Only Read This If You Have Time

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven...” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Life’s most precious commodity is time.  In the course of one twenty-four hour day, we deal with so much... decide so much... and try to fit in so much.  It’s sometimes amazing how it all happens.  Have you ever looked back at a period of time and wished you could have done more?  Changed something that you really needed to do but didn’t?   Made time for someone that you opted not to?

We’ve all been there.  

  Often we don’t prioritize the important people or things in our lives and they get swept away in the waves of daily routine and stress that inevitably come.   We spend our energy committing to things we have no intention of doing... doing things that are good instead of great... or putting material gain over relational growth with those that matter to us.  A harsh reality... but the pain of regret is far more difficult to deal with than the temporary sting of the word “no” to things of lesser importance.  

Want to memorize scripture?  Put it on your calendar app.  Want to grow closer to your kids?  Carve out family time and promise to let nothing take its place.  Get healthier?  Set the alarm for the gym.  You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish!   

Once you set your priorities, I guarantee that you can get more done in twenty-four hours of spending time on them... than a lifetime of “when I get around to it.”   

Live intentionally.  Understand the gift of time.  Put first things first.  And give glory to God when it all comes together.   Sounds like the start of a great life plan to me.  

Plainly

“Then the LORD said to me, "Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.”  Habakkuk 2:2

Writing things down is important for so many reasons.  My friend, Pr. David Crank, says it well... the shortest pencil is more important than the longest memory.  In addition to writing down goals, I always encourage people to keep a prayer/thought journal.  Wondering how God is moving in your life?  Jot down what God is telling you... feelings you are having... answered prayers... etc.  Don’t forget...this isn’t being graded or analyzed by anyone.  Mad at God?  Write it down.  Frustrated... disappointed... upset?   Pencil those feelings down as well.  

I promise you this... God is working in your life.  Keeping a journal helps you to identify exactly how that is happening.   Looking back at past entries helps clarify progress, establish spiritual benchmarks, and see what areas of your life are moving forward (and which ones might be slipping a little).  

Your life is following a path... imagine being able to pass a narrative of that journey down to the generations that follow you.  It’s a legacy... your written legacy... that will teach, validate, guide, and encourage those that will read it in the future  

Cry and Laugh

A young boy was sent to the corner store by his mother to buy a loaf of bread. He was gone much longer than it should have taken him. When he finally returned, his mother asked, “Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you.”

“Well,” he answered, “ there was a little boy with a broken bike who was crying. So I stopped to help him.”

“I didn’t know you knew anything about fixing bikes,” his mother said.

“I don’t,” he replied. “I just stayed there and cried with him.

A sweet story...  but I can already hear you shouting into your computer...

“Crying doesn’t help that kid get his bike fixed!”

“Was it worth worrying his mom just to make somebody feel better?”

“I would have done..... “

“That kid should have....”

I know. Our tendency is to read a story like this and think how it could have been handled better.  Maybe it’s our desire to be problem-solvers.  Perhaps it’s because at the pace of our day, we aren’t able to appreciate just stopping to empathize.  It could be that we don’t see the point of crying... 

Whatever the case, God has a verse written just for us as to how we are to react when we hear the story of or are brought into another’s situation.  

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”  Romans 12:15

Today’s verse from Romans tells how to react when we hear news...both good and bad.      God says that we are to celebrate when somebody else is celebrating and cry with them when they are hurting.  Easier said than done.

When people around you are full of joy and loving life, what is your first reaction?  Go ahead... be honest.  You’re the only one that knows that answer.  I think some people genuinely love to see others happy... And some don’t.  In fact, when they see people celebrating they look for ways to sabotage it.  Maybe it’s feeling overwhelming jealousy, or sharing the “real reason” they got it, or putting on a bad mood so that the attention is brought to them.  Whatever the case, God wants us to return the high-five, put on the party hat, and with a genuine spirit of joy... join in the laughter.  If they are being showered with blessings... run in the rain with them!  Life is too short to experience only your own happiness.  

And if they are saddened, disheartened, feeling overcome or beaten up... cry with them.  Scripture tells us to mourn with those who are mourning.  This doesn’t mean a para-sympathetic tap on the shoulder with an obligatory “it’ll be ok”  God’s telling us to imagine ourselves in their shoes.  I’m talking a feel it WITH them type of reaction.  I know what you might be thinking... Pastor, I have enough troubles of my own.. I can’t take on the pain of others.  

Being a Christ-follower means we are to live each day trying to be more like Him.  The reason He came to Earth was to save us and make sure we knew that He understands.  He’s felt every pain, endured every heartbreak, and taken on every struggle.   If we are going to be more Christ-like... we have to do what He did...and love the people He loves.

Jesus Christ knows how bad it hurts.  He is intimately involved with every circumstance and records every tear.  We need to do our very best to be like that too...  

Get involved.  Get your hands-dirty.  Walk two miles in their shoes.  Share a box of tissues with those that are broken.  Don’t shy away from others’ pain... because one day, you’ll need them and the comfort that comes from the hug of a close friend.   

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”  Romans 12:15

This verse isn’t just a way to make others feel good... it’s the roadmap to our growth in Christ. 

Is Easter Over?

“And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.”  Romans 1:4-5

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”  Romans 6:8-11

“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...”  1 Peter 1:3

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."  Matthew 28:1-10


A lot of people think Easter is over.

Plastic eggs... chocolate bunnies... colorful baskets all become half-off discounted items at local stores.

The good feeling we had at church this weekend fades and we are faced with....

Post-Easter Monday morning.

You woke up to it today.
All of the songs you sang and felt yesterday have become distant memories...replaced with the droning sound of your office or classroom.

Clothes that once dripped with the waters of baptism are now dried, folded, and put back in their drawer.

I want to encourage you to think differently today.  Easter isn’t over.

Today’s verses all have one thing in common.  They all point directly to our risen Lord and what He did for us over 2000 years ago.  He came back.  He returned from the dead.  His resurrection is the single act in history that changed our eternity forever.  He is all that we need and all we could ever want.  He loves us more than we could understand and could never earn.  Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

And he didn’t stay dead.  He came back for us.

Last weekend, we celebrated death’s single defeat in the return of Christ.  He didn’t come back for us to live weak and defeated lives... He came back so we could stand strong for Him and live boldly.

I want to challenge you this morning to not think of Easter as something that’s “over”...  but, instead, as the first day of the new reality.  Today starts that new hope... today affirms the truth that, in Christ, you can do all things!  Today matters and you matter in it.

Have faith, and keep moving forward.  I’ll be praying for you as you take these first steps in your new direction.

Easter Week - Friday

The day had finally come.  Friday.  Just five days after Jesus entered the streets of a cheering Jerusalem, He faced the covert plan of His betrayer:

“While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying,

“The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.”

And he came up to Jesus at once and said,

“Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him,

“Friend, do what you came to do.” -  Matthew 26:47-50

Jesus knew Judas would come.  You can imagine that Christ had played this scene in His mind a few times... that kiss from the lips of the traitor against His cheek... the sounds of the swords clanging together from those that came to capture Him... All of the unnecessary drama from a group of people who had no clue what they were doing.  Jesus would go willingly.  He had been planning on it since the day He was sent to Earth.

Jesus was led away by those He had created.  The beginning of the end...  The end of the beginning...  

Scripture tells us that Christ would go through a “trial.”  He was brought before the high priest Annas, Caiaphas, Herod Antipas, and a man by the name of Pontius Pilate.  None of them could pin anything on Him...none of them bold enough to condemn Him to die...that is until Pilate lets the people choose.  Pontius would release one man... a murderer named Barabbas or Jesus.  

The people chose the murderer over the Creator.

The King of Kings and Lord or Lords would face the most severe form of torture ever devised by the hands of man...before or since... the cross.  And He would do so without ever thinking a sinful thought.

He would go through it for us.

By this time, Judas Escariot realized he has made a terrible mistake...tried to give the silver back... but eventually gave in to his overwhelming sense of grief.  He knew he had caused the death of an innocent man... and it would cost him his own life by his own hand.

9AM - Noon on Good Friday.  Three hours when the world held its breath, Satan snickered, and eleven scared students of Jesus went into hiding.  

And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion.

And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him.  And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.  And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.  And it was the third hour when they crucified him.

And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”

And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.

And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying,

“Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!”  So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.  Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.  And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said,  “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”  And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.  And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said,  “Truly this man was the Son of God!”  -  Mark 15:16-39

And they would take Him down.

And they would put Him in a tomb.

And they would wait.

Was Jesus telling the truth when He said He was coming back?

Oh, yes.... He was coming back.   THAT’S what we’re celebrating this Sunday.

Jesus keeps His promises.  The tomb was empty and our eternity was forever changed.

Jesus’ death on the cross was the turning point for humanity.  From that moment forward, every sin we’ve committed or will ever commit was covered by Christ’s sacrifice.  So what do we do with that?

Continue to sin?  Knowing that whatever we do is taken care of?   Thinking that if it’s forgiven... why not continue to break God’s heart?

What’s the appropriate response to eternal grace and forgiveness?

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?  Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?  Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?  For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.  So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.  Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” Romans 6:1-4;11-14

If you are a Christ-follower... sin no longer controls you.  Why?  Because of His resurrection!  When He rose from the grave just three days after the events of Good Friday... we ALL received new life!   New opportunity.  New hope.  New focus.  

Sin lost it’s power that day.  Death’s perfect record... spoiled.  

When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior...

We die to who we were.

Our past is buried 

We resurrect with Christ into new life.

His grace is free.  He gives it willingly.  Why not sin?  Because we should value what those who we are in a relationship with value.  Christ paid the price to defeat sin’s power... why not choose to live in a way that honors that sacrifice and demonstrates our love for Him?

Easter Week - Thursday

The plan was now in place and Jesus knew it.  Thursday was here.... you may hear it called Maundy Thursday... and the last time all of the disciples would be together in one place had come.  Jesus begins preparation for the Passover feast...

“Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying,

“Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

He said,

“Go into the city to a certain man and say to him,

‘The Teacher says,

My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’”

And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.”  Matthew 26: 17-19

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another,

“Is it I, Lord?”

He answered,

“He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Judas, who would betray him, answered,

“Is it I, Rabbi?”

He said to him,

“You have said so.”

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said,

“Take, eat; this is my body.”

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying,

“Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”  Matthew 26:20-29

This new covenant between God and Man... shed blood for the forgiveness of sin..  in the next few days, these men that Jesus ate with would see it firsthand.  A new plan was coming...a high price would be paid...and the world would change forever.  

Jesus then washes the feet of his disciples in John 13:1-17:26... demonstrating to them what a true servant does.  He commands them to do likewise...they sing a hymn together (Matthew 26:30)... and Jesus heads to the Mount of Olives to await His destiny.  Judas’ plan was in motion and their two very different paths would collide in the hours that followed.

Before Jesus faced His captors, He wanted to confront Peter with his future...

“And Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away, for it is written,

‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”

Peter said to him,

“Even though they all fall away, I will not.”

And Jesus said to him,

“Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

But he said emphatically,

“If I must die with you, I will not deny you.”

And they all said the same.”  -  Mark 14:27-31

It’s interesting that the disciples all thought Jesus was wrong.  They would NEVER deny their Creator!  They would stand boldly in the face of authority and proclaim association with the One who hung the stars and walked on the water.

If only that were true.

In fact, some of His disciples would fail Jesus on their very first assignment.  He asked them to stay up and pray with Him...

“And when he came to the place, he said to them,

“Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying,

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them,

“Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  - Luke 22:40-46

From a last meal together.. to a warning.. to a letdown.  Jesus had been through so much already in His final pre-resurrection week on Earth.  The time was coming for the beginning of the end... capture and crucifixion awaited Him.  I love what He says in that last passage... faced with impending torture, Jesus tells His Father... “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Jesus was fulfilling His destiny... He was willingly turning over His life...He was purposefully going to the cross.

For us.  

Take some time to prepare your heart today as Easter approaches… fast, pray, and commit to serving and sacrificing for others.  And when you finish… pray the same prayer to God that Jesus did… that His will…and not your own… would be done.  When said with a genuine heart, this prayer can change your life.  

Easter Week - Wednesday

      Palm branches, trick questions, mockery, righteous anger... it had been a challenging week for Jesus Christ.  Wednesday of Holy Week would be no different for our Savior.  Three primary events took place which would forever change the world...teachings, treachery, and a traitor.

First, Jesus continued to teach in the temple.  Even with all of the miracles, parables, examples, healing, and stories.. Jesus wasn’t done instructing.  

“And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet.  And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.”    -  Luke 21:37-38

   This passage is so revealing of Christ’s character.  Getting up early...teaching in the temple...ready to challenge any willing to listen with the truth of the Gospel.  Christ never slowed down doing what God had given Him to do.  He never gave up on anyone...bravely teaching in the temple...fully knowing that in just a short while, He would be arrested and tortured for the sins of those who sat listening.

As Wednesday continued, so did the plans to arrest and kill Jesus.   Time was drawing short and the authorities knew that they needed to do it quickly to avoid overlapping with the Passover feast.  They didn’t want to anger the people... just eliminate what they considered to be society’s biggest threat.

“Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said,  ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.’”  - Matthew 26:3-5

    It’s interesting that Caiaphas and his gang of conspirators had no problem with punishing an innocent man... they just didn’t want to cause a riot.  They feared public opinion over injustice... they cared more about legalism than the legality of their deeds.  Somewhere on that Wednesday, the sound of a saw and hammer were heard in the distance...preparing a cross for a Man who was declared guilty long before He was ever brought to mock trial.  

But this day wasn’t over yet... even as Jesus was in the temple leading people to eternal life... His traitor’s plans were put into motion.  Judas Iscariot....one of Christ’s original 12 students...had allowed the enemy to invade his heart.  The devil chuckled as Judas approached those same chief priests to make his deadly deal:

“Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.  He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.

So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.”   -  Luke 22:3-6

   Once again... plans for betrayal without an audience.  Secret sin.  Judas had put his endgame into motion and the conspiracy was confirmed.  He’d get silver for his act of treason, but would never spend a bit of it.  Christ knew His betrayer... knew how close to death He was on this Wednesday... but continued on boldly teaching others.

Tomorrow, on Passover, Jesus and His disciples will discuss this turn of events over dinner.

Take a few minutes today and picture the scene... Judas Iscariot walked miles and miles with Christ.  He saw Him do miracles... feed the masses... calm the storms...  and teach thousands about faith and love.  But soon, he would be overcome by Satan and give in to his inherent greed.  

Judas was planning to go from brother to betrayer with a kiss.  Turn over the King of Kings for a few coins...

Have you ever had that happen in your life?  Have you ever had a friend who turned their back on you?  Hurt you deeply?  Betrayed your trust?  If so, Jesus feels your pain.  

Max Lucado describes betrayal this way... “It's more than rejection. Rejection opens a wound; betrayal pours the salt. It's more than loneliness. Loneliness leaves you in the cold; betrayal closes the door. It's more than mockery. Mockery plunges the knife; betrayal twists it. It's more than an insult. An insult attacks your pride; betrayal breaks your heart.”

Why does it hurt so badly to be betrayed?  Because it usually comes from someone very close to us:  someone we work with, a friend... or someone with our own last name.  So how do we react when it happens?  Some become extremely angry...flying into a rage.  Other people swallow the pain... only to lash out at others who don’t know what’s going on and who don’t deserve it.  Yet another way is to just keep the relationship going...as if nothing ever happened... but resuming it without trust.  

Get furious.

Get passive/aggressive 

Get on with life like nothing happened.

Three unhealthy ways to handle the hurt.  So how do we deal with betrayal?  

Go to God with it.  Cry out to Him and tell Him how you feel.  He already knows.  Refuse to let your heart harden... you’ll have to trust others again and only God will be able to help make that happen.  Have you been betrayed?  Hurt deeply by a friend?  Take a few moments and read Psalm 55:16-23.  See what King David prayed.  

You aren’t alone in your feelings... Jesus understands how much betrayal hurts... and He’ll never leave your side as you begin the road back to trusting others again. 

I’ll be praying for you as you heal.