famous but in a niche you’ve never heard of, so you can’t understand why they became a millionaire. Even if you’re not trying to get famous, getting ahead at work or life can feel like it requires you to do endless self-promotion. It feels like the people we see getting promoted are the ones who are constantly bragging.

This is what make the words of Jesus in Matthew 6 so challenging. If you do something big, or cool, or sacrificial then there is a part of you that wants everyone to know about it. However, we too often do it to bring glory to ourselves. You should do work that brings you pride. You should give to the needy but do it because you want to help the needy not because it will impress the people around you.

The only time you should tell others of your good works is when it might inspire them to join the effort of doing good. Working in the church I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gotten to see good works done in secret. People of means who remain humble in their effort to support the ongoing work of the church. We are so thankful for their support and humility.

We can help people because it is the correct thing to do. And feel good that we have the privilege to offer help. With God’s approval, why do we need the world’s?

Summertime Swing

School is out, summer is in full swing, and I’m sure there is someone out there who is already sick of being asked, “what are we going to do today?” For kids, summer can be a weird mix of super fun highs and super boring lows. During the school year, most days have a similar routine, contrasted with the summer when we go to the park, we play in the water, and we might just go on a trip somewhere cool. Every day has the possibility of being a fun new adventure and the excitement for the unknown leads to that question being asked again and again.

Eventually you leave school and are forced to deal with the realities of adult life. Gone is the annual 2-month full break from work and responsibility. It becomes far less likely that someone is going to wake you up and say, “get dressed, today you get to do something awesome.” Good things still happen, but more often they are saved, planned, and accounted for. In this adult world we become responsible for finding our own joy. Which isn’t always easy. We must set our eyes and our hearts on the things of God.

In Psalm 16:5-8 David says,

“5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the Lord always before me;

because God is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

We may not have the excitement of random trips or extended breaks from our routines, but we do have a God that loves us and leads us to find joy in the places we need it. God is with you in the hard times and the good. Celebrate the small things that bring you joy.

Bless You

It started like a normal day, then something bloomed, shot out all its pollen, and took me out. I’ve never had a ton of allergies; I took the test when I was in eighth grade and the doctor said I didn’t have anything to worry about. Unfortunately, that test was 20 years ago in a different state. Unfortunately, a piece of paper saying, “you’re fine,” is not enough to convince my sinuses to loosen up or my throat to not feel like it’s full of pipe cleaners.

For some people, seasonal allergies are an expected experience. For a few weeks every spring they know they’re going to have a bad time. They know that there is some invisible thing in the air that their body will view as an attack. However, when you know that stuff is out there you do your best to prepare for it: medications, closed windows, air filters, masks, etc. All this prep won’t stop the attacks from coming, but it does make it easier to weather the storm.

In a similar vein we know that there are spiritual and emotional things in this world that try to drag us down: negativity, mental illness, judgmental people, social media. Knowing the world we live in, we follow the preparation encouraged by Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

God has given you a path for preparation when you must face the evils of this world. We can fill our cup with the goodness of God such that we are prepared to face those things that would seek to drag us down.

God Bless America

This week there was a lot of arguing about certain decisions concerning certain politicians (just like the last week and probably next week). One group thought it was justice. One group thought it was an afront to democracy. Wherever you fall on the political spectrum there is someone, with an opposing view, who absolutely hates your position and thinks you have mush for brains. It is a problem that we have only seen grow more severe over time.

I heard someone put it this way. “Politics now seems like a screaming match of us-versus-them…about everything. And there's no room for questions, for complexity, for nuance and especially none for dissent. All that is expected is quiet submission and dutiful regurgitation of whatever chant or mantra your political side is spewing.” We are living in, and creating, a world where it doesn’t feel safe to ask questions.

When you can’t (or refuse to) ask questions, you can’t learn anything new. There are many, many people that need to repent of their own political idolatry. One of my favorite definitions of idolatry is when we view anything as the ultimate solution to our problems other than God. And the way some people talk about their favorite politicians makes that line a little blurry. What can we do about a problem that only seems to get worse?

We remember what we’ve been told from scripture. Proverbs 15:1-2

“A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.”

When someone gets heated about a political topic, your natural desire is to match their intensity, but you can stay calm. You can hold on to your testimony as someone who believes that there are bigger and more important things in this universe than the next election. We are called to be people who seek out and celebrate truth. Not divisive people who idolize humans who don’t have ultimate authority.

Should you be active in politics? Yes, insofar as you are bringing the truth and love that God has called us to bring into the world. If we can’t reach people out of love then we’ve already lost.

Blessed are the Peacemakers

This past weekend America celebrated Memorial Day. Traditionally, this is the day we honor those who lost their lives while defending their country and those they left behind. It is also the unofficial kick-off to summer, so we hear a lot of mixed messaging: solemnly remember those who were taken too soon but remember to get a great deal on a new fridge. And this is the contrast of the world we live in and the world we want to show Jesus.

For most of my lifetime the news has been inundated with conflicts around the world. I remember being 7 or 8 and frustrated because my cartoons were interrupted to talk about war. And it feels like that coverage never stopped. When you check the news today, you must decide which conflict to follow, and which one has been pushed out of the news cycle because a new one just started. It is so overwhelming.

As Christians, death is our enemy in all its forms. Death removes the opportunity for reconciliation and forgiveness. Christ came that we no longer had to fear death and judgment through his saving work on the cross. As we remember those that have been lost, we need to take on the hard work of pushing our world to a place where needless death doesn’t fill the airwaves.

We need to strive to live in ways that come from above us. Our earthly wariness will always find an enemy. Humans are masters of finding an “us” to put against a “them,” but we can do better. James in 3:17-18 reminds us of this, “17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

We can be the people who are willing to make peace in a world that is waging war. If you have lost someone I am so sorry for the brokenness of our world and I pray you use that loss as inspiration to bring more peace into the world.

What Do You See?

Psalm 103:6-10

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

A perceptive reader will recognize that this is the same passage that started us last week. And that is completely on purpose. As we read last time, this passage beautifully describes all the glorious ways that God showers love on us—even when we don’t deserve it.

However, as you read it again, I want you to read it in light of this passage from 1 John 3:2-3, “2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

We shall be like him. Throughout the scripture we are called to strive for Godliness. We are invited to live in a Christlike manner. This is an incredibly difficult calling. And though we may never get it perfect we will do well just by reaching for it.

It is so easy to hold someone else’s sins against them. We’ve all known someone who has held on to a grudge for so long that they may not even remember what started it in the first place. Just as God is holy, we should all live as people who are also holy. You can be merciful and gracious. You can be kind and forgiving.

God has given us so much that we can easily share that over-abundance with the people around us.

God Sees You

Psalm 103:6-10

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

When we read Psalms like this, we can take comfort in all the goodness that God has poured out upon us. When we feel lost or oppressed by outside forces we can curl into God as the one who will always be there for us. We are reminded of the mercy we have received. Mercy is forgiveness and understanding that we did not earn and usually don’t deserve. When we act without thinking we can trust that the grace of God will see through it to find our hearts and draw us back into right relationship.

We know what we deserve. We know when we have done something wrong—even if it felt right at the time. However, no matter how far we stray, God’s unwavering, unfaltering, inescapable love comes to rescue us from ourselves because he is slow to anger. God is slow to anger even when we know our punishment would be justifiable.

We often live in a cycle. We sin and then we repent. We sin and then we repent. We sin and then we repent. But no matter how deep, our sin we have a God who loves us and will not hold that anger against us. God sees you as the person you could become and not as an amalgamation of all the bad things you’ve done.

We do not live in fear of divine retribution because Christ’s sacrifice on the cross stood in our place. He took the sins of the world so that we could be free.

Live like someone who has been set free.

Pop Goes Perfection

Pop Goes Perfection

If you grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons you might remember the commercial for a game called Perfection. In this game you had to “put the pieces into the slot, make the right selection, but be quick you’re racing the clock. POP! Goes perfection!” Basically, there was a loud timer clicking away as you tried to match the plastic pieces to their appropriately shaped cavity. If you didn’t finish your task on time a spring popped the game board up and your work was ruined as the pieces went flying out.

While this game was supposed to be fun, I think it acted as a primer for the way many of us live our lives today. We often feel this sense of impending dread as we try to live the perfect life right now. A songwriter I heard a while back put it this way, “I want the glory, I just don't want the work, I want the scars and the story, I don't want it to hurt.” It is a very human desire to want to live at the finish line as opposed to struggling through the race.

Our focus feels so limited. We feel doubt and demoralized because we only think about how much further we have to go to reach our goals. Often, it’s not even a personal goal; it’s because we feel like we need to play catch-up with someone else. When this happens, we must remember that God is not comparing you to anyone else. God does not place you on a ranking list of who is loved more and who is loved less. God loves and has done all the work necessary for you to be loved.

Even when we think that we are worthless Paul reminds of this in Ephesians 2:5, 8-10, “5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

You don’t need to worry when the world pops around you. God is already doing the work of making things perfect.

What’s the Hold Up

The other day I walked into a Starbucks and there was one person ahead of me in line. I knew exactly what I wanted and I knew the Starbucks jargon I had to use to get it, but the person in front of me did not. This person was asking questions that would be common knowledge to most coffeeshop patrons: what sizes you have, how much is that one, which is your favorite. They weren’t being rude they were just holding up the line. And as the kind and patient barista took their order the line grew.

There are a lot of things we encounter every day that we do through rote memory. Think about those times you arrived at work with almost no memory of the commute. Or worse, you’re going somewhere else and out of habit you take the turn you always take. As mundane as some of those things become to you, they could just as easily be brand new to someone else. When we encounter these people, we can get frustrated; or we can take the opportunity to teach them something.

Proverbs 15:18 says, “A hot-tempered person stirs up strife, but one who is slow to anger quiets contention.”

It is easy to be a hot head these days. Seemingly, a good portion of the internet thrives off controversial statements and poking the proverbial bear. But by embracing grace we can choose to fight against the tide and show people grace. Learning to let God take care of the big things and living in peace with our neighbors is what we’ve been called to do.

In Romans 12:14-16 Paul reminds us, “14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly…”

Even if they’re slow and annoying you can show them grace.

Change

It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. (MSG)

This first paragraph is a paraphrase of Ephesians 2:1-6, and while it misses some of the specifics and nuance of a more direct translation, I love how it gets to the heart of the message we are supposed to hear.

In life it feels like people fluctuate between the extreme of too much self-confidence and too little self-confidence. We rarely seem to take a balanced accurate view of ourselves or our place in the world. But Ephesians 2 is pushing a lot of the possible worry out of the way. Before Christ’s saving work on the cross, we were stuck living stagnant lives and stuck in the drudgery of sin. It is only through Christ that we are brought back to life.

And we don’t bring anything to this equation. God didn’t look at you and say, “this one is worthy of salvation.” God saw only a sinner who was loved and who needed a savior. When we come with empty hands, we come with all we need.

Since we have been saved in Christ, God raises us up, and we will see the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us. For by grace we have been saved, not because of anything we have done. It is the gift of God.

Hold Fast

Titus 2:1;11-14 “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

If more people could focus on this very first verse, I think the church would be in a much different place. Sound doctrine is the truth we find in reading and properly interpreting scripture. Far too many of the hills people are willing to die on are made up of things that are not in the Bible.

In our modern world if you have enough followers/subscribers/friends you are automatically given a voice of authority. I can’t even count how many videos I’ve seen that can be shut down because the presenter doesn’t understand the science of what they’re talking about at all. And so much of it just comes down to fearmongering. If I tell you a “secret” you’ll keep coming back for more.

This is why people are so easily led astray in their theology. They haven’t taken the time to learn it themselves so when someone comes along with “secret” information they keep going back for more. And rather than point to scripture, interpreted properly within its context, they lean on their own personal revelation (God told me and no one else).

We should be listening to the voice of the spirit in our own lives. When we feel a call on our life, that we think is from God, we should listen, and act. However, all these things should be (as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5) tested against the scripture. And we should only hold on to what is good.

But we can only do this, if we take the time to learn what is good.

Dingalingaling Time

Spring is definitely one of my favorite seasons; at the very least it’s in my top four. It probably gets a boost by being so close to winter. In winter the trees are bare, the sky can be grey, and things just feel a little bleak. Sure, that view can change if you’re in a cozy, quaint mountain cabin, but we don’t all have vacation homes. Spring is something we can all enjoy wherever we find ourselves, but some years winter just feels like it drags on forever. Some years, you walk out on a sunny late March morning and curse the sky because it’s beautiful, but it’s only 30 degrees!

It is in these times we remember the importance of learning patience (literally the worst lesson). We only learn to have more patience by having it tested. And it’s never a fun test like “Which Disney princess are you?” (I’m a Rapunzel). It’s the kind of test where someone seems to dance a jig on your very last nerve. It’s like those days when you get cutoff on the road and start thinking, “This might be the time, prison can’t be that bad.”

But, then you take a deep breath and realize that this too will pass. James 5:7-8 calls us to, “7 Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

Most of us don’t actively know the hard work of being a farmer, but I hope we can appreciate it. If you plant a seed today and dig it up tomorrow, you’re just going to find a dirty seed. If we want those seeds, those attributes describing us, to grow, we need to take the time to tend to them.

We love spring because it feels like a reward for our patience in winter.

Post Tenebras Lux

On that morning the stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty, and one disciple thought it was important that all of history knew that he ran faster than Peter. As they inspected the tomb, I’m sure their minds must have been reeling. They watched Jesus get arrested, tortured, and crucified for seemingly no reason. They’ve been fearing for their own safety, not knowing what would happen because of their association with him. And they’ve been grieving, not just for the loss of their friend, but also for the loss of the future they had envisioned for themselves.

As they stand there—some weeping, some scrutinizing the tomb—all confused and scared, people appear and start asking them questions. John 20:12-15 says, “12 And she [Mary] saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

If you’ve heard this story, you know what’s about to happen, but we must always remember that the disciples don’t. Their lives are about to get flipped even more than they could conceive. Verse 16, “Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” In that instance they recognized that he was no ordinary gardener!

All that weird stuff that Jesus said about dying and returning was actually true. He was fulfilling his promises then just like he does today. We live life like the disciples. We don’t know the end of our own stories. We don’t know when our weeping might be changed to joy. However, we do know that we have a loving savior that came back for us.

Tetelestai

After days of torture and torment, Jesus carries his cross up the hill to the place where he would die. He had been beaten so badly that the guards made someone in the crowd help him get all the way to the top. As his cross was raised the guards split up his clothes and mockingly put a sign above his head that said, “this is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

In church, we usually only focus on the crucifixion of Jesus, but it is something that the Romans did a lot. Next to Jesus two robbers were also crucified one on his left and one on his right.

Luke 23:39-43, 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Whether you feel like you have never known life without Christ or make a deathbed confession, heaven celebrates anyone who recognizes the saving power of Jesus. He came to live out God’s plan to save humanity. He came to fulfill the prophesies of old, “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

The sky grows dark, Jesus exclaims, “It is finished.” And he dies on the cross out of the love he had for you. A week that started with people singing his praises ends with him being placed in a borrowed tomb. It’s one he would exit, but that’s a story for next week.

A or B

Jesus was arrested and on trial during the feast of Passover. Lucky for him it was tradition for the governor to release a prisoner to the people during the celebration. In that time, it was pretty easy to get arrested because the Romans wanted everything to stay under control. Any disturbing of the peace just might get you a night in chains.

Pontius Pilate was the governor, and he tried to help Jesus go free because he knew the chief priest was acting out of jealousy rather than justice. So, Pilate elected to let the people choose between Jesus and Barabbas. Jesus, who we know did nothing wrong; and Barabbas who was a notorious criminal. Pilate hoped that the people would make the right choice. Unfortunately, a person is smart, but people are usually stupid. The leaders who were jealous of Jesus persuaded the crowd to make the wrong choice.

Matthew 27:21-24, ‘The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”’

Pilate sees the injustice happening right before him, but rather than start a riot, he washes his hands of all of it and walks away. Even knowing Jesus is innocent, we know what is going to happen. And we don’t like to admit it, but we also know that if we were in that crowd that day, we would have cheered along with everyone else. Our sin yells crucify louder than the mob that day.

Seeing an innocent Jesus go through all the torture and pain, we are reminded that he came here knowing that this was his ultimate purpose. He came here to go through this for us.

Jesus came so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send Jesus to condemn or punish the world (which he had the power to do), but Jesus came so that everyone might be saved.

We hate to see the injustice, but we have the benefit of seeing the purpose.