Wednesday
The gospel writers do not tell us what Jesus did on this day of the Passion Week. Religious leaders probably continued plotting Jesus’ death, and Judas agreed to betray him. Jesus, after an exhausting day of controversy from Tuesday, more than likely spent his day resting and visiting with his close friends and disciples. It has always be interesting to me that the religious leaders spent so much time plotting Jesus’ death and he had come to freely give his life. They did not take it, Jesus gave it!
Tuesday
If you are following and reading through the Passion Week…today the religious leaders question Jesus’ authority, but Jesus evades their trick questions and speaks the truth. Jesus teaches in the temple, telling several parables and warning people against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Jesus also predicts the destruction of the temple and tells his disciples about his future return. Mark’s gospel gives the most detail concerning this day in Mark 11-13.
Monday
Yesterday was the Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. What an amazing day prophesied by both Daniel and Zechariah. Jesus came to Jerusalem to go to the cross to die for the sins of mankind! As you read through the chronology of the Passion Week, you see that Monday Jesus cursed the fig tree (Mark 11). Jesus also cleanses the temple of the moneychangers and vendors (Matthew 21, Mark 11, and Luke 19). Again he shows his Messianic authority and fulfills another prophecy that implies the Messiah will appear there suddenly and take possession of it (see Malachi 3:1). Jesus and his disciples return to Bethany and on the way home they see the withered fig tree.
It’s Just a Matter of Time
As I get older it appears to me that time is getting faster. Oh, I know that it is not but I can’t help feeling this way. I recall just a few months ago, Dec. 2009 the week before Christmas and the Celebration of our LORD’s birth. I made a stop at a local store near our home to pick up some things and was amazed at what I saw. When I started down an aisle, in the middle of the store, on the right side was Christmas decorations that had already been reduced in price while on the left side of the aisle was Valentines’ Day candies and flowers. It seems to me that we have just started focusing on Easter (the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus) and before we know it everyone will have their minds centered on vacations for the summer months.
In Matthew 26:2, Jesus told His disciples’ in essence that “It’s Just a Matter of Time”. He reminded them about it being two days until the Passover feast but He was also telling them of His pending crucifixion. It’s just a matter of time until we gather at CHBC, on Palm Sunday, to remember and celebrate the Triumphal entry of Jesus as He entered into Jerusalem with the shouts of the people. It’s just a matter of time until we meet on Good Friday to hear of the painful sacrificial death of Jesus on the Cross. It’s just a matter of time until we join on Easter Sunday to rejoice in the scriptural accounts of Jesus resurrection.
During this Easter season there will be a lot of things that matters to a lot of different people. Things like the right kind of clothes, the best places to eat or the kinds of games for the children to play. Take time to show others what matters most to you at this important time of the year.
How Do We Communicate?
Think about the many ways that people communicate. We let other people know our thoughts, mood and feelings through body language, facial gestures, friendliness (or lack thereof), and even through something as simple as a wink or smile. The ways are practically endless. And then there is the spoken word. Talk about endless. Did you know that experts say there are currently 6,809 known languages in the world today? And that doesn’t count the dialects or other languages that have yet to be discovered. Communicating is a big deal, and we need to be very careful about not only what we say but how we say it.
Choosing our words and our actions is critical to our success on a social, relational and professional level. Harmful words can hurt us just as much as they hurt others. But, for the Christian, there is a word that all of us must master, and learn to communicate: the hope of the gospel.
The gospel must be communicated in every language, so that others can hear. But, it must also be communicated in our own language, so that every person we know can hear. It needs to be communicated in our body language and our facial expressions and our smiles and our actions. Jesus needs to be communicated in every way imagineable! Maybe you struggle with actually talking to other people about your faith. You can work on that, and get better at it. But, you can certainly “communicate” Jesus every single day by your attitude and your expressions. Let Jesus shine through you all day, every day!
God Works In Amazing Ways
So this morning I was on the Bob Bell show 620 AM WRJZ from 7-8 AM. I want to share with you a story that happened while I was on the radio. Let me first say God is sovereign and in total control. This has been planned for almost a month. I called my mom after the show and here is the story she told me. During the last half of the show Bob was asking me about health-care and if and how we should stand for the truth. As we talked I told him we must stand for truth but we must do so in love. He told a story about a lesbian asking him if she could come to his church and his response was “yes.” Then Bob Bell asked me what I thought about “Christians” who hold up the signs that read “God hates homosexuals!” I told him it frustrates me becausethat is not biblical nor the way Jesus responded ever! People who see this lump all Christians into that category of bigots and hatemongers. People like that hurt those of us who are actually on the streets loving people the way Jesus has commanded us to. As we are talking the custodian at my mother’s job is taking out her trash. He stops and listens and he is a homosexual. My mother tells him that I am her son and that I am the lead Pastor at CHBC. He looks at her and asks, “He would allow me to go to church there?” She said, “YES!” He then told her that maybe he will come. Now think about this…Mitch Mitchell from WRJZ meets me a month ago and we plan for him to attend our services last Sunday. he schedules me to be on the Bob Bell show this morning. Bob asks me that question at just the same time this man enters into my mom’s office. My mom is only listening to the Bob bell show because her son, who is the pastor of CHBC, is on. God is good and God is awesome! Is that man welcome? You better believe it! Jesus said whosoever will come! Jesus said go out into the world and compel them to come. CHBC isn’t a holy huddle nor a cruise ship. CHBC is a battle ship and a hospital for sinners. Please join me in praying for this man. I am praying that he will come to CHBC, hear the truth of the gospel, and respond! Praise be to God for this wonderful church and our Amazing God!
Sunday Reflections
Yesterday was a great day and I pray you were “awakened.” Last night we had a great service at elevation. It was so good seeing people drop their guilt, bitterness, and wounds. God did a work and he is to be praised. Here are the announcements that we didn’t make last night:
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering- starting this week we will have envelopes for you to place your extra offering for the local missionaries. Our goal is $3000 but I think we can exceed that.
Ryan Rebold along with PF/LP has started a new adventure called invite for life. They have donated 400 CD’s along with the 100 we bought as tools for you to use to invite people to our Easter Celebration April 4th at 10 AM. The CD has 4 tracks. Track 1 is a intro, track 2 song, track 3 is the gospel, and track 4 is another song. This is a great way and an unique way to invite people and also to present the gospel to others. Please grab some this Sunday and help us distribute them.
Tonight at 6:30 PM in the choir room you can come to be trained as a mentor for Angelic Ministry. Tony Earl will be here training. Mentors meet with men for an hour each week. The commitment is for one year. If you have questions, call Pastor Mark at the church office.
Finally, today is the last day to buy tickets for the CD Fundraiser banquet. Tickets are $100 and the menu includes steak and shrimp. Each ticket also comes with a voucher for 5 free CD’s. All money raised is to support our new studio project of original songs set to be released July 2010.
I hope all of you have a great day. I want to also share with you a Point to Ponder by one of our members Brian Thorne:
THIS WEEKS PONDERING POINT
A PONDERING POINT IS A SHORT STORY OR QUOTE THAT HELPS YOU FOCUS ON A GREAT POINT TO PONDER THROUGH YOUR WEEK…..
A certain distinguished war general was asked what made his battalion successful in battle. So successful in fact, that out of the dozens of missions and engagements his entire battalion had the least amount of casualties and were the first to break enemy lines…every time. Listen to his answer “My strategy is simple my front line is comprised of only a few top soldiers. They are the strongest, most clear headed, communicators. They infiltrate the line communicate to their group where the enemy is and then the assault moves forward. The key to my selection of these key roles, is patience and a complete trust that no matter where they are in battle, once they have given the call, the battalion is moving forward and will protect them. And the very last trait they each must possess is an undeniable clarity of understanding that the battle isn’t theirs to fight”
POINT TO PONDER
I am blown away by that statement! The battle isn’t theirs to fight.
The front line’s sole job is only to take the step on the battlefield and then communicate to the larger force. The fact that the three requirements are complete trust, patience, and an attitude of assurance in spite of what the immediate circumstance are, is convicting. Think about it… their behind enemy lines in the midst of battle, they have no sight of their support. Truthfully they don’t know for sure if the battalion is coming. Meanwhile they want to act, but know that their way out numbered. Even still their training reminds them the battle doesn’t belong to them. I am not sure I would meet the qualification for the front line. In 2 Chronicles 20-20-22 a greatly feared army was approaching to attack the people of Jerusalem. After they inquired of the Lord the prophet told them to (Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s) Now for me that is a beautiful statement but if I don’t fully understand how to live it out, it can lose its impact. That’s why I’m thankful it gives step by step instructions….Look in verse 21-22 ( Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army saying: Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever. AS THEY BEGAN TO SING AND PRAISE, THE LORD SET AMBUSHES.) Let’s break this down for a second, the king sends his front line not with swords drawn, or the mightiest of warriors, but as communicators, to call on the Lord in praise and singing. Once they take the step of assured faith and begin to march and sing, then God moves. Then look what they sing about, or rather what they don’t. You don’t hear them singing about their circumstances, you don’t hear them even sing about how they will defeat this army. No!
They sing about the character of God. They redirect their focus off the enemy and on to who God is. There are many times in our lives we are sent to the front line of battle. Maybe the battle is in relationships, maybe issues with your marriage, maybe a sudden loss of a child, or even a crisis health issue. Whatever the size of the enemy you find yourself facing. Remember these words….The battle isn’t yours to fight!
Have patience, walk fully assured of the enemy’s defeat, and redirect your focus.
Thanks for pondering
Swift blessings
BT
THE DAY I BECAME A CENTERFOLD
WAIT A MINUTE, before you roll off your desk chair in an outburst of laughter because of that statement, let me explain. Yesterday afternoon after spending a great portion of my day with Brother Kent Altom, a ministry intern at CHBC, making visits to Shannondale nursing home down west, the Emergency Room @ Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, and the Cardio Step Down unit @ Ft. Sander’s Hospital we returned to the church. Shortly after our arrival I talked with a man who wanted us to help him with a bus ticket to Maine. After offering him a piece of cake and something to drink, we determined that we could not help him with his request, because of the inconsistencies of his story. I (along with Tim Cross) relocated him to another part of town. Shortly after getting back to the church I went up to Trinity Hills to continue my afternoon and to get things ready for the weekly Thursday night Chapel service.
Upon my arrival to the Chapel the associate director, Gwyn Earl, came from her office to tell me that the Senior Standard paper had arrived. The paper is a monthly publication owned by Trinity Care and is used to help advertise in the related communities of their facilities. (You can find them in locations at CHBC) She then proceeded to walk over to the receptionist counter, with the paper opened to the center page, and made this announcement to two of the ladies on staff. “Chaplain David has made the centerfold!” With that statement all four of us began laughing as we quickly realized what we first thought was definitely not what she meant. She was trying to tell the ladies in the center of the paper is an article I wrote about one of the residents, Ted Huckaby, a retired Minister. It is an expanded version of the blog I did Jan. 29th, “God’s Man in Ministry”. Along with the article is a picture of me and Ted sitting at a dining hall table with the framed “napkin message” that the article is about. That brief few moments of laughter was placed in my day at a very appropriate time.
Dealing with the different aspects of our day sometimes becomes very stressful. Listening to the difficulties and the pain of those we minister to each day, the regular visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and funeral homes at times can get overwhelming. God has taught us in his word, “A merry heart does good, like a medicine” Prov. 17:22. As Solomon declared in Ecclesiastes there is a time to weep but there is also a time to laugh. Let me encourage you to take some time out of your busy day to experience humor around you. If you let it, a laugh could help you through a difficult time of your day. DRC
Blocking the Sun With One Hand Behind His Back!
In reading the Scriptures this week about the events leading up to and immediately after the crucifixion of Jesus, I was reminded of a simple but stunning point in Luke’s gospel. In chapter 23, the good doctor records the fact that Jesus promised the thief on the cross that they would be together in Paradise that very day, and then the sky went dark, and the veil in the temple was torn in two. This took place immediately before Christ breathed His last breath. Now, many times we will focus upon the symbolism of the torn veil, and for good reason. The death of Christ opened up the door for you and I to meet with God face to face, and eliminated the need for a holy of holies, since the Spirit would now come to live in the hearts of God’s children. However, I got to thinking about those darkened skies that day. Luke states two rather amazing facts. First, this took place at the noon hour (lasting from around noon until three in the afternoon), which would be the highest point of the sun, and the hottest, brightest part of the day. Second, Luke tells us that this darkness was not just over that mountain, or over Jerusalem, or even over the entire nation. No, this darkness covered the entire earth! Think about that for a moment. God has the power to blot out the powerful rays from the sun by simply holding His hand in front of it. Of course, that is in a metaphorical sense, but I think you understand the concept. God is Magnificently Huge!
By taking the power away from the sun, God was able to focus the entire earth upon the real power, brought to bear through the Son! The result is that the world would see and respond, which is made clear by the reaction of the centurion who was witnessing these events that day. “He glorified God, saying, ‘Certainly this was a righteous Man!’”
God be glorified and prasied this Easter, as we celebrate One who is big enough to blot out the sun, and to bring forth the Son!
Your World
It’s amazing to me how often my little world collides with the same people and circumstances over and over again. I know will understand what I mean. Let’s see, like when you meet someone for the first time and they remind you of someone else that you know. Another one of those times is when you have already made a friendship with a person, and then you find out all the things you have in common.
I am convinced that God allows these little things to happen in order for each of us to find our comfort zone in our “own little world”. I guess I am more aware of this, having just moved and in the middle of making so many new relationships. But we should be careful in our comfort.
This past weekend, some of our students were able to serve with KARM. They came back and had so much to talk about. They had a great time, and enjoyed getting to meet so many new people. They moved out of their regular routine and from their “own little world” to interact with another person in “their little world”. In doing so, they found that they are indeed blessed, and were able to discover that they have so much to give.
So, if I may speak for those students for a minute. Take some time to move out of your “own little world”, your comfort zone, and interact with others. You may be surprised of all that is in store, and the blessings that you may find.