Below are answers to questions gathered anonymously from individuals and/or couples in our church body. 

space

ANSWERS FROM PASTOR CLANCY…

1. If your marriage has ended in divorce and your belief is that marriage is sacred, how do you translate that belief to your children without casting a shadow on the parent who chose the divorce?
One of the consequences of sin is what you have called a shadow. It is not possible to eliminate the shadows of sinful decisions. What your children need most of all is honesty and truth. Decisions have consequences and blessings have responsibility. You can tell the truth without the intent of casting a shadow on your former spouse. (Ephesians 4:15)

The children’s perception of the former spouse is not as important as the truth. Your tone of voice when talking to your child about the divorce is important, too. If the truth is that he/she shouldn’t have divorced you, then that is the truth. That doesn’t mean that you want everything back the way it was, but you are being honest with them about what is truth and that is what your kids need.

2. How do I encourage my husband to talk with me when we are having conflicts? He does not want to deal with conflict. He runs from it. He was not taught about confronting when there is conflict.
Good decisions take time and communication. Sometimes opinions and preferences collide on your way to a good decision. Decision-making often feels like conflict when really all you are doing is making a decision, though they share the same dynamics

Conflict often arises in a marriage when there are competing value systems. A value system, or your value system, is the set of beliefs that you have come to hold to which makes up your morals, virtues, convictions, beliefs and values. Sometimes conflict is necessary because someone’s value system has a flaw or is just downright sinful. A Christian marriage is to be biblical. In other words, if one spouse has unbiblical values in areas such as behavior, sex, money, gender roles, parenting and the other spouse has biblical values governing these areas, there is going to be conflict. It is not possible for opposite natures to compromise. If a couple shares biblical values, conflict can be more easily resolved.

Another reason conflict occurs is this…

Nobody likes to be surprised by problems. If it is sprung on him he may want to avoid conflict. Set aside time to talk about the issue and encourage him to write notes to bring to the meeting. Really what we are talking about is how and when you bring up an issue. If you bring an issue up, and it is a surprise or an attack, it is understandable that you don’t get results. Too many couples let too much time to go by before they settle a conflict. “Settle matters quickly (Matthew 6).” “Let everyone be quick to listen and slow to become angry (James 1).”

If communication is uncommon, then conflict resolution is going to be that much more challenging. You need to work at communication for the process of conflict resolution to get better.

3. If there is no intimacy in our marriage, how do we get it back?
Desire is a necessary ingredient in regaining intimacy. My chart (see below) is a good guide for both husband and wife. You will want to be around people of high character and high respect. It all begins with devotion to the truth of Christ and letting Him build a right heart inside you through loving Him and obeying His commands. In John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.”

4. When your spouse has a character issue (temper, lying, foul language, etc.) how to do you work through that with kids, life, and all of that – especially if they don’t want to talk?
It seems accountability is the issue here. If someone is not accountable to common courtesy in a marriage it is next to impossible to be accountable to a counselor or a pastor. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:28-30) “For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:46) If someone is lying and being deceitful, there is a heart issue. The hardness of someone’s heart can be by various reasons by their own hardness or being sinned against. The individual may need to come under someone’s care and figure out how their heart got hardened.

5. How do you deal with a spouse that makes you feel that you are a failure?
Often a person will treat another that way in order to cover their own shortcomings. The Bible tells husbands to “Love your wife like Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5) and “be considerate of your wife” (I Peter 3).  James 1 talks about the tongue being a fire that can do real harm. You do need to take a clear stand and say that ANY kind of sinful and disrespectful talk will not be acceptable. A spouse that verbally abuses the other one is very likely to be unaccountable outside the home. If that spouse were to treat a co-worker that way, it wouldn’t be tolerated. You need to hold to that standard as well. Having the moral authority to confront requires being a person of high character and morals that you live out each day. When you fail, admit it. Hold to a Christ-like attitude in all situations and then, from that position, call your spouse to do the same. Counseling can help. Seek it as a way to get some accountability so both you can grow to love and respect one another.

6. After your sermon I realized I have none of those steps in my marriage. How do I start and try to work on this with a disrespectful almost hurtful and selfish spouse? I want the kind of marriage you just preached about.
It begins by building the self-esteem that Christ teaches us to have. His love for you is a love that will never end. Hebrews 13 should give you the security and the truth you need to fight back. Once you are secure in your relationship with Christ, you are on your way. If your spouse will be accountable to Christ, he is on his way.

There are two kinds of people in the world – people who love ideas and people who love people. To be Christ like in your relationship, you have to love people more than ideas. If you love ideas more, you will end up using people. That is a recipe for a failed relationship. Jesus had ideas, but he didn’t love ideas – he loved people. Too many times we try to convert people to an idea rather than people to the person Jesus Christ. Pride and all of its destructive fall-out is birthed out of ideas that have become idols. When you will abuse someone because you are so passionate about your ideas, it is because you no longer believe in truth; you believe in control. Remember that, for the Christian, truth is a person, not a bundle of ideas. We teach what is true because it reveals a person who is true, and that person is Jesus. As Christians, we conform our behavior to Jesus because we love him. We love him because He first loved us.

Why don’t people do better at marriage? I have an answer to that question. It is because they want to control things with their self-serving ideas. That is not how Christ relates to us. Christ relates to us based on our needs for Him. He came to provide, serve, deliver, protect, teach – this is how He loves us. He didn’t come to control us. He came to be with us in a family relationship. Over and over again the Bible uses analogies of family and marriage to teach us how God wants to relate to us. Some people think that one day we will all stand before God in obedience to His will – like robots at His command because He is so awful in His power. Read the last 3 chapters of Revelation to see how it will really be like. It is not an assembly like the convening of the United Nations. It is a family on a hillside at a picnic. He did not come to control us! He came to deliver us – to show us His love and show us how to love one another. He came that we might have life and life to the fullest.

Additionally, it seems that most people are looking for a starting point to work on their marriages. Many have had a spark, many have had a boost, but not all have been able to keep it going. Follow the outline of the chart. It teaches you to begin by building a relationship with Christ. Read His word and put it’s principles into practice. There is NO substitute for that. Next, pray faithfully for your spouse. Don’t let discouragement control your thinking. Let God’s word control your thinking.

Both of you need accountability. If you live in isolation, it will breed all kinds of dysfunction into your marriage. When a couple has no Christian friends who they want to be accountable to, dysfunction and selfishness will prevail.

Next, confess your sins to one another. Admit your weaknesses and be honest about areas of neglect.

LINE

ANSWERS FROM PASTOR JASON…

 7. How do I “feel” like I have a say in big or small decision in my marriage or just peace in the final decisions? I feel like the wife has to submit and respect the decisions that the husband makes and doesn’t have a say.
In Ephesians 5, the wife is called to submit and respect her husband:

• submit to your own husband, as to the Lord (5:22)
• respect your husband (5:33)

However, the two become one flesh (5:31), so the wife is not of lesser importance but under the loving care & authority of the husband as a critical part of him. The husband in this chapter has much greater responsibilities:

• love your wife (5:25)
• give yourself up for her (5:25)
• sanctify her (5:26)
• present her holy & without blemish (5:27)
• love your wife as your own body (5:28)
• nourish & cherish her (5:29)
• hold fast to your wife (5:31)

A husband who upholds these duties as the head of the house will create an atmosphere in which the wife wants to submit to his leading in decisions, which are not demands. Decisions within the home are open because both care what the other thinks. The home becomes a temple of worship where both are imitators of Christ (5:1), walking in love (5:2), discerning what is pleasing to the Lord (5:10), and fully know how to submit to one another (5:21).

8. I married a non-Christian. He believes in God and Jesus, but is jaded by the actions of those who call themselves Christians. He also is against organized religion. How can I help him? How can I be a good witness? You can’t give someone faith. I was blessed to be raised in a loving, Christian home and a wonderful church. His parents and siblings are not Christians and reinforce his beliefs that Christians are hypocrites.
“For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife…” (1 Corinthians 7:14a)

“For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?” (1 Corinthians 7:16a)

The greatest opportunity in your life is to share and live out the gospel for your husband. The best example for him to see a Christian is your life. Work toward conversations about eternity and where he sees himself going. Does he believe in heaven and hell? Is he prepared to meet God and give an accounting of his life? Does he understand that he has offended a holy God? Keep the conversation about him and his need for a Savior. Everything else is usually a distraction away from where he needs to be focusing, especially if it’s about the behavior of other Christians.

9. How can we not fight about finances?
You must talk about your finances whenever it is necessary. It shouldn’t be a secret. There is no his money and her money – you are team. Work on your plan to get out of debt. Debt cripples your ability to thrive.

You are to be good stewards of the money that God has given you, so discuss where that is and is not happening. I believe biblical tithing starts at 10% of your income. Everything you have is a gift from God, so your thankfulness is revealed in your obedience to tithe.

10. How can we establish trust?
You must each start with humility and seek reconciliation with each other. Seek forgiveness for past mistakes then verbally reinforce your dedication to each other and your marriage. Discuss areas in your marriage that are questionable and create doubt, then work to remove them.

11. How can we be respectful during times of anger?
Disrespect and every other issue during an argument usually stems from the evils of the tongue. If you are angry, you need to walk away and keep quiet until you are calmed down. After you have both prayed for wisdom, get back together to talk, not yell. Start the conversation with your dedication and love for each other then you can discuss whatever has happened.

12. How can we be thankful for each other?
Mutual thankfulness starts with the little things you say and do every day. Pray for each other and with each other. Plan special times together alone and without distractions. Vocalize your thankfulness to each other regularly. Become each other’s biggest fan by praising things they do (working, cooking, providing, laundry, mowing, etc), especially in front of your children. Finally, a suggestion from my son, Joey, be nice to each other.

LINE

 ANSWERS FROM PASTOR JEREMY…

13. What advice would you give someone who has an unsaved spouse?
Paul gives us his advice in 1 Corinthians 7:12-14, “To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.”

Since marriage is a covenant relationship, meaning that someone else’s actions do not determine your own actions, I certainly would not seek a divorce (provided this is not an abusive or threatening relationship). What I would say is: love your spouse, just as you would love them if they were a believer. Do everything you can to show them love and grace and forgiveness in the way that Christ has shown you. While this can be extremely difficult to someone who may not understand the source of this love, I believe it is what the Lord calls you to.

14. Other than prayer, how can I help bring my husband to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior?
First Peter 3:1-2 gives us some suggestions:

“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.”

Certainly prayer is critical in this pursuit, but what I believe Peter is saying to us is that, “This is the closest, most intimate relationship you have. If you will show forgiveness and humility and Christ like character, there is little chance they will miss it.” While it is not your responsibility to bring him to the Lord or make decisions for him, it is your responsibility to show the love of Christ to him through your behavior. I believe God gives special grace in these circumstances to the person who is witnessing to an unbelieving spouse. Also, Peter later goes on to say that we must first and foremost submit to Christ, and if there is anything an unbelieving husband would call you to do that is disobedient to Jesus’ commands, you must serve Jesus rather than your husband.

15. All the great couples in the church that we aspire to be like have something in common – they serve the Lord in some fashion together. My husband and I have very different gifts, in different areas. I believe God brought those gifts together to compliment each other, but how do we find our calling to serve Him together?
This may be a particular area where it would be wise to sit down with a couple who has served together faithfully and just ask questions. In 1 Corinthians 12:11, we are told that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts when and as He chooses. This tells me that spiritual giftings can change, and that there may be gifts that you do not even have or realize yet. In this scenario it is best to sit down with someone who has good discernment and allow for things to be drawn out. I would pursue this in addition to regular prayer for clarity and direction in these callings. Finally, in areas that are not as concrete, it is okay to just try out different ministries that you feel may fit the two of you. If they don’t, it is okay to pursue another one. Each part of the body has a role, and sometimes it takes a little while to determine what that is.

 LINE

ANSWERS FROM PASTOR KELVIN…

16. Do you have suggestions for a Bible study/devotional my husband and I can do together? What are some things that my husband and I can do to grow closer spiritually, intimately, emotionally? Especially when kids, life & jobs happen around us 24/7/365! Small, simple, things? Why is it hard to open up and be vulnerable with each other?

Devotional Suggestions: The Love Dare by Kendrick, Moments with You by Rainey, Night Light by Dobson

Pray together! They don’t have to be long, eloquent prayers. The Bible says, “pray without ceasing” and “pray in the Spirit on all occasions.” So practice short, conversational and spontaneous prayers in your relationship as you walk through life together. Just stop and take your spouse by the hands or embrace them and pray right then and there for specific challenges, needs or to encourage or build them up. Also pray for each other individually when you have a quiet moment. Another way to enhance your relationship spiritually is to share or converse about how you are growing or what you are learning about God from an inspiring Christian book or author you are reading or a study you are in (i.e. Beth Moore, or a verse or passage that really stood out to you, etc.) Even though you may be doing those things individually, God can bring you together and create a spiritual bond as you share with your spouse how you are being impacted and shaped by them.

By the way, the above-mentioned are two of the biggest contributors to intimacy. However, I believe there are a few more key elements. One: affection. Show and practice it as much or as often as you can. Hold hands, hug, kiss, touch, etc. When you express these things you are also being a great example to your children of what a marriage should look like. Two: make time for each other. One of the most important things we did in our marriage early on was establishing a routine with our children as far as bed times. After they were in bed that was our time to connect. Get a sitter and go on dates! It could be as simple as going for a cup of coffee, a walk, dessert, or it could be out to dinner, a movie, shopping, etc. Three: loving and encouraging communication – cards, texts, phone calls, emails, etc.

One final word on intimacy…be spontaneous, creative and romantic! These things will breathe life into your oneness and lead to you drawing closer as a couple.

When it comes to emotions or being vulnerable you need to be open and honest. You have to start somewhere. It may be hard because you have never really established that deeper level of transparency. It may be as simple as giving it more time and emphasis. It’s like anything in a covenant relationship – it takes time and development. The more you do it, the better it becomes.

17. What if you have prayed for years about your relationship with another person, and they have also prayed for years about the same. You feel like God is calling you to step up your relationship with an engagement or such. You tell them this, and they say they are getting the opposite and this pulls you apart and ruins your relationship. What do you do? How can two people be getting the opposite feelings and guidance from God?
First of all, you have to be very careful when it comes to feelings, however strong they may be. You see, feelings come and go but you have to focus on reality and on what is true – God’s truth (Philippians 4:8). It could be that you had such strong feelings for this person and for the relationship that it was blinding you to what God’s will was for this relationship (James1:5-8). I would also say, based on the other person’s opposite reaction to stepping up the relationship…that would be a strong indicator from God to me that this relationship may not be what He has for me. That could very well be the answer to your prayer.

I would also lovingly and strongly advise you to seek out a third party who is impartial, a good friend to both of you, someone you both respect and who is a solid Christian who could give you insight, counsel and wisdom concerning your relationship.

18. When do you quit holding it in? What if your thoughts would hurt their feelings?
First of all, it is not healthy to hold everything in. You should be expressing and releasing things to the Lord in prayer (1 Peter 5:7).

Second, it won’t hurt if you express and covey your thoughts in a biblical way, “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) or with a spiritual filter, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29 and 30-32).

It still might hurt them a little, but if you follow these biblical steps they won’t feel the sting.

19. Any marriage that does not have some disagreement or argument is not healthy, right? Maybe it’s the way husband and wife disagree/argue?
In all my years, I have yet to come across a marriage that does not have some areas of disagreement and argument. I am convinced it’s because of the fall (Genesis 3) and our sin nature.

The Scriptures are very clear when it comes to unity in the church…”make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3). This verse and the one preceding it show how seriously the Lord is about unity in relationships. That goes for marriage as well. The husband and wife should make every effort to be unified even in the midst of arguments and disputes.

One of the best ways to do this is by first submitting to Christ and His authority in your life, then submitting to one another out of reverence to Him (Ephesians 5:21). Then comes the how-to for the husband and wife – what their roles are to maintain unity and oneness (to wives in 5:22-23 and husbands in 5:25). Ephesians 5:21 is the key, though. If your vertical relationship with the Lord is right, your horizontal relationship with your husband and wife will be right, on center, unified.

Also, applying these biblical principles will help in a big way, “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) or with a spiritual filter, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29, 30-32 and Philippians 2:1-5).

 space

space

There are certain times in our lives when we are privileged to a small taste of the ideal. In a culture of replicas and cheap imitations, it seems these occurrences are few and far between. I experienced a magnifying glass of unity this past week. At our fall retreat, men of all different ages, incomes, family situations and backgrounds gathered together to share experiences and rally around the singular desire to worship the Creator God. A deep, intrinsic part of who we each are was satisfied by this experience. God created people to connect with each other through their mutual worship and relationship with Him. This is the church. Mark Driscoll says in his book Doctrine,

“The mutual indwelling that God’s people enjoy in corporate worship is essential to our growth personally, joy collectively, and witness culturally. God’s people gather because, in the depths of their regenerated nature, the Holy Spirit gives them deep desires to worship God with His people. We want to see God’s people, we want to hear of God’s work in their lives, we want to know of ways we can lovingly serve them, and we want to be part of something bigger than ourselves that reaches beyond the mundane details of life and connects us all together despite our differences in age, race, gender, and income to seek and celebrate evidences of God’s grace.”

This is what we seek when we gather on Sunday mornings, in weekly Bible studies or together as believers in each others homes. It is why Hebrews 10:25 instructs us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” It is a taste of the ideal. It is uncommon unity. It is our mission and desire as a church, and, when manifested properly, it will be a tremendous source of joy to us and an irresistible beacon of hope to our culture.

Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

Matthew 28 could be called, The Tale of Two Marys. The disciples who first saw that Jesus was alive were woman. Why is this significant? It is significant for a number of reasons. Allow me to share just one.

If you were trying to make up a story (many liberal scholars believe the resurrection was simply a story), you would not want people involved who were not even allowed to testify in court. That’s right! In that day women were not allowed to be witnesses. As a matter of fact, they were rarely permitted to even speak in public. So you see, Jesus was not concerned that the “right witnesses” saw Him. He wanted to appear to those disciples who would faithfully tell others the truth. These women certainly did just that.

In this Tale of Two Marys, I was struck by the description of their reaction once it sunk in that Jesus was very much alive. The Bible says, “the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy…” As we approach Easter Sunday, may it be that we find this same attitude filling our hearts. A certain kind of thrill that only those who know Christ can have. It is comparable to the feeling you have when a baby is born, or your fiancé says, “Yes!” Afraid yet filled with joy. That is HOPE! That is the feeling we all should have once we know the Savior. A thrill and, yet, a full realization of all the implications; I was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. That reality of how far from God we were, and yet, now, how close and how permanent His love.

HOPE! That is the message of Easter. HOPE! That is the thrill and joy in the heart of those who know Him!

Enjoy Him today!

I have so much enjoyed reviewing the prophecies of Christ dealing with the Passion Week and especially with His crucifixion.  It should strengthen our faith to know that our God is sovereign in this universe. God has planned and orchestrated our redemption from the very beginning. He gives proof of this all throughout the scriptures.

Take a quick look at Psalm 22, written by King David.  One source lists over twenty prophecies fulfilled by Christ in this chapter alone, seven of those all deal with the crucifixion.  Here are a few:

22:1             My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

22:14           I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint

22:16           they have pierced my hands and feet

22:18           they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots

To put this into perspective, David wrote these verses one thousand years before Christ and about five hundred years before crucifixion was even invented.  God inspired David to write things about which he had no understanding. Jewish law called for stoning as the means of punishment by death, but the Roman Empire utilized and perfected crucifixion by killing over 30,000 people around the time of Christ.  So, for the Messiah to come and die in this way during the period of time when Rome occupied the nation of Israel and took away their right to put criminals to death, only solidifies our certainty in God’s omniscience.

So, let me finish with a quick look at how God used His Son to be the ultimate and final sin offering to fulfill even the minutest detail of the law and prophecy.  In the Old Testament, God established the sin offering in the law and exactly how it was to be administered by the priests.

Exodus 29:14 “But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp;it is a sin offering.”

Leviticus 16:27 “And the bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp”

Specifically, the sin offering had to be carried outside the camp.  In like manner, under Roman law, crucifixions had to be done outside of the city because it was reserved for only the worst of criminals and foreigners.  Crucifixion was never used on Roman citizens because it was far too inhumane and cruel of a punishment.

Hebrews 13:11-12 “For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.”

Jesus defeated sin, death, and hell because His blood was spilled at the cross.  He separated God’s people for holiness by being the only, true and acceptable sacrifice for their sin.  God’s wrath is now satisfied, and Jesus did this while fulfilling every detail of the law.  Our Savior is perfect and complete.  Let us come to communion tonight prepared as priests of God to partake in this act of suffering and victory.

space

Many times when people know they are about to die at the hands of another, their last moments become what define them. The realization that they only have a few hours or moments left forces the deepest and most important convictions of their heart to come up to the surface.

The famous patriot Nathan Hale spoke before his hanging, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Englishman William Tyndale was a master of words and languages and possessed a God-given passion to translate the Latin Bible into a language the common man could read and study. He did this in the early 1500’s in England, knowing his convictions would cost him his life. He was burned at the stake for heresy, and, as he was burning, spoke this prayer, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” Many men and women have lived out their convictions in the face of death. In doing so, they have left legacies behind which have inspired and moved people to action because the motives and of their hearts were exposed and found to be true. In a world of pretense and self-protection, we all yearn for and respect this kind of courage and fervor.

If we are not careful, we will admire Jesus’ last twenty-four hours before the cross as simply another life lived with conviction, commitment and resolve. It wasn’t. You see, Jesus had something that no other man ever had – the ability to choose not to die. Let’s trace the timeline back a little. When Jesus approaches Jerusalem, the scripture says that He laments and weeps. The very people and church He loves the most and wants to save will not accept Him, but are arrogantly drowning in their own self-righteousness. Wounding Him even more deeply, one of Jesus’ closest companions, who has traveled and ministered with Him for years, has now betrayed Him and sold His life for thirty pieces of silver. The pain goes deeper still as Jesus has just told one of His three best and most loyal friends that he will deny he even knew Him three times. Finally, in His deepest, purest and richest relationship, Jesus knows that in a few short hours, His own Father will have to turn away from Him and not be able to look on the repulsive, foul sin that He took onto His shoulders on the cross.

This is agony. This is hell like none of us has ever known. Betrayed, mocked, preparing to be tortured and murdered and utterly alone like no one has ever been alone. The anguish is so strong that Scripture records Jesus’ soul as “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” and, physically, His sweat so labored with grief that it was filled with blood. Jesus even prays to God, “please let this be taken from me, please let there be another way.” The incredible fact is that, at any point, He could have called angels to deliver Him, yet His prayer was, “Your will be done.” He could have had instant relief from a terror greater than was ever known, yet didn’t.

Think Jesus has never felt temptation like you have? Think again. Think that Jesus could never understand your agony, your suffering? Think again. Our Savior experienced all that we ever could and more and was faithful when we could not be. The preparation for the cross revealed the deepest part of Jesus’ heart – His love for us!

Many stories in the Bible are amazing – Moses parting the waters for Israel to walk through, Elijah calling down fire from heaven, Peter walking on water to Jesus, all of the miracles done by Jesus and, later, the disciples. These are all incredible, but perhaps the most remarkable story reaches its climax in John 13, in the Upper Room.

Jesus is together with the twelve disciples sharing a final meal and teaching them for the last time before his death. John tells us that at this time Jesus “showed them the full extent of His love.” When I reflect on this statement, I am both humbled and amazed.

Jesus was, is and always will be God. He left a throne of majesty in heaven, seated beside God the Father, to become a man. He willingly gave up heaven to live as a man with men – to become hungry and thirsty, to sweat and get dirty, to feel exhaustion and temptation. Here, however, Jesus goes one step further. The One who spoke a word and created every mountain and ocean, who designed the human body and soul in its complexity, the One who knows every hair on the head of every person ever to live, Jesus now took to His knees to be a servant. The man who was God was washing feet!

This is the full extent of His love, that He who had everything would lower Himself to nothing because of His love, even for people who hated Him. This is why Paul tells us that it is not God’s wrath, but His kindness that leads us to repentance.

After Jesus finishes washing their feet, He gives the disciples and all His followers instructions to do as He has done – to serve each other in great love and humility, to give up our own interests and agendas and learn to love and sacrifice, not only for the Lord but also for each other. Later in the chapter, Jesus tells us that this will be our greatest witness, how we treat each other, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

space

For the three years of His ministry, Jesus taught His disciples and preached to the masses. Many people repented of their sin and believed by faith in Jesus as the Messiah. More, however, turned away in disbelief and chose not to follow. Jesus was obedient to the Father’s will during this entire time and was now at the culmination of his work – the final week leading up to the crucifixion.

Jesus spent this precious remaining time with His disciples, His trusted friends, who had given up everything to follow Him. They had grown so much and experienced, first hand, walking with the very Son of God. However, there were still doubts and confusion as to what Jesus meant when He said He had to die. No leader ever talks like that, so they had no bearing on how to process it.

Fully knowing this, Jesus spent a lot of time with the disciples at the end of His earthly ministry explaining so many of these promises and doctrines of their faith. He personally poured into them the truths found in the final chapters of the gospels during this time known as the Passion week. At the end of this teaching, right before they left the Upper Room to head to the Garden of Gethsemane where He would be betrayed, He prayed for them.

Now, this may be the most intense prayer ever spoken. Here the disciples were able to observe the Son of God in direct conversation with God the Father interceding specifically for them and other believers. Read John 17, and imagine being in the room with Jesus as He prays for you.

The rich truths and promises found in this chapter are humbling and energizing; I can barely start to unpack it all right here. The Father has given Jesus all authority on earth to give eternal life to all those given to Him (17:2), and Jesus accomplished this work. Jesus made the Father known to His children, that they would come to know the truth (17:8). We belong to the Father and the Son, and they are glorified in us (17:10).

To further see the deep compassion Jesus has for His disciples, He reminds the Father that He has kept and guarded them in this fallen world, but Jesus was now leaving. He asked the Father to watch over and sustain them while He had to go to the cross. Wow! Jesus would not leave his children unprotected for a moment, but had the Father step in while He finished the redemptive work of God’s eternal plan of salvation. That is faithfulness on our behalf, while we contribute nothing.

Next we see their plan for us. Jesus prays that the Father doesn’t take us out of this world but keeps us shielded from the evil one (17:15). We are God’s instruments here on earth through which we shine His glory. With God as our source, we are no longer of this world, so Jesus tells God to “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (17:17) That simply means we are to be separated from the pattern of this world and transformed into holiness. This is accomplished through the truth of God’s Word – don’t ever doubt it. Jesus puts an exclamation point on it by saying He will consecrate Himself (i.e. personally take all the burden of God’s wrath for our sin), so that nothing can hinder God’s desire to make us holy (17:19).

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have planned, since before the beginning of the world, to make their children one with them and share in their glory. Maybe we should take a moment to humbly praise our God for His favor on us and deliberately work to not think so highly of our own selves, wants and needs.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1

Palm Sunday marks the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  This seemingly benign event was a fulfillment of divine prophecy, but it was also a very provocative display toward those who were His enemies.

For a person of military or political prestige, an entrance like this into a capital city was a deliberate symbol victory and domination.

For generations this type of victory parade was used by conquering heroes who returned from war and want to capitalize on their fame to gain political standing with common people as a strategy to get their votes or favor come election time.

But we know that Jesus did not come to earth to win a political position or display military power.  Why then did He do this?

Well, the answer is in the prophecy given by Zechariah.  This Old Testament prophet testified that the true Messiah would be a “King” riding into Jerusalem on a donkey with “righteousness and having salvation.”  (Zech 9:9)  Well, what or who did this King conquer?  If Jesus was not trying to imitate Caesar or any other triumphant monarch, what was He up to?  The answer is in Paul’s writings.

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
(Colossians 2:13-15)

The truth is Jesus conquered our greatest enemy.  Sin!  With His willing sacrifice He “disarmed” our enemy of its sting.  When we put out hope in Him and claim His righteousness as our own, He makes us righteous in God’s sight and we are therefore redeemed; saved from the opposing condemnation of the Law.  The Kingdom of Christ is NOT of this world.  He saves us for the Kingdom to come. However, until that day comes we are to champion His message of salvation; a salvation full and free to all who believe.  This Easter rejoice in the fact that through Christ you have new life, abundant life and eternal life.  He is Risen!  Indeed!

We serve a God who is worthy of our very best each Sunday we worship together.  Although we should always bring our best attitude and motivations when we come to worship, it is even more important this time of the year.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was and will always be the greatest of all events in the history of man. That Jesus Christ rose from the dead is both the central doctrine of Christian theology and the major fact in a defense of it being true.  All meaning in our faith, all the promises of the Bible for this life and the next depend fully on whether or not Jesus rose from the dead.

Because Jesus Christ defeated Satan, sin, death, hell and the grave, all who know Him as their Savior and Lord should do all they can to prepare to thank Him in praise this Easter. Bring your best on Easter because the resurrection of Jesus Christ is of “first importance” to all believers!

All the founders of the world’s great religions have at least one similarity and one very great difference.  The similarity is that they all came as great teachers.  The difference is that only one came as Savior.  Therefore His mission was unique, one of a kind and unlike all the other so-called great teachers of religion, morality and philosophy. Some form of deification is claimed by many of the founders of world religions.  Only one ever claimed incarnation and resurrection. Our God is worthy, beyond all others, of praise and thanks!

As your Pastors, we are committed to designing devotionals and daily readings during this time of year to help you hold in your minds and hearts the power and glory of the Easter story and what it means to you… if you believe!  Over the next few weeks we will look in depth at this most central belief.

So, will you make it a priority to prepare for worship this Easter?  Will you bring your best attitude, your best voice and your best MIND… having read the amazing promises given to all who believe?  Your can begin right now by turning in your Bible to 1 Corinthians 15.  Read of the promises contained in this great passage. Reflect on all you gained when you came to know the Savior.  Be faithful to come to this blog each day beginning Monday, April 11^th, and prepare your heart to bring your Savior highest praise on Easter Sunday.

There are many times in my life when, in frustration, I say “Lord, not now.” Usually this is in conjunction with an obstacle in my life. Occasionally it seems to be when I am behind the steering wheel driving and trying to impart my perfection to all the “flawed” drivers on the road. In reading and hearing the Christmas story again this year, I have to imagine Mary and Joseph asking these same questions. Mary, a teenage girl, a virgin, engaged, pregnant – now? Joseph a man with integrity, ready to be married to his bride, must have wrestled with the scandal and disbelief he was facing and the circumstances of his bride being pregnant. Now Lord? Do we have to travel when my wife is nine months pregnant? Why, of all days, does the Inn have to be full – now? And I have to believe that when Mary felt the pains of labor starting she must have said, “Lord, not now.” When our charted course is interrupted and redirected by God, we often speak those words, “Lord not now,”  “I can’t handle this right now,” “I was almost there” or “Lord, please not there.”

In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon is reflecting on this very thing. In verse 11 the scriptures say, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yetno one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” As we meet obstacles and hardships, or as our courses change, we must remember that God has orchestrated them. He is the one who has changed the course. He has woven each of our lives together like threads into a giant tapestry and, though we may see only one thread, He is creating a beautiful work of art. One day we will get to see this all complete, and it will cause us to fall down and worship in overwhelming awe and wonder. Until then, we must walk by faith, knowing that God works “all things together for the good of those who love him.” Walking by faith is exceedingly difficult but eternally rewarding. Just ask Mary and Joseph.