Prayers and Post Resurrection

I just was thinking about after the resurrection. But, let me back up to my Easter weekend first.

Last week I prayed and preached that God would bring me through the journey to the cross with him. I knew full well what would entail on Friday and Saturday. And there was hope for what would happen on Sunday, but Monday. . .

Friday and Saturday were not that good of days for me. Friday I experienced a low. You know them. Those days where it ends and you feel like . . . death. Exactly. On Saturday, during my day of waiting, I realized why I was feeling death. It was because I asked to be taken on that Journey with Christ.

Sunday came and I did feel excitement and joy and when confronted about these bubbles inside I could do nothing but express joy.

But, its Monday. What does that mean? I feel weird. Just like the disciples maybe. A bit in shock of, "What now?"

My prayer is that I live in the power of his resurrection. I hope I live as if Christ is in me because he is. All authority has been given to him. He has defeated death and gives life. I desire to life. Oh Monday. You give hope for Tuesday. As the reality of the resurrection sets in, may I be consumed by our Lord.

Joining the King

Here is the sermon I preached from my last blog post. It is missing the first few minutes so I'll recap here to get you started.

We begin this Journey with Christmas and see how a little baby changes everything. We then journeyed through JEsus' life, seeing him reach out to the least and humble the greatest. Now we see Him at the beginning of a Journey, one that could cost Jesus, the Son of God, his very life. My question for this message is simple: Will we join him?

I then show how Chapter 20 of Matthew and the beginning of this "Triumphal" entry is actually weird and awkward at first glance. He's trying to predict his death and the Son's of Zebedee send their Mother to get them a place of honour with Jesus. Jesus then teaches about servanthood. This is where the message begins.

Journey to the Cross

Before I preach this on Sunday I need to think it out a bit more. As I read the accounts on Jesus' Triumphal entry into Jerusalem and prepare to preach on it this Sunday I can't find too much of a conclusion. But Then I had this thought: That's because its the beginning of Jesus' Journey.

Often, we, as preachers, find ourselves striving to find a major point to take from the text. And If we don't we feel as though we are failing the congregation. But, what about failing scripture. We fail scripture when we read INTO scripture. Sometimes there isn't a profound statement at all.

Maybe the profoundness in this Palm Sunday event is simple: Will we follow Jesus to Jerusalem? Weird right? Jesus is coming to the great city of Jerusalem and people are expecting him to take the throne to be King. Ironically, Jesus shows up on a foal of a donkey, not a powerful horse. The Jews were wrong, right? Well partly, maybe their timing was a bit off. I am still waiting for my coming King to take the throne!

This ironic story ends with no conclusion. In Luke we find Jesus weeping as he comes to Jerusalem for the people with no resolution. In Matthew the story ends abruptly by answering who this person is, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." Mark ends it with "Hosanna." Clearly, this not the end of the story. It's the beginning of the climax of Jesus' purpose: The cross.

The simple, profound question for us is this: Will we take this life taking journey with him. Do we have what it takes to go into Jerusalem, be abandoned by our own people, beaten, and left to die? This is the journey, can we take up our crosses and follow him?

Do Love and Live

Check out this message on Luke 10:25-37: The testing expert and eternal life!

Brokenness in Communion with God

Here is my sermon from a few weeks ago. Just trying a podcast option so I can add my messages in audio form. Click on the Title and it will take you there.