Let's say a friend of yours, no a hero of yours was leaving town. That hero was a great influence and mentor to your life. He calls you and few of his closest friends and asks you to come over for a bit the day that he is leaving. He says that he has something important to share with you before he leaves.
At the risk of being cheesy, this is what happened with Jesus. The gospels and the book of Acts record this conversation. The circumstances are as follows: Jesus has resurrected and shown himself to his followers and taught them. Then he gathered them to give them some last minute instructions.
He told them that they were his agents of the Kingdom. We can take that directive from Jesus as well. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are his agent of the Kingdom.
Let me explain what it means to be an agent of the Kingdom. When sin entered the world, all types of strife came with it. Pain, sickness, death, famine, disease, broken relationships, hate, natural disasters and all that brings pain to you and I in this world. Jesus did not come only to save us from our sins, but begin the process of reestablishing his Kingdom. All that strife will be gone one day. We are to be his agents of that Kingdom on this earth now.
The words of Jesus before he left at translated as, "go proclaim the gospel to the whole world." The word that is translated as proclaim is to make known with gravity and authority. The word that is translated as the gospel is the good news of what Jesus did for you. Included in that good news is this sense that he was here to bring the Kingdom.
I am not much on alliteration for the sake of alliteration, but on earth Jesus was about restoration, redemption and reconciliation. That is what he was talking about when he talked about establishing his kingdom.
Here is the kicker to it. Jesus came to do all of this, it was God's plan from the beginning to have Jesus come to this earth and live a perfect life to restore brokenness of this world, brokenness of relationship between man and man and the brokenness of the relationship between God and man. But that is not the end of the plan. Part of that plan is for you and I and other followers of Jesus to be agents of the Kingdom. To act on its behalf.
We all want to be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. This is it! You are an agent of the Kingdom, that is way bigger than you and it is an adventure that you are called to.
Experience Easter:: Saturday
I am in the library and I am here to prepare for the sermon tomorrow. I cannot concentrate on the sermon. My mind is taken to the darkness that I had to be in the minds and spirits of those who followed Jesus the day after he died.
Many of you who might read this know about Megan Moss. She has a sick heart and she needs a transplant. Last night was a very difficult night for her and she had an emergency procedure to help her heart do it's job. The procedure went well.
There were many praying last night. Many different circles of people who do not know Megan or anyone in her family. I am not sure why the procedure succeeded, if the prayers that were lifted up changed anything or not.
But I do know this. Whatever happened last night and whatever happens today or in the coming days. If Megan gets a new heart and lives to be 100 years old with lots of kids and grand kids or if none of that happens, tragedy does not stay tragic. It turns to hope because of what we will celebrate tomorrow.
There is a song I know, its first lines are these...
All you ever do is change the old for new.
God is bigger than the air breathe, the world we'll leave.
And God will save the day, and I will say my Glorious.
The point that I am trying to make is that we know the end of the story. You may be in darkness, dealing with difficulty or tragedy. You may have hurt or pain. It might not all make sense. But let me say one word about this darkness. Before I do, stop and think about darkness that is or has been in your life. Maybe even write it down on a piece of paper or in your minds eye, write it on a piece of paper. There is one word that is written across that piece of paper. TEMPORARY.
That word is written by Jesus as a result of what we will celebrate tomorrow. Temporary is a beautiful word isn't it? Celebrate temporary today. Weeping may tarry for the the night but joy comes with the morning Psalm 30:5
Many of you who might read this know about Megan Moss. She has a sick heart and she needs a transplant. Last night was a very difficult night for her and she had an emergency procedure to help her heart do it's job. The procedure went well.
There were many praying last night. Many different circles of people who do not know Megan or anyone in her family. I am not sure why the procedure succeeded, if the prayers that were lifted up changed anything or not.
But I do know this. Whatever happened last night and whatever happens today or in the coming days. If Megan gets a new heart and lives to be 100 years old with lots of kids and grand kids or if none of that happens, tragedy does not stay tragic. It turns to hope because of what we will celebrate tomorrow.
There is a song I know, its first lines are these...
All you ever do is change the old for new.
God is bigger than the air breathe, the world we'll leave.
And God will save the day, and I will say my Glorious.
The point that I am trying to make is that we know the end of the story. You may be in darkness, dealing with difficulty or tragedy. You may have hurt or pain. It might not all make sense. But let me say one word about this darkness. Before I do, stop and think about darkness that is or has been in your life. Maybe even write it down on a piece of paper or in your minds eye, write it on a piece of paper. There is one word that is written across that piece of paper. TEMPORARY.
That word is written by Jesus as a result of what we will celebrate tomorrow. Temporary is a beautiful word isn't it? Celebrate temporary today. Weeping may tarry for the the night but joy comes with the morning Psalm 30:5
Experience Easter Part 5
Today is a day of immense sorrow and injustice, as the perfect Son of God is treated unfairly and brutally murdered. While you were sleeping last night, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, arrested and tried against the law.
Today's reading:
A. Christ stands before Annas (Jn. 18:13-14, 19-23)
B. Christ stands before Caiaphas (Mt. 26:57, 59-68)
C. Christ stands before the entire Sanhedrin (Mt. 27:1)
(two-fold tragedy during those trials)
(1) The denials by Peter (Mt. 26:33-35, 69-73, 75)
(2) The death of Judas (Mt. 27:3-10)
2. The Roman political trials
A. Christ stands before Pilate—for the first time—(Mt. 27:2, 11, 12-14)
B. Christ stands before Herod Antipas (Lk. 23:6-12)
C. Christ stands before Pilate—for the final time—(Mt. 27:15-26)
3. The military mockery trial
A. Christ stands before the soldiers (Mt. 27:27-31)
Today's reading:
- Christ’s final prediction of His death and resurrection (Matthew 26:31-35)
- Christ’s great high priestly prayer (John. 17:1-26):
- En route to Gethsemane (Luke 22:35-38)
- In Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-56)
- Christ’s Unfair Trials
A. Christ stands before Annas (Jn. 18:13-14, 19-23)
B. Christ stands before Caiaphas (Mt. 26:57, 59-68)
C. Christ stands before the entire Sanhedrin (Mt. 27:1)
(two-fold tragedy during those trials)
(1) The denials by Peter (Mt. 26:33-35, 69-73, 75)
(2) The death of Judas (Mt. 27:3-10)
2. The Roman political trials
A. Christ stands before Pilate—for the first time—(Mt. 27:2, 11, 12-14)
B. Christ stands before Herod Antipas (Lk. 23:6-12)
C. Christ stands before Pilate—for the final time—(Mt. 27:15-26)
3. The military mockery trial
A. Christ stands before the soldiers (Mt. 27:27-31)
- Crucifixion - approx. 9am-3pm (Mt. 27:32-56)
- Burial - evening (Mt. 27:57-61)
Experience Easter Part 4
Today's reading is about The Passover. For the followers of Jesus, The Passover was a huge deal. It was the day the people celebrated the freedom from the slavery they endured under the Egyptians. It is Christmas and Independence Day today rolled into one. It is a week long celebration of the freedom from oppression. It is significant, because at the time what you read today was written they were being oppressed, this time by the Romans.
The reading is Matthew 26:17-30.
As you go through this day today, understand that this day in the holy week is the last day that is somewhat normal for Jesus. It is the last time that Jesus will spend a full day with his disciples. It is the last time Jesus will lay his head down to sleep. It is the last day of his life, he will be dead tomorrow.
The reading is Matthew 26:17-30.
As you go through this day today, understand that this day in the holy week is the last day that is somewhat normal for Jesus. It is the last time that Jesus will spend a full day with his disciples. It is the last time Jesus will lay his head down to sleep. It is the last day of his life, he will be dead tomorrow.
