Month: March 2018

Reflections on Good Friday…

As a child growing up, and even as an adult – until very recently-  I never thought much about Barabbas in the story of Jesus’ crucifixion.

I knew he was one of the bad guys in the story. That he got away with murder, and Jesus died in his place. That the crowds all shouted for Jesus to die instead, on the day that Pilate traditionally let one criminal go free. I knew Barabbas was the lucky one who got let off the hook. Because the angry mob so desperately wanted to kill Jesus.

But Barabbas runs off and in the Bible not much else is said about him. So I never really gave him another thought. More recently though,  in the last few years as I’ve been studying my Bible,  I discovered that ‘Bar’  means ‘son of’  and many of us know  ‘Abba’ means ‘father’  so it just sort of occurred to me that Bar-Abbas  must mean  ‘son of the fathers’.  It really gave me pause because I thought wow… Bar-Abbas, son of the fathers, that represents… Us. 

We… are the son of the fathers.  We are the ones who got let off the hook.  We are the ones who inexplicably get set free. Undeservedly set free. Unbelievably set free from our sins.

And I wonder if Barabbas was grateful. Did he have any idea who Jesus even was? Did he become a believer? Did he just think he had a lucky break? Just like I wonder if I am grateful, if we are grateful, on a daily basis because of what we have been set free from.  

The Bible holds so many magnificent secrets and details that can change your life… If only we would read it and give it a chance. There’s really so much more there than meets the eye.  It’s an incredible story and it holds incredible Truth.

We give adulation in weird doses sometimes, don’t you think?

I saw the three young actors from the Netflix series “Stranger Things” on a talk show and everyone in the audience went absolutely berserk.  It wasn’t a totally unusual response, just over the top enthusiastic. But the thing that made me take notice was, the young stars’ reactions. These kids were 12-14 years old and new to stardom,  and seemed so inexperienced and unpracticed, that they looked overwhelmed and almost frightened as they entered the set.

I have watched the series, and love it, by the way. It’s a great show and the actors do a terrific job. It just made me kind of wonder… why do we do that? Why is an audience of, most likely, moms, dads, teachers, health care professionals, college students, business owners…accomplished, productive people applauding like mad for a trio of children?

Who Is Praise-Worthy?

Yes they entertain us, yes they do a great job of acting… and that’s all well and good. But when’s the last time we applauded or thanked the people who really make a difference in our life?  Your child’s teacher, a police officer, doctor, child care provider or the guy who plows your snow and get you out of your driveway in the morning?

These are the people actually critical to our day-to-day lives, all these people playing specific roles to help our lives run smoothly… and we barely give them  notice. But someone high profile who happens to have a gift and – granted does it very well, whether it’s singing, acting or sports-ing – well, we just go crazy for them.

I heard a preacher address this once, saying some people  are uncomfortable with those who raise their hands or sing loudly in church, but it is simply a form of praise and worship.  We’re expressing how we feel about Jesus. And if you think it’s weird, just think about what goes on at a Justin Bieber or Adele concert. Or at a football game. People yelling, screaming, raising their hands in the air, singing, chanting, cheering, swaying… all sorts of things. And we think that’s perfectly normal.

He makes a good point. It resonated with me because I had always been one who felt uncomfortable about people behaving that way at church. We think it’s cute or funny to see a 12 year old girl jumping and shouting and singing and even crying at a boy band concert. But if we see someone emoting at all like that  in church, some of us feel it is a little odd. Why is that?

And it’s not just performers and sports stars we reserve this hero worship for. It even happens in church. People sometimes look up to the person in the pulpit with a sense of awe, and are somewhat intimidated or star struck  with these models of spirituality. Of course we should respect someone in authority, especially when they are exercising that authority. But to treat them differently as a person, or with more respect than we treat the guy who picks up our trash  is not only unnecessary, it is in direct opposition to what Jesus taught.

Everyday Heroes

How about we start to honor and applaud the real heroes in our everyday lives? What might your spouse say if you thanked them for being such a good partner or good parent or good provider? Maybe it’s time to call your mom or dad and say thanks for how they raised you. Or your siblings, to tell them you remember how much fun you had growing up with them, and how supportive they were. Or maybe an easier place to start is with a note to the mailman or your child’s teacher, or an email to a co-worker to tell them you appreciate what they do.  

One kind act can change someone’s day or week. Sometimes even their life, if the timing is right.  You never know what someone might be going through. Speaking words of gratitude and praise into someone’s life could make all the difference.  We have the power to give hope and encouragement, and build someone up, simply with our words.

Whose day can you brighten this week?

Ever have a scripture verse that  you’ve breezed by a dozen times, then suddenly it jumps out at you with new  meaning? I can’t stop reading Ephesians 1:3 through 10

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace,  .… With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will…  – To bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (emphasis mine)

God chose us in him (Jesus) before the creation of the world
…can we even comprehend this? That each one of us that God put on this earth were chosen to be here. Right now, at this time, for some heavenly reason. God put you where you are ‘for such a time as this’ to quote from the book of Esther. You are no accident. You are not ordinary or random or unimportant in any way. Though the world may not know your name, you may not be famous, you may not feel important…in the really Big Scheme of things you are of utmost importance to God and his plan.

The Big Picture

I’ve come to view it all kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. Like back in the beginning of time, things were perfect, you know, Garden of Eden perfect. Awesome scenery, tons of healthy, delicious food,  you don’t have to wear pants, you’re favorite person is there to hang with, no alarm clock…you know, perfect.

But then sin  entered the world.
And it was like that picture of perfection became like a jigsaw puzzle that got smashed into a million pieces. Or 7 billion pieces, to be more precise.  And now, God has equipped each of us to be a part in putting that puzzle back together. Every One of us is an important piece of that puzzle. Whether you’re a police officer, criminal, physical therapist, stay at home mom, student, CEO,  drug addict, alcoholic or the Pope. The puzzle will not be complete without each of us doing our part. You may not be in God’s will right now, you may not be doing what He has planned for you. You may not feel important or known in this world, but you are critical to God, to putting his perfect picture back together.

He predestined us for adoption to sonship
 We are All part of the family. EVERYONE is welcome and expected at the table. We are pre-destined! God has determined it to be so, ahead of time. It’s like pre-ordering tickets to an event. You paid for the tickets. You are planning to go, you are expecting to go. In your mind, there is no way you are not going. God feels that way about us, I believe. He is planning for us all to come into sonship, into his family. No one is uninvited. The welcome mat is big enough for the Pope and the criminal. Faith, repentance and surrender is the ticket price.

Our Part

The mystery of his will…  -to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth.
It seems so simple doesn’t it? God Wants Us To Get Along! Come on, you know the feeling, if you have kids – or siblings, friends or coworkers- who are squabbling.  “Why can’t we all just get along?’   is the weary battle cry of many a parent on those days when things just aren’t gelling. It has now become something of an anthem for those of us sick of the fighting between political parties, church denominations, social classes, genders, races…man, we sure can find a lot of ways to separate ourselves from others.

I like to remember what  Peter said in Acts 10:34 and Paul said in Romans 2:11  essentially ‘God is no respecter of persons’ which sounds like it means something it does not. It’s not a matter of God having or not having respect for us (which is what I thought it meant at first), it is that God does not have a higher regard for one person over another.  Teacher, lawyer, pastor, atheist, criminal… God loves us all; equally, and completely. And more than we could ever imagine.

In Summary:  God planned for, wanted, and loves each one of us. He has a plan for each of our lives and we are invited, we are welcome, and we are desired by God to see him as our Father.  And He wants us all to love, serve, and get along with  each other.  I think that covers it.

We recently watched the movie  ‘A Case for Christ’-  it’s a true story about Lee Strobel, a journalist for the Chicago Tribune back in the 70’s and 80’s. He was a devout atheist and he and his wife were raising their daughter to be an atheist as well. Being a journalist, he was very facts-based, very scientific when it came to deciding what was true.

So,  when his wife begins to question about faith, go to church, and read the Bible, he gets pretty upset with her. He  decides to do  some investigative journalism for himself, to prove that Christianity is false. I mean, these ridiculous stories of the  Bible should not be very hard to debunk, right?

So,  Strobel decides to focus on debunking the resurrection of Jesus, because it is the central theme of Christianity.  And without it being true, the entire basis of the Christian faith falls apart. So he  researches many authorities and experts, all over the country and internationally as well. Some believers, some not. He is super thorough and pursues the evidence as only a journalist would. He comes to a very fact-based, reasoned conclusion that  satisfied the reporter in him (and the scientist in me.) Spoiler Alert, he realizes that there is no denying that the resurrection happened. He eventually becomes a follower of Jesus Christ based partially on the evidence he uncovered.

Here is his terrific 90 second summary of coming to faith called ‘The Last Bible Verse I Read as an Atheist.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbd1SdZvwm8

It is a fascinating story and a great discussion to have with someone who  finds it difficult to believe because of  “the facts”.  Often, those who don’t believe – because of the facts – haven’t really taken the time to learn the facts.  This was pretty much me, way back in the day (about 4 years ago). I called myself a Christian, but was not really convinced that what the Bible said was completely true.  I have found, as Strobel did, It is pretty hard to deny if you are willing to pursue the truth with an open mind . Andy Stanley of Northpoint Church in Atlanta, Georgia says …we are not called to ‘blind faith’. Jesus never asked anyone to believe ‘just because’….  

The gospels are filled with historical facts, cross references and details that are undeniable.  And if you take the time, read them thoughtfully- and decide to just quiet your inner skeptic for a minute – I believe there really is very little chance you will not come to the same conclusion Strobel did. I nearly guarantee it. I dare you to try it.

But even if I’m wrong, isn’t it worth the risk? If what they say about Jesus has even a remote possibility of being true, don’t you want to know? Don’t you want to check it out for yourself, instead of just denying it out of hand, based on what others have said?  

I ask you, no- beg you,  to take one month, and open a Bible and start by reading the gospels. With an open mind and open heart ask God, or even challenge Him to show you if this is true. Not with scoffing or denying or cynical opposition. Just on the off chance any of it might be real.  It will change your life. Forever. I guarantee it.

 It’s what I first did, four years ago. I did the Joyce Meyer 30/30 challenge to read the Bible for 30 minutes a day, for 30 days.  I thought I’d never get through the 30 days, at first. The first 10 days were rough, but I decided to stick it out. I became so engrossed, I continued for another fifteen months or so. (I still read Scripture most days, now.) If you try it and you stick with it, I cannot tell you the change that will begin to take place in your life. Perhaps something to take up for the remainder of Lent, if you are so inclined.

If your life is great and perfect and satisfying beyond belief, and you have no problems or concerns right now, or about your future or what happens after you die, and you are doing exactly what you know you were born to do and couldn’t be happier, and you know nothing will ever change…then maybe you don’t need to bother.

Thing is, we can never guarantee that things won’t change. Life can turn on a dime. Trust me, I know. You can be bopping along all fat and happy and the bottom can drop out on you so fast, it’ll make your head spin.  At times like that, a belief in something bigger than yourself sure comes in handy.
And the rewards are truly greater than you could ever imagine.

What do you have to lose?