Now What?

The songs were raised, the sermons preached – Easter has come and gone – now what?  It is not a bad question, really.  For some churches it’s on to the ‘next big thing,’ another program designed to stir excitement, to draw another crowd, to keep the folks coming. That is not my style! Yes, celebrating the Resurrection is a GREAT thing, a powerful reminder of what makes our Christian faith what it is, hopeful, eternal.  The real application of the truth starts today.  If we believe what we sang and heard the pastor preach – that Christ rose, that heaven awaits, that our lives are hidden with Christ in God -  we have a BIG mission yet to fulfill.

Consider that all the celebration yesterday was like the wedding is to a marriage.  A couple spends months planning the day, then a few hours enjoying the ceremony and reception, the dances and the honeymoon. Those moments, important as they may be,  are not  ‘being married.’  Marriage is the stuff of blending lives, learning to love, encouraging, sharing intimate moments, making traditions together, kids, dinners, disappointments, vacations, sickness, health, richer, poorer, better, worse – right?  A big, beautiful wedding does not necessarily lead to a loving, joyful marriage, as too many couples can attest.

We left our churches yesterday full of hope, our spirits high, now we go to live as His disciples.  Luke tells us that Jesus met two travelers on the road to Emmaus. They were discouraged, wondering how all their hopes in Jesus had been so quickly crushed by the death.  Not knowing Who they were talking to, they said, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body.” (Luke 24:21-23)  Jesus explained the Word to them, and as He sat at dinner, they realized the Truth of the stories they had heard.

Later, as they reported their experience, Jesus suddenly stood among the circle of disciples and "He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet." (Luke 24:38-40, NIV)  Those people saw but still struggled to accept the impossible. Dead men just don’t return to walk among us.  I find their struggle comforting in a way, because my mind pushes back, too.  Faith is not always a simple, straight line experience, is it?  I wrestle with the implications, pray about the meaning, and ask for wisdom to understand. Do you?

Later on, Jesus led the disciples to a place outside of the city of Jerusalem and told them "You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:48-49, NIV) They had lots of work to do and they needed to be divinely empowered.  We still have that work to do.  There is a world that needs to see real love in action, that needs to hear words of hope that are more than emotional.  It’s our turn now.  May I suggest that the now what for us is not to hurry off to do some great thing, but that during this week after we take some time to listen, to wait, to make sure that we have let the seed of Truth take root? If those people needed to wait for 50 days in Jerusalem for the Spirit to fall, we need to wait, too; expecting, looking, hoping, and ready to take the Call.

Here is a word from the Word  - Jesus’ mission statement for us.  "Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, The Message)   But, first wait!  "What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”  (Acts 1:8, The Message)

Lord, give us ears to hear what the Spirit saying, courage to accept the challenge, and faith to live what we sing. Amen.

_____________________

Mystery

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity

Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity

Bread of heaven broken for me

Cup of Salvation held out to drink

Jesus mystery

Christ has died and

Christ is risen

Christ will come again

Celebrate His death and rising

Lift your eyes proclaim His coming

Celebrate His death and rising

Lift your eyes lift your eyes

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity

Charlie Hall

© 2008 sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

A Day of Darkness

Good Friday is a curious name for a day when we recall that the Son of God was laid in the darkness of His grave!  But, we know that the joy of Easter would not exist without this dark day. Jesus was willing to descend into darkness that was incomparably worse than any choice we make. He told His friends, "As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2, NLT He was filled with dread and prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (Matthew 26:39, NLT) Think about that.  The Perfect Man, completely submitted to the will of the Father, pleads for release from the coming dark . . .   He knew the Cross was His destiny. He knew the Resurrection was His hope. Even with that hope, it was hard to go through the pain, the alienation from His Father that came from OUR sin.

Think deeply about His sacrifice. It was not forced on Him. He willingly embraced it for me, for you, because of love. (We will stand before the Cross on this evening in our Communion worship. You're invited to join us at Faith Discovery Church at 7 PM.) He made the choice to descend into the darkness, not for Himself, but for us. His loss was our gain. His obedience bought our salvation from sin, death, and Hell! He bridged the chasm that sin had carved between the Father and His Creation.  The Cross is ugly, but we must not rush past it to get to the Empty Tomb! The glory of the Resurrection morning only is meaningful because of Good Friday's horror.

Are you confronted with some very difficult choice in your life, a place of darkness?  
Is God calling to walk a road that opposes your desires?
Is there pain of self-denial, even death to Self?
Will you willingly descend into the dark of that situation, so that He can lead you into the Light of His purposes?

Jesus points the way for us.  Humility, Obedience, Suffering, Glory – in that order. The Word encourages us with this pattern. "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV)

Look past the pain to the Glory! Grasp the promise of abundant life - presently and eternally - and present yourself as a 'living sacrifice.' My prayer for you is this: "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21, NIV)

_______________

Jesus Christ,

I think upon Your sacrifice,

You became nothing,

Poured out to death.

Many times I've wondered

At Your gift of life,

And I'm in that place once again.

I'm in that place once again.

And once again

I look upon the cross

Where You died,

I'm humbled by Your mercy

And I'm broken inside.

Once again I thank You,

Once again I pour out my life.

Thank You for the cross,

Thank You for the cross,

Thank You for the cross, my Friend.

Now You are exalted

To the highest place,

King of the heavens,

Where one day I'll bow.

But for now,

I marvel at this saving grace,

And I'm full of praise once again.

I'm full of praise once again.

Once Again - Redman, Matt

EMI Christian Music Publishing

© 1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License No. 810055

Dirty Feet, Profound Love

The recent incident on a United Airlines flight where a passenger resisting being ‘bumped’ from the flight was forcibly (some might say violently) removed from the airplane has been all over the news. While there are two sides to that story, the visuals that were splashed across social media and on the news are a public relations nightmare for the company.  When I heard the report, I thought to myself, “Somebody needs an education about the meaning of ‘customer service.’  Consumers in America expect to be served, though in my opinion good, polite service is less and less the norm.  When I find a place that offers me a pleasant experience with  staff that knows how to be efficient, interested in my need, and ready to provide great service,  they have gained a loyal customer.

Jesus was a Servant Leader.  The King of Glory did not bark orders, think himself too good to do certain tasks, or drive people to his agenda with power plays. Just hours away from His most excruciating moments, John tells us that He was at dinner with the men He loved. He was not pre-occupied with His own needs. He was not asking them to soothe Him, to comfort Him. Instead, He is serving!  John tells us that 'He knew His hour had come.'  We would expect Him to say, "Gather 'round me, guys, and pray for me. Give me support here for this is a terrible test."  That’s not wrong, by the way. Even leaders need support. Later that night, in the Garden of Gethsemane, He would ask to pray with Him. (They failed but that’s another thought.)  At dinner, while they bickered about their importance, He got up and took a towel and basin so He could wash their feet! John    records the memorable moment -"So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron." (John 13:4-5, The Message)

Footwashing was the role of the servant in the household with least stature. It was a real dirty, but necessary, job in a day when there were no sidewalks, lots of livestock in the streets, and little in the way of modern sanitation, if you get my drift! Feet were in the 'stuff'  that you did not want dragged into your house.  Sweaty, stained, grimy feet were the normal and so was providing water for washing the feet of your guests. It was a job for servants.

When He took the basin and knelt at the feet of those men, He was not shaming them for their fighting about self-importance. He wasn't looking for their admiration. He was just doing what needed to be done because of love. When He finished, He turned it into a teachable moment. "After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do." (John 13:12-15, The Message)

Was Jesus telling us to have foot-washing services in our gatherings?  Some think so, but really He was urging a way of life that is given to service that overflows from a heart full of love. We wash someone's feet when we absorb their anger without retaliation. We wash someone's feet when we offer them affirmation when we are crumbling inside. We wash feet when we forgive another's selfishness, letting go of our rights. There are a lot of ways to take up the towel and the basin, disciple.

In a culture that makes much of service, where we deal with unhealthy levels of entitlement (you owe me) we see evidence of preoccupation with Self in these kinds of thoughts –

- "I've worked hard, who's going to thank me?"
- "If somebody doesn't show some appreciation 'round here, I'm going to start doing the minimum required of me."
- "Doesn't anybody realize how important I am?"
- "Back off, man, this is my territory."

Jesus changes that with a principle He not only taught but lived. Greatness in Christ's eyes does not come from having many servants but from being the servant of many.

Take this word from the Word into your heart today and let it marinade in your mind. It will produce amazing transformation.
"Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28, NKJV)

"Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them." (John 13:17, NLT)

_______________

Father, today as we walk in a world full of pride

remind us of the love of Your Son and

give us grace to take up the towel –

offering kindness, giving away our ‘rights,’

forgetting our craving to be served.

Jesus, we would walk with You,

know You, serve You – by serving others.

Holy Spirit, help us to see the Cross in all its ignominy

and all the love that put Jesus there.

Being so loved, lead us to love so that the radiance of Jesus

will shine through us.

In His holy Name, we pray.  Amen

Jerry D. Scott, Pastor

Faith Discovery Church

www.FaithDiscovery.com